Product Description

Sony's CDP-CX455 400 Disc MegaStorage® CD Changer is perfect for your extensive CD collection. Access your CDs with ease using Twin Jog Dial and enjoy MP3 and CD-R/CD-RW Playback. Utilize features like Custom File Memo, MegaChanger Control, Optical Digital Output, CD Text, and 2 Repeat Modes (Disc or Track) to make the most of your music. Keyboard Input, FL Display, 32 Step Program Play, Control A1 II, and a Remote Commander® Remote Control are also included. So take control of your CD listening experience with the CDP-CX455! This 400 Disc MegaStorage CD Changer stores and plays CDs only

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25094 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sony
• Model: CDPCX455
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 24.00 pounds

Features

• 400-disc changer plays CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and MP3s
• Fade in/fade out between songs, text display of artist names and CD info
• Analog RCA, digital optical outputs; RCA input syncs unit with other changers
• Jog dial control; repeat, random, and programmable play, recently-played search
• Measures 17 x 7.5 x 21.25 inches (W x H x D)

Amazon.com Product Description
The CDPCX455 400-disc CD changer puts hours upon hours of music at your fingertips with features like cross-fade sound, text display, and an organization feature that makes it easy to find your favorite songs and albums. Because the CDPCX455 plays MP3s as well as CDs, you can expand the already-massive capacity of the player, and literally play the CDPCX455 for days on end.

The CDPCX455 can play audio CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs, as well as CDs with MP3 files. You can program the CDPCX455 to play CDs or tracks one by one, in random order, or in your own customized order. A history search allows you to return to CDs that you have recently played, and you can browse through all of your CDs by name, so you'll never lose track of what CDs are in the player or what order they are in. You can also custom-label CDs stored in the CDPCX455 for quicker retrieval. The CDPCX455 includes a jog dial control that gives you quick access to individual CDs or tracks. With the jog dial, you can listen to snippets of music or skip tracks you don't like quickly.

For power users or music lovers with a deep library of CDs, the CDPCX455 can synch up with another CD changer. You'll never have to wait for a disc to change to keep the music playing, thanks to a cross-fade feature that brings the audio of one CD down at the same time that a new disc starts to play. By adding a second changer, you can expand your access up to 800 CDs total, and both changers can be controlled by a single remote.

The hybrid pulse digital-to-audio converter reproduces a warm, natural sound from your CDs, making you feel like you were there when the music was recorded. You can easily connect the CDPCX455 to an audio receiver with analog RCA-type and digital optical outputs. An analog connection instantly synchs the CDPCX455 to another changer, and a Control A-1II cord links the CDPCX455 to any other Sony components in your audio system or home theater. A headphone jack is also featured.

What's in the Box
CD changer unit, RCA audio cord, ControlA-1II cord, remote control, two AA batteries, owner's manual.

From the Manufacturer
Sony's CDP-CX455 400 Disc MegaStorage CD Changer is perfect for your extensive CD collection. Access your CDs with ease using twin jog dial and enjoy MP3 and CD-R/CD-RW playback. Utilize features like custom file memo, MegaChanger control, optical digital output, CD text, and 2 repeat modes (disc or track) to make the most of your music. Keyboard input, FL display, 32 step program play, control A1 II, and a Remote Commander remote control are also included. So take control of your CD listening experience with the CDP-CX455!

Features:

• Cd, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 playback
• CD Text
• Digital Output (Optical)
• Artist File: 8 artists
• History: 10
• Cross Fade/No Delay Play (when connected to 2nd changer)
• Keyboard Input
• Artist Search
• Fluorescent Display(s) (2): 13 digit (alpha/character)
• Fixed Line Output
• Control A1 II
• 2nd CD Input (analog RCA type)
• Direct Access Keys (Disc/Track): 10/10
• Number of Custom File CDs: 800 (400 X 2)
• Hit List: 32
• Programming # of Steps: 32 X 3 Steps
• Disc Memo/Disc Search/Disc Scan
• Play Mode Continue: Album/disc/all discs
• Play Mode Shuffle: Album/disc/all discs
• Repeat Mode: Album/disc/all discs
• Digital To Analog Converter Type: 1 bit
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz +/-0.5 dB
• Distortion: 0.009%
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 108 dB
• Dynamic Range: 87 dB
• Channel Separation: 100 dB
• Line Output (Level/Load Impedance): 2V/50k Ohm
• Remote Commander remote control RM-DX455
• Power Requirement: 120 V 60 Hz
• Power Consumption: 18 Watts
• Dimensions (W X H X D): 17" X 7.4" X 21.1" (430 X 189 X 537 mm)

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Customer Reviews

If You Value Your CD Collection, Don't Buy This CD Changer.
I owned a perfectly wonderful Pioneer, 100 Disc CD changer. Since my CD collection had approached the 400 mark, I decided to purchase the Sony CDP-CX455 unit, so that I could randomly listen to my entire collection, without constantly changing CD's. After reading some of the reviews on Amazon, I was reluctant to purchase this unit. Unable to find another unit that would accomodate 400 CD's, I decided to take a chance and went ahead with the purchase. Big mistake! After spending hours loading the CD's into the system and setting it to play on random(shuffle), I soon discovered that several of my CD's were skipping. I am meticulous with the handling of my CD's, so I know that the problem was not caused by my mishandling of them. I removed the CD's that were skipping, hoping that this was an isolated incident. The next day, I turned on the unit and again set it to play songs randomly. Once again, some of the CD's started skipping. When I removed them from the unit, I noticed that there were scratches on both CD's. I then called up Sony to explain to them that this particular CD changer has an engineering defect, and that it scratches CD's. Their response was that they have had no reports of such incidences. I asked to speak with a supervisor, who informed me that this CD changer has been taken off the market and is not being replaced with a similar unit. He said that stores still had them in stock, but once the stock was exhausted there would be no more available. I then asked him why they were not replacing this unit with another 400 CD changer model, and was told that they are getting out of the CD changer business, in favor of DVD/CD combo units. I offered the comment that the reason they are not replacing the CDP-CX455 with a similar unit, is because they know that the CDP-CX455 has an engineering defect, and they are not capable of building a 400 CD unit that is problem free. At any rate, I called the store where I purchased my changer from, and told them that I was returning it because it was scratching my CD's. I then started the long process of removing the CD's from the system and was astounded to find that almost 1 out of every 3 CD's had been scratched by this CD changer. I called back Sony, and their attitude was basically that they couldn't care less. Once you buy a Sony product, you are on your own. Their customer support is non existent. Despite the fact that over 100 of my CD's have been damaged by this unit, their response was that they were sorry, but there is nothing they could do about it. Based on this incident, I will never purchase another Sony product again. If you are planning to purchase this CD player, my advice to you, "Buyer Beware."

Not for Audiophiles
This machine plays discs just fine, but if you're really into music, this is not the machine for you. Here's some info they don't tell you:

--It does NOT hold title info on 800 discs ... When you enter a CD title, that title is assigned to the SLOT. So if you remove a CD from slot 99 put a new CD in slot 99, the player still displays the title of the original CD.

--To change play modes (e.g., Continuous to Shuffle or Shuffle 1 to Shuffle All), you must press Stop first. I have owned about 10 CD players in the past (most of them Sonys), and none of them behave like this. You can usually switch without interrupting the current song.

--Plan to spend many hours loading and entering CDs (even with a keyboard). It takes 17 seconds to change discs (!) even if you're going from Disc 1 to Disc 2. It's about 24 seconds if the carousel has to move half way around.

--It stores artist info, but not genre. You can use the Artist space for genre, but you can't do both. In other words, you can play all your Dave Matthews CDs or all your Rock CDs, but you can't categorize the same disc as Dave Matthews and Rock.

--Programming play is a little strange. It has three programs, and they remain when power is turned off. That's good, but three is not nearly enough, and you don't have the ability to program on the fly. To create a new program, you have to erase one first (assuming all three are full). Plus, if you're moving up from the 10-disc player, you're going to miss the Bank play feature (stores a program for each disc and remembers it when you take the disc out).

--The disc in slot 17 almost always comes up as the first disc played when I change modes from Continuous to Shuffle or back.

--20 characters is not enough, especially if you're using genres because then you have to cram the artist and title in 20 spaces (and then use the Artist entry for the genre).

--The tiny screen only shows 13 characters unless you press the Display button; then it scrolls the CD title, a slash, a keyhole-shaped separator, and the Artist. A player with this many discs really needs a bigger screen with separate displays for artist and title.

--There's no fast forward (>>) or rewind (<<). It only has skip forward (>>|) and skip back (|<<).

--It's DEEP! Check the measurements before you buy. This machine is about six inches deeper than my cabinet, so it sticks out the back.

--It's time consuming to move CDs from home to car to work or wherever. You have to find the CD by scrolling through all the names, and when you put it back, it has to go in the same slot. No problem for one or two CDs, but I generally pull out 10 at a time.

Does it do anything well? Sure. MP3 play is pretty cool. And having all your discs loaded allows you to hear your collection differently. I use Shuffle a lot, so I hear songs I wouldn't normally choose. The jog wheels (one for disc, one for song) are useful. It hasn't skipped yet.

Sony certainly didn't design this for people who have 400 discs. It was really disappointing.

Avoid like the plague!!! Should be RECALLED
Like a couple of other reviewers have mentioned, I have owned the older Sony 400 disc changer for many years without a single problem; I absolutely love it. When I purchased the updated CX455, I was excited that this would offer the same performance, while adding the ability to play MP3s.

I realized this was not meant to be as soon as I saw that Sony had done away with the "Group File" function which was by far my favorite feature on the old player. In retrospect, this should have clued me in that this was a "problem product." Why would you replace the Group Files with "Top Artist" files that only let you group discs by a particular artist? Listening to music by genre (eg: hard rock, party, dinner music, holidays) is the best feature on the old CX400. Who sits down and listens extensively to one artist? And if you like the Top Artist feature, you could have done this anyway on the Group File system, by assigning discs by the same artist to one Group. The answer is, Sony most likely could not get the Group Files to work properly on this unit, because the unit is a mess.

First of all, when you locate discs by artist (which is how I find most of my CDs), each time you press the "Artist File" button it goes back to the beginning. The old unit stayed with the last Artist played. Therefore, if you want to take out six Van Halen CDs, you need to start at "Allman Brothers" and scroll through the whole alphabet EVERY TIME.

All this could be bearable, but, as other reviewers have mentioned, the player at random decides to scramble your Artist File. Suddenly, without warning,many of the CDs become linked up to the wrong artist, or no artist at all. A great thing to happen after you spend hours programming the information!! I purchased one CX455 that did this twice, then returned it. The second unit was fine for about six months, then did the same thing. It was under warranty, so I called Sony and was told on the first call that the CX455 is "eligible for replacement."

Unfortunately, the CX455 cannot be replaced, because Sony has ceased to manufacture new units!! I foolishly gave authorization for the unit to be repaired. It has been repaired TWICE over the last three months and still does the same thing!! Obviously Sony knows what the problem is, but they are powerless to fix it. Therefore they have discontinued production of the unit. I have demanded that Sony either refund my purchase price or exchange it for a different unit (the CX355 does not seem to have this problem).

Every company has occasional glitches, but this is an embarrassment. Sony obviously had problems in the development of this unit, which led to them ditching the Group Files. This unit should never have been released; they should have kept the CX400 until they got it right. A RECALL is the only just way to deal with this complete dog of a product.