Academy DVDR800

Advantages: Multi-Region, Low Cost
Disadvantages: No Scart Output, Missing functions on Remote Control

...You may ask the question "What is the REC DVD-R800C?" and "Who are REC?" Well I asked those same questions when I was looking for a reasonably priced multi-region player adn the REC fitted the bill. The REC is manufactured in China and when it was first released in Sep 1999 it retailed at around £300. Now that price has dropped to around £180 making it a very attractive player. The REC supports the standard DVD functions plus it has some karaoke features. Playback of DVDs is as good as any other machine I've seen and it seems to cope with all the films I tried to date (The Matrix, Notting Hill, Twelve Monkeys, Sixth Sense, Tarzan, Blade Runner, and The Mummy). Playback of CDs is also very good. On the negative side 1) It doesn't have a Scart output instead it provide S-Video or AC-3. 2) The remote control is adequate, but for some... Read review

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Advantages: It is light
Disadvantages: Everything else

.... The reasons why the recording is bad: it is extremely distorted however quiet you sing. There is a horrible crackling sound all the time. And it is not my sequencer either. I tried others and it didn’t change the sound at all. The worst thing in my opinion is the sound lag. There is more than a second delay when you record, so with a backing track, you need a lot of time having to quantize the vocals with it. This microphone can’t even qualify for karaoke, sorry to say (or sing!). Philips are the last major British company, so really it feels sad having to ‘diss’ them like this, but I even bought an ‘Academy’ microphone from poundland and it does a better job. Of course, the Academy microphone is still shocking, but compared to this, it scores gold. I have also tried to use the Philips microphone for speaking, and it has the same problem... Read review

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Advantages: fantastic tonal quality
Disadvantages: slightly uncomfortable ear pads, pricey

.... Similar Products Used: Sennheiser HD480, Rox, old Sony cans Features: Vented diaphragm Non Resonant air chamber Standard copper voice coil wire Standard copper connecting cord mini plug with 1/4" adaptor Tranducer type dynamic Operating principle open air Frequency response 20-20 SPL 1mV 98 Normal impedance 32ohms Driver matched db .1 ROLL OF HONOUR. (other reviews and awards) "Creating a stereo image of excellent depth and clarity, they ensure every detail is heard, every strand separated." First Headphone ever awarded a "GOLDEN NOTE AWARD" Presented by the Academy for the Advancement of High End Audio. Winner of Audio Video's "GRAND PRIX AWARD" "In the recording studio or for the serious hobbyist, I can't think of a more versatile or dimensionally satisfying personal speaker system." Fi magazine / Vol. 2, No. 4... Read review

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