Ministry of Sound DV124

Author's product rating:   

Picture Playback	Excellent
Sound Level	Excellent
Ease of Use	Difficult
Range of Features	Above Average
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Great Sound, Great Looks
Disadvantages:	Flimsy disc drive, hard to use

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ministry of Sound - DV124

Before I start, I'd just like to say how much trouble I had trying to find a good review of a CD player to see what I should put in mine, but I couldn't so here goes.

Contents
Choosing the Brand
Sound
Picture Playback
Appearance
Features
Installation and ease of use
Display
Opinion
Value for Money
Comparison to other brands
Summary

Choosing the Brand
I began to look for this in May, and spent a good two months looking before I made a final decision. What did I need, I would need a good quality CD player, with nice speakers, a reputable brad, and something that looked modern and trendy. So, what were the options, the brands had to be between Philips Sony and Goodman's, I could stretch to a Logik but I wasn't sure, I had a budget of £150, but could go over. I spent the first month looking round the reputable shops trying to find the best deal I could, I had almost decided on a Sony when a friend mentioned ministry of sound to me. Although they aren't a reputable make, it would mean a good quality for a much lower price. I walked into Macro's and I saw a MOS £99.99 with everything I needed. I hit the internet, and eventually found it at Comet for £89.99, but used the Curry's price promise to get it for £89.95.

Sound quality
Absolutely incredible, I really can't fault it, apart from the fact it's too loud, but I think that this is the Speakers. With two 50 watt speakers and a really impressive Sub-woofer it packs a punch. It also has good treble and bass options, so the treble can be controlled to make it a bit quieter. With the radio, there is a setting which cuts out the background noise making it a much clearer sound. The quality of the CD is also excellent and it is the best that I have ever heard, and using the demo CD, it outperformed any rivals in the Shops.

Picture Playback
The DVD on this is brilliant and it has truly fantastic quality, I have only had it jump once, and I think this was because I fell over next to it. The DVD menu is very good and the ability to change angle on the more modern films is fantastic and adds a whole new dimension to viewing. The DVD playback is still difficult with the remote, but it's easier to do it for the DVD than the CD player.

Appearance
Gorgeous. The mirror on the front works really well, and the sleek silver finish gives it a great shine. It also looks fantastic from the side, but if you look at it from the front it looks really small, you barely notice it. Along with the speakers it fits perfectly on most shelves, this works well for me as my bedroom is short of space. The buttons are on the bottom of the CD player, and are laid out very well, with an adjuster for the headphone volume. There is only one problem, I don't know if this is a one off but the top of my CD player has begun to develop what looks like corrosion, and I don't know what this is, and if it is a common problem I would avoid this CD player.

Features

It has a 3 phono output as it doubles up as a DVD player; this has excellent quality and works extremely well. It also has 2 duo phono inputs; this means that you can input a DAB radio, and a tape player from a Hi-Fi set. It has FM and AM inputs, both cables come included in the pack and have excellent reception. It also has an excellent remote which is essential for use. The programming function is extremely sophisticated on this CD player, and you can program up to 20 songs at a time. It also has an HD socket at the back but to be honest I'm not sure what for.

Installation and ease of use
The CD player was relatively easy to install, but the instructions are only just satisfactory, and it's difficult to work out what goes where. Once all the cables are in it is a completely different story. The remote, while partly self explanatory is very difficult to use, and it is also very difficult to read the writing above the buttons. It is also hard to work out which button is which. I also think that the eject and standby buttons should be much larger. The remote is small and stylish, but fails to get the job done. On the CD player interface, it is even more difficult, the buttons are lined up, and with the reflection of the front on them it's impossible to see. The volume control is quite flimsy, and very difficult to use, the markings around the outside are pointless as they don't relate to the volume, it would be better to have two buttons for louder and quieter. The only other problem is that the disc tray is extremely flimsy; this makes me afraid that I'm going to knock it over when it's open and it would just snap off with the slightest movement.

Display
The display is extremely clear, and shows a good bit of visualisation, this is also helped by the time display; this is joined by a display of the Sound style you are using at the moment. It displays the volume as you change it; this is very clear and is essential.

Opinion
In my eyes, the MOSDV124 is a very good CD player, but is let down by the finer details, and although it has fantastic style and is extremely aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't get the job done. This is not helped by the flimsy volume control, and the On/Off button which begins to stick after a while. I think that the CD player deserves 7.5/10, because it is a great CD player, but is let down by its usability.

Value for Money
Excellent, I paid £89.95 and it definitely paid to shop around to find the best deal, I think that this is an excellent price, and for what you get, it's excellent value. Compared to competitors it's extremely cheap, and to get these sort of features on the Sony you would need to spend about £30 more, which is almost worth it for the more reputable brand, but if you're on a budget you're not too concerned about the reputability of the make of your CD player.

Comparison to Competitors
The Sony has to be the bee's knees in the CD player scenario, and if you are happy to sacrifice style for quality go for a Sony. The Philips incorporates both of these, and I have now purchased one, the sound quality is about the same, and I feel that the looks are probably better on the Ministry of Sound. Goodman's is fading in this market, and has lost touch with today's modern youth; it gets the job done, but barely. Panasonic are a good make and they are on a par with Sony for Quality, but also produce a top notch style of Cod player, so my recommendation is to buy a Panasonic, they are much better value than anything else on the market.

Summary
I feel that the CD player absolutely brilliant sound and appearance quality, but is let down by the simple fact that it isn't very durable, and it doesn't help itself by making things clear on the interface.