Entered CNET Catalog: 01/15/2003
SKU: C300
Manufacturer: cd3o
Manufacturer description
Now you can keep all your digital music on your PC and play it on your stereo - where you really want to listen. cd3o Network MP3 Players connect your stereo to your computer, using standard home networking. Leave the PC in the basement, office, or wherever - and forget about drilling holes and stringing audio cables. cd3o Network MP3 Players use standard home networking: either wired Ethernet or 802.11b wireless LAN (Wi-Fi). Hear your music where you want to. Just because your digital music is stored on your PC doesn't mean that's the right place to listen. Your computer speakers will never sound as good as that amazing stereo in your family room, and you know you'll be more comfortable in the cushy recliner. The compact and attractive cd3o Network MP3 Player connects easily to any home stereo with auxiliary inputs. And because it's a true networked device, you can put a cd3o player on every stereo in the house and listen to different music on each one, at the same time. Jazz in the dining room, punk on the patio, and R&B in the bedroom? No problem. This isn't one of those staticky, squealing FM transceivers from the neighborhood electronics store. cd3o Network MP3 Players are built to sound great, with audiophile-quality components, pure digital transmission from PC to player, and native support for MP3, WMA, and uncompressed WAV audio files. cd3o's innovative Voice-Guide remote control lets you browse your entire music collection from the comfort of your easy chair. Search by artist name, album title, tracks, genres, or custom playlists. You can also control all of your cd3o players from the PC, using the cd3o Control Center software. The cd3o system works together with your existing PC music player software - you won't need to rearrange your music library or change how you listen at your computer.Product summary
The good: Connects wirelessly (802.11b) or via Ethernet; innovative voice-based navigation system; superlative sound quality; digital optical and coaxial outputs.
The bad: Lacks front-panel text display or TV output; no Mac support; no Internet radio.
The bottom line: The c300 is an innovative digital audio receiver--the first to use 802.11b wireless networking to connect a PC to a stereo--and it sounds great too.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 05/02/2003
Setting up the c300 was easy. After unpacking the unit, we installed the software CD on our PC, temporarily connected the c300 to our wired Ethernet router, and followed onscreen configuration prompts. Once software setup was complete, we unplugged the Ethernet cable and rebooted our PC; the c300's LEDs indicated that a wireless connection had successfully been established with our wireless access point (WAP). Then we ran the Cd30 Control Center software, which scanned our selected PC directories for MP3s, WMAs, and WAVs with which to build the c300's music library.
You can operate the c300 using the PC or the remote control. The streamlined software has tabs for genre, artist, album, and playlist, making navigation a cinch. The remote's buttons correspond to those tabs, while directional and alphanumeric keys make navigation fairly straightforward. The Favorite key on the remote accesses programmable presets that put your current top 10 songs, albums, and playlists within easy reach.
You'd expect the c300's lack of a display to be a major stumbling point, as it is with RCA's less expensive Lyra Wireless RD900W, but the voice-based navigation system is surprisingly effective.
Unlike most DAR software, the c300's Control Center cannot play audio through a PC sound card. But it supports the common M3U playlist format, allowing interapplication sharing and use of existing playlists. The c300 can play MP3, WMA, and WAV files but can't play audio directly from a CD in your computer's drive or Internet radio. However, Cd3o might add those features to the software later; there's no reason the system can't handle both tasks.
Connectivity, on the other hand, is one of this DAR's strongest suits. Besides the ultracool 802.11b wireless connection, it has more audio outputs than the vast majority of DARs: one stereo RCA line output, one optical digital output, and one coaxial digital output. No matter what input your sound system has, the c300 can connect to it. And the Ethernet port is a nice touch, as it enables using the device on a wired network, if you have yet to upgrade to wireless 802.11b.
Employing text-to-speech technology, the c300's CDDJ voice announces information over your sound system, such as current song, directory, artist, and playback status. To fire up Outkast's Aquemini album, we pressed the remote's Album button, and the c300 announced, "Album." Then, we pressed a, q, u, and e on the remote. After a chime alerted us of a match, the c300 announced, "Aquemini," and we pressed Play to start the album--an innovative workaround for a device that lacks a display.
Occasionally, the robotic announcements aren't fully intelligible, but Cd3o plans to offer upgrades to a selection of alternate voices within the year. While the voice-based navigation system does enable finding tracks whenever you're in earshot, the ideal DAR would also have a TV output for total convenience. Another foible: The Control Center software's music library screens don't update when the remote control is used to navigate to a new tab. That aspect of the design nagged us, but Cd3o says it's a benefit if you have multiple c300 units on a network accessing the same computer.
Most DARs sound respectable, but the c300's analog audio outputs deliver sonic clarity superior to that of just about anything we've seen to date (thanks to a 24-bit, 96kHz signal-to-noise ratio). Through our Event 20/20 studio monitors, a 256K MP3 of Zeppelin's "Tangerine" was very clear, with the acoustic guitar wafting smoothly and sounding quite multidimensional. In our setup, in which the c300 was about 40 feet away from the wireless access point, we didn't notice any dropouts. Cd3o says the transmission range is typically 100 to 300 feet, but the range is basically whatever's covered by your 802.11b network.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10out of 10 user reviews
Connection-Setup Faillures too annoying
Pros: When this works it is ok.
Cons: Minor: Software is poor, hard to control volume, hard to sort many files and plain.
Major: Connection drops randomly, you must set complex permissions on services in windows control panels just to make it work (shows the software?s is more of beta).
out of 10 user reviews
Excellent and in my mind the only Solution if you want to pipe music around the house!
Pros: Simple, the software is even simpler and works a treat! EXCELLENT SOUND QUALITY. Even my wife who still can't turn on the video can use this! The only solution if you want to avoid wires and pipe your music around the house, and I have tried a few ways o
Cons: The C300 (range extender) I think is over priced compared to the model below. If it was available to buy directly from the UK, and priced a little more reasonably I would of bought 6 more of them.. I already have 3!
out of 10 user reviews
Good idea - bad implementation
Pros: Digital quality sound, small size, works with WinAmp m3u playlists, nice remote w/ speech, good support
Cons: Drops connection too frequently to use. I'm working on my 3rd one now, and have barely used it.
out of 10 user reviews
MY CUP OF TEA
Pros: I like where you press the remote to hear the name of songs and other info. No need for TV to see whats playing. sound is great also
Cons: DID NOT NEED ANY, BUT I SEE TECH SUPPORT IS BY E-MAIL ONLY. IN THEIR DEFENSE THEY DO HAVE A GOOD WEB SUPPORT SETUP.
out of 10 user reviews
Does what it says in the blurb
Pros: Great for getting the music where its supposed to be on the Hifi not the TV. very easy to install and use they must have worked on the bugs the Beta guys where complaining about.
Cons: Could look better and have an LCD display
out of 10 user reviews
Easy Install, works good, just what I was looking for.
Pros: Does not require a TV, monitor. I have a Rio Reciever with the small display screen. I like this better. I can find out what is playing without having to try to read a tiny screen. The PC software is better than the Rio Receiver.
Cons: Would be nice to have a 1/8 mini connector for powered speakers in addition to the RCA's.
out of 10 user reviews
Excellent device for audio-only
Pros: Outstanding audio fidelity Flexibility in setup (wired/wireless) I think lack of requirement for video interface is a positive - some of us don't want to turn on the TV to listen to a song (for instance, piping music into the dining room)
Cons:
out of 10 user reviews
Very good - may get better
Pros: Unlimited by hard drive, great sound, don't have to hook it up to your TV
Cons: Drops off of WIFI network sometimes
out of 10 user reviews
This could be a winner
Pros: Sound quality Price Wireless Flexibility
Cons: Bugs Setup can be complicated Getting all your tracks in order is a real chore
out of 10 user reviews
Not too promising
Pros:
Cons:
s%20-%20CNET%20Archive&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-audio-receivers-dars/cd3o-c300/1707-6470_7-20797561.html&x_breadcrumb=6449:12698:6462:6470){kind=small}