Whether you're looking for a stylish portable alarm clock radio or an MP3-capable CD player to accompany you on the road, Grundig's Etón Ego 4000 Plus may be calling your name. The compact unit uses Grundig's proprietary detachable speaker docking system, which lets you remove the speakers from the exterior of the folding lid and position them apart, like your home speakers. Or, you can leave the speakers attached and play the unit like a small boombox. In any case, Grundig also provides a pair of lightweight street-style stereo headphones to bypass the speakers altogether for private listening.
The Etón Ego 4000 Plus plays not just audio CDs, but recordable CDs filled with MP3 files, too, with ID3 tag capability (for artist and title display) and the benefit of 40-second shock protection (or an amazing 120 seconds for MP3). Bass boost and a selection of five preset equalization curves help you tailor the sound to your personal preference, and you can listen in various random or repeat modes or program up to 20 CD/MP3 CD tracks to play in sequence.
The player's fold-up top section puts a backlit LCD in clear view, especially handy when using the built-in alarm and/or calendar features. The clock offers a date indicator, 12-hour time mode, dual alarms (with snooze), and local/world time. You or your partner can wake to the radio, a CD, or a buzzer. For power, use four AA batteries or the unit's AC power adapter (both included).
Choose from 15-, 30-, and 60-minute sleep settings, or rely on auto power off to shut the player down at the end of a disc. The FM/AM radio comes with 30 station presets (20 FM, 10 AM), auto scanning, and antennas.
Grundig's design-driven Etón line of portable-audio offers a graceful combination of form and function. Unique product design is the basis for all models, as well as functionality above and beyond other products in the same category. With features that satisfy high-tech, style-conscious listeners, Etón products have an added flare that will attract people seeking distinctive portable audio.
What's in the Box
CD unit, speakers, headphones, carrying case, an AC power adapter, four AA batteries, and a user's manual.
1 I HATE IT
I hate this contraption and I stupidly let 30 days pass before I realized how much I hate it. Now I start every morning with a "boy I hate this thing." Why? well here are few reasons why: You cannot read the numbers unless you are within 18" and to get a backlight you must depress "any button"---not a bad idea but horribly executed. The backlight lasts four seconds--way too fast in the night and "any button" is a lie because you can't press "stop" nor the "on" for radio or cd without starting a whole other process which you then, in the dark, have to figure out how to terminate. The cd player spends more time "reading" your cd than it does playing it. The "tuner/band" button is very sensitive and lord knows what you will wake up to, the screech of a not tuned in AM station happens way too often. The worst of it all was I called Eton to tell them how much I hated it, just thought they might want to know. I had a friendly conversation with a very nice receptionist who assured me they wanted me to be happy and would do something, but first she wanted me to talk to the engineer/designer. So I waited a week for him to return my call and he was quite rude saying if there is nothing wrong with it (everything is wrong, but they don't count that) there is nothing they can do. He offered to trade mine for a different one just the same and I said "why bother." It was a classic story of "I made it so it is by definition without errors--now leave me alone,just buy it and be thrilled with my brilliant design.
2 Many CDs skip, most CD-Rs skip; short battery life
I also received this as a Christmas gift. We quickly found out about the short battery life in Paris. Fortunately I had a 240/50-to-110/60 AC/DC adapter. Also, it is very bad at playing CD-Rs that I have created and which play fine on a 1995 model Magnavox portable CD player (!). It has less trouble with regular pre-recorded CDs.
3 This is a one of a kind player. I love it.
I've read the other reviews of this product and feel a need to defend this gadget. I've owned mine for about three years and I love it. I use it nightly. The application I find this perfect for is Audio Books stored on MP3. This of one of the only small, portable MP3 players that has it's own speakers. I go to bed listening to audio books and I don't want to wear a pair of earphones or lug a set of extra powered speakers around. However just slightly larger than a CD Walkman when folded closed it is small enough to work great on an airline trip, where headphones are preferable to the endless roar of the planes engines.
The big gripes I've seen repeated in the other reviews are:
1) Poor radio reception.
2) No Bass from the mini speakers.
3) Short Battery life.
1) I never use this to listen to the radio, so I won't comment on it good or bad. But there are thousands of good and cheep radio's on the market so if you need a radio, go buy a radio.
2) I'll agree with the poor bass reproduction in the speakers. Small cone's yield small bass. It's a physics thing. However when I travel and use this to play music in a hotel room, it's been good enough to satisfy the want of a little background music.
3) Battery Life. I'm surprised by the times listed by other reviewers. I get about 30-35 hours of use when I'm on the road using the AA's. When at home or in a hotel, the AC adapter removes the concern about battery life completely.
Perhaps this is because I primarily play MP3 disks which it spins up to read into it's buffer then spins down until it needs more data.
Anyway I wanted to toss in my two cents, as this is a great gadget for audio book listeners, and I would hate to see someone miss out on it because some reviewers expected the performance of a boom box or home stereo out of a Walkman sized device.. It's my hope that we'll see more devices like this on the market and the price point to come down a bit. But bottom line, I've got my monies worth, and if anyone doesn't want theirs, I'd be glad to take it off their hands.
4 Unreliable clump of dung
I was given this for Christmas. I would have to say that every other time that I put either a disc into this it gives me a problem. Either the songs skip or, if it is an mp3 disc, it may just spin without the playback starting. Sometimes if I take the disc out and re-insert it it will play, sometimes not. This is an unreliable clump of dung.
5 not worth the price
I received this as a gift and know the Grundig name typically as a quality product. The sound was so poor I decided there must be something wrong with the unit. I called the Grundig tech support and explained that I heard a very tinny sound with no bass at all. The tech without pause said "Thats typical with all of those units." He further continued to say "you'll get some bass response with the headphones but thats as good as it gets." I couldn't believe something with a $150 price tag was known to sound so bad. Do not waste your money on this product.
6 Garbage
Unfortunately, my husband bought this piece of junk well before I'd had a chance to read any reviews. I think it's all been said before, but this CD player is a complete rip-off, and an expensive rip-off at that! We were wondering why we only got a couple hours out of a set of batteries, but apparently it's not just us; the problem is inherent in this poor excuse for a CD player. And if you still think you might like to buy one, you can have mine. I'm going to buy something that works.
7 Anti-shock makes CD worthless
I purchased this to wake up to a CD. It takes 40+ seconds to fill the buffer for the anti-shock system. During this time, the CD stutters. Extrememly annoying. You can shut the anti-shock system off, but only after it begins playing. By that time I'm awake and irritated.
Other than that, I like it.
8 Stay away, far away.
This thing ain't worth the [money maount]+ asking price. You're better off getting a portable CD player with the same options (minus the clock) and some mini-speakers. The speakers have no bass and and are very tinny. The CD player worked for about a week and now it stutters almost all the time, usually less when you turn the anti-shock setting off. It's all eye-candy.
9 Most Disappointing Product I've EVER Purchased!
Right off the bat, let me say that this Grundig CD player isn't worth [money], let alone [money]. The reviewer that said he got 5 hours of listening on a set of batteries is lucky. With the first set, I got 1 hour, with the second set I got 14 minutes!! I'm not exaggerating -- I timed it.
Granted, you can skip the batteries and use the AC adapter, but even then, the sound quality is terrible. Cheap and tinny. The speakers are worthless. I am astonished that Grundig is charging so much money for this. Do yourself a favor and avoid.
10 not worth $$$$! cheap plastic poo
ok. here's my situation:
i live off the grid in alaska. off the road system, in a goofy little town by the sea. we have only one radio station that we pick up from sitka, some 200 miles away.
i though this little Gundig gadget would do the trick! play my CDs, listen to the radio -- all from my little houseboat and 4 AA batteries. right on! my new home entertainment center!
get the thing in the mail. YEAH! paddle over to the floathouse. unpack the box. shove in the batteries. turn on the radio.
nothing. nada. zippo. no radio station. just fuzzy static where the radio should be.
strange. everyone else's radio picks up Raven Radio. what's up with the Grundig? cheapo!
and yeah. cheap little plastic speakers like mickey mouse ears. little cheap plastic buttons. bizarre cable attachment thingies and just, well, odd. like it seemed like a good idea in some board meeting somewhere, but horribly, and cheaply, implemented.
so i rationalize this. radio doesn't work. OK. i'll play my CD's on the thing. might as well get something out of it -- besides i figured i could get used to the cheap little speakers that have no ability to sound bass. yeah! like a transister radio!
ok! 5 hours goes by. batteries die. WHAT? FIVE HOURS AND THE BATTERIES DIE? are you kiddin' me? this is a Grundig, man --billed as a travelor's paradice: radio / cd / clock / alarm gizmo! $$$$ bucks. Woo hoo -- but: FIVE HOURS CD PLAYING LIFE? most places i travel take more than 5 hours plane time alone -- should i pack a block of batteries with me, too? c'mon Grundig: you guys stink if you think you can charge $$$$ for this pile of cheap plastic poo!
this thing stinks. i'm sending it back.
dissastisfied in alaska.
ian
ps.
happy ending: returned the cheapo grundig. amazon gave me a full refund without any stress. good for them! i bought a durable sony cd player for about half the price of the grundig!
the sony baby works wonders: plays cds, picks up the radio station, the weather station (big deal here) and even a TV channel (dang -- i came to alaska to get AWAY from TV!).
and get this: 2 AA batteries last FOREVER (well, a really, REALLY long time).
i bought two little speakers for a nominal price, and WA LA! I made out like a happy consumer for not half the price the cheap plastic poo GRundig.
Grundig: if you are reading this, you should be ashamed of yourself.
