Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS DAB Micro Hi-Fi System Review

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Summary:
A versatile and inexpensive micro hi-fi system with great sound, though the radio reception is below average.

Buy it online:
See price on Amazon.co.uk

The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS is a popular micro hi-fi system with DAB radio, a CD player and Bluetooth. The SC-PM250BEBS offers a lot of features for the price, but how does it perform? Find out in this review…

Features

FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
CD player that can play MP3/WMA files
Bluetooth
20W power output
Remote control
Panasonic XBS Master technology for extra bass
USB port for playing digital audio files
Adjustable bass and treble

Dimensions: 18.4 cm wide x 12.3 cm high x 22.8 cm deep (unit), 22.3 cm high x 13.8 cm wide x 13.7 cm deep (speakers)
Weight: 1.1 kg

Performance and use

The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS is very small and compact, so if you’re expecting a full-size hi-fi you will be disappointed. The compact size make it a good choice for the kitchen or bedroom, but the 20 watts of power mean it should have enough volume for any room in the house.

The sound quality is very good for the price, with plenty of bass and a lot of detail in the higher frequencies. You can adjust the bass and treble to get a sound you like, and the hi-fi includes Panasonic’s XBS Master technology which helps boost the bass.

The CD player responds quickly and doesn’t make any noticeable noise while playing discs. The tray feels a bit flimsy, but that’s common with hi-fis in this price range.

This product is quite versatile with FM/DAB/DAB+ radio, a CD player, a USB port for playing music from an external drive and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is easy to use, and it pairs easily with a phone. You also get a remote control, though it is small and only has a few buttons so its functionality is limited.

One area where the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS falls behind is in radio reception. The aerial is below average quality, and you might need to invest in a separate aerial to pick up DAB stations with a good signal. Having said that, lots of people find the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS’s aerial works well, and if you live in an area with strong reception it will probably be fine.

Pros

Very good sound quality for the price
Only uses 0.2 watts of power in standby mode
Easy to set up and use
Very versatile (radio, CD player, Bluetooth and USB)

Cons

No headphone jack
CD tray feels flimsy
Radio aerial is poor quality
No AA battery included for the remote control

Verdict

The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS packs in a lot of features for the price, and has great sound quality for a budget hi-fi. This product is great for CDs and Bluetooth but the DAB aerial is below average quality. The hi-fi also lacks a headphone jack. However, if you can live with those two big drawbacks, this is a great entertainment system for the price.

Similar products

One similar micro hi-fi system from Panasonic is the SC-HC297EB-K. It has similar features to the SC-PM250BEBS including a CD player, Bluetooth, a USB port and digital radio. The big difference is that the Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K has a much slimmer design, and can be mounted to the wall to save space.

Another good alternative is the Majority Oakington, which is a budget-priced radio CD player with lots of features including Bluetooth, two USB ports and an alarm clock. The Oakington also has a headphone jack, unlike the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS .

For some more options see our roundup of the best radio CD players in the UK.