Disclaimer: Best Radios UK is audience supported. If you buy via links on here we may get a small commission. This doesn’t impact the price you pay & lets us keep the site free.
|
Summary: |
Buy it online: |
There is a newer version of this stereo available: the Philips AZ215S
The Philips AZ105S/05 Portable Stereo, also known as the Philips Soundmachine, is a portable radio/CD player with a lightweight, compact design. Let’s see what it can do…
Features
- FM radio
- CD player with shuffle, repeat and 20-track programming functions
- Mains or battery powered with 6 C batteries
- 2 x 1W speakers giving 2W power output in total
- Digital display
- 3.5 mm audio-in port
- Dynamic Bass Boost function
Dimensions: 26.2 cm wide x 24.5 cm deep x 12.3 cm high
Weight: 1.1 kg
Performance and use
The Philips AZ105S/05 is very simple and easy to use, so you probably won’t need to look at the instructions manual.
The Philips AZ105S/05 sounds decent for a stereo of its size, and there’s a bass boost function that you can turn on to give the sound some extra bass.
The Philips AZ105S/05 has two 1W speakers giving a total power output of 2W. The speakers are close together so you won’t get much of a sense of stereo separation unless you’re sitting right next to the stereo.
The CD player can buy regular CDs as well as CD-Rs and CD-RWs. You can program the CD player to play up to 20 tracks in an order of your choice. The CD player also has shuffle and repeat functions, and you can fast-forward and rewind through long tracks.
The stereo doesn’t have Bluetooth, but you can connect MP3 players and other devices using the 3.5 mm audio-in port.
The stereo can be plugged into the mains or powered by 6 C-sized batteries. The batteries should last a long time—significantly longer than they would on a DAB radio CD player.
One disappointing thing about this stereo is that it doesn’t have a headphone jack, so you can’t connect earphones or headphones for private listening.
Pros
- Straightforward and easy to use
- Light, compact and easy to carry around
- Decent sound quality for the price
Cons
- No digital radio, remote control or advanced features like Bluetooth
- No headphone jack
Verdict
The Philips AZ105S/05 is a good choice if you want an affordable, straightforward and simple FM radio/CD player. Most people, however, will want a few extra features such as a headphone jack, Bluetooth and DAB radio, which are offered by a large choice of other portable stereos on the market.
Similar portable stereos
Philips have released an updated version of this stereo, the Philips CD Soundmachine AZ215S Boombox
If you don’t mind spending more money, a great option could be the Sony ZS-RS70BTB, which is a very versatile portable radio CD player with DAB radio, Bluetooth and the ability to record the radio onto a USB drive.
If you’d like a portable radio CD player with a cassette player, a good option would be the Sony CFD-S70, which has an AM/FM radio as well as a cassette deck and CD player that can play MP3 CDs.
For some more options see this article: Best Radio CD Players.