Xclef HD-500
Exotic, exhilerating and totally excellent? The Xclef MP3 jukebox is none of those things...
The Xclef plays WMAs as well as MP3s, has an FM tuner, and can record to MP3 via the built-in microphone. But has it got the X-factor?
Let’s start with the positives. First, the sound quality, which pleasantly surprised us with its tinkly crispness. Then there’s the decent six-line LCD. Navigation is simple too, and the volume level, which could deafen Keith Richards, would be great with portable speakers. You can read text files on it if you get the urge,and there are loads of pointless EQ options to twiddle with. The supplied earphones were excellent too, though if you want ones with a remote control on, it’s 15 quid extra.
So far, so good, but this is where things turn sour – starting with the way it looks. Ever wondered what happened to the designers that used to work at Ratners? Now you know. With its tacky button and flimsy jogwheel, it couldn’t look any cheaper if it donned a polyester suit, slapped on some Davidoff and took the local bike for an all-you-can-eat buffet down the local chinese.
Then there’s the useless tuner. Despite living two miles away from a bloody great BBC mast, we couldn’t pick up a thing. And worst of all, when you switch from the tuner to the menu, it makes a jarring popping noise that’ll have you ripping the earphones out and yelping in agony like a maimed animal.
The rubber cover for the USB port didn’t fit properly either and we ended up using Blu-tak to silence its incessant flapping. It whirrs noisily too, and although the Xclef appears on your computer as a removable drive, you can’t just drag and drop files on to it – instead you must copy and paste. Why? It’s absurd!
On its own, the Xclef isn’t that bad. But put it in an identity parade with a 10GB Apple iPod and the 30GB Creative Jukebox Zen NX – both of which cost only a tenner more – and it starts to wither. As for X-factor, the only 'X’ we’d give this is the one in 'poor excuse for a jukebox’.
Tom Bailey
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