Nakamichi SoundSpace SS5 Stereo Music System

• MusicBank CD Changer needs no magazine, and is as easy to load as a single-disc player
• Permits fast, safe disc handling, and never touches disc surfaces
• Disc loading slot & full function control on top of main unit
• High performance quartz synthesis AM-FM Tuner allows 10 AM & 20 FM station presets, plus Scan and Seek
• Easel style support allows SoundSpace 5 to be stand on an angle

I loved this system when I first bought it four years ago. Sleek, cool, and stylish; I bought it more for the way it looked than for the way it sounded (and it sounds great). It still looks great, now if it only PLAYED as well as it looks.

After four years it's almost unusable. I've already had to have it repaired twice because of poor soldering inside, and just about any CD I put into it skips. It's gotten so bad that I need to burn a new CD just about any time I want to play something. The shuffle feature is terrible -it plays the same songs over and over again, which is pretty bad considering that even cheap boomboxes "remember" which songs they've already played and remove them from the playlist. The remote has lots and lots of tiny, tiny buttons, impossible to use or read in dim lighting.

Yeah, it's possible that I got a lemon, but getting it repaired was also an incredibly difficult chore. None of the 800 numbers listed in the manual worked, none of the e-mail addresses I tried worked, and even when I got a valid address, it took four e-mail messages and three angry phone calls before I finally got the address of an authorized repair center. The guy there told me that if I needed new parts I may as well buy a new system; if the parts arrived at all, they would be very exepensive.

I know that only used versions of this are available, and maybe it would be worth buying if you can get one for less than three hundred and have immaculately dust-free, brand-new CDs. I paid almost eight hundred in 2003, and I wish I had the money back.

UPDATE: March 3, 2013

Now that I rarely listen to CDs and have my iPod plugged into the auxiliary jack, I'm much, much happier with this system. The sound has always been good, it was just the mechanical side of things that made it all so disappointing. Now it can sit on a shelf and look pretty (if, perhaps, a tiny bit dated now... but soon to be "retro") and play music without any moving parts at all.

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ive had this system for 8 years now. i bought it refurbished in 2002. it is a bit outdated nowadays. but though there is no hdmi input and the fm radio is not HD, I have to tell you that the nakamichi sound is just incredible. i cant wait for a wider range of products such as a nakamichi brand slingbox or some wireless system. it is a higher end shelf system and though i agree the proprietary pins are a bit shaky, the clean power that they present to the speakers really is worth it. no sub needed, really. I love this system and though it has had some quirks, it is a really superior sounding shelf system. good luck finding something better. Im looking. I am eagerly waiting nakamichi's next lineup.

if I had known about nakamichi's mysoundspace, id have tracked one down. too bad i already bought a jbl dock, which i really like, but id have opted for the nakamichi. btw. bose sucks. youre paying for advertising, not for quality.

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The Nakamichi SoundSpace 5...I have had one for over 4 years now and it is a true hi-fi system. At first I compared it to my home Hi-Fi stereo system (NAD 720BEE with PSB Image T65) and sure there is a difference. but once I mounted on the wall and placed the speakers a little furhter out, the Nakamichi sounded clear and warm. I was shocked at the frequency response, the lows came through and it didn't effect the mid range like on some systems. I know have it set up in my bedroom as a stereo and hooked up a DVD player for watching movies. I added a PSB Subsonic 5i sub to fill out the big booms. When friends have come to listen, all are very impressed with the quality. I agree that the remote is not friendly. I wish I could find the SW-5 sub that is designed for it. If you find a used system make sure it is coming from someone who is smoke free and has a love for qality equipment.

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I too have owned this stereo system for a little over 2 1/2 years.

PROS: Sound is okay. Cool sleek look... Slim profile.

CONS:

By far the biggest complaint is the proprietary speaker connections. The speaker wires provided are thin (like a cheap extension cord), EXTREMELY short, and hardwired directly into the back of the speakers. The "loose end" that connects to the main unit has this rectangular plug connection that is not found on any other device I have ever seen or owned. Even if you want to, you can't extend the cable or replace the speakers because the the idiotic speaker end connections. Unless your willing to cut the ends off and take a chance with making 2 splices in the speaker cable. If you want to replace the speakers, that would require 3 splices.

Nakamichi website says that they offer speaker cable extensions for this item although I have never seen them offered for sale anywhere. NOBODY sells them and to order them, the site directs you to a non-toll-free phone in Singapore (from the USA) to get details.

I am not sure if all Nakamichi stereos have these type of speaker connections but it would be something to look into before buying.

Remote is useless as I cannot read the small print under each button. I memorized where the power on/power off and volume up and down buttons are and use them. Other than that, I get up and make changes myself at the unit.

All control buttons on the main unit are on the top rear and every button is the same size and shape. I found to even access the buttons, the top of the unit has to be at least 3 inches below eye level if you want to see what you are pressing. The unit is about a foot tall. So if you are of average height for a girl (5'4") you have to place this unit no higher than 4' off the floor to see what you're doing.

CD access is from the top so enough clearance (the diameter of a CD plus) has to be provided above the unit. Unit can't be placed in the middle of a bookcase unless shelf above is far enough away.

I'm sure these CONS are common among many mini stereo systems, but this one cost so much more $$$$. There just aren't enough PROS to offset the cost. For the price (I bought new for $649), I would have thought these inconveniences would have been worked out.

I will most likely be selling mine for a fraction of it's original cost and buy something else that's a little more flexible.

I got this unit used at a great price. The reason why I got it because of Nakamichi's reputation as a premium stereo equipment company. And I was not disappointed when I tested it prior to purchasing The sound stage is exceptional. I have yet to come across a stereo unit that produces such a remarkable sound stage. The sound is rich and full. My Bose units are great for their clarity but this unit, even without a bass module, can produce sounds that must be heard to be believed. I am not a fanboy of Nakamichi or Bose mind you. I just am very picky with my sound. To me, nothing is worse than listening to great music on a cheap boxy boom box that can be purchased cheaply (pr evem expensively) at the big box stores. Life is too short to go cheap on your music. If you love music, you just cannot enjoy it on a cheaply made stereo system. You won't hear the music the way it was meant to be heard. To me, it's worth the extra to get better sound. I have this unit installed on the wall with five or six feet of separation. Even if placed on a table with the speakers placed side by side with the main unit, it still has a great sound stage and that is amazing.