Harman Kardon CDR 20 CD Player/Recorder

• Supports CD-R and CD-RW (rewritable) formats
• Records to CD-R at 4 times normal playback speed
• Audiophile-grade AKM 24-bit/96 kHz digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters for superior sound quality
• CD record from an external CD player
• Dual-disc changer plays 2 discs simultaneously for multiroom use

I've had this unit for about six weeks now and have been on a binge of copying, dubbing, editing CD-Rs from LPs, CDs & CD-Rs in my collection and on loan from friends: compilations & copies for myself and gifts for friends. I figure I've burned about a hundred CDs at this point & this unit has performed well. I've used most of the features this component offers & I find it works reliably. I'm very impressed with the sound and overall efficiency. Compared with the Harman Kardon 5-CD changer (model FL8380, I believe I bought one of those at the same time & it died on me after a month & had to be replaced by the dealer I bought it from) it lives up to the Harman Kardon reputation. I don't know if this unit will wear out a year or two down the line, but right now I'd recommend it to anyone...

Well, I had the unit about a year before one of the decks started glitching out So I replaced it with a great Sony combo 5-disc changer / dual deck recorder RCD W-500C The Sony outperforms the HK in features, functioning, and just about every area except looks Harman Kardon makes great receivers, but you can forget about their CD players & recorders...

Buy Harman Kardon CDR 20 CD Player/Recorder Now

I bought my unit about 3-4 years ago, and it worked fine for the first 6 months, although not all cdrs would play in other cd players. Then, when recording LPs, it began to encode static-like noise onto the cdrs, and finally even direct copies of cds were unlistenable. It was sent to the HK CA repair shop, where it languished for nearly 2 months before the software was reloaded. I finally got it back, and it seemed to work fine, but I have recently noticed older cdrs I recorded now have a similar static noise. Too much money and trouble to be worth a postive recommendation.

Read Best Reviews of Harman Kardon CDR 20 CD Player/Recorder Here

The CDR20 is easy to use and the quality of sound CAN be beautiful. I bought the unit and immediately noticed low level static when I made a mix but thought it had to do with my connections. Then, I made an exact duplicate of a CD and experienced no problem. For a number of reasons, I did not make any recordings for several months, using the unit daily as a CD player. I recently bought a new receiver and connections and have repeatedly had problems with static something like a "scratched record" sound. Harman Kardon's internet service has been great. I learned thay have had a "few" similar complaints that were fixed by upgrading the software. So, the unit is on the way to a service center to be repaired. We'll see. I hope it gets fixed, because I do see the potential for easy use and enjoyment of the unit.

Want Harman Kardon CDR 20 CD Player/Recorder Discount?

I have had this unit for 6 months and it is really easy to use. My only problems are that there is static on some recorded discs. It sometimes refuses to read it's own recorded cd's. CD's wear out (I record them and play them for a month or two, then all of a sudden, the CD ceases to play on all CD players.) This Recorder is a total piece of junk. I suggest you look elsewhere! If they can't get CD-R's going, what makes them think they can get DVD-R's to work???

This cd recorder is easy to operate and sounds great when copying an entire cd. It picks up static when recording a compilation (mix)of songs from multiple cds. Harman Kardon's service people were great when I initially contacted them via email, and they promptly gave me instructions on returning the unit to their service center, European Hi-Tech, in Torrance, CA. After a month, I received the unit back, hooked it up, and had exactly the same problem. I've emailed Harman Kardon twice within the past five days, and they have not responded yet. With a little research, I have discovered this is not an uncommon problem. I suspect some sort of manufacturer's defect that cannot be repaired, and most people just live with it while others finally give up. I intend to have the unit repaired or replaced without a lot of additional expense and time. Depending upon how Harman Kardon responds, it may very well be my last purchase of anything they make.