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Amazon.com Combining a lightweight body, stylish good looks, and an impressive array of technical features, this Sony Psyc CD Walkman is a great fit for music fans of all stripes. The Walkman boasts an intriguing dimpled cover encircled by a translucent light blue ring, giving it a high-tech yet playful look that's quite unique among personal CD players. The flashy appearance extends to the pair of stereo headphones, which also offer light blue highlights. More significantly, the device is far more than just a straightforward CD player, as it's compatible with MP3, ATRAC3, and ATRAC3PLUS formats when burned onto a CD-R or CD-R disc, and it includes a built-in digital AM/FM tuner (a rarity among contemporary personal CD players). ATRAC3PLUS is a high-quality audio-compression technology that reduces the size of digital audio files while preserving much of a track's original sound quality (similar in concept to MP3 or Dolby Digital sound formats). With ATRAC3PLUS, music can be burned and compressed at 132, 105, 66, 64, or even 48 kbps (kilobits per second), letting users select the right balance between fidelity and storage space. The end result is a huge increase in CD-R/RW capacity, as each disc can hold as many as 490 ATRAC3PLUS songs when compressed to 48 kbps. To assist listeners in managing the ATRAC3 and ATRAC3PLUS files, Sony has included a copy of its SonicStage software with each Psyc CD Walkman. The simple-to-use program helps you create your own music compilations on CD-R/RW media using your computer's CD burner. The software is also compatible with Sony's Connect Music store, which offers an extensive online music library with a huge catalog of songs available for quick and easy download. Once the songs are burned to a disc, listeners can glean track, album, and artist information from the Walkman's three-line LCD text display, which comes with multi-language support for greater versatility. As with any good personal CD player, the Psyc CD Walkman offers anti-skip protection in the form of Sony's Skip-Free G-Protection technology, which helps the device quickly recover from both horizontal and vertical shocks to improve the listening experience. G-Protection is particularly valuable while jogging, skating, or pursuing other outdoor activities. The Walkman's impressive audio performance stems from such features as its Digital Mega Bass Sound, which produces rich, deep bass tones with extremely limited harmonic distortion; Sony's Parametric Equalizer II, which gives listeners extremely precise control over the tonal balance; and a two-position Automatic Volume Limiter System, which consistently maintains the volume output at levels below the distortion threshold so that the sound is always clean and precise. Should listeners tire of pre-recorded music, they can turn to the digital tuner, which offers not only standard AM and FM stations, but the audio tracks of VHF TV channels 2 through 13 and seven weather stations. The tuner offers a great way to listen to your preferred public radio show, catch the local baseball broadcast, and jog to your favorite DJ's rhythms while running, skating, or working out at the gym. It's also easy to flip among the channels thanks to the 51 station presets, which include 30 FM, 10 AM, seven TV, and four weather band presets. Additional features include a five-direction control key, which gives you single-button control over five individual functions; 18 playback modes, including repeat, program, and random; and an automatic shutoff feature that powers the player down when it's not in use to conserve battery power. The Walkman runs for up to 41 hours on a single AA battery when playing ATRAC3 files or 30 hours when playing the radio and comes with a one-year parts warranty. Sony's Connect Music store tailors its recommendations to reflect your mood and tastes. About Sony Connect Music Store and ATRAC3plus Sony's Connect Music store offers one of the most extensive music collec