What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 17 JUL 2007

Philips SA6025

£ 80 3

* * *

There’s a lot the Philips gets right, but the key basics are lacking. The style/substance ratio is out, here

For
Good looks and build; eye-catching price; simple to use
Against
Rather insipid sound; some picture issues

The SA6025 looks and feels more expensive and luxurious than its £80 price tag suggests. Small, slim and tactile, it has the finish of the moment: the smooth, glossy piano black looks lovely, but collects fingerprints like an overzealous scene-of-crime investigator.

Its 2GB memory isn’t going to hold a stack of music or video, but it’s reasonable considering the price. It also has a clear screen and easy menu navigation, and the PC-only software is straightforward.

The performance is a different matter. Music copied at 128kbps (with only 2GB to play with, we reckon this is the compression ratio most will use) manages to be both dull and hard – no mean feat.