Return Of The Portable CD Player Killer

Almost three years ago, I did a post about how all my portable CD players don't last long. Why am I bringing this up? Because another one just croaked.

Not only did another portable CD player die, but it was the second one to die within one year. I got a portable CD player for Christmas from my family and it barely lasted a few months before it decided to not want to play CDs.

What killed my most recent player wasn't me dropping it on the floor...it was the battery compartment. I had to change the batteries and noticed that I couldn't get one of the batteries to stay in. I tried to force it in and although the player worked, it acted like I had a dying battery in it. When I went to take out the not-fitting battery, it was hot.

The little nodes where the poles of the battery are supposed to hit were off track. Since the player only uses batteries, it's effectively dead.

The death of this CD player comes about six or seven months after my first MP3 player bit the dust. The headphone jack on my little Sansa, a Christmas present, developed a nasty short.

These developments would probably lead you to believe that I'm rough on technology. That's only somewhat true. I'm only rough on music technology.

My first computer, which I got seven years ago, still works as does my first printer which I got eight years ago. My roughly six year DVD player still works as does my old-as-dust TV.

I guess since I listen to music almost everyday, anything dealing with it doesn't last nearly as long. I don't have a shelf stereo or home audio system of any kind (although I had a great Aiwa system for years). All of my music listening is done either on a portable CD player or on my computer. As such, I usually go through up to two sets of headphones a year regardless of what happens to what I listen to music on.

I've been debating on buying a new MP3 player, especially since I rip a lot of the new CDs I buy to my computer. However, I'm a bit worried at the same time. It's one thing to kill a $40 CD player but it's another thing entirely to kill a $100+ MP3 player. Those extended warranty/coverage plans are usually a joke but given my track record, best believe I'm buying one on my next MP3 player.

Oh, and to end this post on a happy note, I have one portable CD player which has survived for quite a while. The Panasonic player that won't stay closed still works. I always keep it handy as a backup player and that's what will keep my CD listening unfettered in the time before I plop down money on another portable CD player.