I grew up with cassette players and cd players, so I have very set perspectives on how they should look and work. So when I saw this player arrive and that it didn't come with a cd cover lid, I was very concerned how well it would work. However, I really liked that this player had bluetooth and mp3 player capabilities, therefore I was willing to give it a try. It really surprised me though--in a good way! The cd goes in and stays on it tightly. It plays seamlessly, the bluetooth connects perfectly and the speaker is amazing! It really pumps out fantastic sound quality for a standalone player. You need a micro sd card for putting mp3 music or audiobooks, which we didn't do, but it also has a spot to plug in headphones, and will accept bluetooth headphones as well. My son has gone through several "boom box" cd players, because they get wrecked on the floor of his room. He sleeps better with cds or mp3 music though and through my phone, it was always getting interrupted by various messages and alerts, so he needed a standalone player. Because we could mount this one on his wall or under a shelf though, there was less danger of it getting destroyed by a messy room. He absolutely loves it though and uses it every night to help him sleep. So, do not be put off by the uniqueness of its design. It is clever and effective and easier to clean.
