Sony has launched its WHG-SLK20D Micro Hi-Fi system in India. It sells for price tag of around Rs. 20,000 in online retailing shops. So does it live up to expectations?

In terms of external design, it exudes quality and displays good craftsmanship. It is black in colour but has a matte finish to it and a glass frame too. Its main deck has the LCD panel in which you have the provision of connecting external peripherals. There are two speakers on both sides of device and these are separate from the main body.

Here are some of the key features of Sony WHG-SLK20D:

• Audio formats supported: WMA, MP3, AAC

• Video formats supported: MPEG-4, DivX

• Image playback support: JPEG


• Areas of customization offered: Bass booster, EQ presets, surround sound


• Speaker details: 40mm tweeter unite and 130mm woofer built in; 90Wx2 RMS power output

Advantages:

• Has attractive looks which would make you want to keep it in the living room.

Disadvantages:

• Video playback options are way too limited


• Connectivity is limited as well


• Interface is hardly user-friendly


• LCD screen is too small for clear and distant viewing, making the remote useless


• At a price tag of around Rs. 20,000 it is too expensive considering the limited features it offers.


• The video playback options are certainly not extensive as there is no HDMI out on the SLK20D. So the SLK20D doesn’t have the versatility of a 1080p player or a Blu-Ray.

There are other disadvantages too, mainly in the area of the interface which isn’t much user-friendly. The screen, to begin with, is quite small and so even if you have the remote you can’t operate the device from a considerable distance unless you have hawk eyes. In such occasions it would have been great to connect the device to the TV so that you can access the interface from the TV screen, but Sony doesn’t offer any such facility with the WHG-SLK20D. This also means that you can only watch videos on the little screen of the device.

The interface is a bit unpredictable in its behaviour. It can be really responsive sometimes, but on other occasions it is just the opposite and performs song shuffles abruptly. The more irritating issue though is that connecting more than a single external peripheral slows down the SLK20D and sometimes shows error messages. The only way out then, is to restart the device – really cumbersome.

In the performance category, Sony WHG-SLK20D performs well. It offers punchy bass and even high volume levels don’t distort the sound. The music and tones are crisp and clear while the preset equalizers function well too. However the need for a slightly stronger bass was felt. The mid tones sounded inadequate too. They are in fact a bit lower than they should normally be.

So should you buy one? Weigh the pros and cons and you’ll find it easier to decide.

Read More About: sony music systems