How low can you go on the price of a quad-speed CD-ROM changer?
Kristina De Nike
Rating: Very Good (4 of 5 mice)
You can't beat the price or convenience of NEC's new quad-speed CD-ROM changer, the MultiSpin 4Xc. Street-priced at about $349, it is half the price of Pioneer's quad-speed CD-ROM changer and costs about the same as a single quad-speed CD-ROM drive. If you like to juggle multiple CD-ROM titles, you'll like the ability to mount seven discs on your desktop at once and switch from one title to another with a click of the mouse.
One Better
NEC's CD-ROM changer builds on the 2X Nakamichi MBR-7 mechanism. NEC's version boasts a faster spindle and improved signal processors. It's not the absolute fastest 4X CD-ROM changer you can buy, but it offers the best price/performance ratio. Seven retractable trays hold CD-ROM or audio-CD discs.
To give the system an added speed boost, the MultiSpin 4Xc comes with Casa Blanca Works' caching software. The default cache size for each disc is 32K, but if you want more, you can adjust it. The SpeedyCD control panel provides an additional layer of caching that eliminates a problem common to some other CD-ROM changers. The SpeedyCD software caches directory information for each CD-ROM disc. Without this information, Apple's system software can cause the changer to begin switching discs when you're working with unrelated tasks in the Finder. Your Mac will need a few minutes to build the SpeedyCD file during startup, but once all your titles are loaded, the system works without a hitch.
The MultiSpin 4Xc has only one drive mechanism, which means that although you can see icons on your desktop for all seven of the discs in the changer, you can play only one disc at a time, which makes the changer impractical for sharing over a network.
A disappointment was the audio-CD software. It displays a window for each of the changer's seven trays, whether they contain a disc or not. You can close the windows for trays you're not using, but to switch from one audio CD to another, you must have both windows open. A one-window approach would be more practical and easier to use. We also missed the ability to build a playlist from multiple CDs. Another feature that's vexing is the MultiSpin 4Xc's use of DIP switches for setting the SCSI ID and termination.
The Bottom Line
The NEC MultiSpin 4Xc offers respectable speed at an aggressive price. A plus is the SpeedyCD software, which eliminates the annoying disc-switching problem that can occur with some other CD-ROM changers. The changer's case design could use some improvements, but overall, the system makes sense for users who need quick and easy access to multiple titles.
Price: $349 (estimated street); Company: NEC, Wood Dale, IL; 800-632-4636 or 708-860-9500. Reader Service: Circle #409.
The NEC MultiSpin 4Xc CD-ROM changer can mount seven discs on your desktop at once. Switching discs takes only a mouse click.
