Customer Reviews
superstar of shelf systems 
2006-07-06
i have only had it for about a month and so far its been great i have heard all brands of shelf systems and this one is the best yet you can crank it all the way up with no distortion the only drawback is if something happens to the remote your in trouble because you cant control nothin without it the cd dvd changer drawers do look flimsey but so far no problem in short if you want a nice system for the bedroom or office this is the one.
OK, but 
2006-02-27
If you purchase this system, be prepared to also buy a powered sub if you want any sort of decent bass reponse. This system is ok for a bedroom, or if sound quality is not important.
Great, but . . . 2006-01-28
We use this system for our home stereo/DVD player and have owned it for a little more than a year. The picture and sound quality are great, and the dialogue enhancer more than compensates for not having a center channel speaker. (You can actually understand the dialogue without turning the sound way up.)
The catch is that the CD/DVD tray mechanism has now broken for a second time under normal operation. The first time was under warranty, and Panasonic was good about setting us up with a repair shop, but now it's out of warranty and we are on our own. We bought it new, so I'm more than a little disappointed that it's broken twice in about a year.
Very good sound 
2005-12-06
Not an audiophile, but this stereo sounds very good. I was concerned about the durability of the CD/DVD exchanger (bad experiences with jvc and phillips bookshelf systems where the cd cartridges stop working after a couple of years), but this system appears to work much more smoothly, and the loading and unloading mechanism is not as noisy as those (presumably due to fewer moving parts). DVDs look great (hooked up to older sony wega via s-video cable) and play smoothly even though not in the best of shape (from the library). Very pleased so far.
It too cute to give it a 4. 2005-08-01
But I played it at it hightest volume and it maintained its integrity. This may help some people but it did not play Audio DVD (mp3s) even on the DVD-R it says it played. Little did I know that that Tecnology is not really available as of yet except on some JVC car steroes and one very cheaply priced Phillips progressive DVD player that plays Divx too.
So am I stuck with this one? I could sell it..but. I can still play MP3 CDs and it has a nice sound. I wont give it a 4 because panasonic actually made a decent product for once but I will say its noisy when you open it to change the CDS. It is a little bit of a concern because you could say it is flimsy. The design makes me laugh a little because it looks like they ended up with more space to put buttons on and had to fill it whatever way. I guess they did not want to make the unit smaller than the speakers but they could of. The sound projects well and delivers at low settings. I may have found a small stereo out there with better sound...Except this one is very acceptable, for the price, really. This one wont dissapoint you unless it conks after a year when the warrenty expires (the speakers have a 3 year). I think im gonna keep mine.
That's my toy 2005-05-10
Panasonic SC-PM39D DVD Micro Hi-Fi Stereo System - This isn't a home-theater surround sound system but, rather, a desktop-size Micro stereo system that includes a DVD player. A DVD player also plays all forms of CD media including CDR and CDRW that have been recorded with MP3 and WMA files from the Internet. There's also an AM/FM digitally-tuned radio and an audio cassette recorder/player. Panasonic uses a hybrid stereo bi-amplifier that can send power separately to bass and tweeter speakers. This increases efficiency and produces greater clarity and realism. Preset EQ (Heavy, Clear, Soft, Vocal) and Manual EQ Audio Only Function Subwoofer Level Control and Subwoofer Output for Optional Subwoofer FM/AM Digital Synthesizer Tuner Feather-Touch Cassette Deck with 9-Track TPS (Tape Program Sensor) Remote Control Advanced Progressive-Scan DVD Cinema Mode with Dialogue Enhancer Component Video Out S-Video Terminal High Quality 3-Way Speaker System with 4 PP Mica Woofer, 2-3/8 PP Mica Ring Dome Tweeter and Super Tweeter, in a Down Port Bass-Reflex Speaker System for Rich Bass Reproduction Magnetic Shielding Detachable Speaker Grilles Energy Star Compliant
Love this machine! 2005-03-19
I love this machine! I did hesitate before buying it because it had more features than I needed. Mainly wanted something to play CDs and Cassettes with a radio that sounded good. This had functions I had no need for and thought it might be difficult to use.
Kept coming back to it though, because I loved the look and the size of it. I'm not an expert but to me the sound is just fantastic and I'm really happy I bought it.
It's all set up in our living room and looks great, sounds great and I love that blue display.
Must buy it for what it's intended 2005-02-11
I love this stereo. I was looking for a small powerful stereo with a CD changer and the ability to connect an auxilliary audio source (XM MyFi). The speakers had to be small enough to fit on my desktop and not look silly.
I went to Best Buy and compared what they had in stock, and settled on this one, simply because it met all of my criteria, plus the speakers have 3 separate drivers - 4" woofer, 2-3/8" mid, 1" ceramic tweeter. Also, it can play virtually every format of music, which is great because I download tons of songs and I hate having to convert them to .wav files from .mp3. Also, it can play DVD-Audio and HDCD discs, both of which I have many of. Plus, it can play DVD-Videos, and it has component video outs, which I find amazing on such a small multi-tasking unit. I will probably never hook it up to a TV, but if I do, it's nice to know that I have that option. I managed to get it for $249.99, which according to some of the reviews I have read, is a steal at Best Buy.
Setup was a breeze - everything was color-coded - and I was up and running in about 5 minutes. The speakers fit perfectly on the desktop, and actually the wood veneer comes pretty close to matching the color of my desk. The main unit managed to fit into one of the cabinets in my desk, so all you see are the speakers.
I was quite surprised at how good it sounded. The highs were exceptionally clear, which the 1" tweeter has alot to do with, and the bass was powerful and rich, which is amazing for 4" drivers. I listen to a wide variety of music, from country to metal to techno to clasical, and everything in between, and I have spent the better part of 2 weeks playing around with different CDs to see if I could find a flaw in the sound. I still haven't. I think the techno/trance music is an especially good test for the speakers, because there is so much going on and all three drivers are being tested. So far, it sounds amazing. The amp has yet to fade out at all with extended bass lines or extremely hard bass hits. I have seen a few negative comments on the bass output. I just don't get where those comments are coming from. They must be people who like bass-heavy music and not true-sounding music. From my perspective, the music sounds just the way it was intended to sound. However, if you are a bass-nut, the unit offers a sub pre-out, which is simply amazing on such a small unit. I don't think an external sub is needed at all, but maybe somebody does.
Now, I said in the title that you must buy it for what it's intended. What I mean is that you should NOT buy this as a main home theater receiver. You will be very disappointed. I have a THX Ultra2 Certified Onkyo and very high-end speakers for that purpose, and I would never recommend anything less. However, if you are like me, and looking for a desktop or shelf system that sounds great and maintains a small size, then this is perfect. Also, I can see how I would have loved to have this when I first went to college. Small size, powerful sound, the ability to be a DVD player, all at a relatively cheap price. Perfect for any dorm room. I remember there were people who had Aiwa shelf systems that were twice as expensive and twice and large that produced half the sound quality, and they still had to have a separate DVD player.
I recommend this to anybody whose needs match the criteria I've laid out. I couldn't be happier. If you want a home theater system, do yourself a favor and buy the best receiver and speaker combo you can afford, not a mini shelf system.
I love my new toy! 2005-01-10
Ever since I bought this system through Amazon I could not stop playing with it. It is loaded with features and one of most versatile systems out there. There are systems that maybe better but not for the steal of a price Amazon was offering (I would pay at least $60 more if I bought it from best buy). This thing does every thing but make coffee!. With the stuff I can do, it will be the most used appliance in my house.
Almost Perfect 2004-12-26
This system overall is quite good, and an excellent value if you get a discount off the list price. The sound is good for both audio and DVD but the system has a few minor drawbacks that keep it from being a true find. I rate it about 4.3 stars.
I agree with some of the criticisms voiced in the other reviews: Difficult remote, strange neon-like light which has to be turned off every time you power up, and slightly too-trendy facades. In addition, I was disappointed that this system didn't come in say a 200-watt version instead of the current 140 W. It just lacks that slightest bit of depth, even for classical or choral pieces, that comes from a more powerful system. As it is I find I have to crank the volume a bit higher than I'd prefer to get the bass to fill out. Another small point is that you can't feed audio to your TV speakers for DVD, which means that if you like to spread the speakers out for a large room, you can't really get a center speaker effect. (As one reviewer noted, you may want to get extra cable; the included wires are only a few feet.) I'd have been willing to pay a higher price to get a slightly heftier system, but nothing really exists in that niche right now.
On the plus side, it is remarkably compact. The sound is excellent considering the size and relatively low power, and if you have a powered subwoofer, you can easily connect it. My wife especially loves the DVD capability as it negates the need to have yet another VCR-like deck, and the surround is capable enough to let you get by without wiring a full 5-speaker surround system (another plus with my wife). Overall, very good.
