Panasonic SC-HC200EBK Micro HiFi System with Bluetooth vs SC-PM272EB-S Bluetooth CD Micro HiFi System - Silver — Comparison

The Panasonic SC-HC200EBK is a slim micro hi-fi with Bluetooth at £79. It has a CD player that plays MP3 discs, FM radio, USB, a remote control, 20W RMS output, a 2-channel digital amplifier and a Panasonic music streaming app. It has no DAB radio and no CD-R playback. The Panasonic SC-PM272EB-S costs £99 and is a silver micro hi-fi with 10cm speakers and a bass reflex port, 20W stereo sound, CD and CD-R playback, DAB and FM tuners, USB, Bluetooth and a remote control.

The main practical gap is radio. The SC-PM272EB-S adds DAB alongside FM, which matters if you want digital stations, and it can play CD-R discs, which the HC200 cannot. Both list 20W output and buyers describe the sound as good for the price, so the extra £20 buys the tuner and the silver finish. The SC-HC200EBK is the cheaper choice if you only need FM, CD and Bluetooth, and its slim, stylish look appeals to buyers placing it on a kitchen worktop or wall.

Reviews are shared between the two listings, so the points below apply to both. Buyers praise the sound, the compact size and easy setup. Complaints centre on the aerial: the supplied wire aerial is awkward to deploy unless there is an aerial socket nearby, and radio tuning can be fiddly. One owner who uses DAB found reception weak, and found Bluetooth limited because old devices fill the memory, so check the radio you need before deciding.

Bottom line: choose the SC-HC200EBK if you want the lower price and only need FM radio with Bluetooth, choose the SC-PM272EB-S if you want DAB and FM, CD-R playback and the silver finish for £20 more.