RCA took a different approach to digital audio by creating a sound system that can rip CDs without the use of a computer.

It's a smart idea and all, but the biggest drawback is that you can only encode music in real time. So, if there's 45 minutes of tunes on the CD, it will take 45 minutes to rip it.

Despite the rigorous ripping process, the RCA RS2052 Rip & Go Digital Music Studio ($169-$180) is still pretty cool, considering it will fit nicely on your bookshelf. It comes with a five-CD changer, FM tuner, and SD card slot, as well as a 128MB MP3 player that connects to the main unit's USB port via a built-in USB plug.

Find out what else the system can do in this review.