What is "west coast sound"

Is that anything like the West Coast Offense in football?!

Maybe it means the CDP can play short pieces of music like you can't believe. But longer pieces are a bit too much for it.

(Seriously, I have never heard it either, and I live on the west coast. Well, at least the west coast of the USA. Maybe they mean the west coast of England or France?!)

j.b.lansing(lots of mid-bass. not flat(but not ness bad

Taking Kurt_tank's analogy a little further... maybe the "West Coast" sound is more finessed, quicker and leaner (brighter, detailed?). As opposed to heavier, powerful, etc. (warmer, laid back?)

Funny, it's also the first time I've heard of this term.

I've heard the expression with jazz, not with CD players.

I think it means that even though it is load of crap, the more liberal you are the better it will sound.

West coast sound has meant relatively bright with a midrange emphasis. It was coined back in the sixties. We had the West coast sound as in JBL Century 100's and Advents with the better bass but recessed highs and more bloom. The east coast sound (or New England)sound was usually meant for AR's, old KLH's, Advents, Boston Acoustics, etc.
Now Vandersteen's sound kind of like east coast and Joseph Audio and some of the like would be west coast.
I assume the reviewer thought the CD player was lively with some emphasis in the mids to upper frequencies vs something like an old Rega Planet.