HELLOM8

Currently eyeing up a CD/MP3 player for the motor and got it down to two units.
Alpine CDA-7893R and Kenwood KDC-M6021G. The Kenwood boasts things like “Plays fixed and variable rate files” and “Playback of unfinalised discs”.
Do CD/MP3 players just play MP3’s burnt onto CD or is there some special gubbings you need to do to the disc to get them to play.
Any advise on either product or in general, would be a great help.
I’ll want to be a wire harness as well. When it say’s WRX 93>, does this mean imports. I guess All except WRX is for the UK Turbo?.
Cheers.
Ian.

Iain Young

Can't comment on the Alpine or kenwood, but all I have to do with my Pioneer is to shove a few mp3 or wma files on a disc (cdr or cdrw) and stick it in the player. The head unit scans for the files and just plays them. From what I've seen, most units work like this...

Iain

dnb

My kenwood changer just plays MP3s from a CDR/CDRW. It can find the folders by itself. The only thing is that you can only have 256 tracks per folder

Plays the MP3s nicely as well. 120 hours of music in one box
(and it plays CDDAs as well)

HELLOM8

In that case I might just buy the cheapest one.

hades

You can record MP3s on your PC at all kinds of data rates. anywhere from 32kbps up to 320kbps are common. You could if you wanted record each track at a different data rate. This player could cope with that. So can any other one I've ever encountered.

If you write a CD-R on a PC, you can either close the disc or close the session. A closed session means you can come back to it and write more later, a closed disc you can't. This player could cope with either. So can any other one I've ever encountered.

Any of the above players, or others will cope with a standard CR-RW or CD-R. Almost all will cope with track naming, directory naming etc on any MP3 disc you write off any PC. Listen to them, and pick the one you like the look and the sound of.

I have a blaupunkt Los Angeles MP72 which I like. IIRC dnb was there when I fired it up Friday night, don't know if he cares to judge relative to his Kenwood (I won't be offended if you diss the Blaupunkt m8 !)

Rob Walker

I bought the Alpine 7893 recently and have to say I'm really impressed with it. Its played everything I've thrown at it so far. Doesn't take too long to change between tracks (which I've heard is a bit of a problem with some head units). Sound quality is superb as well.

The only problem I have with it is the unit itself is relatively complicated. For some function you have to press a Function button before you can do something else which is a pain in the **** to remember.

its a bit of a pain to install as well cos you need to run a cable to the car battery and also a earth lead to the cars bodywork.

Cheers
Rob

HELLOM8

Thanks 4 the replys.
I do like the look of the Alpine, but can't be arsed with over complicated stuff, so might go the Kenwood way.
Cheers.
Ian.

audio g man

HELLOM8,

Have you listened to each of the units?

HELLOM8

audio g man,
No haven't listened to either unit, is there a large difference between the two?. I can’t find a good ICE shop in Brighton so I'm trusting others judgement at the moment.
Cheers.
Ian.

chiark

Being honest, I'd assume that there's not a massive difference in quality, especially on the move. One may have a nicer tonal quality that you prefer, though it really shouldn't colour the music much at all.

I'd rate ergonomics as important as the sound of the thing in some cases. Kenwood have a neat steering wheel mounted remote control that is an absolute godsend for safety - I daresay Alpine has too.

Have a play with the units if at all possible to see whether you can see yourself using them whilst driving would be my advice.

PiNkEyE69

I can recommend the Sony MP30
It can play MP3's stored on finalised and unfinalised CDR's and CDRW's.
Some MP3 players say you have to finalised the CD or you can only have a single session on the CD, but I'm playing CDRW's with multi-sessioned and unfinalised with no problems (other than it takes around 20 secs from the moment you insert the CD to the moment it plays them, but I assume it catloging the directories and getting all the ID3 tags from that.
It's cheap (MCS - £158)
It's Sony, and I've never gone wrong with Sony.
It displays ID3 tags (Normally, MP3's store a tag which contains the Artist's Name, Song Name, and Album name)
I've played mp3's on it that are sampled over 256kbits


Quick specs
Tuner RDS EON
ABC (Automatic Bandwidth Control)
Mechanism: 1 x Compact Disc
CD-R/CD-RW Playback capability
MP3 Playback capability
ID3 Tag (Track-, Artist-, Album name)
Max. Output Power (1kHz, 4 ohm) 4x50W
My Best Sound Position: MBPII
D-Bass (Dynamic Bass)
Display: 2 colour
Removable Front Panel
Extra features when used with autochanger

www.sony.co.uk has more techincal info on it.

[Edited by PiNkEyE69 - 8/21/2002 4:51:11 PM]

HELLOM8

Cheers PiNkEyE69,
Just ordered one, nice.
Cheers.
Ian.