Car CD Player
The criteria to look for when shopping for a CD player are similar to those when shopping for a cassette player. Again, the most important is the company’s reputation for building quality product. Most decent CD players will have a detachable faceplate. I wouldn't recommend purchasing one that did not as these are usually the lowest models offered by a company. The last major item to consider is whether the unit will fit in your dash in terms of depth. Look for a control layout that you are comfortable with. Usually a simple layout is better for finding buttons quickly. Also a crowded and busy display looks great in the showroom but can be confusing as well as dangerous when driving down the road at highway speeds. Beyond these basics you need only worry about which features you wish to have. The more you want the more you will likely have to pay. Some of the more common features available in most major brands are:
Audible Search: With this feature you will be able to hear the music that you are searching through which can be a very desirable feature.
Changer Controls: This is the ability of a receiver to control an external CD, MiniDisc or MP3 player through its front panel controls. With this option a digital source may be used in conjunction with an in dash cassette or CD receiver.
Dual Illumination: This is a receiver’s ability to change the color of its display between two or more colors, usually amber and green. This is a nice feature to have if you go through a lot of vehicles and are never sure of your next vehicles dash color.
Frequency Response: This is the portion of the audio spectrum a piece of equipment can produce. The average human can hear sounds in the range of 20Hz-20kHz. Most good CD players can produce this entire range.
Line Output Voltage: This is the output voltage that a deck can deliver, in volts, through its pre-amp line outputs. The higher than number the less chance that noise will be delivered to the next piece of equipment in the chain. Most lower to mid priced decks have an output of 500 mV (0.5 volts) while some higher end units have 4 volts or more.
Loudness Control: This is a feature that boosts the lower and sometimes the very upper frequencies to compensate for the human ear's insensitivity at low volume.
MP3 capability: Some of the newer CD head units have the ability to play MP3 encoded discs. This can be a real benefit if you have a CD burner and a collection of MP3s on your computer as it eliminates the need to have additional equipment to play your MP3 collection in your automobile.
Power Output: This is the amount of power, in watts, that your receiver should be able to deliver to the speakers. The number printed on the face of the receiver is usually a large exaggeration. Most receivers actually have between three and fifteen watts RMS per channel. Keep in mind that the sound will become quite distorted at this level because of the size and current limitations of your receiver. The best sound is always found in dedicated external amplifiers.
Pre-amp Outputs (RCA jacks): These are the most common connectors used for external power amplifiers. If you plan to add amplifiers to your system I strongly suggest that you purchase a receiver with these outputs. More than one set of outputs are available on some of the better units and are handy for retaining front/rear/subwoofer fading capabilities.
Remote Control: Most people laugh at the idea of having a remote control for an in dash receiver but it is actually much safer to use when on the road. Models are available in large TV sized remotes, handheld remotes, credit card remotes and even steering wheel mounted remotes.
Skip Protection: Some receivers have a built in memory buffer, usually between three and ten seconds, that will continue to play the music skip free even when the player is actually mis-tracking. This is a great feature if you drive on a lot of bumpy roads but is an uncommon feature usually reserved for higher end changers and MD units.
Station Presets: These are the areas of memory in which your receiver stores radio station frequencies. The more the better here. Some units even allow you to assign names to the various presets.
Seek/Scan: These functions are used to seek for the next station that is available and scan through your preset stations respectively.
Tuner Sensitivity: This is the ability of the tuner in your receiver to pull in weak stations. It is measured in dbf and the lower the number the better. Eight is about the best you will likely see and thirteen is about average.
The Car Audio Help DVD catalog includes five different videos covering many areas of car audio installation and custom fabrication. Topics range from basic system installation (head units, CD changers, amps, speakers, etc.) and mobile security (car alarms and remote start) to subwoofer box design and fiberglass fabrication. If you're interested in custom fabrication and car audio installation be sure to check out what we have to offer.
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