I put in the new Clarion MP3 Headunit, and here's what I think:

Good sound, good controls (rotary volume a must), and random file/folder/whatever functions. And it reads files and scans very quickly.

The unit is a bit fiddly when it comes to adjusting bass/treble/fader levels though, and the display washes out almost totally in the sun.

But overall, I'm happy with it and it has read all my MP3 CD's without any problem. Nothing like having 5 folders with 25 tracks in each of them!

I would recommend it over a changer because there's little room in our car as it is, and it's faster as well. Besides, carry 10 MP3 CD's and that's most people's entire music collection.

Cheers!

 

Installed Sony's new MP3 unit (CDX-MP450X) in my friend's MR2 Spyder for him, it's a pretty trick unit. Didn't get much of a chance to play with it, but he says it never skips and that it's plenty powerful for him (though he's not much of an audiophile). Price is quite good too, for Sony quality.

http://www.xplodsony.com/products/?CATEGOR...3&MD=CDX-MP450X

Enjoy!

Jason

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ROADSTIR
[B]Major Blowout,

Bummer, man.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SilverFog
[B]empeg



http://www.empeg.com

With capacities from 12 to 36GB (higher probably), you tend to quickly forget the need to carry any CD media with you.

 

I installed a JVC SH-99 a few weeks ago, and I love it. It does everything I need it to do (who needs a CD changer, when I've got 113 songs on 1 MP3 CD?).... Highly recommended (and can you really go wrong when it's half the price of the alpine
unit? Given the s2000's pension for external noise, the extra alpine quality isn't
worth double the price, in my opinion. Of course, your milage may vary greatly )

 

I just ordered an SH99 for $300 - hope it's as nice as everyone says!

 

I'm using the Aiwa CDC-MP3 with the control unit for the dash. The Aiwa is a great price and has been great for me. CDs don't skip, but MP3 discs skip when a good bump is hit. Radio reception is better than most receivers I've used. Nice to have about 15 complete CDs on one disc. I would recommend the Aiwa for its value, but if you want top notch sound (which is hard to get out of the cockpit layout in our cars) you may want to get a unit with more power or just add an amp. I'm using the unit as is with no amp or subwoofer. Just two tweeters on the dash and JBL 6.5s in the doors.

The control unit kit for the in-dash controls is a piece of cake to install and lets you use the in-dash buttons to send infrared signals to the stereo to control it (as I'm sure everyone knows). I bought the CDC-MP3 when it first came out and I had my Mustang Cobra. I removed it and planned on selling it, but have instead found a nice home for it in the S2000.

 

The empeg looks tight, especially with the amber display to match the intrument panel. How much would this player cost with an amp combo? Does pinky's mod work with this?

~Shank 'em

 

I too had the Aiwa CDC-MP3. It was nice. I think I may have gotten a bit of a lemon because mine skipped on even minor bumps, but a freind of mine had one as well and his didn't really skip at all. I had the unit in my previous Prelude which I don't have any longer. I enjoyed it though. You really couldn't beat having 150+ songs on one CD and the head unit was only about $280. I did wish it read off the text filenames. It would only read the folder tree and the tracks within each folder so the screen had a track readout like this, 2-10, which was the second folder, 10th track. It wasn't bad though for the money and the display looked good. It was also detachable face.

 

Actually, if you cycle through the display, it will display the text title of each track within the folders. It is nice to be able to organize a CD by putting a single CD or artist in a Folder. Now that I think about it, you may have meant that it would not display the name of the folder, just the folder number. Anyway, mine works great and I noticed much fewer skips when I use CDRW media instead of CDR. Kinda wierd. Nice unit for the price.