Showing posts with label hd radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hd radio. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Sony CDXGT550UI MP3/WMA/AAC Player CD Receiver with iPod Direct Control via USB Review

Sony CDXGT550UI MP3/WMA/AAC Player CD Receiver with iPod Direct Control via USB
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I'm quite happy with the unit after a couple days. Surprised at how well it integrates with my iPhone (3GS) for music. It has two modes for using with iPhone, the default is it blanks the IPOD on the phone and you get full IPOD control on the deck (browse by artist-album-song). If you prefer you can set to 'passenger' mode which turns on the ability to control songs from the iPhone rather than the deck. Pandora works. You can navigate and do whatever you want on the phone while playing music through the deck; something two different 'geeks' at BB told me it couldn't do. Charges iPhone good. Cons - Silly triple beep I can't figure out how to turn off when ignition turns off, supposed to remind you to remove the faceplate - sheesh. No simple bass/treble adjustment for the wife, have to adj EQ from what I can tell.

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The Xplod CDX-GT550UI by Sony lets you play music from a variety of sources with superior sound quality. Connect, charge, and control your iPod, iPhone, Walkman player or other compatible digital music players with USB 1-Wire, an innovative feature that also displays song title, artist and track data.

Explosive Sound
Detachable Face With Front Auxiliary InputThe easy-to-read single line LCD display shows clock, station ID and track data when playing back your digital MP3/WMA/AAC files. The front auxiliary input lets you connect almost any portable audio device to your car's sound system.

MP3/WMA/AAC PlaybackMulti-format playback lets you play your MP3, WMA, or AAC songs. Hear digital music files in their original vibrancy with DM+ (Digital Music Plus), a Sony codec enhancer that reproduces detailed frequencies from compressed audio files.

Front USB 1-WireConnect, charge, and control your iPod, iPhone, Walkman player or other compatible USB devices via the USB 1-Wire jack in the front of the unit. You can also view metadata like song title and artist on the front display.

Intuitive Search FeaturesThe Quick-BrowZer feature lets you search and select songs by category, including artist, album, genre, or playlist. Jump Mode gets you closer to the song you want by fast forwarding through the music categories in 10 percent increments.

ZAPPIN track sampling searchThe ZAPPIN feature lets users play music samples in 6, 9, or 30-second clips until you find the song you're looking for.

Passenger ControlPassenger Control lets your co-pilot control the music playing from your iPod device via connected USB 1-Wire, and as they scan through your music, artist and album information is conveniently shown on the receiver display.

Satellite/HD Radio ReadyThe Satellite and HD Radio ready feature lets users connect and control your optional Satellite and HD Radio tuners to the integrated Sony Bus system to receive broadcast signals, providing device control directly from the receiver's front panel.

Advanced Sound EngineThe Advanced Sound Engine uses EQ7 equalizer, adjustable LPF/HPF crossovers, Listener Position calibration, DM+ advanced sound restoration, Rear Bass Enhancer, and Dynamic Loudness volume leveler to create an ideal in-car listening environment.

RCA Outputs for External AmplifiersWhen you're ready to expand your system, the CDX-GT550UI offers front and selectable rear or subwoofer preamp RCA outputs for external amplifiers. Set the built in electronic HPF/LPF crossovers to improve sound quality and reduce system distortion.

Wireless Card RemoteControl your Xplod CD receiver while keeping your eyes on the road with the included wireless card remote (RM-X151).

Blue or Green Key IlluminationSelectable Blue or Green key illumination helps complement the existing vehicle dash lighting so you locate buttons quickly during evening playback.

What's in the Box
CDX-GT550UI Receiver, Remote Control, Sleeve/Trim Ring, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, User's Manual, Installation Manual


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Saturday, May 12, 2012

JVC Car KDHDR30 In-Dash CD Receiver with HD Radio Tuner Review

JVC Car KDHDR30 In-Dash CD Receiver with HD Radio Tuner
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've been interested in HD radio for about a year and a half now. Over that time, I had installed two external HD radio tuners in my car. The first was Visteon HD Jump directly connected to my AUX in line through a JVC KD-SX75 head unit. When I sold that car, I bought and had the JVC KT-HDP1 installed in my new car, connected to the cars' head unit by an FM transmitter. After using these, I wanted to get a head unit with an HD Radio tuner built in, as well as having an input for an MP3 player.
I wish I had found this product much earlier than I did. This unit is ready for what I currently have, as well as ready for and will control iPods, XM and/or Sirius satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a JVC CD changer through the head unit out of the box, though you'd have to buy those products separately.
HD Radio on this is a great feature. In addition to AM and FM signals sounding better because of HD Radio, most stations display the track titles and artists of the songs (it's helped me find several songs to buy). Some stations also broadcast "sub-channels" of additional content. One problem here is that when there is a sub channel available, there is no indication of it. The only way to know it is there is to press the up or down buttons on the dial.
The CD drive is able to read MP3/WMA CDs (provided they aren't protected music files) which allows you to put about 12 CDs onto 1 CD. One complaint of mine is that you can't browse folders on the CD, going from one folder to another plays the first song of the folder. I must say the factory stereo of my new car spoiled me on this.
The AUX input on the front was a great addition to this product. I have my MP3 player attached to it, and it sounds good!
I brought this into Circuit City and had it installed by them, and am very happy with their installation. I'm not comfortable getting into the car to do this myself.

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Kenwood Kdc-Hd545U In-Dash CD Receiver with Built-In HD Radio Review

Kenwood Kdc-Hd545U In-Dash CD Receiver with Built-In HD Radio
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this unit primarily for the USB interface, although having HD radio is nice as well. I have previously owned a JVC HD Radio, but wanted to try something else this time. The Kenwood KDC-HD545U has all the features I was looking for including the USB interface. My primary concern was the ability to play MP3 files via disc and USB. I was also impressed to be getting HD Radio at this price level. While the menu options may be a bit different from other brands, it doesn't take long to get used to them. I would suggest spending a few minutes reading the manual, and a few more playing around with the menus while sitting in the driveway, not while driving. The remote control for this unit is also nice with plenty of features on it as well. The radio also has presets, which is pretty standard although some manufacturers are moving away from them. I appreciate having them as I do still listen to FM at times.
Pros
+ Excellent Value
+ Plays MP3 via compact disc and USB interface
+ Supports HD Radio
+ Remote control
+ Supports AAC Files
+ Supports Ipod / IPhone
Cons
- None that would deter me from buying this unit againBottom Line: If you are looking to replace a stock or older unit with something newer, this model is not only in the lower price range, but it offers a lot of features you wouldn't expect to find in a lower end unit. If you have mp3's, you will appreciate being able to fit so many on a single disc or having your entire music collection on a USB drive you can plug right into your car stereo. You can't go wrong here in my opinion!

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Grace Digital GDI-IRA500 Wireless Internet Radio Adapter Featuring Pandora, NPR and SIRIUS Review

Grace Digital GDI-IRA500 Wireless Internet Radio Adapter Featuring Pandora, NPR and SIRIUS
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The Grace Solo internet radio does a great job connecting the world of internet radio to my home stereo.
The Solo is good looking and connects simply out of the box. Plug in the power, connect the standard rca cable to your stereo, turn it on, choose your home network and within 5 minutes you are listening to Pandora or one of the 17,000 radio stations. While Grace has many models of standalone table top radios, I like the Solo because it connects directly to my home stereo (or even powered speakers). The solo even has a headset jack.
When you first take the Solo out of the box, you see the Solo internet radio tuner, a power cable, manual, remote and rca cable to connect to your stereo. It uses WiFi to access the internet. Make sure you have Wi-Fi in your home, and that it is strong in the area you put the solo. The Solo does have a built in Wi-Fi signal meter to see how strong your Wi-Fi is. So if you put it on the bottom shelf of your stereo system and notice a weak signal you may want to put it on a middle or top shelf. The Solo works with any 802.11b,g or n router and has a built in 802.11g receiver.
After you connect to your wireless network (you will need your wireless WEP or WPA password to do this) and set the time zone on the clock, the Solo remembers everything (including station presets) when you unplug it. That is nice because no one wants to type their wireless password in more than once.
Once you are set up you can start searching for stations by genre or location or type the call sign of the station directly into the radio. You can do this via the remote control or directly on the unit itself. I like Pandora. In order to listen to Pandora you have to register your radio at Grace's web site [...] . After you create a Grace account you enter in your Pandora user name and password on the Grace site and the radio is linked to your Pandora stations. Within a minute your Pandora stations are on the Grace radio in the `personal radio' folder. Pretty cool. You can create stations on the Grace Solo, although I prefer to do that on the Pandora web site. Grace plays SIRIUS and Live365 as well but I do not have SIRIUS or Live365 VIP accounts so I can't comment on that.

I really love the Grace unit. I get all my local radio stations #my FM reception is bad at my house but my favorite FM stations - most do these days - broadcast over the internet .. so I get those, Pandora, NPR and I even started listening to the BBC 4 which is kind of cool#.
Obviously I give this a 5 star. The only negative I would say is that on a few random stations they do not show the song metadata (they all show the station metadata). I'm not sure if that is because the station is not sending it or what. You get the station and song metadata for Pandora which is the most important for me. Oh - you can even thumbs up or down Pandora songs .. very of cool.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Grace Digital GDI-IRA500 Wireless Internet Radio Adapter Featuring Pandora, NPR and SIRIUS

Convenient Access to Online Music in Your Home AM and FM radio stations all over the world stream their audio content over the Internet. Grace Digital Audio's "Solo" product line of Wi-Fi Receiver and Media Streamers allow you link this massive amount of free content, as well as a variety of pay Internet radio services, conveniently and efficiently to your stereo or home entertainment system. Setup is simple, all you need is access to a broadband Internet connection and a wireless router. Acting like any wireless device, once configured to the Wi-Fi signal(s) available and its security, if any, the Solo Wi-Fi Receiver provides quick access to literally thousand of Internet radio stations and podcasts from your home stereo without having to fire up a computer. In addition, users can listen to the hottest premium online music services like Pandora, Live365 and Sirius*. Easy access to thousands of free and premium Internet radio content streams without using a computer. View larger.

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Friday, September 23, 2011

JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN Bluetooth Dual USB/CD Receiver with USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite/HD Radio add-on capability Review

JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN Bluetooth Dual USB/CD Receiver with USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite/HD Radio add-on capability
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Installed it in 2010 Nissan Frontier Extended Cab, along with the HD Radio tuner, 6"x9" Alpine SPR-69C speakers in front and 6.5" Alpine SPS-600's in rear.
Pros:
1. Very easy, intuitive navigation, especially for all the features, including large dedicated buttons for preset radio stations -- which was important to me since I listen to the radio a LOT. Menu and Back buttons make the nested menus easy, especially when using USB mass storage (up to 20,000 songs). Can Hide infrequently used menu options (such as AUX input) using Setup. Can readily "customize it" to meet your preferences. Once you've tweaked your setup, it's very easy to use.
2. Color matched my dash lights VERY well, with separate settings for the display and the buttons, including totally different setups for night and day. Display is fairly customizeable, as well, in addition to choosing Negative and Positive backlighting.
3. Great internal equalizer provides 3 different adustments for each of at least 3 frequencies in each of the 3 broad ranges (High, Mid, Low) -- making it more like a 9 or 10 band equalizer. Can finetune it to your speakers and the car's acoustics -- your tweaking is most easily done by pressing and holding the preset that's closest to what you like, then make your manual adjustments and its automatically saved as a USER preset that's easily accessed via this dedicated EQ button. Or, you can do it the hard way using the Setup >> Audio menu.
4, Strong internal amp is certainly not "over-rated" at 20 watts -- it will produce 20 watts with little noticeable distortion. With good aftermarket speakers, you may not (I don't) need an amp or separate sub, though I'm sure it would sound even better. Multiple LOUD settings to enhance low volume, if desired, but I don't use them -- just tweaked the EQ. You could boost the volume even more by jacking up the input volume (see #5 below). Of course, you have 5 sets of RCA out jacks and built-in subwoofer control if you want to amp it up...
5. Adjustable input volume for each input source(Aux, USB, CD, etc) other than the Radio, so you can get the same output volume from each source withour jarring (and possibly harmful to your ears or speakers) volume changes when switching sources. Even the Aux input sounds good, though it doesn't quite compare to the 24-bit Digital-to-Analog (DAC) converter in the headunit.
6. Clean, great sound, though I didn't try it with just the stock speakers. With all the adjustments, you can tailor it to the type of music you typically listen to. Surprising bass with these nice Alpine speakers. The stereo in my truck now blows away the Pioneer/Bose setup in my house!
7. Attractive, without being flashy. Looks almost stock... hopefully won't attract the attention of theives!
CONS:
1. Couldn't transfer phonebook from my old Casio Boulder. Easily paired up to it, and the Bluetooth works great otherwise. I just dial out using Phonebook on my cell, and the headunit takes over. Could still manually dial using headunit, but it's more cumbersome. Sounds great -- callers say it sounds like I'm just using a headset, without echoes, road noise or other distractions.
2. Didn't recognize my Sansa Clip MP3 player - perhaps because I also have a microSD card in it. Bought a 8GB USB flash drive that works great, and use it on the rear USB, hidden in glove compartement. (The tiny USB Bluetooth adapter stays in the front USB and isn't very noticeable at all.)
3. File names and folders still limited to 25 characters, which initially required some renaming of the files. This has little impact on the display, however, since the Tags (Artist, Album, Song Title) can contain up to 128 characters. Can select to scroll long tags once, repeatedly, or turn scrolling completely off.
4. FM radio reception isn't really any better than stock, though the sound is clearer with less static on normal AM/FM. AM reception seems better than stock, and much clearer overall. HD radio sounds GREAT, though HD stations and their range are still limited. I saw HD as an investment in the future, without subscription charges, especially since the FCC just recently approved the HD stations to increase their broadcast power (i.e. range) ten-fold or something like that.
5. Glossy faceplate and buttons show fingerprints and dust, and makes it look "less stock" than it would if it had a textured finish. Otherwise, matches stock dash very well. At night, with the colors adjusted and stored via setup, it looks like it came from the factory instead of having a multi-colored light show... See the photos that I uploaded.
Overall, I'm VERY, VERY pleased with the upgrade. The improvement in sound (not counting flexibility of two USB inputs, AUX, HD radio, etc.) over the stock single-CD (non Rockford-Fosgate) system is simply incredible. With the 6x9 Alpines, you can crank it up and feel the bass thump your chest. IMO, this JVC has the most features available at this price point in a double-DIN deck, those features are easy to use, and the sound won't disappoint!

Click Here to see more reviews about: JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN Bluetooth Dual USB/CD Receiver with USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite/HD Radio add-on capability

JVC's double-DIN KW-XR810 is a USB/CD receiver with plenty of connectivity--connect USB devices and iPod/iPhones using dual USB ports, or other devices using the front-panel 3.5mm auxiliary input. Bluetooth technology gives you hands-free audio or audio streaming with your cell phone, and expansion options include three preamp outputs and the easy addition of HD or satellite radio. The icing on the cake is JVC's Separated Variable Color, which lets you adjust the receiver's display color to match your vehicle or preference.

Separated Variable Color The KW-XR810 features a Full-Dot LCD with JVC's Separated Variable-Color. Personalize your stereo to match your vehicle's interior illumination colors. Separated variable color lets you use two separate colors from a choice of over 30,000 options to create your own color scheme.
Built-in Bluetooth Wireless Technology Drive more safely (or legally depending on where you live) with hands-free calling. The included wired microphone offers flexible settings for clear communication. The Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) for iPhone lets you automatically access your phone book without transfer. You can also manually transfer up to 400 numbers from compatible cell phones. Changing from hands-free to a private conversation can be done by a push of a key. You can also easily switch Bluetooth connection between 2 phones, such as for business/private use.

CD and MP3/WMA/WAV Playback Enjoy your favorite CDs or throw in burnt CD-Rs. You can also listen back to MP3/WMA/WAV data CDs, which allows you to throw hours of music on a single disc, with ID3 tag display of artist and track info. Or better yet, just drag your files to a USB thumb drive and plug it into the receiver's front-panel USB port.
A 24-bit TI/Burr-Brown analog-to-digital converter provides a solid sound base, and you can perfect it with the three-band EQ. For quiter listening, a Loudness function (in three different patterns) is provided, to ensure you still get some low-end and dynamics.
Front-Panel USB and Auxiliary Input Connect USB thumb drives, iPods/iPhones (see below), or other USB devices using the USB port. If you have another audio device that's not USB compatible, just use the standard 3.5mm auxiliary input and you're all set. A second USB port is provided on the rear of the receiver, so you can keep a couple devices connected.
USB Audio and Video for iPod/iPhone The USB connection for iPod/iPhone provides clear digital sound directly from your iPod or iPhone. While your device is in use, it also receives a charge, so it's ready to step out of the car when you do. Since the KD-R810 features two USB ports, you can connect two different iPods, or a USB device along with an iPod.

With External Mode for iPod, you can also enjoy sound from your favorite iPod/iPhone apps in your vehicle, such as Internet radio, games, video, or navigation apps (compatibility differs by model).
AM/FM Radio The KW-XR810 features an AM/FM radio, with 6 AM and 18 FM presets, for quick access to your favorite stations.
The HS-IVi tuner features higher sensitivity, thanks to three IF bandwidths (wide, middle and narrow). It also includes AM Noise Canceller plus upgraded IF filters that help avoid the distortion caused by interference from adjacent stations.
HD/SAT Radio Ready If you'd like to add some serious entertainment options to your vehicle, add an optional HD or Satellite radio solution from JVC to take advantage of XM/SIRIUS programming or HD features like Multicasting or iTunes tagging.
50W x 4 MOSFET Amplifier The built-in 50W x 4 MOSFET amp provides plenty of power, but three 2.5V preamp output terminals (front, rear, subwoofer) are also provided for system building.
What's in the Box KW-XR810 Receiver, Bluetooth Microphone, Sleeve/Trim Ring, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Instruction/Intallation Manuals, Warranty Info


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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Dual XHD7720 4X50 Watt AM/FM/CD Radio with Motorized Built-in HD and Bluetooth - Ready Review

Dual XHD7720 4X50 Watt AM/FM/CD Radio with Motorized Built-in HD and Bluetooth - Ready
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this radio about a week ago and was overflowing with excitement. to think i had found a radio with all these features for such a low price was beyond amazing. Here are some key things i liked.
HD Radio-
yeah, its that cool. for those of you out there that are skeptical of whether or not HD Radio is worth your money, ill go ahead and answer that question for you. yes. yes it is. I wasnt sure myself before i bought this but it was like rediscovering radio. for people who aren't sure how it works, its like this. HD doesn't have its own band like AM, FM, or XM, but it improves the FM sound quality. and single stations can have more than one channel such as 97.9 HD1 and 97.9 HD2.
Sound Quality-
This radio can pump out 50W x 4 PEAK. that translates into at most 25W x 4 RMS. for a stock sound system in just about any car, THAT'S PLENTY. The quality of sound in my old speakers is much better than it was. that little radio powered my 8 speaker Boston Acoustics system. nuf said.
Ipod/ipod tagging-
Here's something you don't see often: the cable needed to unlock the full capabilities of iPod integration _is included_. music control can be done from the included remote or the radio itself. The music tagging feature is very useful as well. beware, it only works on HD stations.
Bluetooth-
Ok. the one con of this product. The bluetooth is fully compatible with H2DP, handsfree is convenient, clarity is excellent. BUT, you must first purchase the BTM 60 ($40ish) Dual Btm60 Bluetooth Interface Module before you can use BT anything. even music streaming.
Misc-
installation was easy and clearly described in the instructions.
The EQ system as well as the menu and button system is well thought out.
Included remote is very handy and useful.
Works well with MP3 players.
Music can be imported and organized from mass storage devices(e.g. thumb drive). just dont make it bigger than 4-8 GB or your in for a good wait.
Detachable face plate is nice.
dedicated SUB OUTS.
All in all this receiver is a winner. i think dual put a good amount of consideration into this and it definatly paid off. wont find a better radio for the price

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