High-End Car Audio In A Mid-Range Receiver Make This A Good Value, November 4, 2009

I purchased this model for my Nissan Versa without doing any homework on it…a local store was offering free installation along with a sale price, and I noticed it had a front panel USB connector so I was hoping it would play my MP3 files from a flash drive. I wasn’t expecting much in terms of quality and features…I figured I didn’t need to spend a lot of money since I would be using the 4 pre-wired door speakers that came with my car. To say I was blown away by the sound would be an understatement…I can only imagine what this would sound like with a nice speaker setup. In any case, here’s my take on the good and the not-so-good.

Pros: – Detaching the faceplate is easy. Attaching it can be a bit tricky, but with a little practice most

should be able to get it on in under 20 seconds.

– It’s loaded with many of the same features of Sony’s higher-priced players. There are several

ways to locate a specific track when playing CD-Rs or USB devices containing a lot of files.

– While playing regular audio CDs sounds amazing, this unit really shines in its ability to make

compressed (MP3) audio sound as good as the real thing; an improved sound processor

(compared to the model it replaced), a feature called Digital Music Plus Advanced, plus a

customizable equalizer all combine to give your data files excitement you’ve likely never heard

before.

– For FM radio stations that comply with the standard, the Radio Data System (RDS) will provide

song information, help you find particular types of stations (News, Sports, Top 40, Rock, etc.),

and can even set the clock for you. The radio can also store the stronger stations

automatically (BTM), but I prefer setting them manually…otherwise, you’ll end up with a lot of

presets you’re not interested in.

– Although I can’t comment on its capabilities with an iPod, it does play my USB flash drives

without a hitch and has several shuffle and repeat play options.

Cons: – The user interface and manual could be confusing and frustrating for some. Most of the

buttons and the dial have to control multiple functions, so finding your way around the different

features and displays requires patience and learning. I still find myself accidentally

changing a setting I didn’t want to or just plain getting stuck. Since the displays are different

depending on the source (CD, Tuner, USB, Aux-in) selected and how much information is

contained in the source, you won’t always see what you might expect to see.

– The preset buttons are smaller than I would like. Some, like the source/off button and the

seek+ button, are together (like one big button), and it’s easy to push the wrong one. The

included remote doesn’t seem to help control the unit any better and doesn’t include the

ability to access all of the track finding features. It seems best suited for a backseat

passenger.

– Whether it’s day or night, you may run into a problem seeing everything clearly. The blue key

illumination takes care of the buttons while driving at night, but the printed lettering above the

keys is almost impossible to read. During the day, bright sunlight can cause glare problems

and wash out the LCD display (in certain vehicles).

– When Daylight Saving Time ended Nov. 1st, even though I had the unit set up to automatically

change the clock, I had to go back into the setup menu, turn it off, then turn it back on again

before the time reset itself (at least it was accurate).

– When using the Zappin feature to hear short clips of songs to find a track to play, you have to

wait about 2 seconds in between each preview on a regular audio CD and at least 5 or 6

seconds on an MP3 Data Disc or USB flash drive loaded with songs.

For me, the pros far outweigh the cons…after all, you don’t have to use all the bells and whistles just because they are there. The sound quality of the CD player and music played through the USB port is outstanding, and anyone desiring more from the radio at least has the option of expanding to HD or SAT radio. I recommend this receiver for anyone (including audiophiles), as it offers tremendous bang for the buck.

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Awesome Car Audio System for the Money!!, April 16, 2010

By 

A. VOLPE “tonyrph” (Orange, CT) – See all my reviews

  

I am doing a resto-mod 1977 Chrysler Cordoba and wanted to replace the stock AM/FM monoural radio with a modern unit at a price that wouldn’t break the bank.

This is a FULL featured unit. The speakers are responsive, crisp. I paired them with the corresponding rear SONY 6×9 speakers and installed it myself in a day.

The controls do take a bit of getting used to like anything else but after awhile it becomes second nature.

My only complaint if you will are the small function knobs which can be difficult to find while you’re driving. They are also placed close together so it is easy to inadvertently select the wrong function.

Other than that, as I said in my title an AWESOME unit for the price.

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Great Hidden Feature, September 13, 2010

You DONT need an iPod to use many of the USB input features. I’m using a tiny 2GB Lexar FireFly jump drive in the USB port- which is available through Amazon for about . I have loaded it with music and podcast mp3s using Windows Media Player.

I use the Sony controls to scroll through the contents of the flash drive, and can see the name of the Album or file, track name etc displayed. It would be easy to create playlists on the usb to make it even easier to use.

This means the total music “baggage” I need in the car with me is one one inch jump drive; no CDs, no expensive ipod or music player and cables to attract thieves.

I posted a 2 minute video of this Player in action on YouTube you will find it if you search for “Sony CDX-GT540UI”.

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