Car Audio

[Slartibartfast]

I'm thinking about getting some sort of (better) audio device for my car, and I have thought about the following options:

- A standard (pioneer, probably) car CD-player.
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (been told that these things really suffer with road bumps, which I have a lot of)
- An external discman, plugged to a car cassete-player and cig lighter
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (probably not as bad with bumps)

I don't really have money right now, but things might improve in the following month or two. So I'm thinking about it, and I want opinions too. Currently my Mustang has the standard cassete player that comes with the car - not too bad, the speakers sound like hell if the volume is high enough, but I have a couple extra speakers that might improve quality.

I'd simply keep the cassette player and forget about CDs, the problem is that it has a tendency to jam. Jam badly... something like a 80% chance of jamming. If I put a cassette inside, it gets jammed. And tangled

I think an internal CD or MP3 would be nice, except that it would be a waste of good money if I want to, like, take it to a party and plug it into someone's stereo.

So? What do you think?

[Gandalf]

I would think the first one, I often hear good things about Pioneer, and plugging cd players in leaves you open to the possibility of their betteries running out, and the cig lighters (at least in my car) are easily screwupable as a power source.

My 2 cents.

[phongn]

Sorry, but I'm not very familiar with car audio :/

[theski]

Slartibartfast wrote

A standard (pioneer, probably) car CD-player.
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (been told that these things really suffer with road bumps, which I have a lot of)
- An external discman, plugged to a car cassete-player and cig lighter
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (probably not as bad with bumps)

1. If you can afford it go with a installed cd/mp3 capable head unit. The lack of hassles out weighs the cost increase over a portable unit.

2. Most good units have a built in antiskip mech.. They do work

3. Never portable if possible- to many things to lose or break

4. Never just add speakers upgrade what you have first, more cost effective and less labor work

[Slartibartfast]

2. Most good units have a built in antiskip mech.. They do work

The question is "where". Antiskip mech in cars are known not to work very well here.

4. Never just add speakers upgrade what you have first, more cost effective and less labor work

Four of the six speakers that came with the car (the rear and door ones) are busted. I only get sound from two at the sides of the dashboard. I already have a couple door speakers I got from my dad when he upgraded.

[theski]

Slart.. Kenwood makes a very good CD/Mp3 if you can get one where you are or Blaupunt maybe


Replace the broken speakers first IMO

[Slartibartfast]

Ok, thanks for the tips.

BTW, check this one out

http://www.romemp3.com/



Looks kinda weak to me, but it's an interesting idea. Shame they stole it from me! GACK!

[theski]

That looks cool , but the fidelity is limited to the tape heads..Not a good Idea..

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

I'm thinking about getting some sort of (better) audio device for my car, and I have thought about the following options:

- A standard (pioneer, probably) car CD-player.
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (been told that these things really suffer with road bumps, which I have a lot of)
- An external discman, plugged to a car cassete-player and cig lighter
- Same as above, but with MP3 cds (probably not as bad with bumps)

I don't really have money right now, but things might improve in the following month or two. So I'm thinking about it, and I want opinions too. Currently my Mustang has the standard cassete player that comes with the car - not too bad, the speakers sound like hell if the volume is high enough, but I have a couple extra speakers that might improve quality.

I'd simply keep the cassette player and forget about CDs, the problem is that it has a tendency to jam. Jam badly... something like a 80% chance of jamming. If I put a cassette inside, it gets jammed. And tangled :(

I think an internal CD or MP3 would be nice, except that it would be a waste of good money if I want to, like, take it to a party and plug it into someone's stereo.

So? What do you think?

Three points:

A) The newer-model in-dash CD players are designed for the rigors of automotive use. They're generally more robust than a portable CD player.

B) A man-portable CD player isn't quite designed to stand up to the rigors of car usage. (Lots and lots of vibration tends to sorely test the electronics in a cheap portable CD player.) The problem is much worse when you have shitty roads.

C) MP3 CDs are recorded on CD-R/CD-RW media. The media isn't as durable as that of a plain old CD. Playing a CD-R disc in an automobile carries a much higher risk of putting laser burns in the disc media.

[EmperorMing]

...
C) MP3 CDs are recorded on CD-R/CD-RW media. The media isn't as durable as that of a plain old CD. Playing a CD-R disc in an automobile carries a much higher risk of putting laser burns in the disc media.

Depends on the media you use. I have found that Memorex blanks hold up the best for me.

[phongn]

Memorex is not a very good media.

Taiyo Yuden-sourced CDRs are more or less the best you can get in the US nowadays. Fujifilm sources all of their CDRs from TY, so that's one way you can get quality. It costs a bit more but the dye is more stable.

[Zoink]

My parents live in the rural Canadian "outback", which requires me to drive through a gravel, bumpy, pot-hole-filled, wash-board-like road. The CD player in my Honda Accord *never* skips unless I hit a huge pothole, and the struts bottom out with a large "KABAM!" (at which point I'm more worried about the car then the 0.5 second silence). It can also skip if the weather is like -25, it takes a while for the car and the CD player to warm up a bit, during which time its a little easier to make it skip.