Makes the Grade, but only a C+
Written: Jun 10 '01 (Updated Nov 05 '01)
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Pros: Good sound quality while still relatively inexpensive
Cons: It died after one year
The Bottom Line: Good sound quality with nice functions, but not the best design - nevertheless a good purchase for the price.
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| 12judge's Full Review: JVC KD-S550 Car CD Player |
***Update on my stereo problems: I have had to now twice have this stereo repaired for a blown diode. Twice now an diode in the faceplate has gone bad causing the stereo to malfunction or get stuck on one station. Fortunately for me, I bought a three year extended warranty from Circuit City with my stereo so I have not had to pay for the repairs. The first failure was only about 13 months after I bought this stereo new. The second failure was about two months later. Now it seems to be working fine. I like the stereo, I just hope it keeps working this time.***
I really like this system. First I own an old Jeep so I wanted a detachable face and this one works great. With the touch of one button you can remove and replace the face.
The stereo has some nice functions. Great treble and bass adjustment (+ or - 6 for each). This allows you to somewhat equalize your sound to your preference. In addition, there is a loudness button for the extra push of sound.
There are six preset station buttons and you can preset 12 stations. In addition, the volume is quite good for my old noisy jeep (I have four 6x9 Polk speakers hooked up to it).
I only have two problems with this stereo. The buttons are very small and difficult to adjust while driving. The volume buttons are the closest to the driver and each button is smaller than your little finger fingernail. Those are the two largest buttons on the system.
The preset radio buttons and the radio scan button (yes it has seek and scan functions for the radio) are smaller than the "chad's" from the scandalous votes from the recent election here in Florida. Basically, those buttons are very small and spaced very close to one another. If you have large fingers then it is hard to hit one button and not accidentally mash another one as well. The size and proximity of these buttons make it somewhat difficult to change stations while trying to drive as well.
Lastly, this may be a fluke, but when I bought this stereo I bought it at Circuit City and opted to buy the 3 year (optional) extended warranty for an extra $20. Well, one year and two weeks after I had this system installed, it died. One day none of the buttons would work anymore - no response at all. It was locked to one radio station at one set volume. It is now back at the factory being repaired.
Overall, I have been very pleased with the sound and quality of this stereo and would still recommend it to others. The failure, I hope, was just a fluke, I hope. I have had other JVC car and home stereos without any problem so I have been impressed with their durability until now. The biggest problem is the small buttons. If you change stations a lot then this may not be the model for you.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 180
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Epinions.com ID:
12judge
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Location: Panama City, FL
Reviews written: 82
Trusted by: 9 members
About Me:
What I love: my family & kids, travel, camping, diving, & the great outdoors.
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