A 10 Disc CD Player, the Sony CDX-444RF!
Written: Sep 08 '01
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Pros: Easy installation with a great sound!
Cons: It does not play MP3 files or CDRW discs!
The Bottom Line: Sony has a very nice 10 disc CD changer that can be added to your in-dash FM radio.
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| surferdude7's Full Review: Sony CDX-444RF 10-Disc CD Changer |
The Sony CDX-444RF is an add on CD player changer that plays your CD sound through an FM radio and it will hold up to 10 CDs at a time.
The Changer is 11 13/16 inches wide x 3 5/8 inches in height x 7 3/8 inches deep.
What you get!
The 10-Disc CD changer
One XA-250 10-disc CD magazine
RM-X82RF wired remote with display
Relay box
Wiring harness
Two Plastic mounting brackets, Double-sided adhesive strip, Self-tapping screws, Machine screws
Operating Instructions, Installation with Connections sheet
Features
9 FM transmitting frequencies 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, 89.5, 89.7 and 89.9MHz.
Built-In FM Modulator makes it for an easier installation than having to install it to your AM/FM in-dash unit.
CD Compatibility It will play your music CDs and CDR discs.
D-Bass with Auto Level Adjust To give you a better bass sound.
Last Position Memory When you turn off the changer or in-dash, it remembers the place it stops playing and resumes when it is turned on again.
Mounting You can mount the changer horizontally or vertically at angles between 0 and 90 degrees.
Output Level There are five levels to match your FM sound.
Repeat Play Repeat the current track or current disc.
Shuffle Play You can have it shuffle one disc or all discs.
The Remote
The remote is a wired remote with 19 ft. of cable and it is also a display.
I recommend placing it on the dash somewhere that it is easy to see and operate with the double-sided adhesive strip provided. You don't have to mount it anywhere but I find it is harder to concentrate on the road while driving when it is not mounted.
It has a display that shows you the disc number and the track number of the disc in a green color.
There is an On/Off button, a D-Bass button and a button for replay and shuffling of the CDs and tracks.
There is one big round button that lets you control the tracks forward or backwards plus skip forward and skip backwards.
The remote/display is 4 13/16 inches wide x 1 11/16 inches in height x 13/16 inches thick.
The 10-disc CD Magazine
The Sony XA-250 10-disc CD magazine has ten trays in it that you can easily pull out one at a time to place another CD in. Each tray will stop when pulled out far enough so that it will stay in the magazine.
For around $29.95 you can purchase another Sony XA-250 10-disc CD magazine so that you can just exchange them at anytime loaded with 10 different CDs.
Installation
Is rather easy!
1. You have a Relay box or hideaway FM Modulator. Find a place to hide it like under the dash. You connect your In-dash antenna to it, then you connect the modulator to your antenna and finally it connects to the CD Changer.
2. Find a place to put the CD changer, some people place them in their trunk and others in their glove compartment if it is big enough. The trunk or glove box is ideal because it hides the unit from theft. You will have to mount it with the screws included.
3. The wiring harness has 1-amp and 3-amp in-line fuses plus an in-line noise filter, you will have to connect it to a power source. The instructions give you some different connection possibilities. The wiring harness connects to the changer.
4. Mount the wired remote somewhere that it is easily seen and handy to control. The cable from the remote connects to the changer.
You are ready to use it.
Time for installation can be about one hour if you don't hide the wiring under the carpet and 3 to 4 hours if you want to hide all of the wiring.
Using the 10 Disc CD Player
First pick a frequency using the wire remote that doesn't interfere with any radio stations. They give you nine to choose from, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, 89.5, 89.7 and 89.9MHz.
Preset one of your FM buttons so you can get to the frequency that you have chosen.
From now on all you have to do is tune to the preset frequency and turn on the changer on the remote. To control the sound just use your radio controls.
Overall
This is a great way to add a CD player to your AM/FM radio and if you already have a single CD player with your AM/FM it adds a 10 CD changer for more music to select from.
Installation is easy and with this unit you can always take it out if you buy a new vehicle.
Nothing is more aggravating than trying to find a CD to play in a single CD player while driving down the road. With the CD changer you have control of 10 different CDs while driving down the road at your fingertip.
The sound is great, I cannot tell any difference than in an in-dash CD player over the FM Modulated CD Changer.
List price is about $250, this cost of this one was $199. The Sony CDX-444RF comes with a one-year warranty.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199
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