Solid buy
Written: Apr 29 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quality
Cons: MP3 Controls
The Bottom Line: Do your research first.
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| dr__evil's Full Review: Alpine CHAS-634 6-Disc CD Changer |
It is really unfortunate, but there aren't too many MP3 player options for BMW owners. This was the only changer capable of playing MP3 and compatible with my car. Having heard many good things about Alpine I decided to go for it. If you have an option to install an in-dash player, it might be a better idea, so do some research.
I was advised that the best way to do it is to connect the changer unit through FM to be able to see all Mp3s. Thats a strange but acceptable solution, so when you want to listen to any CD you need to switch to a specific FM frequency preset.
The troubles begin when you try to find the right folder and the right MP3 file to play. The little control unit that was provided has controls to change CDs and MP3 files, but not folders. Thats just stupid. You are going to have maybe 100-200 mp3 files on a single CD so to find the right song you would have to scroll through all of them, regardless of which folder they are in. Nobody should have to do this while driving. Fortunately, the remote control that comes with a unit that can actually change folders. The question is why not make the control unit and remote the same? I am at a loss.
Overall, the quality of sound is great for both CDs and MP3s and I honestly cannot tell the difference between the two. Alpine changer has been stable, and I dont get any skipping. Altogether I spent $450 on the changer, control unit, remote control, adapters, and installation. That is fairly low, I was getting quotes upwards of $600.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 250
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Epinions.com ID:
dr__evil
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Location: Los Angeles
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
The details of my life are quite inconsequential.
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