Good value for your money - Jensen CD3010X CD Receiver
Written: Jan 25 '02 (Updated Jan 20 '03)
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Pros: Easy to use, has all the features basic to a CD receiver.
Cons: There ARE better CD Receivers out there for a bit more money.
The Bottom Line: You get your money's worth, but if you have a bit extra to spend, go for a newer, more advanced model.
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| arihamilton's Full Review: Audiovox CD-3010 X Car CD Player |
Okay, Christmas morning. I open my present and get... a gift certificate to Best Buy. After being upset that my parents put no thought or effort in my gift, I realized that I could buy ANYTHING I wanted (well, from Best Buy anyway). CD player for my car, here I come!
Okay I bought the Jensen CD3010X CD Receiver because it was about $120. I had to pay an extra $30 or so for installation since my '99 Chevy Prizm had a big old radio and needed a harness.
What does it look like? Well the face is black and the buttons are either turquoise or red that light up in the dark to make it easy to see. The display is a turquoise that is really easy to read, no matter what time of day.
The details? Well you can get all the details on the Jensen website but I've typed them up here to make it easy for you:
CD:
CD-R compatible
Random/repeat/intro
CD Pause
Repeat A-B
High-speed audible track search
24 Programmable track selections
8x Oversampling
1 Bit D/A converter
Anti-shock mechanism
3-Beam laser pickup
TUNER:
US/European frequency spacing
30 Station presets (18FM/12AM)
JENSEN Plus tuner
Auto station store
Preset scan
CHASSIS:
1.0 DIN
Import ISO/DIN mountable
GENERAL:
Electronic volume, bass, treble, balance, fader
Programmable turn-on volume
Multi-button power on
Keyless CD eject
3V pre-amp output voltage
1-Pair of pre-amp outputs
Flex fader
Auxiliary input (3.5mm)
Liquid crystal display
Selectable display priority
Infrared remote control (included)
IR20 Compatable
Clock
Selectable display priority
Mute
Bass boost
The one thing that I found hilarious was the remote. If I stretched my arm an inch or 2 I could reach the buttons on the actual unit and change the volume or station easily. However it still comes with a remote, I don't quite understand. But it can be fun to use, just don't give it to a passenger or they might drive you crazy changing the songs with it!
Okay, if you are listening to the CD player and stop the engine, when you restart the car, the CD will start up from the beginning of the same song you were listening to. This wouldn't be a problem for me except that I live in Waco where everything is about 4 minutes away. When I was running errands, I had to get out of my car numerous times and every time I got back in, the same song would start up.
Mp3 Ready. That's what it said on the unit. I got excited, figuring the CD Receiver would play mp3 cds. Not so fast. That's not what Mp3 READY means. I was talking to a worker at Best Buy a week later and he said that Mp3 Ready means that you can hook up a mp3 player to the unit and buy discs to store mp3s. However, he said, this could get quite pricey.
The Jensen CD3010X CD Receiver is unbelievably easy to use. I mean, it could not get any easier to store a radio station or set the clock. This is helpful because the instructions that come with this unit are brief - no longer than a page.
A week after buying the Jensen CD3010X CD Receiver, I went back to Best Buy and bought the Jensen MP3510. For an extra $60 or so, this unit comes with a detachable face plate (good for deterring crooks from snatching your precious CD player), it remembers the exact place on the CD that you were listening when you stopped the engine and restarts there, and it plays mp3s. I made an mp3 cd and have 174 mp3s on 1 CD - over 10 hours worth of music!
Would I recommend the Jensen CD3010X CD Receiver? If you are new to CD Receivers or are on a budget, yes. It has all the essentials and is easy to use. However, if you can spend a bit more money, I recommend the Jensen MP3510. It's a newer model with a bit more features that will make your car drive more enjoyable.
UPDATE January 20, 2003
It's been slightly over a year since I bought the Jensen MP3510... and it's decided to quit working on me. Whatever the problem is with it (it won't play my CDs, it only lets me listen to the radio), it'll cost more than I want to spend on it to fix. So now I've come up with a better motto - don't spend too much money on something whose lifespan you are unsure off. If I could rewind the year, I think I would've stuck with the Jensen CD3010X... maybe it would've lasted longer. Although, who knows?!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 120
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Epinions.com ID:
arihamilton
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Member: Ari Hamilton
Location: Waco, TX USA
Reviews written: 22
Trusted by: 51 members
About Me:
No, I haven't left Epinions... real life just caught up with me :-p
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