Best Option for Sirius Satellite & MP3
Written: Oct 17 '02
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Pros: Satellite Radio Ready, MP3-CD Player, Cost
Cons: Sirius satellite compatible, sound not superb
The Bottom Line: Good deck, but others out there at similar price which are better. Great for you if you want MP3 and Sirius satellite radio, but just another deck for everyone else.
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| Sarv's Full Review: Kenwood KDC-MPV619 Car CD/ MP3 Player |
Those two things make this a worthwhile purchase; that is if you're interested in Sirius satellite radio, or satellite radio at all, for that matter.
Probably the two hottest things in car audio are MP3 capability and satellite. Both offer hours and hours of music listening with little or no commercial interruption. MP3's, while inferior (if you're really into music listening, you'd say that), still sound good enough if you get a good rip. Satellite radio, when it doesn't cut out, is digital quality and always sounds perfect, without having the scratch and buzz of FM or AM radio.
Because of these things, I like this Kenwood deck. So much so, that I bought it for my GF to put in her car (not mine) :). It was good enough for her, and that's all that mattered.
The Good
Kenwood makes high quality decks that have quite a few features, yet nothing that stands out, really. If you're looking at a few different Kenwood decks at Circuit City, you'll see each deck $20 more than the other. This deck, as of last Spring, was around $279, but I'm sure has dropped in price. Why it was $70, $50, or $20 more was because it 1) Plays MP3s 2) Is Satellite ready and 3) Either has a remote or another Pre-Out.
I enjoyed having the ability to play MP3s off a burned cd, though it was a hassle to have to go through many folders, or hundreds of files to find certain songs. It would also be nice to have a Kenwood cd-changer that played MP3s. I never had a problem with losing disks in the deck, or have ever had a skipping problem (except through massive bumps).
Satellite radio is a nice option to have, though most people can't afford the purchase of not only the deck, but a control unit and antenna, along with install, which runs on average of about $500 for the whole setup.
The Bad
Sirius satellite radio has bugged me since I first heard about it. I have XM radio in another vehicle, and never once after purchasing this Kenwood deck did I think about installing Sirius. For one, they took forever to get to the West Coast, and unless you were a trucker, you were hard pressed to get service. XM has been out for almost a year now, with no problems and great service. Of the two, I'd chose XM if you're looking for Satellite radio.
The sound on the Kenwood deck is alright, but compared to the Pioneer deck I have playing with the XM radio, it does not compare. The options for sound quality are not as many...and overall, I just don't like the Kenwood deck in comparison. For the most part though, you won't notice a real problem just listening to it, and would be happy with it if you were to have it in your car. Just be sure to back it up with a good amp, subs and speakers, and you'll be happy since you'll be listening to the thump anyways.
The Lowdown
Its a great deck because it plays MP3s and Sirius satellite radio, if thats your bag. Other decks (from Pioneer, Sony and Alpine) do the same thing, and are at a comparable price. Check the prices, and take a listen at your local stereo store, and judge for yourself which sounds the best. I simply give you my opinion on what I think about it, since I own one myself.
BTW, I'm selling the car the Kenwood deck is in, and I'm not going to keep the deck. I would keep the Pioneer deck I also have. Just thought you'd like to know...
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 279
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Epinions.com ID:
Sarv
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Member: Erik Sarvela
Location: Medford, OR
Reviews written: 49
Trusted by: 15 members
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