A Work Of Art
Written: Apr 07 '04 (Updated Apr 14 '04)
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Pros: Beautiful design, clean sound, bright at night without being obtrusive, fast MP3 recognition.
Cons: Faceplate does not completely black-out due to silver trim.
The Bottom Line: This is a beautiful head unit that allows you to grow your system around it. Beautiful display, beautiful sound and clean design
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| thee-o's Full Review: Sony CDX-M850MP Car CD/ MP3 Player |
I will have to start off my review by saying I am avid Sony fan. I do buy a lot of Sony products and this not my first Sony Head Unit. This one though so far, is my favorite one that I have had a chance to use. The first thing you notice is the large black screen that dominates the the front. When turned on this brilliant blue display appears. When opening the front panel to put a CD in or get to the controls the front panel folds downward. When it does this a silver face with small oval screen in the middle, that actually shows a ton of info despite its small size. This is beautiful as well but you really want to focus on the black panel. As such, a remote is provided so that you don't have to use the manual controls. The display shows various graphics that include both EQ based sound graphics and 3-D and Static graphics. You can choose which one you would like to display or have them all randomly be played. With no controls or buttons on the main black panel all you see is are the vibrant details and your system information. It really is a beautiful thing to behold.
I wanted a headunit that I could use with many products. DVD player, MiniDisc Changer, XM Radio and this unit has handled everything I have attached to it with ease. When attached to something that has included text (such as CDText, MD's or XM Radio) the text is clear and easily read at any angle. You will need the optional Sony XA-300 to add more Aux inputs to the unit. You can also play MP3 encoded discs. I haven't used this option as much as I should but every time I have, it works with ease. Another function I love is the list command. It quickly shows me all the titles of the Minidiscs that I have in my changer and allows me to quickly change discs without having to go through all of them to get to the one I want to listen to.
The preset factory EQ settings work well with each style of music that it has been made for. There is also a custom setting where you can create your own EQ setting with a 7 band EQ. There is also a function called DSO that lifts the soundstage of the audio source. This function is great if your speakers are installed low in the door. I found it quite useful in my Chevy Trailblazer.
The sound, the design and the functionality are all well done. This is a outstanding head unit that really gives you everything you want and more.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 240.00
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Epinions.com ID:
thee-o
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Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
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