music off road

The iPod can be connected to a small transmitter (Belkin $49, iTrip $90) so a cable is not required (not all radios have 'in' plugs easily accessible). You avoid the cost of CD changers etc, and the issue of CDs jumping. The alternative if you are using a laptop is to install iTunes and use a similar FM device and store all music as MP3s on your laptop.

Look at the cost of a decent CD changer and compare with the cost of a good radio plus iPod.

Alpine are now doing a range of CD players that can integrate with your iPod player. Not sure of the cost.

I have a Kenwood which only costs about $290. It has a face which folds down before you place the cd in. The purpose of this is to minimize dust collecting in the working parts of the CD section. Has survived Googs, Gawler Ranges, Birdsville etc without a problem.
Don't get sucked in to thinking you have to spend a lot of money. Model on the front of mine is "KDC-MP6026". Black face with a round silver volume switch if looking for it in the shops. My mate has a $600 stereo which died (skipped etc) on the birdsville the other month. Our's was fine.
Good Luck.

Hi Matt

I have a Clarion MP3 player.It is fantastic, hasn't skipped yet. Plays MP3 and normal CD. Seems a better way than having to plug in the ipod.... Normally fit about 140 mp3 songs on the cd.
cheers
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I switch from a Standard Toyota head unit to a pioneer head unit + CD changer last year for this very reason.

The pioneer never skipped once on the length of the Gibb River Road - that goes for both the single CD player in the head unit and the 6 stacker (mounted inside the centre console). It's the lowest spec model that will play MP3s.

Cheers,
Pete

Matt
We travel with the windows down on most tracks (and last trip lost the passenger window), car gets pretty dusty, and have not has a cd player that has survived. Cassette player lasted OK, but tapes got trashed pretty quickly, Kids got mp3 players, and the fm tuner for the mp3 player is the way to go (for us anyway). You can get 12v 40meg hard drives, plenty of room for music and also photos, saves having to cart a laptop around. This is what we will go for.

Hi,

No need to buy all the wiring or transmitters to connect MP3 players to a standard car stereo.
Simply pull the face off the unit, and usually just behind the volume control are two tabs to connect an external device - just connect a suitable plug directly to the tabs. I believe this is the pre-amp???? not sure of the wording exactly but just pull the face off your cd unit and you will see the tabs/connectors to solder to on the rear of the volume control.
Well this worked on mine, I can now connect my PDA directly to my car sound system for less than $2:00.

Rokkitt

Hi Matt. down my sons at the weekend was showing me his ipod. he was buisy putting music on it. I had a listern an was most impressed with the sound quility
through the head phones. he had only loaded 270 songs and used about 1/20
of the space . he said you can plug it into the car or connect it to speakers. I
dont know anything about them but was impressed. might even get one
as I only have a radio in the truck. cheers brian

Pioneer rock. I posted here many moons ago when I went shopping for a CD player.

Basically the guy at Chermside Radio (Brisbane) turned on each CD player one by one and sunk his right boot into the mounting facia where the CD players sit. The Clarion, Alpine, Kenwood jumped quite easily, yet the Pioneer & JVC didnt miss a beat.

I purchased the Pioneer over the JVC as it had a better looking display plus a removable face - so the inside of the player is protected from dust behind the removable face.

Now Pioneer make the MP3 version for the same price I paid for mine 2.5yrs ago (~$300), I am seriously tempted to upgrade. Would save the need to buy a stacker.

The best test is to ask the guy selling to put his money where his mouth is and wack the display stand and seperate the Men from the Boys.

We drove return Brisbane to Elquestro in WA (along Gibb River Rd) and my wife and I debated for hours when the CD player did jump was it becuase of the massive pot hole we hit at speed, or was it dust on the surface of the CD!!! One jump in 12,000 km's of rough roads does it for me.

And just so you dont think im a Pioneer stooge - my Pioneer 6 stacker Hi-fi CD Player broke down 6months out of warranty. Ill never buy a home entertainment device of them again, but car audio is another story :)

Cheers,

Glenn.

I have an Alpine MP3/WMA player and alpine speakers.

under $500 for the head unit, never skipped on night runs, or day trips, or weekends etc.. Love it, and dont bother with normal CD players, GO with MP3.. 180+ songs per CD....

Best music off road - IMHO it is the rythmic echos of both lockers coming into play to tackle the southern exit of Gunshot.

Got the Clarion Mp3 / CD player. Works well for me gettting around 190 songs on a cd. Did outback NSW and QLD cameron's corner and didn't skip over any of the roads or cattle grids. Also a removable face to help keep out dust. Shop around and offer cash as you're guaranteed to find a better deal that way.

Happy listening.