Recommend a cd player?

[HardDrive]

I have been looking for a new CD player for my Targa that will NOT SKIP. I have been heavily leaning toward the Alpines, because they have a direct iPod hookup. Any recommendations on a player than can handle the bumps a 911s suspension throws at it?

Futile really since a Targa is so bloody loud you can barely hear it anyway.....

I just know I am going to get some "Forget the cd player, thats 4 extra pounds!!!!" from the hardcores....

[KCinBR]

I have the Alpine unit in my Targa, not sure what model it is as it was in the car when i bought it. I have not noticed any skips while playing cd's, and since I replaced the rear speakers I can hear it with the top off

[jbripps]

I have an Alpine as well, which I purchased for about $250 or $275 last year. Very rare to skip, usually when I hit a pretty big pot hole and when the CD is pretty scratched up to begin with.

I also have a serious system, no problem hearing with top off, and I have a borla too.

Regards,

[UK Carrera]

I've just installed an Alpine 9853R with iPod link to replace a blaupunkt unit that was unlistenable due to skipping.

It has only been in the car a week or so, so little use so far. But early signs are very encouraging - no skipping!

[89911]

If I was to do it again, I would get a radio with an easy "AUX IN" to link an iPod. No skipping and more CD's then you could ever carry. What are CD's

[greglepore]

Yeah, agree w/ the aux in or something w/ integrated ipod (Alpine, some Sony's). I have a cheap Sony in mine that never skips, but I'm replacing it with a likewise cheap JVC (around 200 bucks) simply because it has an aux in jack on the front panel. CD's are a pain.

[David]

I've got an Alpine that reads MP3's. On th highest quality MP3 compression I get about 13 albums per CD so I only carry around 4 CD's.

[d5c5b]

popular demand would suggest that alpine's the best thing out there. i too have an alpine in my car, ive also had a very very good panasonic. Any decent (aka- not from walmart) headunit these days will not skip unless jarred pretty hard. Looks for me are a big deal but if youre going for sound quality etc i would suggest in order from best to not best, eclipse, alpine, panasonic.....

[charlesbahn]

I've got a Sony head and xbox amp. Not very $ but good sound and never skips. Does CD, MP3, iPOD, and sat radio (with adapter). Quite happy with it. Has graphics that flash across the face of the unit. Cool.

[Mysterytrain]

I installed a Nakamichi CD-400 in my targa. Great unit, looks like it belongs in a 78..no freakin' bling-bling or video game display, doesn't skip and I hardly ever use it (less then a year old) because with the top off and all that german motor noise you have to crank the system up so loud it makes me feel like some 17 year old schmuck. OOh and I love loud music..been playing out in bands since I was 16..and no I'm not deaf, what?

[dillinger]

I bought this Sony CDX-F7715X from Crutchfield.com about a month ago. Works great, no skips, aux in for my iPod. Here's a pic. $269.00

Don

[scottb]

I have a Blaupunkt Heidelberg. When I first installed it, it skipped like crazy. I did some research, and found an article that suggested running a heavy (12 or 14 gauge) wire to the radio as a power source. I did just that, and the skipping stopped.

Don: Good looking Sony. Not too much bling.

[plain fan]

I know in the past I've listed some head units that utilize hard drives but after pricing and looking at these I've changed my mind. They are fairly rare and pricey since you are buying a laptop hard drive and a head unit and the unit that connects to the hard drive, etc. For the price of one of these systems you could go with a head unit and an ipod which gives you portability.
I also listed a jvc head unit that is priced around $300 that plays MP3 encoded DVDs. Do the math on that one... I haven't decided which way to jump yet on head units but I need to finalize speakers first.

[84porsche]

Considering the Targa factor, I installed a Blaupunkt Phoenix MP3 cd player because I really didn't want to have to worry with the top off about my stereo. The car had an old Alpine in it before but I wanted a cd player so overall I think I got a great value for the money I spent.

[oneblueyedog]

I wired my old Pioneer CD/AM/FM that I got off rennlist classifieds to my Ipod(AUX PLUG PORT). Hit shuffle and go. No more skipping. Just tripping. No play read out but the player was made before Ipod was invented. Sounds great. I also think it will plug into other devices since it is just a stereo earphone jack whip that plugs into the earphone port of the Ipod. This probably means that an MP3 player will work too. They don't skip either and are much cheaper.

I made the plug. FUN.

Please do not scroll music while driving. Scrolling and searching is a really bad problem that vastly erodes your situational awareness while operating a vehicle. Wireless phone use is bad, but taking your eyes off the road to look for a sound track-scary.

[fastpat]

I've just installed a Blaupunkt Bremen MP74 which has not skipped at all during the three weeks I've have it in the car.

This unit is absolutely the finest head unit I've ever used, period. I'm still learning all it's capabilities, the audio modification features are too numerous to list here.

It can either use a third party iPod interface which will control the iPod, or simply accept the audio output from the iPod which I have used. However, using the iPod in my Carrera really isn't convenient when compared to burning mp3 files onto a CD-R, which play beautifully in the Bremen. I can burn about 9 hours of music on a single CD-R at 192 mbits/sec which sounds great, and there's no risk of the iPod either getting stolen or damaged in the car, nor having to find a mounting location and running additional wiring.

There are several Alpine units that are MP3 capable, as well as other brands, that might have good performance, but the audio capabilities of my Bremen MP74 would be hard to surpass, in my opinion.

The display isn't too zoomy, you can see the equalizer graphics if you choose to,

The one downside is that the trim of the unit is partially silver. I installed the black trim from a Seattle MP74 to reduce this inappropriate color on a high end unit, but some is still there. Here's a photo of it, as currently configured, but the display has been adjusted to black on white now, not the red in the photo. The display color can be selected from 4096 colors, and the button color changed as well, from a palette of 16. The unit in the photo is in a BMW 325i.

[JBO]

I have an Alpine system w/Amp in trunk and Boston Acoustics speakers, and I can hear it fine with the top off, cat By-pass and GHL exhaust. My kids say it's a little loud in the back seat

[fastpat]

I used Boston Acoustics plate speakers to replace the 4x6's on the rear window shelf, and MB Quart 5.25/1 inch separates in the doors, with the crossovers in the door pockets (to avoid holes and window interference).

I'm still adjusting the bass frequencies via the Bremen head unit to bump it up, learning as I go. I really like the staging that uses the digital audio processing to give the sound a palpable presence.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I just got a new Alpine (cant remeber model number off the top of my head)

It is WMA/MP3 compatible, iPod ready, and Sirius/XM ready, plus the finish is dark and matches the original dash very well....

Has a lot of cool features like disc names, titles, choice of illumination, etc... I got it so i could eventually get Sirius and add an iPod.

Paid $191.00 at best Buy for it... Does not skip whatsoever...

[jorian]

Recently installed an Eclipse 8454. Plays all formats, has an aux in 8V preout, memory stick slot and looks like it could have come stock in my 87'. Never skips and is tunable via eclipses' website to my car.