Best CD Player?

[jpalmer]

Hey guys, I am finally to the point where I'm driving mine a ton and just picked up a center console so it's time for a radio. What brands have you guys found to be the best for anti-skip in these rigs? Back in college I sold and installed mobile electronics and Pioneer was about the best for tracking but I never off-roaded anything. What have you found is the best currently?

 

[Paddock 1970]

Ditch the CD Player

I just put an Alpine IDA x200, in mine. No cd player just Ipod or digital media device. It sounds awesome!

 

[Stroppe-Envy-77]

Best "CD Player"? An iPod! ;D

No skipping at all.

 

[stock1970]

get one that has a usb flash drive and aux. input on the face of it, I use a cheap flash drive for all my music now.. hundreds of songs from computer to flash and will never skip.. thumb drives are so cheap you can have one for kids, one for the wife and one for yourself..

 

[mustangtoby]

I am partial to Pioneer supertuner myself, but after a couple of times 4 wheeling, they are all full of dirt and won't play a cd. I made sure and got one with an aux input on the face, plug in my MP3 player and never listed to cds anyway. Also have sat radio in it too, cds are old school.

 

[Dark Knight]

I really like my Alpine

 

[Scoop]

Just get a digital media player with no CD. Uses thumb drives, iPod and aux input. Sealed so dust can't get inside. Look on Crutchfield for info.

 

[sprdv1]

I really like my Alpine

Always leaned towards Alpine myself, been a LONG time since I bought one though...

 

[ep67bro]

I like pioneer and JVC. Put a Pioneer in my 67 4 years ago and it still plays cds after many trips four wheeling. I have had a bunch of JVCs and they are cheap but have good sound and hold up well. I just put one in my wifes 73 and it has usb and ipod connects plus the cd player and it was only $90.00 at bestbuy!

 

[mrhalligan]

Marine cd players work pretty well as far as the skipping goes, boats do go thru rough waters! I like the Dual I put in my center console

 

[Premium Concept]

If you want an inexpensive option, Wal-Mart has a deck that has no CD player in it, and only takes a flash drive or iPod for only $40. It is from Dual.

WM also has a deck with a CD player for $50, also from Dual. they have a marine/offroad unit from a no name company, but it doesn't look that quality to me. The dual units look good.

 

[calger]

Alpine hands down is still the best head unit on the market. Depends if you are just looking for a low skip head unit go with I pod, or Flash drive of any major brand IE Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, Kenwood, JVC In that order for sound and durability. All of this is IMO.

If you end up not getting a Alpine Just go to Wall-mart, they are hard to beat in the price department. Good luck

 

[daveweil1]

I bought an Alpine with the direct connect ipod control last year. Its the third one I've owned. Its work well, I just don't like that you have to control the ipod using the head units controller, rather than the rotary dial on the ipod itself. The sound quality is good and its pushing 4 Audobahn 6.5" coaxials with the internal amp. I can hear with the roof and doors off, over my thrush glasspacks.

 

[jpalmer]

I have been looking into a deck with Ipod capability because I have been thinking about buying an Ipod, I have a generic MP3 player now. I am picky about sound quality so I don't want to use a 3.5mm jack if I don't have to. I didn't realize the units with USB ports will read right off of thumb drives, that sounds like a winner to me. As far as headunits go, it sounds like the brand quality is still the same as it used to be, that's a good thing. I will look into getting one of those sealed units that are just media players. Thanks for all the advice guys!

 

[BuffDragon]

Alpine, hands down.

if you're worried about dirt/mud filling up the cd player slot, get one with the fold down face (cd slot behind it) so its "protecting" the cd slot.

BIG PLUS ONE on mp3/media format. never fails.
Alpine has the direct connect feature OR even if the particular deck you're looking at doesnt have an aux input, you can get the AI Net to RCA adapters on ebay for less than $10 and use normal 3.5mm plug to that as input and still use the functions of the ipod.

granted all I've ever run are alpines in my trucks (had a sony in my boat) and have never had an issue.

IMHO

 

[Dan76]

I bought an Alpine CDE-9874, and its installed in my Tuffy center console. I was worried about CDs not reading at the angle the CD player sits but its fine. It rarely skips but driving on washboard it skips but it does great on the trail. It also has the Ipod hookup which I haven't used yet because I don't own the cable!

 

[jpalmer]

I went ahead and picked up a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X693. It is a full faced unit that takes CD, has direct Ipod connectivity,and a USB 2.0 port so I get the best of everything. I love the idea of plugging in my thumb drive yet still be able to listen to a CD if I don't have it stored. This will be in my center console so dirt wouldn't be AS bad, but I've had great luck in the past with the higher end Kenwood stuff.

 

[Premium Concept]

If your really worried about dust or water getting into it, look at getting one of these:

http://www.scosche.com/products/productID/1558

 

[cmatthews7]

X however many others said Alpine. I have had 8 or more units over the years, and yes the initial cost is a little more than some others, but the quality can't be beat. I have had to dry mine off or wipe the mud away more than once and it still rocks.

 

[Heus33]

Best "CD Player"? An iPod! ;D

No skipping at all.

x2 I picked up a nice middle of the road unit off of eBay from Circuit City when they were liquidating. It has an AUX in that lets me run an iPod or other MP3 player. I wanted something cheap in case it got robbed since I park my rig topless quite often.