Sony or Kenwood mp3 CD Changers?

Sorry for the repeat post but I asked this deep in another thread so I think it got lost. Several people seem to gave the Alpine 634 CD changer (w/ mp3) with as SOundaget adapter, but Soundgate also makes SOny and Kenwood Adapters. Has anyone tried a Sony (e.g., CDX-T70MX) or Kenwood (e.g., KDC-CX89) mp3 changer. I'm wondering how they compare to the Alpine. Specifically, do they work, how's the sound quality (I assume similar), are there the same delay in track switching, do they actually play the tracks in alphabetical order, etc... Thanks. -Tom

every product sony makes is crap for car stereo... so kenwood

my concern is more with the quality of the interface.... I assume that since CD changers have been around now for 15 years that all will be fine, maybe the Sony a bit worse but still adequate, particularly given that I want to play mp3s which already have degraded sound. Therefore, I'm wondering which ones work best with the BMW's OEM system since the Alpine's interface seems to be quirky.

oh yeah. i heard there's delay with Alpine Soundgate combo. anyone pls confirm???

btw, have anyone tried Kenwood changer??

The alpine is a great changer with the soundgate interface. My only complaint is that you can only seek up and down which is BMW's fault for not having dial in access like MB does. There is a slightly delay when going track up or down (about 1.5 seconds) which doesnt seem slow but is when you are used to the regular head unit deck. All in all I think its a great upgrade which gives you versatility if you were to upgrade your headunit later to an Ai-net supported one. This would allow ID tags to be displayed and I would imagine the changer would react faster to an Ai-net deck.

I did the whole install myself very easily in just under 2 hours. Whole package cost roughly $350 (trunk changer moulding, brackets, changer, Ai-Net to mbus, soundgate V5).. not bad if you ask me.

Originally posted by Quanius
I did the whole install myself very easily in just under 2 hours. Whole package cost roughly $350 (trunk changer moulding, brackets, changer, Ai-Net to mbus, soundgate V5).. not bad if you ask me.

Hi Quanius, you got the whole package for $350?? i think that's pretty good deal. if u don't mind me asking, where did you get your Soundgate v5 adatper?? I'm looking everywhere for it.

That is actually part of the nightmare with this project. I placed my order at tweeter in Manchester, NH and found out the Ai-net to mbus cable which is only a $10 part was back ordered all the way back to the factory in Japan. I waited from Early June all the way to early September for that part to come in.

Check this out. So I go to pick up the whole system which included the V4 soundgate at the time I ordered (V5 wasnt out yet at that point) and the guy tells me.. Dang, the V5 is backordered now! I was sorta pissed because I would have expected him to hold onto the V4 and the changer for me but instead he assumed I wanted the latest soundgate (can't get too angry at him for that).. So I waited another 2.5 weeks for him to source another V5 from another tweeter. I have only had the system for about a week now. So these parts (with the exception of the changer) are in high demand and low production. I have been watching http://www.logjamelectronics.com/souncdchanin4.html and they seem to get the parts a week or two before my tweeter could get them. I would try there. Looks like they should have them today (monday). Good luck! I'm sure it can't go as bad as it did for me.

Oh also part of the reason why I got a good deal was because the guy felt he messed up on the soundgate so he cut the price. I also had them pricematch some Circuit city in chicago that I found on the internet. Try to play that card if you can.

I found a link about a Sony install. He says the delay is not realy noticable.

http://www.blayne.com/main/rides/cd/