ProtegeMaster

Hey guys!

I've done a search on the forum with the hopes of finding an answer, but haven't found anything. Hope this isn't redundant.

Anyway, I've just about had it with the stock HU and am looking for replacement options. I've decided that I really want mp3 capability, but I also have a lot of old cassettes and would like to find a deck that can accommodate such a unit. What I'm looking for is an mp3/CD deck that also has cassette capability, but have a hunch they're just not made by anyone (********! ).

First question: Does anyone by chance know of any manufacturer that makes such a deck, or at least one that sells a separate cassette module that you can load in the single DIN space left over after main deck installation? Our OEM double DIN decks have a space where you can pop in an optional cassette module-- Would be cool if someone like Kenwood had something like that.

Second question: Given that I think it's a long shot I'll find anything that meets my wishes, I'm willing to skip the cassette and just get an mp3 deck. Any opinions about the Kenwood KDC-X859? It looks kick *** to me... Also, information tends to vary in this regard-- Anyone know if it'll properly fit in an '01 ES?

Thanks folks!

mazdaspeedwest

i think your best bet is a cassette/CD changer combo with the changer having MP3 capabilities.

But, since you have a double din opening, you can easily find a single din CD/MP3 deck with an AUX INPUT and add a single din Casstette below it.

onehawaiian

if you absolutely need an mp3 player, go with mazdaspeedwest's suggestion. however, there are double-din hu's that have cd/cassette capability. i would just get a regular mp3 hu and not even worry about the cassettes. chances are, you can find all the songs on mp3.

ProtegeMaster

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

Sigh, yeah, I thought it would be tough to find a deck that has everything I wanted-- Mp3's are so handy in terms of offering massive amounts of music choice, you just can't pass it up, from my viewpoint. Here's what I'm looking at in that regard.

I may just have to give it up, but I suppose another ideal option would be if someone made a simple, single DIN cassette player with line outs that I could plug into the mp3 deck's input. It seems that pretty much all the cassette option decks have BOTH cassette and tuner, which isn't needed. I just want a cassette player.

Man, working with comparatively old technology is a pain in the ***...

mazdaspeedwest

whats the big deal having 2 tuners? Alpine is known for making tunerless (and amp-less) head units, but i'm none to fond of Alpine products...all show and not much go IMHO.

Also IMHO they only had ONE good deck (7893 IIRC) that was and maybe still is, the benchmark for CD players.

Brycer79

cassette?? I think I rembmer those from back when I used those BIG black double sided cds that skipped alot...

Brycer79

sandman

Have you thought of this combo?

Get a tape deck head unit and a discman that plays audio and mp3 cds. then all you need is the tape adapter that plugs into the tape deck on the HU and the headphone jack on the discman.

That way you have mp3s for your ride AND you can take the tunes with you.

You get the best of all the worlds that way.

Dirt cheap for a tape deck HU, about 20 bones for the adapter and another Hun or so for the MP3 discman. If you look you can prolly find the adapter included with some discmen..

mazdaspeedwest

at a great sacrifice to sound quality though....although it is the least expensive route, but IMHO, it would not be on my list. Also, MP3 quality, while it's gotten better, needs the cleanest signal possible.

suzook750

If you have a good sound card in a computer and quality tape player you can record the tapes as wav. files on the computer and then convert them over to MP3's. Easy, fast, and effective. Put all your tapes on one cd.

sandman

It's not THAT bad!! That's what my friend has running in his car, and it sounds just fine to me.

Not audiophile material or anything, but hey - mp3 and audiophile aren't in the same category anyway...

mazdaspeedwest

very true, they don't belong in the same sentence. But for the money spent, it would be so much better to save another week or 2 for the better equipment.

sandman

True enough!

And for what it's worth, it's not something I would do either, but he was looking for options and that one hadn't been presented yet!

As for myself, I'm just holding out till I can save up for a nice MP3-CD deck, seeing as I either bought the CD version of my favorite tapes, or just got rid of them cuz I don't listen to them anymore.

That's something you really need to consider: Do you have enough cassettes that you listen to on a regular basis to justify getting a setup that plays everything, or would it be more practical to either transfer the tape to mp3, or just plain buy it as a CD and get rid of the cassette collection...

hihoslva

I had a tape deck and external CD changer in my Camaro for the longest time. I liked the setup, and you could consider it now that many changers can handle MP3 CDs.

BTW - if you can scrape up the bucks, go for the Pioneer DEH-9400MP - I just played with that deck today, and OMG it is SCHWEET!