H/U with built in MP3 player and sd card

[yogi_pahl]

I been looking in getting a new H/U. I saw this one and wanted to know if any has a H/u with a built in mp3 player or a SD card slot so you dont need to hook up a MP3 player at all. Im not looking to spend a lot of money about $150 max.

I was looking at the VRCD500SDU about 1/2 way down the page.
http://www.roadmasterusa.com/vr3_auto.html

[92preludeSi]

I personally would not buy anything roadmaster.
anything that i have gotten has broke. And has had horrible quality

[Brash22]

If you like sound quality, you'll hate MP3. Because it's a compressed format, you hafta sacrifice something - and that's the quality.

[nevrdun]

^ Thats exactly right. For a lot of people its not much of a concern and with stock or cheap replacement speakers the difference is marginal. It can still be heard but it isnt horrible. The Roadmaster/vr3 stuff is junk. You can buy better equipment for the same money. Kenwood/JVC/etc will all have a cd player with a selectable sub output and front aux in jack for 100 bucks and more features for a little more. Stay away from dual, jensen, vr3, and other cheap brands like that. Dont go to walmart or big box store. Go to a local shop and they will fix you up.

[thomas97]

i actually have that headunit and i really like it, i'm actually thinking about selling mine...

[LilMsPrelude]

$125 Shipped and you can have my Alpine

MP3 / WMA / CD Compatible (CDR) capable and has the AI Net Port for any Other Goodies you wanna add to it, like xm/Sirius radio, eq's, Changers, I-pod adaptor, etc.

Front, Rear, and Sub Outs. (Pics when I get back on my own computer. )

[96SLUDE]

i have noticed the difference on my system with mp3 and regular cd's, so this means that if i hook up an ipod to my headuniter, it will be the same bad quality as the mp3 cd, no wait, if its a wma on an ipod, cd quality, ****, idk, confused.

[zbucy]

whatever you do, avoid the roadmaster...save up if you have to, but buy something quality

[96SLUDE]

oh no doubt

[LilMsPrelude]

record your MP3's at 256Kbps or above...

Of course you are going to hear a degraded signal with crappy, stolen, ilegally downloaded MP3... you get what you pay for... Or don't pay for I 'spose. Do you really think the person that ripped that CD really cared ablout sound quality? Instead of spending, say, 45 minutes or more to rip at a higher rate, the probably set it at 64Kbps and let er rip! Literally! LOL!



FYI-- Todays common WAV file (CD you buy in a store) was probably recorded at a 16-24 bit which = 1.35 (for the lowest sample rate of 44,100/sec) and UP TO 24 bit at 96,000 sample rate = 4.39 Mbits per second.
(that is HOW MAny times the audio sample is measured)

Compare that to "well recorded" MP3 and the bit rate drops DRASTICALLY to about 0.13 MBit/sec.

Now, even with that said, I am willing to bet less than 10% of the members on this board can tell the difference between the actual sound of an MP3 file vs a WAV file playing on the SAME system- In a double blind test of course.

[96SLUDE]

i can, because i have done it before, about a year ago i start noticing differences in clarity, i played a burned cd, and an actual cd, and you could tell the differences in the high treble, and the bass, but mostly just the overall quality.

[yogi_pahl]

Ya but for the most part at normal volume ya listen to it it really hard to tell the difference. Plus 10-15 bucks for a cd with 20 tracks on it vs $.15 for over 50 ill take a lil bit crappy quality.

[MNLuder]

I've got a head unit with a usb spot. Its nice, just throw some songs on a usb stick and plug it in my car.