Sony CDX-MP40

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $150.00 from Walmart

Year / Model Reviewed:
2003 cdx-mp40

Summary:
We all know that sony is not what we would say the top of the line car audio equipment. This stereo is junk. It plays mp3's intermittantly, the sound is horrible and the functionality is very poor. It is great for those on a car audio upgrade budget. But all in all a poor head unit.

Strengths:
price

Weaknesses:
Sound, quality, functionality , audio compatibility,

Similar Products Used:
Kenwood KDC-MP7028, Kenwood KDC-MP625, Panasonic CQC-8301U

Price Paid:  $210.00 from store in london

Year / Model Reviewed:
2003 cdx-mp40

Summary:
Quite terrible with mp3's. most of my audio collection are in mp3's and i thought i had gotten the perfect player(at least for my first month using this product). It actually performed well when i installed it, then after a month , IT STOPPED PLAYING MP3'S ON SONY CD-R's! It eventually played an imation cd-r but was skipping like crazy, (especially after the first 15 tracks or thereabout). Most painful part was that i had bought this all the way in london, while i stay in africa. Its the first dissappointing sony product i'm using.

Strengths:
Not bad with sound. Goes very well with my 2 little sony xplod 222mk and i just recently hooked up a 28cm xplod 1100w subwoofer. The sound is terrific. I love the display, its quite attractive.

Weaknesses:
mp3 playback function should not have been advertised with it - it's a rip-off. I have resorted to rewriting mp3 files into cd-da, till i get something else.

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $180.00 from Best Buy

Year / Model Reviewed:
 Sony CDX-MP40

Summary:
I returned two of these to Best Buy within one week. The first one would read MP3 CDs up to about the 10th track. Then it would start skipping and eventually give up. These CDs worked fine in my portable MP3 player and my DVD player. The second CDX-MP40 was better, but not 100%. It played for several days, then started skipping one cold winter morning on a specific MP3 file that worked fine on all my other players. I did not test either of these players with regular non-MP3 CDs. I also did not test the amplifier, as my car has Ford's Premium Sound System amplifier.

Strengths:
If it would work, it would be an excellent player. The FM radio is very sensitive. The sound out the RCA jacks is great. Controls are fine. Looks cool. Never skipped due to bumps in the road.

Weaknesses:
Has trouble reading MP3 CDs. Display is way too bright for driving at night. No dimmer feature. Detachable face is a bit tricky to attach.

Similar Products Used:
Sony D-CJ01 portable MP3 CD player which has always been reliable.

Price Paid:  $199.00 from Circut City

Year / Model Reviewed:
 CDX-MP40

Summary:
I must say that the weight($) to muscle (function) ratio is unbeatable. This unit gets the bang for the buck in my opinion. It sounds pretty descent w/ my stock speakers but that's SONY Quality and reputation I must say for you SONY enthusiast out there. I had a hand me down Alpine CDA 7838 which worked really well but the contemporary Alpine units were way over my head when shopping in the market.

Strengths:
Affordable, Reads MP#'s, XM Rdy, diverse qualizer functions, and not too ostentatious.

Weaknesses:
There should have been a knob for the volume in replacement of the buttons. It feels more convenient for driving instead of being suspended in mid air for too long. The detachable face should also be a push and pull instead of push and hook. It feels awkward when reusing.

Similar Products Used:
PAN CQDF583U - don't have as many equalizer functions and weary that LCD might fade out on me one day. JVC KDSX990 - way too many colors on the screen might catch a seizure while driving but this unit is very comparable too the CDX-MP3 in my opinion.

Price Paid:  $143.00 from www.electronicgiant.

Year / Model Reviewed:
2003 CDX-MP40

Summary:
Excellent value. I was able to pull out my 5 year old Sony EXCD-206 CD player and install this one without touching a wire! (Plugs were the same)

Strengths:
Reads fairly quickly even with subfolders. Sounds is good but not great. Functions very adjustable. Allows you too turn very bright LCD display off if needed. ALso lets you turn off that annoying BEEP every time you hit a button. Faceplate removes/ installs quickly. Sony quality.

Weaknesses:
Non-continuous scrolling display. Controls awkward. Looks kinda cheesy. Sound is so-so. Can turn display off but not dim (that I know of) and it is a bit too bright at night. I like knobs not buttons.

Similar Products Used:
None