Sony Mobile ES CDX-C7850

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $300.00 from CRUTCHFEILD

Year / Model Reviewed:
1999 SONY CDX C7850

Strengths:
electronic anti skip, Install flexibility

Weaknesses:
The display sucks

Summary:
I don’t know why people are complaining about sound quality. They may want to check their install. A lot of people blame their own bad installation workmanship on the products they are installing. I admit to some very faint hum that can only be noticed when the engine is off, that is probably from the amps. People forget the best feature, the electronic anti skip. I use it in a pick up that rides kind of rough and it’s a big help with that. The FM reception is not bad, but not good either. The display dose suck in sun light, useless. The cute display items are a waste.

Price Paid:  $400.00 from pacific sound

Year / Model Reviewed:
 sony cdx c7850

Strengths:
Excellent clarity.

Weaknesses:
Stupid graphics and display is hard to see during the day.

Summary:
This is an excellent deck! It has screaming treble and excellent clarity. Customization takes a while, but it easily adapts to any system for optimal sound quality.

Price Paid:  $300.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 1993 Ford Probe GT

Strengths:
Features are incrediable,it has never skipped a beat. 3 Sets of Pre-outs,outstanding peice of Equipment by SONY.

Weaknesses:
NONE, this CD-Player is all that and a bag of chips.

Summary:
This CD-Player is awesome! It plays all CD's and CD-R's, the only thing it won't play is CD-RW's which no CD-Player would play in that year. Sony ES stands for Elevated Standard, not Espeically Stupid for all you folks that said it won't play CD-R's...The sound quialty is excellent.

Similar Products Used:
Sony XPLOD 4000X and 5000X, which were both very good CD-Players. This Sony ES Head Unit, tops them all.

Price Paid:  $400.00

Strengths:
CD+Text!!!!! 4x45 preouts. Unbelievable sound quality. Voice Guide. GODZILLA-SAN!!! (or whatever that thing is in the LCD display)

Weaknesses:
Can only use the rear RCA audio in jacks if a Sony proprietary controller (like MD/CD changer) is attached. A Japanese deck with only French and English as the Voice Guide languages? No search function on remote. Can only read CD+Text CDR discs burned at 2x max & regular CDR discs at 4x max.

Summary:
POPS:
This was the best bang for the buck when I picked it up 3 years ago. Even today, it rivals the quality most of the decks selling in the $400 range. Some people say that Sony products are crap when it comes to radio reception, but I have found that this deck performs rather nicely in that regard. I am able to receive - in perfect clarity - broadcasts originating from over 150 miles away. Although I never really listen to the radio, when I do, i almost never get any interference in the station broadcasts.
HEAT:
The only drawback that I genuinely despise is that the laser can't read any CD+Text cdr discs burned over 2x or any normal cdr disc burned over 4x. I absolutely hate waiting 30+mins for my cds to be burned...especially when I can make a cd in under 5 mins at 12x speed. Oh well, I guess it's the best I can expect from a 3 year old deck. I also wish $ony wasn't such a bastard with the proprietary crap... I have a fully loaded Nomad Jukebox just waiting to be used in my car... but the deck wont see an external input unless the Sony AUX input adaptor is connected... But I suppose it's a small price to pay for the superb quality this little baby kicks out.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $300.00

Strengths:
CD Sound Quality is excellent
Internal AMP is also very good.

Weaknesses:
AM Reception is non -existant
FM Reception is extremely poor fades in and out all the time
Doesn't play CD-R or RW's very well.
Frankly any CD that is LESS then perfect doesn't play every well.

Summary:
I love Sony products. So when i bought my new Jetta I figured I'd treat it to the newest Sony Head unit. I should have kept my old one. This head unit is the Worst Sony Product I've every had. The radio reception is absolutely horrid, and the cd tracking is terrible with most discs.

The only reason I keep it is because I have a Sony CDX-91 10 disc changer in the trunk which is awesome. The display is good, but I do without all the cute stuff Sony is adding on. Who needs a rotating display to tell you the cd is playing. Duh, look at the counter!!! And of course the voices on the unit were turned off immediately, It's said to think that I actually paid for that.

The only good thing is, it controls the CD Changer well (how hard can that be) and the internal amp is quite powerful.

Similar Products Used:
2 Previous SONY ES Head units.