Sanyo MCX-400

Year / Model Reviewed:
 1999

Summary:
I got this unit on sale back in June or July and paid about $230. At first I thought it was a great deal...

And then it started skipping. It will skip on brand new cd's and old ones alike. Do not even try using a green or blue CDR, as it will skip twice as bad on these. I have found that I can skip it by slapping the top of the steering wheel. If the weather drops below 70 degrees, it skips even more. If you turn on your heater, it skips that much more. Sometimes just looking at bumps in the road will cause it to skip. If the temperature is below 40 degrees, forget it. It will skip on perfectly flat roads, and sometimes when stopped.

The only thing I have found to be worse than the skipping is the customer support I have received. About a month or two ago, I used their online support system to let them know about all of the problems I have been having. I have still not received a response. Today, I tried it again. I tried several times before I was able to connect to the server. Finally, it did connect and I tried to submit my plea for help. It came back saying that there was an error and the staff would be contacted.

I would not recommend this unit to you if you plan on playing cdr's in your car, driving while playing cd's, or living anywhere that has an average yearly temperature of less than 70 degrees F.

I would recommend this unit to you if you enjoy the sound of cd's skipping.

I feel really terrible coming on here and bashing a product and company so harshly, as I take no pleasure in it. This product is well-deserving of everything that I have written. I simply feel as though I have been robbed, and would like to prevent you from experiencing the same feeling.

Strengths:
- 4 discs in dash is really convenient
- Good sound

Weaknesses:
- Skips worse than anything I've ever seen
- Works poorly with cdr's
- Poor or nonexistent customer service from Sanyo
- Cannot display the clock for more than 5 seconds
- Practically unplayable in temperatures of less than 40 degrees F

Similar Products Used:
I used to have a 10-disc Kenwood changer mounted in my trunk.

Year / Model Reviewed:
 1999

Summary:
I wasn't a big Sanyo fan but as they are now being made by Fisher and it was the only head unit of its kind(I managed to pick it up for $299)I had it professionally installed and we happened to only have 1 cd with us when we picked it up. We popped in the cd and nothing. It wouldn't work. At first we thought it was a problem but the am/fm worked fine. I was really peeved at first, but upon arriving at home I popped other cds in and cdrs and it worked fine. The retail for this is much more than I paid, and if you really want a multiple cd head unit, this might be good for you if you can find a deal on it. Otherwise you might want to spend the extra money for a 3 disc of a higher end brand. Overall it is a decent stereo for those who don't want to spend a minor fortune, has lots of power behind it and is easy to hookup and use.

Strengths:
Only 4 cd in dash cd player around at the time of purchase, and still the only one that I know of. Has MD options. Sounds great, lots of features and looks decent too.

Weaknesses:
The very first cd I tried it couldn't read. Seems to be picky. It tends to skip when on rough roads a bit more than other units.

Similar Products Used:
None