Sleek design. Good quality sound. Convenient with 6 disc in-dash unit.

Cannot read CDRs properly: it skips in-between tracks. Change time is slower than other sets. Not DAB ready.

I won't recommend this for motorist who burns/records their own cds. It's frustrating. You won't not be able to receive any local stations, if your country has fully implemented Digital Audio Broadcast. I'd tested this set at a local retail shop, and have decided not to buy it until Nakamichi has resolved these setbacks. I would rather choose a Blaupunkt A09 in-dash cd changer as an add-on to my existing head unit.

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Blaupunkt Toronto

6 discs in dash, sound quality(so I hear), minimal, classy display

Skips easily, discs change slowly, have had one "e-mecha" display in less than one month(solved by resetting deck)

I paid $699 installed at Kustom Kar Sound in Phoenix, Az. Since I really haven't had the chance to hear another stereo right next to the Nakamichi, I can't say how much better the sound quality is, but from what everyone tells me and what I've read, Nakamichi and Eclipse are supposed to be the best mobile audio products available. In fact, when I had the changer installed, the installer said "You didn't get a radio--You got the best radio". First things first---the Nakamichi skips ALOT. I drive a '99 Jeep Cherokee and I know the ride isn't the smoothest, but I get skips all the time--manhole covers, small bumps, whatever--it skips. I am going to look into having another installer put it in with maybe a different dash kit to see if that may help at all(I doubt it, but I'll try anything). On the other side of the street, my Alpine CDA-7824 only skipped 1 time that I can remember in the 5+ years I had it--sure it's a single disc player, but I had a changer hooked to it, and that NEVER skipped. Speedbumps, gravel, manholes, potholes--Literally, that changer did not skip. I TRIED purposely to get it to skip with no luck. Anyway, Nakamichi would benefit tremendously if they incorporated some kind of shock protection into the MB-75. I realize that with the design of a DIN size 6 disc changer, space is at a premium, but I would actually prefer Nakamichi make a DIN 1.5 size changer with shock protection---that would satisfy me in 2 ways--no more skipping, adn it would fit directly in my dash opening with no adapter kit. I like the fact that it has aux inputs as well, so if I can run my laptop right thru my stereo--that way I can watch DVD's on my DVD Rom drive thru the stereo(and I don't have to have a tiny 6 inch screen)in addition to being able to play my huge MP3 collection via laptop. The supplied remote control works pretty much every function available on the changer and it is a substantial piece, unlike the cheap little credit card-style remotes--however, ergonomically, it is designed poorly(for my hand at least)--the buttons to advance the track number should be at the top, along with the volume buttons--the disc change and function buttons should be on the bottom since they seem to be used less frequently. Nakamichi should offer a different remote--a plain, small rectangular one with differently placed buttons. The only other thing I can think of that is worth mentioning is that the green display is quite brite. The display does not match my interior lights(they are a darker green-it seems like the Eclipse display is an almost perfect match--a positive display rather than a negative as well, just as the original radio) and there is no way to dim the Nak's display in unison with the dash lights(I keep them pretty dim). I ended up taking a piece of limo tint on the display and cutting it to shape with an exacto knife--now the color of the display is about a 95% match--the only problem is that now I cannot see the display during daylight at all. Nakamichi, along with all manufacturers needs to address this problem. We need products that match the factory interior lights--give us some options!! I'd gladly pay an extra $100 or so to get a perfect match to my interior lights. If I run into problems with the MB-75, I may sell it and upgrade/downgrade to an Eclipse, or possibly even to the new Alpine DIN 1.5 deck with a conventional CD changer. I'm not sure I made the right choice with the Nakamichi, but it definitely had the classiest look of all the radios I've seen---most of the brands are getting WAY too gaudy with their displays. We'll see how it goes over the next few months--I'll make another post with my experiences...

Similar Products Used:

alpine cda-7824--Nakamichi is very minimalistic--Alpine has some features that would be appreciated on the Nakamichi

6 In dash changer
Remote
40 Watts
With two Aux for any format
AM/FM

Slow CD Changes. Would not recommend playing on random mode.

This stereo ROCKS. It has the best sound. Your friends will be jelous. DO not have someone install that is not fimiliar with the MB-75. They will screw it up. My first install sucked. I had to send it back and install it myself. Has worked great ever since.
It does read my CD-Rs

Similar Products Used:

Sony, Alpine

Clean design. Convenient. Nice combination of features. Usability excellent.

Slow changing. Would prefer a knob volume.

Yes I would recommend it. I upgraded to the MB-100 because I like to spend money. The 100 has a better, external DAC and higher voltage outputs.

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MB-100. The 75 is very nice. I'd say most people wouldn't notice the difference, myself included. I wanted the higher voltage outputs.

6 dics in the dash, works great! You don't have to goto the trunk. The remote is also great, you can do just about anything with it. Sound quality is excellent, much better than my old Alpines, even though it only has 2V preouts (I don't use the LOUD feature that I used on my Alpine). I really like the auxillary inputs, you can add an external MP3 player for example. (I conenct my laptop sometimes to listen to MP3s). The face layout is clean and simple. Has all the basic features you need. Good clock! It stays on even when you turn off the deck (key has to be in the ignition of course)

Has slight problems reading CD-Rs, you need to have a good quality burner and good quality CD-R to make it read successfully. Face is rather plain (though well laid out). You have to random ALL discs, you can't just restrict the random feature to the current disc so it changes discs like crazy when you use random. Speaking of which, change time is a bit slow, but I can't complain really since I don't have to goto the trunk anymore. One thing about installation, the amp is detachable (it is a grey BLOCK, mostly a heat sink), but the mounting bracket it comes on, IS NOT. The wires that connect the head unit to the mounting bracket (which the amp is optionally mounted on) also contain the pre-out wires. So if you want to use the pre-out wires, the mounting bracket for the amp is dangling along with them. This is kind of annoying, the preout wires whould be separate from this mounting bracket.

Retails for $699, I paid $589 out the door (you might be able to find it cheaper at a non-authorized dealer), but I had to install it myself. I also had it break 4 months after I bought it (CD got jammed). It was a hassle to send it to Nakamichi for repairs, but they were very responsive about it. I was quite pleased w/their customer service. If you are out for features and a pretty display, this is not the deck for you. If you want convenience and good sound quality, I HIGHLY recommend this deck (if you're willing to spend the bucks). I think you can also get it with a green display (like the MB-100), not sure though, but I would really like the green display since the amber one I have does not match my 1997 Civic dash at all. One more thing, the European version has RDS as well. I gave it a 4 for value because it is kind of expensive, and an overall rating of 4 because of the laser quality and the lack of a few nice features (like disc titling, random, etc..) All the bad points I've mentioned though are just annoyances that I can live with.

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Various Alpine CD players and changers. Alpine's lasers seem to be much more robust than the Nak. Like I said, this Nak has problems reading CD-Rs and dirty CDs as well (so does the Eclipse in dash 6 disc changer, I've heard). It skips a bit more easily than Alpine because of this. But the sound quality on this superceeds Alpines easily. One thing I really liked about alpines was the disc titling feature which the Nak doesn't have, I often forget which cds I have in my changer. Also, the mute button on the Nak cuts out the sound completely, I liked the alpines attenuate (brings the volume down w/o cutting out the sound compeltely) as well as the ramping up of the volume upon turning on the deck. One more thing is you can't repeat once disc, it will always switch to the next disc when a disc finishes playing, sometimes I like to keep listening to one disc. Also, when you are on the last track of a disc, you can't press forward to get back to the beginning of the disc, you have to press back all the way until track 1. I had to sacrifice these few features when I switched from Alpine to Nak, but I feel it was worth it, especially because of the sound quality I gained! (Besides, it still had all the basic features I use the most) I'm not your hard-core audiophile or anything, but I could tell the differnce in sound between my Alpine and Nak right away. The highs were much cleaner which the bass was more defined.

Good sound quality, Six discs in the dash, amber illumination (close to the stock red in my Audi), great classic appearance

CD change time is RIDICULOUS at 15 SECONDS. My unit. like the review below, broke within two months. More re: customer service below.

I won't ever buy a Nak mobile product again. The unit broke when it was only two months old. I told Nak I wanted a Cd 45Z (single play cd receiver) and a credit because I thought that they made the MusicBank changer mechanism less robust when they miniturized it to fit in the dash. Nak said fine and stated that I'd have a new CD45Z w/in three weeks (I wanted amber - apparently rare). It is nowMarch 30, 2000, more that FIVE FREAKING MONTHS since my MB75 broke and I still have nothing. I am returning to the shop where I bought it this week and won't leave 'til I get some answers. Anyways, that's the long and the short of it.

Similar Products Used:

Alpine 7807 and changer - better SQ but, good god, that wait time............

6 disc's in dash
FM Reception
Sleek design
No need for amp

As mentioned before: Slow disc change. Noisy disc change. No choice for random play (selects from all the discs). Must be installed specifically by the flyer in the box. CANNOT have any pressure exerted on the unit. chassis.

I looked long and hard before choosing a replacement for the stock unit in my Cougar. Besides the convenience being able to load 6 disc's in the dash I also chose this unit for it's FM sensitivity. I live 50 miles from Richmond and 50 miles from DC and all I could get with the stock unit is local crap.
The MB-75 is sleek and no frills. I used to live in Japan where all this disco light front panel crap originated and hated it. I want to listen to music not see a side-show. So if you're looking for a multi-colored light display don't buy this unit. If you're serious about sound quality then yes, buy this unit.
Now I have had some problems. I got my first unit installed two days ago. Radio was fine. I received stations half again as far as my stock radio. At 15db you gotta be able to pull in some distant stations. Then I kept getting the E-MECHA error when switching discs. By the time I got home from the installer the unit was completely jammed. I tried all the fixes, nothing worked. Next morning it worked just fine but jammed 3 more times later in the day so I went back to the installer. They couldn't get my disc's out so they installed another unit. On this one the CD's work fine but now my reception is crap. Yep, going back tomorrow.

Similar Products Used:

None. Used to be and MD freak