Nakamichi CD-35z

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Govan mani

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2002

Summary:
Bought a few months ago, with a new car. I wanted a unit that was fairly understated (not a Christmas tree on my dash board) with excellent audio and ease of use. Not knowing much about car audio I did a bit of research and chose what I thought is the best looking unit available.

Strengths:
All of the above and more. The 35z is one of the easiest units to use while in your car on a dark road. The volume dial is practical and smart, the buttons are easy to locate and the sound incredible. Understated, just the way I like it.

Weaknesses:
NOt the cheapest model on the market, but for what you get it really does translate into good value. Some uneducated friends may think it looks dull and old, just let them hear it first.

Similar Products Used:
JVC (Model unsure)

Price Paid:  $207.00 from zeb-audio

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2001 toyota tacoma

Summary:
I'm 36 years old and have been doing this for 18 years,so i guess you could call me a stereo guru.I've had alpine and one nak 500 cassette deck in those years and i've never had any trouble with any.The nak is "factory" looking but it's sound quality is better than the alpines i've had,tuner is better than the old nak tape deck i had.Hope the company can stay in business.

Strengths:
Simple looks,no bells and whistles.Great sound even on a bottom line model.Plan on getting a 45z for my other toyota. choice of illumination colors.

Weaknesses:
wish it came with two pre-outs

Similar Products Used:
Alpine.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Only for pure "analog" sound quality, and not for flashy-LCD aficionados...

Strengths:
Incredible sound quality : precision, smoothness, brightness in low and high frequencies. Amazing internal amp : 4x43 W max. but much power in fact. Sound quality : no comparison possible with other brands in this range of prices. It's only sound quality and no additional functions. The mid-high is really really nice, pure and amazing : I've only heard this quality on Pioneer 9000-series (much more expensive anyway). Moreover, the internal amplifier is a crazy one : after hearing for this HU, you can't listen to other brands the same, even Alpine or Clarion : not so precise and clear in mid freq. A wonderful product for the price.

Weaknesses:
Very very "sober" design. Difficult to eject some CDs. Some problems with CD-Rs. Not a lot of pre-outs.

Price Paid:  $0.00 from online

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2000 / 350Z

Summary:
Ugly is as ugly does. You want a television in your dashboard? Go buy one. They''re available. You want a no-nonsense cd receiver? Take a quick look at this one. If you live out in the sticks like I do you''ll appreciate the FM reception. (better than the Alpine, Blaupuphwhatever I had previously) The CD section sounds like...a CD playing in a car. It tends to have a lot of background noise. (horns honking, police sirens, the usual) If you have an amp laying around the preamp outs are nice. The unit does have a lot of features piled onto the few buttons. Many are not clearly marked or intuitive, but the ones (I) use regularly are easy to learn. Now the bad-- mine sometimes doesn''t eject the cd all the way. The problem seems to be exacerbated by cold weather. I have experienced some skipping, but it seems to be only certain disks. Overall I''m pretty happy with mine.

Strengths:
Doesn''t look like a carnival sideshow. STRONG FM reception

Weaknesses:
CD sometimes acts like groundhog afraid of shadow.

Similar Products Used:
Various Alpine products Blaupunkt Sony

Price Paid:  $200.00

Summary:
This is a beautiful piece in the sense that all you pay goes to sound quality instead of dolphin animations on a LSD screen(or whatever). Bass Mid Treb adjustments, excellent definition and pretty rare(here in argentina at least).

Strengths:
Sound quality.
Beauty as in "form follows function" elegance

Weaknesses:
Aesthetically challenged friends will call it boring, even ugly...
If you're considering this reciever, you're probably used to ignore this kind of thing...
DOES exhibit the mechanical problems listed above... his unit is not "defect". It is nothing too serious

Similar Products Used:
None