Sony Mobile ES CDX-828

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Time and Tune, Londo

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2000

Summary:
Almost perfect. Bought it to replace my CDX-T69 which skipped as soon as you looked at it. The 828 is much better built, the cartridge has a better design, the player holds ten discs instead of the T69's six and it absoultely never, ever skips, even though my car is running lowerd on 17 inch alloys and theres a Solobaric L7 15inch sub in the boot next to the 828 changer. Buy it... now.

Strengths:
The best changer I've had. Rock solid, sounds as good as the CD headunit itself.

Weaknesses:
Doesn't navigate as well as the T69, have to roll back to the start of a CD by presseing back over and over, but it's a minor problem.

Similar Products Used:
T69 (okay, if your car is static and you have no sub), T70 (problematic, overpriced and underdeveloped)

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Great unit. I have no problems with the remote or antenna. Both work perfectly. A Sony in a Lumina? Clearly the Sony raises the value of that thing! Now that you have sound, get a car!

Strengths:
Very stable unit. Very good sound.

Weaknesses:
I can live with the cosmetics when the performance is this good.

Price Paid:  $327.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 CDX-M750

Summary:
Pending depending on if I can get to the bottom of the reception issue.

Strengths:
The illuminations and the crisp sound are a plus!

Weaknesses:
I installed the unit correctly and used the antenna adapter to associate the unit with my 91 Lumina Eurosport. I have terrible radio reception and it keeps fading in and out of quality like it is loosing its signal strength and switching between stereo and mono. I called Sony and Best Buy techicians and they claim the the radio checks out fine and that it may be the car's antenna. I have check it fully and and used several other units in it without this kind of problem. The remote for the unit does not work well unless you are at leat 2 feed dead in front of it and does not work on angles.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $250.00

Summary:
I should have kept my CDX-805. It looked identical, had ESP, etc. AND it was more reliable. My CDX-828 ALWAYS forgets last position memory and starts over at Disc 1 Track 1 any time I shut off the car. Sony hasn't been able to fix it right. I probably got a lemon. My repair bill says they replace a microswitch. I may try to fix it myself next time. You know what they say, want it done right, do it yourself.

Strengths:
Nice silver color compared to the ugly red Xplod crap. Great sound quality, never skips.

Weaknesses:
Unreliable, forgets last position if I shut off the car. I've had to send it back twice. It works for a few weeks and then the problem comes back. Sony techs suck.

Similar Products Used:
CDX-805 - the '805 was more reliable and looked the same, only lacking the window.

Price Paid:  $350.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 1997 Cavalier Z24

Summary:
Previous review says it all, and in fact that and an email convinced me to buy this changer (actually the Sony Xplod ES CDX838). There is nothing else to say. It has optical outputs, which there are only 1 or 2 processors available that can accept Toslink in a car. Most player sound good as long as they are free of noise and don't skip. In that case this changer is basically perfect. It has an inperceptably low noise floor. As has been true of the 5 Sony CD player/changers that I have owned. Most importantly, I have nearly damaged my car trying to find a pothole that will cause even the slightest skip, to no avail. I have a stiff suspsension but the changer takes the rough ride in stride. I was happy to see that this 2000CY changer plugged right up to the previously run BUS cable from my original 1994CY changer and integrated perfectly with my original head unit. This saved me the trouble of ripping the car apart to re-run that single control cable. Bravo.

Strengths:
Has never skipped. Ever. Not Once!!!

Weaknesses:
Loud red color is kind of childish looking.

Similar Products Used:
5 yr old Sony CDX71 changer and CDX51RF. Neither could read CD-R. Both would have trouble playing about 25 of my 500+ CD's. Or course, some of my favorites! Both were pretty good for shock protection but would skip on prolonged bad pavement, especially when cold.