Kenwood DPX-MP4030 Car CD / Cassette / MP3 Player

Looking like a crazy colored X-Men "X" the 4030 demands your attention when you jump it tha hoopty! Follow the equilizer on the screen as it bounces to your tunes, with 67 backlight colors, unless you're the driver. But what's with the tape player? People still listen to those? Some of the buttons are spaced a ways apart, so it may take a hot minute to figure out the one handed operation.


The 4030

If you you have a double-DIN opening in your car (usually Japanese cars), then you have the option of including a massive CD receiver. The 4030 is a decent choice. Short of 8-track and vinyl you can play anything on this bad boy - CDs, CD-R/RW, MP3, and even cassettes! (does anyone still have tapes?) The 4030 can even control a CD or MD changer.

The built in amplifier provides average power: 45 watts x 4. Kenwood gives you control over the sound of system with 9 soundfields and 9 equalizer modes. You get two preamp outputs to add amplifiers so that's kind of cool. Better receivers usually have 3 preamp outputs.

You might be surprised by the ColorShock dot-matrix display that features 67 different backlight colors! The light will really illuminate your car and you will often find passengers watching the display. But it's actually pretty old skool style compared to the full motion displays now available. But hey...

For some reason Kenwood included a cassette player with the 4030. It has Dolby B noise reduction and an EQ so you get decent sound from those dinosaurs. The radio tuner works well. Radio stations come in loud and clear, even out in the boonies. This is important for me because when I go out to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest I like to be able to hear the radio for weather and such. The 4030 also comes with a wireless remote control. The remote control isn't that good though. You have to point straight at the receiver. The distance on the remote is weak too, rear passengers usually have to lean forward.

One of the annoying things, in my opinion, is the volume control. You have these two little tiny buttons right next to each other. They aren't very user friendly when driving. Give me a rotary knob any day! Just twist it up to pump it up!


Features

- CD / MP3 / Cassette Playback
- ColorShock Dot-Matrix Display with 67 Backlit Colors
- Red Illuminated Buttons
- CD-R / CD-RW Compatible
- CD Text with Disc Naming
- 3-Band Graphic Equalizer
- 24 Presets with Station Naming
- Programmable Security Code
- DSP with 9 Soundfields
- 9-Band Spectrum Analyzer
- Auto Reverse Cassette with Full Logic Controls
- Cassette Tape EQ and Blank Skip
- Source Tone Memory
- Remote Control


Specs

RMS Power: 22W x 4
Peak Power: 45W x 4
Preamp Outputs: 2 sets
CD Changer Controls: Yes
CD Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 96 dB
Weight: 5 lbs
Warranty: 1 year


Conclusion

Kenwood makes decent receivers. This one is cool because it's double-DIN and has a large display. That feature alone makes it the center of attention for your ride. Unless you have a DVD player or something. The sound quality is pretty decent. The controls are ok. They're spaced a little too far apart and I prefer rotary knobs for volume control. Like I said, I also don't like the cassette player. But it's pretty nice. I like that it plays MP3, that's a must have feature now days. You might want to consider it, or maybe another double-DIN player.


Rate It

Controls: 6
Ease Of Use: 8
Sound: 7
Quality: 8
Cost: 6

Overall: 7





Peace!

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