Sony CDX-GT200 Car CD / MP3 Player
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Similar in In Dash Receivers
- MP3 / WMA Playback: MP3 Playback WMA Playback
- Anti-Theft Protection: Detachable Face Panel
- Player Type: CD
- Controlled Devices: CD Changer
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An Acceptable Sub $100 Stereo
Pros
Ipod jack!! Budget price. Easy to remove faceplate. Sound quality is quite adequate.
Cons
Controls are hard to use and the blue backlight display is annoying.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
This might be the best stereo you can buy for $89. And plenty of audio retailers carry this unit.
It was my fault. When I left my beloved 1983 Ford Ranger in a parking lot, I forgot to detach the faceplate on my Blaupunkt stereo. And the consequence for that mistake was about $400 worth of damage done by a thief who broke a window and crowbarred the Blaupunkt Sacramento out of the truck, causing more damage to get the stereo than it was worth.
I needed a replacement, but I didn't want to overspend on a unit whose sound would have to compete with all of the noise and rattles that are common to a 23-year-old truck. So up steps the Sony CDX-GT200, which I got at a big box retailer on sale for $89. In many ways, this unit is a big improvement over the Blaupunkt. However, it some ways it is not.
Looks: The Sony is definately a step down in the looks department. It has a big chrome dial, a cheap looking blue display, and illuminated buttons decked out in red. The rest of the unit is a charcoal grey. It's unlikely that the Sony will match the interior of your vehicle. But you're buying the unit for sound, not looks, right?
Function: One reason I was instantly sold on the Sony was the faceplate was easy to detach and replace. That's part of the reason I got out of the habit of taking the faceplate off my old unit --- it took up to 2 minutes to get the faceplace back on because it was so hard to get lined up correctly. The Sony is a breeze --- you hit a button and it pops loose. It will snap back in place just like a Lego brick. This unit loads CDs through the faceplate without having to take the faceplate off. Another huge selling point was that the faceplate has an external auxillary outlet for an Ipod. These days when nobody listens to terrestrial radio or wants to tote CD's in and out of their vehicle, the Ipod jack is crucial. The stereo unit will not control the Ipod once it's plugged in though --- except for the volume. The volume wheel is also a bit bothersome. If you spin it too fast it will move ahead of the stereo. For example, if you spin it half way real quick to increase the volume, the sound will all of the sudden start blasting instead of gradually increasing. Another annoying thing about the unit is that once you shut vehicle off and turn it back on, you have to selection the function you want --- it won't go right back to playing the CD that was on when the vehicle's ignition was turned off. And you must be careful when adjusting the volume wheel. If it's pressed in a bit, it will start making adjustments to the EQ levels. This Sony also comes with a remote, which allows you to change stations or the volume without touching the unit. I only use the remote if I'm driving a long distance, which doesn't happen often in my old truck.
Display: Here's where the Sony suffers the most. No matter how long you own this unit (and I've had mine for about 5 months now) the controls never get to be so familiar that you can use them without looking at the unit. The radio presets are so close together that you will always hit the wrong station. The display screen has a blue backlight to it, which is annoying. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to read during strong sunlight. But at night, it's always too bright. You can dim the display the screen, but it's a hassle so I rarely do it. Besides, good luck finding the right button to do that. The screen will display either a track number, the radio station or the time. It also displays the EQ level. There is also a EQ button that allows you to choose from about seven preset levels aimed at various types of music. I've found that the vocal setting sounds the best.
Sound: I only have two medium range Pioneer 6 inch speakers in my truck, so I have almost no capacity for bass. But even then, the Sony sounds great in my truck --- better than most factory stereos. The sound is clean and distortion free. The radio reception is about average --- no better or worse than with the average factory stereo. I do play CDs in the car when I'm not carrying my Ipod and the unit has never skipped. One thing I really like about the unit is the EQ button. There are times when a song I'm listing too sounds a little off. I hit the EQ button a few times, find the preset adjustment, and I'm a whole lot happier. But plugging in an Ipod is where this unit really shines. The piped in Ipod sound is wonderful --- no different than if a CD was playing. You have to use the Ipod to change songs, but that hasn't been a problem.
Overall: I'm pleased with this purchase. It performs better than an $89 stereo should. For about $30 more, you can buy the GT 300 which is XM radio ready. But I figured the Ipod jack would keep me quite happy without the need for sattellite radio so I went with the GT 200. I haven't regretted this decision.
I needed a replacement, but I didn't want to overspend on a unit whose sound would have to compete with all of the noise and rattles that are common to a 23-year-old truck. So up steps the Sony CDX-GT200, which I got at a big box retailer on sale for $89. In many ways, this unit is a big improvement over the Blaupunkt. However, it some ways it is not.
Looks: The Sony is definately a step down in the looks department. It has a big chrome dial, a cheap looking blue display, and illuminated buttons decked out in red. The rest of the unit is a charcoal grey. It's unlikely that the Sony will match the interior of your vehicle. But you're buying the unit for sound, not looks, right?
Function: One reason I was instantly sold on the Sony was the faceplate was easy to detach and replace. That's part of the reason I got out of the habit of taking the faceplate off my old unit --- it took up to 2 minutes to get the faceplace back on because it was so hard to get lined up correctly. The Sony is a breeze --- you hit a button and it pops loose. It will snap back in place just like a Lego brick. This unit loads CDs through the faceplate without having to take the faceplate off. Another huge selling point was that the faceplate has an external auxillary outlet for an Ipod. These days when nobody listens to terrestrial radio or wants to tote CD's in and out of their vehicle, the Ipod jack is crucial. The stereo unit will not control the Ipod once it's plugged in though --- except for the volume. The volume wheel is also a bit bothersome. If you spin it too fast it will move ahead of the stereo. For example, if you spin it half way real quick to increase the volume, the sound will all of the sudden start blasting instead of gradually increasing. Another annoying thing about the unit is that once you shut vehicle off and turn it back on, you have to selection the function you want --- it won't go right back to playing the CD that was on when the vehicle's ignition was turned off. And you must be careful when adjusting the volume wheel. If it's pressed in a bit, it will start making adjustments to the EQ levels. This Sony also comes with a remote, which allows you to change stations or the volume without touching the unit. I only use the remote if I'm driving a long distance, which doesn't happen often in my old truck.
Display: Here's where the Sony suffers the most. No matter how long you own this unit (and I've had mine for about 5 months now) the controls never get to be so familiar that you can use them without looking at the unit. The radio presets are so close together that you will always hit the wrong station. The display screen has a blue backlight to it, which is annoying. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to read during strong sunlight. But at night, it's always too bright. You can dim the display the screen, but it's a hassle so I rarely do it. Besides, good luck finding the right button to do that. The screen will display either a track number, the radio station or the time. It also displays the EQ level. There is also a EQ button that allows you to choose from about seven preset levels aimed at various types of music. I've found that the vocal setting sounds the best.
Sound: I only have two medium range Pioneer 6 inch speakers in my truck, so I have almost no capacity for bass. But even then, the Sony sounds great in my truck --- better than most factory stereos. The sound is clean and distortion free. The radio reception is about average --- no better or worse than with the average factory stereo. I do play CDs in the car when I'm not carrying my Ipod and the unit has never skipped. One thing I really like about the unit is the EQ button. There are times when a song I'm listing too sounds a little off. I hit the EQ button a few times, find the preset adjustment, and I'm a whole lot happier. But plugging in an Ipod is where this unit really shines. The piped in Ipod sound is wonderful --- no different than if a CD was playing. You have to use the Ipod to change songs, but that hasn't been a problem.
Overall: I'm pleased with this purchase. It performs better than an $89 stereo should. For about $30 more, you can buy the GT 300 which is XM radio ready. But I figured the Ipod jack would keep me quite happy without the need for sattellite radio so I went with the GT 200. I haven't regretted this decision.
