Aiwa CDC-X304 Car CD Player
Out of stock |
Similar in In Dash Receivers
- Anti-Theft Protection: Detachable Face Panel
- Player Type: CD
Similar in In Dash Receivers
More suggestions in In Dash Receivers »
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
I've Got the Blue(s)
Pros
Beautiful face, big volume knob, blue back-lighting, front aux input, enough power
Cons
No way to manually set radio frequencies
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Great unit for the price with features to last, and looks much better than most to boot!
I bought a little pick-up from my brother-in-law that had a nice 2-channel amp and a pair of 10" subs but a older Sony head unit whose CD functionality was dead (in fact, it ate the CD I put it in to test it out). Lucky for me, a friend of mine came across this Aiwa CDC-X304 at an auction and gave it to me for next-to-nothing when he didn't feel like installing it himself. Fortunately, the install was easy once I had the wiring harness.
Going by looks alone, the CDC-X304 is a beauty. Like its X204 and X504MP siblings, it has a clean, titanium-look face, glittering brushed-metal volume knob and bright, back-lit blue lighting. The lighted ring around the volume know is especially cool, making it look like a Griffin PowerMate. These three units really stand out as elegant and smooth compared to the IN-YOUR-FACE faceplates you see from companies like Dual, or the tacky button-overload types from most others.
The front aux input is one of the strongest features, it just begs to have an iPod tethered to it, avoiding the noise and unreliability of FM transmitters. I've used my laptop connected to the input, and it sounds great. Just be sure though to turn off any EQ-ing done by your source and just rely on the Aiwa's EQ, as you'll get much better results. Speaking on the EQ, it actually has some pretty nice defaults, and I love how it keeps the EQ setting separate for CD, aux and tuner. Another thing to note, though, is the H-Bass feature. Though I've not used this head unit with anything but, I strongly recommend NOT enabling it if you have an amplified subwoofer...it will turn tight, smooth bass into wretched, loose bass instantly!
The separate boost/reduction for the RCA output is great, perfect for adding some edge to or instantly cutting out my sub/amp setup. Although it does also have a crossover setting, I don't use it since my sub amp has one already and I may end up bridging my sub amp to a full-range one. The power output is more than adequate, I have a pair of 4" Pioneer speakers connected to it that although can't compete with the subs, do sound very clean and strong.
My only real gripe with the unit is not being able to manually step through radio frequencies. Here in L.A. there's a lot of radio stations that might change frequencies by .2 or more or may just be inaccessible in certain areas. But, the Aiwa's limited to seeking for the strongest signals, so you have to go where the station comes in the best if you want to save it to memory. Not a huge deal, but annoying if you like a lot of stations or travel a lot.
Going by looks alone, the CDC-X304 is a beauty. Like its X204 and X504MP siblings, it has a clean, titanium-look face, glittering brushed-metal volume knob and bright, back-lit blue lighting. The lighted ring around the volume know is especially cool, making it look like a Griffin PowerMate. These three units really stand out as elegant and smooth compared to the IN-YOUR-FACE faceplates you see from companies like Dual, or the tacky button-overload types from most others.
The front aux input is one of the strongest features, it just begs to have an iPod tethered to it, avoiding the noise and unreliability of FM transmitters. I've used my laptop connected to the input, and it sounds great. Just be sure though to turn off any EQ-ing done by your source and just rely on the Aiwa's EQ, as you'll get much better results. Speaking on the EQ, it actually has some pretty nice defaults, and I love how it keeps the EQ setting separate for CD, aux and tuner. Another thing to note, though, is the H-Bass feature. Though I've not used this head unit with anything but, I strongly recommend NOT enabling it if you have an amplified subwoofer...it will turn tight, smooth bass into wretched, loose bass instantly!
The separate boost/reduction for the RCA output is great, perfect for adding some edge to or instantly cutting out my sub/amp setup. Although it does also have a crossover setting, I don't use it since my sub amp has one already and I may end up bridging my sub amp to a full-range one. The power output is more than adequate, I have a pair of 4" Pioneer speakers connected to it that although can't compete with the subs, do sound very clean and strong.
My only real gripe with the unit is not being able to manually step through radio frequencies. Here in L.A. there's a lot of radio stations that might change frequencies by .2 or more or may just be inaccessible in certain areas. But, the Aiwa's limited to seeking for the strongest signals, so you have to go where the station comes in the best if you want to save it to memory. Not a huge deal, but annoying if you like a lot of stations or travel a lot.
