Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    
    I hook my Sony D5 to my Concord in-dash stereo through the aux
    (line-level) inputs. It provides fantastic sound with the engine
    off and the same quality sound while driving accept for the ignition
    noise that my cheap Radio-Schluck 12 volt adapter fails to filter
    out.
    
    Some of the newer Yamaha and Jensen in-dash units have a similar
    input. Concords have had it for the past 5 years as it was originally
    put there to allow the use of out board dbx and Dolby modules.
    
    							--- Neal

    RE: .0
    
    Why not use rechargeable battery pack which I presume comes with
    the player?
    
    I have heard that an adapter similar to the one which comes with
    SONY-77 can be plugged into cassette deck of the car.  Would that
    be better than tapping into antenna port?
    
- Vikas    

>    I have heard that an adapter similar to the one which comes with
>    SONY-77 can be plugged into cassette deck of the car.  Would that
>    be better than tapping into antenna port?

I have just gotten one of these and am VERY pleased with the sound.
It plugs into the line-out jack on my D5 and has a "cassette" that
goes in the car unit. I also bought the case/battery pack for the D5
and am using that to power it.  I have a SONY car power adapter on
order (I tried an el cheapo and blew the fuse in the car.) but that
will just plug into the battery pack. 

I do have one worry/question for you EE types out there.  I worry that
that the flux density produced by the "cassette" may be so much
greater than a tape will produce, that I will end up with a
permanently magnetized tape head.  Any opinions? 

(We physics types deal in large fields and don't know about these
small localized effects.  Isn't that what rounding error is for? :-). 

    
    
    	Woah, I am surprised to see that this product already
    	made it to the California shores.  My most recent trip
    	to Japan sent me back with a Sony unit that plugs
    	into the cassette drive.  Must be the same.
    
    	Anyway, you do not have to worry about permanently
    	magnetizing your head since the output of the head in
    	the shell is minimal.  As you long as you use the line
    	out jack and not the headphone jack it sounds perfect.
    	You might want to cosider what I have, and that is the
    	head in that shell is REAL cheap and replacing it with
    	a better quality playback head is a good idea.
    
    

    If I magnetize my head, would that make me more attractive,
    or more repulsive?

    
    
    
    
    
    	8-}
    
    
    

    Both Lechmere and Service Merchandise now carry the Recoton Cassette
    Adapter for Car.  Of course you need a separate power supply to
    run your player.
    
    Recoton probably is slightly better brand than K-Tell.
    
- Vikas

    
    
    
    
    	Recoton is ok, but I got mine from Sony for the same
    	price.  Same junk, lousy playback head from a walkman
    	and two resistors ...
    
    	It works ok on Auto Reverse Units, but I needed to
    	adjust the azimuth on mine.
    
    

    How does it fool the auto-stop systems on some of the decks?  I
    think if the take up spool stops running the deck will probably
    auto-reverse itself.
    
- Vikas

    The Recoton adapter won't work on some decks, including all Pioneer
    models, because the deck uses tape tension to sense EOT.  Apparently
    it does ok on most, though.  I would imagine that the adapter is
    set up so that the spool hub drive always turns.
    				Steve

    When I cracked it open it had two gears that just
    turn and turn and turn.  Noisy as all hell during
    classical.  Think I might teflon coat them where
    they meet the chassis.  Righto, they don't work
    on any Pioneer unit.  Good opportunity for Pioneer
    to come out with one.

    They really are just cheap little things, though
    quite ingenious.  But I think I'll go for a deck
    that has AUX input capability.

        There are several ways of connecting a portable CD player to a
        car stereo listed in this discussion and I am trying to figure
        out which one I should use. 
        
        I recently bought a car (1986 VW Golf), but without a stereo
        system.  It has stereo prep (antenna and four speakers), DIN
        interface, and a blank plastic panel.  I also have a Sony D-7
        portable CD player.  I want to be able to listen to the radio
        and CDs in my car, but I don't care about cassettes. 
        
        I can see four options:
        
          - Buy a complete car stereo system including a CD player.
            However, since I will be buying a house next month I don't
            want to spend an extra $500 for a third CD player. 
            
          - Find a car radio that has an auxiliary input.  This would
            let me connect the D-7 into the auxiliary input.  I think
            this would be my best option, but I have not been able to
            locate such a beast. 
            
          - Buy a car radio and a sparkomatic adapter and a car radio. 
            
          - Buy a car radio/cassette and use a CD-into-cassette
            converter.  If I do this I end up paying for a cassette
            player I will never use for cassettes, and will cause me to
            pay more or get a worse tuner. 
            
        Before reading this discussion I had heard bad reports about the
        sound quality of both the sparkomatic and the cassette adapter
        (some preferred one, some the other).  This discussion seems to
        suggest that the cassette interface is much better, but that
        involves buying extra hardware. 
        
        Does anyone know of anyone know of any radio-with-aux
        combination or have other suggestions on what I should get?  I
        don't mind spending $300, but I don't want to pay for something
        I won't use (cassette player).
        
        					Thanks,
        					B.J.

I've got the cassette adapter, and although the quality isn't nearly as 
good as the pure CD, in a car you really can't tell the difference.  
It's at least as high quality sound as the best tape I have.

Although you might not commonly use the cassette player as such, it's 
nice to have the cassette for the odd recording that isn't on CD.  But 
if you expect to be playing primarily CDs, I'd get a unit that could use 
the line-out from the back of the D7, although someone told me games 
have to be played with the impedance or something.

BTW - If you get the auto power unit from Sony, never leave the battery 
pack on the CD when using the auto power.  It doesn't seem to damage the 
CD or anything, you'll just blow the fuse in the power converter.

The problem I expect to have on future (long) trips is how to plug my CD 
player and radar detector and micro-refrigerator into one cigarette 
lighter.  And to think I almost chose to delete the cigarette lighter 
option from the car because I don't smoke :-)
_______
Richard

    Check out the Concord line of equipment [best had
    by mail order (IE: Crutchfield)] as many of them
    have AUX inputs.  You can get a unit for about
    200.00 that has one of the best tape sections   
    in the biz.

    
    If you are willing to spend $340, then go with the Concord HPL-550.
    
    The built in 4 X 12.5W amp will drive your four speakers sufficiently
    (if your using factory speakers then I'm assuming your not into
    really good car stereo) and the auxillary inputs allow you hook
    up your Sony in all of 10 seconds.  If you would like a demo of
    the deck (which also is all around one of the best as Mike said)
    with my Technics portable (same as your Sony in concept) let me
    know.  I'm at LKG and so is my Concord.
    
    Mark.
    

    The Recoton adapter is on sale Service Merchandise for $16.98.
    It does work as advertized.  This is a generic adapter and hence
    does not supply power to your CD player.
    
- Vikas

	Re .12

	How about buying a power amp for your car.  You can then use the 
	adapter cord to connect your D7 headphone out to the amp, and use 
	the volume control on the D7.  For power, use the Sony cigarette
	lighter adapter.  You can get a Sony XM600 4x27w for about $125,
	and it can deal with 2 channel in powering 4 channel out.  And,
	this'll leave you room to buy an in dash CD, etc when you get your
	tax refund for interest, etc.

						     
							- JP

    
    A recent Cruthfield catalog (summer 1986) offers the Parasound CDS-1
    CD Switch: "Here's the easy way to use the Sony D-5 or D-7 mini
    Compact Disc player in your car stereo system.  Just plug the CDS-1
    in line between your car receiver's preamp outputs and an external
    amp.  Front panel inputs and a 9-volt power jack make connecting
    (and disconnecting) a Sony D-5 or D-7 a snap.  There's even a volume
    control for matching signal levels."
    Item #166CDS1  $29
    
    Crutchfield
    1 Crutchfield Park
    Charlottesville, VA 22906
    
    (800) 446-1640
    
    Personally can't report the ease or quality, sorry.
    
    > R.Michael