Ask the Experts: Entertainment Electronics

I have a 30 year old Alpine cassette deck system with multiple amps from the DIN type plug era (80) in my historic vehicle, the system was about $3000 - $4000 in it’s day.

I also have a 6 year old Sony with the cassette behind the face plate / head unit and 10 pack CD/MP3. It’s still new in the box, I never bothered installing it in my wife’s car before she split on me.

My question is the same for both, I would like to add an i-pod input, an i-pod dock would be better, any comments?

I am an electonic guy, I was just wondering if people were doing it, maybe your service dept or a web link?

Kevin

Hi Kevin

if all your old Alpine gear is still working well, I would leave it alone. It sounds as though it is a more significant system than the Sony and I don’t see any advantage in making the change. In your case I would look at a direct FM interface for your iPod. It will allow you to play your favourite tunes through the system with little modification to the system and no alteration to the car. This would be in-expensive to do. There are lots of other devices as well. Check out the Harman/Kardon drive and play. This has a neet little pod that controls the iPod, an LCD display that can mount on the dash or consol and you can put the iPod in your glove box!.

Hope this helps

Mark

Hi, thanks for checking out my blog!

Now that everyone owns an iPod, I get a lot of people asking me if there are smaller AM/FM radios that can play an iPod and actually sound good. Boston Acoustics did a great job with its famous Recepter. It was the first serious tabletop radio with decent sound. The evolution of this product is going to really make iPod owners happy for two reasons: the first is the sound. The new Boston Horizon Solo and Duo-i compact AM/FM radios give you solid, clean bass response across all listening levels. For the price, you’ll be genuinely surprised at how much these radios perform like big sound systems.

The second reason is that the Duo-i docks, plays and recharges your iPod all at the same time. And it fits just about anywhere.

The Solo has a rotating faceplate that lets you place it sideways on a shelf or upright on a counter.

For you non-iPod people, both the Solo and the Duo-i have auxiliary inputs for media players other than iPod. 

Duo-i $229
 

Solo $129

Jack Nation members get a discount at Kromer! Just mention your membership when you come in, and enjoy a 10% discount on either the Solo or the Duo-i.

Thanks for reading, talk to you again soon.

Mark Stoakes
General Manager, Kromer Radio Ltd.