Dual XDM6820 In-Dash CD/MP3/WMA Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)This stereo is the XDM6820 by Dual. It's a car stereo that has a detachable face. It plays CDs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and CDs onto which you have burned mp3 or Windows Media audio files. It also comes with a mini stereo plug (the "iPlug") that lets you play your iPod or any other external music source (laptop, portable DVD player, whatever) through your car stereo.
Anyone who has an iPod (or similar music player) knows that playing it in your car is a nightmare. You have to either use an FM transmitter which sounds tinny and gets interference, or use a cassette adapter - but who has a tape deck in their car these days? So this unit solves your problems by letting you input your iPod directly into the stereo. All you need is a 3.5mm mini stereo cable connector (male to male - basically like the end of your earphone jack but the same on both ends). This cable is NOT included here but you can pick it up at any radioshack or similar store for a few bucks.
I'm very impressed with this unit, it has lots of high-end features for a pretty low price. I managed to install it myself but you can have it professionally installed if you're not technically minded. It should fit in any car with a wire harness adapter and a dashboard kit, both available from most big department stores for every car type. The iPlug can be screwed on your dashboard somewhere or can be stuck on with the provided tape. Or you can just leave it loose on your glove compartment.
It has 30 radio presets, 5 equaliser settings, and has electronic skip protection to stop your music skipping on bumpy roads. A really neat feature is that if you have an mp3/wma CD stuffed with music, it will display the title of the song and artist on the bright blue display. You can play songs randomly or by artist or by album, pretty much whatever configuration you want. You can even scroll for the next song while it is currently playing.
It has 200 Watts of power, 50 Watts for each speaker, with connections for a preamp if you have one.
Overall, a very nice product. Sounds great, lets me connect my iPod and makes me a happy driver! I bought it simply for the iPlug feature but I'm very happy with all of its other features.

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Here's what many folks have been waiting for: Great connectivity and power at an affordable price. The Dual XDM6820 delivers the goods with pre-amp outputs, a unique "iPlug" adapter for a line-in connection, plus an impressive internal amplifier (50 watts x4, 18 watts RMS) that will put some serious kick in your car audio experience. Add all this to an AM/FM tuner and a CD player with MP3/WMA compatibility and you're all set to roll with great sound.
The XDM6820's large, rotary control knob makes it easy to make quick system adjustments, while an easy-to-read black and white LCD display keeps you informed of levels, CD track info and time of day. The unit's faceplate is also detachable for added security. Five automatic equalizer settings (Pop, Jazz, Classic, Beat, and Rock) make it easy to quickly tailor the unit's sound to match your musical tastes. In addition to volume, you can also manually set bass, treble, loudness, fader and balance.
The XDM6820's CD player is CD-R/RW compatible, so your entire library of CDs can be played back. The player also features an anti-shock mechanism that helps keep the tunes rolling when the road gets rough. Meanwhile, a three-beam laser pickup and one bit digital/analog converter provide crystal-clear audio. Available CD functions include last position memory, random/repeat/intro modes, pause and a high-speed audible track search. When it comes time to toss in an MP3/WMA encoded CD, the XDM6820 is ready to go. In addition to the same track navigation features as the CD player, the player offers alphanumeric track search and display of MP3 ID3 tags. And last but not least, a keyless CD eject button lets you spit out your CDs when the car is not on.
The tuning section offers 30 station presets (18FM/12AM), plus compatibility with US and European track spacing. Other features include auto station store, preset scan, one-touch memory, auto stereo/mono. manual tuning, seek tuning and scan.
Dual has obviously designed the XDM6820 for enhanced connectivity and ease of installation. The 1.0 DIN chassis is import ISO and DIN mountable. A pair of pre-amp outputs allows you to connect the player to an amplifier or amplified subwoofer, while a pair of auxiliary RCA inputs on the rear of the unit can be connected to the included iPlug adapter, a small box with a mini-jack input that can be installed anywhere in your car. This unique attachment makes it easy to plug in an iPod or other digital audio player for playback through the car stereo.
Note: Professional installation is recommended for this product.
What's in the Box XDM6820 head unit, wiring harness and antenna, mounting plate, iPlug adapter, trim ring, mounting hardware, installation and user guide.

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