Car CD Changer

Versatile, vintage

If you still have some cassette tapes that you cherish like happy memories, perhaps it's best to leave at least one outlet available for rocking your dated pop tunes.  Pick anywhere from six to 16 compact discs and throw them in the trunk, then stow your cumbrous case of cassettes on the passenger floor mat for easy access.  You provide yourself with a nice array of listening options and those tapes don't suffer a shameful waste.

Aside from leaving room for a cassette deck on your dash, a car CD changer frees up your hands for more important things, like cell phones or coffee.  Furthermore, in case you don't know someone deprived of their entire music collection due to a sharp-eyed thief noticing a book of CDs on the seat, it happens.  Good reasons abound, and the sacrifice of a larger selection and spontaneity is plenty compensated by convenience and options.

Stock gear still good?

Not interested in replacing your factory stock tape deck for lack of effort or money?  This problem is addressed in one of the more ingenious innovations in car stereo - the FM receiver. 

By attaching a control panel to your stock stereo, a changer in the back can play digital quality sound through your FM radio.  All the options of standard CD changers are present, but once you get into MP3 and DVD capabilities, your money is probably better spent replacing the head unit.

Exorbitance of entertainment

Yes, DVD capabilities.  It seems our lust for entertainment while driving knows no bounds.  A typical option on vehicles these days is back seat television, which prove quite worthless unless accompanied by some sort of video playback. 

The prices for these items get rather steep, don't expect to pay less than 500 dollars for a 6-disc CD/DVD combo.  It may be wise to hold off for a while on this product.  Hopefully they can soon offer a player for all formats, including MP3 and SACD, that doesn't require financing.  In the meantime, bring a book.

More information on CD changers