WOW, what an upgrade...

I got this CD player as a present because my new job was a fairly long commute. It is a significant upgrade over the factor system that I had before, and I have been completely blown away by the HD radio. This is my first foray into the whole "HD experience", and I have been quite satisfied with it.

Setup and use:
As far as the system goes, the setup is relatively straightforward, but I'd take the time to read through the manual first. The remote control is a nice feature (which works much better for CD's) because you cannot use it to switch onto HD substations, which is a real negative. There is a button on the console which allows you to change to HD stations by pushing "up" on it, and you would think that the very similar looking/feeling button on the remote would do the same thing (it doesn't, it changes from FM1 to FM2). The remote was lost under my seat for a couple months (it's very small, just a bit bigger than my thumb), and it did not really miss it. However, when I have been listening to CD's and MP3's, the remote has been very nice to have, with easy song switching, volume, and sound controls. On the console itself, it is also relatively easy to change stations, control the volume, and skip songs on CD's, however more advanced controls do require multiple button pushes, which is not ideal in a driving situation.

Sound: The sound quality on HD radio is far superior, and the display gives song/artist information, which is always nice to have. The CD quality is smooth and I have not had any problems with skipping. The unit also has MP3 capability which works well. The only annoying thing that I have found is that, if the HD signal is not strong, the music cuts completely in and out. The sound is great, even with standard factory speakers with no additional upgrading.

Overall, I have been quite satisfied with this unit once it was installed. I purchased the unit online through Circuit City, and I was not particularly happy with the installation process. The website said that this model of stereo would work easily on my car, which apparently was not the case. I got slammed with additional expenses associated with installation (up in the neighborhood of 75$) because the installation shop did not have the right component and they had to hardwire it into my car. This completely wiped out the installation discount I had.

However, I would highly recommend this system for anyone who is planning on spending time in their car listening to good quality music. I barely even use the CD player on routine commutes because the HD sound is just as clear and the variety (and almost complete lack of commercials on the HD-only stations) is impressive.