Panasonic CQ-C8400U Car CD Player

Nice.........Very nice !

By chris j  May 17, 2005 | 1 out of 1 found this Panasonic CQ-C8400U review helpful

Pros: powerful amp, big screen, clear sound

Cons: small buttons, no pre-set buttons, questionable quality on the accessorys

When my Kenwood died only after year and a half I was a little surprised. I had Kenwoods in the past and didn't have any problems but theres always a first time for everything. When I went looking for a new radio my limit was only $200 dollars or... less so I had to keep away from "higher end" units but at the same time I didn't want anything too basic. My first choice was another Kenwood but the Panasonic cq-8400 caught my attention especially since it was on clearance at 6th ave. electronics for exactly $200 dollars plus free installation ! I couldn't pass it up. The first thing I noticed was the big screen with all the flashy graphics. Very cool but it kinda looked like a black and white screen in certain angles but still impressive. What was even more impressive was the sound. Although it's rated at 60 watts x 4 it seemed way more powerful then my old Kenwood which was rated at 50 x 4 and on top of that it sounded even clearer. I started thinking "I thought Kenwood was a better brand then Panasonic ?" but the cq-8400 proved me wrong. It even picked up radio stations better. The only real cons about the cq-8400 were the remote and face case. The remote's battery door was way too hard to come off and the same with the face holder. It too was hard to open. Lack of pre-set buttons almost forses you to use the remote but thankfully it's pretty simple to use and thin so it fits your hand well. Overall the Panasonic cq-8400 is very good unit. It's a steal in the $200 dollar range. Read more Less