No CD Player Available in new 2017 Mazda CX-5

No CD Player in vehicle - Does this make a difference to you?


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Interesting study. I might have to try out ripping my CDs into 320kb/s MP3s just to try it out. I will say, that the difference between CD sound quality vs Bluetooth streaming was a lot more noticeable in my Speed3 than in the CX-5. I guess that means the CX-5 has a better sound system for streaming music.

I think bluetooth streaming might reduce the quality so that might be part of it too. Not sure bluetooth could handle that bandwidth. Connecting music source directly to the car might make a difference.
 
Bluetooth definitely will compress and degrade audio quality. Newer versions aren't anywhere near as bad as they used to be, but it's just an inherent thing with bluetooth. Streaming services (Apple Music, Spotify, etc) are also going to serve lower quality files based on available bandwidth and the particulars of the service.

If you care about having as high of a quality source possible, high quality files and connecting your phone over USB will be indistinguishable from a CD.
 
I use my CD slot every day.


To mount my phone.
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Me too, for my Android!
 
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Bluetooth definitely will compress and degrade audio quality. Newer versions aren't anywhere near as bad as they used to be, but it's just an inherent thing with bluetooth. Streaming services (Apple Music, Spotify, etc) are also going to serve lower quality files based on available bandwidth and the particulars of the service.

If you care about having as high of a quality source possible, high quality files and connecting your phone over USB will be indistinguishable from a CD.

This is true. However, not being an audiophile I tried to carefully compare the playback of the same song (from same MP3) from USB and through Bluetooth (song present on the device) and could only barely tell them apart. For me, for all intents and purposes it sounds the same.
 
Same here. I'm not an audiophile but I am a musician and occasional engineer. Non-HD FM radio sounds noticeably bad in the car, anything HD radio and better is totally good enough for me.
 
I'm glad my 2017 will have the CD/DVD player. In Japan, it would be a deal breaker... and with how quiet the new interior is, those with much better ears might notice.
 
No CD's in cars for me for 3-4 years now. IPhone now, iPod earlier.

Only got a few CD's with old favourites on them that for in the boat's stereo. Which was put into boat 6 years ago. And if that stereo carks it, will be getting one with bluetooth.

Even a couple of my fishing mates, who are seriously technological troglodites, now stream from their phones... that their kids have set up for them!!
 
I think bluetooth streaming might reduce the quality so that might be part of it too. Not sure bluetooth could handle that bandwidth. Connecting music source directly to the car might make a difference.
Back when I still had my 2010 Mazda3, I used to have an iPod plugged in with an AUX cable. That gave me the best sound quality equal to or just short of using the CD player. High quality streaming with Spotify and Pandora was good, but not really that great. That said, my wife can't tell the difference in sound quality between regular streaming and high quality streaming LOL.

I don't think that I would consider myself an audiophile considering the most expensive headphones I have are the relatively affordable Audio Technica ATH-M50s. I'm very particular with sound though. I've been playing with equalizers since I was kid just to get the sound that I like. I actually prefer my Nokia Monster in-ear headset over the ATH-M50s as far sound goes. The reason I prefer the sound quality from the CD player is because I think the sound is as pure and clean as can be. It's not a deal breaker for me if a car doesn't have one, as long as it makes up for it by being fun to drive.

I stopped buying CDs but have started to buy again for the albums I really like. The idea is to pass them on to my kids. I sort of got the idea from Guardians of the Galaxy and the mixtapes that Starlord's mom left him.
 
I'm just pissed they don't have a tape player.

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I'm mostly listening to AM radio when I am in the car, and sometimes the comedy station on FM.

Otherwise I have quite a few CD's I keep in the center console and I always have one popped in to the CD player so I can switch to it.

Pandora goes out when I hit bad reception areas, the bluetooth streaming tends to be somewhat laggy on the input such as cycling through songs, plus I can't fastforward or rewind small sections like I can on a CD.
 
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Nice link. Thanks!
I have one quibble with their results. Take a look at this chart from page 17:
View attachment 216191
Per this study, for Electric music "Musicians" very much preferred the 256kbps mp3 over the CD, but also very much preferred the CD over the 320kbps. That smells fishy.

I think its because since 256kbps lacks some sound data, it may be beneficial for certain electric music. Hard to explain. I guess what I'm saying is that 256kbps presents less "grey areas" therefore presenting a more black and white palette. This works for some electric music. It may seem to amplify certain sounds and numb others to sound more digitally artificial. CD presents the full palette of all grey areas and less black and whites. Possibly making electronic music sound a bit more analog and warm.
 
I think its because since 256kbps lacks some sound data, it may be beneficial for certain electric music. Hard to explain. I guess what I'm saying is that 256kbps presents less "grey areas" therefore presenting a more black and white palette. This works for some electric music. It may seem to amplify certain sounds and numb others to sound more digitally artificial. CD presents the full palette of all grey areas and less black and whites. Possibly making electronic music sound a bit more analog and warm.

Yet those same listeners prefer CD to 320kbps? If I find time, I'll look at the original paper at work and see if they explain it.
 
I've had my 2017 now for a week. Was headed out for dinner and grabbed a CD from my home office, got in the car and said, "Whaaa?" Guess there is none now. I hadn't really noticed it.

I've been using the USB port which has an SD card reader on the other end with some audio tracks in various formats. I did notice the album art is more complete than in my 2015 I returned at the end of the lease.

I've not even activated the Sirius XM yet. Shoot, I just completed saving some of the HD AM and FM radio stations to my favorites.

Went out tonight and bought an external USB BluRay player so I can rip more of my CDs to either an SD card or USB stick. Yeah, I no longer play cassettes or 8 track tapes these days either...
 
I'm 25 and I wouldn't care at all as I don't think I've ever bought a CD in my life and I certainly don't currently own any. 95%+ of my music comes from my Google Play Music subscription and I save my whole library on my phone for offline listening via Bluetooth. I've noticed in certain cars the Bluetooth audio is better than an aux cord but I haven't tried the aux port in my cx-5.
My parents use CDs on road trips a little bit in their car that doesn't have satellite radio so they'd be disappointed to not have a CD player in that car.
In my lifetime, CDs became popular and extinct!
 
I have never used the CD player in my current 2 cars and don't know if it works. My CD collection has been transferred to my phone and is collecting dust along side my vinyl. I do miss the sound quality of vinyl.
 
I'm 25 and I wouldn't care at all as I don't think I've ever bought a CD in my life and I certainly don't currently own any. 95%+ of my music comes from my Google Play Music subscription and I save my whole library on my phone for offline listening via Bluetooth. I've noticed in certain cars the Bluetooth audio is better than an aux cord but I haven't tried the aux port in my cx-5.
My parents use CDs on road trips a little bit in their car that doesn't have satellite radio so they'd be disappointed to not have a CD player in that car.
In my lifetime, CDs became popular and extinct!

I prefer the Aux cord. Even with a cheapo 99- cent store wire the sound quality is better than BT. In fact I prefer the Aux's sound over CD but only because my mp3 player allows me to equalize BOSE's sound signature. Otherwise with Aux I'm hearing details being missed by BT. The drawback is having to deal with the wire cord.
 
I use the CD player in my current SUV to play mp3 CD's but once I move into the CX-5 I don't think I'll really miss it as I'll have bluetooth to stream Play Music or via USB. I'm assuming the front USB's can just read large music folders?
 
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