Adding After Market CD PLayer/Changer to 2017 GT - Possible?

B

bamirault

I drive a '13 and am giving serious consideration to the '17/'18 in the fall when it comes available in diesel. I have noted with disappointment the lack of a CD player/changer even as an option in the '17 GT. I am wondering if anyone can write to whether a direct connect of an after market player/changer is a reasonable possibility.

I bring this up because firstly it a standard feature on the Japanese iteration of the vehicle; although I do not know it this is a single or multi-disc player. Secondly, I was watching a YouTube today from a US dealer who's rep was showing how to use the truck's built in Voice Recognition Tutorial. This tutorial allows the user to select a specific tutorial, such as Audio. On making the audio selection the vehicle voice then explains that Voice Command can be used only to control the currently active input, and then voices examples on how to control an iPod or a CD player.

This then makes me wonder whether the rear of the OEM head unit has a dangling input plug for a CD player not included on the NA version, and whether screen options for the control of a CD player/changer would suddenly appear if the head unit detected a signal on this input. With no diagram of the rear of the OEM head unit to look at, this may merely be the musings of an old fart and audio Luddite pining for a technology being pulled from his grasp. Still, I am wondering...

Brian
 
Brian,

LOL! A fellow Brian, old-fart and audio luddite here also...

Luckily there is still a 1/8" AUX- Input, so you can still line out from a portable CD Player...or Walkman...or 8-track.

I also would like to know the answer you are seeking... Perhaps an external CD player that sits in the rear seats armrest and plugs into USB?

Since there is a DVD/CD in Japan version, and same headunit used, I imagine that it is possible
 
What would happen if you connected an external CD player through the USB port?


Sent from my iPhone 7+ using Tapatalk
 
bamirault said:
this may merely be the musings of an old fart and audio Luddite pining for a technology being pulled from his grasp. Still, I am wondering...

Brian
Click to expand...

How about an update to an iPod? They're 15 years old now so basically Luddite technology too ;) and you'd be able to use that easily w/ a CX-5. It's funny; we bought our new CX-5 on Tuesday and didn't even realize the lack of a CD player. I think I've used the one in my Mustang 2x in 5.5 years and we never used the one in our previous Mazda3.
 
jayhawkprotege said:
How about an update to an iPod? They're 15 years old now so basically Luddite technology too ;) and you'd be able to use that easily w/ a CX-5. It's funny; we bought our new CX-5 on Tuesday and didn't even realize the lack of a CD player. I think I've used the one in my Mustang 2x in 5.5 years and we never used the one in our previous Mazda3.
Click to expand...

Who still uses iPods? [emoji23] I know! Keep up!


Sent from my iPhone 7+ using Tapatalk
 
bamirault said:
I drive a '13 and am giving serious consideration to the '17/'18 in the fall when it comes available in diesel. I have noted with disappointment the lack of a CD player/changer even as an option in the '17 GT. I am wondering if anyone can write to whether a direct connect of an after market player/changer is a reasonable possibility.

I bring this up because firstly it a standard feature on the Japanese iteration of the vehicle; although I do not know it this is a single or multi-disc player. Secondly, I was watching a YouTube today from a US dealer who's rep was showing how to use the truck's built in Voice Recognition Tutorial. This tutorial allows the user to select a specific tutorial, such as Audio. On making the audio selection the vehicle voice then explains that Voice Command can be used only to control the currently active input, and then voices examples on how to control an iPod or a CD player.

This then makes me wonder whether the rear of the OEM head unit has a dangling input plug for a CD player not included on the NA version, and whether screen options for the control of a CD player/changer would suddenly appear if the head unit detected a signal on this input. With no diagram of the rear of the OEM head unit to look at, this may merely be the musings of an old fart and audio Luddite pining for a technology being pulled from his grasp. Still, I am wondering...

Brian
Click to expand...


just brainstorming, looks like for 2017, Mazda moved the AUX input jack from the center dash and hid it into the armrest cubby storage area.... this is good news for you !!....basically you can hide everything under the driver's armrest and no unsightly cables dangling around the center console dash

just add a portable CD player powered by cigarette plug and connect line cable to Aux jack and voila you're done!

no crazy complex install, just have to make sure the CD player isn't in loop mode otherwise it'll drain your battery, have the portable CD player in one cycle mode so it shuts down after the last song......

it's not the most elegant solution, but it sure is the easiest and cheapest to get what you need to play CD's,

P.S.>>>> make sure the CD player has anti-skip memory otherwise the music will keep skipping from vibrations on rocky roads



https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

 
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It's like stepping back into 1986 all over again... please make it an option Mazda. The fact that you have it on overseas models but not here is even more distressing..
 
mazdadude said:
It's like stepping back into 1986 all over again... please make it an option Mazda. The fact that you have it on overseas models but not here is even more distressing..
Click to expand...

Agreed, if it's on overseas, then US models should have too, cost really isn;t that much, but to Mazda's defense, not many people use CD's anymore.... one tiny USB stick can hold 1000's of songs that can be easily controlled by the dash commander.. why deal with old CD albums with maybe 3 or 4 songs you like and the rest is music one may not be interested in..... plus who wants the burden of having to deal with all those CD's and hassle of swapping them .....
 
Yes I've dealt with record albums, audio cassettes, CDs, digital audio tapes, USB sticks, and Bluetooth MP3s. While the latest implementation of music is great for convenience, I dislike the sound quality, and the idea of ripping a gigantic 30 plus year CD collection is very undesirable.

Perhaps a new owner can contact Mazda and find out where to insert the CD...(cryhard)
 
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tomcat1446 said:
.......P.S.>>>> make sure the CD player has anti-skip memory otherwise the music will keep skipping from vibrations on rocky roads....
Click to expand...

wow, good point Tomcat, it's been so long that I forgot how bad the first CD players were with the skipping at the slightest bump.Mazdadude is right ! we're going back to 80's technology here LOL , any solution will have to be able to handle severe road vibrations.
 
I will probably get flamed for this but I think CD's still sound better, at least in my previous cars. I'm coming from a Nissan Maxima with Bose and the CD's always had that nice crisp tune to them as opposed to my iPhone 6.
I'm also a bit disappointed Mazda left this relatively inexpensive piece of tech out of the car, my wife's Kia also lacks this.
I guess it's time I start uploading all my collections to iTunes...
 
lightsandsirens said:
I will probably get flamed for this but I think CD's still sound better, at least in my previous cars. I'm coming from a Nissan Maxima with Bose and the CD's always had that nice crisp tune to them as opposed to my iPhone 6.
I'm also a bit disappointed Mazda left this relatively inexpensive piece of tech out of the car, my wife's Kia also lacks this.
I guess it's time I start uploading all my collections to iTunes...
Click to expand...

Agreed, I have my favorite relaxation CD in my 2016.5 CX-5 that I go to when amateur drivers cuts me off and I need to cool down,
it definitely sounds better than the USB stick....

off topic: I like your signature "If it ain't Boeing I ain't going" I designed part of the electrical power distribution system in the new 787 Boeing Dreamliner, it's a very nice plane.....
 
batmancx said:
Agreed, if it's on overseas, then US models should have too, cost really isn;t that much, but to Mazda's defense, not many people use CD's anymore.... one tiny USB stick can hold 1000's of songs that can be easily controlled by the dash commander.. why deal with old CD albums with maybe 3 or 4 songs you like and the rest is music one may not be interested in..... plus who wants the burden of having to deal with all those CD's and hassle of swapping them .....
Click to expand...

CD's are popular in Japan still. I suppose it could be offered as a dealer installed option, depending on what's involved in the installation. It might cost too much from a labor standpoint - ie, do you want to pay $300 for a cd player?
 
tomcat1446 said:
Agreed, I have my favorite relaxation CD in my 2016.5 CX-5 that I go to when amateur drivers cuts me off and I need to cool down,
it definitely sounds better than the USB stick....

off topic: I like your signature "If it ain't Boeing I ain't going" I designed part of the electrical power distribution system in the new 787 Boeing Dreamliner, it's a very nice plane.....
Click to expand...

I work in communications here in Toronto for the airport. Good job on the 787, it's my second favorite right after the 767!
 
7eregrine said:
Nothing. If your CD player has a usb port on it, it is for plugging in a power cord. Nothing more,.
Click to expand...

Are we both talking about one of these?

98131192.jpg



Sent from my iPhone 7+ using Tapatalk
 
That cord doesn't pass audio, though. Not in a traditional way like an aux out. The computer installs drivers for it which allow it to play the audio on the disc through the computer. Connecting it to a "dumb car" it will only act as power.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
lightsandsirens said:
I guess it's time I start uploading all my collections to iTunes...
Click to expand...

Rereading this. Don't rip them to iTunes first. Rip them to FLAC first, a non proprietary format. Or Lossless WAV. Then import into iTunes if you must.
You'll thank me for that advice if you ever decide use to leave the Apple ecosystem later. 🤣

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
7eregrine said:
Rereading this. Don't rip them to iTunes first. Rip them to FLAC first, a non proprietary format. Or Lossless WAV. Then import into iTunes if you must.
You'll thank me for that advice if you ever decide use to leave the Apple ecosystem later. ��

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yep, 7eregrine is correct. I just did this and WAV from USB stick sounds exactly like it's coming from a CD, you end up with a huge 37MB song file but that's because it's not compressed, I used WavePad and literally took only about a minute to rip from CD to WAV format.



use any sound editor you prefer, I used WavePad:



pop into your laptop CD drive and load into WavePad



select the CD track you want ripped



CD track loaded, here you can do whatever you want cut, paste, gradual transistion in/out, etc, I just left it as original recording....



select save as and choose WAV format



choose the highest quality setting



what you end up with is a big WAV file, svae the WAV file to a USB stick and install the USB to the CX-5, the CX-5 will recognize the WAV file and enjoy. The sound QUALITY is EXCELLENT, same as a CD, it sounded like it's playing from a virtual CD player.

 
Last edited:
7eregrine said:
That cord doesn't pass audio, though. Not in a traditional way like an aux out. The computer installs drivers for it which allow it to play the audio on the disc through the computer. Connecting it to a "dumb car" it will only act as power.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Doesn't data go over USB? Wouldn't it recognize it as a drive just like music from a USB?


Sent from my iPhone 7+ using Tapatalk
 
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