CD changer
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 146
From: dalton ma
CD changer
To work correctly does the changer cartridge have to be full or can it be partly loaded ? Mine will play a disc or two and switch to "err" mode. It's about half full . (This is in a 2004).
Do the discs go back into their original slots after playing or do they rotate position ?
I like the concept but not current operation mode- SCREWED UP.
Thanks, Bob C
Do the discs go back into their original slots after playing or do they rotate position ?
I like the concept but not current operation mode- SCREWED UP.
Thanks, Bob C
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 343
From: Chicagoland
St. Jude Donor '16
The CD's stay in their original spot.. The error message is generally because the CD is dirty / scratched. The changer does not have to be full in order to work correctly. Mine is not full and it cycles through with no problems. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
I have the factory 12 disc CD player in my 04 and it will play any number of CD's from 1 to 12. Discs end up back in the tray they were originally inserted into. I recently was on a trip where I only used the CD player and I had no issues with its operation. I will say that I do not usually play the CD player so it does not have a huge amount of usage. The last trip was the exception. I was on the road a total of 4 days for about 11 hours per day and the CD player was running the entire trip..
My experience has been that the factory player does not play "copied" CD's and for that reason I use only the original CD's that I have bought. It is also the reason that I don't use the CD player very often.
Go to page 3-80 of the 2004 owners manual for a list of causes of the ERR message for the CD player. About half a dozen causes according to GM.....
My experience has been that the factory player does not play "copied" CD's and for that reason I use only the original CD's that I have bought. It is also the reason that I don't use the CD player very often.
Go to page 3-80 of the 2004 owners manual for a list of causes of the ERR message for the CD player. About half a dozen causes according to GM.....
I really like the C5 system. I might be the only one.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 343
From: Chicagoland
St. Jude Donor '16
I have no issue with my stock C5 system
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 118
Likes: 17
From: Cedar Rapids Iowa
I use burned cd's in mine and it works just fine you just need to make sure they are an audio cd not mp3's.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 146
From: dalton ma
I got spoiled with my other car. It's"modern" CD player plays MP3 burned CD's up to 100-120 selections per CD.
But getting back to my original problem where my 12 disc changer worked once in a while when it felt like it. Yanked it out of the car today and prepared to dismantle it to see if anything obvious was wrong. BUT just as i took out the cartridge I spotted a naked disk peeking out of the guts of the changer.
Must be the PO "lost" a disc inside and gave up on it. My cartridge had the correct number of trays so sometime in the past someone had a disc slip out of the tray and not retract. It's a wonder the darn thing worked at all
But getting back to my original problem where my 12 disc changer worked once in a while when it felt like it. Yanked it out of the car today and prepared to dismantle it to see if anything obvious was wrong. BUT just as i took out the cartridge I spotted a naked disk peeking out of the guts of the changer.
Must be the PO "lost" a disc inside and gave up on it. My cartridge had the correct number of trays so sometime in the past someone had a disc slip out of the tray and not retract. It's a wonder the darn thing worked at all
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,764
Likes: 375
From: Central Florida
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
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From: Central Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,764
Likes: 375
From: Central Florida
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 146
From: dalton ma
Yes, the CD changer now works. Only a short test up to this point but when I pressed the random button it changed both tracks AND DISCS. Will it keep working only time will tell but tomorrow it will get a more lengthy highway test,
I get a kick out of the discussions on quality, as a super senior citizen I have been tested and my hearing quits around 4500-5000 cycles, no wonder I can enjoy my compressed home recorded CD's I have no idea what i am missing.
I get a kick out of the discussions on quality, as a super senior citizen I have been tested and my hearing quits around 4500-5000 cycles, no wonder I can enjoy my compressed home recorded CD's I have no idea what i am missing.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
CDs vs iPod/iPhone/Digital Players
Unless the music stored in an iPod/iPhone is in a lossless format and it was obtained from a CD or a higher quality source than a CD, music from a CD will have better sound quality than that of an iPod/iPhone or similar device.
The average people tend to use lossy audio formats, such as MP3 or AAC, when storing music in their digital players because that way they can cramp more music in the same space. People even burn CDs with MP3s for the same reason, and then the result is no different than what an MP3 from a digital player can offer.
Whether or not the difference can be appreciated while driving a C5, is another question... and a very subjective one. A noisy environment is not audiophile friendly, but it could be said that the answer to this question would depend on the quality of the audio equipment installed in the car, the recordings and -most importantly- the person's ears. Noise insulation will definitely help as well.
As mentioned above, "sound quality is in the ear of the beholder".
The average people tend to use lossy audio formats, such as MP3 or AAC, when storing music in their digital players because that way they can cramp more music in the same space. People even burn CDs with MP3s for the same reason, and then the result is no different than what an MP3 from a digital player can offer.
Whether or not the difference can be appreciated while driving a C5, is another question... and a very subjective one. A noisy environment is not audiophile friendly, but it could be said that the answer to this question would depend on the quality of the audio equipment installed in the car, the recordings and -most importantly- the person's ears. Noise insulation will definitely help as well.
As mentioned above, "sound quality is in the ear of the beholder".
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,517
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From: Lafayette Louisiana
I put in a PAC AuxBox on the factory radio years ago. It's always worked perfectly. I brought a cable up through the ashtray. I can connect a Blutooth receiver and play wirelessly or connect directly to any MP3 player.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 255
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From: Ct
I have fine ears. I play piano, guitar, and edit sound for a living. I play the bells with my twin daughters and listen to music ever day. Sound and tone are big part of my life.
Trust me there is no comparison to CD quality in the vette. Heavy metal, Hendrix, and even Yes lose subtle tones only noticed if expected. However, the ease of access to so many songs may make it worth it to some.
Trust me there is no comparison to CD quality in the vette. Heavy metal, Hendrix, and even Yes lose subtle tones only noticed if expected. However, the ease of access to so many songs may make it worth it to some.
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I've not had any problems playing burned CDs in my single disc CD player. Do not have the 12 disc changer so can't comment on its operation.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,764
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From: Central Florida
I have fine ears. I play piano, guitar, and edit sound for a living. I play the bells with my twin daughters and listen to music ever day. Sound and tone are big part of my life.
Trust me there is no comparison to CD quality in the vette. Heavy metal, Hendrix, and even Yes lose subtle tones only noticed if expected. However, the ease of access to so many songs may make it worth it to some.
Trust me there is no comparison to CD quality in the vette. Heavy metal, Hendrix, and even Yes lose subtle tones only noticed if expected. However, the ease of access to so many songs may make it worth it to some.
and it blows away the fm radio. But you have me curious enough to dig up a few cd's and compare same songs and I will report back my impressions. ( not that anyone cares what I think
)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,764
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From: Central Florida
I care to hear what you find. But if you want to do a real world comparison, don't do it in your garage or driveway with the engine off. Do it driving down the road at both city and highway speeds. You don't have to be "on it" but make the comparison valid by conducting it while actually driving your Vette. I for one await your findings. 
with a side by side comparison, speakers do wear out, so it's not like I will accept transistor radio soundI've been in two audiophile's homes
one only had 150,000 into his stuff, it was set up in the middle of his living room. You absolutely could hear it was special even from the front door so much so I asked if he had a live band in his house,that was 15 years ago, then six months ago I was in a room purpose built for a audiophile it made the other guy look cheap, I would not ask him how $$ much because it was so over the top it would have been a number I can't fathom, he did a demo it for me, it gave me goosebumps.
So I can appreciate good audio.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
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From: Miami FL
As I mentioned above, unless the music stored in an iPod/iPhone is in a lossless format and it was obtained from a CD or a higher quality source than a CD, music from a CD will have better sound quality than that of an iPod/iPhone or similar device.People use lossy formats to be able to store more music for the same reason you mentioned: ease of access and that's perfectly fine, but it is at the expense of quality
Last edited by GCG; Apr 29, 2016 at 09:23 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
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From: Miami FL
My point precisely, especially in engineering, where everything is a compromise.
Engineers optimize one variable, or set of variables, at the expense of others, but keeping the overall design within predefined limits.
As I already mentioned, it's a personal choice. I was just clarifying that it is not a "free lunch", for those who want to make an educated decision.
Engineers optimize one variable, or set of variables, at the expense of others, but keeping the overall design within predefined limits.
As I already mentioned, it's a personal choice. I was just clarifying that it is not a "free lunch", for those who want to make an educated decision.