# $860 + install worth it for Phatbox?



## roxnadz (Jan 10, 2003)

What do you guys think? From the research I've done, I've found most to like this. It's a little on the expensive side though, for what's basically an MP3 player.

Would any of you do it?


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## vietsb (Apr 8, 2003)

Sounds fairly pricey, but I've never priced it out. I'd wait till there are competing technologies and the price drops. CAB rules, ya know?


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Seems pricey compared to what a certain group of guys I know would charge you for it! 

You saw this thread, right: MP3 Stuff

Chris :gay:


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

I thought it was worth the money and bought one last summer. I wasn't happy with using my iPod and an RF solution for a number of reasons: RF quality, limited capacity of the iPod (mine is an early 5GB model, although they now come with up to 30GB), the need for charging the iPod battery, ease of use while driving and additional clutter in the car.

The PhatBox offers more capacity (mine is 40GB, but there are now 60GB carts available), OEM integration and installation using BMW CD Changer brackets in most late model BMWs, and very simple and powerful navigation through a text to voice interface.

Right now, there is nothing else on the market that comes close to matching it feature for feature at any price point, although there probably will be at some point. Anyone's guess as to when though. I thought it was worth the money and I've been very happy with it. I've yet to hear from anyone that regretted buying one.


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## jw (Dec 21, 2001)

Phatbox supports lossless compression ala .flac. For that reason alone I'd say go for it.


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## AK (Jan 19, 2002)

I looked at the Phatbox system as well and almost became one of their BMW beta testers but decided not to in the end. I thought their product was too expensive.

I eventually went with the Alpine CHA-S634 MP3 changer but now I'm kinda wishing I had something better, for a few reasons:

- 6CD MP3 changer is only 6x700MB = 4.2GB total storage. Fairly modest storage capacity compared to most HD-based solutions. FWIW, you can get about 110 songs per CD if you use higher bitrates for better sound quality (either 192kbit or even better, LAME 3.93 VBR encoding which is basically indistinguishable from a source CD and averages 180-210kbit).

- It's more inconvenient to get songs from your computer to your car quickly. Burning CDs is a lot more difficult than you think if you're extremely lazy  Example, if I snarf down a couple albums off alt.binaries.sounds.mp3 they typically sit on my computer for a long time before I amass enough of them to burn a CD's worth. And then I wind up with totally mismatched CDs. Nothing's organized very well. Admittedly this is all due to my own laziness. I have weird MP3 CDs that have everything from smooth jazz to Metallica (don't tell Lars).

- The interface with the Soundgate adapter is buggy and cumbersome. There is lagtime between tracks when hitting the +/- buttons, and if you hit the + too fast, the track numbers start going backwards! When you hit track 99, you can't hit + to roll it over to 01 again, you have to wait for the song to finish. When you're at 01, you can't hit - to go backwards to 99 (or whatever), but if you hit + really fast, the tracks will start going backwards and break through the 01 barrier. Any questions?  Bottom line, it's very difficult to get to the middle of a CD (like track 50 or 60) from the beginning (the + button won't let you press it fast enough). I find myself using the RND button to "jump" ahead quickly. Kinda clumsy 

- You don't get ID3 text display, just track numbers. At least the changer will predictably organize the track numbers based on alphabetization of the subdirectories/songs. It works well if you rip your own CDs and have good track name/number organization.

Aside from all this, it was a very inexpensive upgrade (Alpine changer = ~$250, Soundgate box = ~$100, plus sell your old BMW CD changer on eBay for $250-300 so your net cost is probably no more than $100). These days I cannot possibly imagine going back to standard CDs with only ~15 songs apiece on them. No way. I LOVE the capacity.

I would be very interested in the Dension system BillP mentions in the other thread if I was in the market for this stuff right now.


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## vietsb (Apr 8, 2003)

Someone should check out their factory and let us know if they look legit. 

Dension Audio Systems Kft. 
Address: Hungary H-1116 Budapest, Sztregova u. 5-7. 
Tel: +36-1-463-0470 
Fax: +36-1-463-0479 
E-mail: [email protected]

I'd be interested as well.


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## roxnadz (Jan 10, 2003)

So I think I'm gonna bite the bullet on this, and here's why:

- I did quite a bit of research on this and right now it's the best thing out there overall. Integrates with the head unit (which I don't want to replace), cool-ass SSA voice technology, support of FLAC, and what's provided will keep me going for a while.

- The fact that it integrates so smoothly with the rest of the stereo without much hassle is very appealing.

- While PB is limited production, I've heard nothing about the Dension unit's availability, nor its supportability. PN has forums and are located in LA. They're also available for purchase right now.

- If I end up not liking the setup, I can just dump the thing on Ebay for about as much as I paid for it, so it's no great loss.

I'll let you know what happens.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

You'll likely be quite pleased with your choice.


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## js19707 (Apr 21, 2003)

the PhatBox sounds really great, a friend of mine w/ a '02 E46 M3 raved about his.

the only hesitation that i have about ordering it for my new car is that there doesn't seem to be a way to have the phatbox AND a cd-changer, and be able to operate either one.

i'm waiting for ED of a '03 540i 6spd w/ NAV, DSP. That means that I have no built-in cd player. while a PB would be kickass, i think i would miss the ability to play a cd 

am i correct, is there no way to have both (short of getting an AUX input adaptor and putting a discman in the globe box)?


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## roxnadz (Jan 10, 2003)

js19707 said:


> *the PhatBox sounds really great, a friend of mine w/ a '02 E46 M3 raved about his.
> 
> the only hesitation that i have about ordering it for my new car is that there doesn't seem to be a way to have the phatbox AND a cd-changer, and be able to operate either one.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I thought about that too, but right now, CDs really irritate me. If there's a CD somebody gives me, I usually have my computer 99.5% of the time so I can simply rip it to MP3/FLAC and throw it up on the DMS.

I thought about going the Blitzsafe/Soundgate route but that didn't seem elegant enough to me, personally.


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