USB Drive for CD Receiver?

[TripleB 10+ year member]

Just got my new CD Receiver installed!!! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif I went with the Kenwood KDC-HD548U Kenwood KDC-HD548U CD receiver at Crutchfield.com.

From what I've read, since I don't have an i-pod, the easiest way to have a lot of music available in one spot (since I'm going from a 6 disc changer down to single disc) is to use a USB Flash Drive.

Never used one for music so I have a couple questions:

1) Are there brands/models better suited for music than others?

2) Is there a max storage space (2/4/8 GB) that the unit can handle?

3) What brand do you recommend?

4) Is Windows Media Player the best way to get the music on the USB drive?

5) Is the sound quality better using a USB drive or putting MP3 songs on a CD?

Thanks for any advice.

Thanks also for all the advice on a new unit for my Honda. It was between the Kenwood and the Pioneer DEH-33HD. I went with the Kenwood because after 'playing' with both of them for about 30 minutes the Kenwoods controls seemed more logical and easier to use than those on the Pioneer. Both had almost identical features so it was a matter of which one I felt more comfortable using. Sounds amazing, once I adjust the EQ and turned the Bass Boost on!!! Wish my CD player would have went out a long time ago!

TripleB

Click to read more...

 

[Jason Brubaker 10+ year member]

I'm interested as well.

 

[Imtjnotu 5,000+ posts]

I'm petty sure it can handle up to 32gb... but any one will do there won't be a difference in sound....I have 2 8 gigs I always kee with me for music

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

mine seem to have better highs on the usb than a cd

 

[TripleB 10+ year member]

Thanks for the help. I borrowed my daughter's Cruzer USB drive to give it a try. Amazingly easy, amazingly quick, and sounded fantastic!!!

 

One thing I'm wondering about: When the folder shows up on my unit it shows up as a number. ie: Folder 8, Folder 9, etc. where each folder contains the songs off an individual CD.

 

Is there a way to set it up so that all the songs from one artist is in a single folder and have the name of that artist as the name of the folder? ie: so it shows up 'Metallica' for all the songs by Metallica, it shows up 'Jason Aldean' for all the songs by Jason Aldean, etc. It would make it easier to find the artist I want and I would love to be able to hit random and it plays all the songs by the group in random order.

 

Thanks.

 

TripleB

 

[DanOpi 10+ year member]

How are you going about putting the songs and folders on the USB drive? You can always try to just go into the USB drive directory and then click and drag the music files over to it and creating the appropriate folder names on the USB drive. You may have tried this already but just an idea.

 

[TripleB 10+ year member]

I'm putting the songs on the USB by Windows Media Player. Drag into sync list and then sync.

 

I just went and did a little more with the USB and my system and once I select the folder (10, 12, 17, etc.) and then start playing the music it will show me the title of the folder (which is the CD Title). But as I'm changing the folder it still just says 'Folder 10', 'Folder 11', etc.

 

I'm not sure if it is possible for it to show anything other than the Folder Number when I'm going through...I can live with that.

 

Thanks for your advice.

 

TripleB