CD Player Review - Kenwood Ez700SR
May 12, 2005
By Paul Sonoda
MSRP: $379.99 USD
Buying a head unit is not a simple as it used to be. Of course it must play CD and CD-R. But what about MP3, Satellite and the latest craze iPod? Truth is there are a lot more peripherals to be controlled by the head unit. The more things we attach, the more complicated it gets. Fortunately, Kenwood has been paying attention. Kenwood has introduced a new series of head units called the EZ series. Get it? The Ez700SR packs the ability to control all the peripherals with easy-to-use ergonomics. Did they get it right? Let’s find out.
First Look
The Kenwood Ez700SR is a single ISO-DIN chassis CD, MP3, Sirius Satellite powered head unit. The first thing that is noticeable about the unit is its look. Love it or hate it, the Kenwood EZ700SR Series layout is a major departure from its previous designs. (Put me in the “Love” category) There are two large matching rubber grip knobs that dominate the face of the Kenwood Ez700SR. The left rotary function knob controls serves as the volume control while the matching multi-function jog dial gains access to different functions of the head unit.
Between the knobs, there is the source button that selects between the different audio sources; AM/FM preset buttons and a very readable white dot-matrix display. Six preset buttons operate can store up to 18 FM and 6 AM stations. These buttons will also recall 6 Sirius channels. To access the CD player, the front face can be lowered via a mechanical push button. The overall look of the detachable front face is nicely done in an industrial black with brushed metal accents.
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Closer
Look
This unit will accept and play CD and CD-R with MP3 and WMA file formats. The Kenwood Ez700SR can deliver the signal directly to speakers with its rated 22 watts per channel or to amplifiers with front, rear and subwoofer 6 RCA outputs. The Ez700SR include a full featured bass, middle and treble tone controls that can be fine tuned by changing either the frequency centers or the “Q” (the shape contour of the equalization). To optimize the speakers, there are separate front, rear high-pass and low-pass crossovers. The Kenwood Ez700SR even provides level matching adjustments between sources to perfectly balance the system. The combination of level matching and individual tone memories for each source gives the Kenwood Ez700SR give you the power and flexibility to maximize the sound quality.
One of the main reasons you might choose this unit is its integrated Sirius Satellite. The Kenwood Ez700SR not only has the built-in tuner, the antenna is also included. If you don’t have satellite radio, get it. You will never listen to radio the same way. The changer port can be used to control a Kenwood changer, Music Keg or, control an iPod™ or iPod™ Mini via the Kenwood KCA-iP500 iPod™ Control Interface. This is a great feature that allows you to bring your music (a lot of it) with you. The interface will also charge your iPod™ while you drive. Real cool. In addition, there is a Aux input for an external source. You can even set the unit up to deliver one source sound to the front and a different source to the rear outputs. Did I mention that this unit can also accept/control a HD radio tuner and comes with a remote control?
Ease of use
The industrial designers at Kenwood deserve a raise. When compared to previous designs, this unit is a real dream. The Kenwood Ez700SR is extremely intuitive. The large knobs make adjustments possible even with long fingernails. The display is easy to read and can be changed to display different information by pushing the display button. To match your dash lights, you have a choice of red or green illumination.
Installation
For a feature laden as the Kenwood Ez700SR is, the installation is quiet simple. There are no additional boxes required to install for the basic operation of the unit. The RCA connections are terminated on wires that are well secured to the back of the chassis. Also terminated off an extended lead, the included satellite antenna comes with enough cable to fit almost any installation situation. Considering that proper installation of the satellite antenna is extremely important for proper reception, it is recommend having an authorized Kenwood dealer install the Ez700SR.
Manuals/Web Support
The manual for the Kenwood Ez700SR was, as it name imply, easy-to-read. It provided all the necessary information to install and operate the unit except one thing. What the manual does not let you know is that this unit will not work until the Sirius Satellite service is activated. I know what you are saying; of course the satellite radio will not work unless activated. But that is not what I said. None of the radio functions will work until the Sirius service is activated. Only after a call to the Kenwood tech center did this become clear. To be fair, you probably would not buy this radio without immediately activating the service. But to be required to do so sucks. Due to the newness of the ez, there was no information available on the Kenwood website at the time of the review.
Sound Q & Performance
The performance of the Kenwood is good. The bass sounded strong and the highs were detailed without being too bright. With all the tone controls in the default position, the Kenwood unit produced a slightly clipped 2.23 volts rms at less than 1% distortion with the volume control set to 33 out of 35. The speaker level outputs measured in at 22.3 watts just at 1% THD + Noise at 26 on the volume control. Like most head units I have tested, the speaker lead clipped significantly before the RCA outputs. On the plus side, all fo the published power ratings exceeded the CEA standard. I was particularly impressed with the tone controls. A little fiddling will really make a good sound quality improvement.
Summary
The Kenwood Ez700SR will make a great command center for your audio system. Not only do you get good performance and great features, you get a easy-to-use head unit that will satisfy even the most demanding customers. If you want satellite radio and the ability to play and control many different devices, the Kenwood Ez700SR is worth serious consideration. Kenwood Ez700SR is the real deal.
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