Alpine CDE-123R First Tests

As promised here are my initial findings after a brief USB test on one of the first UK samples of the forthcoming Alpine CDE-123R model.
The Alpine CDE-123R appears to be a bit of a hidden gem. It will launch in April and will sit quietly among Alpines other entry level models. It is expected to cost around £175….however it does actually have some rather cool tricks up its sleeve.

Here are the unusual key features that you may miss on a quick glance of the brochure…
# It is equipped with dual USB 2.0 sockets (one front, one rear)
# It has an increased USB power supply for more current demands
# It has a new improved “banking” system for storing and browsing ID3 tags
# It has an uprated power supply & new audio chipset for improved audio performance
# It features iPod passenger mode to surrender control back to the iPod
# It can mix audio via its front aux input – for an external portable nav voice input.
Along side the more standard bits such as:
# RDS Tuner
# High power internal 50W amp
# Front mounted aux input
# iPod Control
# 3 x Pre-outs
# Frequency & Q adjustment
# High/Low Pass Crossovers
# Detachable Facia

Now the improved USB 2.0 performance and improved browsing, made this a “must test” when it landed on our desks this month. We decided that with a simple single line display the unit was not really designed for browsing drives with content larger than 16GB, however its potential for advanced compatibility meant we grabbed our phones to see how it faired with audio stored on iPhone, Android, Nokia, Blackberry and flash drives.
1) The iPhone performance was as expected for an Alpine, superb. Quick easy browsing with good audio with the added bonus of being able to use the iPhones interface via “passenger mode” if desired. To be honest Alpine are masters of all things Apple and this test was merely a formality
Now for the more tricky mobile handset tests so often failed by generic USB units……
2) The Blackberry Curve 8900 had 2GB of music and the Alpine picked up the USB connection, started playing the first track immediately and cached (“Banked”) the ID3 tags in literally 10 seconds. Once banked the MP3 files could be browsed “ipod style” by Artist, Song or Album. – Very Good Result
3) The Nokia X6 Symbian powered phone was connected next and the handset immediately asked if it should be in Mass Storage or Media player mode. We opted for Mass storage and the Alpine instantly banked, stored and played the audio content. – No Problems here
4) The Android tests came via my own Samsung Galaxy S running 2.2 Froyo and an HTC Desire running 2.1 Eclair. The Samsung had to be manually switched to Mass Storage mode in order to get the ball rolling, however this can be set as default. Once again the music was scanned quickly and playback was no problem at all for the 4GB of mixed music. Playback of track one starts almost immediately but the Alpine will take 5-10 secs / GB to “bank” and store the tags in order to give you the advanced searching. – Nice

All in all we were very impressed with the Alpine, it had a clean no nonsense design and display combined with some decent audio specs under the hood. Comine that with decent USB compatibility for all but the largest of USB storage freaks and this entry model is very appealing indeed.
I have not let Alpine take the unit back yet, so if you have any other questions or tests feel free to let me know and i can give it a whirl…..