Sony MEX-BT3800U Review – An In Car MP3 Dashboard Radio Player That Plays Everything You Can Throw At It
63In this age of modern mp3 players, phones with Bluetooth, music collections on the go, and Bluetooth, you will inevitably find that all but the very latest vehicles support the standard needed to play sound from digital devices on the go.
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Even then, most of the car radios built into dashboards still do not support mp3 or Bluetooth; digital support for these items or phones is often an optional upgrade. So where does this leave you, should you want to listen to your music collection while on the move? Without any joy it would seem! Thankfully, the Sony MEX-BT3800U comes to the rescue of just about any owner of a digital device, with unparalleled features, audio format support, and the ability to link up with just about any Bluetooth enabled audio device.
Amazon Price: $127.95 List Price: $179.95 | |
Amazon Price: $138.00 List Price: $199.95 | |
![]() | Amazon Price: $29.95 |
Sony Xplod In-Dash Radio Features
The MEX-BT33800 is able to play not just Mp3’s but it can also play AAC and WMP too, so no matter what format your music is in the chances are that the Sony will be able to play it with no problems whatsoever.
You can either burn your track selection onto CD in the above formats, or you can go the preferred option which is to connect your mp3 player directly into the sockets on the front. The Xplod features a built in USB socket so you can charge your USB devices while in your car, and some models (such as iPod’s) can be controlled when plugged into this socket direct from the Sony.
As well as the previously mentioned front auxiliary input, this model also enables you to connect your music player or Sirius SCC1 directly into sound system over the airwaves cable free by using the Bluetooth connection. It will automatically detect and link up your music player (should it support Bluetooth that is) every time you enter the car without you having to do anything.
Err….What About The Radio?
With all this great kit it is easy to forget that the MEX-BT3800U Xplod is also a fully featured radio that gives great sound, with RDS showing what station you are listening to on the front panel. The unit is also satellite and HD radio ready; you just need to get the option Sony HD radio extra and away you go!
Being a Sony product, the sound quality is exceptional, and thankfully this time you do not have to be locked into any of their proprietary formats. For the price, the number of features cannot really be beat.
Using Your Bluetooth Enabled Phone While Driving
The Bluetooth connection also lets you make
and receive calls while driving, with the Xplod again auto picking up your
phone once it has been paired once. Having such an easy to use hands free
functionality is something that you don’t really appreciate until you have it
working, and the ease of use means that you will soon wonder how you ever managed
without it. In addition, the level of sound it generates means that you can easily hear it above radar detectors such as the Cobra 9545 and the Whistler XTR-140.
For features, functionality, and price the MEX-BT3800U Sony Radio is one hot product, with everything you could ever want from a modern car radio, and it works well with GPS units such as the TomTom 540TM too. While it takes a little bit of time to setup, once installed it is a joy to use.








