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Kenwood KHD-C710

The Music Keg — Digital Media Player

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Item# 113KHDC710 offer details

Item# 113KHDC710

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Into musical variety and playback convenience? Kenwood's KHD-C710 Music Keg will turn your car into a monster jukebox on wheels! The digital media player has a 10-gigabyte cartridge that stores up to 2500 of your MP3, WAV, or Windows Media (WMA) files for skip-free digital playback. The system includes the Music Keg car player, a music storage cartridge, and the desktop unit.

Using the included PhatNoise™ music management software, you organize the music files on your PC. Insert the music storage cartridge into its desktop cradle, and download the files onto the cartridge through your computer's USB port. Then, pop the cartridge into the Music Keg in your car (connected to select 1998 and newer Kenwood receivers with CD changer controls), and you're ready to rock for days!

You control the Keg just as you would a changer — the folders act like discs, and the files act like tracks on a CD (folder and file access is almost instantaneous). Power and ground are supplied through the Music Keg's cable (included). Buy a Kenwood changer-controlling receiver along with your Music Keg, and save $$ with Crutchfield's package discount.

Read a hands-on review of the KHD-C710 at CrutchfieldAdvisor.com!

Details:

  • Music Keg plays MP3, WAV, and Windows Media (WMA) files (mounts like a standard changer)
  • USB computer desktop cradle loads music files from your PC — PhatNoise Music Manager software is compatible with a Pentium II 200 MHz processor and 64 MB RAM used with Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium, Windows 2000, and Windows XP-equipped computers (does not currently work with Mac OS)
  • transfers files from the computer to the Hard Drive at USB speeds
  • 10-gigabyte music storage cartridge (holds roughly 2,500 songs)
  • user-friendly Kenwood PhatNoise Music Manager software CD-Rom included
  • connects to select 1998 and newer Kenwood changer-controlling receivers. (If you are unsure if your Kenwood receiver is compatible with the Music Keg, call one of our Sales Advisors at 1-888-955-6000.)
  • occupies the CD changer port on the Kenwood receiver, so an optional 2-changer adapter is needed to run both the KHD-C710 and a CD changer
  • compatible with any in-dash FM radio when used with an optional Kenwood FM modulator (KCA-R70FM, see "Accessories")
  • displays MP3 file names and ID3 tags
  • 10-11/16"W (including cable and cartridge) x 2-5/8"H x 7-1/8"D (car player)
  • 1-year warranty
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Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Product Research

Product Research
What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

  • KHD-C710 Music Keg unit
  • KHD-010G 10GB Digital Media Storage (DMS) cartridge
  • PhatNoise Music Manager CD-ROM
  • KHD-USB1 USB cradle with 69" USB cable
  • USB Cradle AC adapter (Output: 12V DC 800mA) with 8' power cord
  • 20' Music Keg connecting cable
  • 4 Self-tapping screws
  • Instruction Manual
  • Quick-Start Guide
  • Music Keg Accessories sheet
  • Warranty sheet

Our Product Research Team

At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.

Features
Software and Computer Information
Dimensions
Music Keg Inputs and Outputs

Features

Overview: The Kenwood KHD-C710 Music Keg plays MP3, WMA, and WAV files that you download from your computer. It uses a 24-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter.

Compatibility: The KHD-C710 connects to the CD/MD changer input of select 1998 and newer Kenwood head units equipped with CD changer controls; if a controller has been confirmed as compatible with the Music Keg, the Music Keg will appear in the accessory list for that controller. Compatible receivers control the Music Keg player just as it would a changer. If you want to connect the KHD-C710 and a CD/MD changer together, a Kenwood KCA-S210A (item 113KCAS210) multi-changer adapter will be needed. The Music Keg cannot be used along with the Kenwood KPA-HD100 heads-up display (item 113HD100); the heads-up display will not allow the Music Keg signal to pass through intact.

Playback Features: Using the "next" and "previous" track buttons on the controlling receiver, you can locate tracks. Using the "next" and "previous" disc buttons on the controlling receiver, you can locate different play lists. Scan and repeat functions can be used. Note: With Kenwood head units that recognize CD Text, the song and artist name from MP3 ID3 tags will scroll across the display.

Mounting: The KHD-C710 Music Keg can be mounted vertically, horizontally, and upside-down. Avoid mounting the unit at angles for best shock performance.

DMS Cartridge: "DMS" stands for Digital Media Storage. The storage capacity of the included cartridge is 10GB (roughly enough capacity to store about 2,500 songs compressed at 128kbps). The cartridge can store MP3, WMA, WAV and other types of data files, but the Music Keg will only recognize MP3, WAV and WMA files. The total number of songs the cartridge can store must not exceed 30,000. Larger DMS cartridges up to 40GB are available directly from the PhatNoise website. 

Computer-to-Computer File Transfer Capability: Once data has been downloaded to the DMS cartridge, the included USB cradle can be used to download files from the cartridge to another USB equipped computer. 

USB Cradle: The included cradle is made to connect to a USB port on your computer, and it allows you to download data to/from the DMS cartridge. 

Software and Computer Information

PhatNoise Music Manager: The included CD-ROM allows you to organize, play, and create digital music files. The formats you can choose from are MP3, WMA WAV, and FLAC. The software can convert files to the OGG format, but OGG encoded files cannot be played using the Music Keg . You can also download music from the internet. With this software, you can arrange music into playlists, and music files can be converted from one format to another. The maximum number of playlists that can be managed with this software is 999. Other features of the software are:

  • ID3 Tag Edit Capability
  • Integrated Web Browser
  • Keyword Song Search
  • Multiple MP3/WMA Compression Rates: up to 320kbps
  • Variable Bit-Rate Compatible

Audible Content: The PhatNoise Music Manager can manage downloaded spoken-word programming from Audible.com. Audible.com contains a huge collection of audio programming delivered digitally over the Internet. At the Audible website, you can choose over 4,500 audiobooks and 14,000 other audio programs including newspapers, magazines and radio programs. These can be easily downloaded to your computer for instant listening, or loaded onto a DMS cartridge for use with the Music Keg player. The Audible service is on a paid subscription basis.

Firmware Updates: The Music Keg has firmware programmed inside of it. PhatNoise periodically releases updates to the firmware in order to fix problems or to provide feature upgrades. These updates can be downloaded to the DMS cartridge, then to the Music Keg player.

Computer Requirements: The Music Manager software is compatible with Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millenium, Windows 2000 and Windows XP-equipped computers. A USB port is required to connect the included USB cradle.

Dimensions

Dimensions:

  • Music Keg: W = 8.171" (10.671" including cable and cartridge), H = 2.568", D = 7.078"
  • DMS cartridge: W = 3.665", H = 0.655", L = 5.699"
  • USB Cradle: W = 5.196", H =4.390", D = 4.732"

Music Keg Inputs and Outputs

Left Side:  

  • DMS cartridge input

Right Side:

  • RCA outputs: Left and right preamp outputs that can be used to send the signal to a recording device
  • Music Keg female connector cable: connects Music Keg to the Kenwood CD changer controller
 

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1-9 of 9 items Sort Results By: Date Reviewed | Rating | Helpfulness
 
4 out of 5

Kenwood KHD-C710

Written By civ187, Crystal City, TX on Tuesday, November 29, 2005
 
I installed this unit as part of an entire audio upgrade in my 2004 Tahoe. It was the best thing that I could have done. I just put it on random for those long drives, especially in areas where there is no radio reception. Only down side, need more space and the disks are kind of expensive.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

Great Player

Written By Jay, Fort Worth, Texas on Monday, November 21, 2005
 
This changer is the best! Who needs satellite radio when you can put your entire music collection in one box? I do experience the "Disk player not found" error every once-in-awhile. All you have to do is turn off head unit and turn it back on. Every now and then, if I take a corner too fast, the music will stop playing for a second. However, this is much better than having MP3 CDs skip and get read errors all the time. I added this changer to my MP3-capable head unit because the CDs would get errors when you got about half-way in to them. I don't even use the CD MP3 player anymore. I got one for my car and I'm getting one for my truck as well. You can put downloaded music on it if you burn them to a music CD and rip them back to MP3.
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5 out of 5

Kenwood KHD-C710

Written By Robert, Worcester, MA on Thursday, October 20, 2005
 
I love my music keg. I was always burning MP3 CD's because my Kenwood headunit is capable of playing MP3's which I thought was great and I had all of my favorite songs on discs, but I ended up with a lot of unlabeled discs all over the car and I would still have to keep changing discs. The music keg allows me to have all of my songs on one cartridge in a much more organized manner. I hardly ever listen to AM/FM radio stations anymore and a few months after living and driving with the music keg, I canceled my Sirius subscription because my MP3 Library is all I need.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

2nd Unit have installed

Written By Brad, Orange County, CA. on Wednesday, June 29, 2005
 
This is the 2nd Kenwood KHD-C710 Music Keg I have installed and again it was very easy. The first went in my 2004 Toyota 4-Runner and the latest went in my 2005 Toyota Sienna Van. The family loved the first one so much I had to install the 2nd one in my wifes van because they always took my 4-Runner to listen to all the music. We put all our CD's into the hard drive in one evening. Amazing Unit. I wish they made one for our home stereo.
2 out of 3 people found this helpful
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2 out of 5

Doesn't Work With Online Music Download Services

Written By Michael, Sarasota, FL on Friday, June 24, 2005
 
Okay, so the PhatNoise Media Manager software (that you use to transfer files to your music keg) DOES NOT support protected [wma] files. You can play them on your computer, but you can't transfer them to your DMS (digital music storage cartridge). What does this mean? If you're planning on buying songs or albums off of iTunes, Napster, Yahoo! Music, Real Rhapsody, or any other online music source THIS UNIT WILL NOT PLAY THEM . Hopefully they will change this, but I doubt it.

The unit is awesome in every other aspect. If you just want to dump all your CDs onto it to ease the clutter in your car then by all means buy the keg. But if you have any aspirations of building your music collection by purchasing and downloading music - even from the legal sites - don't buy the Kenwood Music Keg (or any PhatNoise product, like the PhatBox).

If I had know this, I would not have bought this... I would have paid $50 more and gotten an iPod that WILL play the files... that is PORTABLE... and is twice as big (20GB) out the gate...

Retrospect is always 20/20, right? Hopefully I can save you some trouble.
18 out of 23 people found this helpful
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4 out of 5

Great... if it works

Written By Tobin, Washington D.C. on Tuesday, June 21, 2005
 
This product is great.. when it works. I have had it for over a year now and I really enjoy it. It holds most of my CD's, it is quite easy to use and the soud quality is wonderful. I have it hooked up through my sirius receiver and often times the head unit does not "see" the unit, so I have to turn off the car unplug it and plug it back in. This is a major pain. So to remedy this I went out and bought an ipod and it is not comparable in anyway. The unit that is used to hook it up through the head unit is a pain to navigate and using an FM tunner has poor sound quality, so after trying many different things I have decided it is worth putting up with. Overall it is a good item and is the best way to store MP3's in the car as far as I can tell.
2 out of 3 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

FANTASTIC.

Written By Dan, Orlando on Thursday, March 17, 2005
 
Anybody with an MP3-capable deck knows how much more convenient it is to fit six or more CDs on to one disc. I was happy with mine, but still felt restricted by the time-consuming burning process, the gaps between tracks, and the need to still carry around a CD wallet to hold all my music.

Enter the Music Keg. First, the interface is seamless with my deck. The software is easy to use, and the sound is stunning. I'm in to classical, and the FLAC support really makes a difference. Lossless, seamless playback, along with all the ID3/CD Text support you'd expect. You can add any number of playlists (called discs), which you change like discs in a magazine, to let you play the music in any order.

My only 'complaint' I can think of is the slow USB 1.1 transfer speed. Transferring songs can take even longer than ripping, but that's not a big issue since you're generally only doing so once. In fact I just set it up to transfer overnight and was none the wiser.

You'll never go back once you try this.
11 out of 12 people found this helpful
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3 out of 5

Music Keg

Written By Alex, Fort Walton Beach, Florida on Thursday, March 03, 2005
 
I purchased this and installed it into my car along with the Kenwood FM modulator. When I could get it to work, it worked ok. The FM modulator had a problem seeing the music keg after you turned on your car, maybe a 10-30 second delay before it would actually find the unit. I would get a "LINE ERROR" on the controller. I'm sure there was something wrong with the FM Modulator or the Keg. I sent it back because of this and ordered the Omnifi (20 Gig HD, wireless, nicer controller etc etc. This review is not for the Omnifi but it is a much better deal. I have used Kenwood products for over 15 years and this was the first set up that really needed more "engineering" time. This product is not actually a Kenwood; the main unit is from Phatnoise in a Kenwood case. I am hoping that the next version of the Phatnoise, (MusicKeg) is much better.

The install is very easy. 1 cable to hook up to your head unit or to a FM modulator. It receives its power through that cable as well. Screw down main unit, route the cable, push in the connector to the head unit end and push in and use the thumb screws to tighten the Keg end. That's it. Then take the HD and throw it up on your computer and DL your gigs of songs and then put the HD back into the Keg in the car and your on your way.

I was very disappointed in the set up I had. Unfortunately the radio in my car will not allow for a direct connection so that pushed me over to the FM modulator side. I really didn't notice that much of a difference listening through the FM modulator.

I hope this helps you in your decision to buy or not to. I would wait for the next version to come out or go with the Omnifi.



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14 out of 17 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

Fun

Written By Bill, Missouri on Sunday, February 27, 2005
 
This thing is GREAT. I can cruise through well over 100 CD's at a bitrate of 192. No skipping, no carrying CD's, no worries. I love it!

I updated the firmware before using it. That too is easy. Nothing hard about installing it or using it.
42 out of 48 people found this helpful
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1-9 of 9 items

For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the Kenwood KHD-C710, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_113KHDC710/Kenwood-KHD-C710.html ).

Kenwood KHD-C710