Attention all audiophiles.

I've been looking for a good stereo for my 740 for quite some time now and my buddy Trevor just helped me install a Panasonic CQ-DP171U in my car. As any of you who have installed an aftermarket stereo in a Volvo are aware, the Volvo wiring harness is not compatible with most aftermarket decks and the factor amp needs to be bypassed with most mid-range decks. The nice thing about this deck is that it also plays MP3 CDs - something that I love since I spend a lot of time in my Volvo.

The weird thing about this deck is that, unlike factor stereos that bring the power attena up whenever it is turned on, this deck only raises the attena when the radio is on. When you switch to CD or MP3 mode, the attena retracts.

Also, with the standard Volvo mounting kit, the deck sticks out a little farther than most but still looks sharp with its champagne finish.

The install (thanks to my friend's expertise) went smoothly and I must say, the system now sounds great.

The internal amp on the Panasonic deck is 45W x 4 and with the stock speakers, is just the right amount of power. The speakers in the back doors distort a little so I think my next investment is going to be a set of nice JL speakers for the back.

If anyone has any questions about the deck or the install, e-mail me.

-Aaron