Boasting a high-tech look and next generation features, Blaupunkt’s latest head unit delivers.

by Mike Chaput,
Sales & Marketing Manager,
Moss Motors and Jackson Racing

I’ve been involved in the aftermarket parts and accessory business for 17 years. I have what some would call an active lifestyle — when I’m not working, or drooling over cars & motorcycles, I’m out on the court playing tennis, basketball, and riding dirt bikes — I like to get the most out of whatever I do. When it came time to put a new head unit in my supercharged ‘96 Civic EX, I wanted something that was going to deliver. Enter the Blaupunkt San Franciso CD70 receiver.

I commute over an hour in my car every day, and my tunes are very important. The Blaupunkt San Francisco has raised the enjoyment of listening to my favorite music immensely. I’m truly impressed at the difference in sound quality and quantity the San Francisco added by simply installing the unit.

This slick-looking unit features Blaupunkt’s DigiCeiver tuner which, according to Blaupunkt’s literature, actually digitizes the radio waves so that most of the filtering, detection, and noise rejection is done in the digital domain. The strength of the receiver is truly amazing. In my area, my stock Honda radio could only pull in a handful of stations. With the San Francisco unit, my station selection tripled! The unit features 24 FM and 12 AM presets, as well as RDS for station call letter display — with so many more stations available to me now, the large number of presets is very handy.

The sound and power that the San Francisco produced blew me away. The system in my Civic EX is completely stock, except for the San Francisco, and the stock speakers are much louder than before. The unit features a built-in 4 x 45-watt amplifier section to help deliver its exceptional sound. When I turn this puppy on, everyone is blown away at how much better it has made my OEM system sound.

Basic functions are user friendly and intuitive. This unit is so feature-rich that a thorough read of the manual is required to enjoy its maximum potential. You’ll really want to dig into Blaupunkt’s Digital Sound Adjustment (DSA) self-equalization and Dynamic Noise Covering (DNC) systems. The DSA system uses a built-in microphone to listen to the car’s “acoustic personality,” and then generates an EQ curve to compensate for it. A head unit that EQs itself how can you beat that! Blaupunkt’s DNC system uses a calibrated microphone to monitor relatively constant sounds (i.e., wind, road noise, back-seat drivers) and only raises the volume of problem frequencies. What’s cool about this feature is that you never feel like the system’s too loud and you’re not constantly adjusting the volume. Did I mention the manual is very thorough and easy to read?

The San Francisco is just as cool cosmetically as it is technically. Ergonomically, everything is laid out very simply and is no more than a finger length away. The flip down face is very trick, and my eight-year-old daughter loves the “Blue Lighting” and cool little pictures generated by the San Francisco’s dot matrix display.

Another feature that I love is Blaupunkt’s KeyCard security feature. In addition to acting as a security key, the KeyCard remembers user-stored data as well. It’s much easier than removing and carrying around an entire face unit, and it fits in your wallet! The included RC 10H infrared remote and the optional Thummer remote are also great additions. Both pieces offer ergonomic designs and enhanced convenience.

Being in the performance/aftermarket business, I come into many manufacturers that allow money issues to influence the design and features of their products. The build quality of the San Francisco is superb. It’s refreshing to see a manufacturer that can deliver a product with features as rich as this unit at a competitive price. In my book, this unit is worth every penny.

Price & Contact: $699; 800-950-BLAU, www.blaupunkt.com.