A Great Piece of Kit – Alpine iDA-X305

Newly installed in my wife's car

Alpine’s iDA-X305 is yet another deck unit that is eschewing discs in favor of media players such as the iPod. How does the Alpine iDA-X305 stack up? The Alpine iDA-X305 actually holds its own against some stiff competition, and is especially well-suited for those with an iPod device that have ripped their old CD collection or look at CDs the way we look at tapes from the 1980s. Here’s what the iDA-X305 by Alpine has to offer:
•    The Alpine knob returns – An amazingly easy to use wheel and knob/button interface that makes navigating menus and folders a cinch. The ability to scroll through a long list of media by letter or by percentage is a nice touch.
•    Charging – You can always charge your iPod or other media device with the included USB plug, though it does not supply enough current to top off your iPad. Sorry iPad owners, but you are still out of luck.
•    2.2” TFT full-color display – The 2.2” TFT display on the iDA-X305 looks great, and Alpine has some unique uses for it. Check out the next two bullet points.
•    Album artwork and track info – Full iPod certification means that your album artwork and track info will play.
•    Digital clock – It might seem kind of corny at first, but those that drive retro or unique rides like a Kia Soul, Mini Cooper, or even a Chrysler PT Cruiser will appreciate the faux analog clock. Everyone else will probably just use the digital clock.
•    Amazing looks with brushed metal trim – A car is a special place, and nobody likes to spend a ton on a new deck that does all the features that they want
•    Add-on support- HD radio, satellite radio, and hands free Bluetooth add-on modules are all supported. Better yet, there are integrated buttons built right into the Alpine iDA-X305 to control and manage these features.

Overall, the Alpine iDA-X305 is a great deck that can get a lot better with a few add-ons. The sound quality is just what you’d expect from an Alpine unit, and the lack of moving parts makes the iDA-X305 a very reliable media station for your ride.