I currently have a Pioneer (DEH-P8000R). I made my first mp3 cd early this morning and went out testing the units at 4 different shops. None of the employees had any clue to work any of the decks. It was pretty much pushing buttons and one was using the manuals.

I really am sold on the Kenwood at this time. I owned a Kenwood (5003) before upgrading to the Pioneer and NEVER had any problems with it.

Anyhow, about the 7019:

1) Is the face plate motorized when opening or does it just flop down and you push it back up once the cd is inserted?

2) Is this the model that has the angle button which will tilt the faceplate upward. This will be highly handy since my deck is in the lower pocket of my 98 Civic.

3) No shops had the remotes! I see the remote on this model has 1-10 numeric buttons. Will these buttons allow me to pop in a mp3 cd and hit *8* *4* and it goes to track *84*? I just can not see hitting the
Fwd button 84 times to get to that track.

4) Does anyone know the ID3 character limit on this model? If I remember correctly this model did display the entire text for my songs. And some were quite LONG!

5) I see the 619 is very similar. It doesn't have the sub woofer output correct? I need this output since my Punch amp does not have a x-over.

6) When hitting "ATT" to mute the cd player and when you push it again does the music slowly come back on to full volume? This is one thing I loved about my Kenwood (5003) deck and don't like about my $650 Pioneer

Thanks for any input you guys can give me on this deck!!