Best car stereo?

[Caiylania]

What brand, and which model of that brand, do you guys think is the best quality for what I can afford?

The requires are:
Price between $200-400
MP3 reader
CDR/CD RW reader
Decent display
Yada yada. All the good stereo stuff.
No dvd capabilities needed.

[Edited on 9-6-2004 by Caiylania]

You can get cheap alpines that really kick ass if you know how to wire them properly. And amps are only like 20 bucks.

[Psykos]

Yea, I'd go alpine too.

[Drew2]

http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&catoid=-8864&qp=0&oid=87522&m=0

This is the one I have. I did not pay $400, I'm pretty sure. I think I paid around $300 all said and done. I have no idea how it works or what makes it so expensive other than it's the kind that like moves out and slides down to put the CD in it (WHICH IS THE REASON I BOUGHT IT TEEHEE).

I totally totally love it though.

[Caiylania]

Please have reasons, I should add. Not just..... this brand. But put in why, how is it better and what does it offer or something.

[Caiylania]

Originally posted by Tayre
http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&catoid=-8864&qp=0&oid=87522&m=0

This is the one I have. I did not pay $400, I'm pretty sure. I think I paid around $300 all said and done. I have no idea how it works or what makes it so expensive other than it's the kind that like moves out and slides down to put the CD in it (WHICH IS THE REASON I BOUGHT IT TEEHEE).

I totally totally love it though.


I've actually been looking at that one. Its up for $289 here. Husband doesn't like its layout though.

[Drew2]

Yeah it takes some getting used to but the sound is GREAT and when I get an amb and sub IT'S GOING TO ROCK SOME SOCKS OFF.

So seriously. Tell him to get over it.

[Drew2]

Ok I totally lied this is the one I have.

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Car_Stereos_Changers_Alpine_CDA_9813_Radio_CD_MP3_ Player_CDA_9813/display_~full_specs

I went out to my truck to check. But anyway. That's good because that means mine is 60 WATTS NIGGA.

I also have no idea what that means.

[Edited on 9-6-2004 by Tayre]

[Caiylania]

My car came with like, 8 speakers and a place in back for a monster to be added. w00t.

Anyways, anyone have some input? A lot of brands look nice. Kenwood, a few JVC's. Anyone had problems with a radio once they bought it? Or know of stuff I should look for?

[Caiylania]

I miss my truck :(

[Brattt8525]

I have a Kenwood.....you want specifics, um um I just LIKE it. And it has a remote, like ahhh its so hard to reach the damned thing?

Anyway, Kenwood is a great and fair priced product!

GO KENWOOD

[Caiylania]

We are leaning towards Kenwood. But I must admit, a nifty touch screen JVC for 300 has my attention. You can personalize with your own pictures and screens.

[AnticorRifling]

Polk audio.

Pioneer.

Only because they are personal choice. Polk is the god system for me. Pioneer the mid price ranged one.

[Speaker]

If you're willing to spend as much as 400 bucks on a head unit, get an Eclipse. You won't be sorry. You can usually find some on e-bay, but generally you'll need to go to an Eclipse dealer to get one.

If not the Eclipse get an Alpine or Pioneer. As far as SQ goes, they are similar, but I'd give the edge to Eclipse, with Alpine and Pioneer only slightly worse.

Whatever you do, remember to actually listen to it, because some of Sound Quality is a personal prefference.

http://www.eclipse-web.com

-David

[Marl]

DO NOT get a sony xplod, well a cheap one anyway, They seriously suck and fall apart before too long. I have one of their upper end ones and it seems to be holding up great. But, if it were me and I was going to get a new one and put a good system in, I would get an alpine 7 series because they are capable of taking anything you hook up to it with stride. 60w per channel, easy interface, and for some reason their anttenea(sp?) hook up doesnt allow as much static as compared to other head units. Then again for price and affordability kenwoods are good solid radios.

[Tsa`ah]

I would stay away from JVC and I think Alpine is over priced.

Kenwood or Pioneer.

Any newer CD deck is going to play CDR/CD-RW. It's only when you get into the MP3 aspect that the price jumps.

If you have an 8 speaker factory system then don't bother with power ratings. Get the deck that has 2-3 RCA out-puts and get a pair of 50-100w x 4 amps.

If you're stuck on the 200-400 price range, forget the MP3 playability and just convert your mp3 files to audio files and burn them to disk.

Also, if you have an 8 speaker setup, you probably have a factory amp setup. This set up probably sucks as it will probably be a 15 - 20 x 8 setup. The good thing about factory amp set-up is that you probably won't have to have additional wiring to replace the amps.

For that price range I suggest any Pioneer or Kenwood. Clarion and Blaupunkt are also good in that price range. Forget Sony, Aiwa, JVC or any other brand.

Personally I'd go Nakamichi, but your stuck with price.

[Makkah]

<<Please have reasons, I should add. Not just..... this brand. But put in why, how is it better and what does it offer or something. >>

God forbid you should do research yourself.


rht

[kheldarin]

I got a Boss deck, hahahaha. 100 bucks on Ebay with MP3 capabilities. Works good enough for me. But then again I don't even use it anymore ever since I got my Ipod.

That's another option, get an Ipod with a car-dock-connector-whatever-thingamajig.

Seriously, get an Alpine.

Eazy E let his play, bumping new shit from NWA.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Stanley Burrell
Seriously, get an Alpine.

Eazy E let his play, bumping new shit from NWA.

Alpine is way over priced. Maybe if these were the 80's and 90's. Alpine then was the only quality brand next to something like Nakamichi. Today, Pioneer and Kenwood are equal, and in some cases better, performers at 70% the cost.

Cost vs performance is king today. Pioneer, Kenwood, Clarion, and Bluapunkt are at the top of that hill.

[Caiylania]

Originally posted by Makkah
<<Please have reasons, I should add. Not just..... this brand. But put in why, how is it better and what does it offer or something. >>

God forbid you should do research yourself.


rht

God forbid that I should ask for reviews from people I slightly know instead of just from just reading a mass of reviews on rating sites. Which I have done as well as using compare feature sites.

Here I can ask questions of those that have systems and get pros and cons. Thx though.

[Speaker]

Nakamichi's sound great, but they break easily. I've had a number of Nakamichi products and I will never buy another one because they are way too much trouble.

-David

[Brattt8525]

Originally posted by Makkah
<<Please have reasons, I should add. Not just..... this brand. But put in why, how is it better and what does it offer or something. >>

God forbid you should do research yourself.


rht

:clap: way to add constructive input

[Skirmisher]

Eh, Makkah is just someone who takes cheap shots at times for reasons known only to him.

:rolleyes:

[Caiylania]

That goes to show nothing cheap works.

[Makkah]

I made my point.


rht

[Izalude]

Go with Kenwood, all the way. I've had alot of experience with car audio. Kenwood may not be the best on the market, but I feel you get the most with your money with them. I've had a KDC-MP8017 for 3 years now. The sound was great with my stock speakers, which surprised me. After upgrading and installing everything myself, spending around 900, the sound rivals my buddy's system which he paid 2k for. My only complaint is that the glare from the sunlight made it hard to see the viewscreen. That's why they discontinued the model I have.

But definitely go with a Kenwood! They rock!

[Wezas]

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-rPbYUVtWoj4/specials.asp?sg=1#1001

Check out the MP3/CD Receivers.

Plenty of the brands that people here have been suggesting. And the best thing about Crutchfield - they send you the exact wiring harness you need for your car. Plug & Play.

[Drew]

Don't listen to power rating on the head unit, it's impossible for a chip to make anywhere near the power they are rated at, so take any wattage ratings with a grain of salt.

Really, the best way you can get yourself a really good sound is to get an amp and run the head unit to that, then to your speakers. I've never done that in a car that has eight speakers, I would probably just pull the main speakers in the doors out, replace them if possible, and amplify those. Then have the amp power the rest of the speakers if possible.

If you ever need help with speakers, I design them for a living so I can give you a little more help in that area.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Drew

Really, the best way you can get yourself a really good sound is to get an amp and run the head unit to that, then to your speakers. I've never done that in a car that has eight speakers, I would probably just pull the main speakers in the doors out, replace them if possible, and amplify those. Then have the amp power the rest of the speakers if possible.

She has an 8 speaker factory system. Chances are that her speakers are already connected to an amp(s).

[Caiylania]

The store we are buying from (we live in Italy, when we order stuff online, it has to be sent to our family and then to us: IE : two months+ half the time before we get it.)

They install with warranty on top of the system we chose warranty. So the wiring I don't have to worry about. I just want the best deal for the money. So far, these are what we have it narrowed down to:

(using random links .... store we are buying from is an italian media store)

Kenwood KDC-MP6025 CD/MP3/WMA Receiver - $289.00
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/redirectFeature.jsp?goToUrl=product.jsp%3FproductI d%3D2564

JVC KD-LHX500 Touch screen system - $350.00
http://www.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL027164&pathId=87


I would like this one, too: $305.00
http://www.epinions.com/pr-JVC_KD-SHX700_In-Dash_CD_Player
http://www.jvc.co.jp/english/car/us/shx/index.html

but I can't find it here :(

[Edited on 9-7-2004 by Caiylania]