re: Which Headunit is good?
04-09-2004, 09:04 AM
#1
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re: Which Headunit is good?
I have a 2004 Sti and i'm looking into getting a new headunit, but i just dont know which to choose from. Alpin, Kenwood, Pioneer, sony, etc. Can anyone help me and tell me which headunit is the best out there. My price range maximum is around $600-$700.
Thanks
Jim
Thanks
Jim
04-09-2004, 01:34 PM
#2
In that range you can get some top notch stuff man.
What style do you prefer..what does it have to have.
Passive or amped. Detachable or regressing face plate. Stuff like that.
basically I am a huge huge fan of alpine..I've run a few other brands and at least 4 alpines....always been very pleased with the alpine.
My suggestion..
if you like the regressing idea....I like their larger plate decks...I have a 7987 but for your range I think you'd be stoked on the 7998. I had the standard size of the similar models...the 9815 and it was awesome.
I'd also consider one of the new models if you prefer a standard detachable size...like maybe the 9835.....can get them for around $500. Has like 500 color choices for the deck so it should be able to match up pretty good with the STI.
ALPINE get my top vote.
You can also get a good pioneer deck in that price range. I don't like most of their stuff but their top line head units are quality.
I say no on sony. They have cool features and you could get that one with the crazy screen that you can load your own pictures on but you'll suffer on the sound end a bit. I don't like kenwood either.
Only other one I'd look at is probably the blaupunkt. They don't look the greatest or have the most features but man they sound good. And some of them have auto adjusting systems....you set your EQ....you roll the windows down it will pick up frequency change....less bass or what not...and will raise the levels to put it back to how you had it sounding...great systems.
But yeah.>>
Alpine then pioneer.
What style do you prefer..what does it have to have.
Passive or amped. Detachable or regressing face plate. Stuff like that.
basically I am a huge huge fan of alpine..I've run a few other brands and at least 4 alpines....always been very pleased with the alpine.
My suggestion..
if you like the regressing idea....I like their larger plate decks...I have a 7987 but for your range I think you'd be stoked on the 7998. I had the standard size of the similar models...the 9815 and it was awesome.
I'd also consider one of the new models if you prefer a standard detachable size...like maybe the 9835.....can get them for around $500. Has like 500 color choices for the deck so it should be able to match up pretty good with the STI.
ALPINE get my top vote.
You can also get a good pioneer deck in that price range. I don't like most of their stuff but their top line head units are quality.
I say no on sony. They have cool features and you could get that one with the crazy screen that you can load your own pictures on but you'll suffer on the sound end a bit. I don't like kenwood either.
Only other one I'd look at is probably the blaupunkt. They don't look the greatest or have the most features but man they sound good. And some of them have auto adjusting systems....you set your EQ....you roll the windows down it will pick up frequency change....less bass or what not...and will raise the levels to put it back to how you had it sounding...great systems.
But yeah.>>
Alpine then pioneer.
04-09-2004, 01:45 PM
#3
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ALPINE ALPINE ALPINE.... then clarion, IMO. Personally I have a Sony deck (which I got to play minidisc), they make a solid product as well.
check out this new clarion... TOUCH SCREEN!
check out this new clarion... TOUCH SCREEN!
04-09-2004, 01:47 PM
#4
clarions sketch me out.
They are so off and on. They made great great products for a long time. I had one I gave to a friend of mine that was awesome. Just simple and great sounding.
But then they went through a few bad years...stuff just flat sucked. And that's continued to a point up until now.
It's give or take with them. Great features. Great sound. But you may very easily get a bad one and to deal with warranty issues which is not fun with them.
But I am interested in this touch screen stuff. I've been waiting on it to get more regular for a while.
They are so off and on. They made great great products for a long time. I had one I gave to a friend of mine that was awesome. Just simple and great sounding.
But then they went through a few bad years...stuff just flat sucked. And that's continued to a point up until now.
It's give or take with them. Great features. Great sound. But you may very easily get a bad one and to deal with warranty issues which is not fun with them.
But I am interested in this touch screen stuff. I've been waiting on it to get more regular for a while.
04-09-2004, 11:42 PM
#6
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It depends on what kind of system do you want.
A/V control or audio only?
I have Alpine decks and they are solid, reliable but conservative looking. (However, thats the very reason I like them, no flashy stuff, just plain works :=) Their CD mechanism just goes like stink. My CD changer have lasted 8 years with 3 different vehicles and still runs smooth, never a skip) A newer Alpine CD receiver installed in 2 vehicles over 4 years and never skipped.
MClarion Pro Audio and Eclipse have very good video control units (fancy touch screen + all the bells and whistles you can imagine) but to be honest with you I think touch screen in an automotive environment might not be the best idea. (I can imagine my sticky oily fingers touching the screen after the midnight drive through at A&W ....... )
If you want fancy graphics but dubious quality, go for Sony, JVC, Panasonic, they look very flashy and cheap but their decks are pretty ordinary and unreliable. I have used Sony, they are cheap but start having problems after 1 year. I found that they marketed for fashion and looks but not SQ.
My 0.02.
A/V control or audio only?
I have Alpine decks and they are solid, reliable but conservative looking. (However, thats the very reason I like them, no flashy stuff, just plain works :=) Their CD mechanism just goes like stink. My CD changer have lasted 8 years with 3 different vehicles and still runs smooth, never a skip) A newer Alpine CD receiver installed in 2 vehicles over 4 years and never skipped.
MClarion Pro Audio and Eclipse have very good video control units (fancy touch screen + all the bells and whistles you can imagine) but to be honest with you I think touch screen in an automotive environment might not be the best idea. (I can imagine my sticky oily fingers touching the screen after the midnight drive through at A&W ....... )
If you want fancy graphics but dubious quality, go for Sony, JVC, Panasonic, they look very flashy and cheap but their decks are pretty ordinary and unreliable. I have used Sony, they are cheap but start having problems after 1 year. I found that they marketed for fashion and looks but not SQ.
My 0.02.
04-10-2004, 12:16 AM
#8
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Don't generalize Sony head units as unreliable because I've had two of their minidisc head units, and the one I have now is pretty nice IMHO:
Sony MDX-8970 (hard to find on searches-rare item)
it has three preamp outputs, the front two have independent adjustable high pass filters and the sub output has its own adjustable low pass filter, and they all have separate level controls. It has a few cool things like voice activation and a thing where you can select where the people are located in the car to optimize sound quality. It sounds awesome (cant remember specs, but the signal-to-noise ratio was something like 98), and it still operates perfectly. Its doesn't have 'fancy graphics' (well I guess it does- An animated dinosaur that dances with the music or 5 other graphic eq displays), but sound quality is definitely not spared.
Sorry, I kinda took that personally since I am a VERY loyal Sony customer (other than car audio speakers and amps, they rule electronics).
[/hijack]
Here's a useful link for your head unit selection http://www.carreview.com/CD%20Receiv...61_913crx.aspx
Sony MDX-8970 (hard to find on searches-rare item)
it has three preamp outputs, the front two have independent adjustable high pass filters and the sub output has its own adjustable low pass filter, and they all have separate level controls. It has a few cool things like voice activation and a thing where you can select where the people are located in the car to optimize sound quality. It sounds awesome (cant remember specs, but the signal-to-noise ratio was something like 98), and it still operates perfectly. Its doesn't have 'fancy graphics' (well I guess it does- An animated dinosaur that dances with the music or 5 other graphic eq displays), but sound quality is definitely not spared.
Sorry, I kinda took that personally since I am a VERY loyal Sony customer (other than car audio speakers and amps, they rule electronics).
[/hijack]
Here's a useful link for your head unit selection http://www.carreview.com/CD%20Receiv...61_913crx.aspx
04-10-2004, 04:28 PM
#9
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Originally posted by OneManArmy
clarions sketch me out.
They are so off and on. They made great great products for a long time. I had one I gave to a friend of mine that was awesome. Just simple and great sounding.
But then they went through a few bad years...stuff just flat sucked. And that's continued to a point up until now.
It's give or take with them. Great features. Great sound. But you may very easily get a bad one and to deal with warranty issues which is not fun with them.
But I am interested in this touch screen stuff. I've been waiting on it to get more regular for a while.
clarions sketch me out.
They are so off and on. They made great great products for a long time. I had one I gave to a friend of mine that was awesome. Just simple and great sounding.
But then they went through a few bad years...stuff just flat sucked. And that's continued to a point up until now.
It's give or take with them. Great features. Great sound. But you may very easily get a bad one and to deal with warranty issues which is not fun with them.
But I am interested in this touch screen stuff. I've been waiting on it to get more regular for a while.
04-10-2004, 06:59 PM
#10
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I have an alpine in mine and have had no problems with it. Personally i think that sony products are just to much of a crapshoot to make it worth your time and money. I've had some great sony products but i've had some terrible ones. And they always seem to crap out right after the warranty expires.
04-10-2004, 09:43 PM
#11
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You had a point about Sony units, they are not totally bad. I remembered Sony used to have mobile ES line (do they still have it??) and their top units are very good, burr brown DA, copper chassis, pre-amp only unit.
I guess MD is Sony's mobile media of choice and they will do their best in getting good MD head units. So thats great that the Sony MD unit works great. I always think they make great CD transports for home audio and that should translate to good mobile CD players but I guess I bought cheap Sony stuff so I had bad luck with them.
I guess MD is Sony's mobile media of choice and they will do their best in getting good MD head units. So thats great that the Sony MD unit works great. I always think they make great CD transports for home audio and that should translate to good mobile CD players but I guess I bought cheap Sony stuff so I had bad luck with them.
04-10-2004, 11:29 PM
#13
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I've been looking into Alpine and Eclipse. I want to know how good are eclipse are their headunits any good? I want to have clear and crips sounds. I have 6 1/2 boston acuostic rally edition speakers. I've seen some models of the eclipse units and they look great, just wondering how are they.
Thanks
Jim
Thanks
Jim
04-11-2004, 12:48 AM
#15
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Originally posted by BlueSti389
I've been looking into Alpine and Eclipse. I want to know how good are eclipse are their headunits any good? I want to have clear and crips sounds. I have 6 1/2 boston acuostic rally edition speakers. I've seen some models of the eclipse units and they look great, just wondering how are they.
Thanks
Jim
I've been looking into Alpine and Eclipse. I want to know how good are eclipse are their headunits any good? I want to have clear and crips sounds. I have 6 1/2 boston acuostic rally edition speakers. I've seen some models of the eclipse units and they look great, just wondering how are they.
Thanks
Jim
Eclipse CD8443 ...good deck as well
if not those i would go with
ALPINE CDA-7998
ALPINE CDA-9835