Head units - Need to know what the good brands are. [Archive]

.::Astina|Brad::.

03-01-2003, 10:39 AM

[color=#728FCE:post_uid9]Heya fellas...

I'm lookin @ updating my audio gear in the Stina. also had a friend ask which head units are good... i wasn't too sure... i've always thought Clarion are of decent quality... but i don't really have any idea. i think my mate wants to keep the price relativly low. below $300 where as i am willing to go above that. i liked some deck that had these little pic's come up on the LCD screen... oh.. and something that has an ultra brite blue glow to it would be hella sweet.

All help would be apretiated..
Tanx
.::Brad::.[/color:post_uid9]

supergirl

03-01-2003, 11:49 AM

[color=#8D38C9:post_uid0]Hey

I personally swear by pioneer - and they have graphics and blue screens which look awesome at night and they pump out the best sound. But really I think it is a personal choice and everyone will tell u which brand they like best. Maybe go to a car sound place and check the head decks and sound boards out for yourself...

Good luck :D[/color:post_uid0]

supergirl

03-01-2003, 11:50 AM

[color=#8D38C9:post_uid5]PS Happy Birthday!!! :D :D :D[/color:post_uid5]

bRaDiNhO

03-01-2003, 12:08 PM

[color=#FF0000:post_uid0]Knowing the Sony brand and having a Sony HU I wouldn't really recommend it. I love the HDD unit.... but thats $5000 last time i looked. They also have a really nice 2din MD/ CD HU for $2000. I've just found that mine skips a bit, is a bit fidgetey, and one failed on me. :(

Other than that, cant help too much, but never heard of problems with Alpine. I'm not a big fan of Clarion anymore due to more serious problems than with Sony on my speakers, but never really tried out their HU's. I've listened to some very nice Nakamichi gear, and if i had money to spend id be looking at them first. But i dont..... :(

Happy hunting Brad #2. ;)

~Brad~[/color:post_uid0]

JynX

03-01-2003, 08:19 PM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]JVC are doing a unit which reads mp3s off cd. Its done in a really nice stainless finish and would looks pretty sweet. They are going for around $1200 i think.

I personally have an alpine install but this was because I got a deal from the supplier and saved myself a good $500 or so.

Link to JVC unit : http://www.sounddomain.com/sku/JVCKDSH707

Havnet linked to jvc site as its slow as my mum[/color:post_uid0]

.::Astina|Brad::.

03-01-2003, 10:52 PM

[color=#728FCE:post_uid0]Thanx for the recomendations and what to stay away from. Wouldn't mind one of the MP3 capable ones...

Are speakers a similar story, where everyone has their fav. brands and brands they don't like, and i should just go trial some for myself???

Thanx Super girl =D

Brad #2 =)[/color:post_uid0]

Asterix

03-01-2003, 11:19 PM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]A mate of mine picked up a JVC single CD HU that reads MP3 from CD. Haven't seen it running, but have seen the face. Looks pretty good, is around 50Wx4 & he bargained it down from $370 to $310.
That's the cheapest "name brand' MP3 CD player I have seen.

I had Sony HU for 8 yrs before the switches wore out & the volume used to turn up by itself! - Spooky.
Was honest for 8 yrs so I wouldn't knock them. Just think their styling these days is a little "in ya face"!

I have had 2 pioneer HU's (1 for 15 months) & the other for 3. No complaints except to say they appear a little tacky (as a lot do these days IMHO). The volume knobs look/feel a little flimsy.
Not a Clarion fan but some people say they make some good stuff.
Alpine have had a good name for a long time. Their HU's were a little boring for years but lately they look pretty swank.

Having not used a lot of these brands, some of my theories are based on looks & not practical use. It's up to you. For all we know, most main stream brands could be made in the same factories (?). I was told a few years ago that Philips car amps were made in the same factory as Alpine & rebadged. Mmmm???[/color:post_uid0]

mrpayner

04-01-2003, 02:43 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]I'd agree with Asterix on the Alpine thing, they're definately my choice for when it's time for me to upgrade [money, need money!!!!]. They seem to be the most aesthetically pleasing brand, plus have a very good reputation.

Food for thought.....

Adam[/color:post_uid0]

kyra

04-01-2003, 04:30 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Hey All,

Thought I'd add my bit... My first deck was a pioneer... did not faulter on my in 3 years of blasting, sold it to my mate, and he's been blasting it for at least 1 year.. .top quality.. not sure bout the new pioneer as my cousin had a high end unit and the buttons f'd up after 1 year...wtf?!

Still think alpine is a bit pricey these days... bought my gf a JVC unit, it has great graphics, ok sound, easy to use HU...was bout 300 from memory with remote.

Also, I have a phillips cd unit (part of the navigation system) that I could be looking at offloading...awesome HU, straight out of my neighbours alfa spider...i'd consider 500.

neways, take care

Bill[/color:post_uid0]

pr1mo

04-01-2003, 05:35 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]i had an old low end pioneer in my laser. bought it secondhand for $100 and only started playing up towards the end when burnt cds didnt want to play.

15 min after getting the astina i purchased a basic sony headunit. only skips after a big shunt over traintracks now that my suspension is bumpier! never missed a beat before the suspension work though :P

cheers mike[/color:post_uid0]

Toyboy

04-01-2003, 05:39 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid4]Well ive had 2 Apline head units now,and honestly i have gone off them,they have only lasted not even 2 years and they start playing up,(and both have been pretty top of the line) :(
I cannot fault the Alpine V12 Amplifiers but,they deliver more power than they are rated at, and have just kept going and going for me :)
Personally when my Alpine headunit packs it in ill be going for Pioneer :;):[/color:post_uid4]

mrpayner

04-01-2003, 06:55 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Actually, the HU that my bro put in his car is a nice Pioneer one. Got a nifty remote too!

Boyd, wake up. Tells us what it is!

Adam[/color:post_uid0]

SehnKhan

04-01-2003, 08:04 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]The headunit in my car is the Pioneer DEH-P5450. I simply cannot fault this unit for quality. Very, very nice sounding unit. As Theo said, the Alpine V12 Amps are great too, I am running one of those aswell.[/color:post_uid0]

MrShadow

04-01-2003, 11:47 PM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]G'Day,
I've got a Kenwood HU and 6 stack CD player. Don't think it's MP3 capable, but even so, it still sh!ts all over the standard HU. I got both together as a package for $500 at strathfield (plus installation). It's much cheaper doing it that way.
Haven't had any problems yet, and my sister had the model before mine, and she hasn't had any problems yet either (that's the main reason I got the kenwood). The HU by itself was about $300 I think, the stacker by itself was about the same.

Hope this helps.[/color:post_uid0]

chuky

17-01-2003, 09:06 AM

[color=#FF0000:post_uid0]i just got a new sony head unit b4 christmas, its a minidisc head unit with the active black panel on the front... as for blue, i dont think it gets any bluer than this but it come with a price.... now my blue stereo really doesnt match mt green dials, lights etc... the result is that now i have my dash ripped apart and am making feeble efforts to turn everything blue.. :P

the head unit was about 1400 of your australian dollars... iv ordered a 6 cd changer with mp3cd capability as well and i think thats coming in at around the 900 aus$.... car stuff and prices in ireland suck.. we get really lamped with the tax over here...

as for the speakers, i havent done anything about them yet but i wont be going sony for these... more than likely Alpine...

i have a friend who put a panasonic mp3/cd HU into his alfa147 and thats blue, sounds unreal and had wicked graphics as well...

i wont be running a separate amp but the alpine v12's have been well reccomended to me as well[/color:post_uid0]

IZG-00D

23-01-2003, 03:38 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]get alpine with MP3 player.
sounds fully sik moite, fully sik...[/color:post_uid0]

Critter

23-01-2003, 06:43 AM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]HUs....

The JVC one mentioned earlier if you want MP3 (if you must....) is fantastic buying in the $350 range, nothing to touch it.

I am an Alpine man, always had them, never a problem, geat SQ and I think they are good value for what they provide.

Depends on budget, but Eclipse are prob the brand of choice at the moment if a bit exxy.
The majors like Pioneer, Clarion, Kenwood etc are all good things, that is why they are major brands really, they DO deliver. Not a Sony fan unless you buy real high end stuff, don't think it is the product it once was.

Keep away from no-name brands and remember you get what you pay for and you can't go too far wrong.

Buy a bit more flexibilty in features than you think you need, saves wishing you got something that bit better and makes it more future-proof is the best advice you'll get. Truly, doesn't cost much to go up 1 or 2 models in a given product range and you will NEVER regret it.[/color:post_uid0]

lordsimpo

19-02-2003, 01:40 PM

[color=#000000:post_uid0]personaly i stick by clarion i had one of the lowere priced cd players for 2 years and it hasnt mised a beet well big bumps with a lowered car what can u exspect my step father had one of the same in his 4x4 no problems till he blew up his engin so its now in a vb dunnydoor running a set of 6" clarion splits and a set of 6x9" and it sounds great i had a set of 6" clarion 3ways running off my headdeck into a USturbo amp then running a set of clarion 6x9" and a 12"dule voice coil clarion sub and i loved it but i crashed my car and sold my system but if ur looking for a good cheap system i recomend clarion i love it oh and if u live in or near newcastel i recomend u go to "newcastel pro sound" they alwase have a sale on so u can get a good bargen :;):

ps ask toyboy about the clarion subs he had 2 in his mazda i dont know if he still has them in it or not but they went off[/color:post_uid0]

cooldragon

01-08-2003, 10:18 PM

only few REAL SQ top brands: denon, McIntosh,alpine(F#1status) and nakamichi...sony makes the c90-R and pioneer dexp9..that's about it what you can get as top of the line

Dogo

01-08-2003, 10:21 PM

do u mind if i add Eclipse to that list ?

I've always liked Eclipse ;)

cooldragon

01-08-2003, 10:34 PM

don't mind at all...forgot to mention that one because they don't sell it here in Holland

dfvadr

01-08-2003, 11:30 PM

im going to stick with kenwood h/u im getting a new 1 next week it plays mp3's an does everything but wash the car for me but unfortanatly i cant seen to get it any cheaper then a grand an i run all pioneer speakers in my car they r awsume speakers

cooldragon

02-08-2003, 12:53 AM

how much is that in euro's/usdollars?

my nakamichi HU costs about 2grand in euro's here and the alpine F#1 status costs 4000 grand euro's here

Critter

02-08-2003, 03:59 PM

Cosmo Dude

02-08-2003, 05:43 PM

how much is that in euro's/usdollars?

Found this site useful. www.xe.com

Rod

cooldragon

03-08-2003, 04:07 AM

They are about the same here.

The F#1 7990 Alpine retail price is $A3990.
is an incredible deck, a mate has one, but so it should be for that price.....

Personally I think the Naks look awful, but that's just me.....

i checked the exchange rate...1 A$ is approx 0.6 euro...so that would make a holland-sold F#1 about 7000 A$ and an aussie sold F#1 a bit more than 2000 euro's...you guys are lucky over there since the caraudio is about half the price from here in holland :(

indeed nakamichi looks awful buts sounds better than everything else on the market except for the alpine F#1status. so for rookies on caraudio, it looks awful so it's not interesting for thieves either

sirex

03-08-2003, 06:41 PM

I currently have a Blaupunkt headunit, its pretty good aye, nice, fine German engineering, but a little pricey.

When it comes to headuit's remember you will only get what you pay for.

Crolla

03-08-2003, 06:49 PM

I second that, my whole system's Blaupunkt :)

Alpine, Eclipse aew both other great brands.

TRN

03-08-2003, 07:13 PM

Hey all
I have always had pioneer and they have been trouble free. Currently got the DEH-6450 with pioneer disc changer never skips even with modified suspension. It has load of graphics in blue with the surrounding being lit up in green which is close to the same colour as the dash. Recommend pioneer speakers although my amp and sub are different brands for no other reason than price.
Cheers
Toby

bRaDiNhO

04-08-2003, 06:25 PM

"When it comes to headuit's remember you will only get what you pay for."

True, but its all relative. Not everyone wants to have 5.1 surround or 10 speakers with 4 subs in their car. If you are only planning on buying a couple of pairs of splits/ components and a sub just so u can listen to music at a decent quality rather than tinny crap or SQL/ Db winning quality, then you dont go and spend $5000 on a deck. Stating the obvious, but a $400 HU will play CDs fine, hook up to a stacker, a couple of subs, amps ,whatever - and shock, it plays music. :o Personally if i spend $2000 on speakers, sub and amp, i wouldnt be able to tell the diff between a mid range pioneer deck and another 4 times the price. [/quote]

cooldragon

04-08-2003, 08:02 PM

Rupewrecht

05-08-2003, 12:58 PM

It's all personal preference.

i've got a JVC chameleon in the astina, and it's great. logical to use, and sounds alright :)

and i've got a Pioneer detachable face in the Bug, and i hate it. dodgy bloody rotary control thats ****e to use, and annoying menu system. And it's not a cheap one, either...

bRaDiNhO

06-08-2003, 05:24 PM

NO, you're wrong Cooldragon..... you can't hear the difference.... just joking :lol:

What i was getting at is tha yes it is all personal preference. If you can't tell the diff between a $400 and $4000 HU like me, then why spend $4000. I just like quality bass and a good alround sound. Anything more and it doesnt fuss me that much.

Out.

Dogo

06-08-2003, 08:40 PM

fair enuf.
I too dont have a hi-end HU but i am very keen on hi-end car audio.
The closest my system would come to hi-end would be the Audison amp.

I think that the speakers and amp components in a system have the biggest impact on sound quality / volume. I would spend 2k on a set of splits before i upgraded my HU any further.

... hmmmm .... and i just might :wink:

BUT i havnt really enough of hi-end HUs to be able to really know.