Car mp3/cd player advice......

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Phocas
2001 ford focus four door.
<--- poor college student given this car (I like it though 😀 )

dude install the headunit yourself, all you'd need is some RCA cables the stereo adapter for your model ( best buy sells it for like under 10 bucks )

and you should be set

you can usually find information on how to take your dash apart online.

 

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Phocas
2001 ford focus four door.
<--- poor college student given this car (I like it though 😀 )

dude install the headunit yourself, all you'd need is some RCA cables the stereo adapter for your model ( best buy sells it for like under 10 bucks )

and you should be set

you can usually find information on how to take your dash apart online.

I think i may do that, hell if i can build my computer then how hard can it be? (famous last words)

JSclark:
Infinity subs are pretty freaking killer, they sound AWESOME! I did have one blow out on my (my fault ) and all you have to do is take it to circuit city (or whereever u got it from) and they give you a new one right on the spot! Gotta love infinity for that. Their speakers are decent, not the greatest.

 

[JSClark]

Originally posted by: Phocas

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Phocas
2001 ford focus four door.
<--- poor college student given this car (I like it though 😀 )

dude install the headunit yourself, all you'd need is some RCA cables the stereo adapter for your model ( best buy sells it for like under 10 bucks )

and you should be set

you can usually find information on how to take your dash apart online.

I think i may do that, hell if i can build my computer then how hard can it be? (famous last words)

JSclark:
Infinity subs are pretty freaking killer, they sound AWESOME! I did have one blow out on my (my fault ) and all you have to do is take it to circuit city (or whereever u got it from) and they give you a new one right on the spot! Gotta love infinity for that. Their speakers are decent, not the greatest.

I would be going for the Kappa Perfect 12.1. Those are rated as low as 18Hz (according to crutchfield)...and one of my friends use to have the Kappa 6x9's in his car, he really did not need a sub after he installed those, they sounded killer

although I'm seriously considering Kicker Resolution comps for the front channels (since I have stock components already).... those give some mighty nice highs and mids.....

 

Those kappa perfects are unbelievable!! I have the cheap infinity subs (still great subs!) but my buddy has those perfects (three) and they were the best sounding I have ever heard. My goodness his system is insane!

 

[isekii]

infinity are overpriced

you can do a lot better for the price they are charging

 

Originally posted by: isekii
infinity are overpriced

you can do a lot better for the price they are charging

Speakers yes....
Subs not really, not mine to be specific.

 

[Wintermute76]

I recently bought the Pioneer DEH-7400MP from sounddomain and all the the harness adapter, and bought the install kit from Best Buy Install Dept. (better quality then the Scosche ones that sound doamin had IMO)

I like it so far, there is about a 5-10 second lag when playing MP3's tho, longer if you skip a track than if you just let it play.
Personally I thought the 8400's faceplate design to be one thing too many to go wrong.

I installed the 7400 in my '02 Silverado in about 15 minutes, just plug it in and go basically.

 

[milagro]

Originally posted by: Wintermute76
I recently bought the Pioneer DEH-7400MP from sounddomain and all the the harness adapter, and bought the install kit from Best Buy Install Dept. (better quality then the Scosche ones that sound doamin had IMO)

I like it so far, there is about a 5-10 second lag when playing MP3's tho, longer if you skip a track than if you just let it play.
Personally I thought the 8400's faceplate design to be one thing too many to go wrong.

I installed the 7400 in my '02 Silverado in about 15 minutes, just plug it in and go basically.

everything he said about the 7400MP lag included. I don't know sh1t about car stereos...the cd player in my maxima died and I wanted to replace it w/ something that could handle mp3s and my wife bought me this. With the harness adapter I'm able to use my stock bose speakers rather than spend an arm and a leg on new speakers and it sounds perfectly fine for me. I'm very very happy and the lag isn't really a big deal to me at all. I make all my mixes anyways so I rarely skip anything.

 

[kmac1914]

I currently have the Kenwood KDCMP8017, which i dont think they produce anymore, along with 3 bazooka tubes in the back. I was actually thinking about getting that same Kenwood stereo, but at the moment I'm going to leave well enough alone...but let us know which one you do buy and how it works out.

 

[GT578]

Get the 8400mp. Kenwood has a faster mp3 loading/seeking time .....but the sound quality is not as good as the pioneer. The EQ on the pioneer is awesome....I have the Premier DEH-P740MP... the EQ and the sound quality is what matters most in my opinion. Alpine is good also......you might want to check out the CDA-9813 i believe......the new 2003 models......the 7894 is discontinued.

 

[blahblah99]

If you want the best bang for your buck, get the JVC SH909. That's what I have. Paid $300 when it first came out and its GREAT. Fast mp3 seek times and has all the useful features you need.

If you don't want the JVC, look into the Kenwood excelon, Pioneer Premier, or Alpine.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT get the cheaper $150 mp3 players (this includes Sony, regular pioneers, regular kenwoods, aiwas, etc etc) as you will most likely end up junking it and getting a better unit.

Also, the way your car sounds will depend a lot on the install, so do not go cheap on getting decent RCA cables. You don't have to get the $100 monster RCA cables - just don't get the $1 radio shack RCA cables.

My system so far for those who care 🙂

JVC KD-SH909
CDT 6.5" Eurosport Components front speaker
Stock rear speaker
Precision Power 4ch amp

CDT 6.5" Eurosport Coaxial front (coming real soon)
10" JL Audio 10W6v2 (coming real soon)
Phoenix Gold TI600.2 (coming real soon)

 

[de8212]

alpine 7894

 

[zoiks]

I had the Pioneer 7400MP and it was cool but the lag between songs was annoying. If you only listened to mp3's and no cd's then you got used to it otherwise it will bug you.
It so happened that some muthaFvker bashed my window in and removed the stereo with a crowbar leaving huge scuff marks in the dash. Not only that since he couldnt get anything else, he came back for the speakers the next time and he bashed the whole rear window in. I was so pissed.
Anyhow, I never learnt my lesson and got the CDA-7995 by Alpine. This stereo rocks. It doesnt have an amp built in but it sure doesnt need an eq.
This stereo is what I recommend. It normally costs 500 or so but you can get it for 350 or so on ebay.

 

Originally posted by: de8212
alpine 7894

Isn't that discontinued?

 

[Wintermute76]

Originally posted by: zoiks
I had the Pioneer 7400MP and it was cool but the lag between songs was annoying. If you only listened to mp3's and no cd's then you got used to it otherwise it will bug you.
It so happened that some muthaFvker bashed my window in and removed the stereo with a crowbar leaving huge scuff marks in the dash. Not only that since he couldnt get anything else, he came back for the speakers the next time and he bashed the whole rear window in. I was so pissed.
Anyhow, I never learnt my lesson and got the CDA-7995 by Alpine. This stereo rocks. It doesnt have an amp built in but it sure doesnt need an eq.
This stereo is what I recommend. It normally costs 500 or so but you can get it for 350 or so on ebay.

I had the old DEH-7200, had it in my Explorer for 1(!) week, and got it ripped off :|
Got the 7300 and sold the Exploder for the Chev I have now.

I wasn't sure if the Pioneer Premier series are any better than the reg except for the 2 year factory warranty, anyone know? I got my 7400MP from sounddomain for $229.00

 

[AvesPKS]

If you can go up just a leetle bit more, go for the KDC-x959. I own it, and it's a great head unit, sounds very clean.

 

[BillGates]

Check out MP3 Highway for more info before buying anything. The forums there are great and they have model-specific ones for each mp3 head unit available for the most part.

I have a Kenwood and love it. Kenwoods are generally known to have the fastest between-song seek time, which is very important when you have mp3 CD's with hundreds of tracks on them. Kenwoods are .5 seconds or less.

All Pioneer and Alpine decks I tested in stores were 1-2 seconds minimum. The Alpines really lagged, and Pioneers aren't known to be good at it either. (Check the forums I mentioned earlier if you need reinforcement of this).

I'd say go for the Kenwood, I'd definitely buy the deck I have again.

 

[machintos]

///ALPINE

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Phocas

Originally posted by: isekii
infinity are overpriced

you can do a lot better for the price they are charging

Speakers yes....
Subs not really, not mine to be specific.

Hmm, I'll take that challenge. What do you have, and what did it cost.

I'd do a JVC HU in that price range. Thats me though
Nak's are really nice, too bad the load mechanism's build quality is slightly below crap.