Help picking a new HU for my Cubby Install

[Meltdown07]

So I'm fed up with having a crappy stock stereo, and I dont want to wait any longer for TDC to release their HVAC/HU replacement controls piece, so I pulled the trigger on the single DIN fascia for the cubby.

 

Now, I need a good recommendation for a headunit. I know a lot of you guys work with the stuff regularly, so I'm looking for suggestions.

 

My criteria are as follows:

• Must play MP3/WMA Files on a burnt CD-R
  
• Must support Sirius Satellite Radio
  
• Backlit buttons must be red (I want them to match OEM as close as possible.
  
• Nice looking screen
  
• Aux-IN (doesnt need to be on the front)
  
• Good sound quality.

I used to have an Alpine deck in my last car that had amazing sound quality. However I know it wouldnt match the red backlights of the LGT so its out. This is a must for me. I want an 'as close to stock' look as possible. Flashy screens in whatever color is all good, I just want a nice red backlight on the buttons. I was at Best Buy last night and was checking out a pretty nice looking Sony deck, but the past Sony decks I have owned ('03 models) have always had inferior sound quality to Alpine IMO. Maybe this has changed, I dont know.

 

I'm thinking I'm going to stay away from one of the folding screen ones, because I dont really need DVD playback or NAV, but if there was one for a great price, I might be tempted.

 

Anyway, please let me know any suggestions you may have. Please manually attach the pictures, as I cant see linked pictures in the actual message body while I am at work. Links to other webpages are fine though provided they are work-safe. Thanks again!

[MaStaMooN]

Might be following your lead here shortly.. but really want a double din unit.. no flip out screens for me, but want the ability to watch DVD's or get a navi system in the future.

 

Alot of the new headunits have changeable button colors.. if you like alpine id check out to see if their headunits do that..

[MaStaMooN]

This one is mostly red for the buttons.

 

http://www.alpine-usa.com/images/products/images/cde-9881.jpg

[Meltdown07]

^^^

Yeah I checked that one out at Best Buy last night, couldnt find a way to change the blue button backlight to a different color, but I know they have had that in some past models.

[GTS Jeff]

I use a Pioneer Premier 880, which can be set to all white. That blends nicely IMO.

[jigelow]

I know a lot of Clarion units have options to change color.

[Admrl]

If it were me, id be more concerned with the sound quality than the "OEM look," especially considering its not going to look factory. Its a second radio, and theres going to be a huge honkin radio right below it. Naturally, that wont look factory. Not to mention the cubby DIN kits arent the most factory looking pieces anyway.

 

FWIW, i think Alpine units are top notch for the middle grade. I use them exclusively in my cars, and i think the build quality and the sound quality have been great, save for that glide touch disaster they tried recently.

 

Im looking at the IVA-200 or IVA-205 to replace the factory radio as well.

 

If you hunt around on carsound.com, i know ive seen a few people take an alpine face apart, and change the button bulbs. Its NOT something id want to do, though... LOL...

[GTS Jeff]

If it were me, id be more concerned with the sound quality than the "OEM look," especially considering its not going to look factory. Its a second radio, and theres going to be a huge honkin radio right below it. Naturally, that wont look factory. Not to mention the cubby DIN kits arent the most factory looking pieces anyway.

 

FWIW, i think Alpine units are top notch for the middle grade. I use them exclusively in my cars, and i think the build quality and the sound quality have been great, save for that glide touch disaster they tried recently.

 

Im looking at the IVA-200 or IVA-205 to replace the factory radio as well.

 

If you hunt around on carsound.com, i know ive seen a few people take an alpine face apart, and change the button bulbs. Its NOT something id want to do, though... LOL...

Alpine is ricer garbage, the APC of car audio. Since when do 1v preouts, generic DACs, and 4x10w amplifiers count as good quality? It's been a few years since Alpine was good, unfortunately.

[Admrl]

:shrug: To each his own, i guess. I didnt say it was the best, but compared to whatever else is getting bought off most retail shelves, id take an Alpine over a Sony or a Pioneer, hands down.

 

Also, while some of them do have crap, Alpine does still have a few units that can be put together with a 24 bit D/A converter and 4v pre outs. I couldnt care less what it has for an on board amp, im not going to use one anyway. :shrug:

[Meltdown07]

:shrug: To each his own, i guess. I didnt say it was the best, but compared to whatever else is getting bought off most retail shelves, id take an Alpine over a Sony or a Pioneer, hands down.

 

Agreed and with regards to the other comment, sound quality is very important, but I really would also like something that matched the stock lighting. I know its not going to look perfectly stock since it'll be a second HU in the car, but the more stock the better I want to match as much as possible. Keep em coming!

[GTS Jeff]

:shrug: To each his own, i guess. I didnt say it was the best, but compared to whatever else is getting bought off most retail shelves, id take an Alpine over a Sony or a Pioneer, hands down.

 

Also, while some of them do have crap, Alpine does still have a few units that can be put together with a 24 bit D/A converter and 4v pre outs. I couldnt care less what it has for an on board amp, im not going to use one anyway. :shrug:

That's retarded. Pioneer is one of the few companies out there that are still good. The only Alpines with 4v preouts cost over $1000, and even then, those same 4v preouts only output 1.7-2.5v when tested in real life. Let's not forget the ridiculously shitty "Bass Engine Pro" that is a like half of a 2 band parametric eq. As for 24bit DAC? Pffft as if I would trust such a scamartist company to use a quality DAC; if they'll cheap out on everything else, why wouldn't they cheap out on the DAC, even if it is 24 bit?

 

The Pioneer 880 has REAL 4v preouts, 4x22w (not the 15w overrated Alpine garbage), dual 16 band GEQ, 6ch time correction, and auto EQ and time correction with mic. It also uses a Burr Brown 24bit DAC, not some bullshit XingXuWuShingWingXingXing brand DAC like Alpine. Oh yeah, it also costs $350.

 

The only Alpine to offer anything remotely close these days is their F1 Status HU. Isn't that just ridiculous?

[BLACKonBLACK Limited]

I got one for $100 everything you want besides the color

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53529

[Admrl]

That's retarded. Pioneer is one of the few companies out there that are still good. The only Alpines with 4v preouts cost over $1000, and even then, those same 4v preouts only output 1.7-2.5v when tested in real life. Let's not forget the ridiculously shitty "Bass Engine Pro" that is a like half of a 2 band parametric eq. As for 24bit DAC? Pffft as if I would trust such a scamartist company to use a quality DAC; if they'll cheap out on everything else, why wouldn't they cheap out on the DAC, even if it is 24 bit?

 

The Pioneer 880 has REAL 4v preouts, 4x22w (not the 15w overrated Alpine garbage), dual 16 band GEQ, 6ch time correction, and auto EQ and time correction with mic. It also uses a Burr Brown 24bit DAC, not some bullshit XingXuWuShingWingXingXing brand DAC like Alpine. Oh yeah, it also costs $350.

 

The only Alpine to offer anything remotely close these days is their F1 Status HU. Isn't that just ridiculous?

 

{shrug} Again, i said to each their own. Do i consider Alpines standard decks to be the best processors out there? Absolutely not, but hell, if i want real SQ processing, im certainly not relying on a 16 band on board EQ either. For similar reasons, the on board power issue is kind of moot with me as well. If youre happy with your cute 16 band EQ and 22 watts, more power to you.

 

As for their good decks being over 1000 dollars, they sure are. And the ONLY deck from Pioneer id consider (but wouldnt buy) is well over 1k as well.

 

As for the Bass Engine Pro, yeah, its crap. Then again, have fun with the Auto-EQ Super duper throw the mic in the car and have it "time allign" too...

[Meltdown07]

Any thoughts on Clarion? I've never owned a Clarion deck before, I'm digging this one though:

 

http://www.hookedontronics.com/show_product_details.jsp?cid=18756

 

To clarify, I'm not looking for the best deck money can buy. While I appreciate that input, its out of the range of the money I want to spend, and what I need. Besides jsut about any deck is going to be better sound quality than stock. I'm not going to be super picky about my car's sound, because if I really want to listen to music, I do it in my studio. I just want a solid deck at a reasonable price with the requirements I mentioned before. I will be attaching a single 10" sub but thats about it. I dont plan on replacing the stock speakers, not right away anyway. Basically most of my music comes from Sirius or mp3 cd's, so I'm not talking about a super high quality source. Anyway, so thats the deal. Thanks again guys.

[jigelow]

Any thoughts on Clarion? I've never owned a Clarion deck before, I'm digging this one though:

 

http://www.hookedontronics.com/show_product_details.jsp?cid=18756

 

To clarify, I'm not looking for the best deck money can buy. While I appreciate that input, its out of the range of the money I want to spend, and what I need. Besides jsut about any deck is going to be better sound quality than stock. I'm not going to be super picky about my car's sound, because if I really want to listen to music, I do it in my studio. I just want a solid deck at a reasonable price with the requirements I mentioned before. I will be attaching a single 10" sub but thats about it. I dont plan on replacing the stock speakers, not right away anyway. Basically most of my music comes from Sirius or mp3 cd's, so I'm not talking about a super high quality source. Anyway, so thats the deal. Thanks again guys.

 

I don't know their build quality currently, but six/seven years ago when I was really into it, I built some decent systems around Clarions. The Pro Audios back then were really nice.

[pattypat]

got a pioneer dvd player w/ vehicle dynamics processor i'll sel ya for a good price has all the capablities like satellite radio mp3 tv tuner and nav.

[GTS Jeff]

{shrug} Again, i said to each their own. Do i consider Alpines standard decks to be the best processors out there? Absolutely not, but hell, if i want real SQ processing, im certainly not relying on a 16 band on board EQ either. For similar reasons, the on board power issue is kind of moot with me as well. If youre happy with your cute 16 band EQ and 22 watts, more power to you.

 

As for their good decks being over 1000 dollars, they sure are. And the ONLY deck from Pioneer id consider (but wouldnt buy) is well over 1k as well.

 

As for the Bass Engine Pro, yeah, its crap. Then again, have fun with the Auto-EQ Super duper throw the mic in the car and have it "time allign" too...

 

 

You're the one who said:

 

"FWIW, i think Alpine units are top notch for the middle grade"

 

Last I checked, that means around $350, and if we compare middle grade Alpine to Pioneer, which I just did, then Alpine comes in at a loss. And why would you not rely on an onboard EQ? It's all electronic, so what difference does it really make whether it's onboard or outboard? Or are you one of those 90s tuners that still uses passive outboard EQs? And FWIW, the auto-mic tuning feature does a better job than when I set it manually by measuring direct speaker distances. How can you knock it when the similarly priced Alpine doesn't even have any form of time alignment at all?

[PhillyWilly]

if you want quality...Eclipse. not the best looks tho.

i think the best value is in kenwood.

[rao]

What is going on in here???

 

Stop the personal insults and please edit them out of your posts.

[Meltdown07]

^^^ Agreed

Members,

This is getting derailed, please stop guys. I appreciate all input, but keep in mind what I am looking for, and how much I want to spend. Lets keep it civil here, please. I dont need the greatest deck in the world. Just something decent, that looks good, sounds better than stock, and has a reasonable price tag for what I will be using it for/running it through (mostly stock speakers + sub).

 

Pattypat: I'm sure its more than I am wanting to spend, but for the extra functionality, it might be worth it. I thought about something like that already too. Out of curiosity, how much are we talking here on this unit you're referring to. Nav would be nice to have...

 

if you want quality...Eclipse. not the best looks tho.

i think the best value is in kenwood.

Thoughts?

http://www.hookedontronics.com/show_product_details.jsp?cid=20965

[jigelow]

Pattypat: I'm sure its more than I am wanting to spend, but for the extra functionality, it might be worth it. I thought about something like that already too. Out of curiosity, how much are we talking here on this unit you're referring to. Nav would be nice to have...

 

 

Thoughts?

http://www.hookedontronics.com/show_product_details.jsp?cid=20965

 

I suppose it's a matter of personal preference, but I've never been fond of Kenwood. I've usually built around Clarion and Eclipse, and, if you're using the head-unit's amplifier, Pioneer.

[PGT]

I went through this same search recently and I had apparently a very tall order: steering wheel integration, amber or red illumination and USB or hi-speed iPod control. There is nothing out there that fills the bill. I ended up with a JVC EXAD unit which is surprisingly good (coming from a 12V snob who's owned some of the best).

[hal9e3]

if you want quality...Eclipse. not the best looks tho.

i think the best value is in kenwood.

 

+1 on Eclipse for sound quality. I've had Eclipse, Alpine and Kenwood Excelon decks and the Eclipse blew the others away. I remember replacing my higher-end Excelon with an equivalent model Eclipse and being absolutely stunned in the increase in detail, even in a moving car at freeway speeds.

[Ferenczy33]

Try JVC. I recently bought a JVC HDR1 and it has met if not surpassed everything I was looking for, all for under $200. The look fits nicely with the dash (see http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12019&page=4) For $175 it has built in HD Radio (no other tuner required), plays MP3/WMA burned CDs, has 7 band adjustable EQ, three sets of pre-outs, built in sub crossover, etc. Paid an extra $40 for the iPod connection and for another $90 can purchase the sattelite radio add-on.

[PGT]

Eclipse sound Q is great, but the aesthetics leave alot to be desired. Gone are the days of the simple 5303 style and earlier designs. 'Tokyo at Night' ain't what I'm looking for, but it's what sells.