new head unit needed
- Thread starter SomaMP3
- Start date
Yeah, the dealer told me to stay away from sony. He said either alpine, clarion, or kenwood....maybe JVC. I'm so confused. I'm not a fan of the touch screens like on the panasonic ghost. It would just get oily from your hand always smearing the screen. I'm actually gonna see a good dealer today(also a friend of mine) and maybe he can also help me steer in the right direction.
One quick question though. I loved my z828 Kenwood. I never had a problem with it. Why does everyone hate Kenwood so much????
One quick question though. I loved my z828 Kenwood. I never had a problem with it. Why does everyone hate Kenwood so much????
Yeah yeah about the ghost...I agree with you on that. That's why I said to steer clear of those. The regular blue ones with a volume knob look real sharp though.
We don't all hate Kenwood...it's just that their Headunits can be very unreliable. You know how Maxtor was back in the day with hard drives? You'd either get a flawless one for a damn good price...or you'd have bad sectors from day one and be SOL. That's kinda how Kenwoods are...it's a shot in the dark kinda deal.
We don't all hate Kenwood...it's just that their Headunits can be very unreliable. You know how Maxtor was back in the day with hard drives? You'd either get a flawless one for a damn good price...or you'd have bad sectors from day one and be SOL. That's kinda how Kenwoods are...it's a shot in the dark kinda deal.
LinuxRacr said:
Techinicly I think yours has more features.
The flip face one you have I don't carry at tweeter. THe new flips are more reliable so long as they aren't overused or ever manualy folded back in, yes I caught a little ass clown doing this in the sound room.
Maybe you'd like this:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_4039_38309,00.html
Pioneers swing face mechinism is really smooth to the point of shaming the kenwood and alpines.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_4039_38309,00.html
Pioneers swing face mechinism is really smooth to the point of shaming the kenwood and alpines.
sukegirl_Mp3
Member
- :
- '01 Mp3 & '07 cx7 GT
yeah mine isn't all that great..i had the z919 but i wanted to connect my ipod with it..and no damn aux input...i also bought that adapter that the tweeter installer told me to get..25 bucks wasted...
so i went for this:
Kenwood KDCV7022
at first i called a down grade from my original mp3 HU..but then after thinking about it who needs cd's...i got to connect my ipod and im happy i went for this...its not the greatest..but it does help alot with less junk in the car.
and it sounds great..besides my husband re-wired my whole car...having more watts on your head unit with small wires sounded like real crap...
so i went for this:
Kenwood KDCV7022
at first i called a down grade from my original mp3 HU..but then after thinking about it who needs cd's...i got to connect my ipod and im happy i went for this...its not the greatest..but it does help alot with less junk in the car.
and it sounds great..besides my husband re-wired my whole car...having more watts on your head unit with small wires sounded like real crap...
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hmmm 50x4, 3 band eq, no time correction, cool it has a crsossover(retards cant even type), nothing that would be the equivelant of the Alpine MX feature. they dont even list the big details like the db sensitivity or whatever its called.... how could it be better if it doesnt even list all of the features on the site and the ones that they do dont hold up to it.. and dont say anything about 10w difference cuz thats a lot for a HU. and you cant say its different from company since they both use the same mosfet board
oh know the flip out is quieter and cooler... but there are also 2 faces that move so if it does break it costs twice as much, you also pay more for less features, the knob for volume pops in and out.. oh thats another motor that could screw up.... then you say it has a warranty... yea 1 year... so there goes 500 out the window after a year...
oh know the flip out is quieter and cooler... but there are also 2 faces that move so if it does break it costs twice as much, you also pay more for less features, the knob for volume pops in and out.. oh thats another motor that could screw up.... then you say it has a warranty... yea 1 year... so there goes 500 out the window after a year...
sukegirl_Mp3
Member
- :
- '01 Mp3 & '07 cx7 GT
1. 50x4
- No, neither unit has even close to that power, that is a BS peak power rating just like alpines 60x4 V-drive rating. The ALpines speaker level outputs are certainly good for a bit more juice, about 5 watts rms per output. However no SQ system is going to use the speaker level outputs. Even if they did both units will still deliver the same SQ, just the alpine may be able to squeez out 1-2db more before clipping.
2. 3 band EQ. In car audio anything less then a 30 band per channel EQ isn't going to to much to EQ anything. At best you can cure one problem frequncy and then compensate for that. Yes the alpine has a 5 band parametic but when it comes to really delivering the best SQ possible those 2 extra bands aren't going to do much. Especialy as they are sectioned per what range of sound they can be in.
3. Time correction certainly can be a useful tool, however it is mostly used as a band aid for a poorly setup system. Althouhg it would be nice to have. HOwever alpines time correction interface on the deck is anything but intuitive. CHeck out how pioneer does it on the DEX-p9. DROOL!
4. Crossovers.
- WHy go easy on it here? Alpines crossovers are where the Alpines advantage truely is. They are simply sick to say the least and about 100 times more flexible then even most amplifiers. Even a 3 way crossover mode. However think about how many people actualy use just a $500 headunit, typicly in that system amps are involved that have a cleaner crossover although less flexible.
5. MX
- Actualy Pioneer has a few options that are MX's equivalent and be it on ethe Alpine or Pioneer those circuit only HURT SQ. They artificialy distort and boost the signal and creat clipping far sooner. Keep them off on either unit to get SQ. Most people use them becuase the sound gets noticably louder. However that volume is from distortion. Use a better amp and speakers and the need of MX is gone.
6. Warrenty, Pioneer easily wins this one, the Alpines all only come wth a one year warrenty, the Pioneer, being a premier has a 2 year warrenty.
Now for some things you missed:
1. Pioneers anti skip circuit wipes the floor with alpine. I am not refering to hitting a bump, although they are better there too, but rather when the disc is scratched to all hell, the Pioneer still plays it long afte the alpine just skips.
2.SFEQ, the Pioneer has the ability to adjust the bass and trebble seperately on the front and rear speaker. Tis is extreamly cool when trying to take advantage of 6x9's mid bass from the back without having there tweeter drowned out the front stage, you just crank down the rear trebble. Not my preferd meathos but cool none the less.
3. Alpine is simply put the biggest pain in the ass to deal with in the audio industry as far as fixing things goes or doing returns. IT would not suprise me that fixing an alpine would actualy cost more to fix then the pioneer.
4. The pioneers looks are simply better then the alpine, I still like my 9815 though.
5. Preout impedance. Along with voltage another improtant part of a Preout is its impedance. Lower is considered better. Alpine has BY FAR the highest impedance output in the industry. 10,000 ohms. Pioneers is around 500 ohms if memory serves. Eclipse is 55 ohms.
I am being 100% impartial here and simply listing each advatages.
For SQ tough you only need to turn off all bosting and adjustment cuircuts use a good amp and speakers and listen to each. They are both great units.
- No, neither unit has even close to that power, that is a BS peak power rating just like alpines 60x4 V-drive rating. The ALpines speaker level outputs are certainly good for a bit more juice, about 5 watts rms per output. However no SQ system is going to use the speaker level outputs. Even if they did both units will still deliver the same SQ, just the alpine may be able to squeez out 1-2db more before clipping.
2. 3 band EQ. In car audio anything less then a 30 band per channel EQ isn't going to to much to EQ anything. At best you can cure one problem frequncy and then compensate for that. Yes the alpine has a 5 band parametic but when it comes to really delivering the best SQ possible those 2 extra bands aren't going to do much. Especialy as they are sectioned per what range of sound they can be in.
3. Time correction certainly can be a useful tool, however it is mostly used as a band aid for a poorly setup system. Althouhg it would be nice to have. HOwever alpines time correction interface on the deck is anything but intuitive. CHeck out how pioneer does it on the DEX-p9. DROOL!
4. Crossovers.
- WHy go easy on it here? Alpines crossovers are where the Alpines advantage truely is. They are simply sick to say the least and about 100 times more flexible then even most amplifiers. Even a 3 way crossover mode. However think about how many people actualy use just a $500 headunit, typicly in that system amps are involved that have a cleaner crossover although less flexible.
5. MX
- Actualy Pioneer has a few options that are MX's equivalent and be it on ethe Alpine or Pioneer those circuit only HURT SQ. They artificialy distort and boost the signal and creat clipping far sooner. Keep them off on either unit to get SQ. Most people use them becuase the sound gets noticably louder. However that volume is from distortion. Use a better amp and speakers and the need of MX is gone.
6. Warrenty, Pioneer easily wins this one, the Alpines all only come wth a one year warrenty, the Pioneer, being a premier has a 2 year warrenty.
Now for some things you missed:
1. Pioneers anti skip circuit wipes the floor with alpine. I am not refering to hitting a bump, although they are better there too, but rather when the disc is scratched to all hell, the Pioneer still plays it long afte the alpine just skips.
2.SFEQ, the Pioneer has the ability to adjust the bass and trebble seperately on the front and rear speaker. Tis is extreamly cool when trying to take advantage of 6x9's mid bass from the back without having there tweeter drowned out the front stage, you just crank down the rear trebble. Not my preferd meathos but cool none the less.
3. Alpine is simply put the biggest pain in the ass to deal with in the audio industry as far as fixing things goes or doing returns. IT would not suprise me that fixing an alpine would actualy cost more to fix then the pioneer.
4. The pioneers looks are simply better then the alpine, I still like my 9815 though.
5. Preout impedance. Along with voltage another improtant part of a Preout is its impedance. Lower is considered better. Alpine has BY FAR the highest impedance output in the industry. 10,000 ohms. Pioneers is around 500 ohms if memory serves. Eclipse is 55 ohms.
I am being 100% impartial here and simply listing each advatages.
For SQ tough you only need to turn off all bosting and adjustment cuircuts use a good amp and speakers and listen to each. They are both great units.
sukegirl_Mp3
Member
- :
- '01 Mp3 & '07 cx7 GT
yeah i know..i mean you see that round end of the adapter...well when i took out my headunit..there was no place to connect it..so yeah..oh wells..i can still use it for other things..cuz my new headunit already came with aux input, so i dont really need this one....
im not saying that the pioneer im just simply saying for the features they list, alpine wins. whether you can actually hear those differences thats a different situation. I agree if you have a 13/15 (same thing just more whistles) or this pioneer or better you will use more than just a HU to control things with that will beat the HU since thats what its made for(external Xover) but on your thing about alpine not having front-rear bass and treble... your right it doesnt have it.. it has each individual speaker 
but its just for bass emphasis through gain like you said about the MX feature but it works well if you dont have the cash for an external amp for speakers or external Xover.... i will admit that pioneer is good(at least the specs say so, dont know for sure if it is or not) but I've just had bad expierence with pioneer and dont want to ever get another one ever again. it was an older one from a few years ago, so maybe they changed now
but its just for bass emphasis through gain like you said about the MX feature but it works well if you dont have the cash for an external amp for speakers or external Xover.... i will admit that pioneer is good(at least the specs say so, dont know for sure if it is or not) but I've just had bad expierence with pioneer and dont want to ever get another one ever again. it was an older one from a few years ago, so maybe they changed nowHere's a few of my opinions...
Alpine's are *okay& but my MP3 cd's skipped in those decks mre than any other brand I've tried. Also, they ALL look the same. I don't like that.
Eclipse decks look hella nice but the higher models do not play MP3's. That was an immediate "no" to me.
Pioneer... Well.. They make a good DJ mixer but that's about all I'd get from them.
Sony.... No.
Kenwood was the stock deck in my car and if I HAD to buy another, I'd replace it with another Kenwood. My scratched up cds play okay in it unless they're waaaaay too screwed plus I think they look nice. That and I have the menu memorized from having to reset my headunit so much. Speakin of which, I'm not sure if that's a problem just with this model or other Kenwoods, too, but yeah...
Clairons are supposed to be really decent but I've never played with one.
Blaupunkt or whatever look cheap, feel cheap and sound cheap to me but they're supposed to be decent. I'll pass.
Alpine's are *okay& but my MP3 cd's skipped in those decks mre than any other brand I've tried. Also, they ALL look the same. I don't like that.
Eclipse decks look hella nice but the higher models do not play MP3's. That was an immediate "no" to me.
Pioneer... Well.. They make a good DJ mixer but that's about all I'd get from them.
Sony.... No.
Kenwood was the stock deck in my car and if I HAD to buy another, I'd replace it with another Kenwood. My scratched up cds play okay in it unless they're waaaaay too screwed plus I think they look nice. That and I have the menu memorized from having to reset my headunit so much. Speakin of which, I'm not sure if that's a problem just with this model or other Kenwoods, too, but yeah...
Clairons are supposed to be really decent but I've never played with one.
Blaupunkt or whatever look cheap, feel cheap and sound cheap to me but they're supposed to be decent. I'll pass.
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