One requirement: it has to play CD-R/RW and MP3 discs.

What's decent wattage? Good/bad brands? How hard is self-installation?

Also, does anyone know of any in-dash CD players that also have memory stick ports? That, actually, would be pretty badass.

[ 07-03-2005: Message edited by: Flux ]

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*drools*

unfortunately, I don't think that has an EQ or some of the other seemingly 'basic' features of other players that I'm seeing. I might settle for this one:
http://www.hhgregg.com/ProductDetail.asp?SID=D684465756914D6994CC1D54020A2631&ProductID=11392

[ 07-03-2005: Message edited by: Flux ]

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DVDs are more expensive especially if you buy quality. My 16x Taiyo Yudens are appx .55 a piece, and that's because I buy them in bulk, otherwise, they're pretty freakin' exp. Also, CD/mp3 comps are pretty big as it is. Even with a folder/file interface, I find it tedious to play a specific song out of sequence on the disc. I can only imagine that it would be even more tedious to do so with a DVD that contains a massive number of mp3s. Of course, if you play to eventually watch DVDs, obviously, the JVC is your deck.

Another thing.. I think the dual zone feature is retarded. Who wants to listen to 2 different things in such a small and enclosed space? Is there a headphone jack for the back seaters? If not, what's the point?

The price is very good for the Pioneer. The only thing I don't like about it is the way it loads CDs, but that's just me. I like to be able to front load/unload CDs without waiting for the cover to retract.

As far as the EQ. The JVC probably has something similar to the Pioneer. If you really care about having control over the sound that much, get a multiband stand alone EQ, preferably one with cool interface graphics.

[ 07-03-2005: Message edited by: Mute ]

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Ultimately, it's not how much wattage or how many 15" subs you have stuffed in your trunk, but how much YOU like the way it sounds. Quality, not quantity.

I haven't looked at car audio stuff in a long time, so I don't know what's good anymore. Pyramid was (and still is, I think) good for amps and such. Same with Rockford Fosgate. It depends though on how much you are willing to spend, and whether you want to drive speakers off the amp or deck. You get what you pay for, especially with this kind of stuff. Often companies use cheap caps and resistors and transistors to lower production cost (on lower priced stuff anyway). A $100 deck looks like a good deal, but it probably cost the manufacturer all of $20, including labour. And it simply won't sound the same.

Clarion has always made nice decks, and so has Kenwood, and Panasonic (and for dollar value Alpine was good). I'd stay away from Sony stuff though, their quality control in general has really slipped downhill. JVC is good, and so is Pioneer. (I would recommend shelling out for the JVC though, for the reason above)

Speakers I can't really help you with, I simply haven't kept track. It's all about quality though, so as long as the sound good. A decent pair of 6x9s 2ways or even 3ways in back can go a long way to filling out the sound when combined with some good fullranges and tweets up front, without the need for a large sub.

Sub-woofers, my best friend, and biggest pet peeve. Most people go for sheer volume. Yeah, it's impressive to be able to induce arythmia, or shake stuff off your neighbour's walls, 3 doors down. That kind of thing costs THOUSANDS of dollars alone, and I'd rather spend my money taking a girl out than on an overpowered system. That kind of power is total overkill because you can't listen to it. In a small car, an 8"-10" in a well made box is MORE than enough, especially with a good amp. I mean, 140db is loud, but you can't listen to it. At that level it's just thump thump thump, rattle, thump, rattle, thump thump, clatter. The clattering is your car shaking apart.

[ 07-03-2005: Message edited by: AcidWarp ]

[ 07-03-2005: Message edited by: AcidWarp ]

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

fun to browse through

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the last headunit i bought was about $230. at best buy, it was almost 400. (that $300 jvc can be had for 200 online)

and you don't need to worry about wattage with headunits. whether it's $100 or $500, you're going to get about 15 watts a channel, at best.

i would buy something from probably pioneer or kenwood, they make good mp3 decks. sony is crap, aiwa is crap, alpine is overpriced, clarion is overpriced. there are probably others i'm forgetting.

also, stock speakers in pretty much any american car are horrid. i wouldn't even bother getting a new headunit without replacing them. even if you only spend $100 on all four, you'll have infinately better sound than the paper pieces of shit you probably have now.

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

I never said cynicism wasn't the truth. Just that you have loads of it.

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

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you asked how hard the install is... what type of car is it? the good thing about crutchfield is that they send the harnesses and the install kit for free. (i've never ordered from them though)

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“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”