Hey guys. I still have the stock casette deck in my GS, and the radio doesn't work any more, so I'm thinking about getting a new one. I'm not an audiophile, nor do I listen to thumping bass, so I don't need anything too fancy. Here is what I'd like in a system:

CD:
- single disk is fine.
- would like to have CDR/CDRW compatibility for the future.

Display:
- conservative style (no Xplod! etc).
- don't care about Flying Toaster screensavers.
- would like amber color to match stock dash lights, but not that critical.

Other: - would like RCA in so I can hook up future MD player.
- doesnt need a remote, but that would be nice.
- rotary volume knob!

I'm looking for something inexpensive that gets the job done. Like << $200. All I want is something with decent quality, with a good tuner, and that plays CDs. Any suggestions?

TIA,
juan

LAST EDITED ON 05-Nov-01 AT 06:02 PM (PST)

i think pioneer has some good ones that would fit that description.. also jvc

check out www.sounddomain.com so you can check out pics along with specs of units..


heck... if you wanted you could have my stock infinity system tape deck with eq.. :-)



-Jason



95 GS

Short-air ram - custom grill - removed front license plate - custom stereo system - 2 Kenwood 10's powered by Kenwood amp - Hiper Blue Headlights - F&R Upper Strut Bars - 2 fan mod - Energy Suspension Bushings

I am kind of partial to RF, but I have their mp3 player which plays both CDR's and CDRW's (most normal CD players will not play CDRW's but will play CDR's). I did pay almost 600 bucks for it though, but it has a grip of options and other mp3 players can be had for less. Plus with an mp3 player you can put like 300 songs on a disk depending on their length which is a hell of a lot better than a changer.

-Toney
'97 RS
GST exhaust, modded intake w/ k&n, axxis pads, Hurricane_GS shifter,
Rockford Fosgate MP3 Player
TDaug@yahoo.com

I would recommend a Pioneer head unit. Check out http://www.sounddomain.com for head units, or Crutchfield.com, and find out what you look. Then go to a local stereo shop, and haggle with them, for out the door cash price installed. Typically, you can get it installed out the door with tax at the same price as SoundDomain or Crutchfield sells it for online without installation. I have the Pioneer DEH-P520 Premiere - the Premiere line adds a two year warranty instead of 1 year, and higher voltage RCA preouts. I paid $260 installed a year ago, but the lower model like the DEH-4300 would be about $200 to $220 installed. If you need a place that is authorized Pioneer, I can give you info on the place I got it at in Culver City.

eclipse804@hotmail.com
http://www.importvenom.com
Import Venom - Parts and Performance

I highly recommend ALPINE. YES, they have there really high class expensive stuff and they have their low end stuff. You can spend anywhere from $2000 on their tv head or like $250 for a mild one. Either which way, alpine makes some awesome shit

id recomend the pioneer series too. they look good, from their low end stuff to their race car screen saver stuff. but they make a good product for relatively cheap prices. AND they have rotary volume knobs!! hehe. i love mine. you can get the lower end stuff for prob less than 200. and you could probably install it yourself to save you some cash. its pretty easy. been installing head units in friends and customers cars in my area and its easy enough to understand. just my humble opinion

95 RS Eclipse (Vega-ed Out)
Greddy Exhaust || Greddy Headers || Iceman CAI || NKG Sparks || Magnacore Wires || 16" Enkei Rims || 2" Progressive Drop || Ingalls FR Camber Kit || B&M Short-Shifter || Altezza'a (center painted)

AUDIO/VIDEO-
Pioneer DEH-P7200 || 4" LCD screen (passenger visor)|| DVD Player in trunk || 1" Cerwin Vega Tweeters || 6.5" CV speakers in the doors || Custom fit 6x9 CV in the back panels || 15" CV Stroker in custom made box || MMATS D300HC amp (for the sub)|| MMATS LM4065 amp (for the rest) || ALL CUSTOMED AND DUN BY ME! HEHE

SOON TO COME (WEN FUNDS ARE MET)
Stage II turbo kit (HRC or Star, ne suggestions??? ¦Þ)|| Much needed suspension upgrades || Kits.. Rims.. Money..??? || Pioneer AVX-P7300DVD (indash dvd/screen)|| Pionner AVM-P9000R (gotta have that DTS)

I just got a pioneer premier 730 with rotart knob and cd and other goodies for $255 shipped

Evan
97 Eclipse GS
Stamford CT
EvMan2345@aol.com

only ones i know of that can come with amber are alpine and aiwa, i recomment alpie for reliablity, pioneer is more of a "bells and whistles" and you may not even like the complexity, plus i doubt they come in amber

javi d
vroom n' boom

I agree on alpine, you can even find a couple older peices, like the cda 7842.

look into the older sony units for a perfect amber match. the c780 comes to mind, it's a lot of bang for the buck. I had one for about a year and loved it.

__________________________
...just my $.02
95 GS

sony's older stuff really sux but I give sony credit for realizing this and coming out with the X-PLOID series. they really spent a LOT of money getting there rep. back.

Sony's old mobile ES line was very good from what i've heard, can't speak for anything else, new line is too ricy :D.


javi d
vroom n' boom

I've owned over 20 headunits....and the sony ES peices are some of the best on the market. the older ones too. theres a couple units I'd take one over just about any peice out there.

__________________________
...just my $.02
95 GS

I am going by my experience working at New Sound in saying the older Sony's arent worth the buck. I say this, not because they have crappy sound quality, but because they dont last. About 2 years ago, we (New Sound) had about 5 sonys brought in a week for replacement or to be fixed. They really fixed that problem and their new stuff rox!

straight sony?? or sony ES??

I use ES, and I've never had one go bad. there's a reason sony offers triple X on ES products only. the only other brand I have never had problems with is eclipse(they need to change the lighting though).

perhaps you just had a poor experience. why must we argue in every post???

__________________________
...just my $.02
95 GS

Thanks for the info guys.

I was in Best Buy and Circuit City yesterday checking HU out. Man, it looks like a Rice bomb went off in there! ;)

One unit I am very interested in but am having a hard time finding good info on is Nakamichi. I like their CD-35Z, -40Z and -45Z line. From what I understand, they have great SQ and match up with the other features I like:

- stock-looking styling
- direct feed - no flippy-face
- amber colour available
- CD-R comp.
- AUX in

Anyone have any thoughts on these units? One particular question is they rate the SN ratio as "Better than 85dB". A Blaupunkt I was looking at for comparison was rated explicitly at 95dB. Is this just the different way this is rated, or is it even something to be concerned about?
http://www.nakamichi.com/auto/cdplayers/cd_40_specs.htm

juan

i always hated pioneer $h!t cause it always broke on me. kenwood is okay. but i just got this new kenwood a couple months ago and it's the ish! it's got a remote, full display face which flips down to display the controls....hold on...lemme see if i can find some pics. yeah it's the cdx-m620




Chris Dishmon
chrisdishmon@hotmail.com

1990 GSX (like Jen and Cody's 1st gen it's sitting in peices :))

1997 RS (with the kit that's kitted out)

http://www.homestead.com/klipzracer/index.html

I am going to get the sony mx600 series, personally i would get the 620, its got all the goodies and a sweet ass look. Its going to cost you a few bills though. Personally i think it is worth it

My friend has the kenwood mp3 player ($600 one) and after a few months, half the screen is dead already. It displays a bunch of garbage sometimes, and then goes back to normal other times. My pioneer has been fine for almost a year, plus premiere's have 2 year warranties, which is mainly why I got the pioneer premiere...

eclipse804@hotmail.com
http://www.importvenom.com
Import Venom - Parts and Performance

Well I put my MP3 player in my ride back in march and I still love it. It is a work of art and everytime someone gets in my car all they can say is DAMN and then they see the remote and say what the hell! I love it!!! Here is a link to my baby:
http://rockets2.rockfordcorp.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/RFProductsListNonBuy-Start;%24sid%24nDT4OzvrXaLC1IDmHytdJEpKfWjm4ZdB?CategoryName=RF_Products

-Toney
'97 RS 5 Speed
GST exhaust | custom cold air intake | axxis pads | Hurricane_GS shifter | Progress Springs | Rockford Fosgate MP3 Player & Speakers
TDaug@yahoo.com

OK i think that link is screwed up, try this one:
http://rockets2.rockfordcorp.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/RFProductsListNonBuy-Start;%24sid%24nDT4OzvrXaLC1IDmHytdJEpKfWjm4ZdB?CategoryName=RF_Products
its the $600 one

-Toney
'97 RS 5 Speed
GST exhaust | custom cold air intake | axxis pads | Hurricane_GS shifter | Progress Springs | Rockford Fosgate MP3 Player & Speakers
TDaug@yahoo.com

Copy all of the garbage to see it, it wont make all of it a link for some reason.

-Toney
'97 RS 5 Speed
GST exhaust | custom cold air intake | axxis pads | Hurricane_GS shifter | Progress Springs | Rockford Fosgate MP3 Player & Speakers
TDaug@yahoo.com

i agree, ive had pioneer headunits for sometime now, and have yet to come across any problems. i dont know, what do you have to do to a head unit to break one? no brand that i have ever installed has ever come back broken to me. i bought a pioneer b/c i liked the way it was setup. that and i get them at really good prices, so that helps alot. ehh, we all have different opinions and tastes. for the original question of this thread, make sure you get what suites your needs. make sure that it is a fairly well known company. and remember, if the unit costs too cheap, that how it will probably sound. hehe.

95 RS Eclipse (Vega-ed Out)
Greddy Exhaust || Greddy Headers || Iceman CAI || NKG Sparks || Magnacore Wires || 16" Enkei Rims || 2" Progressive Drop || Ingalls FR Camber Kit || B&M Short-Shifter || Altezza'a (center painted)

AUDIO/VIDEO-
Pioneer DEH-P7200 || 4" LCD screen (passenger visor)|| DVD Player in trunk || 1" Cerwin Vega Tweeters || 6.5" CV speakers in the doors || Custom fit 6x9 CV in the back panels || 15" CV Stroker in custom made box || MMATS D300HC amp (for the sub)|| MMATS LM4065 amp (for the rest) || ALL CUSTOMED AND DUN BY ME! HEHE

SOON TO COME (WEN FUNDS ARE MET)
Stage II turbo kit (HRC or Star, ne suggestions??? ¦Þ)|| Much needed suspension upgrades || Kits.. Rims.. Money..??? || Pioneer AVX-P7300DVD (indash dvd/screen)|| Pionner AVM-P9000R (gotta have that DTS)

he said a magic word.....

the Nak45Z is a killer headunit, and the colors are a perfect match. one will run you 300-350 for a new one, but it's worth it.

__________________________
...just my $.02
95 GS

Got it from uBid for $179 - pretty good deal.

Thanks for all the advice guys, it was much appreciated!


juan

nice! good deal and good luck.

95 RS Eclipse (Vega-ed Out)
Greddy Exhaust || Greddy Headers || Iceman CAI || NKG Sparks || Magnacore Wires || 16" Enkei Rims || 2" Progressive Drop || Ingalls FR Camber Kit || B&M Short-Shifter || Altezza'a (center painted)

AUDIO/VIDEO-
Pioneer DEH-P7200 || 4" LCD screen (passenger visor)|| DVD Player in trunk || 1" Cerwin Vega Tweeters || 6.5" CV speakers in the doors || Custom fit 6x9 CV in the back panels || 15" CV Stroker in custom made box || MMATS D300HC amp (for the sub)|| MMATS LM4065 amp (for the rest) || ALL CUSTOMED AND DUN BY ME! HEHE

SOON TO COME (WEN FUNDS ARE MET)
Stage II turbo kit (HRC or Star, ne suggestions??? ¦Þ)|| Much needed suspension upgrades || Kits.. Rims.. Money..??? || Pioneer AVX-P7300DVD (indash dvd/screen)|| Pionner AVM-P9000R (gotta have that DTS)

...