Need help on deciding on new Car head-unit.

[Spastik_Roach]

Ok...i've found a few that fit everything we need...basically a good radio tuner, mp3, and a remote would be pretty cool too. But the other two are more important.


ALPINE CDE-9843 CD/CDRW/MP3/TUNER

Alpine CDE-9846 CD/MP3 Receiver Car Audio

SONY CD/AUX/MP3/WMA HEAD UNIT

JVC KD-G525 CD/MP3/WMA/TUNER RECEIVER

Clarion DB-356 head unit

Kenwood KDC-MP433 WMA/MP3/CD + REMOTE

Thanks in advance And are there any i've left out that could be good options?

[Sweeney921]

I definitely wouldn't go with the sony, simply because.......it's a sony.

The Clarion looks like the dashboard of a porsche......too many indistinguishable buttons.

The JVC would end up forcing you to have a loose cable to the front of the unit if you used a mp3 player.

I would go with the Alpine CDE-9846. They have a reliable name, especially because they put more focus on the quality of the sound than flashy faceplate designs.

[taz_rocks_miami]

Well, I bought a Sony CDX-GT200 not too long ago and I'm very happy with it! It has all you're looking for, the CDX-GT350S is a notch above it. I would go Sony.

[Spastik_Roach]

Its just getting paired up with stock Toyota speakers from a 1996 basic model Toyota Corona...if that makes any difference.

[taz_rocks_miami]

Its just getting paired up with stock Toyota speakers from a 1996 basic model Toyota Corona...if that makes any difference.

In that case, all of the head units you mnetioned will be too much for the stock speakers. You won't be able to appreciate the quality of sound untill you install aftermarket speakers...me thinks.

[Sweeney921]

In that case, all of the head units you mnetioned will be too much for the stock speakers. You won't be able to appreciate the quality of sound untill you install aftermarket speakers...me thinks.

I agree, especially with a car that's 10 years old

[Spastik_Roach]

We will upgrade the speakers one day though...but these head-units wont make the sound any worse will they? It doesn't sound too bad right now really...decent bass and suprisingly clear for stock everything up to a certain volume (a volume which i rarely ever listen at)

[Sweeney921]

I'm pretty sure that because your car's getting old, a new head unit will make the sound better, but I've heard aftermarket units that actually sound weaker than the stock unit; my dad's car is that way.

[taz_rocks_miami]

I'm pretty sure that because your car's getting old, a new head unit will make the sound better

The new head unit should sound better, as long as you don't raise the volume too much. I doubt the stock speakers could take the power. They'll start to distort if you pump it up.

but I've heard aftermarket units that actually sound weaker than the stock unit

I doubt that's gonna be the case here.

[Gtek-i]

Go for the 2nd Alpine or Kenwood...Kenwood has awesome sound AND not too flashy faceplates, Alpine just has pure sound But complicated design IMO

[Equinox]

i like sony, and they are good quality... i'd go with either SONY or Alpine or maybe the kenwood... well i quess i'm no help am i.

[aNOBLEman]

I've had a great experience with my Pioneer head unit. I don't if the new ones have all that you're looking for, but I've had mine since October and have had no problems. Another couple of my friends also have Pioneer units and they've had no problems either.

[Lagonda]

Pioneer. I have a DEH-P70BT. I was actually shopping for a hands free set and got this instead, it's a high end Pioneer with a Bluetooth phone feature and I got an iPod interface for it as well.

Alpine is good, but WAY overpriced and they havn't got a single good looking unit.

[IWantAnAudiRS6]

I'd go Alpine or Kenwood.

They're both available as sponsors in NFSU:2

In all seriousness... you can't go wrong with Alpine. Even James Bond uses them.

[Spastik_Roach]

So are sony ones reliable? I've narrowed it down to the Pioneer CDE-9846 and the Sony CDX-GT-350s. Is the pioneer significantly more reliable? sound quality differences don't matter as with our stock toyota speakers it won't be noticeable.