Car Stereo Recommendations?

[Lynus302]

I currently own a ClarionCD with detachable face. Its about 5 years old; 20watt/4channel.
Its in my Mustang, which is outfitted with racing suspension. Needless to say, my car will rattle your teeth out of your head if your on a bumpy road. The CD player has held up great for the last 5 years, but now
overheats after about an hour of CD play.

I'm looking for a new stereo with detachable face and more power. I saw one recently with a separate control for a sub-woofer (which I like) that was pretty cool.

Here is what I want in a car stereo:
- CD Player
- detachable face
- somewhere in the 40-50watt/4channel area
- 4 RCA plugs in the back are a must

I've been out of the system game for awhile, as I've been happy with what I've had. Can anyone recommend a good quality car stereo? My car rides a lot tighter than most, and I need one that can hold up to that.

I would like to spend no more than $350 for the stereo itself, prior to installation.

Thanks!

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I need a new signature.
302

[Rocketman95]

Just buy whatever you get at Mobile One in Houston.

My brother's the regional GM.



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Get your proper swirve on...visit www.swirve.com (coming in mid-June, for now visit www.eesite.com)

[Lynus302]

Great suggestions guys, thanks!

Pole:
You said that RCA's in the back are a must, so you must be wanting to get an amp in the future. That's a good thing. My advice is spend less now (if you have to) and save your pennies for an external amp.

I already have an old Punch 45 powering my subs: two JL Audio 12s. I want to keep that on the subs (for now, anyway), but I'm also looking for another external amp to power the speakers in the dash, doors, and the rear 5x7s. Any recommendations on a good amp for this?

dc sports:
I would reccomend looking at a trunk mounted CD changer. The prices keep going down, so there isn't that much of a price difference when compared to a dash mounted CD changer -- and they are MUCH nicer than putting CD's in and out of a dash unit while you are driving.

I've never been a fan of CD changers, but thats just me. I don't like the idea of having to pre-determine what I want to listen to. I know alot of people who like them...it seems like more freedom to pick what I want to listen to when I want to listen to it.

It also removes the unit from all of the heat and vibration of the engine compartment.

I'm not sure if you thought my overheating problems were due to the engine. That is not the case. My Clarion is just old and tired, as this has never been an issue until the last few months in the 5 years I've had it.

You can get any radio you want, and when you get ready to trade in your car, pull the CD changer out of the trunk and you can still sell your car with a radio.

(Just razzing you a bit, DC)
Sell my car?!!!??? NEVER! I love my Mustang, hence the "302" in my nickname. Its a '93 5.0 GT hatchback, white with silver flake and chrome pony rims. Minor mods (due to my "college student" budget) include:
- Mac shorty headers
- 2-Chamber Flowmasters
- Off-road H-pipe
- Bilstein racing suspension
- and a few other things here and there

I've got serious plans for this car. I already know what I want to do, its only a matter of when I can afford it. I plan on getting something along the lines of a Taurus, i.e. something with better mileage, comfort, etc. for my daily driver and saving the 'Stang for the weekends and the track.

BTW, concerning my asking for recommendations:
I know I could look up all this myself, but I just want peoples personal recommendations and not those of people who are trying to sell me something.

Thanks again!

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I need a new signature.
302

[Rocketman95]

Lynus, I was just kidding about going to Mobile One.

I just think it's funny how my brother can be so skilled and knowledgeable about car stereos and it's so greek to me.

Good luck in finding what you need.

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Get your proper swirve on...visit www.swirve.com (coming in mid-June, for now visit www.eesite.com)

[dc sports]

Sorry! It sounds like you have a plan!

I didn't think I would like the changer at all either -- for exactly the same reason. Then someone talked me into it. You can load them quickly, and then change CD's easier than in the car. Honestly, if that's all that's keeping you from it, I would go for it.

I got a 10 cd changer by Audiovox -- which I figure is more than I could keep on the passenger seat without them falling on the floor. (It's hard to steer while reaching the floorboard). You just flip between CD's and songs on the remote. Most of these things have a 6,10, or even 12 cd cartridge, though some you can load 50-200 cd's into the unit (more $$). I got an extra cartridge, loaded up a variety in each, so I could change them out when I'm in the mood.

In the trunk the changer is out of that confined dash area, and is exposed to less vibration. Over the long term, it's probably easier on the equipment. It's a lot easier on the CDs, especially since you don't handle them as much.

If the radio is OK on the one you have, you could to use it until you get one you like paired with an amp, or decide to totally rework your system later, since the player isn't tied to your tuner or amp. It's also really nice to be able to play a tape once in a while.

I'm sorry if I sound like a salesman, but I really liked the one I had when I got one. I think you should at least check them out. The only thing that has bothered me at all, is the fact I loose a little trunk room -- and a Mustang doesn't exactly have a spacious trunk.



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Stay Cool...

[hoopjunkie]

I just got a system for my truck. It an Alpine, and it has a 6 CD changer. The cool thing is that the head unit also has a CD player, so I can have like 6 staple CDs and can change out the 7th at will. I like it alot.

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- hoopjunkie

"when you come in da HOOD... things change."

[Dr of Dunk]

My CD changer is an Alpine 12-disc hooked up to the factory Maxima head unit (which, btw, is made by Clarion) which also has a cd player built into it. I have no complaints against it. Sound is great and I've noticed it skip only once or twice in the 3 years I've owned the car.

Lynus302,

You may want to try one of the car audio newsgroups on Usenet. Lots of useful information there by many people with tons of experience in installation. Anybody remember Rockets' training camp invitee Dan Kreft? (no?). He's usually running around in those car audio newsgroups. Pretty knowledgable guy for a 7 foot 260 pound monster... lol.

Also, you said you own Jellos (JL's). What do you think of them? I've been wanting to get some for the longest, but haven't had the time with my work schedule. I was going to go for one 12" (maybe 2 10's) for a nice aftermarket kick to the stock speakers in the Max.

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[dc sports]

You might also check out Amazon.com. I've only bought a few things from there, but I use their reviews a lot. They have user evaluations for everything under the sun.

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Stay Cool...

[Pole]

You said that RCA's in the back are a must, so you must be wanting to get an amp in the future. That's a good thing. My advice is spend less now (if you have to) and save your pennies for an external amp. Because it looks like you want an external amp, I'd recommend as high a pre-amp output voltage as you can find to reduce unwanted noise.

You also mentioned 40 - 50 watts X 4. A watts per channel rating that high is referring to peak power--the power the internal amp can supply for musical peaks. The amp will crap out if it plays that loud for too long. The more important number is RMS watts per channel (continuous power), but even that has to be taken with a grain of salt. Some better companies will rate their amps more conservatively than others.

A good company to deal with is: www.crutchfield.com Their prices aren't as good as they once were, but they still beat most retail stores. They will also provide you a do-it-yourself installation kit and installation instructions that are tailored to your vehicle. That, and they offer great customer service.

For what you are looking for, I'd recommend something like a Sony Xplod ES CDX-C7050X. For $250, you'll get a conservatively rated 19 watts per channel RMS (50 watts peak) X 4 channels, a remote control, detachable face, 4 volt RCA outs for the four channels plus a separate RCA out for a sub, and a host of other features.

There was a time when I didn't care much for Clarion, but they are making much better products today. If you were happy with your Clarion, you might check out their Pro Audio DRX8575Z. It listed for around 600, and Crutchfield has it for $300 right now. It has lots of bells and whistles, and although it's rated at 17 watts per channel RMS (45 peak), crutchfield claims that it's very conservatively rated--"it's one of the loudest we've heard," so they claim. If for nothing else, Crutchfield is a great place to learn about what's out there, and they're very helpful on the phone. If you want to see if you can beat their prices, I recommend the shopping search engine at: www.altavista.com

Happy hunting!



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[Pole]

Another thing; you mentioned that you car's ride is very bumpy, so I'm sure CD skip is an issue. There was a time when you could buy Cd receivers with a 3 to 10 second memory buffer that basically eliminated skip. As designs have improved, I just don't see them as much as I used to. A casual search didn't reveal any of those, but if you call crutchfield, they'll let you know if they carry any models with that feature.

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stop posting my damn signature

[dc sports]

I would reccomend looking at a trunk mounted CD changer. The prices keep going down, so there isn't that much of a price difference when compared to a dash mounted CD changer -- and they are MUCH nicer than putting CD's in and out of a dash unit while you are driving.

It also removes the unit from all of the heat and vibration of the engine compartment. (I also have a mustang, with a changer mounted at the top of the trunk, and have had no problems.

Having the CD player in the trunk eliminates most of your theft problem, since the dash unit will be less expensive, so you should be able to dispense the inconvenience of the detachable face. This is also very nice, because your dash unit will probably have a tape deck -- so you can play tapes if you want to.

And the best reason, especially since you've had your car for a while. The trunk mounted CD players almost all operate by sending signals to the radio -- meaning there's no attachment. You can get any radio you want, and when you get ready to trade in your car, pull the CD changer out of the trunk and you can still sell your car with a radio.

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Stay Cool...

[IROC it]

I just recently stopped working at a prominent Car Audio store in Dallas as a salesman....

The only new to 2000 cd head units that I would go after are by Alpine, Clarion or Kenwood

Alpine CDA7861 $299.98
Clarion DRX5675 Pro Audio $199.98
Clarion DRX6675 Pro Audio $249.98
Kenwood KDC9015 (Loaded!!) $399.98

All are remote capable, some remotes included
All have detachable faceplate, and the Kenwood is also the flip around MASK
All will have two pair or 4 preamp RCA's

I'd stay away from anything Sony, Pioneer or any other brand just about, after seeing so many other brands breakdown right around the time their warranty runs out.

Oh yeah, the Clarion Pro Audio pieces have a 2 year manufacturers warranty. The DRX8575z is a '99 model, but it has a gob of features and I believe a third pair of preamp RCA's... so good call on Pole's part there.

Just my perspective having sold the stuff.

BTW that old Punch 45 amp is an oldy but a goody... And JL woofers? Sweeet! I have much the same set up myself. Three RF Amps, 2 JL 15" Woofers.... blah, blah... I could go on & on.

Hey, any one know of a good job opening?


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Proud Father of the Rockets' future point guard.

[Lynus302]

Ooh, ooh, ooh. Good stuff!

Any thoughts on speakers? I've got Blaupunkt (sp?) mid-tweet combos in my dash, but my door speakers and the rear 5x7s are still stock. Should I replace those Blaus? What are some goodies for the doors and the rear? Also, what kind of amp and what kind of watts should I be looking at to power everything else other than my subs? Hell, should I keep the Punch 45 on the subs or move that to the rest and get something bigger for the subs?

Thanks!

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I need a new signature.
302

[Pole]

So IROC it (or anyone else), any thoughts on the Infinity Kappa Perfect subs that get all the way down to 18 cycles.

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