Aftermarket car stereos

[saturnotaku]

I was thinking about doing an upgrade to my PC, but as I was driving around town this afternoon I thought about how great it would be to have a new stereo in my car. My 2000 Saturn has almost 50,000 miles on it and since I got my reporting job my in-vehicle time has increased exponentially since we bought the car.

After doing some shopping, I picked up a Kenwood KDC-MP819. It has the basics, CD-R/RW support, detachable faceplate and whatnot. But the unit also supports mp3 CD's and CD text. It even comes with a wireless remote control! :D

I got it for less than $300 and it took less than an hour to install. I have to read the manual in a bit more depth to fully understand all the features but I think this is going to be money well spent. :D

Next step in a few months will be to add speakers.

[netviper13]

In my truck I've got:

1.) Pioneer DEH-P4300 head unit (nothing fancy like mp3 compatibility, but it's fairly sweet)

2.) 2x Rockford Fosgate FRC3257 5x7" door speakers

3.) 2x JBL GT1241D 12" subwoofers in a sealed box

4.) JBL 600watt amp

Overall, I'd have to say the upgrade that made the biggest difference in sound quality was the move from factory door-speakers to the Rockfords. The quality difference is night and day. Before even mids and highs were muddied, now they're crystal clear.

[LORD-eX-Bu]

you pay alot when you buy them, when you try to sell them you get nothing.

[netviper13]

Ain't that the truth, lol.

[stncttr908]

I don't have a car, but when I do I'll probably just get a decent head unit and some 6x9" speakers.

[saturnotaku]

Nice thing about where I had my stuff installed is that they'll put the OEM stereo back in the car when I decide it's time to upgrade my car. They'll do that free of charge, too so wherever I go, the stereo comes with me. :D

[Matthyahuw]

the only word you need to know:

Kenwood

[t6_shadow]

"you pay alot when you buy them, when you try to sell them you get nothing."

Their is like 5 things in the world that go UP in value and time progresses. Art and wine.... That is all. Not really but close.

[Nephilim]

Originally posted by Matthyahuw
the only word you need to know:

Kenwood

Eh...the only word you really need to know is Nakamichi (http://www.nakamichi.com/). :D

[The Baron]

Friend has a Kenwood CD player, it's nice, but I like my other friend's Sony Xplod CD player better. Dunno, just better button layout and readability. That Kenwood is IMPOSSIBLE to read during the day.

Their is like 5 things in the world that go UP in value and time progresses. Art and wine....

Musical instruments. I've met more than a few people who were given violins (and even one viola) and cellos that are worth well WELL over a mil. Kinda scary to think about... they actually TOUCH THEM! :p

[saturnotaku]

Ooh, the Sony Xplod - the A#1 target of stereo thiefs in Carol Stream, IL. When I gather my police reports every week, I see more Sony Xplod stereos stolen than any other. :o

[ibGoodEnuf]

The stereo in my truck consists of 3 JBL Amplifiers, 2 1 Farad caps,
Premier head unit, Boston Pro set with 1" titanium tweeters and 4" mid bass drivers, 6.5" 2 way eclipses with 3/4" titanium tweeters, 2 JL Audio 12" dual voice coil subs running in a series/parallel circuit so that the 600 watt RMS amp running bridged is shown only a 4 ohm total load, and 2 horns crossed over @ 1000Hz for fill. Not too many use horns anymore, but I like the ambiance.

It puts out about 141 db.

One of my neighbors actually wanted to fight me physically over the noise shortly after moving into the neighborhood, but backed down when I said,"OK". :D

[LORD-eX-Bu]

damn, you should charge admission to that.:D

EDIT: What type of car is it?

[ibGoodEnuf]

Thx for askin Lord,

It is a 1996 Dodge Ram Indy Edition (only 3000 made). I bought it new. It has a 2-4" lowering kit(I hate slammed rides for daily driving, so I went kinda conservative on it), a hard tonneau cover. The amps reside in the bed with all wiring traversing through 3 1 1/4" liquitight conduit pieces. Power to all 3 amps is #1, Sub wiring is all #4. I have had the truck for 6.5 years now and it has only 41,500 original miles. It is still very cherry.

Almost forgot, I have 2 Optima batteries; Dodge was kind enough to make battery trays for both sides. And a 120 amp Pheonix Gold alternator.

[LORD-eX-Bu]

wow, heh, I'm just happy with my Harman Kardon system. I don't listen to music much when driving, haha, don't wanna crash. Thats what I say, when you're in a car, you're supposed to drive ;) :p

EDIT: Damn nice truck you got there man.:D

[FastM]

Speaking of cars.... i just bought my first car 2 weeks ago. A 2000 Ford MustangGT 5-speed. Was a women onwer before me and the car drives like new.

As for putting a new Stereo?? Im with [eNv]-LORD-eX-Bu on this one.... im having to much fun listenning to then Engine when i drive to think about music :) mmmmmmmmm....V-8.....

[t6_shadow]

FastM

KEEP


IT


OUT


OF


THE


SNOW!

It will be a classic in like 25 years :).

[The Baron]

Fast.. I Want. :p

[FastM]

heh, iv'e got my winter tires on (have really nice 17inch mags and tires waiting for the summer) And iv'e gotten the car Rust-Proofed. I only plan on keeping it 4 - 5 years anyway. Will take me about a year to pay the rest of it off, then Summer of 2004 im going to turn this car into a beast. I'll be happy around 400hp i think :)

Honestly iv'e wanted a MustangGT since i learned what a car is, it still hasent really hit me that i actually own one now.

check out the interior...

[FastM]

And of course... its sweet a$$ :)

[LORD-eX-Bu]

I'm more interested in the truck in front of the mustang.:D :D :D

[ibGoodEnuf]

I have the best of both worlds: if I want to hear my sweet 5.9 V8 with the dual catback exaust, I just turn down the jams.

[FastM]

That would be a Lincoln Aviator... very nice truck indeed...

Get this, i bought my car through a Dealer auction.. cost me 11,000$ USD. Car has 36,000 Miles!! (1,000 before Warrenty ends)

[ibGoodEnuf]

We call them Navigators down here, but then we never did get the Acadian Canso either.:rolleyes:

[pelly]

Lincoln Aviator = baby Navigator...

Essentially, its a small-scale version of the Navigator....

http://www.lincoln.com/vehicles/interior.asp?sVehi=avi

vs

http://www.lincoln.com/vehicles/interior.asp?sVehi=nav

Nice toys... :D