rupertu

Not being much of an audiophile I was quite prepared to put up with indifferent sound quality with the Philips CD unit - but the signal strength on the radio is just diabolical (UK car so crummy A pillar aerial)Is this what everyone else finds too please ?

Dippy

I live on the limits of Capital FM broadcast range (I had to have an FM arial installed on my roof to get a decent signal to my HiFi), but surprisingly the standard radio on my MY00 picks up the signal very well.

I think that the standard unit sounds fine, but then I'm over 30 so my frequency response is fading all the time...

I'm going to replace the unit anyway because I need a CD player but I don't want a multi-changer.

APJ

Yeah, I agree Rupert - signal strength seems to be a prob. I drive the same route into work as I did in my old car - yeat the old motor had a much stronger signal.

Be interesting to see whats its like with a new head unit installed. Was it the Phillips or the aerial?!

Julian

I don't know if it's the aerial or the receiver itself, but my MY99 has the worst RDS performance I've ever seen (heard)! It's making me think seriously about a DABs unit - but then I'll never know if the Aerial was all that needed changing as they all seem to require a new one to go with the DABs receiver.

Anyone done a simple head unit change and found that RDS now works much better than before? If so which unit?

Julian.

Adam M

There is a huge amount of physics theory behind aerial replacement and sheet grounding, which says that it is best to place the aerial in the middle of the largest flat grounded conductor possible, which in the case of the car is the roof.

I have a decent headunit and a wrx which has an electric aerial extending from the rear quarter panel. The signal is apalling. I have a roof mounted tv aerial which I intend to switch for a bosch bee sting, leaving the current aerial redundant and moving the tcv aerial to lie flat under the roof lining.

Apparanetly it still works there so why not?

rupertu

Yes Adam, but my first Impreza had a pretty crap Panasonic radio/cassette in it when I got it ('95, standard fit rebadged Subaru) but there was never a problem with the actual signal, and the car had the same A pillar aerial, just the output quality.

Actually I quite like these aerials because you can put it down from the driver's seat and it doesn't feel quite as vulnerable as the leccy one on my STi

The Zohan

I have a MY99 UK car c/w the standard Phillips unit - the reception seems OK. I am do a lot of the same journeys as i did in my previous car (usually a bit quicker and a lot more fun though) and the reception appears to be about the same, no better, no worse. Last car had a roof mount with some sort of electrical signal booster. You may have a bad earth or a short, the ariel may not be connected or loose in the back of the set (sorry, head unit), it's worth pulling the unit out and checking.

PH

rupertu

Thanks Paul, yes I've tried that - I think the Philips CD unit is a worse offender than the radio/cassette one. Anyway, I've ditched it now for a Sony one and can actually enjoy the whole of The Archers on the way home now ;-))