Mossman

Any advice on a new CD headunit guys and gals??

I have last years Kenwood 6070 (?) and paid approx £200. I now want to pay a little more and would appreciate some direction.

Also, can the Kenwood MASK system units be fitted in an Impreza (a WRX)? Last year the dealer I used couldn't so if anyone out there has done this, please let me know!

Many thanks as usual!

Jon.

Mossman

Err.. English lessons required...

"WHICH CD headunit...." !!

Mr Leigh

I fitted a mask in a MY99.

Adam M

you need to let us know how much you want to spend.

I think I know where your dealer went wrong. The hole in the console for the radio is less than din size and this fooled your dealer into thinking it would not go in. The console needs to be dismantled and the radio installed inside, behind the plastic surround. I am convinced that your dealer thought that the rotating face of the mask would not clear the surround and so would not go in. He is wrong. The rotating face is smaller than the surround so all is well.

I personally would not fit a steath or a mask as I am not keen on Kenwood head units, (or any of their products for that matter).
I have recently seen the new Pioneer OEL display head units which are almost like a tele. If you like gimmicks and flashing lights (I don't but still think they are cool in other peoples cars) and can afford the £400, then have a look. It sounded great, had lots of power for a head unit, and no shortage of features.

robski

Not got my impreza yet (start of Oct most likely), but this sounds scarey! Are you saying that you cannot get the old head unit out without dismantling the dash? This is de-ja-vou for me, as I had to do this in my celica!

I have a pioneer 8400, not a current model, but it was one of the first to have those displays. It rocks. Upon connecting the first speaker, I just sat there in awe, it blew my not cheap sony out of the water. The display isnt subtle, but isnt that bad, and as you say, some of the adjustments that can be made from the head unit are excellent, e.g. sub phase adjustment.

My advice, buy the best you can. Listen to a few and pick which YOU like the sound of. If its a choice of head unit now and speakers later, or just head unit now, buy the head unit now, and the speakers later, its worth it.

robski

ozzy

I have an Alpine CTA-1505R and CHA-1214 12-disc Autochanger that I bought for my old VW Golf GTi about a year ago.

I paid £325 for the head-unit and £270 for the auto-changer from Car Audio Design (tel# 0181-664 8700). They specialize in Mail Order and only charged a tenner for next day delivery.

Since I couldn't bare to part with the Alpine kit I had it fitted to my new RB5 when I sold my Golf. The dealer even fitted it FOC - which was nice !

The facia is a light-grey colour so might not blend in as well as black, but it works well with the RB5.

I'd recommend upgrading your speakers to get the full potential from the Alpine equipment but as far as the head-unit and CD-player concerned, I haven't heard anything else that matches them for calrity and seperation.

If you're a bit of a bass-head then Kenwood or Pioneer might suit you better, though the Alpine looks like the dogs dangly bits with all the graphics - especially at night

Hope this helps,

Stef

Lee

I too have a CTA-1505R and the smaller 6 disc CHAS-614. (heh heh ozzy I paid 310 and 172, no delivery charge!)

I went for the 6-disc as its just about the only changer around thats small enough to fit into the glove box.

As far as speakers go, when I first swapped the head unit (only) there was massive improvement. I still maintain the original speakers arent that bad.

James_Harvey

You dont have to dismantle the console, the Original just slides out of the front.

I'm confused as to why you have to dismantle the console to install a Din unit, I installed my Pioneer through the front with no problems at all (98MY UK Turbo).

Adam M

I wrote about dismantling the console from experience. That is what I had to do in my car. MY95 wrx. It is possible the new dash is different or the uk spec dash has the facility for front mounted din units. Either way, it doesn't matter as both will accomodate industry standard din units.

P.S. the ultimate clarity I have ever heard from a head unit came from a Macintosh that had a separate dac and cost £2500. Closely followed by becker grand prix. Despite this the brand new top line alpine unit sounds fantastic, even better than the old 7909 and 7939.
I am stuck witha pioneer tv, but am hoping they will release a slave dvd player for the second dash slot with cd playback facilty to give the ultimate cd and dvd audio.

Saj

Alpine for sound quality, Kenwood/ Clarion for gadgets.

Only my opinion

Saj

RBT

I'll agree with Saj on those and add Pioneer to the list of 'gadget' suppliers.

If you want the dogs danglies though, try an Alpine 7939 or whatever it's current evolution is.

A better deck I have never heard.

(even over the 7909 legendary one they made which was regularly sold 2nd hand for over a grand a few years ago)

Ross.

ronin_hungary

iTrader: (6)

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the links.
There are a couple issues with these (and no I am not being ungrateful )

Both are competition brakes (bleeding, disassembling all the time, race pads, race discs, short life span etc.)
1. the 6 pot is for 310 mm discs only.
http://www.apracing.com/download/catalogue/Page%2026.pdf
2. the 4 pot is for 304 mm discs only.

I know that competition brakes are more efficient and all, but they do not work under "street" circumstances that well and high maintenance costs and time makes them a pain.

Anyways, still THANK YOU for looking out and I hope I will find my CP5570 or CP5200 kit soon...

Cheers,

R.

urban

iTrader: (1)

**** me.

Its a headunit he's after, not competition brakes

Calvert_87

Am presuming this was posed in error considering the head unit thread is 10 1/2 years old. I was still in Junior school when this was originally posted lol.