No more good single Din headunits???

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

None of them what they used to be. I think the problem is, these companies can tie up so much R&D into a super high fidelity SQ head unit and only sell 100 of them or produce something that's fair with a bunch of features that's pretty much disposable and sell millions of them. The market drives what the industry makes. I see people here saying things that are total **** are good, so clearly 99% of people are happy with low to average quality stuff.

Honestly I'd say the Alpine (with the add-ons of course) is your best bet if you don't want to buy old/used.

That all being said, I'm moderately happy with high end Kenwood stuff. Not amazing, but priced right so that when it dies in a year and a half I don't shed a tear throwing it away.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

None of the mass market head units have active front stage capability. That's their biggest shortfall.. IMO. I don't understand why can't manufacturers make say a $400 head unit with these capabilities:

1. 2-way active front stage.

2. 15-20 band equalizer.

3. Time alignment

4. Bluetooth phone support, USB for Ipod, etc.

5. No internal amplifier please. Only pre-outs.

They would sell like hotcakes..

Add 3-way active frontstage capability with extra 2 pre-outs in a $500 premium model.

Pioneer P99RS fits the bill, but the price is just too much..

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

That's whats frustrating also... It wouldn't cost all that much more to add those features in and they would save a little by not having an internal amp.

As it is, most average - quality units have 3 preouts. It wouldn't take that much more to make a 3-way crossover.

Maybe they figure people looking for that quality can go active at the amp or preamp level?

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

stupid *** idea pioneer came up with. I dont know. And i will believe the above statement when i hear it for myself. I HAVE NEVER HEARD A HIGH END PIONEER THAT SOUNDED BETTER THAN A HIGH END ALPINE!! LOL

You serious? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

Bassin Buick,

I highly doubt that people could pick out an Alpine from say the Pioneer P99RS..... Anytime you get into the $800+ range, I think you would have to have 'golden ears' to be able to pick out the unit, especially in a blind test. (ala Richard Clarke).

Unless you plan on playing CD-audio (only), I don't think you realize that anything that plays MP3's is going to sound comparable, until you get into the CD-A or FLAC loss-less formats.

Don't get me wrong, I think you're pretty cool, but that statement is a little over the top... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Horsemanwill 10+ year member]

last i checked i don't think the p99rs has a pico fuse in it. i know mine don't but i have the jap version the 01

 

[Bassin Buick]

Bassin Buick,I highly doubt that people could pick out an Alpine from say the Pioneer P99RS..... Anytime you get into the $800+ range, I think you would have to have 'golden ears' to be able to pick out the unit, especially in a blind test. (ala Richard Clarke).

Unless you plan on playing CD-audio (only), I don't think you realize that anything that plays MP3's is going to sound comparable, until you get into the CD-A or FLAC loss-less formats.

Don't get me wrong, I think you're pretty cool, but that statement is a little over the top... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Why is it over the top?? It's completely true. LOL. I HAVE NEVER HEARD A HIGH END PIONEER!! LOL. Best offering i have heard from them is a mid level premier deck. Now i have heard some bad *** alpines , eclipses , ES , and older clarion's that would **** in every pioneers "that i have heard" cornflakes.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

last i checked i don't think the p99rs has a pico fuse in it. i know mine don't but i have the jap version the 01

ding ding ding winner winner chicken dinner. HUGE difference between the regular pioneer and the ODR/Stage 4 products. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Bassin Buick]

ding ding ding winner winner chicken dinner. HUGE difference between the regular pioneer and the ODR/Stage 4 products. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I still dont understand the point of the pico fuse. LOL

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

Supposed safety feature to keep num skullz from shorting out the low level outputs......aka crappy design lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Bassin Buick]

Supposed safety feature to keep num skullz from shorting out the low level outputs......aka crappy design lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

truth ITT! lol

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

Well, if it's any comfort, I'm still using a Kenwood eXcellon deck that is from '04 or '05 and it's doing just fine... every now and then it'll have a little trouble ejecting a CD, that's it though. But like you, I'm in the market for when it does die. Why not just keep an eye out for a good used Eclipse or Alpine deck? I'm sure something nice will pop-up before yours dies out. If you can find a minty 7200MKII at a good price, who cares if it's used?

 

[Varinabassing 10+ year member]

I love my pioneer Never really cared for alpines and all the add ons your have to buy

 

[dumple 5,000+ posts]

you can prokly find a 7200 on ebay, but tge market for high end sq decks isn't worth the effort of making because they will never out sell the 150-200 dollar decks

 

[got-one-eight 10+ year member]

I found a couple Eclipse 7200's on ebay.. they are going for about 350+ used! My 9835 is solid so I am good. I wish someoen still made atleast one good high end unit in the 500-600$ range that can do 3way active.