put me on the list too

 

As long as it supports the Sony MP3 deck put me on the list.

 

You know I'm in!

 

It supports the MP3 deck, that's the one I own in my car. It supports any sony that has a 1/8" jack on the back. (Most) Hopefully I'll be able to post the group buy on Monday, I'll let you all know when it's up.

 

does programming the unit require the remote to remember the commands like the PAC SWI?

 

No, this unit does not need the remote for programming. There are two buttons on the unit that are used for programming. It is a fairly simple procedure that takes about 5 mintues.

The units will come pre-programmed for the most common settings. However, due to variance in the S2000 dash controls circuitry from car to car, it is possible you will have to re-program it to work with your particular car. If you wish to have different settings than the default, then you will of course have to program it.

 

excellent.
count me in, too (if the price is reasonable).
And thanks for your perserverance.

 

The functionality of these controls looks great (two functions per button), and the speed and tidyness of a hardwired solution really appeals to me.

The only thing holding be back is the Sony headunits. They don't seem to have the best reputation, and none of them seem to have onboard amps in the same league as the Alpines. Which models are you guys considering?

Thanks,

Ted

 

Really! Where did you get that impression. I've had the CDX-M750 now for well over a year and am more than happy with it. It hasn't missed a beat and has 50W per channel (that was pretty much the max about a year ago) but I use the RCA's to a small Sony amp.

Lookingforward to more advanced dash control.

 

I think the closest current Sony head unit to yours is:

Sony's Xplod ES CDX-M770 CD receiver 23.2 watts RMS/52 peak x 4 channels

The Alpine's are rated similarly (~20 watts RMS / ~50 watts peak), but from what I've heard, the Alpines are conservatively rated, whereas most other brands are rated optimistically. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd rather avoid adding a separate amp (weight issues), and I know that almost any decent head unit will be better than the stock one, but still...

The whole reliability/quality control issue is very hard to get a good read on. Your specific unit may be perfect, but out of every 100 sold how many are trouble-free. The only people who really know are the manufacturers (who aren't saying), and the people who sell them (who may have motives to say less than the whole truth). I'm just going by what I've heard here and from friends who I trust.

Anyone else with info on either amp power or quality, please chime in.

Thanks,

Ted