Hey all,

I'm looking for an upgrade from the stock HU. I don't plan on installing a sub or upgrading the speakers at the moment. I want to see what I can get out of the stock speakers with the new HU. Maybe I can live without putting more upgrades in the car for a while.

What's the best bang for my buck? The $110 for the DCI/harness limits my shopping a bit. I've looked at the Alpines, what else works well?

Edit: Oh yeah, I'm trying to keep the total price <$300 as much as possible.

Thanks!

 

currently leaning towards Pioneer DEH-P3800MP


http://www.crutchfield.com/S-7CKfIGGzt8p/c...=130DEHP380#Tab

 

im not a big audiophile, but i wanted mp3 playback. so i bought a used pioneer deh-7600mp off ebay for a little more than the 3800 new.

it pretty much has the same features as the 3800, and the main thing i like is the high pass filter which the 3800 has too. filters out the bass that the factory components cant handle. so i would recommend it. if youre not going to run an amp anyway, the preouts dont matter anyway. you might want to get the next higher version simply for the rear aux input built in, in case you ever get a separate mp3 player.

and quite frankly, i dont care for the OEL *BRIGHT* display (way too bright, and it reverses every 15 seconds, even brighter! i leave the stereo door closed all the time), so a new 3800 with a simple display probably would have been better for me anyway. oh well.

the only slightly annoying aspect of the pioneer HU is that every input change, like volume, has a beep, so when the DCI autochanges the volume, it has a beep. kind of annoying, but thats ok, its liveable. i just turn the volume control off when im not cruising on the highway. at least they let you turn off the dump warning beep to take off the face when you turn the ignition off. my old sony wouldnt let you... drove me crazy.

 

Thanks Tyson! I leave the radio door closed all the time also. I'll look into the other models.

 

I have the Sony CDX-F605X installed in my S and its a great unit for the money.

Here is a link to the review I wrote on diyma.

Got mine for $148 shipped from millionbuy.com (eBay store) with 2 year warranty.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ead.php?t=5161

 

does anyone know if the pioneer 4800 can use the wired modifry DCI?

edit: doh, found the compatibility list @ gofastlab. Yes, it does work.

 

Alpine 9856 FTW for the baller on a budget. You can always get the DCi later. I personally, never use it. Your right hand is near the shifter anyway, its just easier to hit the buttons on the radio itself, IMHO.

 

9856=

 

If you no longer use the radio controls on the dash, I wonder if you can re-wire them to do other stuff...