All that I want to do is add a new deck due to the great sound improvements over the stock HU. And then replace the door speakers. Thats it! Several questions though?

1. If all I plan on doing is the HU and speakers, is pioneer ok then? I hear a lot of negative things about them. This is the one I want.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/prod...0874695,00.html


2. I hear that the stock speakers are decent for 04+? How much better can I get if I replace the stockers with with both an aftermarket HU and speakers? Any brands or suggestions?


3. Finally, Will this setup be loud enough for top down driving unlike the stock setup?


Thanks for your help!!!!!

Jon

 

[QUOTE=Superfly05,Jul 18 2005, 07:34 PM] All that I want to do is add a new deck due to the great sound improvements over the stock HU.

 

Most (audiophiles anyway) people dont like pioneer (myself included) due to the fact that they are waaay too overly digital. Everything is complicated (like the Mercedes Benz COMAND system) for no reason. They dont offer something others dont, so I dont see the point. But, like my man Bill says, "I like onions on my pizza."

 

[QUOTE=NFRs2000NYC,Jul 18 2005, 10:00 PM] Most (audiophiles anyway)

 

As far as quality, I think Pioneer is great. I'm a DJ and all of my gear is Pioneer DJ gear and they're the best in the DJing hardware department. Including their CD decks and mixers... I'm not sure about their head units, as I've always gone with Alpine (just out of habit, I guess) but I can't see how or why their quality would be so amazing with their CD player turntables and then just drop in the car audio department. I mean, ultimately, they're using the same technology there... Just a little extra to move it into the car spectrum.

 

you should be fine w/ your proposed setup.

when shopping for speakers, to use the HU only, i'd suggest looking for speakers with a sensitivity of 90 dB or higher. the higher the better... these will make the most use of your power. the Infinity Reference and Polk base series are good for the money and generally have those high sensitivity ratings.


i'm not opposed to Pioneer HU's, but they aren't my 1st choice. they would make my top 4 or 5 tho. i have a couple Pioneer Elite home theatre pieces at home, and i'm quite happy with their performance and sound. but their Elite line is quite different from their typical wares. the Premier line is supposed to be good as well.

 

Thanks for the input everybody! 1 main feature that I really like is what Nicotunes said, wired DCI instead of the IR. The IR sensor hanging out like I have seen looks unfinished to me. I like more of the clean look in my opinion. I will also look into the Polk speakers.

Can I get some better bass out of the door speakers. Something that will hit a little harder and not sound like they are crackiling and about to blow up. I just don't want a sub.

Thanks again!!!

Jon

 

DO NOT ever confuse pioneer home electronics and dj equipment to their car audio line. Thats like comparing Sony in home products vs. their car audio gear. Two completely different ballgames.

Anyway, Ive owned pioneer car electronics, and THEY ALL failed me. Motors in HU go, stops reading CDs or starts eating cds....etc. Like Phil said, they are in my top 10, but by default.

 

I had a Pioneer Premier in my last car and loved it. It was way simpler to use than an Alpine and came with a one year warranty. I had no complaints in the four years I had it.

 

i definitely agree w/ Dave on judging 1 company based upon all products.
i would never own Sony gear in a car again, but have happily had Sony gear at home before, and used to really like their ES home line.
i'd never buy Pioneer general population home gear, but own 2 key pieces from their Elite line, and would consider their Premier gear for my car (they'd rank higher if their controls/menus weren't so difficult to navigate).
i've found JVC's video gear to be quite capable, but wouldn't own their home gear... but might consider their car gear.

it's all based upon experience, design, reliability, and personal opinion. so, ymmv - but i've got the brands i'm loyal to and will buy, and mostly it's from my experiences with them both past and present.


and my experience w/ Pioneer HU's has been decent. i've never owned one, but have put several in... all of which are still ticking along just fine after years of use. i just dislike their menus and controls because they are simply overly flashy and i find them very difficult to navigate. which is exactly the opposite of flitcroft...
go figure.