Stereo

[sawtooth4x4]

What are you guys using for stereos?

I've been using a Dual iPod ready stereo for awhile. Its been okay, but today the detachable face fell off. the plastic pieces that hold the face on broke.:-\ It usually has to be reset if i leave my old iPhone that I use for my iPod plugged in. Its kind of a piece of crap.

I'd like to get a Digital Media deck. I never use CD's. I'd like to have atlease 50 watts of power, 2-3 pre-outs, bluetooth, iPod capable, somewhat dust proof, and sounds good.

I've been looking, and cannot really find anything i like.

What do you guys suggest?

 

[Kevin B.]

I started this thread a little while back - http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?97166-Car-audio-options

When I needed a stereo for the truck, I walked into the first little audio store I found and said gimme your cheapest head unit. They did, it's a little no name 4x50w with no clock and it cost me $30. It's done me great for what it is. I'm looking for other options too though, because I want a little better sound when I have it turned up and I'd like to save the space in the dash if I can. I'll let you know if I find anything cool.

 

[Spork]

I've become a fan of the USB port. I've got a Kenwood unit in Abner and a Dual brand one in my Trooper with the USB option. The Dual brand doesn't have as many options but actually does really well for what it is. My wife loads up a 16G USB stick and I get to question her taste in music the whole way to Moab.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I like the USB feature because it can charge my phone. The unit Spork has in his truck is my favorite head unit. It looks basic on the front, but it has all the high-end electronics for better sound quality.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

Anyone used a Boss stereo. Edit: NO pre-outs. crap.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

ha ha. screw it. i ripped out the part that pushes the face off the deck. now it just sits there connected. i refuse to spend money on a new deck for atleast another year.

 

[DevinB]

I like the USB feature because it can charge my phone. The unit Spork has in his truck is my favorite head unit. It looks basic on the front, but it has all the high-end electronics for better sound quality.

Which model is it?

 

[Spork]

Which model is it?

KDC-X395

 

[thenag]

We have a decent Pioneer with aux and USB, the USB is great for trips, put a book or a bunch of podcasts on a thumb drive...

When I was taking the top off my bronco I would pull the stereo out (so it wouldn't get stolen) and plug an mp3 player right into the amp input using a headphone to RCA adapter.

It would be a different setup than a traditional car stereo, and you would have to mount an amp somewhere but you wouldn't have a head unit to get dusted out and I am sure you can find small mp3 players for super cheap. (or just use a smart phone)

actually come to think of it I have the amp I used to do that with on a shelf in the garage...

Nathan

 

[TurboMinivan]

Nowadays I am all about the USB port. I installed a (now older) Kenwood KDC-MP342U in my TJ. I bought one of those eLago microSD card readers + a 16gig card, loaded it with mp3s, and I leave it plugged into the faceplate 24/7. Endless music with no skips that requires no data/satellite signal--who could ask for anything more?

I have become so enamored with this idea that I had to install a new stereo in my Suburban before I drove to Moab for EJS. This time around I ended up with a Pioneer DEH-X5500HD. I went with Pioneer because it could recognize more audio files on my USB drive than a Kenwood deck would. (Kenwood will only recognize up to 256 folders, and each can contain up to 256 tracks. Pioneer can recognize up to 500 folders, and each can contain up to 30 tracks. If you're like me and you make every ripped album its own folder, Pioneer is the way to go.) As an added bonus, its dot matrix display can show more letters at once, making it better to display song titles, folder names, and so on.

This unit has many features which I doubt I'll ever use, but for one c-note I am quite content with it.

 

[cuban b]

In my last jeep, I mounted an amp in an ammo can, drilled a hole in the front for an ipod plug and BOOM, stereo. I also bought a tiny 5 dollar ipod sized radio at big lots for when I wanted radio.

My new jeep came with a lame normal stereo.

 

[N-Smooth]

Factory 1993 Chrysler tape deck for me. I have a tape adapter for my iPods/iPhones and I'm good to go. I will likely go the route of an amp with an adapter when I tear out my dash one day

 

[AaronPaige]

I hung a set of wake board boat speakers from my cage and a water prof amp from my phone or iPod, I love it simple and sounds great