Car Audio Questions

[Racer 1966]

I'm wanting to upgrade the audio equipment in my truck but I haven't messed with that stuff for 20+ years. I'm not after an annoying/loud system with 15" subs,just want some decent sound clarity. I want to use the factory stereo/speaker locations for simplicity and I don't want a flashy looking head unit. Something that blends in with the stock dash and adjustable back lighting to match the stock look. iPod plug and Bluetooth preferred. Speakers are in the doors only(quadcab Dakota)so I'm somewhat limited there. Here's links to what I'm looking at.

Head Unit

Speakers

Anyone have any experience with with that head unit? Suggestions for alternatives welcome.

Kicker speakers are ok? Choice here is for simplicty again,these are direct bolt in/plug in units. Would I benefit from a small amp? I know the factory used an amp with their "infinity" system but my truck doesn't have it.

I'm not dead set on anything yet,any advice will be looked at with an open mind.

 

[hamz9561]

I have an older Alpine head unit with Bluetooth and an iPod connection (KCE-433iV iPod cable)and really like it. It was replaced by this one:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500CDE125B/Alpine-CDE-125BT.html?tp=5684&nvpair=FFBrand|Alpine

you would also need to add an iPod cable for about $30. I also run these speakers in my F-150:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPR68/Alpine-SPR-68.html?tp=93&nvpair=FFBrand|Alpine

Ford and Chrysler use the 5X7 or 6X8 speakers in the past. Alpine makes a nice little amp that plugs between the head and the wiring harness called the KTP-445 Power Pack:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500KTP445/Alpine-KTP-445-Power-Pack.html


I also run a small powered sub-woofer from Infinity:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108BASSLIN/Infinity-BassLink.html?tp=114&nvpair=FFBrand|Infinity

 

[Racer 1966]

Thanks for the suggestions hamz but:

Speaker openings are made for 6 1/2" round speakers. I tried to fit 6X9 in the front door and maybe with more effort they may fit but the back doors have no room for anything bigger. I'm not 100% sure the speakers I listed will fit the back doors ,they aren't actually listed for my year of truck(02). It depends on overall depth.

That head unit won't match the stock interior,red/blue button lighting and white display wouldn't look well with the stock Dodge green lighting. I want mostly black looks with green lighting.

There's no room for a sub behind the rear seats and no space under them either. I have heard you can pull the seats and cut out an area behind the the seats,but I don't want to do that much work. I want simple and I just want clarity. I think just good speakers will do. I'd be happy if it sounded as good as the factory system in my wife's car.

I already have the iPod cable

Here's another head unit I am considering but it doesn't have the bluetooth.

Head Unit 2

 

[RC Addict]

Check out www.crutchfield.com. Plug in your vehicle info and they will tell you what fits. Order from them and they include all wiring adapters and mounting adapters for free.

---------- Post added at 1:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 1:39 AM ----------

Here is a Pioneer head unit that you can customize the colors on--even go one color for the buttons and one for the display: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/DEH-6300UB

 

[slowngreen]

Save yourself some money Randy and keep shopping at Sonicelectronix.com they offer the same free install stuff (if you need it) that Crutchfield does and are in most cases way cheaper.

I personally wouldnt do pioneer at all, they dont last compared to Alpine or Panasonic. Panasonic will also give you WAY more useful features for a lower price. Id only run Panasonic decks when I was into hella loud systems.

Kicker is pretty good for speakers but they like to price for their name. You can get better speakers for less imo. A 3-way speaker but with a little less rms might sound better off of deck power too imo.

---------- Post added at 10:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 9:59 AM ----------

And Infinity used to be awesome, until they went to Chrysler. They really lowered the quality of their stuff to go into stock vehicles.

 

[RC Addict]

I personally wouldnt do pioneer at all, they dont last compared to Alpine or Panasonic. Panasonic will also give you WAY more useful features for a lower price. Id only run Panasonic decks when I was into hella loud systems.

Gotta disagree with ya on that one. My current head unit has been in my truck for eight years. My previous unit was in my truck for three years before being handed down to my pal. Its almost 12 years now and has never had a hiccup. You may not like Pioneer but that doesn't mean they don't last...

 

[slowngreen]

None of mine or any of my buddies ever have....Prolly just like anything else I guess, works for some, doesn't work for others.

 

[hamz9561]

I started having problems with Kenwood head units not lasting and switched to Alpine. The only reason that my Alpine units don't stay in my truck is that I either upgrade or they get stolen.

 

[slowngreen]

Kenwood has also been a problem deck for me too Hamz. Alpine, Panasonic and Eclipse have been the best for me.

 

[RC Addict]

Kenwood sucks. Period.

 

[Rolex]

My last unit in the car was Pioneer and when I pulled it to go from cassette to CD, my new one is also Pioneer. The old one was as perfect as the day I got it. (Still have it) The new one has now been in the car for about 5 years and is still perfect. I used to sell electronics and Pioneer was always a preferred brand for me.
My 4 speakers are Alpines, upgraded when I got the CD unit. Very crisp, very clean.
I strongly recommend you go to an audio store or Best Buy where you can compare the sound of speakers on the wall. The Sony speakers I almost bought paled in comparison to the Alpines once I heard them.

 

[mayrider]

you get what you pay for with pioneer the pioneer stereos at your big retailers are not the same one's that you would get at a local stereo shop even though they may look the same there model # will be one digit off and are not built to the same quality.
I've had good luck with pioneer , JVC, and kenwood (stereo in my car now is a 8year old kenwood with no problems but it was a 600.00 radio 8 years ago) but do your research and read reviews everyone is different when it comes to brand kinda like ford ,chevy , dodge debate. I installed and sold car audio in my late teens early twenty's for a local shop and every brand has a crappy model that should never been released, back in late 90's panasonic's and sony's were just total crap.
another thing is the installer and how they connect the wires i seen a lot of stereo's go to the dumpster by people that don't know what there doing and shorting speaker wires together and burning up the output transister or using crimp connectors that tend to loosen up(I always solder and tape my connections)

 

[olds97_lss]

Pioneer used to make great decks (10+ years ago), I tried a couple of their higher end ones over the past couple of years and they sound like crap regardless of speakers and adjustments. JVC also sucks. Sounds great, but clips very easily. I went through 3 different HU's before landing on the KDCX692 and again went through 3 before landing on the current 945U.

I'm currently running a kenwood in both my cars, KDCX692 in my old car with pioneer speakers, no amp needed. And a KDC-BT945U with polk audio db651/db691 (front/rear) speakers and RF old school 800a4 amp. The polks sound amazing, but proved to be more than the HU could push. After trying 3 amps (2 are currently in the closet collecting dust), I finally landed on the old RF amp and it can push the polks hard. The others would run for a while then overheat and shut down.

The DB series is supposed to be able to swap with stock speakers and be ran by factory HU's... No chance of that, I'll guarantee it! Just telling you that so you know that polks seem to require more power than their specs suggest... I know they aren't on your list or anyone elses, but thought I'd help rule them out in case you hear some. They sound way better than anything I heard at fry's/bb except for the infinity kappa 3 ways. Those were out of my price range though.

 

[Racer 1966]

So rule out the Polk speakers? I have heard good things about the Infinity Kappa's. They all seem to be close in price. I'll have to go check at BB or our stereo shop and see if I can listen to some of these.

For the head unit,seems everyone is split on good or bad. I found a good deal on the Pioneer I linked to and I like that it's plain looking when it's off. Then again I was wanting that Sony for long time before I saw the Pioneer. I was hoping someone had some experience with that exact model. I hate being indecisive :shrug:

 

[alpinehyperlite]

I would double check on those speakers. The surround was made for the new JK and JKU wranglers, with the three tabs protruding out at the mounting points. In your truck, i believe these wont work as they are cut for just a regular 6.5 round speaker.

I've never had any problems with polk audio speakers. I've used pioneer 3 way's in my last 2 installs, and have had no problems with them. Only issue i ran across in the JKU install was that the pioneers had these strange holes in them, maybe for mounting grill's or something, but when i installed them into the enclosures (sealed) in the dash of the JKU, they would sound blown. I had to tear the dash apart to get at them again, and had to epoxy the holes shut, and they sound "awesome" now.

 

[Racer 1966]

My truck has the same 3-tab design. There is a plastic 3/4" thick stand off that they mount to on the door. I know that for certain since I pulled the fronts and put some Sony speakers in. I Also took one of the back door panels off and was going to try and put a 6x9 in there only to find a tighter area than the front. I think it sounds worse now than before I messed with it.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Cool. then the kickers will work. The pods in the door, are they like small little enclosures, or are they just a hole drilled in the sheet metal?

 

[RC Addict]

That 8200 you linked to is discontinued but here is the new model: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_32853_Pioneer-MVH-P8300BT.html

I haven't tried it but am thinking about this unit as an upgrade myself. A female friend has the 8200 and loves it.

 

[Racer 1966]

Cool. then the kickers will work. The pods in the door, are they like small little enclosures, or are they just a hole drilled in the sheet metal?

Just holes in the sheet metal.

That 8200 you linked to is discontinued but here is the new model: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_32853_Pioneer-MVH-P8300BT.html

I haven't tried it but am thinking about this unit as an upgrade myself. A female friend has the 8200 and loves it.

That's just a link to show the unit,it is the 8200 I'm looking at.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Good. Then that is another plus. You don't have to worry about sealing the speaker so it don't sound like crap. I wish mine was like that. It would have saved me several hours in teardown and troubleshooting my issues. Lol