What should I look for when comparing head units? I probably won't do more than just upgrade speakers and maybe an amp in the future. But nothing more. I was just looking at them and wanted to know what are good power outputs and anything else I should be looking out for. I was looking at a Kenwood KDCx-917 and I wanted to know how the kenwood sounds too. All I seem to hear are Alpine and Eclipse. INput appreciated.

 

If you are a regular guy that want good sounds, then any aftermarket HU that major stores sell will do (Best Buys, Good Guys, Circuit City, etc). It will mostly come down to which HU you like, which looks better in your car, and how much $$$ you want to spend. If there is any type of a "number" you want to use as a guide, get something that is at least 50wX4 or better. Most HUs out there are pretty good, and you wont be disappointed. As for brands, I can only recommend what I have, that is Sony Xplod. But again, all the major brands should be fine. There will also be fan favorite, but there really isn't much difference (from this perspective) for the average guy. When you open it up, the parts are made in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, etc.

Also if you like to adjust your music, look for one that have "custom" eq so you can set it the way you like it instead of the preset modes.

Some other features you may want to consider is the ability to hook up a CD changer, and a seperate Sub output. They may come handy in the future if you want to expand.

Lastly, don't get carry away with buying stuff that you don't really need.