Hesitant to use factory HU....
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From: Yonkers, NY, US
Hesitant to use factory HU....
I Have a 2005 accord. I am hesitant to use the factory HU becuase it doesn't sound very clear at all. Now I have alot of gear leftover from my previous car (Audiobahn 12" dual coil sub, two Kicker 400.1 to drive it, Boston Acoustic components for the fronts, still need amp to drive them, a fairly decent Kenwood passive EQ, three complete Tsunami amp wiring kits w/ 1.2 Farad caps and all the little goodies).
The question is will the stock HU perform like an upper mid grade HU. Due to warranty and resale I would prefer to keep the appearance of stock and do not wish to remove factory wiring. I like the features of aftermarket HU's like versatility Ipods, Sirius, etc. My dilema?
The question is will the stock HU perform like an upper mid grade HU. Due to warranty and resale I would prefer to keep the appearance of stock and do not wish to remove factory wiring. I like the features of aftermarket HU's like versatility Ipods, Sirius, etc. My dilema?
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From: 99 probs but a stolen car aint 1, ca, cerritos/fullerton
Re: Hesitant to use factory HU.... (railtech)
http://mobile.jlaudio.com/prod...id=79
Used them all the time in new cars that customers want to keep there factory headunits. Esp in new cars like bmw, benz's, and ford. works really good. So much better then a l.o.c.
Used them all the time in new cars that customers want to keep there factory headunits. Esp in new cars like bmw, benz's, and ford. works really good. So much better then a l.o.c.
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clean sweep is only worth it IF and only if your factory head has a volume dependent eq. If it doesn't, then your options are wide open.
I'm not familiar with the accord headunit, so it's hard to say.
The JL would allow you to have an additional line in though...
I'm not familiar with the accord headunit, so it's hard to say.
The JL would allow you to have an additional line in though...
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From: sac, CA, USA
Re: (rcurley55)
imo, the headunit is one of the most, if not the most important component of your car's audio system... everything you play runs through the headunit so it is important to use a HU that will allow you to get optimal performance out of your setup...
for those of you with a turbo or built motor, you can liken a good HU to a good fuel management system... you wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a turbo build and use a shitty hack to tune your car so why spend a bunch money on subs, amps, and speakers and use a shitty HU to run your system...
for some people, the factory deck is sufficient, but in order to make the most of what you have, you need to invest in a good HU... doesnt have to be super expensive, for most people around $200 should be enough...
with that said, im sure plenty of people are content with the factory HU and i have no problem with that... for me however, the factory HU would be the first to go when i am building a system
for those of you with a turbo or built motor, you can liken a good HU to a good fuel management system... you wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a turbo build and use a shitty hack to tune your car so why spend a bunch money on subs, amps, and speakers and use a shitty HU to run your system...
for some people, the factory deck is sufficient, but in order to make the most of what you have, you need to invest in a good HU... doesnt have to be super expensive, for most people around $200 should be enough...
with that said, im sure plenty of people are content with the factory HU and i have no problem with that... for me however, the factory HU would be the first to go when i am building a system
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From: Yonkers, NY, US
Re: Hesitant to use factory HU.... (wrx-killer-Sti eater)
Sounds like this product has what I'm looking for and sounds like many of you are pleased with the performance. Yeah! I get to keep my steering wheel controls.
I was actually thinking of just adding a seperate aftermarket HU in the storage compartment in the dash and bypassing the factory system completely.
I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system. I will be doing all the work myself, this will be my first attempt at a really high quality sound system, will keep you updated.
Thanks wrx killer
I was actually thinking of just adding a seperate aftermarket HU in the storage compartment in the dash and bypassing the factory system completely.
I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system. I will be doing all the work myself, this will be my first attempt at a really high quality sound system, will keep you updated.
Thanks wrx killer
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Re: (redasphalt)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redasphalt »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">imo, the headunit is one of the most, if not the most important component of your car's audio system... everything you play runs through the headunit so it is important to use a HU that will allow you to get optimal performance out of your setup...
for those of you with a turbo or built motor, you can liken a good HU to a good fuel management system... you wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a turbo build and use a shitty hack to tune your car so why spend a bunch money on subs, amps, and speakers and use a shitty HU to run your system...
for some people, the factory deck is sufficient, but in order to make the most of what you have, you need to invest in a good HU... doesnt have to be super expensive, for most people around $200 should be enough...
with that said, im sure plenty of people are content with the factory HU and i have no problem with that... for me however, the factory HU would be the first to go when i am building a system </TD></TR></TABLE>
no, the headunit isn't that important - I hate to break it to you but, it simply isn't. If I have the best headunit in the world, but factory speakers - it's still going to sound like ****. On the other hand, I can take a car with a factory headunit and still make it sound great with a nice set of well installed speakers.
Can you increase the enjoyment of your system by adding a better quality headunit - absolutely!!! One would be naive to think otherwise. But the issue is how much benefit do you get? In the grand scheme of things - you can make a much larger difference in your system by working on other aspects than your headunit. The differences between units are going to fade away very quickly when you crack a window or if you have anything but the most quiet car.
For many new cars, it's impossible to remove the headunit, hence the increasing number of oem integration units on the market....
So you may liken a headunit to a fuel managment system - well then the speakers are your tires....without good tires, it doesn't matter how much power you make - if you can't get it to the ground, it's worthless....
for those of you with a turbo or built motor, you can liken a good HU to a good fuel management system... you wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a turbo build and use a shitty hack to tune your car so why spend a bunch money on subs, amps, and speakers and use a shitty HU to run your system...
for some people, the factory deck is sufficient, but in order to make the most of what you have, you need to invest in a good HU... doesnt have to be super expensive, for most people around $200 should be enough...
with that said, im sure plenty of people are content with the factory HU and i have no problem with that... for me however, the factory HU would be the first to go when i am building a system
</TD></TR></TABLE>no, the headunit isn't that important - I hate to break it to you but, it simply isn't. If I have the best headunit in the world, but factory speakers - it's still going to sound like ****. On the other hand, I can take a car with a factory headunit and still make it sound great with a nice set of well installed speakers.
Can you increase the enjoyment of your system by adding a better quality headunit - absolutely!!! One would be naive to think otherwise. But the issue is how much benefit do you get? In the grand scheme of things - you can make a much larger difference in your system by working on other aspects than your headunit. The differences between units are going to fade away very quickly when you crack a window or if you have anything but the most quiet car.
For many new cars, it's impossible to remove the headunit, hence the increasing number of oem integration units on the market....
So you may liken a headunit to a fuel managment system - well then the speakers are your tires....without good tires, it doesn't matter how much power you make - if you can't get it to the ground, it's worthless....
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Re: Hesitant to use factory HU.... (wrx-killer-Sti eater)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by railtech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">s
I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system. I will be doing all the work myself, this will be my first attempt at a really high quality sound system, will keep you updated. </TD></TR></TABLE>
If you're looking at spending that much on an aftermarket system, I personally wouldn't advise a factory head unit. Granted you can do a great sounding system with a factory hu, but imo it's a last resort.
If you're not aware, you can retain steering wheel controls with aftermarket hu's
I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system. I will be doing all the work myself, this will be my first attempt at a really high quality sound system, will keep you updated. </TD></TR></TABLE>
If you're looking at spending that much on an aftermarket system, I personally wouldn't advise a factory head unit. Granted you can do a great sounding system with a factory hu, but imo it's a last resort.
If you're not aware, you can retain steering wheel controls with aftermarket hu's
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Re: Hesitant to use factory HU.... (a_s_ol_)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rcurley55 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
So you may liken a headunit to a fuel managment system - well then the speakers are your tires....without good tires, it doesn't matter how much power you make - if you can't get it to the ground, it's worthless....</TD></TR></TABLE>
i agree the HU isnt the be all, end all to your system... im just saying that if you are going to replace the factory stuff you might as well upgrade the only component that ALL your music runs through... ie: subs play bass, tweeters play highs etc.. but everything has to run through your HU...
Now, sure factory speakers are going to sound shitty even with a good HU, but the majority of speakers sound shitty when they run off of the HU power regardless if its factory or aftermarket... in order for everything to blend nicely with your sub, you for the most part need to run them amplified...
it is when you begin to play your music loud, that a good headunit will begin to shine... imo, the adjustability of an aftermarket HU is invaluable to someone who is planning on upgrading the other components of their system, but to each his own
So you may liken a headunit to a fuel managment system - well then the speakers are your tires....without good tires, it doesn't matter how much power you make - if you can't get it to the ground, it's worthless....</TD></TR></TABLE>
i agree the HU isnt the be all, end all to your system... im just saying that if you are going to replace the factory stuff you might as well upgrade the only component that ALL your music runs through... ie: subs play bass, tweeters play highs etc.. but everything has to run through your HU...
Now, sure factory speakers are going to sound shitty even with a good HU, but the majority of speakers sound shitty when they run off of the HU power regardless if its factory or aftermarket... in order for everything to blend nicely with your sub, you for the most part need to run them amplified...
it is when you begin to play your music loud, that a good headunit will begin to shine... imo, the adjustability of an aftermarket HU is invaluable to someone who is planning on upgrading the other components of their system, but to each his own
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fair enough to each his own - but if you are using headunit amplification - you are not interested in good sound.
all I'm saying is money is WAYYYY better spent in speakers and installation then in a headunit - all else being equal.
The performance difference between headunits is far smaller that the difference between speakers...one has a MUCH MUCH more profound difference on how your overall system will sound then the other.
all I'm saying is money is WAYYYY better spent in speakers and installation then in a headunit - all else being equal.
The performance difference between headunits is far smaller that the difference between speakers...one has a MUCH MUCH more profound difference on how your overall system will sound then the other.
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Re: (a_s_ol_)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by a_s_ol_ »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Of course, but if you had $4500 to spend on a system would you leave the stock head unit?
....... perhaps that's not such a good question for you in particular lol
</TD></TR></TABLE>
well, when your factory headunit is made by alpine and has balanced outputs - yeah, I would spend my $4500 else where
did I mention I'm using amps that take balanced input?!?!
If I had $4500 to spend on a system, I'd again start with a few decisions. First, two or three way front stage? Once you have that, you move backward...From there, I'd decide on processing/head combo. Next speakers, then subwoofers, finally amplifiers.
At $4500, I'd try to get a used F#1 system. If that didn't work, I'd get a W200 + H701. If that didn't work, then a DVA7996 + H700 (sound familiar). At 4500, there woudl be some SEAS speakers in my car car as well. But at the end of the day, you don't have to spend $4500 to get KICK *** sound - you just don't.
I'll have about $2k in my system, minus installation materials....now I could afford more (not trying to toot my own horn b/c I've spent more in the past) but it's not necessary. Unless it's going to make a huge change, I stay away. Maybe my philosophy has changed
....... perhaps that's not such a good question for you in particular lol
</TD></TR></TABLE>well, when your factory headunit is made by alpine and has balanced outputs - yeah, I would spend my $4500 else where
did I mention I'm using amps that take balanced input?!?!
If I had $4500 to spend on a system, I'd again start with a few decisions. First, two or three way front stage? Once you have that, you move backward...From there, I'd decide on processing/head combo. Next speakers, then subwoofers, finally amplifiers.
At $4500, I'd try to get a used F#1 system. If that didn't work, I'd get a W200 + H701. If that didn't work, then a DVA7996 + H700 (sound familiar). At 4500, there woudl be some SEAS speakers in my car car as well. But at the end of the day, you don't have to spend $4500 to get KICK *** sound - you just don't.
I'll have about $2k in my system, minus installation materials....now I could afford more (not trying to toot my own horn b/c I've spent more in the past) but it's not necessary. Unless it's going to make a huge change, I stay away. Maybe my philosophy has changed
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Re: Hesitant to use factory HU.... (railtech)
This:
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by railtech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Now I have alot of gear leftover from my previous car (Audiobahn 12" dual coil sub, two Kicker 400.1 to drive it, Boston Acoustic components for the fronts, still need amp to drive them, a fairly decent Kenwood passive EQ, three complete Tsunami amp wiring kits w/ 1.2 Farad caps and all the little goodies).</TD></TR></TABLE>
+
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by railtech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system.</TD></TR></TABLE>
doesn't add up...
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by railtech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Now I have alot of gear leftover from my previous car (Audiobahn 12" dual coil sub, two Kicker 400.1 to drive it, Boston Acoustic components for the fronts, still need amp to drive them, a fairly decent Kenwood passive EQ, three complete Tsunami amp wiring kits w/ 1.2 Farad caps and all the little goodies).</TD></TR></TABLE>
+
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by railtech »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I will always go for quality of sound, I am still looking at about $4,500.00 to complete my system.</TD></TR></TABLE>
doesn't add up...
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Re: (a_s_ol_)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by a_s_ol_ »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Of course, but if you had $4500 to spend on a system would you leave the stock head unit?
....... perhaps that's not such a good question for you in particular lol </TD></TR></TABLE>
oh and let me really answer it - no I'd probably keep the factory head, mod it for digital out, then run it to a bad *** home processor (think rane or something along those lines) and go from there
....... perhaps that's not such a good question for you in particular lol
</TD></TR></TABLE>oh and let me really answer it - no I'd probably keep the factory head, mod it for digital out, then run it to a bad *** home processor (think rane or something along those lines) and go from there
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Re: (rcurley55)
Now the real question for me is 4500 retail or cost/internet pricing
At the moment I have probably about 2 grand (@employee cost) in to my system and am pretty content 'cept for needing new front speakers (no rears), a bigger amp for them, and more dynamat in the doors.
A diamond audio D7 amp (bridged to 2 channel), hex series speakers (no easy room for a 3 way
) and redoing my doors are next on my list, although I do have some eclipse 10's I'll be installing shortly
At the moment I have probably about 2 grand (@employee cost) in to my system and am pretty content 'cept for needing new front speakers (no rears), a bigger amp for them, and more dynamat in the doors.
A diamond audio D7 amp (bridged to 2 channel), hex series speakers (no easy room for a 3 way
) and redoing my doors are next on my list, although I do have some eclipse 10's I'll be installing shortly
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