[whynotthinkwhynot]

OK, so I'm finally getting annoyed at the amount of time it takes my stock MP3 single CD to actually read some CD's. I've even had to unplug the unit while driving on a trip because the carriage got stuck in an odd position where I couldn't remove the CD but the player thought it was all the way in. [dunno] Who knows how long it will last.

Now I'm looking for a new unit. Here's some qualifications.

1) Do not care about Navigation
2) Do not care about DVD or touch screen, but it's ok to have.
3) Must have high pass and low pass crossover
4) Must have DA converter
5) Must have 3 sets of pre-outs
6) Would be nice to have rear USB input to hook up HDD separate.
7) Do not care about DD size, single din might be better for saving room for an HDD underneath.

I look around last night to see what I could find. I was interested in the Jensen VM9022, but I'm still not sure exactly what I'll need to build a USB HDD to hook to it. That's really optional, I've been used to burning MP3 CD's since the first models were released.

That was actually when I got my first Jensen. It was an entry level MP3 player that skipped less than the higher end Kenwood I bought a couple of years later. Needless to say I'm not scared of Jensen quality.

So what do you guys recommend? Um, yeah I would get an AVIC-Z3 if I wasn't married and didn't have a kid on the way. [target]

 

[MattZX3]

Dude, pioneer 6000 for the win man

7 band eq, three 4 volt preouts, high and low pass filter, and usb in the rear, that will support up to a 250gb hdd..

http://pioneerusa.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/Source/CD-Players/Pioneer/DEH-P6000UB

that is the BEST radio for what you are looking for

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Thanks Matt. I knew you'd deliver some more ideas for me. I'm a a big Pioneer fan, but always turned off by their lack of green as a color on the displays. Not that it would keep me from one though. I'll look around for that unit.

I did find a good price on this one though for $239.
DEH-P700BT

 

[MattZX3]

ICK. the 700 is crappy...

3 band eq, still has high pass and low pass, but becuase it doesnt have the oled screen, the menus are all shitty to use...

hard to explain without showing you, but is you can, got to a bset buy, try out the 6000 and then try out the 7000 and you will understand

yea, the lack of green, meh..lol i know its personal preference, but for the features, i lived with the blue of the 6000

 

[BIG_SEXY]

pioneer has a 4000ub at crutchfield which is a damn good unit for the price or you could buy my avic-d3 for 500.....LOL

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Here's a cNet discussion on adding portable HDD's to car stereos through USB. It would seem there is a market out there for something like this that will bridge the gap between portables and 12v powered separates that don't exist as far as I can tell. It's odd to me that they don't, it would seem to be a simple thing for a stereo manufacturer to put an HDD in a head unit instead of an optical drive.

I have about 30 gigs of music in my entire collection most recorded at 320 kbps, but still like 7 days of music. Who needs more than that?

 

[MattZX3]

yes, but the reason why i suggest the 6000 is becuase of the 7 band eq, and becuase it has a three line text display.

so when you are scrolling through your ipod or hdd, the 6000 will display three lines of text at a time, the 4000, 5000, and 7000(400, 500,700 in premier) only display one line of text

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

ICK. the 700 is crappy...

3 band eq, still has high pass and low pass, but becuase it doesnt have the oled screen, the menus are all shitty to use...

Yeah, I wondered if you were going to mention that. It's parametric as compared to the graphic of the 6000, but yeah, those OEL's are cool stuff. Next best thing to a touch screen, and I like the removable face plate.

I had odd thoughts of removing the face of my stock stereo and hooking it up with hinges to cover the aftermarket unit if I used a single DIN, but doubtful if that would ever happen- I have so many unfinished simple projects that it's pathetic.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

yes, but the reason why i suggest the 6000 is becuase of the 7 band eq, and becuase it has a three line text display.

Good point Obi-wan, I didn't think of that, ID3 tags are keen if you don't have to scroll.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Since you turned me on to looking at single DIN's, I am now drooling over the DEH-980BT that I can use my phone with- without having to buy an adapter.

16 band EQ, 24 bit DAC, $400, yummy.Large flash drives appear to be the way to go for car audio stuff from what I read in CNET. I'm sure I could figure out a way to install the USB cable so you could insert a thumb drive from the front without it looking horribly goofy.

I have a bad habit of buying things way ahead of what I need. For example, I saved and saved, and went from a 15" LCD TV to a 56" DLP with LED lighting. I'm quite thankful for spending the extra on the LED light engine since I saw firsthand how long it took the same model with a conventional lamp to turn on- big drawback IMO.

 

[HawkeyeFLA]

yes, but the reason why i suggest the 6000 is becuase of the 7 band eq, and becuase it has a three line text display.

so when you are scrolling through your ipod or hdd, the 6000 will display three lines of text at a time, the 4000, 5000, and 7000(400, 500,700 in premier) only display one line of text

Uhhh, the 5000UB has a 2 line display.

 

[MattZX3]

Uhhh, the 5000UB has a 2 line display.

not that i can recall, but thats beside the point

the 980bt, or the 9800bt have usb control, but you will need to purchase teh 100 dollar adapter for it to work

you would be better off buying the 6000 and buying the bluetooth adapter for it

 

[HawkeyeFLA]

Owning a 5000UB, it does in fact have a 2 line display, that I do recall.

 

[MattZX3]

Owning a 5000UB, it does in fact have a 2 line display, that I do recall.

ok, then i stand corrected, but three lines are still better than two, and a 7 band eq is better than a 3