G'day all,

I'm looking at installing some new tune cranking equipment this year to replace the ageing (and very average) stock Exec+10CD.

I don't have an iPod or any kind of mp3 player (except my phone, but let's not go there :)) and won't be getting one, so would like an SD card slot so that I don't have to cut a new CD every time I want to add a track to my library.

After doing a little research it appears that none of the usual suspects (ie. Kenwood and Pioneer) do a HU that directly accepts SD cards, but Clarion's FB276BT seems to fit the bill at about $400. That's on the steep side for me (doable if necessary, though) but I don't want to have a separate USB card reader hanging off it, so cheaper units that only have USB connectivity are out.

I'm leaning towards a pair of Pioneer TS-A6982S 6x9s in the back and Pioneer TS-A1682Ss (4" 3-way) in the front, total cost to be around $350. I'm not considering a subwoofer and I don't want to put splits in the front (too much hassle :)).

So what I'd like to get from people is:

- Would current/ex Clarion owners buy another Clarion unit?
- Can anyone suggest an alternative HU that directly accepts SD cards for $300 or under?
- Does anyone have any alternatives or comments on the Pioneer speaker models I've mentioned (including insights on how easy/hard they are to install in a 3rd-gen)?
- General comments or suggestions regarding HU/speaker pairing, bearing in mind that almost anything I put into the car will sound better than the stock stuff. :)

Cheers

Luke.

Head unit from Clarion should work ok. By the time you muck around with all, I am sure you can get and Ipod 4g Nano for your birthday or something...

4inch speakers in the front need to be replaced with 6 or 6.5inch speakers. The bigger 6inch speakers are what currently are located in the fronts. Splits are not much hassle in comparison ( wow you need to find a place for the tweeter and xover ) and will have a great benefit. Don't be lazy.

Generally those 6x9's are good value for money. I know a heap of people with them and they play quite nicely of headunit power. Don't get anything over a 3 way if you must though.

Do you have a budget in mind? If you go with a slightly cheaper headunit you may be able to get an Mp3 player / Ipod.

why not look at a usb deck instead, eg jvc, kenwood, clarion, pioneer, much more avaliable than sd decks

I'm thinking $350 total for the front and rear speakers (rear ones going in maybe next month, fronts a month or 2 afterwards) and up to $400 for the deck later in the year.


why not look at a usb deck instead, eg jvc, kenwood, clarion, pioneer, much more avaliable than sd decks
I realise they're more available and cheaper.

My main problem with the USB deck is that I'd need a USB drive on which to store the songs, which means I need to remember to take it out of the deck and store/take it with me rather than leave it sticking out to catch a thief's eye (someone tried to flog a base-model Pioneer deck I had in my old car that I'd paid $200 for 3 years before, so I'm not taking my chances).


By the time you muck around with all, I am sure you can get and Ipod 4g Nano for your birthday or something...

I'm sure I could but I really don't want one - I wouldn't use it except in the car, which means it has to stay in the car ... and as you've discovered I'm against leaving anything that doesn't have a detachable fascia in the car. :)


The bigger 6inch speakers are what currently are located in the fronts.

Ahh, well if there's 6" speakers in the front already then 6/6.5" is definitely the go - presumably they just bolt in, and I can keep the stock grilles in the door trims? I'll think about the splits - any particular recommendations on the model?


Don't get anything over a 3 way if you must though.

If I must what? :) You mean if I decide to go with non-splits?

Do you know if the Pioneers will play nicely with the stock parcel shelf grilles, or will I need to install the ones that come with the speakers? I know I'm being anal about appearances but I figure the less that's obvious from the windows, the less likely it'll be that someone breaks them. Which is why I've left the stock system in place for this long, but its mediocrity is really getting to me now. lol

Do you know if the Pioneers will play nicely with the stock parcel shelf grilles, or will I need to install the ones that come with the speakers?

No idea about Pioneers, but I stuck a pair of JBLs in my parcel shelf no problem.

No idea about Pioneers, but I stuck a pair of JBLs in my parcel shelf no problem.

Cheers, that's the kind of info I'm looking for. ;) Most likely the Pioneers should just drop in then.

Update: Reading some other threads, I've found that Infinity and Focal speakers are well-regarded ... is it worth going the cheaper (~$200) model of Focal front 2-way or splits, or is Pioneer etc as good at that price point?

Reason I ask is that when I splashed out on a new pair of headphones recently, I asked around and, comparing AKG and Sennheiser, found that while AKG ruled supreme in the $800+ range Sennheiser is preferred by most professionals for models that retail for less than $600 (my price limit was $400), even though AKG is a recognised audiophile brand and their mid-range models were generally more expensive. (I bought the Sennheisers btw, and for the price they rawk. :))

yeah some other brands to consider are Boston Acoustics / Hertz / Oz Audio etc. All will have a co-axial of some sort in your price range.

Almost all 6x9's have no problem fitting in the rear. To fit the front speakers you take out the 3 screws holding the door on and gently start pulling the clips that hold the trim from the bottom. Personally I would go for best quality splits I could ( you do sit in the front ) and some cheaper 6x9's in the rear. :D If you can budget in about $300 for the front splits and $50-100 for the rears then that would work...

I'm sure I could but I really don't want one - I wouldn't use it except in the car, which means it has to stay in the car ... and as you've discovered I'm against leaving anything that doesn't have a detachable fascia in the car. :)

Why not just put the iPod in your glovebox and then lock it? The iPod-ready headunits have the iPod cable coming out the back of the unit (or at least my Pioneer does), so noone is going to be able to tell that you have one without actually breaking in.

Why not just put the iPod in your glovebox and then lock it? The iPod-ready headunits have the iPod cable coming out the back of the unit (or at least my Pioneer does), so noone is going to be able to tell that you have one without actually breaking in.

yeah i have a ipod cable for my avx2 and i have it routed into my center console and it remains out of sight. I have the feeling that my flipdown and deck would get nicked before my ipod but they have to get into my car first :P

Just be done with it and get a Double DIN 7" Touch Screen/DVD player, that has USB, SD, ability to add bluetooth so you can get songs from your phone/all contact details and handsfree calling etc. all for about a grand.
Sexy new unit from JVC, KW-AVX810, due around march. Best bit is you can take off the screen aswell (like any other detachable face unit) so theifs don't look in your car and see an awesome touch screen ;)

I've had 2 clarion head units and they were both exceptional, never had a problem with them, and my next headunit (if i ever need to replace my clarion) will be another clarion:D

Why not just put the iPod in your glovebox and then lock it? The iPod-ready headunits have the iPod cable coming out the back of the unit (or at least my Pioneer does), so noone is going to be able to tell that you have one without actually breaking in.
Hmm, that's a good point. I'll have a think about that closer to purchase time.


Just be done with it and get a Double DIN 7" Touch Screen/DVD player, that has USB, SD, ability to add bluetooth so you can get songs from your phone/all contact details and handsfree calling etc. all for about a grand.
Haha, nice idea but it's a little over the top for me. :)


I've had 2 clarion head units and they were both exceptional, never had a problem with them, and my next headunit (if i ever need to replace my clarion) will be another clarion:D
Kewl, good to know as I'm still considering the Clarion solid-state media deck.


yeah some other brands to consider are Boston Acoustics / Hertz / Oz Audio etc. All will have a co-axial of some sort in your price range.

<snip>

Personally I would go for best quality splits I could ( you do sit in the front ) and some cheaper 6x9's in the rear. :D If you can budget in about $300 for the front splits and $50-100 for the rears then that would work...
Duly noted about sitting in the front. :) I'll check out those other brands as well, but Focal does the 165-A1 splits for $260 - that'd fit the bill, no?

Just be done with it and get a Double DIN 7" Touch Screen/DVD player, that has USB, SD, ability to add bluetooth so you can get songs from your phone/all contact details and handsfree calling etc. all for about a grand.
Sexy new unit from JVC, KW-AVX810, due around march. Best bit is you can take off the screen aswell (like any other detachable face unit) so theifs don't look in your car and see an awesome touch screen ;)
mmm jvc goodness....

Duly noted about sitting in the front. :) I'll check out those other brands as well, but Focal does the 165-A1 splits for $260 - that'd fit the bill, no?

No? YES :D

Yeah Hertz have the ESK / HSK 165 splits, Boston with the Type S, Oz Audio with the V650S3, Focal with the above, plus many others from Morel / PG / Polk / DD etc.

No? YES :D

Yeah Hertz have the ESK / HSK 165 splits, Boston with the Type S, Oz Audio with the V650S3, Focal with the above, plus many others from Morel / PG / Polk / DD etc.

Haha, it's a figure of speech. :P

In your (and others') opinions, is it worth replacing the front speakers first or saving up the extra cash to get the deck first? My thinking is the speakers, seeing as the stock ones seem to distort a lot ... but that could just as easily be the kreppy deck. :)

You will be surprised how much a new deck will improve things. Newer speakers may have a higher efficiency but at the end of the day they are still going to sound crap off a stock deck.

Deck, fronts, amp, sub + amp, rears ( if you must ) are a good way to start.

You will be surprised how much a new deck will improve things. Newer speakers may have a higher efficiency but at the end of the day they are still going to sound crap off a stock deck.

Deck, fronts, amp, sub + amp, rears ( if you must ) are a good way to start.

Hmmm, mebbe I'll save the extra coin and get the new deck first then.

Thanks for your advice mate. :D

Hey dont know if its to late but i have a Blaupunkt Melbourne, just accepts SD cards was getting tired of cd's all over the car and id have about 15 different cds with all but 1 of the same song in the car. Headunit sounds great, im running 350w Pioneer 6x9's and 6 1/2 sony's and the sound is just fine.

Thats my favourite combo.. I reckon pioneer speakers are good. ive used most other brands and always gone band to pioneer for fronts and rears.. Ive had two clarion head units and this double din tv/ dvd ipod crazy thing i got this time im more than happy with..:)

Mr Charisma's right - spend as much as you can on the head unit, aiming for quality without any fancy bits you don't need. There's no point in having great speakers with a lousy signal from a second rate head unit; you know the saying - "garbage in, garbage out"...

Mr Charisma's right - spend as much as you can on the head unit, aiming for quality without any fancy bits you don't need. There's no point in having great speakers with a lousy signal from a second rate head unit; you know the saying - "garbage in, garbage out"...

Thanks, I've made the decision to purchase the deck before the speakers - it's now a matter of getting the cash. :)