Recommendations?

[EP3driver]

I am looking to buy a Pioneer or Alpine HU. I am going to spend between $200-300 and I want one that has at least 4 X 50W to drive my new Infinity Reference Speakers. I also would prefer that it has a nightime RED display so it matches the car other displays, but I know that can be hard since Pioneers tend to be blue or green.
Anyone has any good recommendations? I do not need DVD player, but welcome a unit that plays MP3s in addition to Cds.
Thanks

[VegaS10]

The Pioneer looks like hell in our dash. I had one and threw it out.

I'm unsure of the Alpine.

Check out Clarion's 785 unit. I have the 775 and you can color match the display, has USB inputs, Aux inputs, tons of features and is in your price range.

I love mine.

[EP3driver]

The Pioneer looks like hell in our dash. I had one and threw it out.

I'm unsure of the Alpine.

Check out Clarion's 785 unit. I have the 775 and you can color match the display, has USB inputs, Aux inputs, tons of features and is in your price range.

I love mine.

What's the max power on the Clarion unit?

[VegaS10]

I think 50 X 4.

BS rating in real life. get you a nice little 4 channel and call it a day.

http://www.clarion.com/us/en/products/2008/audio/source_units/cd/DXZ785USB/us-en-product-pf_1172385078991.html

Check crutchfield and ebay for best pricing...

[NitroBoarder]

I love my pioneer headunit
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s142/NitroBoarder153/Car/Picture004.jpg

[BlownSi05]

The Pioneer looks like hell in our dash. I had one and threw it out.

I'm unsure of the Alpine.

Check out Clarion's 785 unit. I have the 775 and you can color match the display, has USB inputs, Aux inputs, tons of features and is in your price range.

I love mine.

i am partial to pioneer but i have to agree, it is hard to get them to look good in our car. clarion has always made good stuff, and by the description here i would say it would for sure be worth a look. i would recommend the Pioneer AVIC-D3 but it is a little more than what you want to spend=P

[phister]

I have an Eclipse CD7000 HU and love it. I'm saving up to get either an Eclipse AVN6620 or Pioneers AVIC-F90BT that just came out this month. I like both units but I'm still up in the air. Clarion makes good HU as well, I say just go to www.crutchfield.com or go to your local audio shop and ask around.

[EP3driver]

I have an Eclipse CD7000 HU and love it. I'm saving up to get either an Eclipse AVN6620 or Pioneers AVIC-F90BT that just came out this month. I like both units but I'm still up in the air. Clarion makes good HU as well, I say just go to www.crutchfield.com or go to your local audio shop and ask around.

Yeah, that new Pioneer looks really nice but it is some serious money! I owuld be concerned someone might break a window to steal it.

[Blah1219]

if you have the reference 6.5" infinity speakers
that can handle more than 90 rms per speaker
thats ovall 360+ rms on all speakers
get the 300 watt mono infinity amp
if you got the money i'd perfer the 600 watt mono
that should do just fine
the head unit might push 200 rms if lucky
the amp will also make it sound more clear and clean

[EP3driver]

if you have the reference 6.5" infinity speakers
that can handle more than 90 rms per speaker
thats ovall 360+ rms on all speakers
get the 300 watt mono infinity amp
if you got the money i'd perfer the 600 watt mono
that should do just fine
the head unit might push 200 rms if lucky
the amp will also make it sound more clear and clean

So you are saying keep the OEM HU and get the amplifier instead?

[devious05]

for now i am running a jl 300x2 for my highs and mids and PG 500x2 to my subs off my stock head unit and it sounds good, and looks 100% stock. when i upgrade i will prob go with eclipse, pioneer, or panasonic

[03Si757]

if you have the reference 6.5" infinity speakers
that can handle more than 90 rms per speaker
thats ovall 360+ rms on all speakers
get the 300 watt mono infinity amp
if you got the money i'd perfer the 600 watt mono
that should do just fine
the head unit might push 200 rms if lucky
the amp will also make it sound more clear and clean

WOOOOO On the 90 RMS per speaker on the refrence, you got to think about independence load aswell, so a Mono amp would blow them things apart. Im not a huge fan of amping speakers off the stock amps due to the sound rendering processor they use, iv never heard one that is that clear. Plus there a pain to find something worth a daym to run RCA's off of asweel. Get a Aftermarket HU, Im an Alpine buff and Id recommend the CDA-9887, Itll cost you a little bit more then $300 but its a GREAT deck, Check it out, I own one myself and this is the only deck thy make that reminds me of the old school Alpine decks.

EDIT: It also has 7 different Bio Light color virations, Im rocking the Blue on Red, Looks great in the car.

[EP3driver]

WOOOOO On the 90 RMS per speaker on the refrence, you got to think about independence load aswell, so a Mono amp would blow them things apart. Im not a huge fan of amping speakers off the stock amps due to the sound rendering processor they use, iv never heard one that is that clear. Plus there a pain to find something worth a daym to run RCA's off of asweel. Get a Aftermarket HU, Im an Alpine buff and Id recommend the CDA-9887, Itll cost you a little bit more then $300 but its a GREAT deck, Check it out, I own one myself and this is the only deck thy make that reminds me of the old school Alpine decks.

EDIT: It also has 7 different Bio Light color virations, Im rocking the Blue on Red, Looks great in the car.

THAT"s a nice receiver! Did you need to get an install kit? What harness did you get with it? Also, where did you buy it from? Crutchfield is more expensive than other places...

[03Si757]

THAT"s a nice receiver! Did you need to get an install kit? What harness did you get with it? Also, where did you buy it from? Crutchfield is more expensive than other places...

Honestly man, I got it off of eBay, iv never had any issues getting things off there, I looked it up and you can pretty much get it for exactly $300. Just check the eBay vendors out, there more reliable and dependable. I just used the wireharness that came with the deck since I dont plan on changing the deck out often.

[Blah1219]

So you are saying keep the OEM HU and get the amplifier instead?

a headunit is like a cheap equalizer with a cd player and everything, i would go with the a aftermarket headunit for now but if you want to push the real power out of the speakers, a headunit isn't going to do shit
a expensive head unit is just for looks to me
the infinity 300 rms mono amp wouldn't blow the speakers if you get a professional to install it for you
the 600rms mono amp probably would if you weren't smart about it :)

my friend has a crossfire XP720D that pushes around 900 rms and Custom Sound Works said if he wanted to he could keep that amp for his mids and highs, it would work

[frm_808]

The Pioneer looks like hell in our dash. I had one and threw it out.

I'm unsure of the Alpine.

Check out Clarion's 785 unit. I have the 775 and you can color match the display, has USB inputs, Aux inputs, tons of features and is in your price range.

I love mine.

got any pics of it?

[EP3driver]

got any pics of it?

I am split between the ALPINE and the CLARION HUs recommended below. They both look really sharp though the Clarion looks more modern. Anyone has any opinions on these units? The Clarion apparently includes the RCA cables for the Pre-Outs on the back...The Alpine has better Graphic Equalizer features. Any recommendations?

[frm_808]

I am split between the ALPINE and the CLARION HUs recommended below. They both look really sharp though the Clarion looks more modern. Anyone has any opinions on these units? The Clarion apparently includes the RCA cables for the Pre-Outs on the back...The Alpine has better Graphic Equalizer features. Any recommendations?

y did you quote me? im asking vegas10

[03Si757]

Do not power speakers with a mono block amp. PERIOD!

[v1c10us]

if you have the reference 6.5" infinity speakers
that can handle more than 90 rms per speaker
thats ovall 360+ rms on all speakers
get the 300 watt mono infinity amp
if you got the money i'd perfer the 600 watt mono
that should do just fine
the head unit might push 200 rms if lucky
the amp will also make it sound more clear and clean
yeah thats okay if you listen to unmixed un produced music.
but why the hell would you want your speakers powered by a mono amp?
Almost all music these days uses left and right panning and fading and you'll notice a lot of the nuances in your music will go out the window with a mono amp =\

[VegaS10]

I'll take some pics today/tonight and post them.

The Clarion is all black, with no chrome or silver to stand out. Has USB input and I ordered the Ipood cable for it as well.

I LOVE Pioneer and Alipne decks. Used them for years in my old truck, but they just look like hell in our car. For some reason Pioneer things a sliver faceplate, high gloss black and neon blue is the best option for cosmetics.

Alipne allows you to change the color of SOME keys, but not all. I mean, we all know how expensive it is for 2 more LEDs.

I also have a Clarion in the eg hatch. It has a full JDM cluster/ac control conversion and the clarion matches THAT orange perfectly also.

In the coming months I may be yanking the Clarion out the ep3 for the Avic-z3 or avic fb900bt thingy. Still researching and playing with both of them.