MetKiss316

I'd like to get the best CD head unit in the $200 price range, give or take a few. Im not looking for competition **** or nothing like that, but I have over 300 CDs and no tapes, plus my tape player is broken LOL.

I can get the $180 Sony Xplod for probably $90 from my uncle. Good buy? It's 52x4.

------------------
1987 Camaro Sport Coupe 305 V8 LG4-rebuilt-All Stock.

Future Mods: Flowmaster American Thunder 3 in. Cat-back, Catco High Flow Catalytic Converter, Hooker Super Comp Shorty Headers Jet Hot coated, K&N Air Cleaner, CompCam 264H, White Paint, IROC wheels, Alpine CDM-7871 CD player, Polk Audio speakers, Grant GT Rally Steering wheel,New Fuel Pump, Ground Effects, B&M Megashifter

OldBlue

I love my sony x-plode but if I had to do it agian I would prolly get a pioneer

deadtrend1

iTrader: (1)

ive always had luck with kenwoods and pioneers.

------------------
1991 Firebird (GT40)
-LO3 305 TBI
-5 speed
-Open Element Air Filter
-Edelbrock Tower Strut Brace
-Kenwood Excelon Headunit w/ 10 Disc Changer
-Alpine MRP-F256 Amp
-Polk EX 4x6's, DX 6x9's, and EX Tweeters
-Kicker ZR240 amp (bridged)
-Dual JL W0 12" Subs

-------------------------------
My page with pics and stuff, and car stereo help.
http://members.aol.com/deadtrend1/index.html

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Sony named that line appropriately.

For $200 I'd get an Alpine, but Kenwood, Pioneer, Clarion and others offer good stuff in that range too.

------------------

The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
Custom Thirdgen Subwoofer Enclosures
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

CAMp3RO

I second the ideas of kenwood and clarion. havent really like the looks of the alpines in the last few years, but they are still very good units.

arthur

Alpine has great quality, followed by Kenwood. Pioneer usually cheaps out on their internal components, and design. Like using stamped sheet metal for their head carriage instead of polished shafts. A good way to tell quality is by playing a scratched CD. The better the quality, the worse the CDcan be without skiping due to the scratches. I found my Eclipse to be very good for that. It has a lot to do with how weel the beam is focused on the CD as well as the alignment. Not to mention the durability of the suspention. Alpine would be my first choice of teh consumer brands.

KCobain147

I gotta stick to my guns w/eclipse, they make a killer product but not a lotta people have heard of them. They also start at 330. Your pricerange i'd recomment kenwood, clarion, or alpine. Sony xplods suck dood.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Most of the eclipse stuff isn't even made by eclipse. Everything below the $450 price range is contracted out to a different company and uses inferior components. Not that they aren't good decks, but they're not what you would think. Eclipse also had MASSIVE problems with skipping and general reliability in the last couple years. It's *supposed* to be better this year, but I don't have first-hand experience with their stuff, so I'm not sure. I will say that their $450+ decks sound outstanding.

------------------

The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
Custom Thirdgen Subwoofer Enclosures
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

VampireHunterC

I have an Aiwa cd player in my escort. I paid about $230 from Best Buy, but that included the warrenty. (sp?) I have a Road Gear in my Camaro. (don't laugh, it came with the car) I am going to upgrade the entire system in the Camaro after I get all the other work done that it needs. Back to the origional subject, the Aiwa has given me no problems, and even plays CD-R and CD-RW's.

MetKiss316

I definately want something with at least a **** volume...I hate button volume and tuners.

------------------
1987 Camaro Sport Coupe 305 V8 LG4-rebuilt-All Stock.

Future Mods: Flowmaster American Thunder 3 in. Cat-back, Catco High Flow Catalytic Converter, Hooker Super Comp Shorty Headers Jet Hot coated, K&N Air Cleaner, CompCam 264H, White Paint, IROC wheels, Alpine CDM-7871 CD player, Polk Audio speakers, Grant GT Rally Steering wheel,New Fuel Pump, Ground Effects, B&M Megashifter

CAMp3RO

the idea about scratched cds interests me. i have one even better. the previous owner left a sony xplod HU in the car. after doing an extensive rewiring (he should have never been allowed to touch wire cutters....), i tested the thing out. not only did it play CD-Rs, which some head units have a hard time playing, but it also was able to read CD-RWs. now i'm not saying xplod is good, but thats gotta tell ya something about sony's potential, especially seeing that the unit was only $220 new.

Jims83TA

It sounds like your best bet is the Pioneer or Pioneer Premier. They are great...and affordable...depending on the model you get. They also have the dial for adjusting the volume just like you are looking for. You can spend in the mid to upper $200's for the ones with the cool looking dolphins and race cars...or you can go for the plain ones w/o the display which are from about $180 up. Just look around and take a look at flee markets(spelling). Well I am going with the Pioneer DEH-P730 or something similar...the Premier is the high end...but isnt too different from the regular Pioneer...actually I was told that one of the higher Pioneers was the same as the middle Premier....those who know about Pioneers will know what I am talking about. I have several friends with them and they have no problem with them, plus I like the looks and thier options.

James