Head unit advice please

[497adam]

Hi I'm looking to get a new head unit , would love some advice. ideally from halfords as I got some vouchers for Christmas plus quite a lot seems to be in the sale. The car has 6/9 in rear shelf and front speakers appear to not be standard

I would like something that has -

I already have a pioneer steering wheel control adapter but if worth getting another make happy to buy another

iPod/phone control.

CD player would be nice but not essential

is easy/intuitive to use

Bluetooth would be nice but not essential

would be suitable if I decide to add to/upgrade in the future

also is DAB worthwhile ? Will this work with standard aerial ?

a few I have seen

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_932005_langId_-1_categoryId_165655#tab2

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_925245_langId_-1_categoryId_165655

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_916723_langId_-1_categoryId_165655#tab2


http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_927771_langId_-1_categoryId_165655#tab2


http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_907567_langId_-1_categoryId_165655#tab2

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId_1007676_langId_-1_categoryId_165655#tab2

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_
918067_langId_-1_categoryId_165655

 

[497adam]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...productId=1002117&categoryId=165655&langId=-1

Went with this one

 

[497adam]

Should I be running the 6/9s off an amp?

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

Should I be running the 6/9s off an amp?

Why are you running 6x9's at all?

 

[Coops Mk1]

nah you don't need amp for them, and tbh as above mentions, some decent rear speakers in standard location would be just as good and much more subtle visually (no to mention less of an advertisement to thieves)

 

[497adam]

Were already in car when I bought, they aren't visible , very neat installation

 

[Coops Mk1]

no danger then

 

[Goodj]

good work on the headunit.

you can use the alpine power-pack amp to double your speaker output without any messing about.

then slap a half-decent all-in-one sub in the boot. Job very done.

 

[Joe#]

Is it worth buying a DAB radio yet or not? I'm thinking of upgrading my head unit.

 

[Goodj]

yes.

Just for radio 6 alone.

Mind, if you've got decent coverage in your area for 3g, you can just stream whatever you want to a decent headunit (either through aux-in or bluetooth).

 

[497adam]

Did look at the DAB head units, but thought this one was a good compromise

 

[497adam]

good work on the headunit.

you can use the alpine power-pack amp to double your speaker output without any messing about.

then slap a half-decent all-in-one sub in the boot. Job very done.

What are the power-pack amps ?

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Should I be running the 6/9s off an amp?

They would work better in the bin.

Decent set of components up front, and a decent set of coaxial in the rear will do the trick!

 

[497adam]

I just want to get the best out of what I already have. Why don't people like 6/9's?

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

I just want to get the best out of what I already have. Why don't people like 6/9's?

They're not very good. As mentioned in my post above good set of components up front and good coaxial speakers in the rear will be better

 

[Goodj]

What are the power-pack amps ?

Alpine amps that plug into the existing car wiring.
Literally zero effort to install.
They're probably not the 4x100 they quote but they are certainly more powerful than a hu on its own and there's only so many watts you need in a Clio anyway

As far as 6x9s go. Since you've got them, may as well keep them. Sure they're not #1 in sound quality compared to components but unless you're going to pile mass-tons of cash into your set-up, you're not going to be winning awards anyway.

If they're in a stealth shelf or similar, may as well keep them and then chick some nice 13cm components in the doors (Pioneer do some easy-install ones that don't need you to pull the dash out to install the tweeters).

If, however, the 6x9s are just sat on an OEM shelf with some holes cut in it. Bin

 

[Jamie86]

Just to steal the thread for a second..

cheapest iPod controlling headunit about for a s**t van?...

 

[497adam]

Alpine amps that plug into the existing car wiring.
Literally zero effort to install.
They're probably not the 4x100 they quote but they are certainly more powerful than a hu on its own and there's only so many watts you need in a Clio anyway

As far as 6x9s go. Since you've got them, may as well keep them. Sure they're not #1 in sound quality compared to components but unless you're going to pile mass-tons of cash into your set-up, you're not going to be winning awards anyway.

If they're in a stealth shelf or similar, may as well keep them and then chick some nice 13cm components in the doors (Pioneer do some easy-install ones that don't need you to pull the dash out to install the tweeters).

If, however, the 6x9s are just sat on an OEM shelf with some holes cut in it. Bin

Yeah they are in a stealth rear shelf. Need to have a look what is already fitted in the doors

 

[497adam]

Just to steal the thread for a second..

cheapest iPod controlling headunit about for a s**t van?...

There are some really cheap ones on halfords, I will have my old one coming out in a few weeks

 

[Goodj]

There's the bluetooth & USB only ones to look for. About £80 on Car Audio Direct.

No cd/DVD slot, but would you use it if you could just use your phone/ 16gb memory stick?

 

[497adam]

Picked up new head unit looks very nice - well chuffed just need to get it fitted now

 

[Jamie86]

Went for the Philips one in halfrauds without the CD slot but has DAB and bluetooth for handsfree which is handy as do about 1000miles a week

 

[Goodj]

Went for the Philips one in halfrauds without the CD slot but has DAB and bluetooth for handsfree which is handy as do about 1000miles a week

Like thumb

 

[Joe#]

After browsing a little, I'm quite liking this one.

http://caraudiosecurity.com/cde-136bt-cd-mp3-usb-bluetooth-dab-ready-tuner

Does the DAB aerial just mount onto the front windscreen?

 

[497adam]

Yeah they are in a stealth rear shelf. Need to have a look what is already fitted in the doors

Fronts have been replaced with some kenwoods

 

[Goodj]

Good stuff.

So yeah, alpine + power-pack and those speakers should be pretty good. May sound a bit limp with just normal HU power.

Most people will have a pop about 6x9's because they imagine the Max-Power style of just having them sat on the shelf in full view. Provided your rear shelf has some weight to it, they should be fine, and no worse than just re-filling the rear speaker pods.

Little active sub tube in the boot wouldn't hurt tho

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Good stuff.

So yeah, alpine + power-pack and those speakers should be pretty good. May sound a bit limp with just normal HU power.

Most people will have a pop about 6x9's because they imagine the Max-Power style of just having them sat on the shelf in full view. Provided your rear shelf has some weight to it, they should be fine, and no worse than just re-filling the rear speaker pods.

Little active sub tube in the boot wouldn't hurt tho

A sub and 6x9's has got to be the worse idea ever as the sub messes up the airflow for the 6x9's.

People dislike 6x9's as they don't have a big enough surface area/magnet combo for the volume of air in the boot. This equals worse sound quality than component door speakers.

 

[Goodj]

some massive boot-install, yes, bad idea. but I'm thinking more a small, 200w thing, just enough to fill out below the range of the 6x9s

Box in the 6x9s, they'll be fine.

He's already (seemingly) got front components anyway, so the back is only rear-fill.

 

[497adam]

I am a real audio novice, would the amp run from the pre outs?

 

[497adam]

Got the head unit fitted , really pleased with it so