87t-5.0transam

lol

flyitlikustolit

I have an alpine V12 expert amp for my subs, and a kenwood amp for my fatory-position speakers. I got some JVC 4x6's and 6x9's for 70 bucks, and I got 2 audiobahn 10's in a box for 80 bucks. all that, with an eclipse 5441i HU. It's good stuff. I pulle dit out of my 92 S10, so i could put it in the T/A when I get the chance.

Rabbitt

You can bash sony's cheap models, but i love my Higher end Head unit. I have an xplod head unit, infinity amps, and 2 12" infinity Kappa Perfect subs.. it ****ing pounds.. without distortion.

87CamaroMan

Did you know that Optimus is just Pioneer or Bose with a different name. My home reciver is Optimus and all of the parts and amps say Pioneer and I my center speaker is a Bose. And my reciver is one of the best I have ever heard. Well I just put an older Aiwa in my car last night. I had nothing before just a broken sparkomatic tape deck... Did you know that suzuki made aftermarket stereo's a guy I work with showed me it. Its the crappiest thing I have ever seen

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

I don't think Bose would put a shytty name like Optimus on their stuff. Radio Shack has an affiliation with Tandy, Compaq, Realiztic, Optimus and Pioneer, but I've never heard of Bose...

Pro

I remember someone telling me that like 8 years ago. He said that everything you find at radio shack has what he said "badass internals" but just with a different name.

87t-5.0transam

well comming from someone who unfortunately was with the company for 3 years i know for a fact that the home theater recievers (sold by themselves) are made by pioneer. As for the "Home Theater In A Box" setups im not to sure. As for the connection with Bose i never heard anything about that but i was personally suprised on how good the "RCA" speakers (sold by themselves) sounded. While with the company i hooked up many many RCA walls and tended to have fun while hooking stuff up just to make sure that it "worked" .

iroc2nv

i have to agree with you man...

they do do what they say they do...explode..

if you have any type of high end system...DONT use a sony headunit...they cant handle the power..

iroc2nv

darkhorse91

I was once told that an Xplode sub could out perform a JL Audio. I laughed and walked away. I was just speechless

camaro_doc

i hate everything that sony makes there products dont impress me and the speakers are cheaply made. i wouldn't run them if they were given to me for free!!!

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

ttt, this is such a good thread!

NEEDAZ

Even after 1.5 years?

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Totally! I just re-read the whole thing, and figured it was good to throw it back on top to get some new additions and insight!

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

Does this mean Search is working?

Abaddon_fallen1

Personal preferrence: (the good stuff)
Pioneer or Blaupunkt head unit
Infinity, JL, or JBL speakers
Infinity, JL, or Lanzar subs
Perscision Power PPI Art series or Lanzar amps.

NEEDAZ

I'm going to get killed for this, but the new Sony mechs. are much better.
Flash back to Night Court, "... But I'm feeling much better now".

dwillis

iTrader: (6)

well it was brought to my attention by aaron7 that the stuff i was trying to sell was crap...specifically a Coustic amp i have on my memphis audio 15

vipershark11

iTrader: (6)

my favorite companys from which i have owned are Clarion for their head units especially the pro audio ones, kicker for their subs and amps, audiobahn for their subs and amps. They all worked perfect for me and sounded kick ***.

blackroc68

iTrader: (2)

my sony explode mobile es head unit and cd player sound hot,I have a sony computer with a pioneer cd burner,

vipershark11

iTrader: (6)

o yea forgot to mention my dad got sony xplode speakers for his truck and he actually liked the stock ones better...keep that in mind in a 94!!!!! stock paper shows how much those are worth.

dwillis

iTrader: (6)

I like clairon head units..US Acoustic amps(for their input voltage rating) and polk subs. us acoustics sounds like a buddy amp but their input voltage is at 12v and most other amps are rated at 14 or higher so unless you have 2 batteries or a massive alternator you really never reach their full potential...as long as you pick a combo that works together you can get good sound from what you have unless you just go super cheapie with everything like road gear from wallie world and i agree allthat stuff does suck...but its all just a matter of ones preferance and opinion...

87t-5.0transam

Sony's computer division has nothing to do with their car stereo division, and if anything the fact that it's using a pioneer Burner should give you some idea that, Sony isn't even using their own optical drives for their own computers Everyone knows that Sony has had a bad history with any kind of optical drive whether it be their HU's or PS2's or anything else they've made that has a optical laser inside of it.

iansane

iTrader: (1)

I've just gotten lucky. I think every stereo that's been in my thirdgens has been sony. But that's becuse every hates them and I get them for pennies on the dollar. None of them have ever broken or stopped working. Originally I had one of the first ever sony CD players in my 87 formula back in the REAL early 90's and had that until 98 or so when I picked up another sony CD deck because it matched the orange guages better. I'm now running ~4 year old sony CD deck that has a HDD in it that works great for me.

I drive a vert so quality is not my major concern. It sounds good to me.

I also had an original playstation and original ps2 for since they both came out.

I'm just lucky so far. *knock on wood*

I'm sure I just jinxed myself.

87t-5.0transam

Good point, there are some optical components from Sony that i've owned that worked just great, their portable CD players IMO are some of the best in the market and their PS1 ive owned for several years. But on the other side of the table i've seen so many PS2's, HU's, Computer Optical drives, and a few of their DVD burning HandyCams take a **** on people, the PS2's specifically w/ playing DVD's for extended periods of time but then i've heard of ppl playing DVD's on their PS2 and never having a problem. I haven't yet heard problems with their PSP's but im still going to wait it out a little longer to see if anything comes up. I think luck does play a part in it but for the most part the biggest problem i think ppl have had with Sony's car audio division is their speakers and Amp's. They may be getting better now but most ppl buy audio equipment based on how well a company has done with its equipment in the past. For example (from what i've heard i dont have personal experience) everyone said in the early and mid 90's Rockford Fosgate had some of the best Amp's on the market but then coming into the late 90's and 2000's the quality of their amp's started to fade. Because Rockford had great amps back in the day most people stand by them no matter what happens but in the end it will always depend on your "luck" and how you use/abuse your equipment whether it be JL, MTX, Pioneer and Alpine or if its Pyramid, Pyle, Boss and Legacy. People will sometimes be strapped for cash and will buy crap from WalMart and Pepboys and will have good luck with them or think for whatever reason that their system sounds good because they havent tried some of the more expensive/what we consider good stuff. IMO i think people will say that you can always stand by, Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood, JL, MTX, Audiobahn, Blaupunkt, Clarion, JVC, Panasonic, and Cerwin Vega. One's to stay away from if possible are Legacy, Pyramid, Dual, Lanzar, PowerAcoustik, Profile, Pyle, Rockbox, and DHD

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Exactly.

Code

Dead on 87t-5.0transam.......

dwillis

iTrader: (6)

just exactly what economic status do you have to be catagorized under to afford "good" stuff.....you are right though you get what you pay for....I have been installing Home audio including plasma tvs, massive home theaters with roll down projectors and the whole bitfor several years now...but there are the people that want something for nothing.the same applys with car audio the only reason i didn't choose that profession is because there is no money in the install side of it...i did alot of it for a long time all thru school and still now on the side for friends and other people....I agree completly with 87t-5.0 and just about anybody can afford some mtx subs and hey they have been doing subs for a loooong time,alpine is a great and affordable amp and head unit source...my first system had an alpine casette deck with a 10 disc changer an alpine amp and cerwin vega dvc subs...that was a looong time ago too (hence the use of the casette deck)
My alltime favorite CRAP is back in the day ,and i know there are some in here that remember,The infamous 200 WATT EQ'S that were sold.....Remember?...now that was CRAP

Code

...

Pearl91GTA

Back when i first got into the car audio world about 5 years ago sony was the biggest name out there. I think Sony just put there expertise to home theater rather than car audio. I actually thought about replacing my mtx in my ranger with 3 sony P5's. Its what you prefer. One brand i loved and wished i still kinda stayed with is audiobahn. The local seller had a really good return and replace on the spot policy, so you dont miss that bass. I think alot of companies that sell through walmart isnt a bad idea. You have to wonder how many walmart stores are in the us. Every business is looking at not only quality but how how much quanitity they can get to the consumer.

blackroc68

iTrader: (2)

I have a sony xr-c900 mobile es head unit ,10 disk cd changer i bought new in 1998 it still works and sound good, plus it isnt that ugly red like the newer explode.Who the hell would want a red radio!

sgt0704

not all of walmart's **** is bad. i picked up a pioneer head unit that runs anywhere from 300-350 from walmart for 250. it plays mp3 etc.. it's really nice. i think its deh 7700mp.. i believe. the silver one with blue face and a big ****. but i wouldn't buy their speakers.
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i would have to say the crappiest stuff i've had was a kraco casset deck. yeah. that sucked. i would have to say for the price, pioneer would be the best. you can get them anywhere from 100 bucks and up. and the ones that run about mid 200's are pretty good. compared to the cheaper 200 alpine units. and many alpine units look too alike for so long now.

NEEDAZ

That the MEX1? That is one of VARY few good Sony HUs. And Walmart, for the most part, is selling the same stuff BBY is.

87t-5.0transam

Pioneer HU is a Pioneer HU no matter where you buy it. Just Wal-Mart carries alot of off brand crap next to the Pioneer Stuff and for whatever reason they sell Sony Speakers but not Sony HU's. So if ppl go to Wal-Mart to buy a system they'll be buying a Pioneer HU with Sony speakers and thats where the problem lies. Well i should say thats how it is at my local Wal-Mart, other ones may carry other name brand speakers but i haven't seen one that sells any good ones.

Pearl91GTA

as for decks i go to crutchfield. Cuz you get alot of free stuff to help with the install with your purchase...

87t-5.0transam

Umm....thats for a different thread, a sticky to be exact https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/car-audio/249060-where-do-you-buy.html

lockchad

Personally as far as Sony goes, i think the cdx-c90 was thier last good piece. After they introduced the "X-Plod" line it was all downhill. I would still buy a used c90 over alot of stuff out now. ES was great. I thought it was such a joke that sony released thier AIWA brand for econo stereos after they already had X-PLOD on the market, talk about redundancy. Same junk, same quality, different prices.

Overall crappiest has got to be KINGWOO, SOUNDSTORM, or most brands you would find at your finer pawn-shops. Cheap, sub-par, tiawanese, cookie-cutter, junk.

There are alot of mid lines i like though. I actually like Coustic (well built actually). I bought some Clif designs stuff and i was impressed. Used to like hifonics but don't know about thier new stuff.... I'm kinda outta touch as far as most brands go, I still keep up with: Kicker, JL, Rockford, KW Excelon, Clarion, Directed, and Nakamichi (whats left of it). Mostly due to the fact the shop i used to work at carries all of those brands, and I still stop in to help out on occasion.

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

If only Sony's divisions would share information... my Sony Vega TV's speakers are AMAZING! haha

STOLEN RS

my vote: rampage.

iansane

iTrader: (1)

ABJ88

iTrader: (3)

audiobahn!

Agent13

iTrader: (6)

Force Discovery!

I had their HU in my old truck.

87t-5.0transam

Lol i haven't heard that name in over 10 years.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

probably the best of the worst is Sony. the Xplod line is crap

Pro

So 12 years later now, whats the worst brand as of today

paulo57509

FWIW, everything Sony that I have ever owned from car stereos to boom boxes to home stereos to televisions has been crap. And these weren't bargain basement Sony either.

The Project

iTrader: (6)

Depends...subs...comps....amps....HU...which one?

kimnach

never owned sony audio equipment, but my 27" XBR and all of my betamax machines (including standard, superbeta, and extended definition) were incredibly engineered and worked flawlessly.