tcmdocs944

Posted on pelican....thought I would give you guys a crack at me



I have always had really good luck with Sony home electronics.

My interior customization/update is about to start and I am thinking of going with sony explode

Amp
Sub - 10"
Head unit
Speakers - custom surrounds in stock location, leather wrapped

All matched components and yes...all hidden for the most part..
Classy, clean, clear........me no need boom, boom.


Any opinions on this ? (other than "stick with Blaupunkt")

theedge

While Sony home stuff is pretty decent, their car stuff is garbage. Avoid. The Explode line is total CRAP.

RMills944

NO!!!

The sony amps are okay, but not very clean sounding. Staying in the same budget range, I'd go with a JBL 300.1 (cheap and sounds great) with an infinity, JL Audio, Memphis Audio, or Alpine subs. The Sony headunit is okay. I'd go with Alpine if I were you.

in my car, I have a 10" Infinity with the JBL 300.1 (wish I had the 600.1 sometimes) with a Sony MP3 headunit. IT sounds great and it's clean bass. My cousin had Orion cheapo stuff in his integra with a sony 800, and it was loud, but VERY muddy bass. I have a friend with 2 10" alpine r's in his jeep with an alpine headunit and amp. That is a real clean sound and very powerful too. Read reviews on www.etronics.com or car audio boards if you want to know what others thought.

prophesized

HELL NO!!!

theedge

And im going to suggest Alpine. Obviously more expensive than Sony Explode... But you get MUCH better quality, better features, etc, AND to top it all off, Alpine stuff doesnt look like ***.

Marc Gelefsky

I had a sony in my last 951 and was very unimpressed with it.

tcmdocs944

Head unit - ok
amp -questionable
speakers -no way?

?

Note....I can get this stuff CONSIDERABLY cheaper...new

944 Hooligan

i just don't agree with putting a high-end audio system in a pure sports car. extra weight, extra draw on the electrical system. i would rather spend the $500 plus on service/performance/maintenance.

but if you're gonna do it, i would go with alpine. my brother has some sony stuff and it sounds ok, but it all looks like rice to me.

RMills944

SUB - My Infinity sub cost me about $75 with shipping and I love it! It's a 2 Ohm with dual coils and sounds great. The Alpine will run you more, but still sounds better than any of the others I've heard.

AMP - The amp is possibly the most important piece of the whole equation. The amp needs to be a clean one, so don't cheap out. The Sony just isn't a clear sounding amp. Go to Best buy int he car audio sound room and you can hear the Sony next to an Audiobahn, and you can hear the sony is loud, but muddy.Look on Etronics - teh Phoenix Gold is about the same price for a 500W - $194 and is a much better amp. The audiobahn is about $100 more, but the quality is better like the Memphis Audio would be

UDPride

I got a high end Sony Xplod head unit and it rocks the casbah. As long you match it up with some good speakers you should be fine. The Xplod I have was the only head unit that would go in the 944 that looked stock. Its the flip flat black face. My ears could hear absolutely no appreciable difference in quality in the showroom. I didnt walk in expecting to buy a Sony. I had my eyes on a Pioneer or Eclipse actually. I let my ears decide. The looks were 25% factored in. I wanted a clean look.

The key isnt the brand, its finding a good model within the brand. A lot of people dump on Blaus -- and even Im guilty at times -- but there are a few Blau models that are very very good. Ive heard off brand stuff thats sounded better in my opinion in the showroom than the top-end high-price stuff.

I will say I only do Pioneer Elite in my house though so they prob. do pretty decent car audio.

Ehh, anyway.

Predator

I've got the Explode in my car. I'm not a real music junky, so it sounds ok for me, that is when I can hear it over the motor!

tcmdocs944

Ok-
I like the looks of the headunit - does look stock with the silver etc and subtle (some models)

Headunit - Sony (no real good arguements against)

Sub - infinity, fosgate...or something better. Other forum suggests sony speaker surrounds are foam/fabric crap.

Amp - What are the top 3 valuewise......remember...I am only using ONE 10" sub ..dont want to rattle my hatchglass loose.

RMills944

IN ORDER OF VALUE/QUALITY:
1. The Phoenix Gold is an amazing sound at about the same as the Sony $195ish. This is a professional quality amp.
http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?...ore=&catid=306


2. The JBL 300.1/600.1 is the best value - I haven't read bad reviews of that. ~$150 if found on ebay
The 300.1 can rattle my hatch if I want it to.

3. The Kenwood monoblock is very good quality at a decent cost.


Personally, I'd go Phoenix Gold over the others if you want to spend the money (around 300 or 400 Watt shold do for your purposes)

xsboost90

i got a sony explode for 50bucks in the box when a friend bought a car w/ a better radio already in it...i like it, ive always been a pioneer fan but its alright. I also bought some eclipse speakers though- i do miss my amp/sub that i had in my last car though, i guess you dont know what your missing till youve had something better.

tcmdocs944

Got that right.

My new girlfriends system is great. R.fosgate amp and sub and very good speakers.

Never new all the sounds I was missing. It even got to the point that I didn't really care to listen to music that much...It just didn't sound that great. I had forgotten what a good, clean, clear system sounds like. (used to put them in all my cars)