Headunit Decision?

[Mikebob]

Hi guys, im battering myself over what headunit to go for. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> Im looking for top sound quality and something which will be easy to function with i-pod. Here is a shortlist of three.

The Pioneer - http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_in...1e73ff7ee03028b

The Becker - http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_in...1e73ff7ee03028b

The Blaupunkt - http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_in...1e73ff7ee03028b

the blaupunkt seems to be a very good offer.

If you feel that you have any other headunit suggestions for around £200 that would be great.

Cheers guys. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[Alan]

Hi, why not consider Sony Mex R1. DVD/MP3 remote control. blue buttons to match Loop dash and you can burn 1000 songs on a DVD rw disc. Who needs cd changers, i-pods and discs all over seats.

Halfords £400

Pixmania.com £185 !

Collected mine from store in Fulham, London.

Top head unit, great sound. Front of head unit black aluminium mmmm.

Newer model has option for wireless monitor.

[Mikebob]

I dont really need a dvd player though, and i have over 2000 songs on my i-pod and would be useful to have a i-pod connection hidden behind the dashboard. Plus im not driving my lupo anymore as i wrote it off and im driving a new seat ibiza with a red dash, still a VAG at heart! lol what would you guys say about the other headunits ive posted. cheers for your suggestions alan.

[Tigz™]

The Becker would have less chance of being stolen.

[Mikebob]

True tigz, whats the sound quality like on the monza compared to the mexico pro? plus i still can't find the supposed new i-pod connection for the Becker unit??

[AndyW]

All three are top choices I'd say. I'm not hot on the looks of the Blaupunkt, the Pioneers a great unit, but the Becker would look best in the Lupo (although maybe not that model, I'd go for the one with Blue backlighting).

But I doubt you'd go far wrong with any of the three.

Edited to say just noticed your comment about being in an Ibiza now, so ignore my comment about blue backlighting above!

Edited December 5, 2005 by AndyW

[Adam K]

forget all of those units, just got an alpine 9855r with ipod adapter and it is absolutley awesome.

£335 (for the head unit and ipod adapter) from hendon car stereo and i picked it up from the store in person.

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i have owned the pioneer 77mp and it is now in my dad's car. the screen is a single line display on it so is pretty useless for displaying ipod info.

if u are intent on getting one of those 3 units then i would say the blaupunkt is your best best just based on value for money.

Edited December 5, 2005 by Adam K

[AndyW]

I'm still unconvinced about the Alpine iPod intergration, it just seemed so fiddly to me compared with the Dension ICE Link.

The Becker is a much better looking headunit than anything else on the market, plus they sound great to from user comments.

[Mikebob]

Is their difference in sound quality over the monza or mexico pro, and what i-pod connection should i opt for?!

[AndyW]

Can't help about comparing the two, but I can say that Dension (with the ICE Link+ iPod kit) do support the Becker headunits, but you might want to check details more carefully, I'm not up with aftermarket headunit support.

[Mikebob]

Cheers andy, definately going for the Becker, very OEM looking, im just trying to find an i-pod link, plus the radio interface for steering controls for the becker unit, it would be soo much easier to buy the Pioneer lol

[AndyW]

Check out Dension's webpage, when I was in the UK in September I noticed that the Carphone Warehouse now sells this kit, fitted, or just the parts for less of course.

Its a great bit of kit, can't fault it at all so far. My only criticism is that acessing Podcasts can sometimes be a little slow, I'm not sure why, and haven't seen to mentioned anywhere else. I do have LOTS of podcasts though, so maybe its understandable. Plus you get a docking cradle, which is very neat.

border="0" class="linked-image" /> border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

[Adam K]

yeah, but with the dension u can't see ID3 tags on screen. with my alpine i can scroll though everything on screen and keep my ipod somewhere out of sight.

Edited December 5, 2005 by Adam K

[Mikebob]

Ye and thats what im wanting, i think im going to have to find the 'proper' Becker to I-pod convertor. I want my ipod to be hidden, behind the dash or in the glovebox. Im going to email becker and see what they have to offer. cheers for your help guys.

[AndyW]

yeah, but with the dension u can't see ID3 tags on screen. with my alpine i can scroll though everything on screen and keep my ipod somewhere out of sight.

While the seeing the track name would be kind of cool, not once has it ever bothered me, not a killer feature as far as I'm concerned.

Plus I couldn't live with a headunit that looks like all Alpines do, way too fussy and just screams, steal me, steal me!

Edited December 5, 2005 by AndyW

[Adam K]

While the seeing the track name would be kind of cool, not once has it ever bothered me, not a killer feature as far as I'm concerned.

Plus I couldn't live with a headunit that looks like all Alpines do, way too fussy and just screams, steal me, steal me!

i ALWAYS take the face off when i leave the car.

once you have used a proper ipod interface then i suspect u would be converted away from the dension.

[AndyW]

once you have used a proper ipod interface then i suspect u would be converted away from the dension.

LOL.

[academic]

halfords sells the denson kit now, one for £99 fitted and one for £150 fitted

think i'll get an alpine with the ipod connection

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...tegoryId=31445#

[Tigz™]

I wouldn't touch these latest Alpine units.

The build quality is poor to say the least.

[bullwinkle]

I used to own the Dension Kit with my old Sony H/U. Was really happy with it until all of it got nicked. (I have to say that Andy has it positioned far lower that I did so much less risk with it being down there).

Coincidentally, I got the 9855r with the Alpine interface as a replacement to keep everything hidden.

Again, everything with it was going along great until a few weeks ago when the damn thing started playing up - seems like the interface just wasn't seeing the iPod. It would occasionally jump onto the next track, or just pause for no reason. It's going in on Saturday for them to look at it.

In short, if you want the OEM look and aren't bothered about the songs coming up on the h/u - get the Dension kit and get it fitted low down. If not the Alpine stuff is great to use, but in my opinion, a little flaky.

[AndyW]

I think the big problem I have with Alpines is why do they have to look so rubbish, do they actually employ product designers? The truth is they might sound amazing, but in a car they look like someones vandalised the dashboard.

Really liking Beckers approach of quality sound and plain, simple, effective looks, I quite fancy the one nfbr has in his car.

[nfbr]

True tigz, whats the sound quality like on the monza compared to the mexico pro? plus i still can't find the supposed new i-pod connection for the Becker unit??

Dension do a becker kit mate...

I've got the Mexico Pro, and everything but the CD Drive (Monza 2x, Mexico Pro 4x) is the same! I absolutely love mine!!! The only thing i dont like about it is that the removable fascia (which the monza doesnt have) sometimes causes problems and has to be removed and put back on to cure the problems