What to look for...

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:19 pm

I was wondering what should i be looking for when buying a aftermarket headunit, im going to be running the system i posted in one of my topics before off this HU. Im able to pick up a iTrip and Pioneer DEH-1400 both of which for $40.When im looking i should mainly be looking for preamp-outputs right? since i want to hookup a amp to the HU. When i buy a aftermarket headunit i need to buy a installation kit, wiring harness and antenae adapter right? or should i just keet saving and buy the Alpine CDE-9843 off crutchfield, which will come with everything i need to install it?

SteelBlue · Post by **SteelBlue** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:12 am

You may not need the antenna adapter. When we did my deck install I don't remember having to buy one or put one in... I would just go to a audio shop and tell them you need an install kit; they should be able to look up what you need. Bell caps are useful too since its much cleaner and holds better than electrical tape.

Decent volt preout will help so definitely look for that. I had a low grade headunit (minimal preout) with a power hungry amp and it actually lowered the output from the deck when it was working hard. Its important to make sure you have a headunit with a little bit of power so the amp isn't having to work as hard and so it doesn't hurt the cd player.

Best of luck!

TeckNeon · Post by **TeckNeon** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:47 pm

Definitally save up and get what you want. When it comes to car tunes, you have to get the best you can afford. Unless you are like me and don't care what it looks like as long as it is reliable, sounds good and plays when I need it to.

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:10 pm

i'm pretty sure you don't need the antenna adapter... all you should need is the bracket kit (fills up the gaps around the new head unit) and a wireing kit (connector) whick makes everything so simple.... with the connector, all you have to do is match up the colors from the connector to the new H/U and then you just plug in to the stock connector.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:34 pm

i was thinking of just saving the money and keep saving until i get to $130 and just buy the Alpine from crutchfield, and it will come with everything i need, which is what they say. or i could just buy the Pioneer DEH-1400 with the iTrip for $30 [he lowered it] and just save up until i install it.

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:56 am

$130 is still really cheap. Save up.

Shit, I spent over $500 for the deck thats in my car right now. Its not worth anything like that now, as its like 3 years old now. The one Im looking at right now is like $450, I think. You get what you pay for, but if all you want it to do is play CDs, then just about anything will work.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:50 pm

actually... you will need an antenna adpater. When i installed my HU, i had to get a wiring harness, install kit, and an antenna adapter. You can install a system yourself, to be honest its not that hard... I kinda wish I had done mine myself now instead of letting CarToys screw it all up... They had rear audio channels switched so R = L and L=R... then they had the RCA plugs on the back of the headunit halfass plugged in and it got electrical interferrence cause of it...

Took it back the next day... the gor rid of the interference but told me, that the RCA outputs on my HU were bad... I got home pulled the HU out some... those morons didnt even fully plug in the RCA plugs... i had to push them in fully... system works like a beaut now...

Srry for the rant...

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:59 pm

lilolneon wrote:actually... you will need an antenna adpater. When i installed my HU, i had to get a wiring harness, install kit, and an antenna adapter.

Depends on the car. 2000/1 dont need adapters. 2002+ do.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:05 pm

since most of you know, im going to be using 2 12"s in my car and all that. so i still dont get what im supposed to be looking for so i know if im able to hook up my RCA cables. Do i look for Preamp Outputs or Sub Preamp Outputs?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:21 pm

are you guys sure, that i dont need an antenna adapter? im most likely going to order a Panasonic CQ-C1301U from sounddomain or a Kenwood KDC-123 from crutchfield today or within the next days. so i need to know if i really need an atenna adapter, because it free from crutchfield but cost $9 from sounddomain.

03sxt · Post by **03sxt** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:28 pm

I needed an antenna adapter for my Sony headunit...

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:43 pm

ok, i guess ill just spend the extra $9 and buy from sounddomain then, since the panasonic outnumbers the kenwood in features.

Nick Drake · Post by **Nick Drake** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 11:08 pm

Well for one, my 03 needed an antenna adapter (but I didn't get it...I mean for real, who needs the radio? ....except you NPR weirdos)

And if you're looking for a deck, don't spend any less than $200 please. My sister and I have the exact same cars (hers is silver though) and you can really tell the difference in quality just because of her big ugly digital display HU and my full motion display deck.

Mine sounds much better too, the more expensive ones usually have some sort of digital soundstaging option, not just an equalizer. It really makes the stock tweeters sound great.

Also, if you're gonna get subs, redirect all your high frequencies to the speakers and your lows to your subs. I hear too many people saying they need another amp for their speakers just cause they're making them do the subs work too.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:32 am

im just going to settle for something simple for now, so i can learn off what i want on this headunit and whatnot. im just going to settle for a Kenwood KDC-132 from crutchfield, because im tired of looking at my subs all wired up waiting for me to install them.

lilolneon · Post by **lilolneon** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:00 am

Im drawin up a lil diagram of how its all setup

Should have it posted w/ in the next few hours...

*edit* - ok heres the diagram of how mine is wired... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/ ... psized.jpg

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:04 am

hmmm....its either buy a Alpine CDA-7892 for $100 or buy the kenwood KDC-123 for $100 with everything i need. hmmmmm

fireantz · Post by **fireantz** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:32 am

I'm an alpine hu whore so I would go with that...plus you can get the ipod adapter for it aswell..its a ton better than the iTrip.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:26 am

well....just ordered a Alpine CDE-9843 off crutchfield. should be here in the next couple of days.

reppinthe2.0 · Post by **reppinthe2.0** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:06 am

shoulda got the CDA-9855 works wonders.

neonlight18 · Post by **neonlight18** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:48 am

i know my Clarion Head Unit was about 300 brand new, now u can find them selling for 140 everywhere, but my headunit is also about 3 years old...

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:51 pm

Can I chime in about the antenna plug?
Ok, too bad, here goes...
on my 02, the antenna has that funky plug and needs an adapter. Well, with the adapter, my reception was horrible! I got no AM stations, and long range... well, forget about it. So, I decided to do a little hands on research. I took off the right-side kick panel in the floor beneath the dash, took out the glove box, removed the top of the dash and removed the stereo. After looking around a bit and deciding that completely replacing the antenna all together was worthless, I found out that the antenna plugs into a second plug just like that which is on the back of the aftermarket stereo! In my excitement, I removed that plug and purchased a 6 foot antenna wire extension from Best Buy (actually 2, 3 foot) with a female and a male end. I connected these together, and re-ran the wire over the top of the dash and down to the center console so it could be plugged in. Anyway, long story short it sounds better, and I do not have that stupid plug in there anymore.

btw - the antenna wire comes through the firewall/fender and that is where the plug/adapter is. Check it out for those of you who have problems getting good reception. Maybe if I get bored one day I will do a HOW TO: