MotiV8r needs a stereo and I need a recomendation

[Larry Callahan]

Are there any car audio nuts in the house?

MotiV8r needs a stereo and I could use some help finding the right one.

I have what is probably an unrealistic list of wants in a car stereo.

Double DIN size or slightly larger touch screen
Built in navigation with traffic that does not need a cell phone connection
Bluetooth built in
Hands free calling using an external mic (bluetooth using iPhone)
Backup camera
Plays well with an iPhone
Tire pressure monitoring
No amplifier needed
One that won't make me set the parking brake any time you want to do something
One that will allow me to plug in my iPhone and not need to touch it again to do anything

I know some of these might be unrealistic and not all options will be available from one manufacture. For example I know of one that can deal with the tire pressure monitoring but for various reasons forces you to interact with the phone a lot. Many require an amplifier and so on.

So, do you know of something or do you know of something I should avoid?

Thanks!

[hifi875]

http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/x008u/

This will do everything with a 8 inch screen to boot. Alpine is the only company to make a quality 8 inch indash dvd/nav with all the goodies. The are some bottom feeder stuff out there that may. But i would never recomend or use them.

[vette427-sbc]

Most of the big names will satisfy all of your needs... I happen to like the Pioneer NEX8000 or 7000. The tire pressure monitoring MAY be able to be configured with an iDatalink Maestro (works with the Alpine units as well), but I wouldnt count on it. Especially if you are not using an OEM canbus system to relay the info. The Pioneer will power (4) 4ohm speakers with no amp.

[jlcustomz]

Car stereo head units have all come down in price & up in features compared to years ago. I got the top single din (no screen) Alpine from a few years ago & would still look at them as first choice for another unit. Top end pioneer would be my 2nd choice to re-look into from experience with several I've installed in my company's work trucks. I do miss not having the wired remote control my older unit had. These new multi-controls are touchy when reaching for & hitting a bump as compared to old fashioned knobs.

As far as not needing an amp, that's all a matter of opinion. It's not just about loud, it's also about clean distortion free sound, loud or not. I have 2 amps in my Mercedes sprinter work truck as well as the hot rod. People are amazed how clean the sound is, even at a louder than you need volume. Kicker has been my favorite of any amps I've bought in the last few years. There are 5 channel amps to run 4 speakers & a small sub , which would be a good all around full sounded improvement over just a head unit without getting too out there.
The most powerful head unit amps can sound ok if you don't need too loud (lot of noise to overcome), but it won't be a listening experience like having a decent amp, that's the difference. Does yer car's engine be loud?
Just a few thoughts.

[Larry Callahan]

Thanks for the help everyone. I'm not sure the exact model yet but I will be going with a Pioneer NEX unit.

[Larry Callahan]

Oh, and I think I will have to run an amp.

[jlcustomz]

Although there are plenty of good choices for amps, here's a recommendation from kicker.http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/p_27997_Kicker_ZX7005.aspx This is a good price for what you get & I pound on my kicker model 350 daily for full range sound . I usually run a separate amp for subs, but this is simpler & should be plenty for you.

It has 4 channels @ 70 watts each of clean power & one channel for sub use with 210 watts rms. Even a smaller single sub will help fill in the sound range & allow you to have less low end sound pushing on your full range speakers, which will make them sound cleaner.

Just like tuning a new engine, A new powerful, flexible stereo will benefit from tuning. These new recievers all have a lot of equalizer adjustments to learn to use, not as simple accessing as just turning knobs though.

Gain adjustment on amps is important. Generally you turn the heads volume to near full & gradually increase the amps gain till it starts to sound distorted & back it down to sound clean. Speakers will last much longer , especially if played loud, with clean sound.

Lots of decent choices for speakers. 6 x 9's should be good for the back deck. The pioneer 4 ways in the work truck sound as good as the pricy infinity Kappa's in the hot rod. Up front I'd look into kick panel pods to mount either 5 1/4 or 6 1/2" separate midrange/ tweeter setups. Jl audio (no relation to me) is a common quality choice for those these days, among others.

Just a few more thoughts .

[snappytravis]

$2100.00,, stereos are amazing these days.

[andrewb70]

Larry,

This looks intriguing:

http://blog.parrot.com/2015/01/05/ces-2015-parrot-rnb6-the-most-advanced-in-vehicle-infotainment-system/

Andrew

[Sean Cooke]

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/CD-Receivers/FH-X720BT

[hessdawg]

I'll just tell you what I'm doing
IPad mini to pure i20 optical to a ppi digital sound processor.
From the dsp to 2 class d 5 channel amps both small.
Then to all speakers

I have been a professional car audio installer since 1999.
The reasons I like the iPad mini or regular iPad as a head unit are
-it's a simple user interface that can do everything you want and more
-you already know how to use it because it's a bigger version of your phone
-though screen works 1000x better then any other double din out there
-$300-600 it's cheaper then an aftermarket unit
- you can easily take it with you and use it the 98% of the time you're not in your car

[andrewb70]

I'll just tell you what I'm doing
IPad mini to pure i20 optical to a ppi digital sound processor.
From the dsp to 2 class d 5 channel amps both small.
Then to all speakers

I have been a professional car audio installer since 1999.
The reasons I like the iPad mini or regular iPad as a head unit are
-it's a simple user interface that can do everything you want and more
-you already know how to use it because it's a bigger version of your phone
-though screen works 1000x better then any other double din out there
-$300-600 it's cheaper then an aftermarket unit
- you can easily take it with you and use it the 98% of the time you're not in your car

What amps are you using?

Andrew

[hessdawg]

What amps are you using?

Andrew


I will be using 2 of either the PPI 900.5 or the nvx 900.5
PPI, NVX, Polk audio, brax and nakamichi are all using the same build house to manufacture their 900 watt 5 channel amp. I bought my wife the smaller PPI 640.5 to power four 6.5 inch speakers and a single 15. The amp is about the size of a tivo remote and cost $165 shipped to my door so I was pleasantly surprised with how powerful this tiny amp is. It lives under the drivers front seat with not allot of air flow and has not once shut down.

Either 900.5 can be had for between $200-$250 shipped to your door

[SD455]

I'll just tell you what I'm doing
IPad mini to pure i20 optical to a ppi digital sound processor.
From the dsp to 2 class d 5 channel amps both small.
Then to all speakers

I have been a professional car audio installer since 1999.
The reasons I like the iPad mini or regular iPad as a head unit are
-it's a simple user interface that can do everything you want and more
-you already know how to use it because it's a bigger version of your phone
-though screen works 1000x better then any other double din out there
-$300-600 it's cheaper then an aftermarket unit
- you can easily take it with you and use it the 98% of the time you're not in your car

For us novices, can you break down the interface from iPad to amp and also the app or controller? Would you simply run iTunes, a 3.5 mini cable split to an RCA into the amp?

I like the idea of using my phone or iPad as a head unit and keeping the dash looking stock, would really appreciate the breakdown with links if possible.

[snappytravis]

For us novices, can you break down the interface from iPad to amp and also the app or controller? Would you simply run iTunes, a 3.5 mini cable split to an RCA into the amp?

I like the idea of using my phone or iPad as a head unit and keeping the dash looking stock, would really appreciate the breakdown with links if possible.

Ditto! It's almost like he is speaking Chinese to me..

[Larry Callahan]

Thanks everyone for the the ideas. I'm still torn on a route to go.

I would like to avoid the hassle of running amps but I think I might regret that.

The car is leaving next weekend for JCG where it will be for a few weeks before returning to me to wire it. So, I have a few more weeks to decide.

I went to a local stereo install shop and played with the Alpine X009-U. I like it and I like the fact it would allow me to install the buttons any place I want.

What I didn't like was the 2k cost. LOL!

http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/x009-u/

[andrewb70]

For us novices, can you break down the interface from iPad to amp and also the app or controller? Would you simply run iTunes, a 3.5 mini cable split to an RCA into the amp?

I like the idea of using my phone or iPad as a head unit and keeping the dash looking stock, would really appreciate the breakdown with links if possible.

The set-up that hessdog has is very similar to what I have, although we chose different components.

I use an old iPhone (any iDevice can be used) as my music source. This is connected to a HRT iStreamer (http://www.hirestech.com/product/?pid=91) that takes the digital signal from the iPhone and performs the digital to analog conversion (this is what hessdog's PPI signal processor does and it also acts as the pre-amp..read volume control). From the iStreamer mine is connected via RCA cable to a JL audio CL-RLC (this acts as the pre-amp), and from there it goes to an old Xtant 603 amp.

I like using the iStreamer because I can take it from the car to the house and use it for my home system as well.

Andrew

[hessdawg]

For us novices, can you break down the interface from iPad to amp and also the app or controller? Would you simply run iTunes, a 3.5 mini cable split to an RCA into the amp?

I like the idea of using my phone or iPad as a head unit and keeping the dash looking stock, would really appreciate the breakdown with links if possible.

Like Andrew explained any factory Iproduct has a factory DAC (digital to analog converter) that convert the compressed digital music into and an analog signal that can be amplified. What most docking stations like Bose, Cambridge sound work, bowers and Wilkins, have a high end DAC that can take the pure digital befor the iPads DAC and the convert it at a higher resolution and sent it to the amp. You can do the same thing with the hrt istreamer or the pure i20 then sent the signal to a DSP or digital sound processor. The DSP is basically a really fancy crossover and equalizer.
There a hundred ways to skin a cat and this is just the way I've decided to do it. Will there be a big difference between my system and a headphone jack to an amp. Yes and you probably notice it sitting sided by side in a garage but at 70 mph in a 5-800 hp beast not a big difference.

[andrewb70]

Like Andrew explained any factory Iproduct has a factory DAC (digital to analog converter) that convert the compressed digital music into and an analog signal that can be amplified. What most docking stations like Bose, Cambridge sound work, bowers and Wilkins, have a high end DAC that can take the pure digital befor the iPads DAC and the convert it at a higher resolution and sent it to the amp. You can do the same thing with the hrt istreamer or the pure i20 then sent the signal to a DSP or digital sound processor. The DSP is basically a really fancy crossover and equalizer.
There a hundred ways to skin a cat and this is just the way I've decided to do it. Will there be a big difference between my system and a headphone jack to an amp. Yes and you probably notice it sitting sided by side in a garage but at 70 mph in a 5-800 hp beast not a big difference.

I definitely noticed a difference when I added the iStremer to my home system and the car system. I also like the DSP that you are using. I am not sure how long it has been on the market, but when I was looking for a similar product I had a heck of a time finding something that would also function as a pre-amp and give me system wide volume control.

Andrew

[hessdawg]

I definitely noticed a difference when I added the iStremer to my home system and the car system. I also like the DSP that you are using. I am not sure how long it has been on the market, but when I was looking for a similar product I had a heck of a time finding something that would also function as a pre-amp and give me system wide volume control.

Andrew
You are correct in saying in a controlled environment your will nitice a big differance.
In a 68 camaro driving 70-80 mph it will be less noticeable

Another nice wireless option would be this one
https://wetsounds.com/pages/products/WW-VC-BT.html

http://precisionpower.com/store/products/accessories/signal-processors/deq-8-127.html
This is the DSP I will be using for volume control with the optical output from the pure i20
And the auxiliary input I'll run a bluetooth mod for the car shows

[andrewb70]

....
In a 68 camaro driving 70-80 mph it will be less noticeable

....

Agreed.

Andrew

[minendrews68]

I like the Double Din approach, just don't know if I want to cut up my dash, I've made a floor console out of walnut and might have enough room between it and the dash. I've also thought about a single din with the components in the trunk, but that would defeat Larry's idea of a screen.