20 replies to this topic

[Matty Moo]

I need to do something about my tunes situation. My 6 disc changer took a shit, my CD player doesn't work and my stock HU doesn't sound too good anymore.

All I care about is the USB input and one set of rca's for a Basslink. It's an Alpine cde-121. I haven't bought a new HU since 2003, so I really don't know what's out there anymore.

http://www.crutchfie...CDE121&skipvs=T

[EVL WAGN]

Nice and simple...no flipping faces or other useless bullshit. I say go for it dude.

[Wagoneer855]

Had that one in my 740. Simple, great sounding little unit. Quick CD loading, quick USB reading, ran 4 - 4" speakers no problem.

Only complaint is the no dimming option. It's ridiculously bright at night.

Edited by Wagoneer855, 08 November 2011 - 06:04 AM.

[Matty Moo]

Wagoneer855, on 08 November 2011 - 06:03 AM, said:

Only complaint is the no dimming option. It's ridiculously bright at night.

Shit...better than what I have, which has no lights since they are burned out. I get to guess what station it is by format.

I'm going to get it.

[Ghost Shadow]

dont buy it, i'll trade ya, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or what ever lol abs modules for something i carry...kenwood or pioneer.

[boosted_brick]

i feel ya, my last HU was from '03 and it was an alpine 9807.

now i have an alpine cde-124sx or whatever. it's kinda like that one. the usb hook up is great. if you can, get xm radio. it's so cool.

[Matty Moo]

EVL WAGN, on 08 November 2011 - 04:37 AM, said:

Nice and simple...no flipping faces or other useless bullshit. I say go for it dude.

I despise that shit...I don't know if they design that shit for 16 year old boys or if somebody thinks it looks tits.

Ghost Shadow, on 09 November 2011 - 01:52 AM, said:

dont buy it, i'll trade ya, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or what ever lol abs modules for something i carry...kenwood or pioneer.

I'll give you a ring later.

[scumcity14]

Matty Moo, on 09 November 2011 - 07:40 PM, said:

I despise that shit...I don't know if they design that shit for 16 year old boys or if somebody thinks it looks tits.

I agree 100%...I hate how just about all aftermarket HUs look.

[boosted_brick]

that seems to be the general consensus around here. if it's not from the factory, it's no good.

you have to look around to find stuff. chances are the first few things you look at you wont like but that doesnt mean that the ones you saw and didnt like represent everything.

it took me a while to like the style of my new alpine and now i love it.

[EVL WAGN]

boosted_brick, on 10 November 2011 - 01:35 AM, said:

that seems to be the general consensus around here. if it's not from the factory, it's no good.

you have to look around to find stuff. chances are the first few things you look at you wont like but that doesnt mean that the ones you saw and didnt like represent everything.

it took me a while to like the style of my new alpine and now i love it.

Not from me dude...look at most of my threads about Volvos in general...stock is always horseshit...wheels, audio, seats...you name it. I have replaced it all. My car sounds 4 billion times better than the Volvo Dynaudio set-up and I'm being very conservative...lol

[boosted_brick]

EVL WAGN, on 10 November 2011 - 04:45 AM, said:

Not from me dude...look at most of my threads about Volvos in general...stock is always horseshit...wheels, audio, seats...you name it. I have replaced it all. My car sounds 4 billion times better than the Volvo Dynaudio set-up and I'm being very conservative...lol

ok maybe not everyone is so negative but it seems like a lot of people are thinking that way.

[EVL WAGN]

You get use to it around here. It just seems to be the Volvo way I guess.

[Matty Moo]

I don't mind aftermarket HU's...I just don't like all the fast and furious bullshit styling that comes with a lot of them. It seems like the $100-$200 range avoids a lot of that but you still have to look. They need to make shit like they used to 20 years ago where it was clean, blended in and was usable right out of the box. Simple, but a few more options than oem.

I don't like the oem unit, the only reason it's still there is because I rarely drive the car more than a few miles at a time. I've been driving it more often and will be dd'ing it all winter for work.

[boosted_brick]

20 years ago they didnt have nearly the amount of stuff that they could do. that's why it was clean, there simply wasnt enough buttons and things to fill the face.

[EVL WAGN]

I wish we could go back to those times too...the components were 1,000,000,000x's better and they were made in Japan still...not Malaysia, Thailand, or somewhere else that pays their labour only a dollar a day.

[boosted_brick]

i wasnt even driving back then so i cant say anything about that stuff.

[scumcity14]

I was saying cosmetically new stuff looks like shit. I am not talking about features. With todays technology we really need LESS buttons (we have touch screens etc.) so there is no reason for the ugly ass Sony Xplod looking crap that even "high end" HUs have. Components don't need to look like spaceship dashboards.
Look at high end home audio...Minimal buttons, maximum sound. And I don't mean shit from best buy or Crutchfield..I am talking about companies like Conrad Johnson, Krell, Sota, PS audio, Rega...

EVL knows how good the components were in the late 80s early 90s..

I dont think that the Volvo factory systems sound much better than average..Dynaudio is too bad because Dynaudio Monitors from england are very nice speakers..just another "name" attached to a car companies "premium" system.. certainly no Nakamichi (Japan), MB Quart (Germany) and Soundstream (USA) system quality..
If I could get an older Nakamichi HU with no internal amp and a USB port I would be happy as could be (its impossible for all intents and purposes of course)

boosted_brick, on 10 November 2011 - 06:12 AM, said:

20 years ago they didnt have nearly the amount of stuff that they could do. that's why it was clean, there simply wasnt enough buttons and things to fill the face.

go look up some old head units...more goddamn buttons than you could imagine.

Edited by scumcity14, 11 November 2011 - 01:44 AM.

[Vagabond]

We install a ton of those alpines.

Solid unit.

[EVL WAGN]

I'd love an old Nak or Denon head unit, but unfortunately I've succumbed to the touchscreen 2x din dvd crowd...lol

I might actually rework my entire audio this winter for better imaging...ie sealed kicks with some 8" midbass and a of Image Dynamic horns....hmmm

[Modus]

I too hate the jazz on the radio's today. I honestly if I could afford it would go with a Nakamichi. No Flashing lights just plain old functional head unit. Not to mention the specs on them are incredible. Freq responds 15hz-30K


I have a spare Alpine 6 disk changer just sittn, has some mileage on it though. rubber dampers are defiantly worn. yours if you want it.