An open ended but specific car stereo question..

[MrMoonyMan]

Evening there PH.

(condensed version at the end..)

So, seeing as we have no specific 'ICE' forum I'm going to fire away in here.

I am nearing the completion of a full restoration of a 1988 car.

Seeing as I've upgraded/ refreshed most other parts on it and intend to use it as a daily driver I figure it's time for a decent stereo to go with it.

Previously I had a JVC Chameleon for many years that I enjoyed as it was not too flash, gave good sound quality and was a little different.



Sadly it seems that JVC have gone away from this style of stereo now and Chameleons don't seem to come up on ebay too often or in very good condition if they do.

So I thought I'd have a look at something special like a Nakamichi stuff but that all seems really basic in terms of function.



I would ideally like something that has a hard drive or at least compatibility with the i-phone.

The option of being able to use a phone through it is also attractive.

So - what's about? What have you got and would recommend?

Condensed version

• Want a single DIN stereo
• Green illumination
• Subtle, not too showy
• i-phone compatible for music / calls
• Decent sound quality
• Possible hard drive

Thanking you!

[jackal]

parrot asteroid

the only head unit that does sd/usb/iphone but without taking a million years to scroll a list of tracks

also does lots of other nifty stuff and does not look like a nasty japanese thing

handsfree blutooth is the usual high standard as per any parrot

the screen/interface feels and looks as slick, sophisticated and tasteful as any apple/android device

[MrMoonyMan]

Oooooh.

That looks right on the money!

Decent sound quality too? Never really heard of Parrot apart from for hands free kits.

/off to investigate..

[jackal]

MrMoonyMan said:

Oooooh.

That looks right on the money!

Decent sound quality too? Never really heard of Parrot apart from for hands free kits.

/off to investigate..

yes SQ is as good as anything else unless you go to the really expensive pioneer mcintosh type head units

for any car audio my opinion is you have to have component front speakers with a decent ampplifier and also a subwoofer .. and i dont meean big booming bass, just a quality sub install so yuo get a punch to the music, fill out the lower end and hence hear the midrange better too

[GoneAnon]

I have an Alpine in my car. No CD, but full iPod control and a USB input. Can also plug a Bluetooth module in if you feel the need, and that gives access to the phone book etc.

Only thing I dislike is that the scrolling text on the display is a bit slow and I haven't found a setting to speed it up. I think the newer model has a colour screen instead.

This is the model I have but hust a video I found on the Google search.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj6cZIBpcJw&fea...

[MrMoonyMan]

jackal said:

yes SQ is as good as anything else unless you go to the really expensive pioneer mcintosh type head units

for any car audio my opinion is you have to have component front speakers with a decent ampplifier and also a subwoofer .. and i dont meean big booming bass, just a quality sub install so yuo get a punch to the music, fill out the lower end and hence hear the midrange better too

Totally agree.

I've always had decent 2 / 3 way speakers at the front with a sub for fill in.

Plan with this set up is some fairly small component 2 ways at the front, actually in the dash. Then some slightly bigger rears, maybe 4x7.

And then a hidden 8 or 10" sub.

[MrMoonyMan]

That Parrot - does it need it's own phone contract though for the 3g internet radio?

[s2sol]

jackal said:

parrot asteroid

O/T, but does it have an external microphone?

[jackal]

Has its own mic and gps
Gets the internet from your iphone... Just switch on hotspot mode
The phonebook is very good ... All voice activated

[F1GTRUeno]

Find the original/an original and stick it in.

Restoring an old car and then sticking a modern headunit in (or even just buying an old car with a modern headunit in) is just wrong to me.

[MrMoonyMan]

Thank you for the replies there.

Think the Alpine looks a bit too showy for what I'm after, shame as their older stuff looked perfect.

As for 'new car/ old stereo' - whilst I do agree to a certain extent, this car is very much a modern take on its original self. The engine will be running a more modern management system so why not make the inside a bit more up to date and user friendly?

[jackal]

F1GTRUeno said:

Find the original/an original and stick it in.

Restoring an old car and then sticking a modern headunit in (or even just buying an old car with a modern headunit in) is just wrong to me.

I did that, I had a 20 year old vintage blaupunkt in there ... really period and totally in keeping with the car ....


But then I went on a road trip to the alps, and then one to scotland .....


2 weeks without any fri@@ing music .... no thanks !

[AsifG]

doogz said:

Is the Parrot one finally for sale then?

I looked at that one, and their previous model a year or so ago, and couldn't find any retailers selling them. I think they recalled them due to a manufacturing fault with part of the front panel or something like that?

The missus has been banging on about a new head unit for her new car, that's I-Phone compatible, and with Christmas round the corner, one of these might be ideal.

It was the RK8200 they recalled around 3 years ago - time flies!

The Asteroid has been available for a year or so and is available in the usual places. They have a find a dealer link on their website