High end Decks ?
09-12-2004, 07:08 PM
#11
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 756
Decks. Head units. Nightmares...
I have a Kenwood Excelon KDCX-969. Top of the line in '03. Wicked deck, has all sorts of features, crossovers, eq's, all built in. The only thing I wish it had (just 'cause I know they're available now, not that I really need them) that it doesn't is time adjusting and 5.1. The top of the line for '04, the KDCX-979, has these. It does, however, have excellent sound quality, never skips over bumps or bad cd's, does mp3, line in, SRS, etc. etc.
I've owend it since it was a new unit, a year and a half ago, spring of '03. If I remember, it's serial number showed it was less than the 250th made.
Anyway, it's broken down on me FOUR times now. The first, it gave me a mech error a couple times. So I sent it to my dealer, and the cleaned it and got it working. A week later, it did it again. So they sent it to Kenwood for repair. They replaced the laser assembly and sent it back (a three week process). It lasted for a month this time, gave me the mech error, and refused to eject. I finally got it to eject, but it still thought there was a disk in there, and nothing I could do (including full resets and power drops) could make it work again. So off to Kenwood it went again. This time, they say they replaced the guide assembly, a four week process (each time my dealer, Tom at ARA Auto Accessories in Calgary, gives me a loaner. The loaner works fine, although it really dislikes scratches, but it has never broke down on me). Two months this time, and exact same thing. Mech error, then eject, then it thinks there's still a cd in there.
So off it went again, three weeks ago, Tom saying he'll demand a whole new unit. But Tom goofed, he had two boxes going out that day, my Kenwood to Kenwood, and something else to DEI. Three guess what happened, and the first two don't count...
Yep, my Kenwood HU went off to DEI, and the DEI stuff went to Kenwood. Talked to Tom on Thursday, he still hasn't seen it come back, but will track it. "Either that, or I'll have to buy you a new one".
Oy.... If he's gonna buy me a new one, I think I'm gonna tell him to switch me to a TOL Clarion...
[ September 12, 2004, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: GrizZz ]
I have a Kenwood Excelon KDCX-969. Top of the line in '03. Wicked deck, has all sorts of features, crossovers, eq's, all built in. The only thing I wish it had (just 'cause I know they're available now, not that I really need them) that it doesn't is time adjusting and 5.1. The top of the line for '04, the KDCX-979, has these. It does, however, have excellent sound quality, never skips over bumps or bad cd's, does mp3, line in, SRS, etc. etc.
I've owend it since it was a new unit, a year and a half ago, spring of '03. If I remember, it's serial number showed it was less than the 250th made.
Anyway, it's broken down on me FOUR times now. The first, it gave me a mech error a couple times. So I sent it to my dealer, and the cleaned it and got it working. A week later, it did it again. So they sent it to Kenwood for repair. They replaced the laser assembly and sent it back (a three week process). It lasted for a month this time, gave me the mech error, and refused to eject. I finally got it to eject, but it still thought there was a disk in there, and nothing I could do (including full resets and power drops) could make it work again. So off to Kenwood it went again. This time, they say they replaced the guide assembly, a four week process (each time my dealer, Tom at ARA Auto Accessories in Calgary, gives me a loaner. The loaner works fine, although it really dislikes scratches, but it has never broke down on me). Two months this time, and exact same thing. Mech error, then eject, then it thinks there's still a cd in there.
So off it went again, three weeks ago, Tom saying he'll demand a whole new unit. But Tom goofed, he had two boxes going out that day, my Kenwood to Kenwood, and something else to DEI. Three guess what happened, and the first two don't count...
Yep, my Kenwood HU went off to DEI, and the DEI stuff went to Kenwood. Talked to Tom on Thursday, he still hasn't seen it come back, but will track it. "Either that, or I'll have to buy you a new one".
Oy.... If he's gonna buy me a new one, I think I'm gonna tell him to switch me to a TOL Clarion...
[ September 12, 2004, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: GrizZz ]
09-18-2004, 05:24 PM
#13
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 375
Hmm so i guess Kenwood is out LOL, I have owned a clarion deck before but I have not really looked into claron decks becasue non of them had decent looks, they all had those ugly blue screens on them like the Panasonic decks do.
I like JVC but I think that with already owning a decent alpine a JVC deck would seem to have less features.
I have never owned a Kenwood deck before but have always liked kenwood products but with the problems that Grizz has had with their decks sound like they may be better off being avoided.
Man this is so hard what to decide on, I like kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine and Clarion but 3 oiut of the 4 I have not really kept up on with the models and features and such like i have with alpine lol. I just want to try and get a good deck for a great price and Alpine I know you can get either a great deck or one that causes you a headach!
Basically I have looked at 4 decks, 1 is the Pioneer DEH-P840MP, DEH-P8400MP ,Kenwood KDC-MP922, KDC-MP925 and the other thusfar is the Alpine CDA-9830, CDA-9331.
I am out to just see what users own and what their comments are about their decks so i have an idea on what to get.
I basically want a deck that has a motorized face like my alpine does. I think the folddown ones are just cheap knockoffs....
[ September 18, 2004, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: Kwalsh24 ]
I like JVC but I think that with already owning a decent alpine a JVC deck would seem to have less features.
I have never owned a Kenwood deck before but have always liked kenwood products but with the problems that Grizz has had with their decks sound like they may be better off being avoided.
Man this is so hard what to decide on, I like kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine and Clarion but 3 oiut of the 4 I have not really kept up on with the models and features and such like i have with alpine lol. I just want to try and get a good deck for a great price and Alpine I know you can get either a great deck or one that causes you a headach!
Basically I have looked at 4 decks, 1 is the Pioneer DEH-P840MP, DEH-P8400MP ,Kenwood KDC-MP922, KDC-MP925 and the other thusfar is the Alpine CDA-9830, CDA-9331.
I am out to just see what users own and what their comments are about their decks so i have an idea on what to get.
I basically want a deck that has a motorized face like my alpine does. I think the folddown ones are just cheap knockoffs....
[ September 18, 2004, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: Kwalsh24 ]
09-20-2004, 05:33 AM
#14
Originally posted by JohnnyToronto:
I am currently using the JVC KD-DV5000.
It's the unit they currently have at future shop. It plays dvd's, as well as mp3's...etc.
It has a built in 7 band eq, and changes colours to whatever you want. (If you're into that sort of thing).
I got it on ebay for less than in stores, it sounds great and works great so far.
Only problem I have, and it is a small one, is that it's silver so it kind of screams steal me, to those who might look inside the car.
I am currently using the JVC KD-DV5000.
It's the unit they currently have at future shop. It plays dvd's, as well as mp3's...etc.
It has a built in 7 band eq, and changes colours to whatever you want. (If you're into that sort of thing).
I got it on ebay for less than in stores, it sounds great and works great so far.
Only problem I have, and it is a small one, is that it's silver so it kind of screams steal me, to those who might look inside the car.
And JVC doesn't really come off as high end to me.
09-20-2004, 07:46 AM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
There are a few competitors using JVC that do well in the street classes in IASCA, like Bob Johann. IMO the deck matters the least in an SQ system. NOw don't get me wrong, everything matters to a degree, but even a cheapo $200 deck does an excellent job of reproducing the music on a disc.
09-20-2004, 09:14 AM
#16
I used a JVC Kameleon in 2002 -part of 2003. I didn't think it was bad, but when I switched to Alpine it was Night/Day difference. Everything just sounded better. For changing a single peice of equipment I just couldn't beleive what it did.
So I probably would never touch JVC again.
So I probably would never touch JVC again.
09-20-2004, 09:20 AM
#17
Yankee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,599
^ I have had simular experiences with HU but the difference was not night vs day
And I am not sure which matters least HU, AMP, Interconnect ... but they all matter to a point(when does it go from good to geat?)
[ September 20, 2004, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: JohnVroom ]
IMO the deck matters the least in an SQ system. NOw don't get me wrong, everything matters to a degree, but even a cheapo $200 deck does an excellent job of reproducing the music on a disc.
[ September 20, 2004, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: JohnVroom ]
09-20-2004, 04:40 PM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yes, but it is eay to build a good deck compared to good speakers. You could take the crappiest deck on the market and put it in Gary Biggs car and it will still sound good, now take the crappiest speakers on the market and put them in Gary Biggs car and [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img]
