Car Audio?

quapmocka · Post by **quapmocka** » 08 Jun 2005, 00:27

Hi,

I'm new in the market to purchase a new CD front loader for my car.

I'm looking for one that has an AUX-input in the front of the dash so that I can plug in my external MP3 player as well. It would be nice if the front loader can play MP3 CD as well, but it's not necessary.

I was looking at the JVC KD-G510, as that has the AUX-in in the front of the dash, but it doesn’t look like a CD front loader.

Any help would be greatly appreciated?

I would also like to find out if anyone has some good messageboards or websites that they would like to share that deal with car audio. Preferably South African websites or messageboards.

Thanks,
:L:

elbow · Post by **elbow** » 08 Jun 2005, 01:10

JVC make really good front loaders. Just checked out the 510. It does have cd player. the face comes down for you to put the cd in. I have the KDG-801 in my car. Awesome thing that is! Plays MP3's with the option to upgrade it to play DVD's as well. But thats an expensive extra and not many places do it. It's running my car sound pretty well! got 2 1500w subs, 2000w amp, 2 6" mids and 2 6x9's and it runs it no complaints!

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » 08 Jun 2005, 01:39

Dude, never mind cd shuttles. They get stolen and it means you have to carry a bunch of discs with you everwhere.

Instead buy a good tape deck, a good quality tape reeler and use your MP3 player. I have a 30Gb Creative Nomad which means I can carry a large chunk of my CD collection around in my pocket. Much better than carrying discs around and it's much more fun to drive with that much music at my disposal.

elbow · Post by **elbow** » 08 Jun 2005, 03:15

Ok, true it is nice to have 30GB to drive around with... i wouldn't know...curses to my 700MB cd of music!!!

Friggs · Post by **Friggs** » 08 Jun 2005, 09:15

yea, I use the iTrip with my iPod, works really nicely, and I've got almost 20GB of music at my finger tips!

AlphA · Post by **AlphA** » 08 Jun 2005, 10:07

Leigh wrote:Dude, never mind cd shuttles. They get stolen and it means you have to carry a bunch of discs with you everwhere.

Instead buy a good tape deck, a good quality tape reeler and use your MP3 player. I have a 30Gb Creative Nomad which means I can carry a large chunk of my CD collection around in my pocket. Much better than carrying discs around and it's much more fun to drive with that much music at my disposal.

Leigh --> the problem with the setup you mention is the sound quality - or lack thereof. The hiss of the tape-heads is something you wont be able to get rid of. This is not a problem when you have a stock sound system in your car, but could get really irritating if you have a big system, especially with amplified tweeters which would just amplify the hiss.

In my opinion, the best solution right now is a in-dash DVD player which has an MP3 decoder on-board. 4.7GB of MP3 is not something to sneeze at and media is VERY cheap. Also, you can count on getting crisp, digital sound.

Mozz · Post by **Mozz** » 08 Jun 2005, 16:54

I'm with AlphA on this 1!!!!

I have a HP PDA, and 1GB MMC, not 30GB but hey!!
I saw this "Tape Reeler" thing in GAME and thought HEY, no need to look like a twit, WITH HEADPHONES on everywhere i go

Sound is cak, That amp thing IS TRUE too!!!!!!! It kills ur ears!!
Came this <-> close to cutting the cables on the tweeters!!!!!!

Front loaders ROCK!!! lol

Leigh · Post by **Leigh** » 08 Jun 2005, 22:17

AlphA wrote:Leigh --> the problem with the setup you mention is the sound quality - or lack thereof. The hiss of the tape-heads is something you wont be able to get rid of. This is not a problem when you have a stock sound system in your car, but could get really irritating if you have a big system, especially with amplified tweeters which would just amplify the hiss.

Yeah but not everyone feels the necessity to turn their car into a mobile disco. This guy who started the thread said that it was for his sisters car, and as a woman myself I can safely say that we females don't feel this weird need to install massive woofers and amplified tweeters and drive around showing off how loud the music in our cars can go. I listen to music because I enjoy it, not to obnoxiously provide the entire neighbourhood with a new soundtrack.

And cassette adapters don't really have hiss because they have no magnetic tape in them. Although Mp3's have impaired quality to begin with, regardless, so if it's good sound quality you're after, Mp3's are entirely the wrong direction. And this is entirely apart from the fact that vehicles have bad acoustics anyway, which is kinda why I've always wondered what the hell the point of installing these big obnoxious gangster car sound systems is in the first place. I'd rather spend the money on a good hi-fi setup for my house

elbow · Post by **elbow** » 09 Jun 2005, 06:26

Leigh ---> and as a woman myself I can safely say that we females don't feel this weird need to install massive woofers and amplified tweeters and drive around showing off how loud the music in our cars can go

True, but i was at a car sound competition this weekend and there were many females with huge systems in their cars! Some even kicked most of our butts lol!

dammod · Post by **dammod** » 09 Jun 2005, 08:11

Leigh wrote:
AlphA wrote:Leigh --> the problem with the setup you mention is the sound quality - or lack thereof. The hiss of the tape-heads is something you wont be able to get rid of. This is not a problem when you have a stock sound system in your car, but could get really irritating if you have a big system, especially with amplified tweeters which would just amplify the hiss.
Yeah but not everyone feels the necessity to turn their car into a mobile disco. This guy who started the thread said that it was for his sisters car, and as a woman myself I can safely say that we females don't feel this weird need to install massive woofers and amplified tweeters and drive around showing off how loud the music in our cars can go. I listen to music because I enjoy it, not to obnoxiously provide the entire neighbourhood with a new soundtrack.

And cassette adapters don't really have hiss because they have no magnetic tape in them. Although Mp3's have impaired quality to begin with, regardless, so if it's good sound quality you're after, Mp3's are entirely the wrong direction. And this is entirely apart from the fact that vehicles have bad acoustics anyway, which is kinda why I've always wondered what the hell the point of installing these big obnoxious gangster car sound systems is in the first place. I'd rather spend the money on a good hi-fi setup for my house

I agree!!! I really dont get it how people can spend R25000 (alot more most of teh time) On huge speakers that push out like 160 decibals, that can impare your hearing for life. I would much rather put the money towards a better car, or home entertainment center. Or even upgrade your cars engine would be more useful.

Belix · Post by **Belix** » 09 Jun 2005, 10:29

What's even better is when you spend said R25,000 and then return from visiting a mate to discover said car audio system plus said car have been removed by what a neighbour discribed as "four very friendly guys".
Even better when said combination was not insured.

The only trouble with home based systems if the location of your neighbours. In my case, less than 3 metres from the lounge and sound system

As Leigh says, I don't think the casette system would cause much hiss as it does not use the metallic tape.

Sojourn · Post by **Sojourn** » 09 Jun 2005, 11:49

I have a R500 setup in my car and am very happy with it. Its purpose is to give me radio/music when i'm in my car which is at most one to two hours a day. Why have a few grands worth of sound in your car when you wont use it? (In my case)

I'm with leigh - rather spend it on a good quality entertainment system at home - thats where the partie's at after all, right?

What annoys me the most is these boombox hero's with their sound cruising past you in banged up, dented old mazda's/fords - with sound hardware worth triple what the car is worth. 8O

S

Jane · Post by **Jane** » 09 Jun 2005, 13:41

My husband bought a little FM transmitter in which we plug in our mp3 player and it get power from the cigarette lighter. It doesn't have a long range (it won't interfere with the reception of adjacent cars), but it works in the car. You select one of 3 ranges in the FM band on the transmitter, tune your car radio to the same frequency and you are able to play mp3s in the car. I agree with Leigh, mp3s doesn't have the best sound quality, so you wouldn't want to amplify this. This works for us and we're happy with this setup.

WoolyBadBaba · Post by **WoolyBadBaba** » 09 Jun 2005, 18:20

What annoys me the most is these boombox hero's with their sound cruising past you in banged up, dented old mazda's/fords - with sound hardware worth triple what the car is worth.

Yeah, I agree, but what is even worse is when you get guys with no-name brand amps, powering 50 no-name brand (R10 a pair) tweeters, and they skeem they got cranking sound when in reality, my cell-phone can produce better quality music.

elbow · Post by **elbow** » 10 Jun 2005, 01:45

Yeah, I agree, but what is even worse is when you get guys with no-name brand amps, powering 50 no-name brand (R10 a pair) tweeters, and they skeem they got cranking sound when in reality, my cell-phone can produce better quality music.

LOL!!!! Well said! I agree, car sound is one of the only times the brand names matter to me! If you are going to do something, you should do it right!

Post by **ryanrich** » 10 Jun 2005, 06:12

What the hell! If you you enjoy good quality sound in your car it's your perogative! I personally like having a good QUALITY sound system in my car that hits the right notes and has a high level of clarity, firstly because I'm an audiophile, and secondly because I spend so much time in my car I'm going to enjoy it! That doesn't mean I drive with my windows all rolled down and the music on full volume trying desperately to be a "gangster"...

bubble_boy · Post by **bubble_boy** » 10 Jun 2005, 10:03

ryanrich wrote:What the hell! If you you enjoy good quality sound in your car it's your perogative! I personally like having a good QUALITY sound system in my car that hits the right notes and has a high level of clarity, firstly because I'm an audiophile, and secondly because I spend so much time in my car I'm going to enjoy it! That doesn't mean I drive with my windows all rolled down and the music on full volume trying desperately to be a "gangster"...

i second that!

Belix · Post by **Belix** » 10 Jun 2005, 10:57

Well to be honest, the only reason I don't have a multi speaker amped system is...lack of cash

Still my angle would definately be sound quality rather than two 2000W amps linked to four 1000W subs, and the two tiny front speakers driven off the 50W deck!! Don't laugh, i've actually seen it (well, not sure what the power involved was, but the system was really two amps linked to four subs!) 8O

Post by **ryanrich** » 10 Jun 2005, 11:03

Well I had my Corsa so nicely sorted! Now I have the BM and standard sound again! Much harder to modify it... Thinking of going the Harman Kardon route but that's $$$$$...

Sojourn · Post by **Sojourn** » 10 Jun 2005, 11:10

ryanrich wrote:What the hell! If you you enjoy good quality sound in your car it's your perogative! I personally like having a good QUALITY sound system in my car that hits the right notes and has a high level of clarity, firstly because I'm an audiophile, and secondly because I spend so much time in my car I'm going to enjoy it! That doesn't mean I drive with my windows all rolled down and the music on full volume trying desperately to be a "gangster"...

Ryan - nobody said you dont have the right to be an audiophile - seeing that you are spending time in your car it makes sense up to a point to have quality installed. All your perogative - agreed.

What catches my attention though, is your defensive attitude concerning the rolled down windows... wOOt ? Who said anything about rolled down windows ? Or trying to be a gangster ? Mayhaps your defensive stance is an indication of a cord thats been struck. Feeling guilty ?

S

Post by **maxxis** » 10 Jun 2005, 12:11

ryanrich wrote:What the hell! If you you enjoy good quality sound in your car it's your perogative! I personally like having a good QUALITY sound system in my car that hits the right notes and has a high level of clarity, firstly because I'm an audiophile, and secondly because I spend so much time in my car I'm going to enjoy it! That doesn't mean I drive with my windows all rolled down and the music on full volume trying desperately to be a "gangster"...

I third that !!!

No need to have R25k worth of sound either. I spent about R10k on my system and it sounds just perfect for me. Nothing overkill and I still have about 80% of my boot left for the odd holiday here and there.

1 12" and 2 sets of quality splits in the factory locations.

As Lee mentioned the acoustics in cars can be crappy. My Honda sounded dead compared to the Jetta with less equipment fitted. The Honda ran with 2 amp, 2 sub and 1 split system compared to the 1 amp, 1 sub 2 split systems fitted in the Jetta.

Post by **ryanrich** » 10 Jun 2005, 13:17

For your perusal Sojourn....

Leigh wrote:
Yeah but not everyone feels the necessity to turn their car into a mobile disco. This guy who started the thread said that it was for his sisters car, and as a woman myself I can safely say that we females don't feel this weird need to install massive woofers and amplified tweeters and drive around showing off how loud the music in our cars can go. I listen to music because I enjoy it, not to obnoxiously provide the entire neighbourhood with a new soundtrack.

which is kinda why I've always wondered what the hell the point of installing these big obnoxious gangster car sound systems is in the first place.

Post by **Scarlet_Spider** » 10 Jun 2005, 14:52

no need for this to turn into a flame war...

keep it tidy guys...

Post by **ryanrich** » 10 Jun 2005, 15:02

Yes guys! Dammit man!

Post by **Scarlet_Spider** » 10 Jun 2005, 15:05