What do you know about this stereo?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/68-69...em190199101043

 

Don't know anything about it but I can tell you that it doesn't have 60 watts a channel. It'll prob have 13 if you're lucky.

 

Find your nearest garbage can and use it, is what poped into my mind when I clicked the link. Just do the panel conversion, then you have 100s of choices, save the old bezel, you can convert back in any afternoon. C.

 

The real RMS (at a specified impedance, 8 Ohms) output rating is well below the PMPO rating quoted in the ad, usually by a factor of 10 (i.e. 6 watts per channel)
It may be an appropriate head unit if you plan to use amplifiers but most good head units have at least 10 watts RMS per channel and 20 watts RMS is adequate for a Vette.

 

Buying **** stereos are for looks and ease of installation. For sound they really fall short unless you're using 'stock' 8 OHM speakers.

To really give you a good suggestion I need your overall goal, budget, and what you're willing to do to your car. Are you willing to cut a DIN opening for an after market stereo? Are you willing to cut holes in your kick panels for speakers? What about an amp so the speakers get REAL power? Do you want bass or just mids?

Lots of information is needed, and I'll be happy to help you meet you goal, but I need to know what it is, what you're willing to spend, and what changes past stock you're willing to make.

 

So basicly, it's a cheap pos and the only selling piont is that it fits and looks ok in the dash? I have heard bad things about the one from USA 1 also. The center gauge bezel in mine has the top broken off and it has been cut out for the din style radio. I have been going back and forth on whether to cut out the new dash or not. I bought one of those gauge bezels for $200 plus that I thought would be all die cast and that the mold was modified so there was the din opening. I was disappointed when I got it and it was just a regular die cast bezel that had been cut out ( apparently by a 12 year old) and had the plastic face plate (http://www.millionbuy.com/aifp306.html) glued to it. I sent it back and ordered a standard gauge bezel for $79 and the plastic face plate for $10. I can do a much better job of cutting it out than they did and also save over $100.

The things I am looking for in a sound system is AM/FM and an aux hook up for mp3 or I-pod. I also don't want the stereo to look out of place in the dash. I don't want to shake the car with it but would like clear enough sound to enjoy it.
So if I use the e-bay radio it probably won't make enough power to have good sound at road speed with the tops off? What if I use an amp? Or won't that thing produce clear enough signal or sound no matter what?

 

Okay, so you want a low key head unit. Do you like this? Oh, and are you willing to mount speakers in the kick panels or will you want them in the dash? This makes a big difference. The largest speaker you can get in the dash is a 4x6" speaker. NO BASS, not even mid-bass. If you want some substance to your music you need more cone surface area, and a round 6.5" speaker is perfect for that. They have integrated tweeters for your highs.

Amping real speakers is a VERY good idea if you like your music to come out above engine and road noise. A small 2 channel amp in the back passenger storage compartment would easily run a set of front coaxial speakers, and you'll be impressed with the results.

 

That one from the OP along with the one from USA1 and the one Ecklers sells is indeed a POS. Most of them with power ratings like that are an outright Lie. They are measused in a system called PIP (Peak Instantaneous Power) most of us that have made a living in electrinics know it as Peak Imaginary Power.
I agree with the other guys, do the conversion, keep your panel if your really attached to it.
DB does know his stereo stuff and despenses pretty good advice for it.

 

Like yourself I did not want anything to noticable. Plus I had my stereo stolen out of another car when I was in college and told myself I would never spend to much on a car stereo ever again. As suggested a Din unit works well and is fairly easy to install. I replaced my dash speakers, installed 4" kickpanel speakers and also installed a small 8" bazooka bass tube in the rear cabin. The bazook tube was the best purchased I made. I gives a little bass to the music without other drivers really noticing.

Jim

 

If head unit security is a concerne, Kenwood used to make a Slide Out DIN unit, I had it in my 77. Don't know if they still do or not. But there are a lot of them out there with detachable faceplates that make them much less visible and useless without the faceplate

 

Just thought Id chime in with some of my pics ... Here is a system with some help from Matt...Sure was a lot of fun to install and man does it sound killer. I put the Ipod in one of the storage areas so it is ou of plan site. Here is what I used.
Alpine head unit with Ipod control=200
Infinty 6.5 kappa series for the kicks 90.00
MBQuartzs 10in sub 90.00
Cadence amp 300w 135.00
Sub box 50.00
Misc wires 50.00

So for about 615.00 you have -----Good Luck... If you need anything let me know.
George.

 

Good point about the detachable face plate. That is what I have. After my car was stolen I installed a slide out DIN. I did not think anyone still makes the slide out type. That was so late 80's.

 

DB, yes I don't have a problem cutting the kick panels or the gauge bezel, I just don't want the head unit to look all hi-tech in a low-tech surrounding. What would happen if I use 4x6 in the dash and the 6.5 in the kick panels and a small amp mounted where-ever there is room, maybe even under the dash at the area where the factory amp looking thing was?

The other question that I have is that MP3 players don't seem to produce much bass, will I need to have extra power in the system to make up for that?

Wish I could mount my Bose wave radio in there !! Hey, maybe a small inverter and mount the wave radio in the storage area just kidding.

 

I am not aware of any slide out type either that are modern units.

 

If you put speakers in the kick panels then you WON'T want any speakers in the dash. You'll get muddy imaging by setting it up that way.

That factory amp was nothing more than a small help at best. An amp to run good quality speakers is going to be too big to fit behind the dash unless you remove the HVAC ducting.

The best out of the way place for an amp is IN that passenger side storage bin. It's right next to the battery so your power and ground wires to the amp will be very short. Then you need RCAs and a remote wire running from the head unit to the amp, and speaker wires running from the amp to the dash where they split and spread to the kick panels.

Here are some options for you.

Head Unit:
http://item.express.ebay.com/__Car-A...mdZExpressItem

Kick Panel Speakers:
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=6137

Amplifier:
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=5219

Amp Install Kit:
http://knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KOL-AK4

This system really can be designed to be low key. You'll see the head unit, which you will come to love, and you'll see the speakers and grills. That's about it.

 

thanks DB, that head unit looks ok. At first glance the controls resemble the **** style radio. The usb they are talking about in the specs, could that be used for a flash drive with mp3's on it?

 

A problem that I have found with the kickpanel speakers is that they are so low in the cabin you can't hear them really well. Granted mine are not the highest quality but still hoped to hear them better.

 

Yes, the USB is just what you want so long as it's not an iPod. Standard MP3 players and flash drives plug right in and you have access to them through the Kenwood controls.

The kick panels speakers will be plenty loud when they are amplified.

 

How do you do a panel conversion? This is new to me. Can you tell me more, or give me a place to look for more info? THANKS....steve

 

Steve, the panel conversion refers to cutting out the radio bezel to accept the din style mount of modern radio's or cd players. You cut it out with a cut off wheel or jigsaw and then use the plastic bezel from american international to dress it up.

http://www.millionbuy.com/aifp306.html