I really like this head unit but the face is not removable and it doesn't flip. It's just there for the taking. I don't park my car in bad places but you never know what can happen. Should I fix my eye on something more stealth or take my chances with this?

Thanks,
Joe

 

Buy it. You could also consider adding a $20.00 LED security light for a Deterrent if you dont have an alarm and do not want to spend a whole lot.

My $0.02 :seeya

 

buy it ... and keep the reciept for the insurance company. You cannot keep bad people from doing bad things...

 

Just don't strap the HU in or "secure" it to the dash via the mounting kit. Leave it so it can easily be pulled out by someone who knows how to steal a car stereo. That way, they won't destroy your interior trying to remove it. Better to just have to replace the HU than the whole interior.

 

Solder razor blades to the back. I know a guy who had his head unit stolen 3 times, so on the 4th one, he soldered a couple razor blades to the back. One day he came back to his car, his window was broken, and his head unit was dangling from the wiring harness. Blood was everywhere.

But seriously, not a good idea, unless you like lawsuits and cleaning blood out of upholstery. There are some buzzers you can buy that so loud they're extremely painful if they go off inside a car. Just wire one to the normally closed contacts on a relay and wire the relay control line so it'll be broken if someone rips the head unit out of the dash. I would suggest the flamethrower car security system, but as far as I know, its only legal in South Africa.

As for your selection of head unit... just realize that head unit is a lot more "show" than "go." The display is just beautiful... the electronics are typical Sony quality: they suck. Its only got a 95dB signal-to-noise ratio for CD playback. Any head unit in that price range should have at LEAST 106dB. It also only has 2 volt pre-outs. Its been at least 3 years since any of the high-end head units have had anything below 4 volt pre-outs. Also realize that this head unit need component amps. It doesn't have any internal amplifiers.

As for the internal audio alarm, something like this might work:

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/elk/elk-120.asp

Its rated for 120dB through one 8-ohm speaker at 14V. If you hook it up with two (crappy) 4-ohm speakers, you might be able to get 125-130dB out of it. I think that's above the pain threshold at the frequencies of the alarm. Anyone who sets this thing off in the car is in for a nasty surprise.


[Modified by GTLocke13, 4:12 PM 12/9/2002]

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: One of my college roomates superglued razor blades to the back of his unit. His alarm had gone off several times over the course of a week, even though it was parked right below our apartment. After he did the super glue trick, it happened one more time: alarm goes off, a few seconds later there's a scream, by the time run down and get to the car, there's blood all over plus an umbrella and a few cassette tapes left by the burglar wannabee. Made my night.

 

I didn't want to be the one to mention that but since GT already did...:iagree:

I've written a couple of posts describing the elaborate security systems I have in my Vette's so I won't go into that now but since you mention the interior sirens, I do have a 139db piezo siren under the driver side hush panel, right where a thief will look for an alarm brain...but mine ain't there, just an ear bleeding night at the ER for any unaware thief. It's illegal I'm sure, but screw it. :reddevil

 

Pretty deck. Sound is so so but it is pretty. Get a different deck. Sony is only mediocre at best. Why blow the wad on something like that when it doesn't have the features you want anyway? Take a look at similar Alpine and Pioneer units. They will offer you better sound quality and have the removable faces.

 

OK then, how about the Kenwood Excelon units. My friend gets Sony and Kenwood at cost:yesnod:

Joe

 

They are OK but again, not the top. Better than sony. Remember, many times you can get most units for just a few $ above cost online. http://www.pricegrabber.com has alpine and pioneer for basically cost + $5-10 and shipping. Check out those units and see what gives you the best bang for the buck. If the kenwood still makes sense, go for it.

 

I have a Kenwood KDC-X859. It's an EXCELLENT head unit. Everyone else on this board is about to start yelling "Alpine and Pioneer," but I swear by Kenwood's head units. Top-notch electronics. 106dB SNR and 4.5V pre-outs. Adjustable-frequency 3-band EQ, adjustable Q, plus all the filters you could ever want. MP3 capability as well. If you're gonna go with all component amps, you can go with the X959 (I think... it's X9.. something). It has no internal amps, but it gets the organic display. It loses the rotating face though. I like the looks of the X859 better anyway.

See, I told you. 92TripleBlack beat me to it.



[Modified by GTLocke13, 10:52 AM 12/10/2002]