Current Setup:
Stock Headunit
Stock Front Speakers
Stock Rear Speakers
Bazooka Tube Subwoofer with Built In Amplifier

I recently just bought a Sony Head Unit + Speaker combo/package from Crutchfield. Will this be a decent upgrade from stock? The speakers came free with the head unit so it's no big deal if it isn't that good....because I hear that Sony speakers aren't that good but I was hoping they might be better than the stock Pioneer ones. Any ideas/advice?

 

do u listen to mp3? a head unit with usb input would be great. I installed kenwood unit in my buddy's Altima, He loved it.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KDCX...5.html?tp=5684

 

EDIT: Read first post.

 

At one time Sony made great gear, but that time's long gone -- now you just buy the brand name (Alpine's electronics are sliding in the same direction). You don't specify what equipment you bought, so it's hard to say anything particularly helpful. If you're open to considering a Sony alternative, I strongly second Kenwood. In any case, you'd have to go pretty far down the driver chain to get a more mediocre performer than the OE door speakers. However, the OE tweeter is pretty darned good IMO. Does a great job in my setup.

 

I'm no car audio guy, but I heard that adding an amplifier to power your speakers is a generous upgrade to any system, even if it is OEM. Sorry, my sound specialty is in home theater, but that's different from car audio.

 

I just started upgrading mine. Luckily my Release came with a pioneer 900bt.
I am adding Infinity Kappa 6.1 Kappa perfect in the doors, a Boston G212 12" Sub. I will power the Sub with a Pioneer 400W Mono Amp and a Pioneer 60WX4 for the surrounds.

 

Claudio, I LOVE Infinity Kappa! Good call on that one! Crystal clear sound, great precision. I am jealous, and honestly am planning on going the same direction.

 

IMO, there is no easy off the shelf solution to getting good sound quality in the XB. The midbass/midrange drivers are too low in the doors. I think that is why the stock door drivers are crossed over so high and are so shouty in the midrange. I put in some high quality components in my front doors, and the midrange completely fell out. If I had to do it over again, I think I'd crossover the stock mids lower, get a better tweeter set, eq it, add a sub, and call it done.

 

You consider that a good thing?

I hate that freakin' HU.......I too have a Release Series 6.0 w' that poor excuse for a HU.
Perhaps it's just my unit, but I've found it to be the most cumbersome/slow POS I have ever used,
and I have owned other Pio HU (AVH-P3100 & 4200DVD) in the past.

Currently, I have a Pioneer AVH-8400BH on pre-order from Crutchfield.....should get here
within the next couple weeks. Honestly, it can't come soon enough.

 

The avh-p8400bh looks nice but you should try the fx3.1 file for your f900bt before dismissing it. I damn near chucked my f700bt against the wall before trying the fx3.1 as a last resort to try to fix a reboot loop. It makes the f-series 1000% better. I only did it to try to salvage my unit from endless looping, but was blown away by how much more responsive and quick it has become. Only downfall I've found is that I can no longer zoom out nearly as far as I was previously able to in nav mode. If it works well for you, that would be about $1000 saved over spending it on the p8400bh + nav unit.

 

Working in pro audio has taught me one thing: the gear has to be easy to use! A lot of the HU out there are going for flash, but make it hard to do everyday adjustments (like bass/treble/loudness). Find a HU that has the features you want (MP3 playability is a must, either by CD, iPod or USB thumb drives) and test drive it at the audio store. And buy it from them (support your local economy).

 

Okay, so where do I get that firmware update?

I have already installed the 2.0080 Firmware, with lackluster results.

Thanks in advance

 

fx3.1 is a different ballgame.

You probably use google as well as I do.

 

Infinity Kappas are great speakers for the money. I would also 2nd that an amplifier will greatly enhance the sound...underpowered = distortion / blown speakers

 

Boy, you weren't kidding....LOL!

Glad I decided to forgo that and stick w' my OG purchase (Pioneer AVH-P8400BH).

Like this? (@ 0:15)

 

Couldn't find the file?

 

It's not that....I decided to forgo even looking for it. I went ahead and bought the Pioneer AVH-P8400BH! It's the BEST HU I have EVER owned!!!

Money WELL spent!!

Detachable Face...
(2) USB Ports [1. for IPod in glove box, 2. for USB Stick on Center Console]...
I used the CD-IU201s cable, so I have freed up the AUX IN to be hooked up on the Center Console as well....


Basically, I can have (2) IPods and a USB Stick all connected at the same time, and toggle between them. I bought a Power Inverter, HDMI Converter, and along w' my Android Phone that has HDMI Out, am able to have Google Navigation display the image/sound from the phone onto the AVH-P8400BH's screen....so needing a NAV unit isn't necessary anymore.



*I'm waiting to have enough posts on the Forum so that I can list the 900BT to whomever may want to buy it.

 

When you have your phone screen and audio going to your headunit, does it have to be in a particular source mode? I mean, can you listen to music at the same time?

 

Yes and No.

I can't listen to a CD, FlashDrive, or the iPod, per se. However, I can listen to music stored on my phone's internal storage. Also, I have listened to streaming internet radio. When Google Navigation vocally prompts a new direction to follow, the music's volume is muted, then returns once the direction is given.....just like other NAV Units behave with music.

As for the "source"....to use the HDMI setting I have the 8400BH set to A/V because it is the Composite connections that I am using.