I want a head unit that looks right.

[Lair]

I'm looking for a black face CD head unit that looks at home in the e30 dash.

I don't want a sliver w/blue backlighting flip-face unit that has flashing disco lights and an animated display.

What are my options? Antique Blaupunkt? Nakamichi?

[ZinRot325i]

Blaupunkt FTW.
Maybe old alpine units too.

You can pick up a BMW Business CD unit from an e36 on E-Bay too.
Fits in like OEM.

[325iCabrio]

Nakamichi is your best bet, plus you get the best sound. The Nak CD400 looks great inside an E30, or any other BMW really. I saw a picture of one in a member's car awhile back and it looked completely stock.

All of Blaupunkt's new units are more...disco lighted than their older ones. :p

[Lair]

I've never seen an E36 in-dash. I have seen the CD33 from the Z cars, though. They go for rather large coin on Ebay.

I've been checking out the new BlowPows. They look a little too spacey fo sho.

[325iCabrio]

I've seen the BMW Business heads on eBay and actually thought about going that route, but they were going for $250+, and I figured I'd rather get an aftermarket unit that sounded better. You can find the Nak CD400 for $300 or so if you look.

[Mless5]

I found cd 45z for $150 on CL. Look good.

[Nick325is]

My JVC arsenal kd 860 looks perfect in my dash. Its satin black and lights up red like the e30 interior lights. The display can also be changed around to match perfectly if you want.


Nick

[StereoInstaller1]

I've seen the BMW Business heads on eBay and actually thought about going that route, but they were going for $250+, and I figured I'd rather get an aftermarket unit that sounded better. You can find the Nak CD400 for $300 or so if you look.

IF you feel OK spending the dough, a "Business Class" cd fed into a AudioControl 6XS crossover is better than any $1000 deck on the market in every way, IMHO.

Luke

[dude8383]

Alpine CDA 7894

[wycoco]

[ZinRot325i]

^ftw.

Why do they call it a "Business CD" player?

[325iCabrio]

IF you feel OK spending the dough, a "Business Class" cd fed into a AudioControl 6XS crossover is better than any $1000 deck on the market in every way, IMHO.

Luke

Hmm, I didn't know they were that good. Usually OEM stereos kinda suck. What makes the Business heads so good?

[Lair]

^ftw.

Why do they call it a "Business CD" player?

Good question. I bought my ex-wife a '99 E46 328i back in '99, and it also had a "Business" head unit. That was the first time I'd ever seen one.

wycoco - that's what I'm talking about.

[MrK]

They call it "Business" kind of as a class of player. I know that for e46 cars, the "Business" is below the "Professional" and above the "Basic" or some-such.

Don't quote me on that.

[ZinRot325i]

Yeah my friend's e46 said 'BMW Business' on it too.

The newer cars just have a slot for the CD to load, plus the changer magazine, and then a slot for Nav/Software/DVDs.
I guess that's cause they mostly have the Logic 7 sound system.

Now that they don't use DIN slots I wonder how people will upgrade their HUs....

Logic 7 is great as long as you can screw around to get it to work right. Much better than the stupid DSP that they had before.

Whatever. I still say BMW Business FTW.