My head unit died, reccomend me a new one.

[Kruzen]

My 3 year old kenwood is eating cd's. Put cd in, play cd for several hours/days, cd starts to skip. MECH ERROR displays across screen. Then I get to wait around and hit the eject button for a few days until it randomly pops out sometimes, put cd back in, flawless playback for several days again.

Time for new shit:

Musts:
24-bit burr-brown DAC's
Non-annoying display, clean, easy to read text
Red buttons
plays mp3's
removable faceplate.

Any reccomendations? It seems kenwood doesn't produce nearly as many head units using 24-bit burr-brown da's anymore, in fact I can't find a single kenwood head unit on the market right now that has them, and i'm a bit of a fanboy to the quality of them.

If you can find me another kenwood head unit that'd be excellent, but i'm struggling to find what i'm looking for on crutchfield and what not.

[KenC]

What does the rest of your system consist of that you require 24-bit D/A converters?

Not that I don't have them, but... ;)


Check Mac, Nak, and upper end of most other manufacturers

[Kruzen]

What does the rest of your system consist of that you require 24-bit D/A converters?

Not that I don't have them, but... ;)


Check Mac, Nak, and upper end of most other manufacturers

a/d/s 345cs components powered by 600.4 PPI amp (just using two speakers right now)

My main gripe with alot of nak stuff is I don't see alot of mp3 availability. I know the compression i'm getting from using mp3's won't give me my full audio quailty or benefit so much from the 24-bit DAC but I do like to listen to stamped cd's sometimes when I get a new album so i'd like to have the quality there when I want it.

[KenC]

The upper end Clarions and Sonys don't use 24 bits any longer?

[StereoInstaller1]

Kenwood did last year, but I dunno any more.

I thought the Nak CD400 does .WMA and MP3.

[Kruzen]

The upper end Clarions and Sonys don't use 24 bits any longer?

Sony does but they make god fucking awful looking head units, clarion has gone down hill recently too, and I can't find a new one that has 24-bits.

Kenwood released an EXCELLENT head unit for their 40th anniversary that had 24-bit d/a on EACH channel (quad burr-brown dac's) but its impossible to find new anymore since it was a model from a year or two ago.

from searching around on crutchfield there's like, three headunits with 24-bits. a JVC, a sony, and an alpine unit.

[Kruzen]

Kenwood did last year, but I dunno any more.

I thought the Nak CD400 does .WMA and MP3.

Looks like it doesn't from what I see online :(

[backtrail69]

I have had really good luck with my alpine 9827 HU, but it is not amber.. I have had it in my 2002 and then my 325is for the last 3.5 years.

[silversleeper]

I thought the Nak CD400 does .WMA and MP3.

nope... i have the CD400 and i know for a fact it doesnt do MP3s... but the nice thing is the AUX input. i just ran a pair of RCAs through the console to the center console behind the shifter and plug in my MP3 player.

the CD300 does CD/MP3 but lacks the 24 bit D/A converter.

I can't believe it still sells for the same amount I paid back in 2003.

[Kruzen]

Argh, just wanna find a damn headunit that isn't godawful ugly and plays mp3s but has 24bit d/a

[StereoInstaller1]

Argh, just wanna find a damn headunit that isn't godawful ugly and plays mp3s but has 24bit d/a

oh yeah...you and everyone else on this board! Shit, its hard enough to do that in TWO decks, much less one!

Luke

[Kruzen]

oh yeah...you and everyone else on this board! Shit, its hard enough to do that in TWO decks, much less one!

Luke

This is what I have right now.. found it

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-7ZppWE1h5JR/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?I=113KDCX579&search=kenwood+kdcx579

its not too ugly but boy does it sound nice :)

[Tuanies]

We're in the same boat Kruzen, except I don't have an E30. I think I'm a lot pickier than you are :-\.

From what I've seen. Pioneers have the nicest feature set, the DEH-P790BT has the 24-bit DACs, EQ settings and such. Except its super blue which is ugly and annoying.

The 2007 Alpine lineup has red lighting but that turns out pinkish and none of them have an EQ. The upcoming CDA-9887 still hasn't arrived yet, which is expected to have 24-bit DACs and and a 5-band parametric EQ.

Anyone have any opinions on JVC? I'm considering the KD-BT1. It has Bluetooth, USB, 24-bit Burr-Brown DACs, meh EQ but a decent display.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-cqYWHy8ob5i/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=300&I=105KDBT1

I miss my Pioneer DEH-P880PRS :( the Alpine CDA-9830 (the old one from Crivie's 4runner) has a terrible display and I don't want to buy another 880PRS because it'd remind me of the one that just got jacked out my car last weekend :(

[Vicarious]

This is what I have right now.. found it

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-7ZppWE1h5JR/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?I=113KDCX579&search=kenwood+kdcx579

its not too ugly but boy does it sound nice :)

thats not too ugly, but oh man is it busy looking. I hope its just a plastic film cover with all that writing on it, if not then that is sooo busy to the eyes.

[silversleeper]

I say go for the Nak CD400. I have been contemplating getting rid of mine in favor of something better, but the Nak has a real nice AUX input to satisfy most MP3 needs. I just wish I could control an iPod with the face. You can't win em all. Plus you can disable the internal amp on the Nak.