So, mine is ****. It's so **** that I could run over a stick and the CD player would skip. Yeah, it's that bad. I can't listen to CDs because it skips at the tiniest bumps, even on the smoothest of roads.

Anyways, I think it's time for a new one. I'm looking for some recommendations based on what you own.

-I don't have a serious stereo (Actually, it's rather ****), I just want it to play.
-I want a audio input for anything with a headphone jack. I don't have an iPod, I don't want an ipod conncetor.
-And I'd like to stay under 100 dollars.

Thanks.

EDIT: I quite like this:
http://stores.channeladvisor.com/adv...itemid=5866678
But it's a bit out of budget and I'm not sure it'd play my Zune.

 

Blaupunkt MP37
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Blaupunkt-London-...item19bd3fe3ed

 

pioneer

/thread

edit: back before i knew better, i bought sony...dont ever buy sony car audio. On average, a sony HU lasts about a year before CD playback goes to ****. Kenwood is almost as bad, but they at least put some effort into reliability of the higher end units.

bought a pioneer for the turbo project in '05 before it was a turbo project. That HU will still play fuxored CD like nobody's business.

I don't buy HUs any more if they're not pioneer.

 

I agree, Pioneer is the best. I don't feel like getting another HU though. So I'm doing a bling-bling mp3 to amp to speakers setup.

 

If you have a modern cell phone you may want to do what I'm doing and go for a hu that has a usb in and use your phone for it's mp3 capabilities. It doubles as a phone charger.

The unit I bought for this was a pioneer (that has red AND green lighting options) though I've had awesome luck with the motorized jvc unit currently in my truck (and it plays short 1"X5" vids). I've had bad kenwood experiences as well, having 2 $500 retail, motorized hu's die in 3 years. My lil brother had bad sony experiences on his 1st car, something like 3 hu's in a year.

BTW my truck has a factory minijack in for the oem stereo and it was a pita because you had to have batteries or a plug for the mp3 device you were using. Even with two standard accessories outlets I was running out of plugs on long trips.

 

Obviously the best choice for a Miata.


I'm a Pioneer guy myself.

 

Hah! CDs, HAH! My stock head unit (man that took ten years to type out) in my Lancer has a plug for my iPhone. That's all I ever need. It also has 6-disc cd player I never use. Then the iPhone has 8gbs of storage capability, which I also never use. I just use Pandora for endless, non-repeating music.

 

Someone please explain why that blaupunkt head unit is so great. I'm wondering because I too was recently thinking about purchasing a new head unit for my '99. If I would get that head unit...what speakers should I use with it?

 

It's car audio - how much do you want to spend? Don't buy Sony.

 

My Pioneer has been kicking *** in my Miata since I got it, my first upgrade actually. Just a standard MP3 Pioneer with AUX input, basic 22rms per channel output, nothing fancy, black with silver accents, green and white lighting to match the stock Miata interior colors. One of my favorite affordable HU I have ever owned.

This is basically the bigger, newer brother of mine, with more features, and about $50 more. The one I would have if in the need of a new HU.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882117328

This is basically mine in looks.

 

I have an older mp3 double-din pioneer in the miata.... which works well.
FP-5000 The eject feature on the cd is not "perfect" but once you have the disk in, it plays well....

For the beater, I picked up another pioneer last christmas on boxing day. (stupid good sale price). Works great, and it controls all the ipod devices very well.... DEH-6000UB

I've been thinking about upgrading the deck in the miata to get better ipod control. The pioneer p-bus input ipod controller, is OK, but not the best.... However, I've been concerned about how the screen will display with the top down..... What have your experiences been?

Dave,

 

Pioneer is decent from what I hear. I'm an Alpine fan myself. Dropped their faceplates soooo many times on accident and works like a charm. I haven't had an aftermarket unit since my 3 cars ago because I was tired of carrying the faceplate around with me or hiding it when I wasn't in the car.

 

I have been using Blaupunkt for the past 13 years and have loved every deck. They are a simple design with really good sound. For the price of that one I linked, you really can't go wrong.

 

Just troll craigslist, and buy a $35 unit.

 

Eclipse owns Pioneer....jus' sayin'

 

^- I had an eclipse deck, great products. Their speakers are awesome, too.

 

+1 on anything but Sony

My car came with a Sony unit and it's unbelievably worthless. On my 93 I had a $120 Pioneer unit from wallmart and it lasted just fine for 5 years (even survived a couple of rainstorms when I forgot to put the top up). It didn't have nearly as many features as an alpine or blaupunkt but I've resigned myself to believing I will never get great audio out of one these cars.

 

Kenwood. Best price to performance ratio at the moment. But yeah... Eclipse, Alpine, Clarion are pretty much the top three IMO.

 

I've owned plenty of Pioneers. They have a lot of features but I've had faceplates stop working, ect. over the years on many different Pioneer decks.

 

I'm still using my Blau that I bought in 1997. Never had an issue with it, still use it because there's a standard 1/8" headphone style input jack. I currently stream endless pandora through my droid.

No clue about what Blau has built in the last 10 years though.