Fed Up With My Crappy Stereo!

[Pedro]

I know I've whinged about this before, probably had an answer (and can't find it now), but now I have me Carlton mojo back, I wanna sort it - properly.

JVC summat-or-other head unit (I know this is rubbish!), front speakers are Vibe summat or other, tweeters in standard position on standard wiring, rear speakers JBL summat or other with seperate tweeters through some sort og splitter thing and a 10" boom box in the boot.

Right, it sounds very "narrow" compared to the standard Omega CCR600 (I think) setup, and miles worse than the Bose in the Omega Elite Truck (OK, it's Bose, but still ten years old!!).
Also, when turned up a bit or LOUD button on at a decent volume, the thing sort of switches off and tries to come back on, which it won't unless you turn the volume down.
Is this down to the El Cheaposhitto  JVC head unit, or mis-match speakers or summat else?

I got the amp and 10" boom box cos I thought I'd get a nice bass drum punch, but it doesn't happen - it works, but not how I thought it would work.

Any - all - suggestions welcome, cos I'm gonna rip this lot out before too long!!!

[mapblue]

First thing get yourself on ebay and find an Alpine head-unit,go for one that's about five year old and as top spec as you can afford.Go for the first off the ones with MP3.

The new Alpine stuff is cr-p IMOA.

One thing I found with my set was when I removed the dash tweeters and use a set of two way speakers in the front doors,that was the biggest improvement in the sound.

[Pedro]

Yeah, kinda thinking that there's too much treble and not quite enough mid.
Bass isn't too bad to be honest.

Was thinking Pioneer head unit...........but which one I don't know, as not a great fan of the look of the Alpines TBH!

[carlton_mad]

some nice kenwood stuff about!!

[Jimmy]

i remember Argos doing some quality cheap head units a lil while back

[melinx]

The Sony head unit that I mentioned in the post below has its own graphic equaliser (electronically programmed) so you can set the 'Ooompa' and 'twiddly dees' to your taste.

http://totalcarlton.com/forums/index.php/topic,10921.msg87628.html#msg87628

[Pedro]

i remember Argos doing some quality cheap head units a lil while back

Yeah - I think alot of my problems is down to the cheap JVC unit, to be honest.
Well, that and not having the front tweeters going through crossovers.

[Land-Barge]

Is your stereo just plugged into the the standard wiring loom Pedro?  I've found with most large installs the power feed needs to come direct from the battery with decent quality wire otherwise when you turn it up the stereo can't draw enough power and cuts outs like you describe. 

[Pedro]

Yeah - I have to say, I've been thinking that too.

When the dash comes out (yet again!!!) this autumn, I think I'm gonna look at re-wiring the speakers, a dedicated permanent live feed and re-route the cabling for the amp.

Still think the JVC is poo though!

[diplomat2.6]

The best system I've heard in a Carlton was my old J reg CDX - once I'd sold it! He put in a Nakamichi CD400 head unit. No boom box as it wasn't needed. Most haven't heard of them but they are on wikipedia. In the 1980s they made the Dragon, a £2000 cassette deck. Still quite pricey on eBay and non of those ridiculous swimming dolphins on the display and subtle styling

[carlton_mad]

nakamichi are the the bollocks their cassette decks sound as good as CD awesome kit!!

[Pedro]

Got hardly any tapes left to play on it - all digital now.
I'm in the 21st Century, baby!

[carlton_mad]

but they do do CD players too!!

[diplomat2.6]

There is a CD300 on eBay at the moment for £139.99. The older ones are considered better, by all accounts. Seems to be true quite often