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Thread: aftermarket sterio head unit

  1. #1
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    aftermarket sterio head unit

    my OEM sterio is just fulling apart. I use a cassette adapter to play music from my phone but the quality is not that good and you can tell the difference when you play the same song on the CD. also the screen is getting black and i can barely see what is saying. Are there any aftermarket units that look closes to OEM. I hate those red,green and blue lights and the sound waves that they show on the screen. are there any with white or OEM lights, and no sound waves on the screen. I have looked at some of them like Jensen MP1516BT which comes with Bluetooth which i don't necessarily need because it also has AUX. Or Power Acoustik PL-10A also has a white light. any another ones? I don't know anything about stories so doesn't have to be too fancy as long as it has white light no chrome and possible no sound waves on the screen. I don't know a whole lot about sound or music i just listen to it, so a basic one will do.
    Last edited by thegame; 11-11-2013 at 06:46 PM.

  2. #2
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    Same problem I had. I can't stand any of the Aftermarket units out there.

    Have you considered a navi swap from like a w210 ?

    I also almost had a factory unit in for looks and a cheap Aftermarket one hidden in the center armrest to play mp3 cd's ect.

  3. #3
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    u want mine ? I have the code u just pick it up its the factory one just needs knobs redone that's it lol (2000 c230 ks

    oh or get a flip up screen they have suttle fronts till you open it XD I have a dual xdvd paid 200 for it but I like my older 500$ flip up more still haha

  4. #4
    Senior Member anf6789's Avatar
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    Alpine. the least gaudy looking of them all. Unless you can afford a McIntosh unit. I have had my alpine since 2006 and I still love it.
    2014 Black Sapphire BMW 328d xDrive
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  6. #6
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    i have seen the McIntosh unit to expencive man. l also liked the Nakamichi CD-400 but is $499.99 on amazon. Alpine is to flashy too many lights and chrome. something simple man.

  7. #7
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    if you're looking for OEM look, go visit:

    http://beckerautosound.com/

  8. #8
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    I purchased a Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X997 which you has adjustable color lighting, and it looks the same as the dash colors.

  9. #9
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    ok I bought the Jensen MP1516BT and it is pretty cool i like the look of it but installing it was/is a nightmare. the harness that came with the radio was completely wrong, the black wire that had ground written on it was actuality the 12v power and vise-versa. how could they fucked this up. i broke about 7, 10amp fuses and scratching my head trying to figure out the problem. now that, that is sorted and everything is connected the unit turns on, but the front right speaker has very low volume. i don't know why i checked the wire and the connections the diagrams but nothing, i cant figure it out. also if i drive the right front speaker omits a high pitch nose that gets higher with RPM change so the higher the rpm the higher the noise (lot louder but higher pitch). any idea please Help im desperate now man

  10. #10
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    what i also did was switch the right front cables with the left front, the problem didn't switch my right speaker steel had low volume. But what did happen was that if i wanted to have music only on the left front, or only the right front, i had to switch the balance on opposite sides, which makes sense since i switched the sides. with the oem radio head unit everything works fine no problem what so ever, and it sounds so much better compered to the aftermarket, maybe because of the problem that the aftermarket has. PLEASE any ideas would be very help full and very appreciated

  11. #11
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    this is why I use a test light for the rms constant and ground is always that big black wire
    as for the speakers try flipping the +- for the r.f speaker, try asking to swap the headunit from where u got .it you may need to run new wires ? what I usualy do is buy a role of 14-16 gauge wire from walmart and redo it myself so I know whats what and that there is no interference buuut that's a pain in the arse of a job
    headunit may have the speaker wires too close to the power rms and ground that can cause some interference to my knowing

  12. #12
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    and how far are you from Biglerville pa I see your in md I may be able to look at it

  13. #13
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    I think i found what the problem is. the wire harness that i got from crutchfield was this http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1207017...e-Harness.html with the RCA cables. i cut the RCA cables because i didn't know that i was not supposed to cut them. i talked to a crutchfield tech and he told me the that i need to buy Scosche SLC4 which reduces the incoming speaker evel signals so that outgoing signals are compatible with the preamp inputs and the bose amp. this thing reduces the hissing so the sound is clear. i already ordered the scosche SLC4 and the crutchfield tech was nice enough to send me a new harness for free. hopefully they come in tomorrow or if not monday. I'm live in the DC region, bethesda MD, which is about 2 hour from you.

  14. #14
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    advise is when u have any rca you should tape then with electrical tape so u have precautions taken care of I had one hit another and it made a poping noise going down the roads till I taped it off

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