steve@micomvax.UUCP (Steve Grice) (01/31/86)
A friend of mine just purchased a Honda. The cheapest optional radio (AM/FM Casette, 4 spkrs) was $425 (Cdn). It didn't look like much, and sounded pretty bad, so we deceided to look at an after market radio. I was amazed at what you could get for the same price. Anyway, to make a long story short, we went to a couple of dealers who put together some nice packages ranging from $300 to ~$500 installed. We then went to another very reputable place and the dealer put together a package that was hard to resist. The sound is absolutely FANTASTIC, and the radio has some very nice features. The only reservation is that I have never heard of the name. It is a Grundig (German), which is supposedly standard equipment in Mercedes. Has anyone heard of this brand? The other choice is Blaupunkt, which I've heard alot about, but is slightly more expensive and with less features. Please mail me any info you have Thank you -- Steve Grice "For all you do ...philabs!micomvax!steve disk bugs for you"
hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (02/03/86)
In article <532@micomvax.UUCP> steve@micomva.UUCP (Steve Grice) writes: > The sound is absolutely FANTASTIC, and the radio has some very nice >features. The only reservation is that I have never heard of the name. It >is a Grundig (German), which is supposedly standard equipment in Mercedes. > >Steve Grice "For all you do >...philabs!micomvax!steve disk bugs for you" Most of the Mercedes I've seen nowadays come with Becker stereos...fully electronic units which for some annoying reason don't have any noise reduction system for the cassette. -dave -- David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department <disclaimer> University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 hsu@eneevax.umd.edu {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu CF522@UMDD.BITNET "Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern Vern, you've done it now, buddy..." -Ernest P. Worrell
agparghi@watnot.UUCP (Amit Parghi) (02/04/86)
In article <501@eneevax.UUCP> hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) writes: >Most of the Mercedes I've seen nowadays come with Becker stereos...fully >electronic units which for some annoying reason don't have any noise reduction >system for the cassette. > >David Hsu Communication & Signal Processing Lab, EE Department ><disclaimer> University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Well, David, ... This is true for all older models of Mercedes-Benzes, but, when I was in (or looking at a brochure for -- I can't remember) a 1986 Benz, I distinctly recall noticing that the radios now had Dolby. This was noticeable because it was a distinct departure from the past. This should quell the fears of folks like my uncle, who was determined to replace his Becker deck simply because it wouldn't play tapes with Dolby C very well. -- Amit PARGHI St Jerome's College WATERLOO, Ontario N2L 3G3 Canada UUCP: {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,clyde,utzoo}!watmath!watnot!agparghi CSNET: agparghi%watnot@waterloo.CSNET ARPA: agparghi%watnot%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.ARPA BITNET: agparghi@WATDCSU.BITNET
tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) (02/04/86)
Grundig audio equipment has been around for over 35 years as I recall. In my book, it is superb equipment. You will see very little Grundig in the US as I suspect they are not too interested in exporting. I had a Grundig Hi-Fi system I purchased in Germany that was the envy of all my friends. If I am not mistaken, Grundigs are supplied in Mercedes that are sold in Europe. Beckers are provided for Mercedes sold in the overseas market. Not an unusual situation with cars. For all I know, Beckers might even be Grundigs under a different name. T. C. Wheeler
4373jml@homxb.UUCP (J.LISS) (02/04/86)
At one time the name Grundig meant quality. At one time the name Blaupunkt (sp?) also meant quality. When the latter was being made in Japan (I know, I had one) it was really a piece of junk. At one time I had a portable Grundig made in Germany (I have no idea about its current quality) that was really terrific.
jwg@galbp.UUCP (Joe Guthridge) (02/05/86)
As long as we're talking about M-B radios, I understand that there is some family relationship between the owners of Becker and M-B that causes M-B to use the radios. This could be the only reason. The radio they sell, which is very impressive control-wise, and has a replacement list of around $1300 (is this the highest-priced car radio anyone?), has a lousy record. Mine was replaced once (under warranty thank Allah), and is broken again (AM doesn't work) but they won't work on it because I replaced the speakers and hooked a power amp to it. Also twice its internal microprocessor has had a nervous breakdown, causing it to play no station (static) at full volume whenever it's on. Very surprising, especially when you don't expect it. After about a week it somehow goes through 0, I guess, and resets. My dealer, who can't buy the thing back from me, said what most people do is have a different one installed, but keep the Becker to reinstall when they sell the car.
rastaman@ihdev.UUCP (Sid Bryozoan) (02/05/86)
In article <1215@homxb.UUCP> 4373jml@homxb.UUCP (J.LISS) writes: >At one time the name Grundig meant quality. At one time the name >Blaupunkt (sp?) also meant quality. When the latter was being made in >Japan (I know, I had one) it was really a piece of junk. I have a Grundig in my car now. The volume control shaft broke on the original one after 6 months. The 1st replacement never worked. The 2nd replacement has been in for about a year with no problems. All the replacements were free under warranty (lucky for the dealer; I would have embarrassed both of us if there had been a dispute). I'd avoid them.
wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) (02/06/86)
In article <325@pyuxii.UUCP> tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) writes: >Grundig audio equipment has been around for over 35 years >as I recall. In my book, it is superb equipment. You >will see very little Grundig in the US as I suspect they >are not too interested in exporting. For those who are interested: Grundig car audio was imported into the US for some time, up until some years ago. Their other audio gear (mostly portable radios) only came in limited quantities and with limited distribution. Then, this stopped, and no Grundig electronics were exported to the US at all (officially). I don't know if this was the decision of the Grundig factory, or if there just were no US importers who thought the market would make doing this profitable. This changed this past year, with Grundig autosound products (only) again being imported and distributed in the US, with advertisements and some associated hoopla in the autosound trade press. If anyone really cares, send me mail and I can dig thru my trade magazines and provide you with the importer's and distributors' names. None of the articles or ads about this that I have seen have mentioned any Grundig products other than their autosound line. They do make some shortwave radios which have been reviewed in places like the World Radio TV Handbook, and which are OK, but usually not very competitive in providing performance for the money they cost. I think these are available in Canada. It would be nice if the US had access to the entire Grundig audio line (video probably would not be of interest, being to European TV standards and unusable in the US), but it is unlikely -- it seems that European audio gear doesn't get imported into the US to any great extent, except for British equipment. We used to be able to get Telefunken and other German brands which you never see here now. Regards, Will UUCP/USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA
tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen) (02/07/86)
In article <281@galbp.UUCP> jwg@galbp.UUCP (Joe Guthridge) writes: >... The radio they sell, which >is very impressive control-wise, and has a replacement list of around $1300 >(is this the highest-priced car radio anyone?), has a lousy record. ... The most expensive one I can think of is (no, not Nakamichi or Bose) Blaupunkt Berlin; it comes complete with a gooseneck remote, automatic volume based on background noice level and all kinds of other goodies. Incidentally, this is one of the few Blaupunkts still made in Germany. \tom haapanen watmath!watrose!haapanen I'm all lost in the Supermarket I can no longer shop happily I came in here for that special offer Guaranteed personality (c) The Clash, 1979
hrs@homxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER) (02/07/86)
Philips now owns a majority interest in Grundig