jim@hp-pcd.UUCP (jim) (03/09/85)
I am mulling over the purchase of a new Auto car cassette/stereo. I have gone through the past years worth of Stereo Review and Hi Fidelity, without finding anything that tells me whether the mid-price-range Sony decks are better than their equivalently priced Blaupunkt competitors... Anybody out there have a strong preference in auto cassette stereos in the $200-300 price range? Are any of the other brands outstandingly better? Thanks a bunch, Jim Andreas { decvax, ucbvax } ! harpo ! hp-pcd ! jim
rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (03/11/85)
[] Strange, but I've never heard anyone say a good word about Blaupunkt. My son has a Sony a few years old and likes it. -- "It's the thought, if any, that counts!" Dick Grantges hound!rfg
shauns@vice.UUCP (Shaun Simpkins) (03/12/85)
> > > I am mulling over the purchase of a new > Auto car cassette/stereo. I have gone through the > past years worth of Stereo Review and Hi Fidelity, > without finding anything that tells me whether the > mid-price-range Sony decks are better than their > equivalently priced Blaupunkt competitors... > > Anybody out there have a strong preference in > auto cassette stereos in the $200-300 price range? > Are any of the other brands outstandingly better? > > Thanks a bunch, > Jim Andreas > { decvax, ucbvax } ! harpo ! hp-pcd ! jim I have had both a Sony XR-75 and a Blaupunkt Tucson in my 79 Scirocco (the latter is my present deck). There are distinct differences between the decks, specifically: FM reception: Sony: great for distance; front end overloads badly, even with local switch on, close to transmitters. Bad picket fencing in city driving. User features very nice. Blau: fm tuners have always been Blaupunkt's strength, and this deck is no exception. Reception in all conditions is superb - no picket fencing, no overload, nada, zip. User features very nice, more practical than the Sony though not allowing as much user participation in reception characteristics (mono/stereo, in particular). I never missed the `missing' buttons. AM reception: Mediocre on both. Who Cares? Tape Deck: Sony: Lower wow and flutter at rest than the Blau but horribly sensitive to engine vibration. Tapes were basically unlistenable (piano, oboe, that type) while driving. Blau: About 3x wow and flutter of the Sony at rest but less sensitive to vibration than the Sony. Result? About the same. Piano, oboe, etc. recordings were still unlistenable while driving. This has always been Blaupunkt's weakness - crappy tape drives, well built. Remember, the stability of your mounting system in the car has a profound effect on tape listenability. Most new cars have a MUCH better mounting system than my car dash, which shakes like a wet puppy. I'll be looking into the new Nak TD-500/700 when I replace my steed. The wow/flutter specs on these decks are 2-3times better than the Sony, and I suspect their stability is better, too. I just hate the price one must pay to get it. The wandering squash, -- Shaun Simpkins uucp: {ucbvax,decvax,chico,pur-ee,cbosg,ihnss}!teklabs!tekcad!vice!shauns CSnet: shauns@tek ARPAnet:shauns.tek@rand-relay
jml@drutx.UUCP (LeonJM) (03/15/85)
I also have a Sony XR-75 (and a Sony XM-120 amp). The FM reception is not very good at distance, but the tape drive and sound is great. Hmmm... The "user" features are alright but the buttons are small and sometimes hard to find at night. After having installed several decks myself, I had this unit professionally installed. I didn't mind the pain and frustrations at all but it was expensive. BTW, my Sony D-5 CD palyer plugs directly into the XM-120 and also works great, if you don't mind losing the dynamic range because of the road noise. Consequently, I don't listen to classical on the road. Your best bet is to listen to someone's system. Net advice is confusing at best. John Leon ihnp4!drutx!jml
jlg@lanl.ARPA (03/19/85)
I have a Sony XR-75 in my SAAB, never had any problem with it. I've never had the front end overload like one of the other responders. I live in a fringe area for my favorite FM station so I get a lot of picket fence effect. I never get it when I travel nearer the transmitter. The unit is well mounted so I never have any vibration problems. Tapes only become unacceptable on VERY bumpy roads (which there are a lot of here, unfortunately). The SAAB comes with the Blaupunkt as an option, but I was told that the improvement was minor (if present) and the speaker system was better for the Sony. Since the Blaupunkt would cost more and would delay shipment of my car I took the Sony. Due to the fact that I'm in a fringe area for FM reception, my next deck will probably be one of those with dual antennae. I saw a review on the Sony XR-100 which indicated that the picket fence effect was entirely eliminated. I think several other manufacturers also make such units. J. Giles