[net.audio] Blaupunkt vs Sony auto decks?

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

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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