markv@dartvax.UUCP (Mark F. Vita) (07/25/85)
<...>
This past weekend I did some shopping for a car stereo. This would be
the first car stereo I've ever owned, so I'm looking for some advice
from netlanders who have been through this routine before.
After looking in three different audio stores, I came up with the
following questions:
1) Deck: The deck that I liked the most out of the ones I had demonstrated
was the Alpine 7162. This is a 6-watt deck with most of the features I
wanted, including a digital tuner w/memory, and metal/chrome tape capability.
The price for this deck in all three stores was about $199.
Question: Has anybody had good/bad experiences with this deck, or have
opinions about the Alpine line in general? Anybody recommend a different
deck with comparable features and price?
2) Speakers: Here is where I have the greatest need for a clue. I was
told by a salesman that 4x6 speakers are appropriate for the model of car
I own (Pontiac Phoenix). Unfortunately, he only had one model of speaker
in this category, that being the Yamaha YCS-460. They sounded excellent in
the demo room, but since he had no other 4x6 speakers to compare them with,
I couldn't really make an informed decision. The price for a pair of these
speakers was $80, or $63 if I also bought the deck from them.
Question: Once again, any comments on these Yamaha speakers? Is there
a better pair that I can get for a similar price?
3) Price: I suspect that since the stores I shopped in were price-tag
audio stores and not discount stores, that the prices quoted have a
considerable mark-up. I'd like to get the stuff at a discount store if
possible. Anyone know of such a store in the Boston area (something
like Manufacturers Marketplace, perhaps)?
One possible problem is that I've been told that Alpine won't sell to
discount houses, so as to protect the pricing at the audio stores. Can anyone
confirm/deny this?
Please mail any advice or recommendations you have to me personally,
and I'll post a summary to the net if there is sufficient response/interest.
Note also that I'm looking to spend < $250 if at all possible.
Thanks in advance...
--
Mark Vita
Dartmouth College
USENET: {decvax,cornell,linus,astrovax}!dartvax!markv
ARPA: markv%dartmouth@csnet-relay
CSNET: markv@dartmouthjdreyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Jon Dreyer) (07/25/85)
I bought a Vector Research VM-700 because I wanted something that sounded good, had Dolby, and had analog tuning (as a theft deterrent). The good news is that it really has all these features. The bad news is that it is mechanically a crock. To switch from AM to FM, you just press either an AM preset button or an FM preset button, and somehow this actuates an internal AM/FM switch. This switch started malfuncitoning soon after I got the thing, and after a month's worth of (warranty) repair it broke again in a few days. I was suspicious of this crock even when I bought it, but I felt sure that such an old concept must work if it's still used. I recommend that you certainly not get this particular model and I will never get another that "works" the same way.
kyl@ttrdc.UUCP (Kwing Y. Lee) (07/30/85)
Dear MARK:
So where the heck is your address? Anyway, I am also looking for a car stereo
for myself and I have looked at Alpine, Kenwood, Sansui, Pioneer, Blaupunkt,
Clarion, Sony and Panasonic. Except for the Alpine units, all the other stereos
can be purchased at a reasonable discount. My recommendations to you is to
purchase either a Sony XR780 or a Sansui RX710. Both units have built-in high
power capacilities and the ability to accept a car CD player if you wish to
put one in your car. However, they are more than the $250.00 that you want to
spend. In which case the Sony XR740 or the Sansui RX610 are also good choices
and worth auditioning.
P.S. The Sony XR780 can be purchase via mail order for $298.00 if you wish to
take the risk. Good Luck.