CAN IN-CAR GET NEAR TO WHAT I HAVE AT HOME

[The Strat]

Guys,

After our forthcoming holiday in the West Country it will be time to say goodbye to my 7 year old Golf. It's been brilliant - day in day out.

First requirement is for something a little bigger in estate form - a good load lugger (Mrs Strat's hot hatch meets our fun requirement) - comfortable up to an hour each way to work - a Passat or Mondeo would fit the bill. Attracted to a Merc E but expensive albeit holds the value - perhaps a good 2nd hand Audi A6.

Issue is can I get an in-car system that will satisfy like the home system? Simple fact is can't stop playing the home system but the car system I have to turn off (the CD is really harsh and unforgiving) - of course that ishardly surprising given the respective qualities of the 2. The Passat has the option of the Dyna System - £900 premium although the dealer is willing to negotiate on that but given the time I spend in the car it might be worth it particularly over a long period of ownership. Has anyone experienced an in-car Dyna system? Would it wear on me after a while like the current car? Comments/advice would be welcome.

 

[nixon_fiend]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/mikesae/IMG_1464.jpg

 

[icehockeyboy]

Funds allowing, if you get a newish (2 yr old max) E class Merc, if the stereo in mine is anything to go by it will make your in house system sound quite dull and lifeless by comparison, and before the purists are up in arms, i know its probably "coloured" but it sure sounds great whilst youre driving!

 

[meninblack]

One of the TV shows reviewed standard-fit car stereos a couple of weeks ago and the Dynaudio one in the Passat was preferred to the H/K system in the Rolls-Royce Phantom!

 

[Borats Baby]

A load lugger you say !!!!! Get a volvo V70.

I'm after the older variant, the 850 (gotta be a T5)

Reason...... Stereos in the 850's are superb as a standard unit !! 8 speakers an all that !! and, just imagine, you could fit a pair of nautilus in the boot and still have room for a garden shed or 2...

:sw:

I'm presuming the V70 should be just as good if not better (sound wise)!!

I've driven loads of 850's and can say that if you get one with a top spec head unit in, the noise that comes out is delightfull.

I would personally go for the 850 over the V70 anyway as they are more reliable and better to drive !! (dont get the 2.0ltr though, under powered)

 

[T.white]

To kind ofanswer the original question....

It might not always be the best thing to have your car system do what your home system can do.

Some years ago, I was demming some speeks, one of the discs I took along was Angel Dust by Faith no more, I'd always really liked the album.

Fuck me, :shock:was it shit or what?

The sounds I'd enjoyed (only) in the car up till then were really shown up to be what they really were, the most horrible recording you could imagine.

That's one disc for the car, and the car only. I wouldn't want to hear it like my home gear made it sound, I'd do as well to throw it....uke:

 

[Borats Baby]

nixon_fiend wrote:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/mikesae/IMG_1464.jpg

That power cableis dangerously close to the speaker cables there nixon !!!

wouldnt want any interference there :sw:

I hope it was installed by a bada dealer !!!!!

 

[JamPal]

Mondeo has some of the best in car HiFi going £ for £.

 

[Borats Baby]

HiFiWigWam wrote:

Mondeo has some of the best in car HiFi going £ for £.

What you doin still up

I got a mondeo and the sound system is shit !!, Maybe its just mine ?

Dont wharfedale do some good drivers which are 4ohm...

 

[Beobloke]

I spotted this head unit the other day. Personally, i don't give a stuff how it sounds - i WANT ONE!!!

http://www.uncrate.com/men/gear/car-audio-video/panasonic-cqtx5500d-vacuum-tube-car-stereo-000697.php

 

[Hawk]

very nice

 

[The Strat]

Just been up to VW - you can also get a speaker system called Monsoon - cheaper than Dyna - anyone know anything about?

 

[Beobloke]

Monsoon is one of Delphi's brand names and is their premium level of sound system featuring dedicated drivers and an EQ'd amplifier, so it will fit in between the standard and the Dynaudio systems.

http://delphi.com/consumers_nvo/nvo/aec/mpa/

We designed quite a few Monsoon loudspeaker driver unitsfor various Volkswagen, Pontiac and Buick models when i worked at Goodmans and the finished systems that i managed to have a listen to were pretty good.

 

[jon]

One other thought - if it's mostly for you to listen on, you could get a nice headphone rig for £100+, and avoid all the issues with the car colouring the sound from speakers. Get noise blocking in ear monitors, and you'll cut out a lot of the road/engine noice too*. Kind-of anti-social when you've got people in the car, though

*not sure where this sits in terms of safety/highway code, though; don't drive, so never been an issue for me.

 

[Jezzer]

My Audi has the Chorus system and a six cd changer. Speakers are standard fit. Adequate sound but, in car systems, I believe you'll get a bigchange by upgrading the speakers - which I'll do in due course.

It's worth considering that if you just get the bog standard stereo from the dealer... You can then go and get an after-market stereo from the likes of Alpine. Get separate speakers, amplication, etc. Mix and match as you would your hifi at home.

I like this Alpine head unit:

http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/product/products_id/410.html

This one from Pioneer is quite tasty too:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=3874

 

[Guest]

high end car stereos are ridiculous.

my friend a few years back had a 500 bhp fiesta and he spent about 30k on the car (muppetry) and 5k on the stereo aswell. the bloody thing sounded aweful. i've never heard a car system that has impressed me. your too close to the speakers for one thing. i've got the standard basic citreon fitted stereo in my car and that does fine. spend your money on other things and forget car stereos that's muppetry i think you'll find.

the boys on the company i work for all have subs with so called good systems and they all sound shite. as i have said before putting a sub in a stereo system and espesialy a car should be a prison sentence.

 

[JamPal]

audiosync42 wrote:

HiFiWigWam wrote:

Mondeo has some of the best in car HiFi going £ for £.

What you doin still up

I got a mondeo and the sound system is shit !!, Maybe its just mine ?

Dont wharfedale do some good drivers which are 4ohm...

Must be just yours.What mondeo you got? Latest or an oldie? The news ones are cracking.

 

[T.white]

I'd have to agree with some of the comments Rudi made above.

Spending big bucks on car stereo is a bit of a no-no as far as I'm concerned. Having said that, most 'ordinary' people would think us lot a daft bunch of twats for spending what many of us have on home hifi, so what's the diff????

The guy that lashed out all that wonga on the Fiesta must be on day release from some psychiatric unit for sure.

I'd say Audi have some of the best standard audio systems I've heard, quite nice

 

[Borats Baby]

HiFiWigWam wrote:

audiosync42 wrote:

HiFiWigWam wrote:

Mondeo has some of the best in car HiFi going £ for £.

What you doin still up

I got a mondeo and the sound system is shit !!, Maybe its just mine ?

Dont wharfedale do some good drivers which are 4ohm...

Must be just yours.What mondeo you got? Latest or an oldie? The news ones are cracking.

Nar, mines an oldie !!!

I was up late last nite and consumed much alcohol, dont even remember writing that post.

I reckon a t.amp in a volvo estate with a pioneer head unit and some decent floor standers in the boot would sound ace !!!!!!