Nakamichi: CD-400

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Cotty
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Post Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:35 pm

What do you think?

http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/produc ... /3532.html

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I need to look into it a bit more to see if it will run an external amp

But im tempted
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tim_s
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Post Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:39 pm

i have one of these, had a CD40 before too. im def a fan. and yes, it has 3 sets of RCAs 4v, and you can control sub level from the H/U. fantastic look, sound and reliability. i love them, look great in an e30 too! can sort out a pic if you like. i also use its AUX socket for mp3s.
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Post Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:07 pm

Cheers for the thumbs up. Im hoping to get a bonus in a couple of months and just wondering what to spend it on.

Should reallly do the bathroom but hey what the hell :wink:
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placey
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:31 pm

cotty

you may want to read this:

new head unit - cd400

since writing that mine has decided that it will play computer cds with music recorded on - and picking up from where it left off has improved too but can still be a bit sketchy.

i'd say it's recommended - but only just.

paul
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mikey-t
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:33 pm

best headunits in the world! but that is not there best model! well above standard for someone who just wants to enjoy there music though!
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:08 pm

mikey-t wrote: well above standard for someone who just wants to enjoy there music though!
Im not that much of a music buff and I dont mees around with MP3's, downloading music from the internet, I just buy prerecorded CD's. I was expecting to spend over £300 for a cd/radio, I didnt realise how much ICE has come down in price. I was looking around and spotted it.

Perhaps a midrange Kenwood would do me just as well and save £200 for some extra speakers
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mikey-t
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:11 pm

will you be planning some wild powerfull system in your car in the future that will need a quality feed? or are you simply talking standard speakers and maybe 6 x 9`s/ sub???

if your going the basic / factory route dont bother
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:40 pm

mikey-t wrote:will you be planning some wild powerfull system in your car in the future that will need a quality feed? or are you simply talking standard speakers and maybe 6 x 9`s/ sub???

if your going the basic / factory route dont bother
Nail/head

I thin a decent Kenwood head unit would do me but apart from the entry level model like this they all look a bit chav

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I have Pioneer three ways in the kick panels but was thinking of replacing them with mids with tweeters in the door mirror positions, I have some 6X9's but not sure where to mount them and I fancy some base like this

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http://www.justkenwood.co.uk/stock01/offer_4.asp
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mikey-t
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:43 pm

i have had good results from clarion units , good power outputs and features, and i used to compete in spl. and some sq comps,

pioneer or kenwood are definatelly a good way to go though
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:44 pm

Had some kenwood subs & amps in the past and they have been top notch for very sensible money!!
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mikey-t
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:52 pm

whatever you do , dont go to stores like halfrauds etc, and dont let pro salesmen at specialist shops blag you! they do it every day and will always try and sell you something you have no use for! you will not need powercaps, linedrivers, excessive sound deadening etc! you just want a tidy sounding street bass machine,


scour the second hands, or check out sites like ebay etc!
Cotty
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:53 pm

ok bin the Nakamichi idea :oops:
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mikey-t
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:56 pm

try here! good guys nice and honest! will tell it how it is

http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/
miniblob
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:38 pm

Cotty180 wrote:ok bin the Nakamichi idea :oops:
Depends what you want, they have amazing sound quality apparently (still not quite got mine in the 850 yet!!) but the money could go a lot further!! You'll get a perfectly acceptable sound from something a lot cheaper!!

Would definately put some 2 way components up front aswell (have a good listen to some before you buy though - three sets at the same price can sound completely different and it's just down to personal preference!!), on their own amp and then the sub/amp combo in the boot!!
Really wouldn't bother with 6x9's imho!!

The money for that nakamichi could sort the whole system really if you choose carefully!!
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:45 pm

ditto the 6x9 comment, decent components up front, and a smallish sub box in the rear, all the image you'd need ( rears make it fussy imho, although I have some fitted... ) and the sub is to fill in the low end.

amp the components and sub with a decent 3/4 chan amp, job jobbed.

I have a Kenwood from about '99, would love to change but all the HU I've seen are more like a fukin fruit machine these days, my last Alpine unit was shite too, shame as I always liked those.

Finally got tired of the auto-remixing tape deck then Paul :wink:
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tim_s
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Post Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:03 pm

seriously, the nak is a great unit. to me its a complete no-brainer, don't think i'd buy anything else. the way i saw it was the amount of time i spent in the car listening to music compared to listening to my stereo at home meant it was worth spending some good money on a decent setup. no matter what setup you have, a clean decent source is very important, and the sound and functionality of the nakamichi units is first rate.
having said that, I run more expensive speakers/amps than you're looking at judging by the kenwood sub/amp combo and maybe getting a cheaper HU and devoting some of the change on some decent components would be more wise, unless you want to spend more money. on that front, can't recommend focal components enough unless you have a wad of cash to spare.
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Post Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:07 am

cotty

i'd go nakamichi if i was in your position. it doesn't matter what you fit after your head unit, it can only deal with what the head unit provides - therefore go for the very best quality signals and sounds possible. (gigo)

check out nakamichi 35z - i guess it'll fetch around the 100 mark. for this money what can you get new? and if you really don't like it it'll fetch 100 back for you on ebay...

it'll beat a midrange kenwood hands down for pre-out signal clarity guaranteed because nakamichi spend their budget on music re-production whereas kenwood and the like spend (a lot of) theirs on displays and features.

paul
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Cotty
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Post Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:48 am

I built my last system up slowly and it went like this.

Kenwood Head unit + standard speakers, blew the speakers

Kenwood Head unit + Pioneer 2 ways kick panels. OK

Kenwood head unit + Pioneer 2 ways kick panels + Kenwood 6X9 rear shelf. This all ran off the head unit and was surprisingly good, people couldnt believe it didnt have an amp

Kenwood head unit + Pioneer 2 ways kick panels + Kenwood 6X9 rear shelf, 12" sub in a tube, 300w amp, tweeters in the doors. The head unit ran the fronts and the amp powered the 6X9's and sub. Sounded really good

So what you guys are saying is

1 Good head unit
2 component speakers (mids in kick panels and tweeters in mirror positions)
3 Sub in boot
4 amp

and run all the speakers from the amp? if so can someone look at the link http://www.justkenwood.co.uk/stock01/offer_4.asp and let me know if this will do the job?

Cheers for the help guys :D
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Cotty
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Post Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:57 am

Ant wrote: Finally got tired of the auto-remixing tape deck then Paul :wink:
Your not wrong. Thing is it was quite a good unit when I bought it, it will run a changer, had a big internal amp and lots of good features, but its probably 15 years old now so probbably on its last legs
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Post Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:31 pm

Hello Mate

I know it's a long shot but I saw the CD400 about 2 years ago for Ԛ£500 which was more than I wanted to pay, I went into a halfords for something about 7 months ago and saw one in the cabinet asked how much it was and I walked out with for Ԛ£150. Result, then I wanted another for the M3 and found one in another halfords and got that for Ԛ£150 aswell so two good head units for peanuts.

So it might be worth your while just popping into a Halfords or two and just check it out I know there where a few in the Barnstaple store because I gave the spotty kid a Ԛ£5 to do a national search, but then I got mine from a store that wasn't supposed to have any.

Just thought it might be of some help..

Good Luck

Lui
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Post Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:54 pm

A bit late now, I got a Becker Mexico Pro 7937 :D

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http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/produc ... /4456.html
Last edited by Cotty on Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Foomanchu
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Post Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:23 pm

Never Mind..

Looks really nice the Becker unit

Lui
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Post Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:55 am

yo cotty180 if you need anything else, amps, speakers subs, let me know, as i said before i got a shop, im only in ilford!!! im thinking of takings orders for the next ace meet, if anybody needs anything i will take up there what do you think?????????? :)
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Post Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:16 pm

Let us know how you get on with the becker? I'm looking at getting one myself, just one with satnav built in too :)
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Post Thu Sep 14, 2006 2:10 pm

Ziggy wrote:Let us know how you get on with the becker?
So far its really good, but its only running Pioneer speakers at the moment.

Bit more difficult changing disks compared with changing tapes what with the front flipping down to insert the disk.
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