Treated myself.

In Car Entertainment - NO SELLING OF I.C.E. PLEASE

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ian332isport
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:08 pm

I've been getting withdrawl symptoms recently (car been in the bodyshop for ages), so decided to treat the old girl to some new tunes for when she comes back.

After much searching, I have managed to find a CDX-C90R head unit, and CDX-91 changer :notworthy:

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This was top of the range gear back in the late nineties, and the head unit alone was around Ԛ£900 new. I don't pick it up until Thursday, but it's apparently in perfect condition - not bad for Ԛ£280 :D

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billgatese30
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:23 pm

cool, bet it is only making the wait seem even longer now though :roll:

nice one mate....oh by the way. i also got the ///m seat pins in the car, they look sweet cheers dude. :cool:
ian332isport
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:27 pm

billgatese30 wrote:cool, bet it is only making the wait seem even longer now though :roll:

nice one mate....oh by the way. i also got the ///m seat pins in the car, they look sweet cheers dude. :cool:
Your not wrong there. It's driving me crazy :mad:

Glad you were happy with the pins. Can't go too far wrong with brand new though :thumb:

Ian.
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billgatese30
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:33 pm

it'll be worth the wait

you're too right aboot the new bit.......coolio :cool: :cool: :cool:
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cuk325
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:39 pm

looks nice ian, i prefere older stereos, ive just bought an older alpine headunit, love it...
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ian332isport
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:46 pm

cuk325 wrote:looks nice ian, i prefere older stereos, ive just bought an older alpine headunit, love it...
I hear ya brotha :cool:

I personally can't stand the new stuff that's available now. It's all flashing lighs and Dolphins (what's all that about ?). I was in Halfrauds the other week, and had to chuckle at some of them.

Keep it old skool :rock:
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cuk325
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Post Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:50 pm

yeah there are some real mad ones available at the minute, seen one the other day woith flames on the front & tribal patters etc...
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:31 am

they are all silver too and that don't match me black e30 cabin! i've just got a silver jvc unit of demlot so now i have a problem!

Ian are u good at wiring all that sort of stuff up?
ian332isport
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:34 am

Simon13 wrote:they are all silver too and that don't match me black e30 cabin! i've just got a silver jvc unit of demlot so now i have a problem!

Ian are u good at wiring all that sort of stuff up?
Eeeew - silver :puke:

Car wiring is one of my many talents :wink:

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cuk325
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:39 am

wasnt you that wired my compact then ian, when i took out he stereo to put he alpine in i found 5 permenant lives hanging behind the dash
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ian332isport
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:44 am

cuk325 wrote:wasnt you that wired my compact then ian, when i took out he stereo to put he alpine in i found 5 permenant lives hanging behind the dash
Nah, not me. I usually try to limit the dangling lives to 3 :lol:

Dodgy wiring is actually one of my pet hates, and bugs the fcuk out of me. Ironically, it's usually the 'professionals' that do some of the worst work. VSIB approved - my arse :up:
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 12:50 am

u can see it on thurs and then be sick! i've soaked that bumper mount thingy in WD40 will do a few times and see if i can get it off!
ian332isport
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:29 am

Simon13 wrote:u can see it on thurs and then be sick! i've soaked that bumper mount thingy in WD40 will do a few times and see if i can get it off!
I'll be sure to bring a sick bag :lol:

If your bumper bolt is stuck like mine, then no amount of WD40 is going to shift it :cry:

Thanks muchly for trying though :clap:

Ian.
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:31 am

Actually the only piece of sony ice i'd allow into my car! Nice purchase Ian.


Whats your system looking like right now?
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ian332isport
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Post Wed Apr 06, 2005 6:46 am

CiLK_WuRM wrote:Actually the only piece of sony ice i'd allow into my car! Nice purchase Ian.


Whats your system looking like right now?
Hi Sam,

I currently have the following setup:

Sony XR-C850RDS - Similar vintage to the C90r, just not even in the same league.
Sony CDX-71 changer
Genesis P300x 5 channel amp
MB Quart 215.61Q components
2 x JL Audio 8w6 subs in sealed enclosure

It sounds pretty respectable as it is, but I've always wanted it to be better. The C90r is a bit of a legend in the car audio world, and I have been after one for quite a while. It will be nice to have a CD slot in the car as well.

The XR-C850RDS is still a nice unit, but I don't have many tapes these days. Ironically, I have also recently managed to find a Sony XR-C900RDS, but it never even got fitted in the car due to it being in the bloody bodyshop for so long. As soon as I got this, the C90r came along, and was too good to mis really.

I do like me choons :rock:

Ian.
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CiLK_WuRM
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Post Thu Apr 07, 2005 5:38 am

Nice Nice!

I've just invested in a pair of Infinity Kappa Perfect 12.1D subs in a sealed box, need to find a suitable amp, i'm thinking Sounstream tarantula or Alpine D-class, what would you go for?
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Post Thu Apr 07, 2005 6:27 pm

Got to agree, system in the last five years have just become OTT, i have always been a fan of alpine & Nakamichi but could only afford alpine, i must say with my latest alpine, you could switch it on to become flashy, but i leave it black out mode, so the stereo looks like its off with only the buttons being lit up, too many gimmicks don't suit the e30 cockpit!
ian332isport
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Post Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:27 pm

CiLK_WuRM wrote:i'm thinking Sounstream tarantula or Alpine D-class, what would you go for?
Sam,

Both nice, but I would go for the Tarantula myself. AWESOME amp.

Cheers,

Ian.
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ian332isport
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Post Sun Apr 10, 2005 2:34 pm

Well, I drove all the way down to Bristol to pick up the stereo, and it was everything I could have asked for. This thing is like new, not a single mark on it :D

I've tidied all the wiring, and fitted a proper ISO connector (converted the car years ago), so it's all ready to plug in. Just need to get the damn car back, and I'll be sorted :rock:

Ian.
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Simon
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Post Sun Apr 10, 2005 8:20 pm

I recently bought one of these..

http://digitalsounddirect.co.uk/shop/pr ... id/84.html

Good price too, couldn't find it for much less than Ԛ£180 anywhere on the net...
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Post Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:43 pm

I know what you mean about the dolpins.

I've got a Pioneer DEH-P7400MP headunit and 10 disk changer but the silverness and overly flashness (new words) just didn't look right so I dug out an oldish Kenwood KRC-778R that I was given due to the dreaded ribbon cable disease and fixed it, only problem it a tape deck. So I hit ebay and managed to pick up a Kenwood 6 disk changer in the box with cable for Ԛ£10 locally.

I had some alpine components sitting round for ages and stuck them up front and used the corssovers to run the BMW premium sound tweeters for a low key instal

A mate gave me a pair of nice Alpine Co-axials for the rear shelf, a tiny bit of trimming as they are 6.5"

I had an oldish Pioneer sub left over from a previous install so that got stuck in the boot which is running from a Vibe VP2 that I picked up for Ԛ£80 with flat power cables and fuse box, delivered.

It's not massivley loud, but sounds good given the total cost.

I have an old skool Pioneer headunit thats in for repair so I'll probably stick that in when its sorted.
ian332isport
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 7:42 am

Andy_magic wrote:the dreaded ribbon cable disease and fixed it
It's funny you should mention that. I fitted a new ribbon cable to a mates Kenwood over the weekend. I think the parts only cost about Ԛ£8 :thumb:

Ian.
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 11:55 am

The ribbons are pretty simple to fit. The pioneer has a dead screen inverter and I can't get bits for it so I'm having to pay to have it fixed. :x
Simon
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:35 pm

ian332isport wrote:
Andy_magic wrote:the dreaded ribbon cable disease and fixed it
It's funny you should mention that. I fitted a new ribbon cable to a mates Kenwood over the weekend. I think the parts only cost about Ԛ£8 :thumb:

Ian.
Hmmm..Ian, I bought the above radio because my 6 year old kenwood decided to buck the kicket, it still works..but the removeable face doesn't light up, or the buttons don't work anymore..would this be the same problem?
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ian332isport
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:52 pm

Simon wrote:Hmmm..Ian, I bought the above radio because my 6 year old kenwood decided to buck the kicket, it still works..but the removeable face doesn't light up, or the buttons don't work anymore..would this be the same problem?
Certainly sounds like the same problem. All the display and control functions run through the flexible ribbon cable. On the one I did, it was just the screen that had stopped working, but if more of the tracks had broken, then you would also loose the buttons as well.

Cheers,

Ian.
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Simon
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:00 pm

ian332isport wrote:
Certainly sounds like the same problem. All the display and control functions run through the flexible ribbon cable. On the one I did, it was just the screen that had stopped working, but if more of the tracks had broken, then you would also loose the buttons as well.

Cheers,

Ian.
Where can I get a replacement from? Or can I send it to you with a cheque to sort it :lol:
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ian332isport
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:13 pm

Simon wrote:Where can I get a replacement from? Or can I send it to you with a cheque to sort it :lol:
You can get parts from here. I believe the parts came to about Ԛ£9.

http://www.carradiorepairs.co.uk/

What Kenwood model is it that you have ?

Cheers,

Ian.
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:21 pm

I got mine off ebay for Ԛ£9.99 delivered.

I little soldering is involved but it's not hard.
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:23 pm

Dude dont mean to upstage you but, you should have gone for one of these;

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Andrew
ian332isport
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:04 pm

Demlotcrew wrote:Dude dont mean to upstage you but, you should have gone for one of these;
I wasn't aware it was a competition, but upstaged.......don't think so :pff:

You may want to compare specs etc. The CD700 is closer, but still not quite there :tongue2:
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:14 pm

ian332isport wrote:
Simon wrote:Where can I get a replacement from? Or can I send it to you with a cheque to sort it :lol:
You can get parts from here. I believe the parts came to about Ԛ£9.

http://www.carradiorepairs.co.uk/

What Kenwood model is it that you have ?

Cheers,

Ian.
Cheers Ian

It's a KRC 577R
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:20 pm

ian332isport wrote:
Demlotcrew wrote:Dude dont mean to upstage you but, you should have gone for one of these;
I wasn't aware it was a competition, but upstaged.......don't think so :pff:

You may want to compare specs etc. The CD700 is closer, but still not quite there :tongue2:
Only if you knew how much i got that head unit from halfords new!
Yes the 400 does not have the features, but it shares the same quality of audio output, it has the most powerful DAC on the market (true 24bit, the sony is only 20bit). Fair enough yes it cant control a CD changer, and it cant play mp3s but the CD's it can play very well. The built in amp is also very powerful and coupled with the Three way Nakamichi speakers in the front, the sound is really breath taking. Plus it has the added feature of amber illumination and it looks cheapo, loads of people who donÔš't know what they are looking at tell me i should get a better headunit.

Andrew
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:22 pm

Simon wrote:Cheers Ian

It's a KRC 577R
Simon,

It's a different model to the one I did, but I suspect it's a similar problem.

On the unit I did, you could actually see the cracked ribbon cable without dismantling the unit. If you take the front plate off, and manually rotate the mask thingy, you can see the ribbon cable (sort of an orangy brown colour). I suspect you will find a number of broken tracks.

If you can get the parts, I'm happy to fit them.

Cheers,

Ian.
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ian332isport
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:26 pm

Demlotcrew wrote:
ian332isport wrote:
Demlotcrew wrote:Dude dont mean to upstage you but, you should have gone for one of these;
I wasn't aware it was a competition, but upstaged.......don't think so :pff:

You may want to compare specs etc. The CD700 is closer, but still not quite there :tongue2:
Only if you knew how much i got that head unit from halfords new!
Yes the 400 does not have the features, but it shares the same quality of audio output, it has the most powerful DAC on the market (true 24bit, the sony is only 20bit). Fair enough yes it cant control a CD changer, and it cant play mp3s but the CD's it can play very well. The built in amp is also very powerful and coupled with the Three way Nakamichi speakers in the front, the sound is really breath taking. Plus it has the added feature of amber illumination and it looks cheapo, loads of people who donÔš't know what they are looking at tell me i should get a better headunit.

Andrew
Hi Andrew,

I don't really want to get into a pissing contest :roll:

Thay are both very good units - enjoy.

Cheers,

Ian.
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Post Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:59 pm

ian332isport wrote:
Hi Andrew,

I don't really want to get into a pissing contest :roll:

Thay are both very good units - enjoy.

Cheers,

Ian.
Dude i didnt mean it like that, i just thought i would show the pic of it as you said you didnt like the modern light flashing/dolphin picture drawing cd receivers! :lol:

Andrew