[Sparky]

Ok, I've got an x-lpod (CDX-CA710X) with a couple problems. New out of the box, the faceplate didn't work (turns out it was bad connections; glad for the 1 year warrenty there). Next, several speakers inadvertantly stopped working (not blown, there is no longer signal to them), and now it won't read CDs.... sooooo, anybody have experience with this deck. Should I try to fix these things, or just say f#$% it and send it back? Thanks for listening to my frusterated rant.

 

[zank]

return it get your money back or get another one :wink:

or you can do it the fun way, put it on the ground and smash it with a hammer. :twak:

 

[SupraFiend]

I'm not sure which model yours is but I have 2 explode head units and have had no problems with either yet. If its got the features you want, get them to replace it. I always go for the extended warrenty with stuff like this though. Anything electric with moving parts its a good idea.

 

[AJ]

I would send it back and request a refund of shipping costs as well. Let the retailer know you not satisified with the product and the inconvenience you have been put through.

I have 2 Pioneer CD AM/FM stereos and 1 AM/FM/Cass in the last 3 yrs with no problems at all just my experience.

Good Luck!!

 

[supra83mkii]

yeah sony explodes suck, i had a couple of friends that there decks work fine, and some that just sucked out the box like yours, personally i always buy kenwood or pioneer, my favorite brands as far as decks are concerned, so return that deck and save a little more money and get a really good deck that wont crap out on you, i have my kenwood since 2000, and its still strong no problems with it.

 

[Snake2715]

Panasonics make some sweet decks also.

 

[Andrew]

Werd.. I've had only good experiences with my Sony head unit that i've had for 4 years. I just recently sold it to a very happy buyer whos now enjoying it. I suggest you go back for a replacement, Sony head units are great.

I'm not sure which model yours is but I have 2 explode head units and have had no problems with either yet. If its got the features you want, get them to replace it.

 

[dogstar]

sonys just like any other company, you get some good stuff and some crap...
kenwood makes just as many lemons as sony, but you never hear of it cause people take it back right away cause it costs way more.

one company ive had great experience with is alpine... but you pay for it.

so far, clarions been absolutely perfect too, and much cheaper than alpine.

 

[supra_toy]

Panasonics make some sweet decks also.

I've had my Panasonic for about 4 years now and it was in my previous supra and still works great. Without a doubt it some of the worst punishment a deck could ever receve was the wreck which totaled the car.

will

 

[MKII boy]

some of the Xplod head units aren't half-bad, but their subs and amps are truly garbage. i've heard those pentagonal subs in a (nice) ported box; they sounded absolutely craptacular.

personally, i'm going to get two Alpine Type-R 10" subs and two Type-S 6x9's (all built into the same box), hopefully two Type-S 5.25's for door pods, and two Type-S 3.5" tweeters for the stock front locations -- the Type-R subs sound real nice, and i've heard good things about those Type-S speakers. i need recommendations on an amp, though :?

 

[dogstar]

highly recommend if you MUST put the 6x9s in the same box that they be in a separate chamber.
tuning subs and coax speakers in the same chamber is a nightmare, and will ALWAYS sound like hell.

id actually just get some of the 5" separates and mount them in the stock rear speaker locations... but thats just my 2 cents.

for amps...
how much do you wanna spend? and how much power do you want?

one amp i highly recommend is the alpine mrp-350, it can be had for $300 canadian... sometimes less if you flirt with your salesgirl enough
i read a bunch of reviews on it, and they all said its way underrated... puts out 400+ watts easily.

i was kinda doubtful, but my friend has a set up for benching amps, so i bought one, and tossed it on.
first blast - 473.32 watts at 14.4 volts at 2 ohms at 0.1% THD.
those are the specs alpine uses to rate the amp, so yes, in my case, and in those reviews i read, the amp is WAY underrated.

i run a single 10" kicker solobaric (400 watts rms max recommended) in a sealed box, and the amp is more than enough to drive it way into distortion.

 

[SupraFiend]

Panasonics make some sweet decks also.

I've had my Panasonic for about 4 years now and it was in my previous supra and still works great. Without a doubt it some of the worst punishment a deck could ever receve was the wreck which totaled the car.

will

just to back up dogstars comment there, I have a friend who bought a panasonic deck a couple years ago and had nothing but problems. Had multiple factory replacements develope problems too. On the flip side, my wife has a new panasonic deck and we haven't had any issues yet.

 

[dynamic73]

I've had my Alpine CD/MP3 player in my car for over a year now. It reads every CD I've made for it. Never has it given me any trouble. I would definately recommend the Alpine Head Units.

 

[dogstar]

one thing i must say for the alpines...
most of the recent decks have the angled face plate, kinda tilts the bottom of the faceplate out, so you can see it from above so much better.

i never really appreciated the feature when i had the alpine deck in my truck, but when i saw my friends cda7892 in his supra... damnnnn, i want an angled faceplate!

 

[MKII boy]

highly recommend if you MUST put the 6x9s in the same box that they be in a separate chamber.
tuning subs and coax speakers in the same chamber is a nightmare, and will ALWAYS sound like hell.

for amps...
how much do you wanna spend? and how much power do you want?

thanks for the info/help, dogstar

concerning the 6x9's, i should have specified that they would be in separate chambers from the subs

i really haven't a clue when it comes to amps, i just want something that will run two 6x9's or 6.5's, two 3.5's, two 5.25's, and one or two 10" subs (is that too much?). i'm not looking for something so powerful that it will rattle the car apart; i just want good, quality sound.

thing is, right now, i haven't the money to go out and spend a bunch on components (i had $400 in repairs to pay this past week :roll; i'm hoping to have the money to purchase a nice system by next spring.

i have one more question -- my dad used to own a '97 Jeep TJ, and he installed two Alpine 5.25's (i think) in the sound bar, and had one JL 10" behind the rear seats. he had one ~300 watt amp, and another ~100 watt amp just for the sub. are two amps necessary? i need more expertise on amps :wink:

-Evan

 

[CJSREDPRA]

Well.....

Just for the 6 interior speakers, you're going to need possibly at least 1 amp.... If you can find a decent sounding 6 channel amp (I need to see if Alpine currently has one).

Yep, w/ this many speakers, also plan on a seperate amp for the subs. Sound quality will be a bit better & they can be setup differently than for the interior speaker amp(s). For the sub amp, if it has a built in crossover, you can set it, so that all of the low end frequency's will just be going to the subs.... This way none of the high end signals (that should be going to the interior speakers) will make their way to the subs... In other words, you don't want your subs trying to sound like tweeters.

Another reason... I currently don't know of any $400 amps that can handle 6 interior speakers AND run 1 or 2 10" subs, and still sound decent... Even if you are running external crossovers. Plan for at least 2 amps, if not 3. And plan to save some $$$$.

My 12 year old Alpine system is pretty much setup the way I want it, and I have yet to have any problems since I've owned it. One 140W amp divided by 4 is running 4 speakers @ 35W per channel, and a seperate/smaller 60W amp that is bridged in Mono @ 4 ohms (thus bumping up the power a bit to 80W coming out of 1 channel), running a single 10" Rockford Fosgate sub. Not the loudest thing in the world, but it sounds decent. Just ask a few members here, who were at the Vegas meet during the Friday S&S (and was playing the obnoxious tunes by Crystal Method).

 

[MKII boy]

thanks, Chris!! 8)

according to the Alpine USA website, they currently don't make a 6 channel amp.

this audio project is a way's off -- i need a better paying job :roll:

-Evan

 

[CJSREDPRA]

Hrrm... That's what I thought....

Look around at other manufactures that "might" make 6 channel amps. Like Rockford Fosgate, Soundstream, Sony, Kenwood, or.......... Basically, do some research & ask around.

 

[dogstar]

i thought clarion made a 6 channel, but upon further inspection, i think its a 4 channel amp, with a sub channel.

whats so bad about running speakers off deck power for a lil while?
a good higher end deck will push out enough power to the speakers that unless your competing, you wont wanna go much louder.
add a single amp and a sub, and you should be able to tune it to make some sweet sounds.

ask chavez what my system sounded like before i blew my $12 4x6"s, lol.
it wasnt a competition level system, but it sounded good and clean, has enough bump to embarrass lil kids in moms grand ma... i mean grand am

shall be better this summer

 

[MKII boy]

the stock audio system in my car is a mess -- the rear speakers were gone when i bought the car, and the fronts are shot; my dad and i had to jump through hoops to get an ancient Alpine deck installed. when i went to buy the Metra DIN pocket, i asked for the Metra Wiring Harness as well, but the crackhead at the audio place gave me some b.s. that "they don't make those anymore", so my dad cut up my audio harness that was in PERFECT condition :banghead: (anyone have one of those they want to sell me?? :wink

dogstar, the thought of just hooking up some aftermarket speakers directly to the deck didn't even cross my mind; i just was planning to do some research, buy all of the components that i want (as money allows), and then install it all at the same time. i don't want to have to uninstall and then reinstall that damn Alpine deck; we had to use spacers in order for it to be installed correctly -- the faceplate is too bulky on that thing, so my 'rubbery black radio surround' got all chewed up on the edges as a result.