car stereo advise

[KNINE]

I hope this question isn't too general, but here it goes. I want to upgrade my stock stereo. I have the basic head unit with four door speakers and an Audiovox XM add on. I was thinking of adding new door speakers. My co-worker says I should start with replacing the head unit. I'm not looking to install big amps or subwoofers. I want to keep it simple and cheap (like me). Any opinions?

[Jahntassa]

You'd be better off upgrading the radio first. Adding new speakers will give you a little bit more clarity, yes, but the stock stereo doesn't have the kind of power it should to give you really good sound. (Not loud, quality)A better headunit will do wonders for your sound. They have better amplifiers and better internal audio processing than the stock unit.I often reccomend Pioneers as they're good value for the money. They're generally well-built and have good amplifiers and thus good sound. They're also fairly cheap, and in similar price ranges to other manufacturers. Everyone has their own opinions on radios, of course, so this is just mine. Many people swear by Alpine, but I think you get a better value out of Pioneers.

[KaosStarr]

I must say I usually, change out my headunit then subs and then my doors. I see Jahntassa says Pioneer is better than Alpine.I'm an Alpine fan. It has better functions for me so I can gain SPL. But the Pioneer is more towards SQ if you ask me, its pretty indepth with the whole EQ setup. My Alpine is like High/Low, not High/Mid/Low. So I will give it that, but at the time the alpine loaded MP3s faster. If I have to get a new cd player because mine has started to skip, I might go back to Pioneer because I like the newer products they have come out with over Alpine

[nygiantzz1]

If you want to keep it simple, Go to Crutchfield.com, enter your vehicle info and see what's on sale. Alpine, Pioneer, JVC and Kenwood all make decent mid grade head units. Pioneer and Kenwood make decent speakers as well. The nice part is that Crutchfield will include everything you need to install all of it. Make sure whatever head unityou choose is compatible with your XM module. Good Luck.

[Jahntassa]

Quote, originally posted by KaosStarr »I must say I usually, change out my headunit then subs and then my doors. I see Jahntassa says Pioneer is better than Alpine.Better Value. Not neccesarily 'all-around' better. Yes, Alpines are still great, but I think they cost more than they're worth for 'casual' listeners.

[KNINE]

Okay, I'm going to start by replacing the head unit. I'm going to get one that's XM ready and get rid of the Audiovox. Keep it all in one unit for a claener look. Thanks for the help. I'll be back when I'm ready to buy some speakers.