With my g/f's brithday coming up, I'd like to buy her a cd player for her car (1990 FC)... Budget of ~$1000 with accessories and junk.

I don't really deal with stereo's all that much, I usually focus more on power and traction, so I am not even aware of the brands that are out. I'm used to throwing in a simple pionner deck, some 6.5's at all four corners, and leaving it at that.

Here's what I need it to do:
Sound quality is first priority. It must also be capable of connecting to an iPod.
It must be somewhat attractive/flashy, play MP3 CD's, have decent pre-out voltage.
An LCD monitor is not desired for this app.

I have checked out what Pioneer, Alpine, Sony, Eclipse, kenwood, and panasonic all have to offer, and so far, my favourite is the Panasonic C9901U:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Q6hNX28...play=Panasonic

Basically, so I don't sell my g/f short, what other deck brands should I look into?

 

1000 **** for that price you can go to an audio shop and they will hook you up with a whole sound system....bro you are out of your mind if you are spending 1000 on a cd player ....is the car show room condition if not thats a waste....

my advice take that grand fly down to the florida keys go fishing say a romantic line ...a little champaign and bam bam get yours fly back home and she would love that forever than a radio...i guess thats why my wife married me....lol

 

yeah, esp. for an FC. If I was you, I'd get one of the decks with the front aux input. You could get one of the decks for under $100. Or you could get one of the alpine's with the interface box for under $400 I'm sure... maybe closer to $300. Haven't checked lately.

 

just get one of those newer alpines
great power nice sound good price
and display is nice and simple

 

I think he meant $1000 for the system. Remember even the best most expensive equipment can sound like **** if the install is poorly done. Their is no need for back speakers, a sub in the back should be fine for rear fill.
I suggest.
Alpine CDA-9855 (300 off ebay)
I-pod interface for alpine ($75)
Rainbow speakers $200 (speedsound.com)
Than its up to you if you want an amp to power the speakers, and than an amp and sub. Their is NO need for a 400+ h/u, I just pulled a $2000 pioneer odr h/u and eq out of my car, and their was a small small difference between that and my cda-9855, nothing even close to justifying $1700 difference.

 

Can't take any significant vacations right now as she's right in the middle of a semester at school. We're heading to Europe when she grads in the spring. When we get back, she'll need a stereo for her car.... so...

The $1000 was canadian funds. That's $850 USD.

Of the reviews I've read about iPod connections, the only one that doesn't have complaints as being a pain in the *** was the Harman Kardon DP1US, for roughly $200.
That leaves $650 US for a deck with all the wiring... so roughly, $600 for the head unit.

I don't think its an excessive amount at all. We've been together 5 years, so its not exactly like we're trying to impress each other anymore.

Thank you for your replies. I will look into the Alpine systems further.

 

:smiley_12 Man! Just go to Best Buy and pick up a DUAL D5600 with rear AUX for $125 with Remote, Pick up a set of 220 watts M/A audio for about 85.00$ at Caraudio.com. And a 200 watt Amp! OOH!! and you don't use a Sub For Rears. there not made for mids or highs you'll just burn them out. get the visors with the 7" mon"s for 170$ each & a audiovox glovebox DVD Player for about $100. And call it a day.

 

clarion has the DB365USB

http://www.clarion.com/us/en/product...643389085.html

as the name says it has a USB port for ipods etc. and its $259.99

i'll be picking up a clarion soon.. just not that one, since i don't have a ipod

 

just get a high end nakamichi or eclipse deck

 

Apline deck
MBquarts componets/speakers
PPI/kicker amp
JL subs