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Which Head Unit?

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actafool4187

· '02 Sonoma X-Cab
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I will be running JL 5.25" Components in the dash and JL 6.5" Components in the doors powered by a JL e4300D Amp, and 2 13.5" JL W3v3-4 Subwoofers powered by a JL e1800D Amp. The only missing link is the right head unit. My truck has a crappy old Panasonic in it now, and it has to go! I found 2 Pioneer Premier Head Units, and I need help deciding which one. http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=18769
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http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=18869

I am definitely a fan of Pioneer for head units. My second, and only other choice would be Alpine. Let me know your opinions on these, or if you have something else that's good and in the same ballpark pricewise, let me know about it. The sooner the better, because once I get a head unit, I'll be able to install everything finally. Driving around with a crap CD Player and stock speakers is killing me!
 
#5 ·
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
I live in Munster (Northwest Indiana.) Where are you from? If anybody wants to help me install all this, that would be great, because I've only installed systems using 1 amp, and my set up involves two, and I don't want to screw anything up. For all the wiring, a shop is telling me about $150, which seems fair because it's brand new Stinger wire. But if I get the cd player from them, installing that, all the wires, and components and everything was like almost $300.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
I just bought this like exactly a month ago. I live in one of the apartments on camellia by 45th and calumet, kind of by the hospital. I went to high school in lansing at luther east, a hole in the wall next to a red barn farm market on glenwood-lansing road, ha. do you install systems or know anybody that does, and does a good job?
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
I want somebody who is 100% confident that they can do this without screwing anything up, ha. I think I'm going to go tomorrow and have then hook up the new CD Player, run all the wiring for both amps, and hook up the one amp and subs, and then I'll worry about the second amp and the 2 sets of components later on. The CD Player, all the wiring and hooking up the one amp and subs is about $400. That's a top of the line Pioneer Premier Head Unit, 2 4 guage wiring kits, and a pair of 4 channel RCA cables installed for $400. I think that's an OK price, and I'll have somebody else help me with the components later. He wasn't even sure he could do the components like I want them anyways. Sombody on here told me he put 5.25" components in his dash, so if it can be done, I want to do it.
 
#11 ·
yeah i understand you want it done right. but for 400 bucks and you said it was just the headunit an amp and a sub and yu would add on later i would say just try it your self. headunit install is pretty simple. subs are also pretty simple if you have all the wires its not hard at all. i find it kinda fun hiding all the wires. ill ahve to show my set up sometime and let you hear it.
 
#12 ·
wait did you mean the price of the headunit and the amp and subs and install came to 400 bucks. then thats not bad but if they are charging you 400 bucks to just install it then thats a rip. i know i called best buy along time ago to get subs intsalled and it was like 100 bucks so i just did it my self
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
I'm buying a head unit for about $200, then they're installing that, all the wiring, and hooking up one of the amps to power the subs. I already have the amp and subs, but I'm buying the head unit and all the wiring. I can hook up the head unit, and if it was just the subs I was hooking up, I would do it all myself. I'm installing 2 amps though; one for subs, and anothe for components. I have never hooked up multiple amps before. That's what I need help with. That and installing the components, because I've only done regular speakers, never components. So just for clairty one more time, the $400 is buying a brand new head unit with 2 year warranty, buying 2 full Stinger wiring kits and a 4 channel RCA cable, and having them install it all. My truck currenty has a cheap Panasonic CD Player and an 8-guage wiring kit, but JL and 8-guage is not a match made in heaven, ha.
 
#15 ·
like i said i understand you want it done right. so do what you want its your truck. if you decide to do it yourself let me know ill help out and if we get stuck we can both scratch our heads in unison. so good luck man.
 
#16 ·
I dont see what the big deal is here. There is nothign difficult about installing a H/U and two amps.
 
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Discussion starter · #17 ·
I'm sure it's not too difficult, however I have never done it. I went today and had got the new head unit, all wiring hooked up for both amps, and just the one amp and subs put in. I just need to hook up the second amp and the components. It seems pretty self-explanatory hooking up the component speakers, just I'm not sure exactly how to mount them. I made hooking up the second amp much easier by throwing in a capacitor, so I just need to run the power and ground like 3 feet or so to that. I'll get some pictures and post tomorrow.
 
#18 ·
actafool4187 said:
I'm sure it's not too difficult, however I have never done it. I went today and had got the new head unit, all wiring hooked up for both amps, and just the one amp and subs put in. I just need to hook up the second amp and the components. It seems pretty self-explanatory hooking up the component speakers, just I'm not sure exactly how to mount them. I made hooking up the second amp much easier by throwing in a capacitor, so I just need to run the power and ground like 3 feet or so to that. I'll get some pictures and post tomorrow.
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What? Maybe you should get a distro block for the power and the ground instead.
 
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Discussion starter · #19 ·
I figured they were going to use a distribution block, but they just showed me how to do it off of the capacitor. The power and ground are already ran to the capacitor, then the one amp has a power and ground going from the capacitor to it, and I'll just need to do that one more time for the second amp. Basically the capacitor is acting as a distribution block. I had never seen or heard of this before, but if it works, then cool. I'm quite impressed because before this was hooked up, my voltometer in my guage cluster would move back and forth a little every time the turning signal blinked. Now with the system, it doesn't move no matter what, no matter how hard I'm bumping. I'll put up pictures tomorrow so you all can see what I mean.
 
#20 ·
actafool4187 said:
I figured they were going to use a distribution block, but they just showed me how to do it off of the capacitor. The power and ground are already ran to the capacitor, then the one amp has a power and ground going from the capacitor to it, and I'll just need to do that one more time for the second amp. Basically the capacitor is acting as a distribution block. I had never seen or heard of this before, but if it works, then cool. I'm quite impressed because before this was hooked up, my voltometer in my guage cluster would move back and forth a little every time the turning signal blinked. Now with the system, it doesn't move no matter what, no matter how hard I'm bumping. I'll put up pictures tomorrow so you all can see what I mean.
Click to expand...
Capacitors are all around worthless, and are a bandaid on a lacking electrical system. I would spend 70 bucks on some wire, and about 3 hours of wrench time, and upgrade the big three. There is a how too at the top of the Sound and Security subforum.
 
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