Sony deck, why all the hate?

[icu400]

Here and on other forums I have seen sony decks getting a ton of flack. I am going to buy this sony deck here in a week or two. I have used sony stuff for quite some time, not car audio stuff (other than my 2 10's which I like) but I know at least 2 people that have sony systems and have never complained about the stuff breaking like people seem to think it does.

So my question is, who here has actually HAD a sony deck become a lemon and break on them? Stories about, my "friends" deck broke don't impress me too much, unless its really true. I don't want hear-say, I want facts, is there a true inherent flaw in sony receivers, and if so what is it. Thanks.

 

[XplorerKid]

I havent owned sony Car equipment, own a sony computer though

But i will put my input in, from what i read it is the Sony Xplode line of Sony Car audio that people have had problems with, and dont like.......

I know you dont want to hear friends stories, but i had a friend that his Sony Xplode Amp Caught fire in his corvette.....

 

[icu400]

I have heard stuff like that too. But frankly, I have no intention of: 1) jacking up the volume on my stuff, 2) setting the gain way too high 3) using too small a gauge for my amp

basically I don't abuse my stuff, and I really don't see how this stuff can all go bad if you treat it right

(so far I have 2 sony subs and sony mono amp coming in soon)

 

[Alec]

Sony car stuff tends to be unreliable and overpriced compared to other brands. Plain and simple.

 

[brandonloserkid]

from what ive seen, theyre not built good (hu's, amps, subs) I havent tried all sony stuff, but thats my generalization from what ive seen. my friend and i went through 3 sony headunits in his maxima, in a matter of 4 months i think it was. they just kept crapping out. on the 3rd time best buy said, it must be how we installed it, so they insisted they install it or we cant keep our warranty etc etc. needless to say it crapped out 5 days later. maybe it was the line of headunit i dont know.

thats just my .02

 

[evoq007]

I originally did not like sony xplod stuff because they didnt have great audio specs for there price. seemed like you were paying for alot of there name. I am actually going to buy one of there new Headunits. the 7705x model. the new cd players they came out with have great specs and features i say go for it!

Scott

oh bye the way...check this out
Ike sound sony 5700

 

[Hartman]

I have a Sony HU and I'd say it's average at best. I know some of the higher end Sony models are better. This being said, I would NEVER buy any Sony amp or sub.

 

[410Fortune]

I have had 2 Sony head units over the years, and both of them failed badly.
ZThe first one the screen quit working
the Second one buttons would fall off, the CD skipped all the time and sound quality was poor.

This is back when Sony head units were better than they are now!
For a little more $$$ you can get something much better quality. I would buy an Aiwa deck before I would buy another Sony. Not what you wanted to hear but you asked.

I like (in this order)
Kenwood
Alpine
Clarion
Pioneer

 

[icu400]

btw evoq, crutchfield is cheaper than that site for 2 reasons:

1) no shipping charge
2) the include the harness and kit
3) 10% discount when buying a system (buying my amp at the same time to save cash)

 

[evoq007]

oh ok, i didnt know you were gettin all that stuff.

Scott

 

[icu400]

its all good, thanks for the help though

also, for those that keep saying "sony deck died" or "sony deck crapped out" I would like to know:

1) exact model that "crapped out"
2) what the problem was, other than it just "died"


I was pretty sure I wanted to get a sony deck, but then I saw this kenwood:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-bcg9GI...&c=3&g=62700&I=113MPV5025&o=p&a=1&cc=01&avf=Y


It looks very nice, it looks better, does not have this anti sony stigma, and has more color

However, these sony features are not on there:

BBE MP (restores detail and warmth lost to MP3 files during compression)
Dynamic Soundstage Organizer

Those looked pretty cool, or do most any HU's do that stuff, they just don't list that as a "feature"?

 

[expo5.0]

ok, the main problem with sony isn't it dying or crapping out (although they will probably do both)

its that the sq and features suck for the $

 

[icu400]

the features look about the same as this kenwood deck, for the same price...in fact it almost looks like they have more features

 

[expo5.0]

kenwood is in the same boat quality wise.

i absolutely hate kenwood, jvc, and sony

just get the pioneer in the same price range from walmart- please

 

[icu400]

ok, dude, have you actually owned, or known people very well that have owned, all of those brands? if so:::

1) what model died, and what price
2) what HAPPENED TO IT

I have looked at the pioneer ones on the net on crutchfield and honestly the features all sound about the same, in fact the pioneer one around that frame sounded skimpier. All I am hearing right now is "I hate sony" but I am not hearing what is wrong with it.

I am sorry if I sound rude, I am only trying to get some good buying info, I have not made up my mind yet, but please give me a bit more info, thanks all.

 

[expo5.0]

it doesn't matter if it broke, it SUCKED when it WORKED.

 

[expo5.0]

as for owned or knew people well who owned them no, but i've installed a few of everything.

 

[icu400]

Define "sucked" please

To be honest, if it plays mp3's and sounds better than my current deck (which is not even a cd player, i rely on my crappy changer for cd's atm) then I am not too picky. Sony and kenwood have a layout on the face that I like and seem to have some good features. So when they "suck" does that mean they skip, have poor sound quality, break (i can't see how they break every other week, but who knows), have poor controls, what!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[99explorer5.0]

Its all a matter of opinion. If you are going to buy it no matter what who cares what anyone says? Judge for yourself.

I have been in two seperate automobiles (one of them being my own) that had amps fry and spark up pretty bad and both times the volume was no where close to cranked.

 

[icu400]

I guess as the saying goes, "**** happens"

I am really leaning towards the kenwood now, but who knows. I am somewhat biased towards sony simply because I have used their stuff for so long with no problems. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but if the unit "dies" won't crutchfield replace it?

This is starting to seem like a opinion thing. For example, if someone said "this low level $75 deck is crap, it always dies and skips a lot" I would understand why. Maybe I am just an eternal optimist (in with the positive, out with the negative). But honestly, for example, I am a die hard mac fan, I HATE windows, and I will tell ANYONE how much windows "sucks". But in all reality, its just a different way of working. Windows has more games and compatibility, but sacrifices a user-friendly nature IMHO. There are plenty that disagree readily with me. But then, most of them have never owned a mac .

So if anyone has any more input, I welcome it. I am definatly getting the sony mono sub amp, I see zero reason to go away from that one. And crutch gives a 10% discount for buying 2 items from them. So that is nice. So whatever I get, its coming from there, and I don't want to spend more than 200 bucks. Any recomendations or the like, i will welcome.

Thanks again.