Sony CDX-GT710 Opinions and some questions...

[hunterdan]

Im looking at purchasing a new headunit next week, I have a Kenwood unit installed now and I never really installed it correctly. The install kit I purchased a few years ago wasnt the best and never figured out how to install it. I am not even too sure if I wired it correctly, but everything works. Basically, I am wanting opinions on this headunit and some tips and possibly the correct adapters to use. I have a 1998 Sport, no sub with rear audio controls.

Dan

 

[TheJackal]

If everything is working correctly, odds are it's wired properly. The only thing you could screw up and not notice easily is if you wired the left speaker to the right, etc... but the wires on the harnesses are usually color coded and have it marked on them. You should have an installation manual with the Sony.

 

[bdr5oh]

sony car audio is horrible ....... go witha pioneer ... much more flexable if you plan on doing future upgrades (bluetooth,ipod, etc) ... plus the sound is much better

 

[toypaseo]

I also vote to look elsewhere besides Sony.

 

[hunterdan]

Heres the thing, I had a sony in my old truck and it sounded good, but I had to ditch do to it not having any preouts when I added an amp and sub. So I bought the Kenwood. Now this thing sounds good, but it is very tempermental. The power cuts in and out requiring me to pull the plug on the back of the unit to reset it. The sony never skipped a beat, even when offroading, I couldn't get it to skip, now the Kenwood skips like crazy, even if I hit a small bump in the road. What I am looking for is something for about $150 or so, that okays MP3's, WMA's, has an aux input, and possibly an Ipod connection. It also needs to have a remote... All the reviews I read on crutchfield about this HU seemed pretty good, no major complaints.

Dan

 

[hunterdan]

What are you opinions on the following?
JVC AR480
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wqPCZEXfm2w/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=105KDAR480
JVC KD-PDR30
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wqPCZEXfm2w/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=105KDPDR30
Pioneer DEH-P3900MP
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wqPCZEXfm2w/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=130DEHP390
Sony MEX-1GP
http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=300&i=158MEX1GP&c=3&tp=5684&avf=N

 

[Donner]

All of them are good... nothing personal, but it's personal

sony car audio is horrible ....... go witha pioneer ... much more flexable if you plan on doing future upgrades (bluetooth,ipod, etc) ... plus the sound is much better

Sony has that stuff too Most new h/u's do

I also vote to look elsewhere besides Sony.

Sony, Kenwood, Alpine, Pioneer... all good. I can understand if you are doing an audio show, you probably would go with high end stuff like Alpine, but for most of us, these are all good. I only know from the stereos that were in my vehicles how they sound, news sounds the same on all of them, and music sounds best with good speakers...

Speakers are important too... If you have the besssssst h/u with cruddy speakers, you'll have a cruddy sound system (All I know about audio is that if it doesn't sound right, try something else, so keep your receipts

(BTW, make sure you like how it looks too)

 

[Infinity08]

sony car audio is horrible ....... go witha pioneer ... much more flexable if you plan on doing future upgrades (bluetooth,ipod, etc) ... plus the sound is much better

Sure, the Pioneer is great, if you get lucky enough to have one where the outputs don't blow a ground trace and squeal like a pig. Sony car audio isn't horrible- you just have to avoid the Wal Mart stuff with theirs and get the good stuff.

 

[TeckNine4]

Yup, you do you, Those wires got colors, I know what everybodys thinking,
Install the Alpine with JL's all around, an MB quarts in the doors, ultimate.

 

[hunterdan]

I think I am going to pick up the JVC KD-PDR30, I was looking at it, at bestbuy today and it looks nice, has the features I want. As far as wiring, I know to connect the colors together, its just what adapter do I need? Crutchfield has this one listed, but I am not sure if it is the correct one.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-oQEmQfPCG89/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=142C4FDK6
Obviously I have things wired up correctly since my current headunit is working. But there is usually a better or easier way. When I originally wired this thing up, I had power, but no sound. Does that mean I have the factory amp? I believe I ended up hooking one of the factory wires to the remote turn on wire and I then had sound. I also have an aftermarket amp and sub that is connected to the remote turn on. My question is, what vehicle integration harness do you recommend I get? The crutchfield one? Or a standard harness?

Dan

 

[DMacLennan14]

sony is garbage. i have dealt with almost all major car audio brands and have nothing good to say about any sony product i have used. my advice is either alpine or pioneer. here is an alpine that is in your price range and has everything you need i believe. http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=300&i=500CDE9874&c=3&tp=5684&avf=N.
you will be much happier with the sound coming from this than you would with the sony or jvc. if you get one from crutchfield, just let them know the year and options your ex has and they will give you all the install stuff you need.

 

[Donner]

Whichever you choose...

I think I am going to pick up the JVC KD-PDR30, I was looking at it, at bestbuy today and it looks nice, has the features I want. As far as wiring, I know to connect the colors together, its just what adapter do I need? Crutchfield has this one listed, but I am not sure if it is the correct one.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-oQEmQfPCG89/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?I=142C4FDK6
Obviously I have things wired up correctly since my current headunit is working. But there is usually a better or easier way. When I originally wired this thing up, I had power, but no sound. Does that mean I have the factory amp? I believe I ended up hooking one of the factory wires to the remote turn on wire and I then had sound. I also have an aftermarket amp and sub that is connected to the remote turn on. My question is, what vehicle integration harness do you recommend I get? The crutchfield one? Or a standard harness?

Dan

Just keep the receipt... You know it comes down to what you use your stereo for and what components you buy along with it. No one has given a solid reason as to why one is worse or better than the other - Now, compare this to the factory h/u and see the specific reasons for why you want to swap that out (if that were the case here). People used to say the same thing about Explorers , "Oh, they'll blow up; Oh, this oh that." If anyone wants to say a specific brand is no good, why is no good? If one is better, why? How do you know their installs were any good? Welp, I gotta go back over to the other computer, be back.

 

[DMacLennan14]

Just keep the receipt... You know it comes down to what you use your stereo for and what components you buy along with it. No one has given a solid reason as to why one is worse or better than the other - Now, compare this to the factory h/u and see the specific reasons for why you want to swap that out (if that were the case here). People used to say the same thing about Explorers , "Oh, they'll blow up; Oh, this oh that." If anyone wants to say a specific brand is no good, why is no good? If one is better, why? How do you know their installs were any good? Welp, I gotta go back over to the other computer, be back.

i have had sony amps actually start on fire, sony speakers blow from factory head units powering them, sony head units die after using them for only 6 months. i have never had a good experience with sony. i have never had a problem with any pioneer or alpines i have installed, but i think that alpines sound better, so i would go with that.

 

[hunterdan]

That is the hard thing about asking for opinions, because everyone has one. The JVC I'm looking includes the IPOD cable, which a lot of the headunits did not include, but were available for an extra $50. As for wiring harnesses etc, I will just ask at the store what is needed. Hopefully I will have everything on Friday and installed. When all is said and done, I will get some pictures up and post them, If I remember.

Dan

 

[Donner]

That's the best part, knowing other peoples experiences...

i have had sony amps actually start on fire, sony speakers blow from factory head units powering them, sony head units die after using them for only 6 months. i have never had a good experience with sony. i have never had a problem with any pioneer or alpines i have installed, but i think that alpines sound better, so i would go with that.

That's what it's about, the best experience... Pioneer and Alpine It's tough to know why people had bad experiences, and it's even tougher trying get people to really spell out their good experiences. But like how you install them, and say that Alpine sounds better, that's clear, and it makes it easier to decide. (And I hope to ask you a few questions as soon as I find the right thread - unless with Hunterdan's permission I can hijack this one further

That is the hard thing about asking for opinions, because everyone has one. The JVC I'm looking includes the IPOD cable, which a lot of the headunits did not include, but were available for an extra $50. As for wiring harnesses etc, I will just ask at the store what is needed. Hopefully I will have everything on Friday and installed. When all is said and done, I will get some pictures up and post them, If I remember.

Dan

We'll remind you if you don't post pics

 

[steventadams]

In regard to the Ipod cables I would take a look at when the HU was first offered and which Ipod you have. I got a new 3rd gen Ipod Nano will the sole intent of using it with my touchscreen HU but the new Ipods aren't compatible with the particular brand I have (Valor)... Make sure you call JVC or whichever HU brand you choose and make sure your Ipod will in fact work.

 

[Donner]

What the hay, here we go...

Used to have a cd changer, it's gone, but the cable is still there. I just don't know where it goes to or if it's okay to remove if I can find where it leads to.

What exactly should I be looking for? It's a gray cable that leads from the back storage to (who knows where)... Would it be grounded somewhere? Thanks!

(Oh, btw, a cd got jammed in the changer, so I took a screwdriver to it...

 

[hunterdan]

In regard to the Ipod cables I would take a look at when the HU was first offered and which Ipod you have. I got a new 3rd gen Ipod Nano will the sole intent of using it with my touchscreen HU but the new Ipods aren't compatible with the particular brand I have (Valor)... Make sure you call JVC or whichever HU brand you choose and make sure your Ipod will in fact work.

I was reading the information online and my Ipod is compatible with the headunit. I have a nano and the supported version is 1.00 and newer. Now its just on to finding the best prices for the head unit I've picked out. I appreciate everyones input, and will update things as they progress.

Dan

 

[DMacLennan14]

Used to have a cd changer, it's gone, but the cable is still there. I just don't know where it goes to or if it's okay to remove if I can find where it leads to.

What exactly should I be looking for? It's a gray cable that leads from the back storage to (who knows where)... Would it be grounded somewhere? Thanks!

(Oh, btw, a cd got jammed in the changer, so I took a screwdriver to it...

was it a factory cd changer? do you have a factory amp?
the first thing i would do is take out the head unit and look for it back there, if its there, try disconnecting it and if everything still works ok, take it out. if it doesnt go all the way to the head unit, start pulling panels off until you find the end of it. there may be a wire coming out of the gray cable that could be grounded. the changer had to get power and ground somehow at some point and a lot of times factory power cables are tied in with signal cables.(which is something that should never be done due to ground loops and road noise jumping from power wire to signal wire)

 

[Donner]

Thank you..

It was an aftermarket... (no factory amp) it lasted a long time, but it finally ate a cd... did just enough damage that it had to be disassembled.

Would it be okay to just cap the end of it and leave as is? It should be okay as long as I don't dip it in water, right? I just don't want any shock hazards sitting in the vehicle, you know? Thanks!