fiestaturbo.com

[dontpannic]

i'll be honest and say that i do think speaker-rca adaptors are crap

Have you ever used them? What do you base your opinion on?

and even a relatively cheap aftermarket h/u has features that standard ford head units can dream of.

My old Acoustic Solutions HU in my old car was a relatively cheap one advertised as able to play MP3 CD's - towards the end of 1 year in the car it was struggling to play normal CD's, and even in the beginning it took 40-50 seconds to load an MP3 CD.
This 6000CD with RCA adaptors can display my VIN, have a security code, have an iPod In socket, RCA outs, sounds the bollox and is standard.

i've had the same head unit 6 years now and its still a good un. at the end of the day yes it is nice to have a decent stereo, and with a bit of effort and thought u can get a great sound without having it obvious and/or spending too much.

Exactly my point - my system, even though you reckon its made from crap components, sounds a lot better at the moment than a number of my mates systems with aftermarket HU's -quite a large number of people in my car comment on how crisp the sound quality is. And cost me a lot less than an aftermarket HU with similar features.

as for 6x9's, they ain't bad, and they do add volume but having decent speakers at the rear defeats the object, you don't go to a concert and have your back to the stage, do you?

Nope, and I agree with that. I had 6x9's in my old car and they were terrible!

best to get a decent pair of components for the front, best you can afford (or save up if you have to!), and a sub. i'd amp the lot i'd either run 2 amps, or a 4 channel amp with 2 channels bridged for the sub. if you still want some rear fill you can keep the standard rears (i'm still on the standard rear speakers, but then, i don't sit in the back, and they are faded out anyway) or buy some co-ax's, avoid dual cones at all costs, they're pants.

I run the 6000CD unit with RCA adaptors into my JBL GTO 75.2 amp powering the 4 speakers (standard ford fronts and pioneer rears) on HPF, and all the bass is covered with my 12" Mutant package.

remember it doesn't have to be done all at once, pick quality over quantity, and if you buy nasty stuff in the long run you'll only end up replacing it and it'll work out more expensive, so get what you want from the off!

In conclusion I think we'll agree to disagree.

[Chris 2i]

to be fair, the 6000CD is a bloody good HU - I was really impressed with it.

Look on ebay for them, if they're crap then why are people bidding on them for such a high price?

[marty-the-tool]

i base my opinion on experience and profesional advise!!
i would never agree with using a head unit without rca outputs with an amp, they are not designed for the task.
i'm not saying that is a bad head unit as such as i have no experience of it, but i'd have my alpine any day of the week over it!
so yeah i'll agree to disagree, because at the end of the day just because something works don't mean its right!!

[dontpannic]

Explain what they are made for if they aren't used for hooking up amps to standard HU's?

Explain why they are sold in Car Audio shops around the country?

I do hope you're professional advice wasn't from Halfords! So if you have experienced them first hand, do you still have them?

[marty-the-tool]

no my advice comes from well known and respected ice installers! i would never listen to halfords, i'm not a stupid spotty 17 year old who doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

speaker to rca adaptors are sold because they make the best of a bad situation and are a cheap solution. its like offroading in a mini, you can do it, but its not ideal and not what it is designed for.

i use a headunit with 3 preouts, and i make the most of it. i wouldn't attempt to use speaker level inputs or speaker to rca adaptors, i know better than that and the ones i have seen are terrible.

forgot to tell ya, i've built and shown a few installs, so i do know my stuff! i'm not an expert but then, i don't claim to be. i'm just trying to help people, not be a keyboard warrior who knows all, mate.

[dontpannic]

Good for you - but can you please refrain from saying that things I use and many others use and know work - and much better than my old aftermarket HU. Just because you can afford MOT, Tax, Insurance, petrol, rent, and to run expensive head units and ICE systems doesnt mean everyone else can. I could afford an aftermarket HU if I wanted one, but I want to keep my cars interior looking as standard and clean as possible, and non-colour matched space wasting "fascia adaptors" look ugly in a MK5.

Please consider what you are saying before outrightly, and wrongly saying that these things are crap. Why do you think "professional" ICE outlets say a HU is much better than speaker to RCA adaptors? Because they are? No, of course not. It is only because a HU is £100+ and RCA adaptors are £10/£20, so how much money would they prefer to get?

As said before I'll agree to disagree, but I hate the way that the RCA adaptors are "crap" because you have an alpine which "does a better job" (according to you).

[properphatboy]

I've got a Smart now and as I want to keep the standard CD changer I'm running a Sony XM-255 amp running 6" Fli Integrators and an Alpine SWE-1600 active sub using their line level inputs. Can't fault it really. It won't go as loud as my full install in the Fiesta, but the quality is spot on. I've got to say though I don't know about the RCA adaptors or what's in them I won't be knocking line level amps.

[dontpannic]

I've got a Smart now and as I want to keep the standard CD changer I'm running a Sony XM-255 amp running 6" Fli Integrators and an Alpine SWE-1600 active sub using their line level inputs. Can't fault it really. It won't go as loud as my full install in the Fiesta, but the quality is spot on. I've got to say though I don't know about the RCA adaptors or what's in them I won't be knocking line level amps.

Virtually the same things, converts line level signals to RCA signals;

[bassboy]

sorry marty your wrong

bassboy

[properphatboy]

Virtually the same things, converts line level signals to RCA signals;

I know. I just also know that there may be cheap rubbish versions of the RCA converters out there.

sorry marty your wrong

bassboy

And that puts that arguement to rest.

[dontpannic]

Cheers Bassboy!