whats every body using.. looking for a new stereo head unit

[Sad Sack]

Pardon Our Interruption...

www.ebay.com

Looks similar

 

[grummy]

FOSI BL20A - About $70 on Amazon. Small powerhouse. I have a zillion MP3's and I prefer that over anything they are playing on FM these days. The Fosi jams real nice with (2) 6x9's in the rear corners, and some 3.5"er's in dash capped off as tweeters. Has a Remote, Allows Bluetooth or direct 1/8" jack input. Also has an audio output if you have an amp. There are other models, but you have to watch that the one you choose has 12v input for power (some are higher)

My truck has a working AM radio. Can't find a two knob vintage Kenwood worth buying yet. NOT cutting the dash for DIN (HATE DIN crap... get into a "mode" BS to adjust bass or treble ? Sucks). The little FOSI fits perfect in the Cubby where Air conditioning vent would be. So, no hacking, still got AM. Sometimes I have both on at the same time,,, talk radio and my favorite music !

Amazon.com

 

[edgephoto]

I liked the idea of a factory Delco unit. All I really care about is listening to stuff from my phone. The unit @j69shep modified to add Bluetooth is what I went with. Now just need to get to the point in my restoration where I need to install it.

 

[xm20k]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7XM1P66/

 

[saltdog]

I bought the Sony XAV-9000ES head unit for my 2018 Outback and took it out because Subaru replaced my stock unit for free after lots of back and forth. Since it was sitting around and not returnable I decided try to replace my 15 year old Kenwood. The unit works great in my 1983 Suburban despite Crutchfield saying it would not. The unit wont clip to a 1 DIN housing but you can add heavy duty sticky back Velcro to the back of the screen (its metal) to attach to the dash and it's super snug. I will add Metra 89-30-0500 Universal Din Trim 1/2-Inch Border to finish it but it was delayed from Amazon. It was easy to install in the stock location once the dash is modified to fit a 1 DIN bracket (required for any square body truck). Because the screen is below the top of the unit it won't block the AC controls, and yes- the screen is lower than the ones like Boss that Crutchfield says will, but its easy to see from drivers seat and easy to use. If order one from Crutchfield and you still have the factory harness you'll want to order the Metra-70-1677-1-Receiver-Wiring-Harness, Item # 264MASTER Vehicle specific instruction sheet and may want Metra 87-99-3052 Dash Kit (I did not need this).

 

[Rustisbest]

Easy to hide, no cutting the dash

Lepai Mini Amplifier https://a.co/d/fFnHlaG

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[Sad Sack]

I just bought the Boss CE102 mini amp to power two more speakers slung under the dash to make it a six speaker system for now, will go eight speakers or add tweeters eventually, just can't decide on speaker size or go small components.
Amp size is 4 x 3.13 x 1.83 inches, can hide anywhere. Not a powerhouse, just adding more ambience, but easy to mount / hide, and speakers will be like power rated, thinking these right now:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074CJ7G57/

 

[idahovette]

Kinda glad I can't hear sh!t........saving me lots of money

 

[Sad Sack]

Kinda glad I can't hear sh!t........saving me lots of money

What?

 

[idahovette]

EXACTLY

 

[Grit dog]

I bought the Sony XAV-9000ES head unit for my 2018 Outback and took it out because Subaru replaced my stock unit for free after lots of back and forth. Since it was sitting around and not returnable I decided try to replace my 15 year old Kenwood. The unit works great in my 1983 Suburban despite Crutchfield saying it would not. The unit wont clip to a 1 DIN housing but you can add heavy duty sticky back Velcro to the back of the screen (its metal) to attach to the dash and it's super snug. I will add Metra 89-30-0500 Universal Din Trim 1/2-Inch Border to finish it but it was delayed from Amazon. It was easy to install in the stock location once the dash is modified to fit a 1 DIN bracket (required for any square body truck). Because the screen is below the top of the unit it won't block the AC controls, and yes- the screen is lower than the ones like Boss that Crutchfield says will, but its easy to see from drivers seat and easy to use. If order one from Crutchfield and you still have the factory harness you'll want to order the Metra-70-1677-1-Receiver-Wiring-Harness, Item # 264MASTER Vehicle specific instruction sheet and may want Metra 87-99-3052 Dash Kit (I did not need this).

I really wanted to put a single din big screen in the 86. Thought it would be cool (dash came pre - hacked from someone in the past with a pet Wolverine and a dull hacksaw…). But truck doesn’t get used much and cost became the determining factor.

 

[Hilllbilly]

I currently dont have a radio/cd/cassette/whatever inn my truck

I was going to get a old classic style reproductions with the knobs on each side since my truck still has the sheet metal for knobs intact . But I think those knob retro /classic style stereos are cheapo, way over priced $$$ gimmicks and probably sound like a cheap 1950's hand held transistor radio

New modern car stereos have all this over complex, digital, tiny push button that you cant see while driving, That You never can figure out how to program or you forgot everytime you want to change something

Im still not sure what a blue tooth is? Is that a head phone plug?
.

 

[Grit dog]

I currently dont have a radio/cd/cassette/whatever inn my truck

I was going to get a old classic style reproductions with the knobs on each side since my truck still has the sheet metal for knobs intact . But I think those knob retro /classic style stereos are cheapo, way over priced $$$ gimmicks and probably sound like a cheap 1950's hand held transistor radio

New modern car stereos have all this over complex, digital, tiny push button that you cant see while driving, That You never can figure out how to program or you forgot everytime you want to change something

Im still not sure what a blue tooth is? Is that a head phone plug?
.

It’s ok to not want to spend the $ for a good retro head unit. But the good ones are about exactly opposite of your assessment aside from costing more $ compared to a quality $99 single din head unit that does the same thing. No frills, basic operation with substantial capacity to build a system off of. (IE multiple both low and high level pre-amp outputs)
You’re paying more because they only sell maybe 1 to every 100 or 1000s of other newer popular aftermarket head units.
Furthermore, I’ve never seen an aftermarket car stereo that sounded GOOD out of the box using only the internal amplifier. If they did, they would not all come with the ability to use external amplifiers and that industry for good speakers and amps would be exponentially smaller.
Also most of the time the 50s handheld transistor quality sound is the speakers. Cheap and/or old speakers usually sound like garbage at any more than low volume levels.

 

[Sad Sack]

I currently dont have a radio/cd/cassette/whatever inn my truck

I was going to get a old classic style reproductions with the knobs on each side since my truck still has the sheet metal for knobs intact . But I think those knob retro /classic style stereos are cheapo, way over priced $$$ gimmicks and probably sound like a cheap 1950's hand held transistor radio

New modern car stereos have all this over complex, digital, tiny push button that you cant see while driving, That You never can figure out how to program or you forgot everytime you want to change something

Im still not sure what a blue tooth is? Is that a head phone plug?
.

That's what a redneck with one tooth gets when eating blueberry pie.

 

[Grit dog]

There’s also a couple basic marine Bluetooth receivers that have great flexibility for pre amp outputs that are small enough to fit in place of the ashtray and still close it.
Kicker and or Rockford Fosgate iirc.
Probably going that route when I build a system for the 77 and make it totally invisible. Leaving the original am radio in place and functional.