i've been seeing this on ebay and wondered if anyone had purchased or new if it was worthwhile or a piece of junk. it's so cheap and small i'm suspect that one could get 20 watts per channel out of something like this. appreciate any comments at all. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280834085362&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNARL:US:1123 thanks, patrick in Colorado
Hi Patrick. At least you have the advantage of being on the same continent as the seller. I am thinking of installing something similar so will let you know how I get on.
thanks for the reply. i did check the guy's feedback on ebay (99% positive) and one person described this as "the greatest car deal ever". so, who knows? and i did see that he ships overseas, if any of you over the pond are interested. again, it seems a bit too good to be true (i had something similar installed in my daily driver and it cost $200 US,) so i'll keep up my search.
I have been looking at this: http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/products/cal-rcd277dbt-caliber-rcd277dbt-dab-bluetooth-cdusbsd.html DAB + Bluetooth but I cannot find a review?
Am not an expert with this - but anything that comes out of the earphone jack on an iPod is never as good quality as those that connect to the dock underneath. The earphone jack is amplified - so if you run that signal through further amplification, the quality suffers. My only other observation is that it looks mostly plastic, so am unsure how much it would suffer from, and amplify, interference form the ignition system of the bus (admittedly its a bit further away in a bus) - its also two channel and has no power output to the iPod so you would need a charger for that. Lastly - why desire to keep the install covert and keep the original head unit (one of its stated in the ad selling points) and then buy it with those manky arsed speakers. DAB head units are the future (unsure in the US for coverage) but never the less require a separate DAB aerial and I would only consider a head unit with Bluetooth if it had the option of an external microphone as believe me shouting at the dashboard isn't a cool look!
As a comment on the Ebay product - the price is OK for a stereo amplifier chip and a few other parts in the box. As others say - it isnt an iPod dock , only an audio amplifier. We ended up with a Sony MEX-3900BT cost £140 after the paint shop left the windows out and let the rain into the previous stereo. Its not DAB but I dont really use the radio. USB on the front docks with iPod via cable shows track titles on stereo stereo controls operate iPod USB on front will play tracks from a memory stick. Bluetooth works with Nokia and Android phones including track titles for MP3 play. Play control from the stereo unit Also has front analog audio in jack for other players. And an external mic option for phone calls through Bluetooth. End up doubly deaf at end of motorway run from the engine and wind noise and Green Day on the stereo. The Sony in the bouncy bus was so good I bought another one for my other car.
It's not much use if you want to keep the original head unit, but we've got this in Hamish and from the little tinkering I've done with it, it seems very user-friendly: http://www.online-caraudio.co.uk/shop/cd-mp3-head-units/alpine/alpine-cde-9882ri-cd-mp3-head-520883.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=onlinecaraudio iPod lead runs from back of the unit into the glovebox and everything's controlled from the unit itself, with all the info from the iPod displayed on the front.
The one i have is a apple dock Then using a lead like this but a cheaper one http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC748ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0OQ The Usb lead goes into a cic socket adapter behind the dash and the the line out plugs (red/white) goes into the the line in on the headunit