Water Rabbit

Here's a general question to the folks who have replaced their head units in the past, or who replace other peoples head units for a living?

Do you find that when you have replaced the factory, stock head unit with something fancy, like a high-end, Eclipse or Alpine unit, that although the quality of sound for CD playback increases dramatically, at the same time you lose a lot of radio clarity do to poorer reception and additional static.

Is there any way to correct this problem?

haha98

Nope my radio reception is fine...actually it's better than before...Try buying a new antenna if you have a reception problem...

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1996 2.5 TL Dark Green
HKS Powerflow, HKS Fuel Pressure Regulator, Sebring Exhaust, Jacobs Pro Street, Apex-i AFC, Jet ECU, PIAA 1100x, Clarion 9255, Tube Driver Amps, Boston Pro 10's (2) , CD Technologies 6-4-2, Clarion 6.4 TV's (3), Cliford Avant Guard 4, Trunk, Underdash and Underbody Neons
No nav yet but soon!!!

Water Rabbit

I take it you live in the sticks instead of a concrete jungle. . .

In the big city, the higher end tuners make clear stations sound better of course, but they have a harder time playing back less powerful stations and souding as good as the cheap, stock tuners.

Change the window antenna?

haha98

Sorry guy but i do live in the city...And my radio does work even in parking garages...I do have a Clarion 9255...think 20 bit burbrows...Clarions top dog deck and everything comes in nicely...

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1996 2.5 TL Dark Green
HKS Powerflow, HKS Fuel Pressure Regulator, Sebring Exhaust, Jacobs Pro Street, Apex-i AFC, Jet ECU, PIAA 1100x, Clarion 9255, Tube Driver Amps, Boston Pro 10's (2) , CD Technologies 6-4-2, Clarion 6.4 TV's (3), Cliford Avant Guard 4, Trunk, Underdash and Underbody Neons
No nav yet but soon!!!

Guest

It depends a lot on the head unit. If you LOVE FM then an Eclipse would not be a great choice (just as an example) whereas the pioneer or blaupunkt would do great. Shop wisely. Even in a middle of the road aftermarket deck without as strong reception, your sound quality (think frequency response) will increase. Clarion's 9255 is an awesome sounding CD player, but Burr/Brown is a type of D/A converter, not anything to do with the tuner. Ha probably just used that as an example of the deck's quality, but just wanted to eliminate confusion before you go to a store and request a deck with Burr/Brown tuner.

Guest

I also have a Clarion 9255 and my AM reception is horrible. I can't listen to my sport talk shows anymore. FM is ok though.

Water Rabbit

Good example! My old head unit was a Eclipse and definitely suffered in comparison to the FM reception on the stock Integra HU, a Pioneer I believe.

Does your critique of the Eclipse's bad FM reception also apply to there newer, high end units that run 8 volts and come with the "STARTUNER V?"

Water Rabbit

Also, thanks to HaiKen and HaHa98 for your impressions of the Clarion 9255. I'll be checking it out...

Guest

Yes, my opinion remains unchanged. Awesome CD section, limitted tuner. A lot of the newer cars have diversity antennas and tuners. None of the major aftermarket companies offer this feature. Strangely, the Toyota factory decks that are made by Fujitsu Ten (Eclipse) have diversity tuners, but NO Eclipse decks do. Alpine isn't any better. Philips had an awesome tuner in their decks, but the rest of the deck left a lot to be desired. Always trade offs. Figure out what is important to you and go from there. I personally never listen to the radio, so I love my Eclipse. 8volts, 5volts, 4volts, has no bearing on tuner strength or signal reception.

Water Rabbit

Thanks for the straightforward answer. Is there any head unit you could recommend that approaches the Eclipse's CD playback, that has a better Tuner?

Does the term "diversity antenna" refer to vehicles that have a conventional telescoping antenna, as well as one in one of the windshields, and which switches between the two depending on what's best?

Do you have an opinion about whether a head unit like the Eclipse 55040 could have its tuner quality be improved by installing an aftermarket, telescoping antennna (on a 2001 CL-S) and forgoing the stock, rear window antenna altogether?

CRAZEDLUNI

Do you have an opinion about whether a head unit like the Eclipse 55040 could have its tuner quality be improved by installing an aftermarket, telescoping antennna (on a 2001 CL-S) and forgoing the stock, rear window antenna altogether?

[/B][/QUOTE]

I've owned a Eclipse 5303 and had no problems with tuner. I just recently got a 55060 which is basicly the same model your asking about but with a copper chassis and audio phile components.
Either one of these units is going to out perform the stock deck using the stock antenna. I don't worry too much about reception. Out of all the decks I've owned (pioneer, Alpine, Eclipse, Rockford) I really havent noticed the difference in the tuners.

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Sundance Gold non navi
Eclipse 55060
5962
(2) 88120TIDVC
Xtant 1001dx
604x
Diamond 6.25 Hex series
Audio


The Finest Automobile This side Of The Internet!!!

Guest

The 060 is an awesome deck, of course so was the 03. I share your position, in that I don't worry too much about radio reception. I wouldn't sacrifice a hole in my car for the minimal increase in reception, but then again, reception is not a major concern to me.

MToker

I wouldn't get a aftermarket deck for increase reception. But overall I'm about 100 times happier with my Pioneer Premier 920r.


My .02

J

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2000 Laguana Green / NAVI, 2 x JL12W6s, Pioneer Premier P920R, MB Quarts Coaxial, PPI 2600.2 and 4400.2 , Pioneer 620 6Disc
My Acura

Guest

In short, a diversity tuner receives two antennas (first prodominantly used by Nissan and adopted by VW, Toyota, and others). The diversity tuner takes in both signals, compares the two, and all info that is the same on both signals (a radio station) gets playes. Anything present on one antenna but not on the other is assumed to be static/noise and is not passed on to the amp/speaker. Basic explanation, but you get the idea. The biggest problem that you will encounter lies in the fact that 'purist' (those who espouse precise sound quality above all else) look down and radio signals. So any deck that you would consider as one of the top CD players (top meaning sound) probably will be shy on the tuner section. Pioneer, as an example, designs radios for the masses; meaning good CD section and strong tuner. Good CD, not great. The other design problem lies in the heart of the manufacturing base, the far east. Where radio is not as great a part of everyday life as it is here in the states. Sad (maybe not) but certainly true. These cultural differences (nobody jump the gun as this is only a generalizitation backed by decades of fact) explain why Japanese designed amplifiers usually provided solid sound quality but lack any signifigant power. Back to tuners, mast antennas work better than rear window antennas, but not several hundred times better. Take it for what its worth. And good luck shopping.

Water Rabbit

Thanks for the expanded answer on the mast vs. rear window antenna.

I don't want to try your patience or pin you down on something that nobody could say for certain, but I'm still intrigued by the idea of adding a mast. I wasn't expecting reception to be several hundred times better; if it were twice as good it might be worth doing. Maybe there is no understandable way to quantify the improvement, or maybe it's not possible to even speculate without testing, with all the specific components involved.

I guess I'm asking for a more narrow opinion about what sort of improvement one might expect by substituting the mast antenna (leaving aside for a moment the question of whether its worth poking a hole in your body work).

Thanks!

Guest

A mast that rises above the roof line will increase reception about 30 to 40%. A mast that meets the roof line will only increase reception maybe 5 to 10%. If that much. Sorry that I can not get more specific, but that will at least give you a ballpark range.

Water Rabbit

[QUOTE]Originally posted by audiophiletl:
A mast that rises above the roof line will increase reception about 30 to 40%. A mast that meets the roof line will only increase reception maybe 5 to 10%. If that much. Sorry that I can not get more specific, but that will at least give you a ballpark range. [/QUOTE

Thanks - that makes sense.

Now that the 55040 is installed, I find that the reception is not nearly as bad as my last Eclipse, AM and FM are both acceptable, I think, so I'm going to live with the existing antenna setup for awhile, before doing major surgery. If I do do it though, I'll look for the tallest telescoping mast I can find. Would you have recommendations or warnings about any particular brands?

padway

well if the consensus is that good cd quality sometimes is accompanied by poor FM and/or AM reception for reasons X, Y, and Z... the source of bad reception is indeed the head unit.

I've read various posts on sounddomain citing that stock head units tend to have much better reception than aftermarkets. I'm seeing that trend here as well.

I guess the solution here is to find a head unit with good FM.

What would you say about a Sony head unit that has poor reception (on some stations only) but when you pull the radio out of the dash (not specifically on a TL), while still powered and the reception returns to normal?