Subtle head units (Nakamichi) - talk to me

[Goldie 2]

Im looking at getting a new head unit before ultimate dubs and want something that is subtle and very good quality. The budget isnt enormous and wouldnt rule out a second hand / foreign ebay purchase..

 

These nakamichis are the look im after really so does anyone have one and whats its like, where from, how much, anyone got one they dont want, any possible alternatives?? Budget is 200 max, i know the nakamichis are dearer than that new....

[bristolbaron 10]

http://www.edition38.com/forums/index.p ... pic=126210

[mrbeige 0]

What about a Becker? Very nice sounding head units and the tuners are superb.

[junkie 0]

Very good headunits the Nak's are but make sure you get the CD400 not the CD500 i think it is, as they had problems, the 1 you need lights up green and amber the 1 you dont need is the 1 that lights up blue, very factory looking, a perfect match to the trim in the car and with 24 bit player sounds awesome.

 

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[KIPVW 0]

What about a Becker? Very nice sounding head units and the tuners are superb.

 

Indeed they are, Jude has just had one of the becker units fitted to her new storm and it looks superb with the Corrado dash very period looking and the sound is awsome too :)

[Goldie 2]

Which becker model are we talking about here, ive seen the Mexico one that looks like a 1950s job and is about a grand!!

 

Junkie, is your CD400 capable of playing MP3 CDs as that is what id really like it to do??

[junkie 0]

I'm not sure to be honest, i sure it does but dont hold me to that, i have a CD that are mp3's that wont play but i also have CD's recorded in mp3 format that do play, i'm guessing its to do with the disc used though as the 1 that won't is a DVD disc and the others are CDr's.

 

Iy you look on Nakamichi website you can see the different 1's they do and you will see the Nak 500 that you should avoid even though it says it does mp3.

 

Source Sounds & Security who i use sent a few back for repairs but i cant remember what for now and they really took the p**s, Source have since stopped using them for that reason but told me that its only the 500 thats dodgy and the others namely in my case the 400 is still ok.

 

They even do/did a 6 in dash CD single DIN unit.

[mrbeige 0]

Something like the Grand Prix??

[The_Dude 0]

Junkie, that headunit looks sweet! So cool and retro. 8) If I was looking to replace my beloved Alpine, this would probably be it, but I'm not going to, it may be old, but its a 60 watt beast with excellent sound quality.

 

What the hell does a 24-bit player do different then?

[Goldie 2]

The CD300 definitely does MP3s, looks like the CD400 doesnt.. May be the one i go for as it really doesnt look much different, ill have to compare the stats and see whats what, got to admit im not an ICE expert at all..

 

Stu, i cant get the link to the becker to work, ill have a look on google and see if i can find that model...

[junkie 0]

Junkie, What the hell does a 24-bit player do different then?

 

24 bit digital to analogue converters - The result audible superior musical reproduction. :lol:

[Guest]

Something like the Grand Prix??

 

That's what I've got. It does look very retro/factory. I got it in green. It was a 'bit' more than your budget though Goldie.

[Goldie 2]

Something like the Grand Prix??

 

That's what I've got. It does look very retro/factory. I got it in green. It was a 'bit' more than your budget though Goldie.

 

I can imagine it was.. Im trying to be sensible, tbh i dont want to spend a bomb on music stuff, there are other areas of the car which need the money..

[The_Dude 0]

 

I can imagine it was.. Im trying to be sensible, tbh i dont want to spend a bomb on music stuff, there are other areas of the car which need the money..

 

I've got a stock tapedeck.....

[Goldie 2]

 

I can imagine it was.. Im trying to be sensible, tbh i dont want to spend a bomb on music stuff, there are other areas of the car which need the money..

 

I've got a stock tapedeck.....

 

The one ive got is a cracker but its silver and doesnt look right.. I dont even think i own a tape..

[junkie 0]

[

I've got a stock tapedeck.....

 

Get it on ED38 it will fetch at least £100 :lol:

[Jim Bowen 1]

i have a nakamichi too, best sounding headunit i've had and its lasted about 6yrs with no problems.

 

only got a single slot in CD one, but was around £300 back in the day which was a lot for what it did

 

they look good too, suit the rado, i personnly don't like alot of headunits these days, especially with fake silver bits, lights like a xmas tree, silly animations they just look tacky

[Jim Bowen 1]

can just see it here...might need to squint :lol:

 

[vwdeviant 0]

As above, I'd like to replace the Old faithful Sony Tape/10-disc combo in mine as it' developed an intermittant (actually on most bumps) wiring fault cutting the fronts in and out!

 

Don't really like the idea of a single disc unit as I vary my music to the drive and don't really like having CD's rattling about in the glove-box.

 

So any suggestions for a decent, low-key, 10-disc changer system with a good Radio reciever too, as I tend to listen to the radio first thing in the morning, and it either the headunit going away or the BBC's signal strengths getting weaker..

 

I DON'T need dolphins/ sliver/bling.. but would like green and red, or orange illumination like my Sony does.

[Jim Bowen 1]

thats the only thing i don't like with mine, i can't change the colour of the lights, they just orange/amber and thats its

 

so doesn't suit the rest of the dash

 

have been thinking of getting something newer anyway, i quite like the idea of being able to play all my songs on itunes through it. but i don't have an ipod?

[coolrado 0]

keep the stock tape deck but modify the internals a bit and fit an ipod dock inside it, so you can just slot the ipod directly into the tape slot 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

If you get a Nakamich CD400 or 500, check to see if any improvements on CD skipping have been made. If you get a second hand one, it'll be an older model. They had a terrible reputation for it.

 

Look also at some top flight Alpines because don't forget, Alpine is the sister company of Nakamichi. Same genes.

 

Beckers....hmmm. Not bad. No where near as good as they used to be.

 

The Pioneer P90 combo and Clarion DRZ are the best head units I've heard in the past couple of years.

 

The old school Alpines are good too (non phantom face ones).

 

These are all SQ headunits and completely pointless if just running stock VW speakers with it's internal amps (where fitted).

[vwdeviant 0]

keep the stock tape deck but modify the internals a bit and fit an ipod dock inside it, so you can just slot the ipod directly into the tape slot 8)

 

And just how do you control the I-pod? I can't believe no-ones come up with a proper in-car I-pod interface yet!

 

So no-one suggest a decent quality Changer then? I see Naka do them but can't seem to see what I need to control them as none of the head units appear to have changer controls listed on teh couple sites I've looked at.

[coolrado 0]

keep the stock tape deck but modify the internals a bit and fit an ipod dock inside it, so you can just slot the ipod directly into the tape slot 8)

 

And just how do you control the I-pod?

with the remote control that came with the dock that you would need to hack up to fit inside the stereo, or use one of the control pads with the lcd display that show all the track info on them.

Alpine are meant to be developing a headunit with an ipod slot built into it.

[junkie 0]

I have had my Nak CD 400 for 4 years and they must have made improvements to the early 1's as it has a design that keeps the cd more stable, bear in mind i'm on coilovers, poly bushes etc and it does skip but quite rarely after 4 years use and abuse and not a single fault.

 

Dont buy something where all the money has been spent of christmas tree lights.

 

The display on mine does change to green or amber or a mixture of the 2, 2 different ways, looks cool in my eyes but most people frown upon it and get the comments that i should get something better and updated, little do they know eh :D

 

Cost me £500 back then.