Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

This friend has a semi-professional studio (he records music and sound
for video games) and he let me record in his studio. He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors. I
figure this is the best way I could pay him back, since he was nice
enough to record for free.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)? Should I
just get the stereo, or should I get the car speakers to go with it?
Anything I missed?

Thanks for the advice,
Mark

Mark wrote
This friend has a semi-professional studio (he records music and sound
for video games) and he let me record in his studio. He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors.

Wow! Recordings for trade! I bet thats how a lot of guys start. I would say
that something with a flat (as possable) responce is good. And you may want to
avoid those units with preset EQ's and X-tra Bass things that you can't turn
off. I do a lot of checking mixes on the Pioneer system in my pick-up. But I
don't limmit it to just that, you have to look at the type of music your
recording and a few other things when your mixing down.

"Mark" wrote in message
om
Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

You might get better results posting in rec.audio.car

In article writes:

Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)?

First look at his car. Does he have a 1967 Chevy pickup truck? I can't
imagine any car made in the last 20 years that doesn't have a stereo
system that's better than what you could buy for $150. Or is he really
wanting a CD player, because his present car doesn't have one?

When I bought my 1993 Lexus, the CD player was a $2,000 option (it
was bundled the sunroof or something) so I passed on it, and spent
several of the next ten years looking for a satisfactory aftermarket
CD player. The built-in sound system was so tightly integrated with
the body that no in-dash CD player would interface with it, assuming
there was a sensible place to put it (which there wasn't). I looked at
those in-the-trunk CD changers with an FM RF modulator that plays the
CD through the radio antenna, but there wasn't even a sensible place
in the cockpit to mount the remote control for the CD changer. My
final semi-solution was to use one of those adapters that looks like a
tape cassette and plays through the cassette player, using a Walkman
CD player on the passenger seat.

Ten years later I gave up and bought a new Lexus, which includes a CD
player even in the base model (which also has a sunroof and leather
upholstery).



--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

Mark wrote:
Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

This friend has a semi-professional studio (he records music and sound
for video games) and he let me record in his studio. He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors. I
figure this is the best way I could pay him back, since he was nice
enough to record for free.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)? Should I
just get the stereo, or should I get the car speakers to go with it?
Anything I missed?

Go to your local truckstop. Get some speakers with really spitty dome
tweeters.

Get a pair of car speakers, and then get one of the power amplifiers that
are used with an external head unit. You don't need to get the head unit.
Get the smallest one you can for the speakers you got.

You will also need a 12V power supply to run this, which the truckstop should
also have.

If not a truckstop, you might try a junkyard. He'll be happy with old
factory speakers, although you probably won't find a headless power amp
at the junkyard. You might, though. Junkyards are fun.

Remember that this system needs to be mounted in a location like the car.
That means speakers pointed at the sides of your knees, one speaker closer
to the listener than the other. And a mixture of very dead and very live
surfaces in a tiny closet.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Thu, 4 Dec 2003 6:35:13 -0800, Mike Rivers wrote
(in message znr1070541357k@trad):

When I bought my 1993 Lexus, the CD player was a $2,000 option (it
was bundled the sunroof or something) so I passed on it, and spent
several of the next ten years looking for a satisfactory aftermarket
CD player. The built-in sound system was so tightly integrated with
the body that no in-dash CD player would interface with it, assuming
there was a sensible place to put it (which there wasn't).
--------------------------------snip----------------------------------

I've owned four different Lexus cars over the last 13 years, and had custom
audio systems in all of them.

True, you lose the steering control remote for them (on those cars that had
that option), but there's ways around that. There are numerous remote
options that can put a small remote on the steering column, and/or on the
center console.

I do agree, though, that the way Lexus bundles options together is annoying
and stupid. The real drag is with the phone systems -- when I tried to buy a
new car last year, they told me I'd have to wait six months for them to get
the phones to work, because apparently they were having a problem with the
phones blowing up or otherwise not working.

--MFW

Hmm... Perhaps I didn't explain myself well...

I am asking this group because this car stereo is for his recording
studio. He has a set of nice Mackies in his recording studio as
monitors. He said he'd like a car stereo in the studio so that he can
get an idea of what the mix sounds like in a less than optimal setup.
He's looking to verify that the mixes sound good through the monitors
AND through a lower quality system. He mentioned that a lot of people
tend to listen to music in their cars and that's why he wants to do
the comparison - to make sure that the mix sounds okay regardless of
where it's being played.

He's not going to put this stereo in his car! :-)

I'm looking for advice as to what kinds of car stereos interface with
professional recording equipment the easiest (I doubt there are car
stereos with balanced inputs), what is the easiest way to control it
(is a remote important?), and what kind of "sound" should I look for
(bassy, neutral, bright?)? He said that this is fairly common to have
something like this... maybe it isn't?

Anyway, he let me use his recording studio and equipment for a couple
of days (not to mention his time and expertise). I figure this is the
least I can do to pay him back.

Thanks for all your help!!!

Mark


(Mike Rivers) wrote in message news:znr1070541357k@trad...
In article writes:

Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)?

First look at his car. Does he have a 1967 Chevy pickup truck? I can't
imagine any car made in the last 20 years that doesn't have a stereo
system that's better than what you could buy for $150. Or is he really
wanting a CD player, because his present car doesn't have one?

When I bought my 1993 Lexus, the CD player was a $2,000 option (it
was bundled the sunroof or something) so I passed on it, and spent
several of the next ten years looking for a satisfactory aftermarket
CD player. The built-in sound system was so tightly integrated with
the body that no in-dash CD player would interface with it, assuming
there was a sensible place to put it (which there wasn't). I looked at
those in-the-trunk CD changers with an FM RF modulator that plays the
CD through the radio antenna, but there wasn't even a sensible place
in the cockpit to mount the remote control for the CD changer. My
final semi-solution was to use one of those adapters that looks like a
tape cassette and plays through the cassette player, using a Walkman
CD player on the passenger seat.

Ten years later I gave up and bought a new Lexus, which includes a CD
player even in the base model (which also has a sunroof and leather
upholstery).

On 12/4/03 5:29 PM, Mark eloquently wrote:

He mentioned that a lot of people
tend to listen to music in their cars and that's why he wants to do
the comparison - to make sure that the mix sounds okay regardless of
where it's being played.

He's not going to put this stereo in his car! :-)

Ah, but he should. If you take the stereo out of the car, where are you
putting the speakers? On the mixer console? And how are you going to
duplicate the acoustic environment of the inside of the car? I'm not being
flip here - I really do think that if you want to hear what a mix will sound
like in a car, then you've got to take the CD out and put it in a car.
There are tons of odd spaces and reflections and all kinds of other things
going on that you simply can't duplicate in the studio.

Put it in, crank it up, and go for a drive to factor in the road noise, too.

Carlos

Mark wrote:

Hmm... Perhaps I didn't explain myself well...

I am asking this group because this car stereo is for his recording
studio. He has a set of nice Mackies in his recording studio as
monitors. He said he'd like a car stereo in the studio so that he can
get an idea of what the mix sounds like in a less than optimal setup.
He's looking to verify that the mixes sound good through the monitors
AND through a lower quality system. He mentioned that a lot of people
tend to listen to music in their cars and that's why he wants to do
the comparison - to make sure that the mix sounds okay regardless of
where it's being played.

He's not going to put this stereo in his car! :-)

I'm looking for advice as to what kinds of car stereos interface with
professional recording equipment the easiest (I doubt there are car
stereos with balanced inputs), what is the easiest way to control it
(is a remote important?), and what kind of "sound" should I look for
(bassy, neutral, bright?)? He said that this is fairly common to have
something like this... maybe it isn't?


WalMart has little carpeted boxes with a precut hole for a 6X9, and
lots of places have lots of different 6X9 speakers. The lowest
priced Pioneers are pretty representative of what comes stock
in most car stereos. They'll be 8ish ohms, should wire right up
on his speaker selector.

Adding a car stereo amp will require unbalancing balanced
connections, possibly level matching from +4 to -10 and
providing 12VDC. The speakers will be a larger fraction
of the "car stereo sound" than the amp.

This will not reproduce the full car audio experience, but it'll
work as a check mix system.

Anyway, he let me use his recording studio and equipment for a couple
of days (not to mention his time and expertise). I figure this is the
least I can do to pay him back.

Thanks for all your help!!!

Mark

(Mike Rivers) wrote in message news:znr1070541357k@trad...
In article writes:

Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)?

First look at his car. Does he have a 1967 Chevy pickup truck? I can't
imagine any car made in the last 20 years that doesn't have a stereo
system that's better than what you could buy for $150. Or is he really
wanting a CD player, because his present car doesn't have one?

When I bought my 1993 Lexus, the CD player was a $2,000 option (it
was bundled the sunroof or something) so I passed on it, and spent
several of the next ten years looking for a satisfactory aftermarket
CD player. The built-in sound system was so tightly integrated with
the body that no in-dash CD player would interface with it, assuming
there was a sensible place to put it (which there wasn't). I looked at
those in-the-trunk CD changers with an FM RF modulator that plays the
CD through the radio antenna, but there wasn't even a sensible place
in the cockpit to mount the remote control for the CD changer. My
final semi-solution was to use one of those adapters that looks like a
tape cassette and plays through the cassette player, using a Walkman
CD player on the passenger seat.

Ten years later I gave up and bought a new Lexus, which includes a CD
player even in the base model (which also has a sunroof and leather
upholstery).


--
Les Cargill

In article writes:

I've owned four different Lexus cars over the last 13 years, and had custom
audio systems in all of them.

True, you lose the steering control remote for them (on those cars that had
that option), but there's ways around that. There are numerous remote
options that can put a small remote on the steering column, and/or on the
center console.

I buy the cheapies, the LS300. No remote on the steering wheel, but
there's so little real unoccupied estate on the panel and the console
that there just wasn't room for the remote for any of the 3
trunk-mounted CD players that this one shop I went to had. We took out
all the remotes, went to the car, and tried putting them here and
there. Either they covered up something useful or they were in a
position where they couldn't be operated easily - and we're talking
about something about the size of a stick of chewing gum here, folks.




--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

In article writes:

Hmm... Perhaps I didn't explain myself well...

I am asking this group because this car stereo is for his recording
studio.

Oh. Well, the first step is to move a car into the room. It doesn't
have to run. Part of the car stereo sound is the car, unless you want
to buy one of those $65,000 Hondas like they had at the AES show,
which does sound a little bit like a good sound system in a small
living room.

He said he'd like a car stereo in the studio so that he can
get an idea of what the mix sounds like in a less than optimal setup.

This is what people used to use Auratones for. Today they usually use
a boom box, occasionally powered by a real power amplifier to get rid
of the distortion but keep the artificial acoustics.

I'm looking for advice as to what kinds of car stereos interface with
professional recording equipment the easiest

Absolutely none. Many modern car installations have the controls in
one place, the power amplifiers in a couple of other places, and of
course the speakers in all sorts of places that are neither well
designed loudspeaker enclosures nor fire at ear level. At the bare
minimum, you might pick up a pair of car doors at a junk yard and use
those as speakers.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

I say buy him a Lexus with a nice stereo and let him put the whole thing in
the studio.


"Mark" wrote in message
om...
Hmm... Perhaps I didn't explain myself well...

I am asking this group because this car stereo is for his recording
studio. He has a set of nice Mackies in his recording studio as
monitors. He said he'd like a car stereo in the studio so that he can
get an idea of what the mix sounds like in a less than optimal setup.
He's looking to verify that the mixes sound good through the monitors
AND through a lower quality system. He mentioned that a lot of people
tend to listen to music in their cars and that's why he wants to do
the comparison - to make sure that the mix sounds okay regardless of
where it's being played.

He's not going to put this stereo in his car! :-)

I'm looking for advice as to what kinds of car stereos interface with
professional recording equipment the easiest (I doubt there are car
stereos with balanced inputs), what is the easiest way to control it
(is a remote important?), and what kind of "sound" should I look for
(bassy, neutral, bright?)? He said that this is fairly common to have
something like this... maybe it isn't?

Anyway, he let me use his recording studio and equipment for a couple
of days (not to mention his time and expertise). I figure this is the
least I can do to pay him back.

Thanks for all your help!!!

Mark


(Mike Rivers) wrote in message
news:znr1070541357k@trad...
In article
writes:

Looking for suggestions or recommendations on a car stereo to buy as a
gift for a friend.

He made a
passing comment that the only thing he needs is a car stereo to get an
idea of what the mixes sound like outside the studio monitors.

So what should I look for? Obviously, it would need to have an input,
but what types work the best (for my price range ~$150)?

First look at his car. Does he have a 1967 Chevy pickup truck? I can't
imagine any car made in the last 20 years that doesn't have a stereo
system that's better than what you could buy for $150. Or is he really
wanting a CD player, because his present car doesn't have one?

When I bought my 1993 Lexus, the CD player was a $2,000 option (it
was bundled the sunroof or something) so I passed on it, and spent
several of the next ten years looking for a satisfactory aftermarket
CD player. The built-in sound system was so tightly integrated with
the body that no in-dash CD player would interface with it, assuming
there was a sensible place to put it (which there wasn't). I looked at
those in-the-trunk CD changers with an FM RF modulator that plays the
CD through the radio antenna, but there wasn't even a sensible place
in the cockpit to mount the remote control for the CD changer. My
final semi-solution was to use one of those adapters that looks like a
tape cassette and plays through the cassette player, using a Walkman
CD player on the passenger seat.

Ten years later I gave up and bought a new Lexus, which includes a CD
player even in the base model (which also has a sunroof and leather
upholstery).