aftermartek audio w/factory

[Kamakazecam]

so I was thinking about getting a system for my 03 wrx.

I was thinking of just getting a Kicker CVR8 which is 200RMS along with a Kicker DX100.2 or 300.2 Amp, My question is would they do well with the factory double DIN or vise versa or should I get an aftermarket head unit?

Also how would those affect the charging system of the car? would I have to run a bigger alternator??I'm not very familiar in the electrical department!

[06scoobyrex]

You'll get a hell of a lot better sound with an aftermarket hu... you'd be fine with that set up with the alternator... I'm running a 1600 watt amp and 2 10's and I don't have any problems (except excessive rattling)...lol

[Kamakazecam]

haha ok, I really don't want to get rid of the factory stereo but if I decide to then I might get the Jensen VM9512


http://mobile.jensen.com/mobilemultimedia/?sku=VM9512

I like it because its a single DIN and you can hide the screen away!!!

You'll get a hell of a lot better sound with an aftermarket hu... you'd be fine with that set up with the alternator... I'm running a 1600 watt amp and 2 10's and I don't have any problems (except excessive rattling)...lol

[MainFrame]

HU is the first thing to upgrade if you care about sound quality. I don't know about Jensen stuff as of late, or anything about that model. But I remember Jensen was cheapo crap back in the 90s. It was like buying a Wal-Mart brand stereo.



I would personally recommend Pioneer, or Alpine, but that's up to you.

[Kamakazecam]

I was doing some stumbling and came across audio Brand website. It is basically a list of a whole lot of audio brands and how they compare in quality with each other. I'm going to copy and paste it so you don't have to go to a link.
so here it is......but if there is something wrong with it then please post a correction or your opinion





Horrible brands - avoid these brands at all cost, there a total waste of money.


Entry level brands - good for the first time car audio enthusiast, you get a great sound for a cheap price.


High quality brands - these are more expensive that entry level, but not ridiculously expensive, since you get excellent sound that will be louder/cleaner that entry level brands.


Competition brands - these brands are the mother of all brands, prices are very expensive but if you can afford it these are the brands that win sound competitions at car shows.


HU = Head Units
A = Amps
SW = Subs
Sp = Mids/Highs
M = Multimedia
All = Entire Line




Stay Away

American Pro (All)
Audiobank (All)
Blackmore Mobile Electronics (All)
Blitz (All)
DHD (All)
Diesel Audio (All)
Kenford (All)
Kole Audio (All)
Legacy (All)
Majestic (All)
Performance Teknique (All)
Phase Linear (All)
Pyle (All)
Pyramid (All)
Rockwood (All)
Sherwood (All)
SPL (all)
Solid Audio (All)
Sound Storm (All)
Street Edge (All)
Ultra Linear (All)
XFile Audio (All)




Entry Level

Alphasonik (All)
Alto Mobile USA (All)
Alumapro (All)
Ample Audio (All)
Audiobahn (All)
Audiopipe (All)
Audiovox (All)
Autotek "SS Series" (All)
Bazooka (All)
Blaupunkt (All)
Boss (All)
Bostwick (All)
Cadence ("All" tough decision just shy of high quality)
Cerwin Vega ("All" except Strokers which go in Comp')
Clarion (A, SW, Sp)
Clif Designs (All)
Concept (All)
Coustic (All)
Crossfire "P Series" (SW)
Crunch (All)
Cutting Edge Audio (All)
DB Drive (All)
Diablo Audio (All)
Digital Audio (All)
Dual (All)
Dub Mag Audio (All)
Elevation Audio ("All" except EX Series (SW) which go in Comp)
Emerson (All)
Harrison Labs (All)
Hifonics "Zues Series and lower" (All)
Hollywood Sound Intl. Corp (All)
Infinity (All)
Interfire (All)
JBL ("All" except ??? Series which go in Comp')
Jensen (All)
JVC (All)
Kenwood ("All" except Excelon series which go in HQ)
Kicker "Comp/Comp VR" (SW) "RS Series and under" (Sp)
Kove Audio (All)
Lanzar ("All' except Opti Drive series which go in HQ)
Lightning Audio (All)
MA Audio ("All" except larger/upper model HK Series amps which go in HQ)
Matrxx Audio (All)
MB Quart (SW)
Memphis "PR Series" (All)
MTX ("All" except 9500 Series (SW) which go in HQ)
Niche Audio (All)
Phoenix Gold (SW)
Pioneer (SW,Sp,A)
Planet Audio (All)
Polk Audio (All)
Power Acoustik (All)
Powerbase (All)
Profile (All)
Rockford Fosgate ("All" except Power Series which go in HQ)
Sanyo (All)
Scosche (All)
Sony (All)
SoundStream (All)
Swiss Audio (All)
US Acoustics (All)
Visonik (All)
Xsite (All)





High Quality

A/D/S/ (All)
Adire Audio (All)
Alpine (All)
American Bass (All)
Ascendant Audio (All)
AudioControl (All)
Audison (All)
Avionixx (All)
Boston Acoustics (All)
Brax (All)
CDT Audio (All)
Clarion (HU, M)
Critical Mass (All)
Crossfire "W Series" (SW) "VR Series" (A)
Crystal (All)
Diamond Audio (All)
Directed (All)
DLS (All)
Dynaudio (All)
Earthquake (All)
Elemental Designs (All)
Eclipse (All)
Focal (All)
Fusion (All)
Genesis (All)
Helix (All)
Hifonics "Brutus Series" (All)
Image Dynamics (All)
Incriminator Audio (All)
JL Audio ("All" except lower W series (SW) which go in Entry)
Kenwood "Excelon series" (All)
Kicker "KX/SX Series" (A) "L5/L7" (SW) "SS Series" (Sp)
Lanzar "Opti Drive" (A)
MA Audio "HK2000/HK4000" (A)
Massive Audio (All)
MB Quart (Sp)
McIntosh (All)
Memphis (MC Series) (All)
Milbert (All)
Morel (All)
MTX "9500 Series" (SW)
Nakamichi (All)
Orion (A,SW,Sp)
OZ Audio (All)
PHD Audiophile Sound System (All)
Phase Evolution (All)
Phoenix Gold (A)
Pioneer (HU,M)
Powerbass USA (All)
Precision Power (All)
QAS (All)
RE Audio ("All" except MT Series (SW) which go in Comp)
Rockford Fosgate "Power Series" (SW,A)
Seas Lotus (All)
Sinfoni (All)
Treo Engineering (All)
TRU Technology (All)
Tube Driver Blue (All)
US Amps (All)
Xtant (All)
Zapco (All)





Competition

Alpine F1 (All)
Atomic (SW,A)
Autotek "MM Series" (All)
Cerwin Vega "Stroker" (SW)
Digital Designs (All)
Elevation Audio EX Series (SW)
Hifonics "XX Series" (All)
JBL "JBL/Crown Series" (A) "G TI Series" (SW)
Kicker "Solo X" (SW)
MMats Professional Audio (All)
MTX RFL (SW)
Pioneer TS-W5000SPL (SW)
Rainbow (All)
RE Audio "MT Series" (SW)
Team RF (SW)

[Kamakazecam]

Does anyone know of a flip up screen single DIN head unit that isn't specifically for ipod??