What Are My Options?

[imported_mntdewred]

I have a Pioneer Premier DEH-P740MP deck accompanied with a Pioneer XM Satellite Receiver and Pioneer XM Satellite Antenna. I want to upgrade the deck because I've had this deck for over 2 years, and it takes forever to load MP3's off a cd. That is basically the only problem with the deck. Otherwise, it is a very fine machine

But since I have all Pioneer XM gear in the car, does this mean that limits my choice of decks to only Pioneer? I went to Best Buy today to browse the car audio section, and the best Pioneer deck they have looks quite similar to the one I already have; in other words, I don't want it.

I'd prefer not to have to purchase all new XM equipment again, but if that is what needs to be done, I suppose eBay will be in my near future.

Thanks

P.S. If you can give a fair and biased opinion on a new deck, feel free. It must be XM ready, and play MP3 cds that also loads MP3 songs as quick as regular, store bought music cds. TIA

[Doughboy]

My sony Xplod deck is XMready and 52x4.. not bad and it goes for around $170

[imported_mntdewred]

Originally posted by Doughboy@Jan 13 2005, 08:06 PM
My sony Xplod deck is XMready and 52x4.. not bad and it goes for around $170

But will it accept my Pioneer XM gear that is already in my car?

[98ex2286]

idk if the sony would be compatible with the pioneer xm satilite radio reciver..... maybe but idk..... i say stick with pioneer they have good stuff for a good price. go on there site pick what u like then try n find it. thats the best thing i think u would be able to do

[Doughboy]

Originally posted by mntdewred+Jan 13 2005, 06:27 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mntdewred @ Jan 13 2005, 06:27 PM)</div>

But will it accept my Pioneer XM gear that is already in my car?[/b]

That Idk either, you would have to go to a proffesional for. You know what, PM Toyzbus and ask him. He is a car audio guy bigtime.

[imported_mntdewred]

Originally posted by Doughboy+Jan 14 2005, 06:38 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Doughboy @ Jan 14 2005, 06:38 PM)</div>

That Idk either, you would have to go to a proffesional for. You know what, PM Toyzbus and ask him. He is a car audio guy bigtime.[/b]

Yea, I've been waiting for him or Buck to chime in. I may go PM soon. Thanks

[imported_Lacuna]

If the XM receiver plugs directly into the deck with a wire harness, than your stuck either buying another Pioneer, or buying new a new XM receiver and deck.

[Buck]

Well you may have to stick with Pioneer in this case. I know that XM has gone away from having companies like Pioneer and Alpine make their own XM boxes. You may look into seeing if there are any companies that make a converter that would like you have a different XM box and head deck. But I don't know if those are out there anymore. I know there was a one point a company(I think is was Blitz-Safe) that made this types of converters.

Other then that I if we weren't wanting to stay with Pioneer you may just try to sale both your piece and start over. The first company I'd tell you to go with is Alpine. They have always made great deck and out of the 10 or so different head units I've had in my life 5 have been Alpines, with the only reason I got new ones where because they were stolen out of my car. I just got a new Alpine unit (CDA-9835) that I'm going to install in my car tomorrow I'll post how it works with MP3s and want not tomorrow night.

And please if you do stick with Pioneer don't buy it from Best Buy, find a good Pioneer dealer in your area and get it from them. You also might talk with them about using a different unit with your Pioneer box, because I know that no one at Best Buy will know the answer to that.

[imported_mntdewred]

Why do you say not to buy a new Pioneer deck at Best Buy? That peaked my curiousity...

[Buck]

Well for the most part Best Buy salesman aren't trained on anything...what they are telling you most of the time is what they read in a Car Audio Mag. So it's the same info that you could get. Their installers are the same way, they maybe hooked up a couple of their friends stereos thought they we good enough and wanted to get a job doing it...so the went to work at Best Buy. Any Car Audio guy thats worked in a town with a Best Buy has 3 or 4 stories about something their salesman or installers said or did and how they had to fix it.

Also most companies dump the products that they won't sell at higher end shops on best buy. Thats the only reason Best Buy got Rockford. See when Rockford builds and amp they test it to make sure that it meet standards they have set for that line of amps. If it don't then they used to tear the amps apart and rebuild them. Well a number of years ago they wised up, took all the amps that didn't pass their standards test put a different model number on them and started selling them to Best Buy. So way the Rockford amps that you can buy there look the same, cost the same in terms of quality form the factory its a big gap.

Thats kinda the Clif Notes version...Look at it like this...I love Best Buy I buy all of my DVD, CD, Playstation Game, Some computer software and parts there. But thats it, when it comes to any audio/video stuff I'm heading to a local shop to get it...even if I have to pay a little more I know I'm getting it back in quality