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Reasonable Custom Audio Installation

4K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  Dozer42 
#1 ·
With the acquisition of my non-nav Blue Bomber II; I would like to have the head-unit replaced. I have searched and found some you tube videos and pictures. It appears this will have to be a custom job. Anyone have a recommendation on a good quality custom shop that won't try to take advantage of me because I own a Lexus. (Cheapest Lexus they make keep this in mind!).

I travel all over California for work so I'm not really limited on location. I am in the bay-area more often than not however.

Also, are their any head-units that will use the steering controls for blue-tooth?

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Hey, before you do the head unit come take a listen to my system in the SF Bay Area. It's 'just' premium augmented with a JL Audio 10w6 and Arc Audio 500.1, but it's simply wicked good.

I'm hooking up with another CT200h forum member today so he can take a listen and see if it satisfies his ears with his music. Hopefully he'll echo the same thing.

I've used Audio Images in Burlingame for decades on many installs. Just call them up, tell them you know me, and they'll tell you how it went when they did my 2011 Starfire Pearl.

Mine was pretty heavily torn apart, as I fully removed the rear seats and installed an armored cargo box for the computer parts I use for my business. =]
 
#4 ·
Doze~

What was the price you paid?

I want the head-unit for nav; I miss my nav. I know I have it on my phone, but... yeah....
 
#5 ·
Well, I did a whole ton of work, not just a sub and amp. I think I paid around $3000 or so? The amp and sub/enclosure you can probably do for $500 easily.

It's a work vehicle, and I carry an entire computer store in the car, so they ripped out the rear seats, spare tyre, installed an armored cargo box linked to the alarm, the subwoofer, a sliding tray system in the rear of the vehicle, etc, etc. Pretty extensive project.

I had planned to drop in the Zapco 7 channel amp, CDT Audio 3-ways, etc, but it just wasn't necessary.
 
#7 ·
I've got some pics, but really need better ones.

To be honest, with regards to the speakers, it just looks like any other CT200h w/premium audio (because that hasn't changed).

The subwoofer is right behind the driver's seat, which isn't a location any 'normal human' might pick, but I was able to as the rear seats were removed.

I'll get some better pictures someday soon, just picked up a new Speedlite flash to go with the Canon 5D Mark II (the 5D doesn't have a built in flash like the old 50D).

Just haven't had time to do it, as we're buying a house.
 
#8 ·
Doze~

Saw your reply in the other custom thread and I am truly humbled by your knowledge. You and I also seem to be on the same wavelength regarding price:quality. A proper amp and sub will give me the same quality as some of these guys who spend 2-3gs for 500 bucks. I'm down for that.

My question is this; knowing your not excited about changing the head unit, if you were going to; what would you go with?

Regards,
 
#9 ·
I am but an egg.

But I think midcow was right in many respects, a full, custom high-end system in general will be better than a 'stock' mid-end system even when augmented.

The thing is, we need to quantify how much each additional change makes, not just assume based on 'knowledge'. (What we think we know, but haven't tested).

It would be nice if we could go all Mythbusters on this, start with the stock premium system, add the sub/amp, and quantify it somehow.

I don't trust IASCA scoring so much, or 'flat' curves across the board, that really doesn't sound 'best' to me. It feels cold. I bet it's something like the folks who listened to records said when the CD revolution came about.

Sure, CD is more accurate that vinyl/analog, but they claim something was lost. Ditto with tube amps to mosfet/transistor/digital. Tube amps were 'warmer', their 'imperfections' were engrained in the mental recordings 'everyone' had in their heads.

I don't know how to quantify it except for with each individual's own ears, with their own music (the music they know and love).

I'll talk to Adam and Jamie again this weekend, they'll be at Maker Fair. (As an aside, we do the IT support for the entire San Mateo County Event Center, did the Enterprise grade WiFi over the entire 48 acre property, and we're the IT support behind the IT at Maker Fair every year. Ask Ralf Muehlen and Louise Glasgow).

I'd love to have them do this as an episode, but I'm pretty sure they still have a queue of 1000 great ideas. I'll let them use my car as the test bed, and I already have the Zapco 7-channel amp and CDT Audio 3-ways, pretty epic amp and speakers we haven't bothered to drop in yet.

My Audio guys were 'unsure' as to how clean the output was from the stock head unit. In other vehicles similar to this, they had a heck of a time getting a clean signal (even with the JL Audio CleanSweep). They're under the impression that ML has applied equalization at the head unit level, and in the amps, that makes replacing 'just' the speakers and amps problematic. They also leaned towards replacing the head unit, and I just wasn't ready to do that. I do like the steering wheel integration, bluetooth, the nav system is workable with downloads from Lexus, real-time traffic info, etc. I just didn't want to give all that away.

That being said, if midcow has replaced the speakers, amps, pretty much everything in the system except the head unit, then I think we have a valid path to move 'forward'.

So I can't give you a good answer or direction on a replacement head unit, I just haven't done the research and haven't listened to it even with my own ears, much less yours.

Let's find a way to build up a system, step by step, with an accurate way to gauge 'sound quality' that will apply to 'real world' CT200h owners. The MythBusters guys are really the best at this to be honest. I don't have the time, experience, or expertise to pull something like this off.
 
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