My new head unit

[J-O]

just fitted my new Pioneer last night



could not imaging there will such a big difference between this and the old VW Gamma....

Now I can really enjoy my ice instal

[dub envy]

ooooooh very posh!!

What are the specs??

[J-O]

What are the specs??

here's a copy of the website:

http://www.pioneer-eur.com/eur/product_ ... _id=25-121

High Power MP3/WMA CD RDS Tuner


This versatile headunit has everything in store to impress you. To start with, it is compatible with nearly all audio CD-related formats: pre-recorded CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 and even the increasingly popular WMA format. Its Dual Faceplate design offers you a choice between basic info, when the face is up, and OEL options when it's down. It's a feast for the eyes, and operation is easier than ever before with the standard steering wheel remote. ASL ensures equal sound levels at all times, while the 3 Hi-Volt Pre-Outs guarantee an optimal performance in combination with external amplifiers.

-> Press Release


Key features DEH-P8400MP
MP3 / WMA CD playback

Mosfet 4 x 50 amplifier

Steering wheel Remote control

New Dual Faceplate design with OEL Display

Features - General DEH-P8400MP
Multi-CD Control Yes

ITS (Instant Track Selection) Yes

Disc Title Memory Yes

CD Text Yes

Digital Compression/Dynamic Bass Emphasis Yes/Yes

DAB Tuner Control Yes

Source DVD Control EXT

External unit control via IP-Bus 2

AUX-In (with optional CD-RB20) Yes

Remote control Standard

ISO Connector Yes

Display illumination OEL-Blue + LCD

Dual button illumination Yes

Rotary volume Pop-out

Front Panel Auto-flap mechanism (motorized)

Removable Front Panel Yes

Cellular telephone auto muting Yes

Speaker input for hands-free Yes

Flexible angle installation 0-60°

Voice Control with optional CD-VC60/65 Yes

Features - Tuner DEH-P8400MP
Adaptive RDS (PI, PS, AF, TP/TA) Yes

PTY (Search and Alarm) Yes

News interrupt feature Yes

Radio Text Yes

ARC FM ARC5

BSA (Best TP Station Auto Search) Yes

High speed PLL Synthesiser tuner Yes

PNS (Pulse Noise Suppressor) Yes

No. of Presets 24

BSM (Best Stations Memory) Yes

Features - CD player DEH-P8400MP
Oversampling digital filter 8 x

D/A Converter 1 Bit

Fast forward/reverse Yes/Yes

Track Search/Scan/Repeat Yes/Yes/Yes

Random Play Yes

Last position memory Yes

Disc Title Memory Yes

CD Text Yes

CD-R Playback Yes

MP3 Yes

Windows Mediaâ„¢ Audio Yes

CD-RW Playback Yes

Features - Audio / Amplifier DEH-P8400MP
Max. output power (watts) 4 x 50 MOSFET Watt

DIN output power (DIN45324, +B=14.4 V) 4 x 27 Watt

Max. preout voltage (V / Ohms) 4 / 100

User preset equaliser 2

HPF Yes

LPF Yes

EEQ Plus Yes

3-band parametric equaliser Yes

Source Equalisation Memory Yes

Selectable Loudness Yes

SFEQ (Sound Focus Equaliser) Yes

ASL (Automatic Sound Leveliser) Yes

Direct Sub Drive Yes

Spectrum analyser Yes

L/R level meter Yes

Loudness Yes

Fader Yes

RCA Preout 3 (F+R+S / W or Non Fad)

High Voltage Output Yes

Specifications - FM DEH-P8400MP
Frequency range 87,5 - 108 MHz

Usable sensitivity (75 ohms) 9 / 0.8 dBf/µV

S/N ratio 70 dB

Frequency response 30 - 15.000 Hz

Stereo separation 40 dB

Specifications - MW DEH-P8400MP
Frequency range 531 - 1.602 kHz

Usable sensitivity 18 µV

Specifications - LW DEH-P8400MP
Frequency range 153 - 281 kHz

Usable sensitivity 30 µV

Specifications - CD DEH-P8400MP
Frequency response 5 - 20.000 Hz

S/N ratio 94 dB/1 kHz

Dynamic range 92 dB/1 kHz

Specifications - General DEH-P8400MP
Chassis size (W x H x D) 180 x 50 x 157 mm

[Josh_PoloGTi]

Sweet Head Unit!

Pioneer get very good reviews.

Can you take a photo of it in your car?

[J-O]

Can you take a photo of it in your car?

yes I will...

i've put it in the bottom DIN....just need to get something to go in the upper DIN...

[Speedlaw]

could not imaging there will such a big difference between this and the old VW Gamma....

Now I can really enjoy my ice instal

Looks impressive J-O. Plays MP3/WMA too eh?

So what has improved most of all, in your opinion? Is the sound quality better, or just different? I'm not really into features and all, but it does have to sound good. I'm considering getting a Gamma so I'm pretty curious as you'd imagine.

Tia.

[J-O]

yes Mp3/WMA player


I've just listened to it this morning while going to work....my first tought:

- Sound quality much much better
- Bass quality completly improved
- A bunch of custom setting front frequency, sub on-off, Low Pass, High Pass...

I haven't done much setting but there are alot more, especially for the sub.

It has 3 RCA so you can set your bass level like you want to, without affecting it to the rest of the speakers (that's the main thing I wanted).

I think you should think of something else than Gamma. Me, I had it because it was there from the beginning and never had the chance to change it, until yesterday

[des_pd_ tdi]

Nice Head unit there, I can vouch for the massive improvement in sound quality over the Gamma as I upgraded to the Blaupunkt Woodstock DAB53, obviously the Radio reception is vastly improved because it's digital but the CD player quality is leaps and bounds above what the Gamma/CD combo can produce.

I just wished I could have afforded the Alpine or Pioneer DAB units but they would have set me back an extra 2/300 pounds over the Blaupunkt.

Before anyone upgrades their standard speakers seriously consider the head unit.

[Speedlaw]

Thanks for your views on the Gamma guys. I still love the way it looks (but that's just me) but at the same time, I feel the current Sony I have is much, much worse sound quality wise than the Clarion I used to have.



So I may end up getting something aftermarket afterall. Nakamich perhaps? That Pioneer looks well sweet though, with its big rotary knob.

[Josh_PoloGTi]

I know I'm running a little bit more than just the Head Unit, but I can confirm that my Gamma sounds MUCH better than my Sony CDX-CA900.

It goes through a 5 Band EQ/Pre Amp made by Audiobahn before reaching my amplifiers, so maybe that helps, but even when the Sony was going through the same setup, the Gamma still sounds better!

[Speedlaw]

Hmm. I know we're wandering off topic here, but perhaps our Sony's are just plain crap and Gamma's are better, but then there's radio's out there that sound even better than Gamma's.



I know for sure my Clarion sounded better than my Sony, and you know for sure that your Gamma sounds better than your Sony.

Interesting quest though!

[KarlM]

Sony are built as a budjet brand.

Pioneer, Kenwood and Alpine are the Audiophiles choice. that pioneer unit is the one i was going to get (i didnt because it didnt look right in my green lit dash).

I think if you went to one of those brands you would be impressed. Best thing to do is go to your local ice dealer and have a listen to a few.

@ JO - best thing mate is to book yourself in at an ICE specialist and get them to play with the EQ. Pioneer sound the nuts when they've been tweaked.

[Clawz]

I have a mate with one of those and a couple more with silver headunits with blue lighting, thing is to me it just looks completely out of place on a black / anthracite dashboard

It'll be interesting to see the pics

[david burton]

I'm impressed with the Alpine 9708RB I just put in which retails at 250 but you can get em for about 170. Variable sub out levels and 4x60W with an equalizer for the low ranges especially the sub. It kicks out way more bass than the sony I had and my sub sounds twice the power now. It focuses more on sound controls than fancy electronic wizardry and displays.

It's silver and blue but looks nice enough in the car. The sound more than makes up for it! Will be driving some components with it in the new year - hopefully the head unit amp will cope.

Has anybody tried / heard the rockford fosgate head units in action?[/i]

[KarlM]

yes. and they're very very loud!!!

(but they were in RFs demo vechicle!)