My Bose HU finally stopped playing CDs all together. I ordered a cheap Aiwa HU from crutchfield because it has a front AUX input. The idea was to be able to easly connect a MP3 player.

The install wasn't too bad (except for drilling the mounting screws out). Crutchfield supplied a Scosche wiring harness and an OEA-4 amp interface for adjusting gain to the OEM Bose amp.

Other than the fit kit looking like ****, here is the problem. The system sounds very muddy with this new head unit. The lows are somewaht distorted and the mid - high is just not very clear. The Bose HU just seemed to sound better.

Could this be just a case of a crappy Aiwa ($99) HU? or could it be the Scosche interface affecting the sound?

The Aiwa has a S/N ration of over 100db for what that is worth. I'm certainly not affraid to send this HU back and move up.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Return everything...shoulda posted up for advice before you bought it all, we coulda told you not to get aiwa. Save up and get a better radio and aftermarket speakers, youll get a world of difference

 

So what is the going advice on a HU under $175 that can take an AUX input from an IPod. Replacing speakers may be jsut a bit too much work for me now, but suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for any replies

 

anything but sony or alpine, but I'd reccomend Kenwood...Alpine has integrated ipod controls in some models if you spend extra money on an external unit, but their new headunits sound like garbage. I have an mp3 player plugged into the aux input of the kenwood in my truck and it sounds great, although its a LOT more quiet than the radio/tape/CD whatever else it happens to have. You have to get a $20 adaptor with the kenwood that plugs into the CD changer port, and I'd suggest you get a nice high quality THX certified 2x rca to 1/8" mini jack instead of a radioshack special. Monster makes the ipod cable for $19 or $29 depending on where you get it, or you can get an equally high quality or possibly higher quality THX certified cable from monster that just doesn't look as nice as the ipod cable for $14.99 from amazon.com

Eclipse is nice, but overpriced and I dunno much about em, so I really can't recomend them...

 

id go with pioneer, probably the 4700 model or around there. plus most new pioneers can have integrated ipod controls too.