AHHHH dammit! Friggin' head unit took a dump!

Jstas

The display went out. It's not a bulb either. It wasn't backlit. It was full LCD. Nothing but the power light lights up anymore. It still plays just fine but I can't see what it's playing at all. Damn thing is like 7 years old too. It'll cost a fortune to fix it. Might as well just get a new head unit. I wish there was something out there that I actually liked. I wish I could afford to replace it too. I can't complain. 7 years of trouble free use. The thing that everyone told me was gonna break didn't. Hell, it still produces very nice sound, just doesn't display anything anymore.

Jstas

Crappiest part about all of it is, if I want CD Changer access, I either have to drop an extra 200 bucks on a new changer or get a Kenwood. I don't have a problem with getting a Kenwood but there isn't really anything I like that is new from them. They all have these flip out faces and stuff and I'm just paranoid that it's gonna break.

If I do go Kenwood, I'm going to end up getting Kenwood KDC-X869 and the best price I found on it was 384 from etronics.com. There were a few on eBay for 300-320 bucks but they all want 30 dollars or more for shipping and then I'm right back at the etronics.com price but without a warranty.

I just wish I didn't have to spend the money. Such is teh choice I made of replacing my old stock stereo. I knew it was gonna die sooner or later, I just wish it would have died later. Maybe eventually I'll get the old one fixed. I think I will have to! It's not even out of the truck and I miss it already! I've grown attached to it. It's been in 3 different vehicles and has been an object of lust for many people! The new MASK faces just aren't the same. They are too obvious. This one, with the blank panel was so discrete that most people thought the truck didn't come with a radio. Oh how I will miss you my little KRC-PS955!

Maybe I will build a shrine? I'll put my old KRC-302 cassette reciever next to it to keep it company! I'll give them the KAC-526 2 channel too! It'll bring back old memories for the both of them!

Geez, this is the first Kenwood piece of equipment I own that has EVER broken on me! I retired the rest to bench warming or relegated them to alternative duty in other vehicles. They have all powered Polk Audio speakers though. So they should be proud! I feel like I lost one of the family!

PoweredByDodge

u might want to take it apart before u give up on it.

when i first got the second alpine for my truck, it had the balck / green light face... i wanted teh silver / blue light face --- same deck, two faces fit it.

so i bought the 7864 silver face off ebay for 40 bucks...

it came in with the back light out...

i thought it was the bulb -- swapped it out with the one from the 7863 face... didn't work.

turned out there was a resistor surface mount in line with the main "juice" lead to the bulb controlling assembly... i had no idea of that was what it was, but it was labeled "2R2" (which i later found to be a 2.2 ohm smd resistor) and was registering as infinite resistance... so i swapped that with the one from the '63 and now it works fine.

might be something like that if u're light is just out -- play around with it for a day and i bet u can fix it... u seem good with stuff like that.

as far as a new deck.

KDCX569 -- plays mp3's as well as nromal cd's... bout 230 bucks retail... and its a "normal" faceplate that flips down to put the cd in, but it doesn't have those annoying flip down control panels.
3 sets of pre-outs probably the 1.8v kenwood standard though. worth lookin at.

sorry to hear it **** the bed on you... u should be proud though... i think the only thing i've got that is that old is the optimus 4 channel amp... and that died on me once/had to fix it.

PoweredByDodge

u shud get a new old stock one...

i dont remember the model number but it is like 2 yrs old, it was the FIRST kenwood cd deck to play MP3's as well as CD's... it was not an excelon model, but it was a special model for that year that was actually supposed to be better than the excelons and it retailed at like 900 bucks or something ridiculously high like that.

was an all silver front... i think it was like KDC-797 or KDC-977 or something like that.

i'll look on KW's site and see if i can find the manual for it.

Jstas

Well, after bitching about it, I looked at my mail and in there was a Crutchfield summer supplemental catalog. I looked to see what's doin' like I always do and there was a holy grail of sorts!

There it was, a Kenwood eXcelon KRC-X858 for 250 bucks!

Kenwood eXcelon KRC-X858



One good thing it has is the original 4.5 volt pre-amp outs. It has the KEX imaging system and not the new System Q's or System E's that the newer decks have. That means that it should have the non-fading pre-amps which is what I want. Then again, I'm going for stealth and performance, looks aren't really an issue as long as it isn't excessivly flashy and has green illumination to match the rest of the lights on the dash.

The only thing it doesn't have that my old one does is Dolby C noise reduction on the cassette player! I was like WOOHOO! It's basically the newer model of my old KRC-PS955. So I jumped on it. I'll let you follow the link to get the specs. They are pretty nice too! I also know it is a cassette player but that is what I wanted. I still have cassettes that I listen to at times and I wanted that functionality. When I get the transferred to CD, I won't need it and then I can upgrade if I feel like it. So I'm happy with it. I hope Crutchfield sends it soon!

Also, concerning the old deck. The MASK plate is stationary. It doesn't detach, it's permanently attached to the unit. I'm not too keen on taking it apart. But the problem is weird, I noticed today that when the tape eject button is pressed, the faceplate folds out and faces up. It's all lit up at that point. When it folds back forward, it goes out again. I don't know if there is a ballast resistor or what in there. All I know is a part's gotta get replaced. I don't want to muck around with it myself. Kenwood also doesn't have parts to sell me like that. I will have to take it to a place that can service it because the only way I can get the internal parts is if I am an authorized service shop. So it's gonna cost either way and I don't think they are going to do it for less than 250 bucks. So for now, I think I got a solution. I'll go with this and if I can get the other one fixed well, hell, I'll have 2 top of the line Kenwood head units!

PoweredByDodge

KDC excelon Z919

http://www.beststuff.com/article.php3?story_id=2641

there's a review of it... i pulled up the online version of the manual and it looks AMAZING... as many features as my current alpine and about 50% more...

the only thing it lacks is the rating for the pre-out voltage -- says there are 3, btu doesn't give voltage. the downloadable manual probably woudl have it.

quick specs...
Kenwood Z919 CD MP3 Receiver

Product Specifications
- Plays MP3-Encoded CD-Rs and Conventional CDs.
- Motorized Faceplate.
- System E's+ Advanced Crossover System.
- DRIVE Distortion Reduction Circuitry.
- Front, Rear and Non-Fading Gold-Plated RCA Outputs.
- Digital-to-Analog Converter: Intergated Quad 1-Bit.
- Digital Optimum Servo Control.
- Precision Digital Timing (DPAC).
- Plays 3"" (8cm) CDs without Adapters.
- CD Text.
- Intro Scan.
- Play/Pause.
- Play Time Display.
- Direct Disc & Track Access: with Remote.
- Kenwood CR-2 Advanced Tuner.
- High-Speed Multipath Control (CRSC) with ANRC.
- Automatic Memory Entry.
- Seek Tuning.
- Tuner Mode Antenna Control.
- Electronic Audio Control (Volume, Balance, Fader, Bass, Treble).
- Source Tone Memory: including Non-Fading Level.
- Loudness Control.
- LCD Display: Multi-Color, with Fluorescent Backlight.
- Display Readout: 12-Character Dot Matrix.
- Spectrum Analyzer Display.
- Auto Dimmer Wire.
- Touch-Tone Keys: Defeatable.
- Clock.

Changer control (KCA-S210A or compatible changer)
Steering wheel remote (KCA-RC700)


onlinecarstereo.com has it for 600 bucks *YIKES!*

here's a review from tech-tv...
http://www.techtv.com/print/story/0,23102,3394,00.html


i dunno -- its the kind of deck i like... and if it works with your changer and suits your needs, its worth looking at... only downfall is it doesn't support satellite radio, so if u're gonna get sirius, dont go wtih this one.

Jstas

Oh, yeah, about the NOS models (NOS = New Old Stock). I was looking at them and none of them had enough of the features that I needed. I was looking for 4V pre-amp outs and to be able to keep my CD Changer. The only ones that have the high volatage pre-amps are the eXcelon units. I didn't want to spend all that money on something that had less features than my 7 year old unit and more crap I wouldn't use like satelite radio capabilities and excessive EQ controls. This KRC-X858 model is damn near identical to what I have now.

Oh, and that Z919 unit. I know a few people who bought them because it was the only other option besides the AIWA crap and they had nothing but problems with the file access and such. There is alot of those units sitting around, NOS and nobody wants them because of the problems they have. But hey, it was a solid deck otherwise. Just the first iteration of new technology. Kenwood took the chance and now thier MP3 capable units are zillions of times better than anybody else's on the market.

Oh yeah, I also saw last night that Crutchfiled has the shaft style Kenwood head units. May be a little late for you but they are 95 bucks, new. You can see the on the website only. You were looking for them and I figured you'd want to know.

Also, http://www.carmedia1.com has IDMAX 12's for under 300 bucks a pop. That's a real nice price. They also have awesome prices on the new Image Dynamics component sets with the compression horn tweeters. You want LOUD, compressions horns get L O U D!!!!! They handle power too. Lots of it!

PoweredByDodge

Originally posted by Jstas
I will have to take it to a place that can service it because the only way I can get the internal parts is if I am an authorized service shop.

i dont think u'll get parts from kenwood either way -- if u take it to a good enough shop they'll have other means of getting similar parts (random distributors of high grade electronics parts rather than good old radio shack)... kenwood, alpine,pioneer, nobody wants to sell parts for decks... they look at u like your stupid and tell u to buy a new one.

but like u said, it'll cost u a little but u'll have two grade A decks, which means one and only one thing john... you'll have to buy another vehicle to put that deck in... just tell your girl, "look, i know u dont want me to get it, but i ABSOLUTELY NEED that new mustang, because i cannot let this radio go to waste... do u understand?" --- i'm sure she'll be "fine" with it.

the 858 looks pretty good... one thing i really do like about the flip down cassette decks is that when they're flipped up they look just like a CD deck, now i only say that because up until those things came out, most tape decks looked god awful simply and somewhat f-ugly... but now they're mostly all cosmetically equal to a cd deck.

i dunno why kenwood shows red on there -- -every kenwood deck i've ever owned has SHOWED red in the books but came up green in the store or the one i brought home... while the sirius radio modulator showed green in the book and came up red when i got it... i think kenwood is specifically **** with my head.

i'm lookin at the specs on Crack-field... dual 4.5's on a tape deck is like unheard of outside of KW i think... which boasts more for the attention to customer satisfaction that they give what is addmittedly a fading market (tape decks)... its Dmask too -- sweet... i like that -- its simple, and at night if u have even mildly tinted windows, u cant see anything inside the car on the dash when its flipped.

anywho -- good deal man... u shudda had them ship it overnight -- 10 bucks more i think but then u wouldn't be standin at the door with a hardon for the UPS guy...

Jstas

You kidding me? She WANTS a Mustang! But if she gets a Mustang, her Pioneer deck is going in it. I ain't got that kind cash right now though. I gotta save for a house and a wedding.

The illumination stuff, all the eXcelon stuff has switchable illumination or at least most of it. Most of the higher end non-eXcelon stuff has it too. Read the manual, it'll tell you how to switch it.

But I don't think Kenwood is going to make an eXcelon cassette deck anymore. Cassette decks are a dying breed. All the new guys coming into the market want CD players and have no idea what a cassette deck is. They don't even know what it means to dub a tape and think Dolby started out making surround sound. Forget even trying to mention Quadraphonic sound to them! Eventhough thats what most car stereo stuff ends up being like.

Damn, I feel old now.

PoweredByDodge

Originally posted by Jstas
they had nothing but problems with the file access and such. There is alot of those units sitting around, NOS and nobody wants them because of the problems they have.

figures --- first generation anything usually has issues... i just remember lusting after one for liek months and months and months... and never scraping enough money together for it...

the shaft style kenwood is a no go -- dude that thing has NO features... even if it was 10 dollars... it has no features -- one 0.25 volt preout?? wtf is that?? no sound shaping..yikes --- for 150 i got a sweet litlte panasonic that's happily under the dash --- the hole in the dash is barely noticeable with the little clock in it... unless i can dig up like a shaft with dual 2 volt outs and decent features for under 150... she be stayin that way.... lol.

]Originally posted by Jstas
Also, http://www.carmedia1.com has IDMAX 12's for under 300 bucks a pop. That's a real nice price. They also have awesome prices on the new Image Dynamics component sets with the compression horn tweeters. You want LOUD, compressions horns get L O U D!!!!! They handle power too. Lots of it! [/B]

well... see... here's my dillema... i want new components... but i went through like an assload of work to get the ones i've got now into my doors.

IF.... i repeat IF... i went with HLCD comp sets... how do u get good imaging with the horn UNDER the dash???? i mean i know it happens, i just need it explained to me cuz i dont get it.

also... could i mix a horn and a silk dome tweet both in front?
i would be thinking of leaving the DX3000 tweet, ganking the crossover and woofer, replacing both, and adding the horn underneath... if not that then i'd be replacing tweet and woof and calling it a day.. i'm not leavin a 3 inch diamater hole in my door panel, ya know ?

i have that 4 channel blue thunder bridged to the fronts -- i bet i could run her in 4 chan mode and do 90 x 4 or whatever it is... and get like kick panels for the new mids, put the horns underneath. i just wonder if mixing speaker brands like that would be ok.

oh -- the only problem with buying the Maxes anywhere but from sounddomain or a cert retailer is they will totally refuse u warranty. and having had one take a **** on me, albeit due to a recall, it was still important to have a warranty. i wudn't spend 300 on a sub with no warranty... rather spend the 450 and sleep at night. then again if i was doin like 6 of them i'd prolly want them cheaper...lol.

PoweredByDodge

Originally posted by Jstas
They don't even know what it means to dub a tape and think Dolby started out making surround sound. Forget even trying to mention Quadraphonic sound to them! Eventhough thats what most car stereo stuff ends up being like.

i'm not even sure quite what quadraphonic is but i remember some old record my grandfather has with like cheesy soundeffects "made" for hi-fi systems -- circa 1960.

well it goes "and women hear frequencies higher than men can... so here lets play some cycle tracks (hertz) from 50 to 15 thousand...."

and it starts... and u cant hear anything cuz its playing on a portable record player that proly has a freq response (for the speaker on it) from like 200 to 2,000 hertz...

and my grandfather is like "there, how bout that.. now that's interesting" .. i'm like "dude... its silence... its fricking silence..."

heh heh heh...

hey i'm putting an 8-track back in a chevy celebrtiy wagon soon -- friend is sellin his beater for a newer car so the deck comes out and goe sin the new one - well gotta throw the oroginal 8 track back in it cuz the "push pull it / drag it in" trade in guys want radios in them... well.. have a good tiem with the 8 track boys...

Jstas

WOOHOO! It shipped! I don't really care about the shipping time. Unless the head unit broke to the point where it dun play no music no mo, I couldn't care less about how long it takes. I was more worried about American Express letting the charge go through because I just sent out the payment for last month yesterday and it's 2 or 3 days late. Kinda sucks that I have to pay it all off at once but, at least I won't be paying interest on it.

Quadrphonic sound was the precursor to surround sound. To have it truely be Quadraphonic, you need a Quadrphonic processor. But basically, what it is is 2 sets of stereo channels. If you played a standard recording on it that was encoded for stereo only, you'd get stereo signals out of the 2 sets of stereo channels. Basically, your average car stereo. However, like Dolby ProLogic, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 and so on surround sound standards, if the recording isn't encoded with the necessary track info, the processor merely breaks up the given signal to each channel.

The "hi-fi recording" made for hi-fi systems was most likely a Quadrophonic encoded recording with sounds seperated to each channel. Most people are like you with your experience. It ends up being "WTF you talkin' 'bout old man? I dun here diddly squat!" But that is because you are not listening on a Quadrophonic sound system. If you could find a Quadrophonic processor and hook it up to play that recording, I promise you'll be stunned! Stunned because everybody thinks this surround sound stuff is new but it really isn't. Like most "new stuff" nowadays, it's origins date back to the 1960's and the technology from that time is no where near as arcane as most people think it is.

Hell, if I can get a pair of KLH 17's made in 1967 being run by a hand built tube amp to impress someone who just bought a brand new Polk Audio setup then that says something for the old technology. It's not as bad as anyone thinks it is and is probably better than thier imagination will allow them to percieve.

PoweredByDodge

speaking of KLH -- i've been having hardcore discussions with people knocking them... i sit there saying "for a budget price, KLH is close enough to high end stuff to keep just about anybody happy in the home environment" -- not many people seem to agree with me... yet KLH sells a lot of product, doesn't really break down, and tends to make its listeners very happy.

sntnsupermen131

audio history 101 with dr john...
im like vince, i didnt know that stuff either
learn something new everyday
-Cody

PoweredByDodge

lol... audio history .. so true.

"so dr. john, who built the first voice coil design speaker that we know and love today?" (not referenceing to the cornucopia lookin thigs they had on old record players).

dont worry -- i'm not testin ya -- i have absolutely no idea... just figured u'd somehow know... lol

Jstas

Originally posted by PoweredByDodge
speaking of KLH -- i've been having hardcore discussions with people knocking them... i sit there saying "for a budget price, KLH is close enough to high end stuff to keep just about anybody happy in the home environment" -- not many people seem to agree with me... yet KLH sells a lot of product, doesn't really break down, and tends to make its listeners very happy.

The NEW KLH stuff is pretty weak. The older stuff, I'm talking mid-eighties and earlier, is the good stuff. The new KLH stuff is bastardized mass-produced crap from Taiwan. Not really a spectacular speaker anymore and really more of middle of the road. The new stuff doesn't suit my tastes either and I'd be one of those highly critical of it. The newer Klipsch stuff just doesn't have it anymore either. Grab some older Klipsch speakers with compression horn tweeters and then yer' talkin'!

Basically, both companies are under different ownership and those new owners are riding the momentum built up by those previous owners who were pioneers in the field. Kinda like Orion, Alpine and a few others we have discussed here. New products just don't measure up to the old stuff and it seems they are just riding thier own glory wave and making money off of a name and killing a good product line. Such is capitalism though.

Originally posted by PoweredByDodge
lol... audio history .. so true.

"so dr. john, who built the first voice coil design speaker that we know and love today?" (not referenceing to the cornucopia lookin thigs they had on old record players).

dont worry -- i'm not testin ya -- i have absolutely no idea... just figured u'd somehow know... lol

Well good cause I have no frickin' clue either!