Anyone here in SQ setups?

[Dave-ROR]

I'm interested in this new Pioneer head unit as a budget SQ source: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...vers/DEH-80PRS

Anyone else here have/build SQ setups?

Oops: mods: if you want, correct title to "Anyone here into SQ setups?" damn typos :P

[Infernal]

I certainly wanted to be - my audio stuff at home is pretty decent, but only my last 2 cars have been worthy of upgrades - the mazdaspeed 6 i had didnt really need it because it came with a 200w Bose system

and my current car has bluetooth integration and steering wheel controls that i don't know how they connect up to the stereo or whether there are aftermarket adaptors

so it's be a bit of a pain to do it

and as a nail in the coffin - the UK 86 comes with the touchscreen audio as standard - i am hoping the speakers and output on it is decent enough to get it by - i think it would be a bit of a waste to need to replace it

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Infernal

and my current car has bluetooth integration and steering wheel controls that i don't know how they connect up to the stereo or whether there are aftermarket adaptors

You can integrate the steering wheel controls pretty easily on any of the better head units. Bluetooth you'd probably lose the buttons but could replace with BT built into the new source unit.

and as a nail in the coffin - the UK 86 comes with the touchscreen audio as standard - i am hoping the speakers and output on it is decent enough to get it by - i think it would be a bit of a waste to need to replace it

I probably won't be replacing the stock HU in the BRZ/FR-S either. I will be replacing my Kenwood Excelon unit in my ITR, probably with the HU I posted unless Alpine releases something that is equal or better than it... from what I've heard Alpine's news for CES isn't anything interesting (to me anyways).

[S2kphile]

I have but with mostly higher end stuff so I wouldn't know bout low budget SQ setups.

[Infernal]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

I have but with mostly higher end stuff so I wouldn't know bout low budget SQ setups.

bang and olufsen - harmann kardon and the likes?

[S2kphile]

Originally Posted by Infernal

bang and olufsen - harmann kardon and the likes?

Something like that. Audison, DLS, Mosconi, Rainbow, etc, etc. I'm an audiophile of Home, Car and Headphone arena.

[2fast4you]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

I'm an audiophile of Home, Car and Headphone arena.

What exactly is an "audiophile"? I'm an audio engineer, and 22 years later I still don't get it... especially for car audio.

[S2kphile]

Originally Posted by 2fast4you

What exactly is an "audiophile"? I'm an audio engineer, and 22 years later I still don't get it... especially for car audio.

"An audiophile is a person who has a great interest in high-fidelity sound reproduction. Some audiophiles are more interested in collecting and listening to music, while others are more interested in collecting and listening to audio components, whose "sound quality" they consider as important as the recorded musical performance, or even more important."

Difference one has the degree, the other doesn't.

The pursuit of a balanced sound is what audiophiles are after. Clear and present bass, but balanced against warm, smooth mids and sparkling transparent highs. If these are all proportioned correctly you get something in the realm of magic.

And as an audiophile this is what I'm after. That's why I still buy records and CDs to this day and spend money on hardware that reproduces sound as accurately as possible.

[2fast4you]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

The pursuit of a balanced sound is what audiophiles are after. Clear and present bass, but balanced against warm, smooth mids and sparkling transparent highs. If these are all proportioned correctly you get something in the realm of magic.

And as an audiophile this is what I'm after. That's why I still buy records and CDs to this day and spend money on hardware that reproduces sound as accurately as possible.

Please don't take offense to this: I've worked on Oscar-nominated and Grammy-winning orchestral recordings and you do realize with the exception of the console and microphones, we recorded, mixed, and played back those recordings on stuff you can buy at Guitar Center, Best Buy, and Radio Shack?

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

I have but with mostly higher end stuff so I wouldn't know bout low budget SQ setups.

What are you running? My primary current system is McIntosh/Audison amps, Hybrid Audio Tech front stage, no rear, CBT Gold sub.

Budget SQ source = not a $1200 P99RS :P The P99RS is still better, but the 80PRS seems to be, hands down, the best source unit you can get for anywhere near $400... getting most of a P99RS at 1/3rd the price is fine with me for a car environment.

[S2kphile]

Originally Posted by 2fast4you

Please don't take offense to this: I've worked on Oscar-nominated and Grammy-winning orchestral recordings and you do realize with the exception of the console and microphones, we recorded, mixed, and played back those recordings on stuff you can buy at Guitar Center, Best Buy, and Radio Shack?

None taken you are the expert on the subject. And I honestly did not know that but I have bought hardware at Guitar Center. I bought my first set of decent speakers and headphones there(KRK & AudioTechnica).

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

What are you running? My primary current system is McIntosh/Audison amps, Hybrid Audio Tech front stage, no rear, CBT Gold sub.

Budget SQ source = not a $1200 P99RS :P The P99RS is still better, but the 80PRS seems to be, hands down, the best source unit you can get for anywhere near $400... getting most of a P99RS at 1/3rd the price is fine with me for a car environment.

Right now I'm stock in my Taco but in my previous 2 cars I ran Hertz MLK165 front, Audison LRx amps, Imagine Dynamic IDQ sub. The other Rainbow Audio upfront, Soundstream Van Gogh amps, and Fi. Q sub. All run with Kenwood HU.

Looks like you found what you need and want. And I agree for a car environment that's a great HU. Its hard to replicate the "Home sound" in a car no matter how much money a person spends.

[2fast4you]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

None taken you are the expert on the subject. And I honestly did not know that but I have bought hardware at Guitar Center. I bought my first set of decent speakers and headphones there(KRK & AudioTechnica).

You have excellent taste, my friend; I still use AT headphones.

I still don't know if I'll be upgrading the system in the FR-S, but since my expertise is in studio and home audio, I would really appreciate any advice on car audio. Thanks!

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by S2kphile

Right now I'm stock in my Taco but in my previous 2 cars I ran Hertz MLK165 front, Audison LRx amps, Imagine Dynamic IDQ sub. The other Rainbow Audio upfront, Soundstream Van Gogh amps, and Fi. Q sub. All run with Kenwood HU.

Looks like you found what you need and want. And I agree for a car environment that's a great HU. Its hard to replicate the "Home sound" in a car no matter how much money a person spends.

MLK's are nice. I was torn between them, some Morels and the HATs. Ended up going with HATs in this most recent setup. Too bad ID went to crap

Kenwood HU? And SQ? I run a Kenwood currently myself (an X995) but only for the features, the distortion through the RCAs is horrific. EQ isn't that great and it's TA sucks. I was going to run it through a bit.1 to fix some of those issues but I never got around to it... now I'll just replace the HU so I have a real active deck with L/R independent xover and real TA.

Home Sound.. yeah.. not happening in a car IMO. at least not a moving car.

[Afghan Vet]

I'm just getting signed on to the various Toyobaru sites - and I picked up this thread. The potential for audio in these cars is what got me really hooked. I thought I would be a BMW guy forever, but getting a system in this car would be so much easier, and a more effective system to boot.

I'm hoping to purchase later this Summer / Fall and install the gear I have in my 325i. P99, Mosconi processor / amps, and Audible Physics drivers. I'm excited to put drivers in the stock location in this car versus the pillars I currently have. Of course I'll do test drives of the BRZ vs the 135i / z Coupe, but I'm more into audio then speed, so one of these cars will probably win out. I'm very interested to see what others put into these cars as far as audio goes.