Panasonic vs Alpine

[Import Al]

My friend is trying to sell me a Panasonic in-dash radio/CD/mp3 player, I believe it is this model for $50. Can anyone tell me how it compares to the quality of a same level Alpine radio/cd/mp3 player? I think its a steal, but don't know if I should go with the Alpine unit instead. My older bro had an Alpine and it was amazing. Whaddya think? 1st thread virginity is MINE haha!!! :lol:

http://www.clubic.com/photo/00093247.jpg

[chasloa]

I don't know about panasonic, but I've had an alpine and a pioneer deh3400 and loved them both........

[steve98ex]

Panasonic doesn't compare to alpine but for $50 its not a bad deal. From my experiences though cheap mp3 cd players are slow. But if you don't like it you can always sell it to somebody else for what you paid. :TU:

[ryan89crx]

Alpine > Panasonic any day!! they shouldnt even be compared at all to each other.

but for $50 you cant go wrong

[modsHXcivi]

i have to roll with the alpine myself ...but a $50 deal some time cant be passed up

[S Q A D]

50 bucks? take it


Alpine > Panasonic

[EJ1 Freak]

Alpine is by far a better brand...but for 50 dollars you might as well go for it!

[Honda4VW]

Neither!

Rockford Fosgate has always been my brand of choice..when they started making head units, I was there waiting tobuy!

[rotory20]

i like jvc or eclipse...
alpine > panocronic..

[Import Al]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I'm gonna buy the Panasonic. If it sounds less than great or is too slow, I'll sell it and ask you which brand/model to check out next. Big up to the admins/mods for making this forum, I think it will be very useful to all of us. :TU: :bravo: Mahalo.

[YakuzaKirby]

Panasonic if fine- at least mine seems to be pretty good... never heard the diff between it and a pioneer or alpine...- but hey- if you just listen to music while ya drive and it doesnt matter a whole lot- id say buy it... and for 50 bucks... heck even id buy it... and im the type who turns off the radio at every stop light so that i can hear my engine idle... and then hear it growl when i take off... *sobs* i miss the good old days... still dont have my baby runnin...

[Levi]

I have had both panasonic and alpine shit in my cars. the panasonic deck sucked balls. The alpine shit is good though. I have had some probs with the deck in the civic not wanting to play cds. The cva-1005 in the accord has been great for about 3 years. My only complaint is sometimes it does not want to fold up all the way.

for $50, buy that shit, that is better than that oem tape deck you are flossin in the std!

[cation]

Panasonic is only good at making turntables, especially the Techinics SL-1200MK5G, but for $50 you would be silly not to buy that deck.

[icE_x]

yucky, maybe the higher end panasonics are better? i was looking at some and they look sweet :)

but if you want something to last you a while, i'd wait and save my money and get something better...

but then again, it's only $50, how could you go wrong? buy it :)

[Fooshitinkinjssomethingorother]

Neither!

Rockford Fosgate has always been my brand of choice..when they started making head units, I was there waiting tobuy!

Rockford totally sold out in my book. Ever since they released the Lightning Audio brand, their own products have become less and less quality oriented and more about flash and dazzle. Their stuff is good, but nowhere near the quality that their series 1 stuff was and still is.

[robtec]

panasonic is ok,but alphine's better,i like clarion and kenwood also

[Honda4VW]

Rockford totally sold out in my book. Ever since they released the Lightning Audio brand, their own products have become less and less quality oriented and more about flash and dazzle. Their stuff is good, but nowhere near the quality that their series 1 stuff was and still is.

I agree to that...things have changed in the rockford camp

[berettagtz117]

I am a dealer of both and Alpine is better overall but Panasonic is good too. We just got the new line of alpine, pioneer and panasonic and I love them all :) !!

[Fooshitinkinjssomethingorother]

Oh yeah, I'd go with Alpine, but you could also take that deck and sell it, maybe get some extra cash, and get a better deck. :idea:

[00kickercivic]

Alpine > Panasonic any day!! they shouldnt even be compared at all to each other.

but for $50 you cant go wrong

Cosign

[flatfourfan]

Neither!

Rockford Fosgate has always been my brand of choice..when they started making head units, I was there waiting tobuy!

2nd that...........still $50 is a steal, make sure the thing aint dodgy though.

alfine > panaphonics

[wangin crx]

the thd on the alpine is much better mine is .008 the panasonic is more like .075

total hormonic distortion= better sound quality

[flatfourfan]

yeah but playing mp3's you wouldn't notice that at all.

[bspeed]

Who are the two manufacturers of Honda stereo equipment from '92 to '00 (the years of factory decks most of us own anyway?................Alpine and Matsushita(Panasonic's parent company.) But I would still say Alpine>Panasonic.

[Steve-O]

I've been running Alpine since way back in the day. Got my first head unit back in '96 after I bought my EG. After years of great service from it I stepped things up and aquired this bad boy several years ago pretty much brand new from a friend for $250 (came with original $599.00 receipt;))

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/480000-480999/480347_211_full.jpg

I know it's pretty old school but at the time it was the highest end Alpine unit you could get that still had power outs for running speakers off the head.

Alpine has never let me down and will always power the music in my Hondas :TU:

[flatfourfan]

Love alpine gear, but the majority of the stuff we get over here is knock offs.......pity.

[MLD211]

As one other person stated Rockford is gone down the tubes. Ever since they started selling to Best Buy. Recently Best Buy picked up Apine so I would expect to see a large decrease in Alpines quality in the near Future. What happens is when a big box dealer like best buy picks up these other wise smaller brands such as Rockford they have to meet Best Buys supply demands so they produce them faster and cheaper, And Best Buy wants to see them advertise 2400watts rather than the true 800watts the amp acctualy puts out. Before Rockford sold to Best Buy they never over rated there amps like that. What Kenwood did is the developed a new cheaper line (3 digit series) so sell to best buy and kept selling the better stuff to the high end retailers (4 didgit series) Wich Alpine May try as well, not sure havent seen Alpine hit Best Buy yet but I know its coming soon. Any way my point is when buying audio equptment dont go cheap buy from a retailer you know and trust a place like Tweeter ect. or a local mom n pop shop Best Buy sucks ass I know I was the lead installer at a store for 3 years before leaving.

[flatfourfan]

Well RF in this country is split into 2 sections, Plus RF owns Lightning Audio and they see that as an outlet for some of teh cheaper crap. While some of RF's stuff is nasty, all companies have nasty ass equipment for the 1st time buyer. I'd rather buy baseline RF gear than baseline no name brand gear.

[MLD211]

I agree however baseline RF isn't cheap for the same prices you can get better stuff, just do your research before you buy i guess. I have been in the industry for a while so I havent had to pay retail prices for anything in a long time.

[Steve-O]

i had to purchase some car speakers because mine puked on me and i bought a set of the sony xplod 5 1/4 for my doors. i wanted alpines but the sonys cost me $59.99CDN on sale so i couldnt pass it up. one day when i can acutally afford good alpine speakers i will get them.

i think so long as u can afford the good alpine stuff from an actual car audio shop which is an authorized dealer (not a major chain store that only sells products from major compaines to try and grab every piece of the electronic market) then you will end up with nice stuff.

im not a car stereo guy but i know that i would go to a custom car audio shop which only does automotive audio and media than going to best buy, future shop, circuit city of whatever.

i guess you can just ask yourself...which place cares more about your business and will do a better job? a shop which has installed award winning systems and knows how its done or a chain store with comissioned salespeople who ust want to get you out the door with a huge bill?

[bspeed]

Steve-o that is to this day one of the best alpine heads you can possibly buy, guys who compete with sound systems still run that old six block.

[Steve-O]

Steve-o that is to this day one of the best alpine heads you can possibly buy, guys who compete with sound systems still run that old six block.

i knew it was a good unit but not that good. glad i have it :TU:. i know my friend who sold it to me showed me the receipt for it and it was like $599 many years ago.

the only thing i dont like about it is i cant play burned CDs with it. im assuking its because of its age.

[bspeed]

yeah, but you can pick up a stock honda or alpine cd changer and it plugs right in and that bad boy will play burned discs all day.

[Steve-O]

yeah, but you can pick up a stock honda or alpine cd changer and it plugs right in and that bad boy will play burned discs all day.i conveniently work at House House here in town so i can get one for a very nice price. thanks for the tip mang :TU:

i wasnt sure if the changers would work but i know alpine makes or has a hand in the making of the factory honda stereos, at least from my year of civic anyways.

[bspeed]

As a matter of fact you can go to the junkyard and grab the connection cable from any 93-2000 legend,cl,tl,nsx for like five bucks (a $90 part alone) and the changer for around a hundred.... maybe less than that on egay, and maybe even with the cable. The coolest part is either honda or alpine is plug and play.