Soundstream SME.650C, any good?

[spokey9]

Id stay away from new pioneer hu...the quality isn't the same as in the past...

And pico fuses...

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Id stay away from new pioneer hu...the quality isn't the same as in the past...

And pico fuses...

That's what I've read as well. Kenwood seems to get a lot of love these days.

 

[spokey9]

That's what I've read as well. Kenwood seems to get a lot of love these days.

All the kenwoods I've seen in person seemed a lot better than my pioneer...my pioneer is gone as soon as I find a deal on a certain old school clarion

 

[spokey9]

If I was buying a new hu right now it'd be a toss up between a kenwood excelon or an alpine

 

[Abilan17]

Pioneer makes products on a par with many of the best there is to offer, just not in the states anymore. Their PRS, Premier, Stage Four and Carrozzeria lines offer some really hi-end stuff, world class. Again, not the HU guy here and my understanding, of late, is that Kenwood Excelon is the go to for android/apple HU products. I'm sure pioneer has some respectable units too, and as has been stated (and the reason I stick with the old CD units with Burr Brown DAC's) everything starts with the source.

For years, pioneer promoted (more like whored out) it's products to everyone and anyone that would sell it. That has done a lot to tarnish their reputation as a hardcore car audio equipment designers and manufacturer insofar as the US domestic market is concerned. Their international stuff still rocks and wins many awards. They have a very prestigious design center in Japan that turns out some real world class stuff - except in/for the US. Their GM-D line of amps are pretty solid performers, have used many in builds and they never give me any issues. Go out to ebay and querry Pioneer carrozzeria, some really nize shiz!

I just wish they still made amps that look like this!

View attachment 55943

Beautiful to look at and to listen too.

That does look really nice, I'm not a spring chicken and when I was in my very early tweenties i had 2,000watts Audibahn silver plated and had see through fiber glass so you can see the inside of the amp with blue lighting... wish i had pics...

 

[Abilan17]

Id stay away from new pioneer hu...the quality isn't the same as in the past...

And pico fuses...

pico fuses? what HU would you recomend?

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

pico fuses? what HU would you recomend?

I don't think that the pico fuse thing is still a "thing" as I think they have moved to a type of pico breaker? That said there are other considerations that I have read about that seem to infer more features, GUI layout, etc. or better sound from the Excelons and the Alpine units. That is common in car audio as companies are constantly "one-upping" each other. The Pioneer PRS lines were the go to in CD playback for years due to the EQ ability (ahead of its time, for that time) and the Burr Brown DACs used for playback. Being the CD old-school kind of person that I am, I actually have an extra DEH-80PRS handy and am eyeing a Carrozzeria 919 for backup to that backup! Look for features that you want and are compatible with your needs in any of the name brands, then check out specifics of the units that fit the bill. There will never be a shortage of opinions on what is and what is not better, but that is always subjective to a degree. As with almost all units, you pay to play and all the big boys make some killer units, just need to go with the brand and features that appeal to you and that are in the budget.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Id stay away from new pioneer hu...the quality isn't the same as in the past...

And pico fuses...

My most recent HU was Pioneer because I'd loved my previous Pioneer HUs and you can definitely tell the difference between the old and newer ones. OTOH, my current Pioneer HU hasn't given me any problems.

 

[Old_Slapper]

Thank you, Old_Slapper, for what ever reason I've always thought that Pioneer was as I call it a Walmart brand but since beeing on this forum I've heard nothing but great things from people who abviously know much more than me. Your the 2nd person who recomends a Pioneer product. I'm seriosly concidering replacing my factory HU for a Pioneer HU, now all I have to figure out which HU to buy and how to install it, I know I'll have to do a few mods to get it to fit and sit right and look like it's always been there.

As mentioned, Pioneer competes with the best of them. As for choosing which brand is best for you, go to a major car audio retailer and see which one works best for you. I have a Kenwood Excellon, regular Kenwood, and a Pioneer. However, I have owned them all, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, JVC, Eclipse, Alpine, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... The Pioneer is the only brand that still supports their old add-on equipment and new ones. It is also, for me, the easiest to use with my phone and for tuning. Not to mention, Pioneer has just about any add-on you can think of.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

As mentioned, Pioneer competes with the best of them. As for choosing which brand is best for you, go to a major car audio retailer and see which one works best for you. I have a Kenwood Excellon, regular Kenwood, and a Pioneer. However, I have owned them all, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, JVC, Eclipse, Alpine, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... The Pioneer is the only brand that still supports their old add-on equipment and new ones. It is also, for me, the easiest to use with my phone and for tuning. Not to mention, Pioneer has just about any add-on you can think of.

Here here!

 

[spokey9]

As mentioned, Pioneer competes with the best of them. As for choosing which brand is best for you, go to a major car audio retailer and see which one works best for you. I have a Kenwood Excellon, regular Kenwood, and a Pioneer. However, I have owned them all, Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony, JVC, Eclipse, Alpine, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... The Pioneer is the only brand that still supports their old add-on equipment and new ones. It is also, for me, the easiest to use with my phone and for tuning. Not to mention, Pioneer has just about any add-on you can think of.

Except when you can't connect the app that the crossovers are hiding behind and customer service politely in hr speak "you're burnt"...that's pioneer of today

 

[Old_Slapper]

Except when you can't connect the app that the crossovers are hiding behind and customer service politely in hr speak "you're burnt"...that's pioneer of today

You lost me on that one. Which app and what crossovers are hiding?

 

[spokey9]

All but the basic tuning on a few models require the app to connect to the hu...

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

That's what I've read as well. Kenwood seems to get a lot of love these days.

I love all my Kenwood HUs and Alpines for sure. my old Eclipse HUs are my favorites without question. JVC is owned by Kenwood these days, and tend to be a little cheaper with the same /almost same Model of Kenwood units/ same features for a little less$. Sony is making a great come back and offering up to a 3 yr warranty on some of theyre units as well.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Alpines have always been excellent HUs and have an excellent track record for reliability too. But Kenwoods/JVCs are very nice for the money spent reason why I have a few myself and swapp at times