Which Halfords CD/Tuner?

[Mike O'Sullivan]

In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle. Halfords
have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody have any
particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

[John Greystrong]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle. Halfords
have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody have any
particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

Yeah, don't go to Halfords. How much do you want to spend and what do
you want it to do? MP3? DAB? Interface with your remote display/remote
controls? Have pretty flashy graphics and lots of buttons?

John

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by John Greystrong

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle.
Halfords have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody
have any particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

Yeah, don't go to Halfords. How much do you want to spend and what do
you want it to do? MP3? DAB? Interface with your remote display/remote
controls? Have pretty flashy graphics and lots of buttons?

Just reasonable audio quality, ability to play CD-R discs. Nothing fancy.

Halfords advertise free fitting for many of their units. What's wrong
with Halfords?

[James]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle. Halfords
have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody have any
particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

Yeah, don't go to Halfords. How much do you want to spend and what do you
want it to do? MP3? DAB? Interface with your remote display/remote
controls? Have pretty flashy graphics and lots of buttons?

Just reasonable audio quality, ability to play CD-R discs. Nothing fancy.
Halfords advertise free fitting for many of their units. What's wrong with
Halfords?

Like John said....Cd-r's with what on? Mp3's or normal CDA tracks?

Halfords are simply overpriced. I went shopping for an Alpine MP3 player a
few years ago saw one in there that was "ok" at quite a steep price. Came
home, did a search on internet shops and found the next model up which
frakly was a whole lot better and nicer for cheaper than the price in
Halfords for the model DOWN from it.

Plus their fitting people are crap :p Decided to wire my work colleagues
stereo up backwards causing him to lose all his settings when he turned the
car off (it needed a permanant connection to the battery), so I had to take
it out swap two cables over (THAT WERE COLOUR CODED!! red in red, yellow in
yellow duh) and solved it for him.

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by James
Like John said....Cd-r's with what on? Mp3's or normal CDA tracks?
Halfords are simply overpriced. I went shopping for an Alpine MP3 player a
few years ago saw one in there that was "ok" at quite a steep price. Came
home, did a search on internet shops and found the next model up which
frakly was a whole lot better and nicer for cheaper than the price in
Halfords for the model DOWN from it.
Plus their fitting people are crap :p Decided to wire my work colleagues
stereo up backwards causing him to lose all his settings when he turned the
car off (it needed a permanant connection to the battery), so I had to take
it out swap two cables over (THAT WERE COLOUR CODED!! red in red, yellow in
yellow duh) and solved it for him.

Normal cda tracks. Not interested in MP3.

Considering how many branches they're got it's not surprising if
technical quality varies. Maybe he was unlucky. Anyway, Thanks a lot for
the reply, I will check on other suppliers.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by James
Plus their fitting people are crap :p Decided to wire my work
colleagues stereo up backwards causing him to lose all his settings
when he turned the car off (it needed a permanant connection to the
battery), so I had to take it out swap two cables over (THAT WERE
COLOUR CODED!! red in red, yellow in yellow duh) and solved it for
him.

Clever... in our halfords some of the speaker pairs are wired inverse
polarity ("out of phase" sic..)

[James]

Post by Tim S Kemp

Post by James
Plus their fitting people are crap :p Decided to wire my work
colleagues stereo up backwards causing him to lose all his settings
when he turned the car off (it needed a permanant connection to the
battery), so I had to take it out swap two cables over (THAT WERE
COLOUR CODED!! red in red, yellow in yellow duh) and solved it for
him.

Clever... in our halfords some of the speaker pairs are wired inverse
polarity ("out of phase" sic..)

You would think though that someone would think "hmm live voltage link to
the battery....i'll stick it....ahh sod it.. this one'll do".

[Loner]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle. Halfords
have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody have any
particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

I just bought a Blaupunkt Calgary CD/mp3 from Halfords for £119.99
fitted. It can be got for about £90 at some online shops and £100 on
eBay, but independant local suppliers wanted about £130 or £140 for it.
The Halfords drone fitted it in a few minutes, no problem. With
Halfords, you have a local shop to return it to if there's a problem.

The Calagary plays Cds, CD-rs, and CD-RWs. It plays mp3 files from CD,
or from your portable mp3 player, via an optional lead (aux-in)
available for £6.99 online.
The Calgary sounds and looks good, and Blaupunkt give you two years free
replacement cover in case of theft.

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by Loner

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
In the position of needing a new CD/Radio unit for my vehicle.
Halfords have a confusing selection at various prices. Does anybody
have any particular recommendations (or warnings-off)?

I just bought a Blaupunkt Calgary CD/mp3 from Halfords for £119.99
fitted. It can be got for about £90 at some online shops and £100 on
eBay, but independant local suppliers wanted about £130 or £140 for it.
The Halfords drone fitted it in a few minutes, no problem. With
Halfords, you have a local shop to return it to if there's a problem.
The Calagary plays Cds, CD-rs, and CD-RWs. It plays mp3 files from CD,
or from your portable mp3 player, via an optional lead (aux-in)
available for £6.99 online.
The Calgary sounds and looks good, and Blaupunkt give you two years free
replacement cover in case of theft.

Helpful info, thanks I'll check it out.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
Helpful info, thanks I'll check it out.

Also check out the various Alpine head units, I've always stuck Blaupunkts
in my cars (unless the factory unit has been good enough), just got an
alpine from car audio centre nottingham and it's a cracking unit - they
fitted it for £20 and it was still cheaper than halfords. Plays MP3, has sub
out (running to a sony sub) and pre-outs, aux in, crossover, shedloads of
power etc, cost about 200 quid IIRC.

Next thing is to sort the main speakers out - sound for back seat passengers
is dire in the a class, especially with that sub. I hate fitting speakers
though - all them nasty plastic door panel clips waiting to disappear...

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by Tim S Kemp

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
Helpful info, thanks I'll check it out.

Also check out the various Alpine head units, I've always stuck Blaupunkts
in my cars (unless the factory unit has been good enough), just got an
alpine from car audio centre nottingham and it's a cracking unit - they
fitted it for £20 and it was still cheaper than halfords. Plays MP3, has sub
out (running to a sony sub) and pre-outs, aux in, crossover, shedloads of
power etc, cost about 200 quid IIRC.
Next thing is to sort the main speakers out - sound for back seat passengers
is dire in the a class, especially with that sub. I hate fitting speakers
though - all them nasty plastic door panel clips waiting to disappear...

Well thanks. I did get an Alpine (CDE-9845RR) CD-R/MP3, in Ian Banning's
Guildford. Cost £170 including fitting. Very good unit at first listen.
Only one disappointment, I didn't realise this but it won't power up if
the ignition is off. Apparently only car manufacturers own units will do
this.

[Tim S Kemp]

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
Well thanks. I did get an Alpine (CDE-9845RR) CD-R/MP3, in Ian
Banning's Guildford. Cost £170 including fitting. Very good unit at
first listen. Only one disappointment, I didn't realise this but it
won't power up if the ignition is off. Apparently only car
manufacturers own units will do this.

Blaupunkt units do (or mine did anyway). Alpines have big current drain
potential so not a bad thing.

[C.Read]

Post by Tim S Kemp

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
Well thanks. I did get an Alpine (CDE-9845RR) CD-R/MP3, in Ian
Banning's Guildford. Cost £170 including fitting. Very good unit at
first listen. Only one disappointment, I didn't realise this but it
won't power up if the ignition is off. Apparently only car
manufacturers own units will do this.

Blaupunkt units do (or mine did anyway). Alpines have big current drain
potential so not a bad thing.
--
All of my hate cannot be FOUND
I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming
so you can try to tear me down
Beat me to the ground
I will see you screaming

Mike where abouts are you from mate? If you're in the Leicester area.. there
is a shop called MCS DIRECT.. I would recommend, they generally do mail
order on the internet, and if you're extra nice when you go in they'll give
you their net price in shop too and fitting.. just call them first off to
book.. then they'll do it right away.. As for service.. I've never seen
better, I bought a unit from there once which they fitted, had problem with
the radio, drove in, fixed on the spot.. VERY HAPPY.. as for price well I
would recommend the SONY CDXR65500 it's £130 from them.. should do
everything you want really..

Here is the MCS site:

MCS HOME PAGE
http://www.mcs-direct.co.uk/index.html

SONY ON HERE
http://www.mcs-direct.co.uk/acatalog/MP3_Players.html

I get all my car stereo from here.. wouldn't go elsewhere..Take a look.. :)

[Mike O'Sullivan]

Post by C.Read

Post by Mike O'Sullivan
Well thanks. I did get an Alpine (CDE-9845RR) CD-R/MP3, in Ian
Banning's Guildford. Cost £170 including fitting. Very good unit at
first listen. Only one disappointment, I didn't realise this but it
won't power up if the ignition is off. Apparently only car
manufacturers own units will do this.

Mike where abouts are you from mate? If you're in the Leicester area.. there
is a shop called MCS DIRECT.. I would recommend, they generally do mail
order on the internet, and if you're extra nice when you go in they'll give
you their net price in shop too and fitting.. just call them first off to
book.. then they'll do it right away.. As for service.. I've never seen
better, I bought a unit from there once which they fitted, had problem with
the radio, drove in, fixed on the spot.. VERY HAPPY.. as for price well I
would recommend the SONY CDXR65500 it's £130 from them.. should do
everything you want really..

Thanks but I just got an Alpine (see above).

[Glenn Richards]

If you're in the Leicester area.. there is a shop called MCS DIRECT..
I would recommend, they generally do mail order on the internet, and
if you're extra nice when you go in they'll give you their net price
in shop too and fitting.

Anyone else reading... I've used MCS before on several occasions and
always found them very friendly, helpful, and pretty cheap too! Highly
recommended.