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From: klein@ucbvax.ARPA (Mike Klein)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: My 2 bits on Car Stereo
Message-ID: <9811@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 9-Aug-85 19:58:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.9811
Posted: Fri Aug  9 19:58:04 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 06:49:59 EDT
References: <141@helens.UUCP>
Reply-To: klein@ucbvax.UUCP (Mike Klein)
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 35

I agree that the speakers are really going to make or break the sound
of your car stereo.  But for this specific application, it is
necessary to spend proportionally more on the receiver than in a
typical home system, because:
	- The car is a rough environment, mechanically.  You will have
	to spend more to get a good cassette transport mechanism.
	- FM reception is very difficult to do with a moving antenna.
	You will have to pay extra for getting top-notch FM reception.
	- Displays and controls need to be more intelligently thought
	out and robust.  Again, this costs money.

If you compromise on any of these, you'll end up kicking yourself
(at least I would).  It's worse to have interference noise,
a chewed-up tape, or constantly have to take your eyes and attention
off the road than slightly poorer overall sound.

But --- back to the original "2 bits on Car Stereo"...
does anyone have any specific recommendations for car speaker systems
that can be hooked up to a 4-channel deck (Sony) and speakers, with
installation, hoperfully run under $200?

By the way, there is a recent issue of Consumer Reports (May?) that rates
car stereos.  CU tested them by subjective evaluation of FM reception
while driving in a real car on real roads, switching among three
decks.  I think this means their ratings are meaningful... there's
no mention of an "accuracy score" anywhere.  This is the only source I
know of where radio reception is rated under real conditions.  Does
anyone know of any others?  A note, though: their ratings table has some
minor errors in it that they caught a few months later.  They said that
it shouldn't affect anyone's buying decisions, however.
-- 

		-Mike Klein
		...!ucbsim:klein@ucbvax.uucp
		klein%ucbsim@berkeley.arpa