Sandai headunits

Big Chris · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:24

The Mrs wants a new headunit for Christmas, spotted a few nice looking ones on the Halfords website, but I've not heard of Sendai before.

Does anyone know anything about them?

This seems pretty reasonable for £100 - Sendai CD988BT

Bluetooth music & handsfree phone, 3.5mm aux, USB and SD card input.

Dup · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:34

Never heard of it them, so couldn't comment.

There are branded ones out there which are probably better sounding/made with the same features. See; http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/head-units/bluetooth-players.html?order=price&dir=asc

Big Chris · 20 Nov 2009 at 12:46

Cheers for the link, I can't really go above £100 though so Bluetooth was a bonus on the Sendai unit.

I'd more or less decided on one of the Sony ones as I have a similar unit in my car and it sounds great. She doesn't have a pumping 15 speaker/amp setup in her car so doesn't need anything too flashy, just an iPod input is all she said.

She spends half her life on the phone while driving (being female) with an earpiece so I thought the Bluetooth phone stuff on the Sendai might appeal to her.

mrk · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:02

She's a woman so won't notice the crap sound quality these give off. My old man has one in his Accord and while it looks nice the sound quality isn't to my standard.

It looks nice, has decent features so tbh.....£100 job done and happy endings etc.

Big Chris · 20 Nov 2009 at 13:37

Is the sound quality really that bad? She has pretty naff speakers as it is so probably wouldn't notice to be honest.

She drives a Suzuki Jimny and for some reason they decided the put the speakers facing the floor in the footwells :rolleyes:

mrk · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:11

I think she'll probably think it's perfectly fine tbh mate.

My expectations of good sound quality are usually a bar too high compared to other people's though heh.

Sone · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:14

mrk said:
I think she'll probably think it's perfectly fine tbh mate.

My expectations of good sound quality are usually a bar too high compared to other people's though heh.

Don't you still have standard speakers??? :confused:

Janesy B · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:15

I know it has loads of features, but are they features that will be used? Would you not rather sacrifice some features that probably won't be used for a slightly better quality unit?

mrk · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:16

Yes because the standard BMW stock speakers are very good but not many people here know this because they don't like non OEM head units in a BMW so won't bother trying because it looks 'out of place'.

It's only the head unit in BMW that's crap. Change the HU and it's like a new system....

Firestar_3x · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:17

Didn't you have a cheap Sony HU for a while, i take it thats long gone?

Sone · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:18

mrk said:
Yes because the standard BMW stock speakers are very good but not many people here know this because they don't like non OEM head units in a BMW.

It's only the head unit in BMW that's crap. Change the HU and it's like a new system....

Yeah but thats still not enough for a connaisseur of music such as yourself. It may be better but still not great.

mrk · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:21

Sone said:
Yeah but thats still not enough for a connaisseur of music such as yourself. It may be better but still not great.

It's not "great" in the sense that it's not better than my home/pc audio but then again it was never going to be, otherwise for a car stereo it is great... it doesn't need to be any better than this either, if you ever get the opportunity at a meet or something you will see (or hear...) for yourself.

Didn't you have a cheap Sony HU for a while, i take it thats long gone?

Yes, it had good sound quality but very few manual control to fine tune it. The Pioneer has those manual options I wanted but now I need a new one with multiline display due to music capacity being increased to 16GB.

Big Chris · 20 Nov 2009 at 14:25

Janesy B said:
I know it has loads of features, but are they features that will be used? Would you not rather sacrifice some features that probably won't be used for a slightly better quality unit?

She needs to be able to plug her iPod in first and foremost, and as I said she talks a lot on the phone (she drives 50miles a day to and from work) so the Bluetooth phone sync would be very useful.

The speakers and the positioning of them in the car is such that a slight increase in sound quality would only be heard if you lay down in the footwell and listened very closely!

Tican · 21 Nov 2009 at 15:29

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/sony-mex-bt2700.html

I have that one, and I love it, people at the other end of the phone say that the sound is clear etc

Edit: Ah just seen iPod, that has a front Aux though

Wicksta · 21 Nov 2009 at 16:36

mrk said:
Yes because the standard BMW stock speakers are very good but not many people here know this because they don't like non OEM head units in a BMW so won't bother trying because it looks 'out of place'.

It's only the head unit in BMW that's crap. Change the HU and it's like a new system....

I'd rather buy a line output converter and get a decent amp than ruin the look of the car inside. However I'm lucky in that I have the hi-fi option in both the Z4 and 325i so I don't have to ruin my dash to get decent sound.

Big Chris · 21 Nov 2009 at 17:48

DJ Binks said:
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/sony-mex-bt2700.html

I have that one, and I love it, people at the other end of the phone say that the sound is clear etc

Edit: Ah just seen iPod, that has a front Aux though

Cheers for the link, a wee bit over budget though I think. £100 is really the max I can spend, already got her a few other things and I'm fast running out of money, with all the rest of my family still to buy for!

She doesn't really 'need' full iPod connectivity, just an AUX to plug it in when needed. She uses an iTrip at the moment so is used to controlling her music via the iPod itself.

Tican · 21 Nov 2009 at 18:01

Big Chris said:
Cheers for the link, a wee bit over budget though I think. £100 is really the max I can spend, already got her a few other things and I'm fast running out of money, with all the rest of my family still to buy for!

She doesn't really 'need' full iPod connectivity, just an AUX to plug it in when needed. She uses an iTrip at the moment so is used to controlling her music via the iPod itself.

Damn

- Tis a good stereo though

mjd · 21 Nov 2009 at 18:19

If you are considering spending up to 100 notes on an unheard halfrauds effort then you may just as well spend 50 notes on an equally unheard of Aldi special. Probably more than adequate.

I have had a cursory glance just now and there are head units at around 115 notes that do everything you're after and will invariably eclipse the halfrauds junk.

I got a JVC head for my OH last year at auction. USB and Aux inputs. Set me back 75 notes with an extra couple of quid for a pen drive. Granted it was supposed to be second hand but it turned up almost brand new and hasnt skipped a beat. You'll get a far superior product doing something like this at a fraction of the cost. ICE buffs (myself included) have a tendency to go through head units regularly so you arent likely to have any problems with a second hand unit.

EDIT : Perhaps have a look at the JVC KD-BT11. No USB but Bluetooth and AUX.

mrk · 21 Nov 2009 at 19:23

Wicksta said:
I'd rather buy a line output converter and get a decent amp than ruin the look of the car inside. However I'm lucky in that I have the hi-fi option in both the Z4 and 325i so I don't have to ruin my dash to get decent sound.

That all depends on the hu in question as mine certainly doesn't "ruin" the interior going by the fact that not a single person has said it looks ruined who's seen it installed.

It doesn't look OEM but it doesn't look bad either.

Big Chris · 22 Nov 2009 at 10:22

mjd said:
If you are considering spending up to 100 notes on an unheard halfrauds effort then you may just as well spend 50 notes on an equally unheard of Aldi special. Probably more than adequate.

I have had a cursory glance just now and there are head units at around 115 notes that do everything you're after and will invariably eclipse the halfrauds junk.

I got a JVC head for my OH last year at auction. USB and Aux inputs. Set me back 75 notes with an extra couple of quid for a pen drive. Granted it was supposed to be second hand but it turned up almost brand new and hasnt skipped a beat. You'll get a far superior product doing something like this at a fraction of the cost. ICE buffs (myself included) have a tendency to go through head units regularly so you arent likely to have any problems with a second hand unit.

EDIT : Perhaps have a look at the JVC KD-BT11. No USB but Bluetooth and AUX.

The reason I picked the unheard of one is that it has AUX, USB and Bluetooth phone, all for £100. A £50 Aldi special is unlikely to have any of that. It also comes with free fitting and will be guaranteed.

As I said, I'd more or less decided on a Sony unit for £90, without Bluetooth as I didn't think it was possible in this price range, but if I can get it for £100 or less then it's a bonus.

I'm going to take some of her CD's in this week and have a listen to a few heanunits through the cheapest speakers they have in-store to see what's what.