About to order a DEH-P55BT. Please shout if I shouldn't

lordrobs

lordrobs

lordrobs

Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2003
Posts
16,664
Location
Norwich
Ok as title really.

I decided that my old Kenwood HU needs to be replaced after 7 years of service to allow me to play MP3's on the move.

I had decided on spending no more than £100 but after missing a call on my way home and spending 10 minutes in a layby trying to phone the guy back I decided that I will splash the cash and get a bluetooth jobbie.

So... is the Pioneer DEH-P55BT the one to go for. TBH anything else would have to be the same price or cheaper which limits me to (AFAIK) this one, a clarion with an external box or that one Aldi have on offer which looks pretty cheap and nasty (although a massive £100 cheaper)

I had a quick search and saw a couple of comments and I can see that Paradigm is pleased with his but want to be sure as its money I shouldn't really be spending so need it to be good so the new toy feelings overcome the guilty ones!

Its this jobbie if your not up on your model numbers:
PIONEER-DEH-P55BT.jpg


Finally where should I buy? Car audio direct seem a good price as do Car audio security so will either be ok to order from?

Many thanks :)
 
Yeah I saw you were quite happy with it ;)

Did you have any problems ordering through Car Audio Direct?

The thing is I hate flashy looking head units... but at the same time I hate bland or cheap looking ones. This one to me looks perfect. Also its black unlike so many others so will match my interior better.... plus the bluetooth functionality actually works. Hmmm I should just stop talking and get ordering shouldn't I :p
 
Ordering from CAD was completely without issue, the unit arrived very quickly, and the packaging was secure.

You sir, have the same taste in HU's that I do. I hate overcomplicated designs, but don't like the idea of having a blatently cheap unit. I also wanted the black unit with red display, win-win!

Yes, just get it ordered! :p
 
paradigm said:
Ordering from CAD was completely without issue, the unit arrived very quickly, and the packaging was secure.

You sir, have the same taste in HU's that I do. I hate overcomplicated designs, but don't like the idea of having a blatently cheap unit. I also wanted the black unit with red display, win-win!

Yes, just get it ordered! :p
Click to expand...

Kinda on topic I suppose... I'm looking for a new HU too. I've considered this one but I also remember seeing a really plain, simple Pioneer unit on here a few months ago. Looked really classy, just my taste, but I can't remember which one it was and can't seem to find it again :(
 
Well you can take the thread off topic if you like now guys as I've gone and bought it. Worryingly I've now left myself with only £180 notes until pay day... before which I've got to take the gf on a shopping trip to lakeside to get her b.day present, get a tank of fuel, and pay for a night in a travel inn :o

Might have to sneak £200 out of the joint account until pay day :o :p
 
lordrobs said:
Well you can take the thread off topic if you like now guys as I've gone and bought it. Worryingly I've now left myself with only £180 notes until pay day... before which I've got to take the gf on a shopping trip to lakeside to get her b.day present, get a tank of fuel, and pay for a night in a travel inn :o

Might have to sneak £200 out of the joint account until pay day :o :p
Click to expand...

Tesco petrol station and a tent (Tesco again I suppose...) ;)
 
Let me know how it goes :)

im looking at buying one for the celica and use it with my SE K750i.. :)
 
paradigm said:
The single BEST thing I have EVER bought for my car :)

But you knew that already ;)

Click to expand...

I found the dial a bit flimsy and rubbery to use, which put me off when I had a fiddle in Halfords...

What makes it so good?

What's the amber screen jobbie below it?
 
Kingy said:
I found the dial a bit flimsy and rubbery to use, which put me off when I had a fiddle in Halfords...

What makes it so good?

What's the amber screen jobbie below it?
Click to expand...

Rubbery :confused: Its a solid peice of plastic, how on gods earth can it be rubbery :/

It "may" feel a little flimsy, but remember that not only does it spin (volume control), but it also acts as a D-Pad (up/down/left/right) for track/playlist/menu navigation, so it will move around a little if you are ham-fisted with it.

What makes it so good? The sound quality, the ease of use, the fact that it doesn't look tacky like 99.9% of headunits out there with their gash multi-coloured displays. The quality of the sound for phone calls is also superb, the echo cancellation works a treat (doesn't transmit sound that the mic picks up from the speakers), and the fact that the unit can store your entire phonebook means you can dial from the headuit with the press of a few buttons, thus meaning your phone can remain in your pocket/bag/boot etc etc.

Amber screen below it is my Climate Control.

panthro said:
what does the bluetooth allow you to do on it? Looks like a nice bit of uncomplicated kit.
Click to expand...

The bluetooth acts as a completely integrated handsfree kit, that mutes the playback volume of the radio/cd/ipod, and transmits the phonecall through your car speakers, and uses the supplied microphone (attached to the top of my a-pillar) to pick up your voice.

As I said above, the phonebook features, echo cancellation etc etc are fantastic.
 
Last edited:
i don't know why... but i wouldn't buy that for the sole reason its got an ancient looking LCD display...

must admit i like my dot matrix ones :(
 
Hate said:
i don't know why... but i wouldn't buy that for the sole reason its got an ancient looking LCD display...

must admit i like my dot matrix ones :(
Click to expand...
Thats the whole reason that I do like it. Simple, effective, shows you all you need to know. If i wanted movies/animations, i'd stay at home and watch TV tbqfh.
 
Same here - I was going to get an Alpine 9850Ri, but the display totally put me off, so I went for a 9856R + KCA-420i in the end, it's got a far better display that doesn't look dated.
 
Pioneer/Alpine must make the best sounding and most useful headunits, I've not been disappointed yet. None of that fussy rubbish that costs too much.

I have the P77MP with my MP3 player hard wired to the CD changer input. Coupled with some mid range amped Infinity reference component speakers and a 12" sub, it sounds pretty ace. Drowns out my tinny rattly 206.

Looking to give the P77 to my Mrs through and get myself a new one.
 
On a head unit, my primary concern is sound quality, rather than display quality.

Pioneer/Alpine must make the best sounding and most useful headunits, I've not been disappointed yet. None of that fussy rubbish that costs too much.
Click to expand...

Pioneer changed over recently (last couple of years, with the launch of the 77MP) to using the well regarded Burr Brown DACs. Previously, they weren't all that. I'd urge you to also take a look at the likes of Blaupunkt, Becker and if you can track one down... Nakamichi.

If you're talking about OEM audio, then the Mark Levision system (Harmon Kardon Group... Infinity, JBL et al) in the LS4xx series is pretty mean.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom