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Originally Posted by CA_Boxster
I busted my old HU (Alpine CDA-9847) so I've recently been looking at what to replace it with. It's an easier process now that I've already made 1 pass at upgrading the stereo in my Boxster. I'm going to leave the MB Quart 6.5' woffers that I added to the doors a couple years ago, as well as the Harvey rear kit. I'll pull the Kenwood components out of the dash and replace them with Polk 401 coax. I looked at HUs and was targeting being under $200 for a good one, which is do-able. I'm probably going to get the Sony CDX-GT821IP (~$160) but another good option is the one right below it: CDX-GT620IP. Both have a real iPod connector that allows you to plug it in and leave it while it's recharged by the car and you control it via the HU. You can also just plug it into the standard Aux input on the front of the HU. Both come with the iPod cable. The main thing that makes me like the 820 better is that the display is bigger (3-line) which will make scrolling through the iPod easier. I should mention that I also looked for HUs where I could change the illumination colors. I hate bright lights in my dash so some of the standard HU colors aren't to my liking.
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I totally agree with you on the head unit color. I didn't see any with adjustable color on the bestbuy circuitcity websites, but if you go to crutchfield and other stereo specific stores, I found models that allow you to adjust the display through a multitude of colors - which would not only allow you to not make it too bright, but would permit you to find a shade that would probably do a good job of looking OEM In terms of matching the dash lighting.. my 2000 has that orangey color to it and I don't really want a bright blue/green/red HU that clashes. call me anal, but I like it all to "flow" and look OEM.
funny thing about my rear speakers. I flipped my seats forward and I can see that on the passenger side, there is a plastic plate that the speakers are bolted into - from looking at the online photos of the rear speaker kits - I swear the car must have an older ersio nof that..the plastic has markings on it, and appears molded to fit into the cubby. but then on the drives side, whoever installed it used a piece of wood. literally, it is wood colored, and it is cut to the dimensions of the rear speaker kit... i am not the original owner...so I have to assume the original owner must have either had "part" of the kit, or maybe broke the piece and had to custom fab half of it... unsure... i may want to paint black - now it's bugging me that there is this wood thign in there.
i don't have speaker grills covering the opening..i think i'll just get some grill material and fab up some grills to cover it up and then you can't see it anyway.
i DO have the OEM 4 channel amp in the front trunk. Can you just pull that amp out and wire in a better more pwoerful amp? or will it not work with the factory head unit?
or what about getting a nwer more powerful HU and then somehow try to use that factory amp to run the rear speakers? use the HU to run the front four speakers and the OEM amp to run teh rears? or would that not work?