On the Audio subject

Archives of Posts to the NZ MX5 List back in 2004
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Bill Rehm

On the Audio subject

Post by Bill Rehm » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:53 pm

I also need to replace my ancient factory installed radio/ CD player
(latter doesn't work) in my 91 BRG Mx5.

What are my options in terms of buying something while in the US that
will work here: both from a radio/cd unit as well as an accessory amp
view point.

All expertise will be appreciated.

PS leave in 48 hours

Regards
Bill

poison
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
Keep calm, Forum Moderator here.
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On the Audio subject

Post by poison » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:16 pm

Hi Bill

IMHO I wouldn't think it's worth bringing something like
that back. I just bought a Panasonic MP3 45Wx4 and great
sound. And only $260 or so from Paul Money HiFi here in
Auckland. NZ has good prices on mainstream audio products
thanks to the parallel importers pushing down prices.

If you wanted to bring something back that is much cheaper
in the USA, consider a Panasonic ae700 home theatre
projector. Great reviews and selling here for about $4500.

Gazza
"PO1SON"
[...]
:twisted: Gazda in the white HOT Mazda :twisted:

dscotland

On the Audio subject

Post by dscotland » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:18 pm

everything will work from the US, but you are screwed if it breaks.

When you can buy a good brand MP3/CD/CDR/Tuner here for about $350 with a
three year warranty, I would wonder why you'd bother, unless you went
really exotic and spent big bucks. As far as amps go, are you planning to
run a sub, because I would consider an amp unnecessary just running 4
speakers from a good head unit...


Bill Rehm <bill@kase.co.nz>
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22/11/2004 04:53 p.m.
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MX5List<mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>


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Subject
On the Audio subject


I also need to replace my ancientfactory installedradio/ CD player(latter
doesnbt work)in my 91 BRG Mx5.

What are my options interms of buying something while in theUS that will
work here: both from aradio/cdunit as well as anaccessory amp view point.

All expertise will be appreciated.

PS leave in 48 hours


Regards

Bill

Grant
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 9:41 pm
Location: Sunny Blenheim

On the Audio subject

Post by Grant » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:53 pm

If you do decide to buy in the States, just remember that their AM band is
10kHz steps while ours is 9kHz so you will have problems there unless the
receiver is able to be changed. You might not need AM but many of us do.
Here in the sunny South Island, we run out of FM coverage very quickly.
If you buy any video equipment remember that the USA uses NTSC with the
different frame rates and of course 110 volts at 60Hz mains. Most gear sold
outside of the States is able to be used elsewhere, but a lot sold on their
domestic market is not. You would be much better to buy your gear here in NZ
and spend your money on goodies for your 'Miata' that will make us all
envious!
I installed a JVC radio / cd player (single DIN size) with MP3 capability.
This works very well, especially being able to use the front / rear fader to
adjust the headrest speaker levels to what suits you. Don't need a cd
stacker with 10 hours of music on a single cd. I have found the volume is
plenty without an extra amp, but I don't have a subwoofer to drive either.

Grant.
Red 2006 NC Tiptronic
FIX A PC

Voodoo

On the Audio subject

Post by Voodoo » Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:14 pm

I bought a Panasonic L300U (same as AE300) projector in the USA when I was
there last January. It had just been superceded and so the price was
specialled. Cost me under half of what it had been selling for here in NZ just
a month or two earlier. Most of this sort of stuff is made for the world
market now and so it runs any standard... any voltage.

I chose to take the risk though... save the money and carry the warranty (or
risk if it breaks). So far so good.

It pays to do some thorough research first though. Some things are on a par
here, or close to it, and the more the need for a warranty the more the need
for caution.


On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 17:53:46 +1300, The Simpsons wrote:

If you buy any video equipment remember that the USA uses NTSC with the
different frame rates and of course 110 volts at 60Hz mains. Most gear sold
outside of the States is able to be used elsewhere, but a lot sold on their
domestic market is not.

And <dscotland@repco.co.nz> wrote:

everything will work from the US, but you are screwed if it breaks.

zorruno
Black is the new black.
Black is the new black.
Posts: 601
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:20 pm
Location: An Eastern Beach

On the Audio subject

Post by zorruno » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:15 pm

Bill Rehm wrote:
I also need to replace my ancient factory installed radio/ CD player
(latter doesnt work) in my 91 BRG Mx5.

What are my options in terms of buying something while in the US that
will work here: both from a radio/cd unit as well as an accessory amp
view point.

All expertise will be appreciated.

PS leave in 48 hours

Regards

Bill
Hi Bill

My last 2 head units have been imported from the US, with the most
recent one 2 years ago. I imported as NZ didn't have the exact models I
wanted - the price was still high, and I had to add a small duty and GST
from memory. Yes there is the warranty issue, but that was no big deal
for me.

NZ gets most of the latest units at the same time as other countries
nowadays (it was Alpine, Pioneer or nothing a few years ago), and the
prices are pretty close to the same (good NZ dollar helps).

You might find some model Amplifiers are a bit cheaper though - they
probably cost more to freight to NZ. They were a fair amount cheaper
when I looked last year. They'd probably be less likely to break and
easier to fix if they did too (no moving parts...).

The band step frequencies are pretty much not a problem nowadays as 99%
of them can be electronically changed via the menus between 9 & 10 kHz
steps.

Have a good trip :)
zorruno
(z)

EricW
See my 5 and raise you.
See my 5 and raise you.
Posts: 95
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Whangaparaoa

On the Audio subject

Post by EricW » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:51 pm

I would think this is good advice, these things are relatively so inexpensive
here now that it hardly seems worth the risk of something that might not work
well, and be impossible to repair.

Even in the Radio Telephone business, which you would think would be quite
straight forward, we have software difficulties with Motorola US Domestic
Market radios using different software from the rest of the world.

I replaced a radio in my "spare" car, my late father's Mazda 626, with a unit
I bought from the Sony factory shop in Khyber Pass, CD, CDR and 6 disc stacker
cost me a shade under $550 from memory and about $100 to fit. The only thing
wrong with the unit was a busted carton. I can't stay in the car at full
volume, with no Amp.

By the way, quite a few years ago I put some speakers into the doors of an old
Series 1 Ford Escort, (well, it actually was brand new back then) and used a
couple of round margarine tubs as enclosures, which worked brilliantly. This
might be an economical answer to the "headrest speaker enclosure" issue that
comes up from time to time. You do need to eat the margarine first however!

If anybody feels like trying it I would be interested in the results, I am not
particularly motivated to do it myself. (An elegant way of saying "Too
Lazy").

Regards

Eric

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