mbb

Ive always thought my stereo in the 2003 supercrew lariat sounded pretty decent for a stock. So I never touched it.

Started wanting to bluetooth integrate my phone. been using a cassette adapter for playing pandora, etc. Also wanted to install my backup camera into LCD display

Installed a pioneer avhx2800bhs. The install , after cutting the opening out, was fine. The pandora app works GREAT. you pick it on the head unit and it starts pandora on you phone (android) even with screen locked. Displays art, you can scroll thru your stations and select on head unit.

Spotify doesnt work as well, but works. It doesnt connect if phone screen is locked, and doesnt find your stations unless start the app on the phone sometimes. doesnt display album art.

Anyway. to the point. The stock radio sounds much better than the pioneer, with more power too. I have pioneer speakers btw, not stock. The new head unit lacks stereo separation and clarity by comparison the stock. The FM tuner is ...horrible by comparison. It sounds almost mono when playing. I cant stand it. The voices dont pop out from the music.

Returning it and put my stock back in.

I will probably buy adapter that plugs into cd changer to use aux jack instead of cassette adapter, its a little fidgety. Even when playing thru the cassette adapter, my stock sounds better than the pioneer.

I guess this is the way things are today. Cheap chinese crap, sold by buckets of features of little value, instead of quality sound. When I was a kid, a pioneer dash unit (25 w/channel) and pair of 6x9s would rock a car with thumping bass and brilliant highs. My first thought when I took the head unit out of the box was , boy this is light, . No substance. No amp.

What really blew my mind was I went to a local shop to look at dvd head units. A whole display wall of them. NOT hooked up to any speakers. You cant hear them before you buy. I pretty much told the guy they were idiots and left. My impression is today you need to buy components, subwoofer, amp to make the sound from these crappy things passable.

Holicori

I have the exact same one...installed 2 weeks ago. Bought 6x8 pioneer 4eay speakers. They sound great. There's not alot of bump to it, but I didn't want bump...I wanted clarity. I also wanted the features (Bluetooth, mirror link, etc).

I knew this before buying it. I checked the specs and read reviews...it was blatanly obvious that to get bump you'd need an amp and a sub. Mine is plenty loud, and clear.

Sounds like you just made a hasty decision...and your speakers suck.

mbb

Interesting.
the avhx_800 series is brand new, no reviews on them yet. Only out about 2 weeks. Brick and mortar dealers havent seen them yet.

And my speakers are pioneer 6x8 4 ways. If mine suck, so do yours.

Not looking for thump on stock speakers. But better sound than factory , or at least equivalent, would be expected Theres simply lack of fidelity and stereo separation by comparison.

Im wondering if pioneer screwed up and has polarity mislabeled on their plug wires. Checked my truck and its correct.

Holicori

X800 or 2800? Mines the 2800, which you first posted. And they have been out for about a year.

Maybe you're just an audiophile and ****. Which if you are, then this is obviously a setup far too basic. Or maybe yours is wired wrong. Mines great.

Holicori

The Spotify sucks though. Works, but like you said.

mbb

The _800 series are 2016 models and just came out.

Im far from an audiophile, but remember when good american and japanese equipment was sold.

DaytonLax14

Did you adjust your eq? What about SLA? What about loudness (the actual loudness setting, not the volume ****)

I have a pioneer deck and love mine

I highly doubt the stock decks that came in ford trucks have a more powerful speaker amplifier than aftermarket decks

JaredF150

I've always bought pioneer head units and been super happy with them, I actually found the stock deck in my truck sounded like crap, the MP3 deck I put in out of an 06 Escape is better than my stock deck was for sure, but I was planning on swapping that out for a pioneer double din eventually. I guess I'll have to listen to one before buying it though.

mbb

Wirhout a doubt, my lariat 2003 stock has more power. Hell it weighs 2x what the pioneer does woth a masssive heat sink on the back.

Done all adjustments. The FM tuner just really seems to not be in stereo. May be bad unit. although there is no stereo indication now for fm receptiopn....which is odd
First in a long time ive seen without that.

me1234

Not gonna lie I'm pretty impressed with the stock speakers in my 2000 scab. I also use the cassette adapter with my ipod(old i know, but I can skip songs safely while driving). I could see wanting an upgrade if I listened to base heavy dance music or rap and wanted a sub, but I usually listen to rock.

I wasn't impressed with them at first, but after putting the ipod volume limiter around 80%, setting the ipod equalizer to R&B, and adjusting the factory equalizer to my liking(usually base 1-2 bars below mid, and treble 3-4 above mid), these speakers are great. Honestly, I don't see beating the quality w/o spending at least $600 on equipment (well, enough where I'd be happy I spent money on a speaker system).