Jo L's 2005 Ford Focus
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Items installed:
- Pioneer DEH-P5200HD CD receiver with HD Radio™
Jo's Story
Jo's a Crutchfield copywriter, and she loves telling all her friends about how much she enjoys the sound of the new Pioneer DEH-P5200HD CD receiver she's installed in her car.
Q&A Section
What made this stereo the right one for you?
I love to get the variety of listening to the radio but I always had this inner argument with myself about signal quality — a cool song would be playing with a not-so-great signal, and I'd struggle about changing the station. It's great to have access to HD stations so I don't have to think twice about signal quality
What feature(s) do you like most about HD Radio?
I really like how clean the signal is — I don't hear nearly as many crackles and pops. It's also nice to get a little more information displayed about the station I'm on. Even if I tune in during a commercial, I can still figure out where I've landed, and if I want to stay.
Any other HD Radio thoughts?
When I first was researching HD radio, I saw a lot of confusion on the web about what 'HD' stands for. It's understandable to be confused, since HD radio refers to a digital signal, and HDTV refers to High-Def, although both are operating with a digital signal.
What plans, if any, do you have for future upgrades?
Changing out the receiver made my factory speakers sound better, so for now I'm just appreciating the improved sound. My next upgrade would be Dynamat and speakers, and maybe add an amp and sub down the road.
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Vehicles in the Customer Car Showroom are submitted by customers and fans, and edited by Crutchfield writing staff. You can find more of these articles on the Showroom main page.
by Crutchfield's
Meet Ken Nail
My name is Ken. I seek the Holy Grail of car audio excellence. My favorite color is blue.
I came to Crutchfield in 1999. During my six years as a Crutchfield Advisor, I learned a lot about the technology behind great car and home audio. I learned even more about what people wanted in their car stereo systems.
I've been a writer for car audio and fitness tech at Crutchfield since 2005. Over the last few years, I've also carved out a niche producing demo videos for our in-dash car stereos. The hands-on experience I get with car stereos while doing video production is an invaluable aid to me in learning about their exciting features. This helps me convey that information to our customers when I write about the stereo on our website.
Before coming to Crutchfield, I spent 10 years teaching music in Charlottesville area schools. I keep my musical interests satisfied by volunteering as a classical music DJ at a local community radio station, and I stay up to date with the latest in outdoor tech by cycling, running, and backpacking.
Fun facts: I've completed an Ironman triathlon, run the Boston Marathon, hiked 1150 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and lost on Jeopardy!
More about Ken
More from Ken Nail
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Fitness tracker buying guide
Quick guide to matching subs & amps
Car stereo FAQ
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