What Headunit to get?
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Imho
Alpines: Someone is bound to throw the name out there just because lots of people are still big fans of the name.
Their head units have some of the best user controls on the market. If you want a good, reliable, simple to use head unit for a basic setup without any fiddling, go for it. And I felt the IPOD controls on my Alpines were first rate. If you want decent built-in tuning features and equalizaton without getting separate equalizers or sound processors, you are out of luck. You must pay extra money for IMPRINT or else purchase the top of the line 9887. Their older discontinued models are fantastic and can still be found for a bargain if you shop around. Their new stuff is largely crap.
Most of the rest of the head units in their line below the 9887 offer a 2 band graphic equalizer (glorified bass and treble boosts) and not much else except the Alpine name. I dislike Alpines nowadays for this main reason: other manufacturers give you a better choice of a variety of different head units with useful built-in SQ functions. As far as I can tell, most Alpines below the CD 9887 are pretty much the same, and devoid of useful sound-quality related tuning capability. Even though they offer a whole range of different models, their head unit lineup almost seems designed and engineered to force you to choose IMPRINT or the 9887 if you want to go to the next level.
I am a bigger fan of Pioneers and Eclipses. You can stay in the 'chain store' price range and still get a bit more for the money than you get with Alpines.
Depending on what you want to pay you can get 3, 5, or 7-plus band equalizers among other things that you won't get in an Alpine without paying top dollar.
Crutchfield has all the information you'd probably need about all the different head units in either manufacturer's lineup. My pioneer retails for over 400 dollars so I won't bore you with it if you don't really want to know, but depending on what you're looking for they have cheaper models that still offer more value than comparable Alpines.
Alpines: Someone is bound to throw the name out there just because lots of people are still big fans of the name.
Their head units have some of the best user controls on the market. If you want a good, reliable, simple to use head unit for a basic setup without any fiddling, go for it. And I felt the IPOD controls on my Alpines were first rate. If you want decent built-in tuning features and equalizaton without getting separate equalizers or sound processors, you are out of luck. You must pay extra money for IMPRINT or else purchase the top of the line 9887. Their older discontinued models are fantastic and can still be found for a bargain if you shop around. Their new stuff is largely crap.
Most of the rest of the head units in their line below the 9887 offer a 2 band graphic equalizer (glorified bass and treble boosts) and not much else except the Alpine name. I dislike Alpines nowadays for this main reason: other manufacturers give you a better choice of a variety of different head units with useful built-in SQ functions. As far as I can tell, most Alpines below the CD 9887 are pretty much the same, and devoid of useful sound-quality related tuning capability. Even though they offer a whole range of different models, their head unit lineup almost seems designed and engineered to force you to choose IMPRINT or the 9887 if you want to go to the next level.
I am a bigger fan of Pioneers and Eclipses. You can stay in the 'chain store' price range and still get a bit more for the money than you get with Alpines.
Depending on what you want to pay you can get 3, 5, or 7-plus band equalizers among other things that you won't get in an Alpine without paying top dollar.
Crutchfield has all the information you'd probably need about all the different head units in either manufacturer's lineup. My pioneer retails for over 400 dollars so I won't bore you with it if you don't really want to know, but depending on what you're looking for they have cheaper models that still offer more value than comparable Alpines.
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9,056 Posts
I just bought a new Pioneer, and it's awesome. And you won't need to sell blood to afford it, unlike some of the HU's out there.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer...Deck/9197175.p?id=1218056226379&skuId=9197175
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer...Deck/9197175.p?id=1218056226379&skuId=9197175
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443 Posts
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/Mcintosh-mx406-car-cd-player.asp
You will never hear anything so beautiful.
You will never hear anything so beautiful.
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238 Posts
I installed an Eclipse CD7100 in my Dakota...I like the 8v outs to my amp - but, the iPod add on isn't as good as I'd have liked. Radio/CD/USB playback seems fine. I do like the colored display animations 
I also have a Pioneer DEH-P700BT in my car and it's iPod control is much better than the Eclipse. I don't like the lack of preset buttons for radio, but I've adjusted to using the remote. I do like it's built in BlueTooth for use with my phone. (it might be moving to the Dakota...)
I also looked at the Alpines, but haven't used them....
It depends on what you want to spend, what's available and what options you want in your HU. So long as you like it, that's what matters in the end!
I bought my HU's from a car audio forum and not brand new.
I also have a Pioneer DEH-P700BT in my car and it's iPod control is much better than the Eclipse. I don't like the lack of preset buttons for radio, but I've adjusted to using the remote. I do like it's built in BlueTooth for use with my phone. (it might be moving to the Dakota...)
I also looked at the Alpines, but haven't used them....
It depends on what you want to spend, what's available and what options you want in your HU. So long as you like it, that's what matters in the end!
I bought my HU's from a car audio forum and not brand new.
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34 Posts
I would go with JVC... They've come out with some very innovative products... I have a JVC R900. I absolutely love it. It has bluetooth, usb, SAT Radio, 5V preouts, USB, MP3/WMA, etc... It does everything and sounds great...
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3,871 Posts
im mostly a fan of alpine, memphis, eclipse and a lil of poineer, first 3 are my tops, ive got 2 alpine HUs one i bought back in 03 and the other in 05 and both still play as the day i bought them w/o missin a beat.
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330 Posts
You'd just have get past the antiquated looks if it though!:jester:
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221 Posts
i installed this one in my rango about four days ago. very easy to use and plays dvds.
i installed a video out cable and tucked it up under the dash so i can feed additional monitors later without taking out the HU again.
i hot wired the safety grounding cable so it plays DVDs anytime. very easy to do.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_110V8013HD/Jensen-VM8013HD.html?tp=20220
also plays ipods etc.
i installed a video out cable and tucked it up under the dash so i can feed additional monitors later without taking out the HU again.
i hot wired the safety grounding cable so it plays DVDs anytime. very easy to do.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_110V8013HD/Jensen-VM8013HD.html?tp=20220
also plays ipods etc.
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598 Posts
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