Guys,

I am in the market for a new HU for my current setup. I've read a range of threads on here re the above head units and am looking for some owners/experts to give me some advice around quality aspects of the following units:
- Alpine 9855R
- Alpine 9861E
- Eclipse 3000

My budget is:
- Head unit -> ~$800-1000
- CD stacker -> ~$400(ish)

My current system is:
- as per signature

My current system setup:
- HU drives rears from its internal amp
- Splits in front doors are driven by 2 channels (L + R) of the amp (1 channel/side)
- Splits are using the supplied Alpine DDDrive x-over
- Sub is powered by 2 of the 4 amp channels bridged together, x-over is managed amp and HU.

I don't want:
- I don't want to add another amp (or more)
- I don't want to replace my current speakers or amp
- I don't want to go to a HU with no in built amp for the rear speakers

My questions are:
- Which unit offers the best SQ?
- Other threads have said the biggest difference between all 3 units is the ability to run 'Active' setups. Is an active setup where each speaker has it's own amp? If so, my stereo will never be active, so which HU suits me best?
- What's the diff b/n active and passive setup?
- Which HU has the best local (AU) support?
- I like the idea of the 24bit DAC's. How much different are 24bit DAC's in a car setup? (ie: On the road noise, etc. The car is not a SQ comp car, it's my daily driver.) My home stereo has burr brown DAC's, and they're nice, but that's a very controlled environment.
- The ability to play MP3's from a DVD would be advantageous.
- How much better is Alpines Bass Engine Pro (9855R) to their other stuff (9861E)?

If anyone can help answer the above Q's, I'd be gateful.

Thanx muchly in advance.

Eclipse CD3000 is only $349RRP

Whats the problem with your current pioneer 7650? its at the upper end of the midrange units

Yeah at that price range you should be looking at the CD7000 and I believe it has more tuning features then the Alpines, and Eclipse are considered to have that slightly better pure signal. But at the end of the day there all great units just get the one you like the look of I'd say, I don't think anyone will complain about the abilities of any of them.

gtsman, didn't realise the CD3000 was so cheap. Can't find prices on these units anywhere, just going of unit compares done in threads like this one. It was the commonly compared unit, hence the inclusion. The 7000 was my preferred 'type' of unit, but I was guessing it was Eclipses >$2K type unit.

As for the old 7650, ye, it's a great unit. But it's clipping top end frequencies in the left channels. Only audible when you set the car up properly (which mine is now) hence the need to move on. Great unit otherwise.

Luke352, I appreciate the quality of all these units, but there have been some passionate comments made in other threads specifically around the Bass Engine Pro, DAC's and SQ when comparing these units. I'd like to know if my setup is likely to need some of the features of one unit v's the others. At the moment it's really a needs v's wants argument in my head.

CD 7000 RRP $999, Shiny car is one user of Alpine he uses a 9853 and being very succesful in CAASQ I believe he is of the belief having listened to some setups with Eclipse decks that they do have the better output quality (Shiny correct me if I'm wrong I don't want to give a wrong impression) but the extra features from when you combo the Alpine's with some of digital outboard EQ's i'm not sure of the model number the extra tuneability becomes invaluable. So do you want a one of purchase probably go the Eclipse, if you are willing to add more later maybe an Alpine.

Luke

IMO, the Eclipse 7000 is the best bang-for-buck unit there. THAT also depends on whether you like the $hite look of them though. You have to try a unit out first before making that decision.

In order: 7000 <-- 9588R <-- 9861

By itself, the 9861 just doesnt offer much in the way of tuning. Its an empty shell really. Great sound though, and the ability to play heaps of disks is definetly advantageous (thats why I got one). Coupled with the H701 though (about 1500 for the 9861+H701) its unbeatable over anything else in the same price range, and a lot of things above it too.

A 7000 you should be able to pick up for around 1k if you look (I think). What about the Pioneer P80RS? Now thats a fantastic unit. 1k there too.

I think you'll find that shiny is using the Alpine F1 combo of processor and HU. The PXA processor is the outboard processor that you are thinking of.

$999 CD7000,

Pros: Best SQ and Functions for the money, Excellent head unit overall, 5V Preouts. Best PEQ and X/over Overall.
Cons: Does not have angle face capability, feels a little cheapy and interface can take some getting used to. No Processor capability at all

$899 9861E

Pros: Very Good SQ, up there with the CD7000, Processor Control, DVD playback, Optical out for processor.
Cons: Useless without PXA Processor ($899 on top) Cheapy design, Face doesn't Angle, Feels looks and performs like a cheap CD player. I got rid of myn 2 days after getting it even with PXA. Interface and design was hopeless IMO. Removable face mech feels and operates like a $119 JVC.

$799 9855R

Pros: Bass engine pro!!, Easy to use, great menu layout and screen, Good Quality build, Angled face capability.
Cons: Overall output signal sounds very flat and lacks detail especially high freq's, No Optical out to bypass internal dacs for processor.

Even though I'm not a fan of the audio quality of the 9855R,
I still choose it over the CD7000 in terms of Price vs performance.

CD7000
SQ: 9/10
Audio Adjustments: 9/10
Ease of Use: 6/10
Build Quality: 7/10
31/40

9861E
SQ: 9/10
Audio Adjustments: 2/10
Ease of Use: 5/10
Build Quality: 6/10
22/10

9855R
SQ: 7/10
Audio Adjustments: 8/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Build Quality: 9/10
32/40

please keep in mind THESE ARE MY OPINIONS ONLY. You can take them or leave them,
the same as magazine articles are a "SINGLE PERSONS OPINION ONLY".

It is worth noting, I have owned and used all of the above head units,
and currently own a 9965E,

To compare

$2300 9965E

SQ: 9.5/10 (high end freqs are OMG!!)
Audio Adjustments: 9/10
Ease of Use: 8/10
Build Quality: 10/10

Regards
Juls

Great feedback guys, keep it coming.

I hadn't considered Pioneer due to my current experience in SQ with them and the fact that others had advised other providers (ie:Alpine) give better SQ. From their site though, the model that falls into my space is the DEH-P9850BT which comes in at ~$999.

The DEX-P90RS is $2999, way too steep for me.

Just as an aside, I'm not doing the PXA external processor, nor am I going to go down the in car video screen thing, etc.

btw, excellent info Juls.

Has anyone got the goods on the CD5000 8v preouts RRP $699..........zion
Also the new blauplunkt Model No? with a RRP $999 , but has really huge graphic EQ stuff in it?

The blau is the bremen MP74 I think

agh the bremen, so not a fan, sounds eh, hard to use, makes the worse sounds opening the face..

C. Pitts - you weren't on the WRX Yahoo email lists years ago were you? If it is I remember reading a fair bit about detailing and stuff from your posts/website. Anyway, do you post on Rexnet at all?

www.rexnet.com.au

And Juls love his new 9965e - and I'm jealous!

Oh yes Gonadman2, that's me.

Rarely on rexnet, more on vicwrx.com.au or wrx.com.au forums. The detailing OCD has increased, as has the car stereo OCD. You should go visit the site now, been a little revamped over the years. Hopefully it's up and happy, my routers been playing buggery of late. (grrrrr)

The CD5000 is a great deck .... excellent SQ straight out of the box.
Well built, has a solid feel too it and looks classy.
Time alighnment is basic and it doesn't support running an active stage, but it does have a good parametric EQ.
Really depends on what sort of features are important to you.
I upgraded from a Pioneer DEH-P7550 and the difference is like night and day!

not quite.

i actually have an alpine CDA-7990R F1 Status HU and processor for competition purposes. the other HUs i have are 'spare' and include a 7998 and 9835 (easily confused with 9853).

i think overall, alpine HUs offer a fantastic balance of sound quality, (tuning) features, build quality, and accessories (processors, stackers, etc). hence, i've favoured them for years. i would agree that for raw SQ, eclipse is superior, but once 'tuning' takes place with EQ, time correction, etc, the gap is narrowed considerably.

the 9855R is a great SQ HU, and i would have one over the CD5000. but the CD7000 is better again from what i can gather.

as stand-alone HUs, i'd go CD7000 over 9855R over 9861E. if you want more gadgets (stackers, multimedia, processors, etc), then alpine is probably the way to go. their whole setup is very elegant in how it all integrates, and all top quality.

8v injection ...........zion

i would go the 9855 due to the fact thatits a nice unit, it will let you control the pxa h701 later if you choose,



plus i find alpine units easier to work with and tune

awsome build quality...

Yeah, after having a physical look at the Pioneer and both Alpine units and also the Eclipse (CD7000) on the web, it's looking more and more like I head back to my original unit of choice:

- Alpine 9855R

And at an rrp of $799, it's pretty good value.

Thanks for the input everyone!