I want to get a new HU. I want to stick around the $300 range, less if I can. I want MP3/WMA capabilities and I want the unit to read ID3 tags well and maneuver/search through the directories well, too. I plan on listening to MP3s almost exclusively. I'd also PREFER to have a larger display so I can read the text easily.

With regards to what my system is currently, everything right now is stock. I'm obviously planning on upgrading the HU, but at this point not anything else except that I'll also be adding the PAC-SWI. The next thing I would upgrade would be to add a subwoofer then I'd replace the stock speakers...That is, assuming the stock speakers sound alright with the new HU. BTW, I plan on doing all the installation myself.

Currently I'm looking at Alpine and Clarion, but after reading some threads on here I'm realizing that I should probably consider Eclipse, too.

So far, the Alpine CDA-9807 for $279 fits into my price range, but the CDA-9811 for $329 has a better feature set and has the larger flip out display. As for Clarion, the ProAudio DXZ735MP is on sale at Crutchfield for $219 (reg $299) and is in line with the CDA-9811 feature set wise from what I can tell. As I'm unsure of Eclipse's website or where to find them, I really don't have any idea as to what they have to offer.

Thanks.

PS: I'm going to attempt to do a poll to see which brand/model people would recommend based on what I'm asking

 

Personally, id step it up and go for the CDA-9815. I have this h/u and ill never get rid of it. and ull love the 2 lines of text that it reads of the id3 tag. Eclipse h/u's are also excellent and their nicer models have 8V preouts, which will be better if you are using external amps (the alpines are 4V preouts). I would take either Alpine or Eclipse over Clarion anyday.

Just my .02

Kevin

 

10 Chars

 

i wouldnt buy anything from crutchfield they are way overpriced. Try this place WWW.ETRONICS.COm

 

+1 for the 9815

 

lol go to canal st you can pick up the 9815 for like 250 dollars oh dj the cdt speakers are nice

 

get tha alpine

 

I have had no problems with mine, as far as the brand goes. Two thumbs up for me.

 

I havn't looked into the specific headunits you mentioned. But the page for Eclipse is eclipse-web.com

 

Thanks for the URL to the Eclipse website...

Based on my requirements to be able to play MP3s, it looks like the CD3413 is my only real (affordable) option. Cartoys.com has it listed for $289 and it and the CD3403 are the only ones that come with MP3 capabilities. However, I can add the Eclipse Commander thingy, but I have to take a blind guess and will assume that it would push me WELL over my price range to get that.

Further, it doesn't appear that the Eclipse models read/display ID3 tags, which is one of my requirements.

So, at this point, in my mind, Eclipse is out of the picture unless Don or someone else can show me that I'm wrong about pricing or the capabilities...

Personally after reading the information about the way the decks are made it is obvious why Eclipse is better than anyone else. Their designs remind me a lot of the Denon Home Receivers, which is what I have in my house...Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the feature set is where I'd like it to be...

So, I guess this narrows it down to the Clarion or one of the Alpines. Unless there's another brand/model that I'm overlooking...

Thanks for the comments and votes. If you haven't voted, please do!

 

I have the Eclipse 8053 HU. It is above your price limit, but I would still recommend the Eclipse line to anyone. This is my first Eclipse HU and I like it a lot. It has tons of features, great warranty, and even greater theft coverage.

I would highly recommend them.

 

Yeah, what he said. Eclipse

 

Why doesn't anyone ever recommend Blaupunkt? One of my friend's brothers works for some kind of shop and they use blaupunkt stuff in all of their competition cars. I have blau stuff and I love it. The San Jose MP41 is really cheap, has 3 sets of 4V preouts, 200W, changer control capabilities, reads ID3 tags, and looks pretty slick if you ask me.

 

The only experience I have with Blaupunkt is when my dad had it in his '71 911. I thought it was cool, but, ANYTHING was cool in that car.

I had asked a few people about Blaupunkt in the beginning and was actually considering it, but all the feedback I heard was negative until yours...I thought their features looked pretty solid, though.

 

9815, although it is much more expensive that you want, the 9811, and 9813 are also excellent

 

Take a look at the pioneer premier DEH750MP...

 

Did you consider the Alpine 7995 ? Original price $500, now $300.

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=0&cc=01&avf=N

 

the alpine 7995 is a great unit, but its a dead head, needs external amplification to work.
form the ones you have listed in the poll i would take the alpine 9813, next would be the clarion, then the 9807. i have a clarion 835mp, and i love it, but simply put, the 9813 is a better unit. i know the 835mp can be found on the net for $270, maybe cheaper, so you might want to look into that to.
eclipse makes a bad-*** unit, but some of there lower line stuff, the ones that fall in the 3XXX model number range feel a little cheap to me, i love there 5XXX and 8XXX series, simply awesome.

 

Eclipse 5423 AMAZING unit for the price can be found for $290 just about anywhere

 

Get an eclipse, the alpines features are freat but eclipse will either par and/or beat many of features alpine has. As of late the alpines pre-outs really suck and clip like mad once you reach the volume 32. So 31 diff volumes is what you have even with HU's like the 9815 which are pretty high end. Did I mention the pre outs suck? well its rated at 4v. The sub preout is the trouble maker. Ive seen many people on www.caraudioforum.com complain of not having enough bass with the 9813/9815 HU's. This is due to the fact that the pre-outs voltage drops do 1.7v at 31 & clips at 32.

Personally I got myself the Eclipse CD-8443. Its got 8v pre-outs & its doesnt clip regarldess of volume slection. Another advantage it has over the alpine, the eclipse hu's have 80 diff volume selections so you can point out which volume you want perfectly. With the alpine you can be blasing away at say 25 and you might want a bit more, you turn it up to 26 just to find the jump is a bit too much.

My vote definetly goes to eclipse, regardless of which you choose to get they are all the ****.

 

Ok, sure, the Eclipse models you guys are talking about sound great. *BUT*, they don't play MP3s, which is my #1 priority.

I don't care if those higher Eclipse's sound amazing, I want the flexibility to play MP3s. And, I don't want to spend another $300+ to buy the Commander so that I can gain that flexibility. The Eclipse model that will play MP3s is the 3413, and it only has a 2.7v output, as I recall. And, I'm also not going to be playing this thing at excessive volumes. As many people that have said that the Alpines are awesome, I doubt it clips all the time at the levels I'd be listening to. Otherwise, more people would rag on them about it, at least that's what I would imagine.

I actually created a new Thread because I had narrowed the selection down to three specific models and wanted to do a new poll...Here's the link to that thread:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=266795

Mike

 

I recently picked up a Pioneer 5500 which is the lowest model that reads wma and mp3. I'm very satisfied. If you want to spend 3 bills, you could step up to the 7500. I'm very happy with Pioneer/Premier.

 

Go with Eclipse if you will be adding subs. I went with alpine and I'm not happy with the preouts. I must say that the 9815 unit I have is amazing, but I'd rather have the 8 volt Eclipse.

 

I'd agree and say check out the pioneer 7500, can be had for around 275 or less online, has all the features you could want and sounds great, i've always had pioneers in my own cars, i've had experience with other head units i've installed or used in friends cars and none are as user friendly and feature filled as the pioneer for the price plus its got the nice display animations...I definatly wouldnt count that out as an option, just my .02

--Dan

 

I got my Alpine 9815 for $340.00 awesome unit shop around