REVIEW: 9887 vs 880prs vs CD7100
10-25-2007, 05:55 AM
#1
REVIEW: 9887 vs 880prs vs CD7100
Time to throw a 3rd card into the mix - CDA-9887
1) Independant speaker level control - 880 has it, cd7100 does also. 9887 Also has this feature.
2) Independant phase control for each speaker - 880 has, cd7100 doesn't. I don't believe the 9887 has this feature as I tried to find it in the manual and do not see it.
3) Full subwoofer control - Level, phase, mono or stereo output - Pio has all CD7100 only has Phase and Mono vs. stereo setting. The 9887 does have all of these controls.
4) 15band eq on 880 was very nice, the 11 band PEQ seems to be more customizable and a great feature, I definately prefer the PEQ over the 15-Band with the customizability. 9887 gives the option of a 5 band peq or a 7 band geq, this is a great feature, you can adjust if you have peaks at certain frequences, or just use the factory geq to adjust fixed frequencies. The best of both worlds you might say.
5) 880 only had the 15band, CD7100 has Bass, Mid, Treble controls as well as the PEQ. This is a nice touch.9887 read #4.
6) 880 has no built in aux and no built in USB, CD7100 has both but the interface is kind of blah on the USB and I have not yet tried out the AUX though.9887 requires external adapters to use both functions, somewhat pricey, ipod connection wire is fairly inexpensive.
7) In active mode: 880 full subwoofer control - CD7100 Non fade with level control when in 3-way mode/ stereo mono selection as well as phase reversal. 9887 retains the same subwoofer controls in either mode, with phase, level etc. There is also a 2nd subwoofer system setup which allows the user to get more volume from the subwoofer system, as well as the MX media expander function which affects the sub and soem of the higher notes (based on the manual).
8)Area shot feature - this is a pretty neat feature to throw into the mix that Eclipse has. I got it to work the other day and am very impressed with it. It's a good backup feature but along with it I would always keep a couple of backup maps etc. Works well though.
9) 880 comes with a Mic, CD7100 does not, not THAT big of a deal however it is nice to know that you don't have to purchase anything additional in order to run the auto TA's etc. 9887 has no auto ta, unless using the IMPRINT.
10) cd7100 lets you adjust TA in steps by millis second, pio only does this by distance in either centimeters or inches9887 adjusts by calculated values, requiring some leg work by the user, though they do provide a nice guide within the manual for conversion.
11)E-iSERV data can be uploaded from either the unit to the pc or the pc to the unit and you're able to fine tune right from your pc. You can setup a flat FR by adjusting the PEQ on-line and saving to USB then uploading that data to the HU, you are then unable to adjust any of the TA settings on the UNIT itself, which is fine, just a quirk. Similarly alpine has the imprint, however this cannot be utilized for free of of a website, instead requires purchase/rental (crutchfield) of outboard mic and software.
880's intereface is straight forward and very easy to use. The CD7100 is a bit more complicated and I feel as though I have yet to tap into the full number of features that it has or am just not sure how to use them yet.
9887's interface is very nice. I thought it would be a pita to navigate as many have stated however I was used to it within 5 minutes. It's logical and setup quite well.
Fit and finish: 880 was alright... nothing to scream home about, issues with the face being loose, and on mine I noticed the screen would go out once in a while for maybe 1 second or so. cd7100, I was not impressed with the fit and finish of such a pricey unit. It had similar feel of its motorized face, required a strange mounting style in order to allow the face to open properly and to remove and play discs. VERY big pain in the a$$. 9887 No motorized face, doesn't feel loose or sloppy, super tight solid feel to it, excellent feel.
Here's the most important part - SQ -
I think there's no question that the CD7100 has better SQ. There are just things I noticed right off the bat without any tuning that give the CD7100 the edge in that regard. 880prs had a much more... warm/soft sound vs the CD7100 which was an in your face type of sound. the 9887 couples both of those, its warm, yet rich and powerful, it's not as in your face as the cd7100, and not as laid back as the 880prs, I'd call it a happy medium.
I also find that the Audiocontrol Matrix that I originally purchased to increase the level of the 880's outputs is no longer necessary. The Eclipse has much stronger outputs with no know noise issues like the 880 has. 9887 - Although rated at only 4 volt at high impedence I must say the 9887's outputs are VERY strong. They are similar in sound to the ear to the CD7100 which claims 8v.
The 880 prs had very consistent sound, I never felt that I had to have the volume up extremely high just to get output... the CD7100 at times required me to turn the volume up to 65-70 out of 80 or so just for it to be loud and consistent... 9887, I've never had to go higher than 15/20 to get good output.
So far my rank of these 3 HU's would be 9887 followed by the 880prs followed by the CD7100. All three are very good units, however it's clear that some of the attention to details is superior in the 9887 vs the CD7100 as well as the 880prs.
Those are my impressions so far, maybe more to come if I find more features etc.
1) Independant speaker level control - 880 has it, cd7100 does also. 9887 Also has this feature.
2) Independant phase control for each speaker - 880 has, cd7100 doesn't. I don't believe the 9887 has this feature as I tried to find it in the manual and do not see it.
3) Full subwoofer control - Level, phase, mono or stereo output - Pio has all CD7100 only has Phase and Mono vs. stereo setting. The 9887 does have all of these controls.
4) 15band eq on 880 was very nice, the 11 band PEQ seems to be more customizable and a great feature, I definately prefer the PEQ over the 15-Band with the customizability. 9887 gives the option of a 5 band peq or a 7 band geq, this is a great feature, you can adjust if you have peaks at certain frequences, or just use the factory geq to adjust fixed frequencies. The best of both worlds you might say.
5) 880 only had the 15band, CD7100 has Bass, Mid, Treble controls as well as the PEQ. This is a nice touch.9887 read #4.
6) 880 has no built in aux and no built in USB, CD7100 has both but the interface is kind of blah on the USB and I have not yet tried out the AUX though.9887 requires external adapters to use both functions, somewhat pricey, ipod connection wire is fairly inexpensive.
7) In active mode: 880 full subwoofer control - CD7100 Non fade with level control when in 3-way mode/ stereo mono selection as well as phase reversal. 9887 retains the same subwoofer controls in either mode, with phase, level etc. There is also a 2nd subwoofer system setup which allows the user to get more volume from the subwoofer system, as well as the MX media expander function which affects the sub and soem of the higher notes (based on the manual).
8)Area shot feature - this is a pretty neat feature to throw into the mix that Eclipse has. I got it to work the other day and am very impressed with it. It's a good backup feature but along with it I would always keep a couple of backup maps etc. Works well though.
9) 880 comes with a Mic, CD7100 does not, not THAT big of a deal however it is nice to know that you don't have to purchase anything additional in order to run the auto TA's etc. 9887 has no auto ta, unless using the IMPRINT.
10) cd7100 lets you adjust TA in steps by millis second, pio only does this by distance in either centimeters or inches9887 adjusts by calculated values, requiring some leg work by the user, though they do provide a nice guide within the manual for conversion.
11)E-iSERV data can be uploaded from either the unit to the pc or the pc to the unit and you're able to fine tune right from your pc. You can setup a flat FR by adjusting the PEQ on-line and saving to USB then uploading that data to the HU, you are then unable to adjust any of the TA settings on the UNIT itself, which is fine, just a quirk. Similarly alpine has the imprint, however this cannot be utilized for free of of a website, instead requires purchase/rental (crutchfield) of outboard mic and software.
880's intereface is straight forward and very easy to use. The CD7100 is a bit more complicated and I feel as though I have yet to tap into the full number of features that it has or am just not sure how to use them yet.
9887's interface is very nice. I thought it would be a pita to navigate as many have stated however I was used to it within 5 minutes. It's logical and setup quite well.
Fit and finish: 880 was alright... nothing to scream home about, issues with the face being loose, and on mine I noticed the screen would go out once in a while for maybe 1 second or so. cd7100, I was not impressed with the fit and finish of such a pricey unit. It had similar feel of its motorized face, required a strange mounting style in order to allow the face to open properly and to remove and play discs. VERY big pain in the a$$. 9887 No motorized face, doesn't feel loose or sloppy, super tight solid feel to it, excellent feel.
Here's the most important part - SQ -
I think there's no question that the CD7100 has better SQ. There are just things I noticed right off the bat without any tuning that give the CD7100 the edge in that regard. 880prs had a much more... warm/soft sound vs the CD7100 which was an in your face type of sound. the 9887 couples both of those, its warm, yet rich and powerful, it's not as in your face as the cd7100, and not as laid back as the 880prs, I'd call it a happy medium.
I also find that the Audiocontrol Matrix that I originally purchased to increase the level of the 880's outputs is no longer necessary. The Eclipse has much stronger outputs with no know noise issues like the 880 has. 9887 - Although rated at only 4 volt at high impedence I must say the 9887's outputs are VERY strong. They are similar in sound to the ear to the CD7100 which claims 8v.
The 880 prs had very consistent sound, I never felt that I had to have the volume up extremely high just to get output... the CD7100 at times required me to turn the volume up to 65-70 out of 80 or so just for it to be loud and consistent... 9887, I've never had to go higher than 15/20 to get good output.
So far my rank of these 3 HU's would be 9887 followed by the 880prs followed by the CD7100. All three are very good units, however it's clear that some of the attention to details is superior in the 9887 vs the CD7100 as well as the 880prs.
Those are my impressions so far, maybe more to come if I find more features etc.
I've experienced all three decks and can safely stay I stick to my guns on this one.
10-25-2007, 01:32 PM
#6
my car was broken into for my 880prs. they were unsuccesfull due to the lock of the face being behind the face. ( tha car has to turn on, that's when the face flips and gives you access to the lock)
sweet
sweet
10-25-2007, 04:19 PM
#8
Ok... Still I hate the way the face feels and isn't tight like the alp.
11-08-2007, 09:36 PM
#12
I like my 9887....haven't had a chance to mess with the features yet, but it is proving to be a great deck. Gimmick wise, I do miss the motorized face though from their older decks that I have played with (9835, 7995, 7894, etc).
11-09-2007, 05:33 AM
#13
^ that was one thing I hated. I dislike motorized decks for 1 because they can fail, and for 2 because I've never had one that didn't have SOME kind of issue. Though I've recently seen a fee that seem VERY good and solid.
11-10-2007, 12:06 PM
#18
Why is the 9887 better? I don't think it is.
DVD audio capabilities, and I could add on screens in the future.
The glide touch on this unit is supposedly better than teh 9855/9853.
Hmm...
DVD audio capabilities, and I could add on screens in the future.
The glide touch on this unit is supposedly better than teh 9855/9853.
Hmm...
11-10-2007, 12:21 PM
#19
I tend to get a bit irritable
iTrader: (151)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Central Jersey
Posts: 17,671
Your paying for the display,glidetouch,DVD video,etc. Not much to offer in the tuning section.
Also IIRC it doesnt play dedicated DVD Audio discs like the DVI-9990 does, but rather movies with DVD audio playback.
11-10-2007, 12:23 PM
#20
The info listed states you can burn dvd mp3 disks which will work, listed on cructhfield as well. It also runs 3 way active with a 9 band peq vs the 5 band peq on the 9887.
Also it is amp link capable, so I could connect an alpine amp to it (the ones capable) and control it completely from the HU...
Also it is amp link capable, so I could connect an alpine amp to it (the ones capable) and control it completely from the HU...
11-10-2007, 12:45 PM
#23
From crutchfield
"
- 6-Channel Digital Time Correction: The time correction feature allows you to create virtual speaker positions by delaying the signals being sent to the speakers closest to you. When the correct delay times have been entered for the front right, front left, rear right, rear left, subwoofer left, and subwoofer right speakers, all sounds reach your ears at the same time, providing optimized imaging and frequency response. You can set and recall up to 6 crossover settings in memory.
- 6-Position Digital Crossover with Adjustable Slope: The digital crossover allows you to choose from the following modes:
- 2-way Mode: A continuously variable 20-200Hz low-pass filter is available for the subwoofer outputs, and a continuously variable 20-200Hz high-pass filter is available for the front and rear preamp outputs. The slope for each filter can be set to 6, 12, 18, or 24dB/octave, or Flat. The level for each filter can be adjusted from 0 to -12dB.
- 3-way Mode: A continuously variable 20-200Hz low-pass filter is available for the subwoofer outputs, and a continuously variable 1-20kHz high-pass filter is available for the high-range speakers. The midrange speakers have a continuously variable 1kHz-20kHz low-pass filter and a continuously variable 20-200Hz high-pass filter. The slope for each filter can be set to 6, 12, 18, or 24dB/octave, or Flat. The level for each filter can be adjusted from 0 to -12dB.
- EQ: You can choose between a 9-band digital parametric EQ or a 9-band graphic EQ:
- 9-band Digital Parametric EQ: The 9-band parametric EQ lets you select a center frequency, then adjust its output level and even the "width" of the boost or cut for precise system tuning. You can select a frequency for each of the following bands: Band 1 (20Hz-100Hz), Band 2 (63Hz-315Hz), Band 3 (125Hz-500Hz), Band 4 (250Hz-1kHz), Band 5 (500Hz-2kHz), Band 6 (1kHz-4kHz), Band 7 (2kHz-6kHz), Band 8 (5kHz-12kHz), and Band 9 (10kHz-20kHz). Once a frequency is selected, you can adjust its level from -7dB to +7dB in 1.3dB increments. The Q for each frequency can be set to 1, 2, or 3. In addition to the user-adjustable EQ (User's 1-6), tone presets are stored into memory, allowing you to recall the best setting for different types of music. You may choose from the following tone presets: Rock, Pops, Jazz & Blues, Electrical Dance, Hip Hop & Rap, Easy Listening, Country, Classical, News, or Flat."
One thing... it would be sweet if alpine did something like eclipse with the on-line adjustability deal. Upload some info and get adjustments through the web.
11-10-2007, 01:13 PM
#24
I tend to get a bit irritable
iTrader: (151)
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Central Jersey
Posts: 17,671
From crutchfield
"
One thing... it would be sweet if alpine did something like eclipse with the on-line adjustability deal. Upload some info and get adjustments through the web.
"
- 6-Channel Digital Time Correction: The time correction feature allows you to create virtual speaker positions by delaying the signals being sent to the speakers closest to you. When the correct delay times have been entered for the front right, front left, rear right, rear left, subwoofer left, and subwoofer right speakers, all sounds reach your ears at the same time, providing optimized imaging and frequency response. You can set and recall up to 6 crossover settings in memory.
- 6-Position Digital Crossover with Adjustable Slope: The digital crossover allows you to choose from the following modes:
- 2-way Mode: A continuously variable 20-200Hz low-pass filter is available for the subwoofer outputs, and a continuously variable 20-200Hz high-pass filter is available for the front and rear preamp outputs. The slope for each filter can be set to 6, 12, 18, or 24dB/octave, or Flat. The level for each filter can be adjusted from 0 to -12dB.
- 3-way Mode: A continuously variable 20-200Hz low-pass filter is available for the subwoofer outputs, and a continuously variable 1-20kHz high-pass filter is available for the high-range speakers. The midrange speakers have a continuously variable 1kHz-20kHz low-pass filter and a continuously variable 20-200Hz high-pass filter. The slope for each filter can be set to 6, 12, 18, or 24dB/octave, or Flat. The level for each filter can be adjusted from 0 to -12dB.
- EQ: You can choose between a 9-band digital parametric EQ or a 9-band graphic EQ:
- 9-band Digital Parametric EQ: The 9-band parametric EQ lets you select a center frequency, then adjust its output level and even the "width" of the boost or cut for precise system tuning. You can select a frequency for each of the following bands: Band 1 (20Hz-100Hz), Band 2 (63Hz-315Hz), Band 3 (125Hz-500Hz), Band 4 (250Hz-1kHz), Band 5 (500Hz-2kHz), Band 6 (1kHz-4kHz), Band 7 (2kHz-6kHz), Band 8 (5kHz-12kHz), and Band 9 (10kHz-20kHz). Once a frequency is selected, you can adjust its level from -7dB to +7dB in 1.3dB increments. The Q for each frequency can be set to 1, 2, or 3. In addition to the user-adjustable EQ (User's 1-6), tone presets are stored into memory, allowing you to recall the best setting for different types of music. You may choose from the following tone presets: Rock, Pops, Jazz & Blues, Electrical Dance, Hip Hop & Rap, Easy Listening, Country, Classical, News, or Flat."
One thing... it would be sweet if alpine did something like eclipse with the on-line adjustability deal. Upload some info and get adjustments through the web.
They really should advertise this on Alpines website. They lack alot of features on their own products.
11-10-2007, 01:46 PM
#30
Just tried it out right now...
here is the link
http://i-personalize.alpine.com/cgi-...mon/ip_menu.pl
here is the link
http://i-personalize.alpine.com/cgi-...mon/ip_menu.pl
