I posted this in the A/V section but no one ever looks in there...I need some advice quick I gotta buy something today so I thought I would try in here. Sorry if this is bad etiquitte or against the laws of forums to cross post...but I NEED ADVICE QUICK.

I need a new deck to replace my POS kenwood monitor. I want a regular deck not a monitor, but it needs an aux. channel to take the audio from my dvd player. I was considering these:

Clarion ProAudio DXZ935



Alpine CDA-7897



Alpine CDA-7998




I like the clarion the best. I don't know though...what do you think????

 

id get alpine

 

Do the Alpine man. I loved the one I had in my previous car (which is incidently for sale...lol). The sound and build quality is excellent. You will need a lil box tho to get an aux input, it plugs into the Ai-Net input like a CD changer, but it just has a set of RCA jacks. It's gonna run around $70-80 extra. My buddy that own the car audio shop has that alpine in one of his demo trucks...it looks sweet, that display is killer...sooooo easy to read.

 

what model is the one you are selling?

 

has anyone ever seen this deck? I have only seen it in pictures...wonder how it is...? I have been dissapointed with my kenwood stuff so far, but this is their best deck...is it any good? I would kind of like to stick with kenwood since I already have the Kenwood sirius tuner hooked up..

 

Based on my experience, Clarion Pro Audio provides one of the best audio outputs, even better than Alpine. Also, Alpines start having CD read issues on the long run.

My $0.02

 

The one I've got is a older model, you prob wouldn't be interested in it. Pic is below tho... I buddy of mine had a Kenwood Excelon radio...he's been pretty happy with it. If you already have the Sirrus, sticking w/ Kenwood would be $$ smart. If you get an Alpine you'll have to change over to XM and buy the tuner...

 

Clarions are known to stop working competely in the long run.

 

Alpine. Off topic...clarion monitor motors have been known to die all of a sudden and early on also.

 

I can't even find anyone who sells the Clarion satellite tuner. Crutchfield doesn't carry it anymore. And even when they did they have it listed for $250!!! I know Crutchfield is expensive but even half that price is pretty steep.

Why don't they just make them all the same, so any deck works with any tuner?

 

anyone know if I can hook up my kenwood satellite receiver to any other brand of deck other than kenwood?

 

I seriously doubt it...unless Kenwood makes an FM modultator that can be used with that tuner. Otherwise, you would have no way to control that unit with the new radio. I'm sure there are adapters to let you use diff brand CD changers with diff brand radios, but the simple controls on that are much diff than controlling a tuner.

 

from your choices I choose ALPINE

But I really like the new panasonics

 

Get the Alpine 7998 w/ AUX adapter if you want a nice display.

 

thanks for the advice...I'm going with the 7998. If I get the FM modulator I can hook up my sirius radio that I already have to any deck right, even if its made for XM only?

has anyone put this in their car, I want to hook it up somewhere that looks good...think I could fit it in the sunglasses holder thing?

 

The Alpine 7998 and 7997 for that matter are in a different league from a sound quality standpoint when comparing to the other decks mentioned here guys, sorry.
I will agree Clarion has had a few good decks but not as good as the new Alpines.
I've had Clarion, Panasonic, Eclipse, Kenwood Excellon and Sony ES.
The older Sony ES stuff was also very good. My 2 cents.

 

Clarion = dual 24 bit DACs
Alpine = single 1 bit DAC


24bit DAC = better sound quality.

 

My friend has the old Clarion monitor running optics...it sounds pretty damn good...although he is using a soundstream amp and mb quartz

 

Focals are what I am running.

 

I was trying to search for reliability in Alpine and Clarion and found nothing helpful.

I am based on personal experience. I have tested Clarion Pro Audio, Kenwood Excelon and Alpine. Alpine and Kenwood had too many skipping issues, and Clarion was just flawless. And yes, Clarion has exceptional DACs (running at 24 bit - except for the top of the line which has burr brown DAC).

Unless you consider Nakamichi, I will go Clarion hands down.

 

hell with Clarion and Alpine be like me and go with Eclipse.
3 year warrenty on headunit if you let them(the dealer) install it. you can't beat that

 

It would seem like Beetroot wants a nice display, so I didn't mention more SQ decks such as Eclipse 8053/8443, Nakamichi CD-700, Denon DCT-Z1, or Alpine F1 series.

I have the 8443 w/ Utopias running off McIntosh 404M and it sounds awesome, but sometimes I miss a nice display.

 

I definitely need a nice display. Do you think I should get an alpine 7998 on eBay for like $450...or spend the extra hundred and twenty or so and buy it new.

If alpines really do ever die or start skipping it might be better to have the warranty right?

So I need to decide between that clarion above or the 7998...the Clarion has better sound quality from the 24 bit dac's and it is over 200 cheaper. The alpine looks better and plays mp3's. Also to hook up my dvd player to the alpine I have to spend an extra 80 bucks for some adaptor...clarion can plug right in.

shit I think the Clarions got the alpine beat huh? I don't really care about mp3's I don't use them much. I do care about sound quality, and saving $300. Clarion has a 2 year warranty vs. alpines 1 year. Clarion has video control if I ever want to add clarion tv tuner or dvd stuff...alpine doesn't.

Is there something I'm missing? Clarion seems like it kills the alpine in price and functionality.

 

do you know any places I can look at eclipse decks online? I can't find any good sites that carry them.

 

Ive got the Alpine CDA-7998, I absolutley love it. It is great deck, lots of features, and has that awesome WOW factor. Just my 0.02

 

anyone know an online dealer for eclipse? or how much is a good price do you think for an Eclipse CD8053?

I can't find anywhere online with all the features for this, or a place to buy it. Anyone know about it?

Is it better than the alpines or that clarion?

 

Eclipse does not have auth online dealers. You can find it at Goodguys or Tweeter, but they may have to special order it for you. You can get the 8443 (has internal amp & no digital input unlike the 8053) for $399 whereas the 8053 is $500 retail.

You can check out the specs here and on Tweeter.

I personally compared the 7998 with the 8443 and I like the features & SQ of the eclipse better. You should go to a Tweeter and audition both. However if you like a better display, the Alpine definitely wins in that catagory.

 

alpine

 

Clarion ProAudio & Eclipse are better than Alpine.

 

* Intel Pentium processor w/MMX Technology
* DVD Video, DVD-ROM, CD Audio, CD-R, CD Video Player
* Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 Audio Decoders Built-in
* MP3 and Digital Audio Player
* Dual Zone Control
* 10 Band Digital Graphic EQ
* Burr Brown 24 Bit D/A Decoders
* Voice Activated Control and Response
* 180Watt (45W x 4)
* Rotary Volume Control
* Motorized Fold-Down Face
* Type II Compact Flash Card Slot
* Infrared Remote Control

 

 

I've always put Clarion Pro Audio decks in my cars, and I have to say that I am very very impressed. Sound quality is unbeleivable, I heard stuff in the music I didn't hear with my home system, or any other system. They make the music sound fuller. I have an old Clarion deck (>8years) and I have never had problem with it, except it didn't play burned CDs, but it came out like 5 years before cd buring was available. Never had any experience with Alpine, but I hear they are nice.

 

alright well there are no tweeters in arizona. the website lists a bunch of places, but they are just places owned by tweeter and none of them actually carry car audio. lucky I called first before I drove half an hour to get to one of them...

anyway now where am I supposed to get the dash kit? I've been looking online for half an hour and havent found a single place that carries the kit for a cl-s. anyone know?

 

Call this number to find out where your nearest Eclipse dealer is. (800)55-ECLIPSE

Metra carries a kit for our car for about $30. Most places that carry Metra can order it (Goodguys, Circuit City, or maybe Bestbuy).

 

I had a Clarion Pro for about 6 years and performed flawlessly. I just got the Eclipse 8053 about 2-3 months ago and love it. Looks awesome at night. I believe the quality can't be matched by Alpine. I also wanted something a little different, whereas everyone and their mom owns an Alpine.

Go Clarion Pro or Eclipse

 

Oh you can match the quality, and surpass it with Alpine, if you spend a lil money. I do agree...everyone and their mom has the cheap Alpines. I see a ton more Pioneers tho.

 

Yeah, you're right, if you want to spend 2 Gs on a F1

 

THIS IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING DAY EVER. Today after work I went to Fry's Electronics, Best Buy, Circuit City, and some other small shop to look at stereos. Not one place had ANYTHING good. The best deck I could find was the Alpine with the big face, but not the 7998. Not one place had a single Clarion or Eclipse. I called the Eclipse hotline for locating a dealer, but they just connected me to this local bullshit shop that doesn't have anything in stock.

Oh yeah I asked about the Metra kit at every place. I was told that they don't make one at one place, that the CL doesn't need a kit at another, and that the AMI Accord kit works fine you just have to jam it in really hard until it bends.

So then I got home and tried to look online, but the Eclipse web site sucks. It only gives the very minimum information on the decks (doesn't say if it has aux. input, for example). Why can't I just order one online?!

I hate Phoenix man. This place sucks. I guess I gotta suck it up and buy my deck from this scumbag dealership. Dammit.

Oh well. Anyone know what a good price would be for the Eclipse CD8443? They said $400, I think uninstalled.

 

i have one extra metra kit instock. pm me. i can mail it to you really quickly.

 

The Eclipse CD8443 is hard to find. Not even in yahoo shopping (which usually has all types of things).

If this is the case, and considering warranty as a factor, I will rather take the Clarion DXZ935 Sirius Ready CD Receiver.