I want to get a new head unit for my TL-S. I've narrowed it down to either the Kenwood KDC-MP828 or Alpine CDA-9853. Any opinions? Would like to hear the pros and cons of each. I know the Kenwood can play AAC files, but I don't even know what that is, so I don't know if that's something I might want down the road. The most important thing to me they play MP3's. I'll entertain all opinions!

 

Of those two I'd go Alpine.

 

I would get the Alpine but beware of the "Glide Touch" some people love it and some hate it. Either way it will take a little getting used to.

 

i have the 9855, i love it, but the glidetouch can get a lil frustrating at first

 

I went with Alpine 9830.. it was only 250 from crutchfield including metra kit and wiring harness. Can't beat that price not even on ebay... Haven't had a chance to install it yet, but I haven't heard any cons about alpine HU. From what I heard, 9830 is supposed to better than 9851 b/c it has more Voltage output or something. I dont' knwo if that's true for 9853. If it is, I would suggest 9830 or 9831 depending on your taste. Hope that helps

 

Alpine.

 

/////Alpine

 

 

Alpine for sure - I dont like the new Kenwood units at all - the display sucks and I dont like how the controls slide out - and Alpine decks really are some of the best in every category

 

Alpine seems the way to go, according the EVERYBODY. Are Kenwood units that bad or something?

 

no, but given the option of gettin' an alpine its just about no contest

 

It's just as well. I already have a couple of Alpine amps sitting around waiting to be matched up with a head unit.

 

This is a no brainer.....ALPINE all the way!!!!

 

So, exactly what is Alpine's "Bass Engine" feature? What does it do?

 

!!!

 

yeah somethin to that effect

 

Alpine

 

Alpine

AAC are the type of files that Itunes and Ipod can use.

 

alpizz ine

 

Kenwood has a rich tradition of being difficult to use and counter-intuitive to figure out.

The early MASK Excelon units rocked, though.

I think Alpine has slipped in the sub-$500 MSRP range or so, but still...

 

How about Eclipse?

 

fwiw Alpine's no longer as good a brand as it used to be.

Kenwood Excelon or Clarion ProAudio are about as good as (if not better ) Alpine.

 

That's bullshit

No car stereo is as good as it used to be.
Alpine and Nak are the closest thing to old scool build quality that u can get.

Clarion....lol thats a fucking joke!
Don't pull that shit here!


It is tru that Alpine is hard to get used to but at least it all makes sense. Now if u have no idea what hertz are then u got a problem.
So read the manual!

Alpine > Nakamichi > Eclipse > kenwood > Pioneer > Clarion > Panasonic > Blaupunkt > Sony. Late!

 

I would take a Clarion 9255 over any non-F#1 Status HU Alpine makes, personally.

I sell Nakamichi, and I think they sound great... but I also have a Sony 7715X with a 24-biut Burr Brown in it that sounds good.

 

I thought the Sony ES line w/the Burr-Brown DAC was always really good. I've got one in the benz

 

the Sony C-90 was the shit but back then a great hU was a dime a dozen.
And remember great sound is only part of what makes a deck great.

 

Thanks for the tip, Tom Brokaw : )

I liked the 7902. Double Oversampling was SO cool.

 

There are some other decks out there that interest me but non of them supports bi-amping straight off the head. Not to mention have a second gen ipod input, 6ch time correction, 24db/oct xover, and a 5bnd perametric EQ all built in.
and were not even talking F1 yet.

 

I thought most high end decks will support this. I have a six year old Clarion ProAudio that will run three amps of the head unit.

 

Apline because kenwood sucks