4Volt to 8Volt Pre-Outs Question!

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

hi,

i currently own alpines CDA-9815 which has a pre-out of 4Volts and was thinking if its worth upgrading to the new Eclipse 8Volt Pre-Out head unit .. my amp iz an MRD-M1001 that can handle a max of 8Volts through the inputs ... sooo iz it worth selling my current head unit (that iz completely functional and almost brand new) and investing in this 8Volt upgrade?

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Not unless the Eclipse has other features you'd like aswell. If not, then it's not worth it. Don't get me wrong, Eclipse makes great HU's.....but don't upgrade just for preout voltage; you likely won't hear a difference.

 

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

well yeh.. there's nuffin else id want out ov the Eclipse head unit.. i prefer keeping everything ALPINE but are u sure an extra 4 volts in the pre - out won't make a difference i can actually hear?? cuz im sort ov a perfectionist (very picky) wen it cumz 2 having the nicest sound

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

The only possible change in audibility would be if you currently had some noise coming from your amp. The only advantage to higher preout voltages is that your gain will be lower, possibly reducing noise issues (if you have any). If you have no noise, then you'll hear no change.

 

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

yeh i get ya now.. thnx a lot.. i'll stick with my CDA-9815 then.. and just make sure my systems installed propperly with correct earthing and grounds etc etc

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Eclipse 8v have low 55ohm output impedance, also offer a 24bit DAC w/ twin DSP designated chips(so when you are using EQ, bells and whistles and what not- it doesnt take away from the overall performce of the unit)

 

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

i don't get it... could u please explain the advantages and disadvantages of getting this eclipse head unit??

i just dont get wat u ment by all that teknikal stuff

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

i don't get it... could u please explain the advantages and disadvantages of getting this eclipse head unit??
i just dont get wat u ment by all that teknikal stuff

low output impedance is ideal and important(in electrical matters) for audio signal transfer - thats why all high end decks have low output impedance (under 100)

higher voltage will allow your gains to be lower, thus achieving full output from your amp with lower gains- less work for the amp, less distortion

a 24 bit DAC- well its a superior digital to analog converter than what is in you unit- like the difference from a pentium 4 and a Celeron on a computer - its a chip that converts digital data into analog signals

 

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

so now ur telling me that the extra 4Volts that the Eclipse Head - Unit has to offer is defenantly worth going for?

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

so now ur telling me that the extra 4Volts that the Eclipse Head - Unit has to offer is defenantly worth going for?

My point is you are NOT just getting an extra 4v....you are getting an overall better unit

 

[Zinthesis 10+ year member]

if you were in my position would you sell your CDA-9815 (that you most probably won't get much for) and go buy that Eclipse HU? and if not that HU which is the best?

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

if you were in my position would you sell your CDA-9815 (that you most probably won't get much for) and go buy that Eclipse HU? and if not that HU which is the best?

I f I had a 9815(which I wouldn't)and I wasn't happy with my HU, and wanted a much better unit- yes I would

Remember you started this thread , not me- You said you are a perfectionist....

I just gave info on what makes that Eclipse a better unit other than 8v outs

 

[JLCivic 10+ year member]

I believe Eclipse makes a better sounding deck than Alpine. I wouldn't say the only reason for that is pre out voltage. Only YOUR ears will tell you what sounds best to you.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

if you were in my position would you sell your CDA-9815 (that you most probably won't get much for) and go buy that Eclipse HU? and if not that HU which is the best?

I personally like Eclipse more than Alpine. Is it worth selling the Alpine (at a loss) and spending more money on top of that for the Eclipse? I'd venture to say that the expense probably isn't worth the benefits.

 

[soundfx2 10+ year member]

you will hear the difference once you put the eclipse in the car! the head unit is the starting point of the whole system. I just took one of my demo cars and took out a 4v alpine and installed a eclipse 8053, eclipse is running a great special on those head units and the sound was night and day different. The eclipse head unit is built very well. If you are on a budget and money is tight dont fix what is not broken. 3.5max6speed pretty much sums it up, strong voltage and low ohm signal makes the amps perform better.