best HU's- budget $500-750

[billy98sport 10+ year member]

im goin mainly for SQ here guys. nothin big and loud, i just want an HU that plays MP3s and has really good eq options. i also want it to put out b/c i no longer have an amp to my highs and mids. so anywhere from 500-750$ ..... what the best one for the price, right now im leaning towards the pioneer 940.... anyothers?

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[sleepr 10+ year member]

Alpine CDA-7897

Eclipse 8053

Pioneer 940

 

[mitchel022 10+ year member]

As for CD/MP3 Receivers i would say:

Kenwood Excelon KDC-X969

Pioneer 940

Sony CDX-M3DI

Alpine CDA-7998

 

[EarDrummin. 10+ year member]

I have an Alpine 7897, sweet sq. If you're amping your speakers, get the 7998. From what I've heard and experienced with these decks, you can't go wrong with sq.

 

[JLCivic 10+ year member]

For $750, I would probably go with an Eclipse 8 series deck and add an IPOD for mp3. That, or get the 8443 for $419 and put the rest of the cash toward the 20 gig hard drive unit that should be out(my guess is shortly after CES).

Other than that, probably a pioneer

 

[Jnoble 10+ year member]

Don't put that much money into sony or kenwood they won't last. i'd go with alpine or pioneer.

 

[drkodin 10+ year member]

i just installed the 940 and it is simply awesome, i love it. VERY easy to navigate, much easier than you may think, and great SQ (at least on the rears that it is powering). I used to have the Alpine 9811 (not a fair comparison i know) and what the Alpine left to be desired was covered in the 940. It does have rather slow MP3 scanning though.

 

[Mark_ab 5,000+ posts]

Save money on the HU and put it into processing.

 

[Redford 10+ year member]

Clarion DXZ835MP or the DXZ935 if you don't mind not having MP3 support. The 9 has a built in DSP among other things.

 

[SirSyko 10+ year member]

For SQ I would get alpin and kenwood. For sound options I would get kenwood and pioneer. I have had sony, pioneer, alpine and kenwood decks. Alpine and Kenwood had the best SQ and their cd to niose ration is 105 compared to a pioneer which is 94. What I hated about the alpines (CDA-7892 and 7894) was the display. I am much happier with my kenwood now (KDC-X969).