Best SQ Headunit?

[Freelander 10+ year member]

I'm looking for a really good SQ headunit but I'm kind of on a budget.

I know the Alpine 7990's are really nice but they are way out of my range. I've been looking around trying to find cheaper alternatives. I really like the copper chassis headunits but again most of those are pretty expensive except for some older sony ones that I've came across on ebay.

I can pick up a Eclipse CD7000 really cheap but I have no experience with eclipse headunits.

What does everyone reccomend for a decent priced HU with good SQ and options?

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[alpinetypeR 10+ year member]

well whats your "range" or budget. i have a Kenwood that lets me control every aspect of my speakers...

i dont have the model number off hand. its one of the decks with the built in G-analyzer.

 

[fearthisskyy 10+ year member]

premier 880prs

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

Here is a short list for you. There are others but here is a bunch of them. I tried to stay in about the $200-$600 price range.

Alpine-9835, 9833, 9855, 9853

Clarion-DXZ775USB, DRZ9255

Eclipse-8445, 8455, 8053, CD7000, CD7100

Pioneer-880

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

Eclipse 8053

Pioneer PRS-880

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

^ yeah, what denim said //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Also, if you can wait, the Alpine CDA-9887 eventually will be out... It's supposed to be quite the serious head unit with good auto-tuning capability (with the extra Imprint "tool").

It's one of the two "Imprint" products (also the PXE-H650 OEM integration processor) coming from Alpine that uses the Audyssey technology seen in some better home A/V receivers such as Denon and Marantz.

I expect the 9887 should rival the 880 and 7100 head units... If they ever get their ducks in a row and get it to market in the US.

Also, you could go with a two-box solution such as an Alpine DVD head unit firing fiber-optic digital into the PXA-H701 processor, which is superb.. I've heard it.. Fantastic competition-level SQ, I thought.. IF properly tuned.

 

[CaliforniabOY5 10+ year member]

DRZ9255

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[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

DRZ9255

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I'm thinking that's going to be a wee bit out of the OP's price range.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Unless you risk a refurb.. I've seen them under $600 before shipping.

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

^ not a bad deal, then. especially if coming from an authorized dealer with warranty.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Not sure about either authorized or warranty.. Those are probably at best factory-refurbs or gray-market or non-authorized. I imagine you won't find them much less than $1G from authorized with factory warranty.

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Not sure about either authorized or warranty.. Those are probably at best factory-refurbs or gray-market or non-authorized. I imagine you won't find them much less than $1G from authorized with factory warranty.

I meant if a refurb with a warranty can be had from an authorized dealer at that price.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

I meant if a refurb with a warranty can be had from an authorized dealer at that price.

Agreed.. That would be very cool..

I'd be interested in who that would be.. if you see an auth. dealer offering 'furbs (factory-"renewed") online, let me know.. Refurbs don't scare me if there's at least an authorized dealer behind it.

 

[Freelander 10+ year member]

I'm not really limited by budget. I can always save my money and wait a lil longer but I don't compete and really don't need the "best". I've been looking at DRZ9255 but I really don't want to spend 1g on a headunit.

I might be picking up the Eclipse 7100 from a buddy of mine, from what I've heard thats a pretty nice deck.