Clarion or Alpine or Kenwood! :(

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

I have been looking for a new HU because my I believe my JVC is probably the reason my system sounds... like it does..

I have messed with Pioneers and im not a fan of them (just on how you use them). I hear eclipse is nice, but the ones in my budget are WAY to ugly

So I have narrowed it down to three HUs

ALPINE CDA-9857

Kenwood KDC-X890

CLARION DXZ765MP

The clarion is about $50 cheaper. Which one is the best out of these three?

Here is my current system

Alpine MRV-F450 (5 channel, 50W x 4 RMS + 200watt RMS sub channel)

CDT 61A

(soon assasin 10")

Thanks for ANY advice //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Click to read more...

 

[DaveVT 10+ year member]

I would recommend the kenwood. Never had probs with em. Alpine would be next in line then the clarion.

 

[gamble19 10+ year member]

I would recommend the kenwood. Never had probs with em. Alpine would be next in line then the clarion.

x2!~~ i have a kenwood kdc-mp4032 and no problems ever with it. it has all the features i love and since i am a gamer, i LOVE the joystick on it. if you want to see a pic of it, click the link in my sig and its the one on the left.

 

[bamaboy 5,000+ posts]

just letting you know, im still having some time trying to get my kenwood to sound right, my Clarion 955 was alot better sounding and easier to use, the 955 has touch screen controls and music catcher, the best deck they make besides the 9255 which is in a league of its own

im selling mine for 290 shipped, i also installed my friends alpine 9855 and i hated that thing to the fullest, the glide touch was the dumbest thing i touched on a cd player, but its sounded pretty good, still would of taken my Clarion over it

 

[MBrock4u 10+ year member]

Kenwood Excelon! Love mine //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

So kenwood decks are reliable? dont want it breaking on me

 

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

oh, where is a good place to buy the kenwood deck for cheap besides EBAY

Would be awesome if it also had some kind of warranty //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

thanks

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

So kenwood decks are reliable? dont want it breaking on me

The only really continually unreliable feature Kenwood ever introduced was the ill fated D-Mask+ automatic faceplate mechanism which has long-since been discontinued (thankfully) My current deck is an eXcelon HU, the last two HUs I had prior to my current one were eXcelons, and several decks before those were Kenwoods (though sadly not eXcelon units) and all have been good to me.

oh, where is a good place to buy the kenwood deck for cheap besides EBAYWould be awesome if it also had some kind of warranty //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

thanks

The ONLY place to buy Kenwood eXcelon gear with a valid warranty honored by Kenwood is Crutchfield. There are other authorized online outlets for their regular lineup but the upmarket eXcelon offerings they tend to be a bit more strict with.

Having said that there are plenty of places to buy the stuff....just not with a warranty that Kenwood will honor. Have a look around....just do a Google search for that particular model and I'm sure you'll come up with a whole long list of people that will be more than happy to sell you one.

eBay's not such a bad place to buy, to tell the truth. And there are plenty of places on eBay that sell gear covered by their own in-house warranty as well. Just make certain that you read (and understand) the entire auction listing prior to dedicating yourself to the purchase.

 

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

ok so i think Kenwood is the way im going to go, UNLESS the Pioneer Premier DEH-P880PRS is BETTER?

For only $30 more~ if its BETTER sounding, i would get it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[937DYTBOI 5,000+ posts]

my vote is clarion clean crisp and sound quality all wrpped in one HU, that glide shit on the alpine is the worse thing ive seen on a HU. Kenwoods are pretty nice havent had much experience with them but ive heard a couple systems with them and they seem to be pretty nice sounding and nice features

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

Kenwood! I've got the same deck you're looking. As I've always preached before. . . the USB input is teh shiet.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Kenwood! I've got the same deck you're looking. As I've always preached before. . . the USB input is teh shiet.

So what is the USB input used for??

Also: I list those deck in order of best to worst.

1. Kenwood

2. Clarion

3. Alpine

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

ok so i think Kenwood is the way im going to go, UNLESS the Pioneer Premier DEH-P880PRS is BETTER?
For only $30 more~ if its BETTER sounding, i would get it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

To be totally honest with you that is better than any of the 3 you've listed. If you can get it without breaking the bank then I'd say go for it.

 

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

I am going to go to a few local shops that have the Pioneer and Kenwood and test them out........ See which one I find easier to use (and like better)

since both seem to get good reviews

 

[REDLINEZ33 10+ year member]

well looks like i will go with the pioneer DEH-P880PRS