Eclipse 8554-best model from 2004, opinions?

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

It is an "older deck?" By two years and the whole line has now gone to crap? The amp in the deck is one lousy chip - it doesn't take up any room, and in many recent 8-volts with internal amplification (if not all), the chip can be turned off with the flick of a switch (no heat). Honestly, if older means better then the 8061 and 8062 beat the 8053 - they are older dead heads and look nicer to boot. Your blanket statement is funny, and deserved to be challenged. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Well if you think today's units are of better quality then you go ahead and think that. I'm not going to split hairs any more on this.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

If you look at the output from a high end cd player with an RTA you can see how robust the signal is, and my dealer/friend says the eclipse is likely better. (We compared my 860 to a $3000 Denon)

Likely better??? What does that mean?? What do you mean by robust? An RTA is more of a measurement of the vehicles interior not necessarily the unit.

What was the model # of this Denon.??

 

[bikejunkie223 10+ year member]

it can also measure the audio spectrum output from the head directly. I say likely better because it wasn't in yet and we couldn't measure it and that is what I was told. We unplugged the rca's from the amp and plugged them into the rta (a newer digital one, not the suitcase audiocontrols I have seen) and then measured it's output with pink noise, and the denon had a noticeably more solid bottom end than the Pioneer, and you could phisically see BBE's effect on the signal (looked like a happy-face), though I think BBE does some phasing things too. I'm not trying to piss you off Adam and say the 860 sucks, I don't think it does, I am just not sure if the Eclipse is better- though having to give up my xm radio is likely the deal breaker if there is no obvious difference in sound

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

it can also measure the audio spectrum output from the head directly. I say likely better because it wasn't in yet and we couldn't measure it and that is what I was told. We unplugged the rca's from the amp and plugged them into the rta (a newer digital one, not the suitcase audiocontrols I have seen) and then measured it's output with pink noise, and the denon had a noticeably more solid bottom end than the Pioneer, and you could phisically see BBE's effect on the signal (looked like a happy-face), though I think BBE does some phasing things too. I'm not trying to piss you off Adam and say the 860 sucks, I don't think it does, I am just not sure if the Eclipse is better- though having to give up my xm radio is likely the deal breaker if there is no obvious difference in sound

I know you're not going out of your way try and piss me off. I'm just saying that you should go by your ears and not the RTA when choosing between the two decks.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[bikejunkie223 10+ year member]

I know, and I need to hear the otherone and be impressed or I'm not gonna do it. The other thing that if frustrating me is getting my mids to image right without BBE, I have tried a bunch of eq-ing, and I either need a more sophisticated eq that the 860 offers, or am gonna have to experiment with aiming- without bbe the bass (80-150hz) sounds muddy and blatty, and the highs sound flat, with no real depth. with BBE on it sounds great. I just want to know why I have to use BBE to make it sound good, it should be better given the gear I have IMO.

 

[Hoot 10+ year member]

YES, definitely.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Don't believe it for a second - absolutely not true.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Don't believe it for a second - absolutely not true.

You sound like my niece. But anyway, you're looking at this in a different way I guess. I'm looking at it from a purists point of view and you're looking at it some other way.