Head Unit for $200 - $300, best sound quality?

[Mr_Speedy]

Hi everyone.

I am interested in buying a new head unit for use with an external amplifier.

I have no interest in video, bluetooth, strength of internal amplifier (if I could buy a unit with no internal amp for this price I would) etc.

All I want is the best sound quality for CDs and MP3s for the given price of up to $300.

Should I look for the highest signal to noise ratio? I will most probably be using a Rockford Fosgate P400-4 4 channel amp to power 4 speakers. Rear speakers will probably be: Rockford Forgate Power T1692C, 100W, 6"x9", I have yet to decide on front speakers.

I would like to stick with one of the following brands:

Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony.

I may add a subwoofer one day, so the head unit should have a subwoofer out signal jack.

Any ideas?

Here is a small list (I will consider others not in this list) that falls into my price range:

PIONEER DEH P5900MP

PIONEER DEH-6900IB

SONY CDX GT929U

SONY CDX GT620U

KENWOOD KDC-W534

KENWOOD KDC-W7031Y

Alpine CDE-9881R

Alpine CDE-9881RB

I have plenty of time to decide what to buy. I just bought a new Renault Clio, and it will arrive on June 16 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Thanks for your input //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Click to read more...

 

[Phiber Optik 10+ year member]

alpine 9815, or 9835, both have tons of internal features, including a defeatable internal amp

 

[vasilios 10+ year member]

Eclipse cd5000

 

[rc10mike 10+ year member]

I have a Pioneer Premier DEH-P860MP for sale right now. Its got more features that you can shake a stick at! LMK

 

[benchambers80]

I wonder how much shipping to Croatia will be.

 

[Mr_Speedy]

Thanks Phiber Optik. I had no idea that some head units had a defeatable amp. I thought you either bought a head unit with an amp or without.

Vasilios - unfortunately finding a car head unit in Croatia made by eclipse would be next to impossible, this is why I limited my search to Alpine, Kenwood, Sony and Pioneer - but thanks for the input anyway //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I have revised my budget, am I think that I would be able to get one of the following:

CDA-9884R

CDA-9885R

CDA-9886R

Is the 9886 the best of these 3? For some reason one of the stores I am looking at are selling the 9885 for slightly more than the 9886.

Anyway, I will probably not be able to get the 9815 or 9835 because they are older models which are no longer in stock (at least here in Croatia).

rc10mike - as benchambers80 said... shipping to Croatia would cost too much, and I am looking to buy something new - but thanks for the offer.

 

[Mr_Speedy]

double post - laggy connection

 

[Nate_100 10+ year member]

got a 9835 for ya!

 

[Mr_Speedy]

Sorry Nate - looking for something new, and shipping would be too much for Croatia - thanks for the offer.