looking for a top notch SQ headunit

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

p880 and you'll be happy

 

[theothermike 10+ year member]

lets just say id kill for a clarion 9255 but they go for around 650 (ebay, used, rarely lnib for that price) but they look imo like prob one of best sq headunits with digital time alignment... seperate for each speaker, 4 pair preouts, i believe 2x 20 burr brown dacs, 96khz processing time on sample rate not 44.1 or whatever.... copper chassis, it just amazing.....

 

[quakerroatmeal 10+ year member]

Alpine CDA-9835, or the Glidetouch model 9855 are nice head-unit. I used to own the 9835, loved it. Now I jumped on the 880PRS boner too I like this one as well.

 

[randyrsx 10+ year member]

Definately the Kenwood x990

 

[TIeclipseMOJO 10+ year member]

eclipse cd8445 or cd8455.... cd7000 FTL its only 5volts

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

lets just say id kill for a clarion 9255 but they go for around 650 (ebay, used, rarely lnib for that price) but they look imo like prob one of best sq headunits with digital time alignment... seperate for each speaker, 4 pair preouts, i believe 2x 20 burr brown dacs, 96khz processing time on sample rate not 44.1 or whatever.... copper chassis, it just amazing.....

The 9255 is THE current SQ head unit in production at the moment.. I agree, when you look at the specs and construction, it's one big hulking SQ CD player and pre/pro with a sure-enough hi-fi quality volume attenuator, and some pretty significant tri-amp crossover capability and superior time alignment.. All packed in a 1-din without room left over for an unnecessary and unused power amp... Not even a detach faceplate.. Instead of a plastic faceplate, it's a metal plate.. sheer quality.. For theft deterrent, I suggest welding it to the firewall and a large dog on duty at all times and bars on the windows with deadbolts in the doors. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

If I had the cash, it would be my ONLY pick.. A good economical alternative is the 880, premier unit.. That will probably be my pick in the new car.

My dream SQ head unit would be:

- NO CD Player at all.. Why have all the moving parts to break.

- USB/iPod built in - any format lossless or other on USB stick or iPod.. and fast easy access.

- Bluetooth - Why the heck not.. It's way nice, safer use of driving with a cell phone

- 3-way digital crossover like the 9255 or 880

- Digital Auto Time Alignment and EQ of the 880

- NO internal Amp.. Preamp only (not an entry level unit).

- Superior or best available DAC's / processing. ie. burr-brown, etc.

- Good high V preouts w/o pigtails.

- Copper chassis of the 9255

- Simple, no flash faceplate of the 9255 without a bunch of cheap flashy hard to see buttons and screens.

- Excellent build quality of the 9255 internals and faceplate

- Detachable face and/or code-entry if pulled from power.. statement ON the back of the face when detached....

"Useless If Stolen... Thief, go get a job and EARN one"

- Oh, and a great radio section as well.. with satellite external/optional.

Alpine has a potential platform with this Non-CD player unit I see, but it's NOT to the level of the 880 in SQ features.

Message to Alpine, Eclipse, Kenwood, Clarion whomever... Build this head unit, get it under $500 or at least offer a budget version and a full-blown version and you know it could be affordable (no freakin amp or cd player in the thing for Pete's sake), and it WILL sell and be a legend.. and leave it alone for a few years like the 9255.

Can I get an Amen!?! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/yumyum.gif.0556df42231b304b9c995aefd13928a8.gif

 

[theothermike 10+ year member]

amen..... with cd player..... sorry........

 

[genxx 10+ year member]

DRZ 9255, Eclipse 8455-8454-8053, P880PRS could go on and on

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

amen..... with cd player..... sorry........

No prob.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif What's funny is I work for a CD / DVD manufacturer.. I guess I'm just tired of lugging them around in the car when they can be ripped once to something else in any various shade of format... Plus all the HU's I've ever had that died were because of the player taking a nose dive into a the eternal celestial dirt-nap. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

 

[alphakenny1 10+ year member]

it'll be really hard to find a drz9255 for $500. i like the look of the nak-500. very oem looking and simple. none of that bling crap. as for mentioned, denon 8250 as well. alpine 9835. eclipse 8053.

 

[kublkmax 10+ year member]

I have a Denon Cdt 100, not the Denford which only has single processor the CDT 100 has dual prossing and it is black and pure ***.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Understanding some of these units like mentioned above and others like the Mac unit and the Nakamichi units have some serious SQ..

How are you guys doing any time alignment with these older SQ units that don't have it built in? Assuming you are doing time alignment.

 

[slikrider20 10+ year member]

I say you get the X990...........from me

 

[garrettpf 10+ year member]

I think he should buy my MX406 (if i decide to sell it, but I would want too much anyway //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif although it still has almost 2 year warrantee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif but i may not sell it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif )

 

[garrettpf 10+ year member]

Babs, I have the MX406 and miss my time alignment. I can play with the amp gains a bit and the tweeter angle as well as my a/d/s/ crossover (hi,low,mid-incar/demo) and at last resort the balance on the HU. regardless, it is tough. I have an 880PRS waiting to go in to see how big the SQ diff is. I have other vehicles so the 880 is going some where, just dont know where yet.

I had a CD700 once. stolen //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif I still have a Nak RD460 sitting in the garage since it isn't worth a dime anymore but still has kick but sound, so in the garage it sits lol.