Looking for High-End and Built like a Tank

[takeabao 10+ year member]

Clarion DRZ9255 gets my vote if you're looking for features, style, and reliability. Can be had for about $800 if you know where to look.

Pioneer P9 combo isn't bad, but crossover isn't that versatile and in my opinion, I prefer the styling of the DRZ.

Rockford Fosgate RFX-8250ti is another great unit too. Made by Denon in Japan. I'll probably be using one in the near future.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

Pioneer P9 combo isn't bad, but crossover isn't that versatile

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif Exactly how is the crossover on the P9 NOT versatile?? Crossover points are every 1/3 octave and selectable slopes are 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 db/oct. And level adjustment in 1/2 db steps. Is there an end all beat all crossover out there that is more versatile than this.? If so, please share this information.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Clarion DRZ9255 gets my vote if you're looking for features, style, and reliability. Can be had for about $800 if you know where to look.
Pioneer P9 combo isn't bad, but crossover isn't that versatile and in my opinion, I prefer the styling of the DRZ.

Rockford Fosgate RFX-8250ti is another great unit too. Made by Denon in Japan. I'll probably be using one in the near future.

How about the RFX-8240 ? I can win one if I want to right now.

Also, how about the Nakamichi CD-500 ?? Looks like a fairly decent unit for a budget compromize from the CD-700ii Looks very "OEM" as well.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

wait for the zapco deck to come out, it is based off of an old denon.

I've been watching for that also....they always say their updated site is almost done....probably just to tease us //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif Hell I'd buy a Zapco refridgerator if they made one //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

I've been following your thread here Babs to see what you get. Not sure of anyone has mentioned the Denon decks Scott Buwalda bought the last of???

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

How about the RFX-8240 ? I can win one if I want to right now.

Excellent deck. Loved mine...wish I hadn't sold it. But I made a pretty good profit off of it....so I can't complain.

There have been reviews that claim they couldn't hear an audible difference between the 8250 and the 8240.

I honestly have no complaints about the 8240 from my experiences with it.

 

[loserpunk 10+ year member]

Excellent deck. Loved mine...wish I hadn't sold it. But I made a pretty good profit off of it....so I can't complain.
There have been reviews that claim they couldn't hear an audible difference between the 8250 and the 8240.

I honestly have no complaints about the 8240 from my experiences with it.

this is the first time i've noticed your sig....wow......halarious

i agree w/ adam....kinda hard to find where the pio isn't a versitale option?

 

[blue 10+ year member]

I don't know if it was mentioned all ready but, how about the Clarion DRZ9255. Great sounding deck that can be had for around $1000, with the build quality/flexibility/support/dependability you crave. Otherwise it's tough to argue against Eclipse. You might be a little turned off with the look of the new units but they still seem as solid as the 03 and up units.

Times two , times two .... The DRZ-9255 is one HEAVY piece of equipment , and absolutely smokes the McIntosh mx-4000 I used to own. It's EASILY the HU that fits your criteria the best ..... i LOVE mine //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

I've been watching for that also....they always say their updated site is almost done....probably just to tease us //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif Hell I'd buy a Zapco refridgerator if they made one //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif
I've been following your thread here Babs to see what you get. Not sure of anyone has mentioned the Denon decks Scott Buwalda bought the last of???

Yeah I saw those.. From my learning it appears those decks are gathering a cult status.. From the previous post it also sounds like they're just beyond the threshold of diminishing returns I think.. Also, when given some of the things on the DRZ9255 for $1200, it's a hard choice. From a newbie, and believe me I am //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif, If I had to list (some) of the top current available in the street SQ units with few features, it looks like I've got these (in no order):

DRZ9255

CD-700 II.. ?? possibly the 500 or 400

The high end Denon DCT's and Denon built Rockfords

The McIntosh unit (which I read a "rumor" the Clarion, Denons and Mac share either some technology, parts or manufacturing ties)

Decisions decisions.. blow the wod or save some for lumber for the home theater. hehe

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Yeah I saw those.. From my learning it appears those decks are gathering a cult status.. From the previous post it also sounds like they're just beyond the threshold of diminishing returns I think.. Also, when given some of the things on the DRZ9255 for $1200, it's a hard choice. From a newbie, and believe me I am //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif, If I had to list (some) of the top current available in the street SQ units with few features, it looks like I've got these (in no order):
DRZ9255

CD-700 II.. ?? possibly the 500 or 400

The high end Denon DCT's and Denon built Rockfords

The McIntosh unit (which I read a "rumor" the Clarion, Denons and Mac share either some technology, parts or manufacturing ties)

Decisions decisions.. blow the wod or save some for lumber for the home theater. hehe

Do you plan on using an external processor, or all internal?

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Do you plan on using an external processor, or all internal?

I'm pretty low tech.. (said with modesty).. Just internal.

Running a coustic 60x4 into kappa 6 1/2" components upfront and kappa coax's rear with an old JL 10w6 run by a little 400w class D US acoustics amp and a 1/2 farad cap.. 1996 Isuzu Trooper with tons of miles but still chugging.

very modest setup I learned to wire up myself.

 

[takeabao 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif Exactly how is the crossover on the P9 NOT versatile?? Crossover points are every 1/3 octave and selectable slopes are 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 db/oct. And level adjustment in 1/2 db steps. Is there an end all beat all crossover out there that is more versatile than this.? If so, please share this information.

if you have a 3 way and want to run the midbass from 50-200 and the mid from 200-4k, you can't. The mid has to be highpassed at 250 or greater. Or the slope as to be set to 0dB and use another crossover on it

 

http://forum.elitecaraudio.com/showthread.php?threadid=126407&pagenumber=1

 

Didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything so if I did, I apologize.

 

Honestly, for Babs intents and purposes, something like the P9 or DRZ may be too much (see above post). Something like the RFX 8240/8250 would be great though.

 

 

All this talk makes me want to buy an 8250Ti...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

If you look into the older Kenwood mobile product brochures you'll find that all units with the 'PS' designation are eXcelon units just before they changed over to calling all of the products available in their upmarket brand eXcelon. The 'PS' stood for Performance Standard.

The D-Mask+ faceplate mechanism was a disaster and I thought that when it disappeared that Kenwood had come to its senses and figured out what a poor design it was. Strangely they revived it with the KDC-X689 but only on that single deck for last year's lineup. Had I been in the market for a deck at that pricepoint I would have steered clear of it for no reason other than that.

Outside of that single exception the eXcelons keep getting better and better. They do not make an actual dead-head like the PS909 and the others that I cannot recall the model numbers of currently but most of them give you the option of defeating internal power if it isn't being used.

5v preouts on the upper-end models, Burr-Brown DACs on last year's and older models and this year they have begun to swap over to the Wolfsons.

The KDC-X679 I recently upgraded away from was the first eXcelon model to incorporate Kenwood's "Auto Slide" faceplate design and it worked flawlessly for two years for me and is still kinkin' without complaint or malfunction for the person I sold it to. So, personal experience shows me that the Auto Slide is at least a decent design.

Having said all of that I'll happily admit that I am a die-hard Kenwood fanboi but thus far I haven't had good reason to regret that loyalty.

Just my $0.02 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I'm pretty low tech.. (said with modesty).. Just internal.Running a coustic 60x4 into kappa 6 1/2" components upfront and kappa coax's rear with an old JL 10w6 run by a little 400w class D US acoustics amp and a 1/2 farad cap.. 1996 Isuzu Trooper with tons of miles but still chugging.

very modest setup I learned to wire up myself.

Then in all honesty, 90% of the equipment mentioned so far is way more than you need to or should spend. There's no need to spend $500+ for a deck with that setup. Not trying to be offensive...setup properly I'm sure your car will sound great. But there's no need in overspending on the deck when the rest of the setup consists of modest equipment.

For a good deck with more than adequate internal processing for your needs, I'd look into something like either a mid-level newer Eclipse HU, a used but in great condition Eclipse 8443 or 8053, Alpine 9815/9835/9855, Pioneer P860MP or P960MP, etc.

The Denford's (Denon built Rockford Fosgates) are great decks...but they lack internal processing and are really best used with the addition of external processing.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

Then in all honesty, 90% of the equipment mentioned so far is way more than you need to or should spend. There's no need to spend $500+ for a deck with that setup. Not trying to be offensive...setup properly I'm sure your car will sound great. But there's no need in overspending on the deck when the rest of the setup consists of modest equipment.
For a good deck with more than adequate internal processing for your needs, I'd look into something like either a mid-level newer Eclipse HU, a used but in great condition Eclipse 8443 or 8053, Alpine 9815/9835/9855, Pioneer P860MP or P960MP, etc.

The Denford's (Denon built Rockford Fosgates) are great decks...but they lack internal processing and are really best used with the addition of external processing.

Oh no offense at all.. Fire away with all this good stuff.. I'm glad I stumbled on this forum. I'm a regular on avsforum so was looking for it's equivalent in car audio.. I'm thankful for all this awesome feedback, so as a car audio newb, I'm completely open to your experience. For some reason I'm not warming up to the eclipses.. Something about the front panel.. on the 3000, 4000, 5000 What DAC's are they using though.. That could sway me.. Also, I do like the time correction capability.. I know the value of proper phasing.

To answer Prowler573's statements.. I sure wish I could look up the model of the older excelon I had.. I'm sure it said excelon but can't find any of the older model numbers but it did fold up when turned off showing only a flat face with the hidden button to open it up. I had a friend in the business that hooked me up with one, then another just like it.. These were preamp only units. Both died for the same reason.. frozen up front face controls.. Sounded great (better than my current alpine 9805) but I realized as well, the ribbon cable or something like that was a bad design in those units.

I do have a little wishlist at crutchfield started for giggles here are the mid-fi units I've picked out.. I call anything shy of a preamp only highend unit like what we've discussed mid-fi.. I'd say from the $300 to $600 range.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-bMoD5eMzqfd/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?I=113KDCX890

the KDCX890..

I like the processing, the USB capability, some decent EQ, 3 5volt outs, the wolfson dacs, the sig/noise ratio, the bluetooth option with the adapter, 2year wtty.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-bMoD5eMzqfd/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=300&id=detailed_info&i=020DXZ865#Tab

the clarion DXZ865MP

I like it has at least a 24bit DAC, but don't know which, EQ, amp cancellation, 2 year warranty.

Also, I've taken a liking to these:

http://www.cardomain.com/item/JVCKDSH1000

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=16814

Looks like a very new model JVC.. Nice processing, USB, 5V outs, time alignment

http://www.sounddomain.com/item/JVCKDAR870

Interesting.. burr brown dacs, usb, 2 year warranty.. and pretty darn cheap in comparison.

And backing off on the features, I'm really starting to like the 400 and 500 Nakamichi's. Probably higher quality components in the same pricepoints, minus many of the extras.. Don't know who the dac's are but assuming the processing is good, though time alignment and some eq would be nice.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

All this talk makes me want to buy an 8250Ti...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

They're out there.. I've been watching them. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

I let the 8240 go though.. some guy wanted it more than I did.

Shame shame, my problem coulda been solved, at least until I managed to wear that one out also.

Here's a JVC question.. What's with the 50 gazillion models? What's with the Exad units.. Their version of "Excelon" or "Premier"? What's it all mean? just more confusion to me I think.