Time for a new HU

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Well I stopped over at Good Guys for the sale today. They have 30% off on all of the CA products.

What caught my eye were the Alpine 9855 - $315, Eclipse 8445 - $355, and the Eclipse 8455 $450.

Can't make up my mind on what unit to use. I havn't been able to find specific detailed specs. Just the crappy manuf. specs. Like what are the crossover slopes? and what not.

Opinions on each unit?

EDIT - I can't edit the poll but the Eclipse units were meant to be 8445 and the 8455.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

Click to read more...

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Oh well. Maybe I will just pick up the Alpine unit due to the price difference.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

So no one can help justify the extra money for the 8455. I read 3.5's review on here and was very interested in the unit.

Oh well, I'm on my own.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I have the 8455....my brother has a 9855....just not even close IMO

It comes down to your preference in ergonomics and mp3 needs...SQ of the Eclipse is top notch

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

It comes down to your preference in ergonomics and mp3 needs...SQ of the Eclipse is top notch

Thanks. I will play with it in store. Exactly what I wanted to hear.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Thanks. I will play with it in store. Exactly what I wanted to hear.

Yeah I dont have an issue with the overall sound character of the 9855....but I've found the eclipse has a more inviting, warmer and more spatially enveloping sound particularly when you pile on the volume...whereas the 9855 will exhibit harshness, and overly bright in the high frequencies, and less definition as one approaches its clipping territory(which seems to come relatively quick in comparison to my deck)

I owned an Alpine 7949 several years ago, and since cant think why Alpine stopped offering non-clipping preouts....it literally is one of those things that 'makes' a great deck-to have as much useable voltage range without sonic degradation...this is as good a reason as to why I've enjoyed my last 2 Eclipse 8series decks so much(everything else aside)

Then theres the glide touch...I wont comment on that.

Menus- what really bothers me about the 9855 is that you cannot lower/raise volume while under sound shaping control menus...very aggravating to not hear how a particular setting sounds REAL TIME as you raise and lower volume and how it affects it..

If you've owned Alpines before, then you'd be accustomed to the ergo's. But beware, as menu selection is rather legthy and requires lots of main knob clicks, you now have to navigate using the glide strip on top of that.

But when it comes to decks all it really matter is the type of you use you intend for it....if you are a big mp3 person, obviously top notch SQ is not a priority, so you are willing to give up some just to have the user interface you prefer. I have not once even had an mp3 cd in my car, so i cannot comment on the Eclipse's...but I hear its not the greatest.

If you ever plan on running an active fronstage, take the CD8445 off your list because the internal xovers dont support it. Wheras if passives are you choice, its as good a deck as it gets.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

If you ever plan on running an active fronstage, take the CD8445 off your list because the internal xovers dont support it. Wheras if passives are you choice, its as good a deck as it gets.

This is my only concern. I'm running my XXX's active. But not my tweets. Does the Eclipse unit at least haf a HPF near 80hz available on the pre outs?

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

This is my only concern. I'm running my XXX's active. But not my tweets. Does the Eclipse unit at least haf a HPF near 80hz available on the pre outs?

yes...its 63hz/80hz/100hz/125hz/160hz/200hz selectable if i'm not mistaken...

 

[chadillac3 10+ year member]

What bothers the shit out of me w/ the Eclipse units is that they have this wonderful EQ....yet you can't even EQ the **** sub in Pro Mode.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

What bothers the shit out of me w/ the Eclipse units is that they have this wonderful EQ....yet you can't even EQ the **** sub in Pro Mode.

If I ever needed to eq a sub....it would bother me too....

But that scenario is as useful as time aligning a sub 6ft behind you in a sealed trunk....really not needed considering the short freq range it plays IMO

 

[chadillac3 10+ year member]

Interesting...I have yet to be in a vehicle that didn't need some EQ to the sub.

 

[skierxx5556 10+ year member]

glide touch is the devil. I played with one this weekend and I would never want to own it, it would be the bigest pita! Not to mention that everything including the tilt option is within a menu which would totally piss me off. I vote for the 8455.

 

[alphakenny1 10+ year member]

OMG you can get the 8455 for $450, jump on that quick. i got mine for like $600 installed. man is this for like all the good guys?

but yea it all depends on your setup but i'd get the 8455 because if you go passive right now, but later on you might end up going with an active front stage. $450 is a nice price.

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

OMG you can get the 8455 for $450, jump on that quick. i got mine for like $600 installed. man is this for like all the good guys?

Yeah but since you had it installed doesn't that mean you have a 3 year warranty?? Or does Eclipse no longer do that.?

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

yes...its 63hz/80hz/100hz/125hz/160hz/200hz selectable if i'm not mistaken...

I just came from there. Asked a couple questions. Floor rep said he didn't "think" it had a HPF on the front or rear pre outs. So I asked him if the Alpine 9855 had it he said no!? So I figure he didn't know about it.

I was playing with the menu and I saw the Xover frequencys you listed but It seamed to be a LPF for the sub pre out.

If you can confirm that it has a HPF on the front or rear pre outs, I'm off to buy it.