mstolo

I'm joining the crew on here replacing the stereo. Thanks for all the great posts on speakers and amps!

I currently have an older Alpine, but want a new model and want to be able to get to my MP3 player (san disk) and maybe an iPod.

I'm looking at the Alpine CDA-9886, seems like it would be an easy hookup since I'm replacing an existing Alpine. But a guy at Crutchfield suggested a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X792, which seems to have some great features. I saw that this was a similar unit that Rod at Car Audio Innovations had recommended to Bart1. Bart1 went with the Alpine.

Anyone have an opinion either way?

jaholmes

I just use the iTrip for my iPod. It keeps everything looking stock and sounds good.

Tom W

I have an Alpine iDA-X001 and am extremely happy with it. I never listen to the radio anymore, just the iPod. I also have the bluetooth module for my phone.

BrokenE

In the past, IMHO, Kenwood (and most others) always seemed second tier to Alpine. I have an older alpine and have no complaints.

4X4SCHE

I work for Kenwood. We need the revenue.

John

bluejam

Go Alpine. They look sharp without being flashy. I have one of the newer models and then ran the cord for the iPod to the glove compartment. My iPod just sits in there. I never see it. I control the iPod from the face of the Alpine.
Never liked Kenwood products. They look and sound cheap to me.

jaholmes: That's great you can get your iTrip to work well. I have had one and could hardly get reception in LA and Portland in various cars.

bart1

As noted, I preferrred the Alpine. Kenwood would not work with an older iPod, Alpine does. The **** on the right side of the KW (faaar away from the driver) is finicky and you would end up going into scroll mode instead of just going to the next track if not very careful. KW display is kinda nice, but more glare than the Alpine - almost impossible to see in the daytime. 993 radio position is not the best, almost any modern radio is hard to see - oh for the days of the old Blaupunkts. All said, the KW might actually be a better unit.

Jeff96-993

I went with KW 25th anniversary edition, works perfect. A significant upgrade to the original.

I couldn't find an Alpine that I liked at the time, but no regrets with the KW.

briefescape

The only one that works for me is Nakamichi .

Cheers Guy

bluejam

I must say, my Alpine has horrible glare and it will not work with an older 3rd gen iPod.

foxfrc5

I have an Alpine CDA-9887 head unit and a small Alpine MRP-F250 4-channel amp. The amp fits nicely under the driver's seat (RHD over here) where the factory booster used to be.

The head unit features time correction and parametric EQ, plus a 24 bit Burr-Brown DAC. The iPod hookup is easy to use and sound quality is comparable to CD. It only works with newer iPods and nanos.

bart1

Mine is the 9886. The iPod only alpines may only work with newer iPods.

Manny Alban

I got an Alpine in mine. Just installed it at the beginning of this year. I upgraded from an older Alpine that came with the car. I wanted the new one to have a volume **** and not two separate buttons for volume. With the Ipod hookup, the Ipod hides in the ashtray and gets charged while I'm using it. Since I've bought it, I've never even used the CD player yet. It came with a remote, but that's only used by my wife (who likes the feature of being able to use her Ipod when we go somewhere). I looked at the Kenwoods, but from a user standpoint, I liked the Alpines better.

RallyJon

My Alpine HU does that too. Is there any stereo display that won't have glare when your direct line of sight is to a reflection of the passenger side window as it is on 993s? I'd love to find a head unit where the display is angled toward the driver.

I've also tried a couple of types of anti-glare film, and none of them helped.

TYNUSKT

I actually bought RallyJon's Alpine DVA9860. I had to buy the Alpine iPOD adaptor for it (The newer DVA9861 doesn't need the adapter) but ran it into the glove compartment and I love the setup. I've always preferred Alpine over Kenwood.