General Chat
Q:
Well, the way i looked at it, if i want decent sound...im gonna have to spend a couple bucks. Music is one of my passions...so its definately gonna have to be something that sounds really good.
For the deck im looking at either the:
Alpine CDA-9856
Pioneer DEH-P5800m
i'm pretty much already decided on the alpine just for looks. but let me know if you guys know anything else.
as for speakers...
Basically the $125 range of either Alpine or Infinity. (6X9's to go in the rear speaker box that Z Specialties makes.)
so im just looking for opinions. biased, not...doesn't matter.
1975 280z
High School senior project
Daniel D.
Post Edited (Aug 23, 9:07am)
A:
I was just doing the same shopping (havn't bought yet). I read many, many reviews at Crutchfield.com and everybody seems to love the Alpine 9856. Alpine does a very good job with sound quality vs. others who give you more bells and whistles for the money. I'd rather have sound quality than features.
Jeff
Northville, Michigan
'78 280 10:1 CR, Web Racing cam, Arizona Z Car header, urethane bushings, Tokico springs, Illumina struts, Panasports, Maxima alternator
A:
To get really good sound in a Z requires lots of work because they're not the best shape for acoustics....
We have a similar Alpine in the miata and it sounds great!
It also has a lot of sources so I'm going to be adding an AUX port for my MP3 soon.
Mario
1976 280Z - Dad's Z (turbo swap?)
1978 280Z - Stock Rebuild | 5 Speed | Twice Pipes | Gutted
1982 280ZX - Turbo | MSnS-E | 5 Speed | Large NPR IC
BROKE: Will build computers, webpages, networks, MS units, troubleshoot computers for money
A:
That is the Alpine that I have been wanting. It doesn't have to many features that you will never use, and not a lot of bling display junk too.
I am going to add a small Alpine amp.
The Rockford Fostgate speakers sound great.
That is what I picked out for my Z. Just got to get around to buying it.
76 280 Z
77 280 Z
A:
Eclipse makes a mean product, if you can find one that fits your aesthetic tastes. Thats who I am going to buy from when I get mine...whenever that is.
Previously owned: 2005 Z Enthusiast, Super Black, 6 spd.
Currently lease: 2006 Pathfinder S, Silver, Auto
"She is (and always will be) my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got!"
A:
I also like the big round knob for the volume.
I have a push button sony in the Z now and it's a paint to keep pushing the buttons whenever you want to change the volume. I like the more simple ones. But still w/ all the power etc...
I really like the look of the Alpine, I have had them in other cars and have been happy with them.
76 280 Z
77 280 Z
A:
I'm rocking an Eclipse CD3000 with iPod kit. It's an awesome unit. A few of my friends who work at renowned audio shops say Eclipse is Alpine quality without the sold out name.
My only quirks are no detachable faceplate, and the knobs are a little too easy to turn (hard to be precise).
-----
Pete1978z: "It's not that I think stupidity should be punishable by death, I just think we should take the warning labels off of everything and let the problem take care of itself."
A:
The Eclipse products are king in my book. They don't have a detachable face plate because all the units are keyed to a security CD that you insert when you first turn it on. When you lose power you have to re-insert that CD to be able to use the unit again, three tries and the unit has to be sent back to the factory to be reset.
If you have the optional GPS unit it also works like a lo-jack and can pinpoint your car's location if it is stolen. The GPS option is also a voice control for the stereo as well as the GPS.
The optional DSP is fantastic, 7 band EQ for front and rear channels, effects for reverb and echo with presets for cathedral/stadium/club/etc. acoustics. You can even add a slight delay to any speaker to tune the system to a specific seat in the car. There are many features that most folks would likely never understand or use, but for us audiophiles nothing beats Eclipse for flexability.
~ Nick
A:
MSA http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/SP
sells the same box at the 5 bucks cheaper also...
77 280Z with SBC, 700R4, Vette C4 IRS W/11.5 rear disk, Centerlines 16x9.5 W/BF G 245x45ZR Comp T/A Rear and 15x7 Ft W/BF Goodrich Euro 225x15 on ft. Soon to have Coleman 12.2x1.25, x-drilled, zinc plated, Rotors W/Billet Outlaw 4000. Z U V8ter
A:
Between those two, Alpine.
Also like the Sony line with that nice DSQ feature, and particularly eyeing the newer MEX model where you can store 100+ MP3 songs right in the detachable face. Next Big Thing, mark my words.
'76 280Z driver, '75 parts car
A:
pioneer looks cooler.
_____________________________________________
'05 350Z Chrome Silver Touring
'73 240Z
A:
My dads got the alpine in his 66 mustang. He's got an amp in the back and some nice speakers too. Sounds great. He's never had any complaints about it. Looks good too.
'82 280zx coupe
A:
The Pioneer one has pink lights, I'm not sure if "cooler" is the right word to describe it! ;)
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project
A:
thanks guys!
yea...im pretty sure im gonna go with the alpine, especially after hearing nothing but good things about it.
i'll look into that eclipse too though. Sounds like it might be a bargian.
and...the pioneer lights are actually red. (looked at both at best buy last night)
1975 280z
High School senior project
Daniel D.
A:
red/blue eek... You'll be seeing stuff in 3d with those glowing in the cabin hehe
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project
A:
I've got the Pioneer one model lower, and it does the job. I like its simplicity. Mine has green lights not pink, though.
1991 300ZX N/A Slicktop
1970 240Z
A:
Greenworks! That would match my starwars digital dash lol
85' 300ZX NA
86' 300ZX Turbo
88' 300ZX Turbo
89' 300ZX Turbo
300ZX Turbo Project
A:
I have always thought red lights look better at night than blue lights ;-)
Both models are really close in features. Pioneer did not list some of the tech stuff I like to see like signal-to-noise ratio on their web site. Alpine did, but they are both probably close. EQ'ing is an important feature to me, and not many head units have multiband built in EQ's unless really expensive. But, the Pioneer does have a 3-band EQ (prolly' broke up into "low","mid", & "high"). That is a big plus to me, I might would get the Pioneer because of that. But the plus I saw in the Alpine was it had a USB port hook-up. Thats a neat feature. All-in-all they both are really close, and those were the two main features that seperated them to me. Pioneer may would be my choice from what I read on their web sites.
Pioneer
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069880_291063713_tab=B,00.html?compName=PNA_V3_ProductDetailsComponent
Alpine
http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/products/product.php?model=CDA-9856&lang=en&tab=F
A:
i just bought the pioneer for my girlfriend, seems to be pretty nice, and she likes it.
A:
Alpine! w00t
1978 280Z Turbo MS
1981 280ZXT - scrapyard