3800 Choosing a HU

[Toasty]

I am trying to choose a new HU for the grand prix. ..nothing flashy, nothing too high powered. I have a few requirements. must have red button illumination, and must be capable of wired remote. I have had sony units all my life, but am open to other options. I am looking at 2 right now

1 is the sony CDX-GT710 (or interchange with the GT81UW) -- both this years models.
i still like the sonys, the design is straight forward.

2. crutchfield still has last years kenwood excelon KDC-X790 -- the color display is cool, and has more features than the sony, but the interface is harder to use i think

reccomendations and why?

Click to read more...

 

[Toasty]

i cant believe no one has any opinions!

 

[imported_Xerxeis]

after using a sony for the past few months, i say go kenwood from those two

or alpine...

 

[Toasty]

after using a sony for the past few months, i say go kenwood from those two

or alpine...
[/b]

I looked hard at the alpines, but decided that if i couldnt have the biolite display, with red buttons, and wired remote input for less than $350, (the 9857) i wont go that way, too much $$


I am still looking at the kenwood's -- is there any place local besides best buy that carrys them? best buy doesnt carry the excelon lineup

what dont you like about the sony you have?

 

[Toasty]

<div class='quotemain'>
after using a sony for the past few months, i say go kenwood from those two

or alpine...
[/b]

I looked hard at the alpines, but decided that if i couldnt have the biolite display, with red buttons, and wired remote input for less than $350, (the 9857) i wont go that way, too much $$


I am still looking at the kenwood's -- is there any place local besides best buy that carrys them? best buy doesnt carry the excelon lineup

what dont you like about the sony you have?
[/b][/quote]


correction, the 9857 has the wired remote, but the 9885 has the red illumination, so both are out

 

[Toasty]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
after using a sony for the past few months, i say go kenwood from those two

or alpine...
[/b]

I looked hard at the alpines, but decided that if i couldnt have the biolite display, with red buttons, and wired remote input for less than $350, (the 9857) i wont go that way, too much $$


I am still looking at the kenwood's -- is there any place local besides best buy that carrys them? best buy doesnt carry the excelon lineup

what dont you like about the sony you have?
[/b][/quote]


correction, the 9857 has the wired remote, but the 9885 has the red illumination, so both are out
[/b][/quote]


gaaaa dangit!

no official word that the 9885 has wired remote, but the instruction manual pictures the jack for it....

WHO WRITES THESE STUPID THINGS

 

[98GTPDriva]

Personally, I like the Excelon HU better because of the display. I've never really been a fan of Sony HUs too.

 

[Fish]

Ive had 3 sony HUs and had good luck and great sound with all of them. The newer they get, the better the sound.

 

[Toasty]

Ive had 3 sony HUs and had good luck and great sound with all of them. The newer they get, the better the sound.
[/b]

heh.. somone finally agrees with what i've thoght all along... but i still might go alpine-- that the new alpine coming soon may actually do what i want as far as operation and asthetics... and ipod adapter is only $30... so that's a plus.... just need to verify steering wheel controls or not

i suppose i'd get used to the wierd operation, but i dunno...

 

[alexgtp]

All depends on what features you are looking for.

If you plan on adding aftermarket amps I would look to HU that offer HIVOlt outputs for amps (gives a better signal and better sounds)

-SAT ready
-min 15x4 watts RMS
-

 

[Xtant12]

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[Toasty]

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[/b]

meh... the jensen and it's ipod controls look niiiice, but i'm really not wanting a flip out screen... would hit/cover the air vents... and hide the light up GRAND PRIX GTP on my humount.com flushmount!

after looking at similar kenwood units in person, i dont know that i like the fact that you have to use knobs on both sides of the unit to change settings. The alpine and sony have better layout that way, since all controls are on the same side.

actually, i like the controls on sony's MEX-BT5000 head unit the best, but not sure that the bluetooth would work good in my car with the loud exhaust... too much background noise....

 

[Toasty]

played with the kenwoods at fry's today... dont like the controls... but the screen is nice


so its back to waiting on the alpine, or gettin the sony

 

[Toasty]

Came home with the alpine yesterday, the CDA-9885.

Went up to Abt Electronics in Glenview. I got the head unit with the $30 dollar ipod cable for $297 + tax + 4 year extended warranty for $49 (crutchfield wanted $279 for the hu on its own


not a bad deal at all..................................................!!

[/b]

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

except for a few small differences that layout is nearly identical to my top of the line alpine i got in 98 (green LCD/buttons, but i also got the alpine digital signal processor/soundfield controller/parametric EQ that works with it



i actually thought about pulling it out of my imperial and putting it in my 68, but the 68 is too easy to break into so it'll get a cheapo



that HU looks sweet, i love alpine's products...some of the best out there (esp the V12 amps' i have)



now get it installed and take pics...

 

[Toasty]

except for a few small differences that layout is nearly identical to my top of the line alpine i got in 98 (green LCD/buttons, but i also got the alpine digital signal processor/soundfield controller/parametric EQ that works with it



i actually thought about pulling it out of my imperial and putting it in my 68, but the 68 is too easy to break into so it'll get a cheapo



that HU looks sweet, i love alpine's products...some of the best out there (esp the V12 amps' i have)



now get it installed and take pics...
[/b]

yeah i am waiting on the soundgate steering wheel buton interface for the install

also playing with a custom ipod mount too, we'll see how that goes


oh... and and another cool part... the 6 big navigation buttons are changeable from blue illumination to red... so the whole thing will be red, sans the black/white biolite display.... should look awesome against my humount flushmount kit!


hope to get it installed in the next week or so. pix after the install