Alpine 9856

[Fragzilla]

Hey!

I'm looking at the Alpine 9856 fpr my Jeep TJ and was wondering what peoples thoughts on the hu are.

Cheers

[clipser-gs-t]

I bought one for my girl.

Here's the link actually.
Alpine CDA-9856

[Fragzilla]

Thanks clipser!

From the options that I wanted and the price of this unit I figured it would be a good way to go.

My last stereo I put together had an old Alpine in it and I loved it - no complaints.

Also what really caught my eye was the ease of using an iPod

[Willy D]

I actually looked at this Alpine unit.....I have always been a Kenwood guy, but this time, I was driven to get Alpine.....I was at a local Best Buy and was checking out the 9856 and the 9857.....With no manual, I was trying to figure out the menus (just basic...bass, treble, sub level, etc) and I found it fairly confusing (maybe it is just me).....Right in the same area they had the JVC unit I bought....It was near the 9857 and I got both of them as close to same volume as I could and flattened out EQ...When I A/B compared them, they sounded very close....The JVC offered 4 volt preout (front-rear) and 2 volt preout (sub)....It had three band EQ and it seemed a little easier to figure out the menus......From the review I read, the Alpine Ipod interface is one of the best....I don't own an Ipod and I was looking for higher preout voltage....I hope I am not sorry I did not buy Alpine.....

So far, I love the JVC.....I think either unit would serve me well...Alpine has a great reputation....Time will tell...

Willy

[Fragzilla]

Originally Posted by Willy D

With no manual, I was trying to figure out the menus (just basic...bass, treble, sub level, etc) and I found it fairly confusing (maybe it is just me).....
Willy

Yup the confusing part without a manual has had me more than once before. Us being Men "we dont need a manual" sometimes can bite us in the butt I ourchased a Treo cell phone and although I could use the generic fuctions it wasn't till i opened the manual to find out how easy the whole thing really is.

When I was checking the Alpine out in the store the sales rep had no probelms getting anywhere I asked him to go. He made it seem realy easy to go throught the functions. Untill I get it I have to go by what I saw .

Cheers

[Willy D]

Yeah...I am afraid I fall into the category of...."we don't need no stinkin' manual".......With all of the things these units can do nowadays....they are more and more complex.....even the JVC is confusing to me compaired to my Kenwoods of the past (pre Ipod...pre Sat. radio...pre Mp3....)

Willy

[Willy D]

I am gonna go back and take a serious look at that Alpine....

I actually sold my JVC to my son and bought and Eclipse CD3000.....The more I use this thing, the more and more and more and more I dislike it.....I would rather have the JVC back.....I am gonna seriously check that Alpine out...I know one thing for sure...I am gonna go and listen and check all the functions out before I buy anything.....gonna lose my ass on the Eclipse....

The sound of the Eclipse is not bad, I just hate the knobs....I believe there are 12 or 13 function buttons on the display (including all of the radio select buttons) that do not light up....Trying to change tracks without the remote while driving is a real bitch....it is way too sensitive and the knobs are barely sticking out, so you cannot really grasp them....I even clicked over to the next track with the button and after about 10 seconds, it restarted the track.
I ordered the optional remote.....I think it is lousy....It is slow to respond and it is in perfect line of sight (directly in front 8-10 inches away).....
The sub level goes from Zero to six...not alot of flexibility....I thought you could hi pass frt. and rear independant?? Not so.....It is at a fixed freq too. Same with the sub out frq..... not adjustable...

With my old Kenwood and the JVC, I could leave my arm resting on the console with the remote facing it...no problem....very quick to respond...

The Eclipse....Will not hardly work from that position....I gotta lift my arm up to almost shoulder level and then it does not work every time....Sometimes have to push the buttons 2 or 3 times before they respond....SUCKS!!!

Willy

[Throttletune]

I have never had an Eclipse, but I can tell you the Alpine we had in the wifes truck was a heap of crap. Buttons were goony, not near the adjustability of the Kenwoods I was used to (key word there), and it sounded like crap. Plus, it never made it out of the year warranty, thank heavens. Got a Kenwood, and all was right in the world.

I think ours was a 9826 model number.

[Willy D]

Before this latest adventure on HU...I ALWAYS bought Kenwood.....In my opinion all the ones I ever owned, I loved....The last one I had was a KDC-X815. It has the motorized flip around face....One day it just up and quit....I guess this was a common problem for this style HU....I was so bummed....

This HU had EXACTLY everything I wanted and needed....It is sitting here in my office on the shelf....I had just heard that Kenwood had went down hill as far as HU.....I always heard "Alpine...Alpine....Alpine" so I went in search of one.....Bought the JVC (which I really liked) and then sold it to my son (he was gonna buy one anyway)...got the Eclipse and now...I am bummed....wish I could wave a magic wand and make this Kenwood work again....

Willy