I'm getting the audio upgrade bug again, so I'm looking at a few of the latest units out for this year. I would like to keep the price range in the $400-$600 area (in terms of Crutchfield pricing). Here are some of the units I'm looking at:

Alpine CDA-7995 CD/MP3 (dis.: no internal amp)
Kenwood KDC-819 CD/MP3 (dis.: color display seems to have less resolution)
Kenwood KDC-MP919 CD/MP3 (dis.: possible DMASK clearance problems)
Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X859 CD/MP3 (dis.: color display and DMASK)
Pioneer DEH-P8400MP CD/MP3/WMA (dis.:higher price for useless WMA functionality)
Sony Xplod CDX-MP70 CD/MP3 (dis.: a new CD tray to possibly break off)


There are a couple other options, but I'll most likely stay away from them...the above 6 gives a decent selection. I'd like everyone's thoughts, and any confirmation/denial to the above disadvantages.

Thanks...

 

I just bought the Alpine CDA-7995 for $375. I haven't installed it yet, but it shouldn't be too long now...I'll let u know as soon as i do.

 

from what i hear, with the pioneer 8400, it will bump the bottom of the radio housing. therefore it doesn't fit.

 

the kenwood 919 and 859 w/ dmask are pretty much the same. You can turn off the internal amp if you want to make it a pure like the alpine for a cleaner signal. I have the 919 and i love the dmask cause i leave the door open and it hides itself.

Alpine would also be a fine choice. The other choices you have listed don't really impress me.

 

Have you considered the Alpine CDA-7894? the spec's are the same as the CDA-7995, but it has a 60x4 amp. I just completed the installation, and it sounds great. I will be selling the amp I was going to install. It has more then I need.

 

I had one of the newer Sony Xplods in my old car, and it was pure crap. It had some nice features, but it would skip if you looked at it too fast.

 

Lucid,

Is it true that the DMASK will always close on power-off? I suppose I can't disable the motor or else I wouldn't be able to put in a CD.
If the DMASK opens/closes while the door is shut, does it pop open the door, or just grind gears?

 

it doesn't much care for that abuse, which is one of the reasons i went away from kenwood. i put in a 7995 alpine and i must say that a preamp/separate amp setup is still the cleanest sound i've heard. it's a harder install, sure - but worth it to me. i figured that since i was running a sub already, i might as well wire up a main speaker amp too. i had a cda-7878 before, and as nice as it was, the 7995 kills it. just my $.02

 

Yes it needs the door open. I always leave it open so if i forget to close it I have security. you cant turn off the dmask on the 919, maybe the 859. It can be delayed though. I would not connect the mute on it cause SRC cycles tuner-cd-off and avoids the accidental bump having it hide. You can then use Mute for anythings else. The display is one of the best out there and it has many options to tweak your sound stage. IMO it the better of the choice because you can have HU power or just preamp only @ 4.5v x 3 pairs. MP3 read times are as quick as a CD. i love the deck.


The 859 is like 20-30 more has another bass managment setting i think and an extra year warranty.

If c import an alpine UK deck, you'll appreciate the controller for the dash. I have the KCE-865B's in stock and would give you no delay.

The 2002 decks out by Kenwood, Clarion and Alpine are the best I've ever seen to date.



[QUOTE]Originally posted by MacGyver
[B]Lucid,

Is it true that the DMASK will always close on power-off?

 

I had the CDX-M610 in for a couple of months and I agree that my unit would skip and mis-track when I hit bumps hard so......

I got the CDX-MP70 and it's
Here's what I like about it:
- It has never skipped or mis-tracked even with the hardest hits on freeway expansion joints and railroad tracks.
- Excellent display during the day in the sun (doesn't wash out in direct sun) and also the orange color matches the dash illumination at night.
- MP3 playback has been flawless, loads and starts playing in about 5 secs and the ID3 tags/displays work great.
- The tray??? well you get use to it and it does take a bit more time to load a cd.

Problem areas:
- There is the clearance issue with the radio flap hitting the knobs on the faceplate. Here's the link showing what I did to make this unit fit. radio flap modification
- FM volume is less than CD/MP3 playback so when you switch between sources it's slightly annoying but it won't blow out your speakers.
- Not really a problem but one thing you'll see if you look at the faceplate is that there isn't the normal radio preset buttons and all the radio presets work off the right rotary knob. Actually this works great with s2kman's dcu.

I think that's it and I have no regrets getting this unit. I plan to add the XM module whenever Sony decides to release it (I'm now told it will be in July).