Got an Alpine, need input
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Portage, IN
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Got an Alpine, need input
My old CD player was on it's way out, so I went out and got an Alpine 9857... the one with the biolite display. I was going for something that wasn't too far off from stock (green illumination, black faceplace) and this is the closest thing I found. Not bad for $260 on eBay... definately the most expensive radio I've ever owned. The ability to play MP3 CDs and the (slightly-so with stock speakers) improved sound quality was worth it (plus being able to just play CDs at will... a feature I missed dearly when all of the good radio stations were in commerical/crap mode).
I do have a few gripes about this player though. Trying to decide if they are major enough for me to get rid of it and try to find something else... opinions welcome. (Sorry if I come off as whiney, but this is where I stand)
Gripe #1: Dosn't look as stock as I'd like.
What can I say? I think aftermarket radios look too much like an afterthought and they really stick out for me. Maybe it's just shock of the change but the fact that it looks like nothing that was supposed to be there in the first place just bugs me. That, and it seems like the control design was a mere afterthought (source and power on the same button?) Which brings me to #2...
Gripe #2: The power button.
This is nothing specific to Alpine, most of the aftermarket players I have seen do this. WTF is up with holding the power button down to turn off the unit? I miss just being able to jab at my volume **** and turn the thing off. Now everything integrates some other random function into the power button so you need to specifically hold it in to get the desired effect.
Gripe #3: Power off = no clock.
This one just bugs me. Why oh why do I need to have the radio on or a CD playing to see what time it is? I have seen Xplod players that have the "clock on when the radio is off" feature, but again all of the Xplod's I see majorly violate gripe #1. (And what is up with blue displays? >90% of them seem to be blue)
Other then the above 3 things, this unit is absolutely great. But now that I actually have it installed and have gotten into regularly using it... I find it lacking for what I expect out of a HU (yeah, call me simplistic but audio is audio for me).
So, after all of that... should I sell it and go for something else? I have seen mention of stock mp3 players on the forums (esp. a 6-CD changer, which is overkill but cool. A single CD unit capable of MP3 playback would be nice). Then again, I've also seen a lot of posts about broken stock units. What do you guys think?
I do have a few gripes about this player though. Trying to decide if they are major enough for me to get rid of it and try to find something else... opinions welcome. (Sorry if I come off as whiney, but this is where I stand)
Gripe #1: Dosn't look as stock as I'd like.
What can I say? I think aftermarket radios look too much like an afterthought and they really stick out for me. Maybe it's just shock of the change but the fact that it looks like nothing that was supposed to be there in the first place just bugs me. That, and it seems like the control design was a mere afterthought (source and power on the same button?) Which brings me to #2...
Gripe #2: The power button.
This is nothing specific to Alpine, most of the aftermarket players I have seen do this. WTF is up with holding the power button down to turn off the unit? I miss just being able to jab at my volume **** and turn the thing off. Now everything integrates some other random function into the power button so you need to specifically hold it in to get the desired effect.
Gripe #3: Power off = no clock.
This one just bugs me. Why oh why do I need to have the radio on or a CD playing to see what time it is? I have seen Xplod players that have the "clock on when the radio is off" feature, but again all of the Xplod's I see majorly violate gripe #1. (And what is up with blue displays? >90% of them seem to be blue)
Other then the above 3 things, this unit is absolutely great. But now that I actually have it installed and have gotten into regularly using it... I find it lacking for what I expect out of a HU (yeah, call me simplistic but audio is audio for me).
So, after all of that... should I sell it and go for something else? I have seen mention of stock mp3 players on the forums (esp. a 6-CD changer, which is overkill but cool. A single CD unit capable of MP3 playback would be nice). Then again, I've also seen a lot of posts about broken stock units. What do you guys think?
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#8
Join Date: May 2006
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Hmm, ok good point about the clock button I'll try that on the way home tonight (couldn't find that in the manual. How odd). Leaving the radio on isn't an option for me... the mill I work in is pretty **** about having the radio off while inside the plant. Forgetful me, I would leave it on if it was muted and get repremanded for it.
I realize I overpurchased, I knew that when I got it. Like I said, I was going for looks more then anything and this is simply the first thing I found that remotely fit the bill (other then another stock radio, hadn't found anything mp3 compatible when I came across this). If it dosn't grow on me soon then I may just have to trade with someone who would enjoy it more than me.
I realize I overpurchased, I knew that when I got it. Like I said, I was going for looks more then anything and this is simply the first thing I found that remotely fit the bill (other then another stock radio, hadn't found anything mp3 compatible when I came across this). If it dosn't grow on me soon then I may just have to trade with someone who would enjoy it more than me.
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Originally Posted by quest51210
they are junk now, build quality is low, internal eq's are weak or dont exist, preout voltages are weak, processing is weak. i was a huge alpine fan and one of the only brands i bought, but have been greatly disappointed. if you look at an older(2 years+)unit it is night and day.
i now run eclipse
#14
Originally Posted by quest51210
they are junk now, build quality is low, internal eq's are weak or dont exist, preout voltages are weak, processing is weak. i was a huge alpine fan and one of the only brands i bought, but have been greatly disappointed. if you look at an older(2 years+)unit it is night and day.
well that sucks. guess it wouldn't be much of an upgrade to upgrade. lol. my 9827 works awesome, i love it, but im no car audio freak. lol
#16
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Originally Posted by ahoyhoy239
i have my '04 factory radio with cd player,mp3 playback, and casette player it is in excellent condition just sitting in my room, its as factory looking as factory looking can get, ill trade you it plus some cash for your alpine if oyur not happy with it.
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