im thinking of buying this head unit:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500CDE1...2.html?tp=5684


any suggestions/reviews/goods/bads i should know about?

 

2 of my friends have this deck. Has worked good enough for them.

 

have had lots of alpine equipment over the years, never had any issues with any of it. i

 

Alpine always makes a good deck regardless of the line, at least in my experience. I'm sure they've had their fudge ups but not to the extent of the cheaper brands.

You're pretty much always going to get a good deck from Alpine and Eclipse. Usually get a good deck from Pioneer and Kenwood. Anything else and I read the reviews extensively.

 

They do make good stuff but you cant beat Pioneers built in Equalizer its awesome and a must for me. Ive had two of them in last 5 years and i got rid of first one to upgrade.

 

its a good basic stereo. if your not going to put a system in it then your fine. with this unit you can only run a 4 channel amp. there is no sub pre out. as far as quality all alpine stuff is made very well... all i run is alpine...

 

that is a good starter radio. if all that you are wanting is a new radio then this will work for you. but if you plan on putting in amps and subs, or if you are wanting ipod control instead of a aux-in, or if you are wanting to control satellite radio through the radio then i would step up to the CDA-9884 or the CDA-9886. both of these radios are better for doing the above mentioned things.

but as far as alpine goes they are bas a$$!!!! i have had a alpine in my ranger for at least 6 years now and i have never had a issue out of it. i also work for best buy as a mobile installer and out of all the radios that i put in i get almost no issues out of the alpine and pioneer radios. kenwood is good too i just dont like way that you use the kenwood radios and they will go into pertect mode if there is a blown speaker or grounded out speaker.

 

I don't like alpine for the simple fact they are too dumbed down. with cell phones going all video style and ipods too.. they are still in 1996 with their simple display. I'd get a pioneer which is as visually stimulating as it is audibly.

and DO NOT BUY FROM CRUTCHFIELD, shop around online and save yourself money.

 

you cant go wrong with alpine. they are simple to use, powerful and look good too. i was a former kenwood junky until i got an alpine. IMO the other brands are filled with so much crap that you will most likely never use. alpine FTW

 

the lower end HU's sure arent much to look at but have you seen the media consoles they have HOLY **** theyre sick

 

Cheapie EQ's on anything but super high end units are just a crutch and make systems sound worse.

 

Fancy displays that brake....fancy displays that cost money so they have to cut corners else where.

Also, buy from crutchfield. If you ever need to make a warranty claim you'll be happy. And while crutchfield is $20 more expensive than the next reputable place, they send every single one of their radios with a double DIN radio remover (if needed) and the dash kit and the harness.

 

X2 crutchfeild is awsome to deal with.