My much loved Alpine 7998 head unit has an issue. The back light on the display panel has died... and Alpine no longer services said head unit.

I found a replacement display (on eBay, in the UK!) for $190.00!!!! That's the price of a cheap head unit, for crying out loud!

My problem is that the system is now 9 years old... and I think it's only the beginning of the end. Once one part fails, another will not be far behind.

In the last few years, Alpine quality has gone to crap. What used to be #1 is no longer there... Eclipse has left the US market, Kenwood isn't bad, but still not great, Clarion was going up, but now they are stagnate at best. Nakamichi isn't in the US, either... don't know what McIntosh is upto.

That leaves one head unit that fits my requirements. The Pioneer DEX-P99RS. This is a serious piece of kit... But it sells for $1200 on Crutchfield.com... ouch... none on ebay yet.

Haven't checked craigslist.

Considering the age of my system, I am going to redo it, now I know I am going to redo it. Before, I was going to keep the Alpine, but not now. I also want iPhone connectivity.

Oh, and another thing, the techs at Alpine customer service are some of the snippiest little peckers... my Lord... They are real quick to jump on minor verbal mistakes, or if you question them to gain more clarity, they get real snarky. I find the undercurrent very unprofessional.

Any thoughts?

I have used Pioneers for over 10 years now with no complaints.

Their SQ has improved a ton, too.

Late 90s is when they really started getting good, that's when I started using them. I was never happy with the quality of the Eclipse unit I had, that's when I moved to them. I still don't think their speakers are very great, but I like the HUs.

This may be worth glancing at.....plus you can gain 60 hp in your Corvette......


http://car-audio-review.toptenreviews.com/

Thank's Marcus... not quite my area, there... I worry as soon as the reviewer thinks that "JVC is known for making quality product"... JVC is known for making cheap shit.

In fact, that entire top ten list is really the top ten of the bottom feeders... sad, cause it will mislead potential buyers who don't know the score.

In all of the reviews, the key is that your iPod connects easily. Whoo-hoo. What about sound quality? What about nuance? What about amplifier support? How many volts out are the RCA connections?

In short, these are reviews of limited value. I wanted to share that reality, so you knew... and wouldn't put faith in them yourself.

You know Corvettes, and if you saw the pro's and cons listed as:

Pro's: REAL FAST!

Con's: Only 2 seats.

You would see real quick that the review doesn't get it. That's the way it is with this car stereo review. More a comparison of features and not a real test of capability.

Here's a good one:

They blast the Sony Xplode because they "expected more"... but the damned thing is only $90? What more can you expect?

Another:

Pioneer DEH-3200UB -

Pros
The Pioneer DEH-3200UB has front auxiliary input and a USB port.

Cons
It is not compatible with Bluetooth, HD Radio or satellite radio.

The Verdict: 7.45/10

The Pioneer DEH-3200UB is sufficient for now, but it may not hold up in the future.

HA! Without HD or Sat Radio, it doesn't hold up period. Lame.

Sorry... I have a real good ability to read through crap reviews, and those are crap reviews. I hope no one takes them seriously.

Thanks for sharing, I feel horrible for ripping the link you obviously took time to find and share... kinda makes me wanna cry... sniff... but I have to be honest. Otherwise, someone out there might take that as legit.

Read the specs of the Pioneer I want to get:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUS ... age4/CD-Players/DEX-P99RS

This is one serious head unit... copper chassis... 5v RCAs, no internal amp. Just the way I like'm!

Quote:

Back in the late 90s, it was either Alpine or Eclipse for head units. Period. But Eclipse always had a QC issue...

Now, Alpine sucks and Eclipse is out of the market.

I feel your pain.. I know I am on borrowed time on my Nakamichi, but I LOVE the look of it.. It has an Aux port that I need to run for use with my phone.

I just don't like the gimmicky looks of most the equipment, I am so out of touch on headunits. When I need a new one I am not sure what I will do..