Stereo & Electronics - Suggest a good HU

I'm REALLY liking the Alpine IDA x-305

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gUzFYpzeQg



Only problem I'm seeing w/ the Alpine's like this is that none of them are coming w/ a cd player. Yea, I've got an iPhone/iPod, but I think I'd like to have the CD player. Seems like using the iPhone constantly would get old, hooking it up, etc..


Thoughts? What do you have?

I'm sold...thought about that model already...now I'm getting one...thanks!!

I REALLY like it a lot, especially the fact you can change the colors.... I'm just wondering about the lack of a cd player. :hmm:

How does the iphone work w/ it? Mine is in a big case and won't just slide into a docking station.... I'm assuming it has an AUX outlet, but would I be able to use the controls on the radio for my iPhone? If not, a lot of the functions of the HU will be of little use to me.

i have that same HU lol
and i use my iphone and my 120gb ipod on it
the 120 just sits in my car all the time
to be honest i like that it dosent play cd's i used to have my glove box full of cd's allways getting scratched . micro chips are soon will replace cd's
i think

i would say get it
its really nice and it works great

How does the iphone work w/ it? Mine is in a big case and won't just slide into a docking station.... I'm assuming it has an AUX outlet, but would I be able to use the controls on the radio for my iPhone? If not, a lot of the functions of the HU will be of little use to me.

its uses a usb and hooks up just like a ipod.
and u can even get the phone to go thruw the speakers lol
ill post some pics of my set up and how i have the wires set up.

Personally I like alot of the newer JVC units also. They change all the colors of the spectrum so they can match any interior and most also have USB and aux input on the face allowing for full speed iPod controls. In that price range you could do the KD-R900. It has CD/MP3 playback but also has built in blue tooth, compatible with iPhone and iPod, 24bit Burr Brown processor for great sound quality, dual USB inputs (front and one in the rear) and aux input, 5-volt front, rear and sub preamp outs. All for $249.00.
I really like using the USB input as you only need a USB thumb drive to 100's of songs without needing any other device like an MP3 player or ipod. The unit does the work and displays everything. Just plug it in. Here's a picture with the blue illumination but it does 30,000 different color options.
http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://www.keeaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/JVCKDR800.jpg&target=_self
The display is not as fancy but it does more and sounds phenominal.

for me, and headunits, i'm alpine all the way.

they have some units that have the ability to use the ipod, while having the cd player also. i feel the same way, would love to have the ipod in there, but sitll want to be able to play my cds. man, i want a cd changer too.

Hmmmmmm it'll take a jumpdrive? See, the biggest complaint w/ my iPod/iPhone is that if I'm the road somewhere and hear/download a good song on my laptop, I have to wait until I get home to actually put it onto my iPhone. (my laptop is my company computer, so i don't have iTunes on it). But, I just about always have at least a jump drive in my car, soooo in theory, if I am able to burn a CD, I'm also able to load the same song onto the jump drive.

Am I clear on this? If not, please correct me. If so, this changes everything. I like having the portability of a jumpdrive.

How does it work w/ a jumpdrive. Just leave the songs out of a folder, on the jump drive and it'll find/play them? or do they have to be in some special format for the HU to find them? Sorry, I'm so far out of the loop on stereo equipment that I have to re-learn it all.

Personally I like alot of the newer JVC units also. They change all the colors of the spectrum so they can match any interior and most also have USB and aux input on the face allowing for full speed iPod controls. In that price range you could do the KD-R900. It has CD/MP3 playback but also has built in blue tooth, compatible with iPhone and iPod, 24bit Burr Brown processor for great sound quality, dual USB inputs (front and one in the rear) and aux input, 5-volt front, rear and sub preamp outs. All for $249.00.
I really like using the USB input as you only need a USB thumb drive to 100's of songs without needing any other device like an MP3 player or ipod. The unit does the work and displays everything. Just plug it in. Here's a picture with the blue illumination but it does 30,000 different color options.
http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://www.keeaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/JVCKDR800.jpg&target=_self
The display is not as fancy but it does more and sounds phenominal.

my only complaint w/ JVC is it just comes off as a "cheap" product, to me. I could be totally wrong... it's just the impression I get.


I'm setting my spending on the HU to no more than $300, so that should cover quite a range of HU's.

Also, w/ these new HU's, do they come w/ the capability to add satellite radio?

if you're willing to spend a bit more, or if you happen to find them on sale..

http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/product.php?model=CDA-9886

cd (mp3, wma, yadda yadda), ipod/iphone controls, and sat ready.

and best of all.. 4v preouts. says 350, but.. that's their msrp. i've seen it in some places for 299.

BUT.. illumination is only in blue.

http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/product.php?model=CDA-105

this one also has similar features, but only 2v preouts to the amps (helps send stronger signal to the amps) 230 on the site, but i think i've seen them for around 200. sat ready. and has blue or red illumination.

Ok, I have a dumb question.... where is the USB hookup for the Alpine IDA x-305? How does this thing work? Just plug in a jump drive and it automatically pulls the songs off? What about the drivers associated w/ the jumpdrive... that's not an issue?

Do these head units allow for control of the iPod through the iPod? In my truck I used to have an Alpine HU and it made me pick the songs I wanted through the HU and took forever if I wanted an artist or a song that was in the middle of the alphabet. Very frustrating.

i would think it would allow for choosing the song either way, but i'm not sure as i haven't had a chance to test either of the headunits yet.

If they are anything like my IDA-X100 (the predecessor of the 305) the user interface is very simple. It is like sitting at the controls of the iPod itself. The USB port is on the back of the HU, and it comes with a USB cable to route to the iPod. I ran mine to the glove box.

The X100 has the capability for satellite radio, HD radio, and Bluetooth through add-on modules. Also, it can support an Alpine 6-disk CD changer through the Ai-Net bus.

It also has an aux-in that I occasionally use to plug up a Walkman type CD player to. It has a high-gain setting so using headphone/speaker level signals is no problem.

It can also be controlled by the steering wheel controls by a wired adapter and has the capability for a wireless remote.

I have used my X100 to play both my 80gb iPod, my iPhone, and music off a USB flash drive with no problem. The only thing about the flash drive playback is it only takes certain file formats.

The only real downside to the X100, X305, etc in my opinion is the lack of a REAL EQ on these units. You can get an Imprint sound processor from Alpine or their dealers that adds several "sound shaping" options. I myself don't have the Imprint module (that might change soon :D), but I think the concept is quite amazing.

i have that same HU lol
and i use my iphone and my 120gb ipod on it
the 120 just sits in my car all the time
to be honest i like that it dosent play cd's i used to have my glove box full of cd's allways getting scratched . micro chips are soon will replace cd's
i think

i would say get it
its really nice and it works great

I like having both. I have a 4gb USB fob plugged into my stereo and it plays CD's/MP3's and i have a 700mb CD in the deck that i never remove. the only time i ever remove the usb fob is to add more music to it. it's approx 1/2 full right now. my deck is a JVC i bought about 3 years ago.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff279/pdennis93/generic%20photos/100_0810.jpg

I like having both. I have a 4gb USB fob plugged into my stereo and it plays CD's/MP3's and i have a 700mb CD in the deck that i never remove. the only time i ever remove the usb fob is to add more music to it. it's approx 1/2 full right now. my deck is a JVC i bought about 3 years ago.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff279/pdennis93/generic%20photos/100_0810.jpg

That's what it does exactly. Just plug it in and it plays. You can seperate folders and go through them as well.
I go to a friends house and he may have an ablum I want and we just put it on my USB stick and I plug it in and listen to it on the way home. It's great! Then I take it out of the car and put it on my computer.
You can also use the USB input for your iPod as well or MP3 player input for the aux 3mm jack all of which are one the face.
As for JVC, they make great products. I have been using them for years. I still have the JVC EXAD AVX1 in my T/A that works flawlessly and has for years. This was the original small 3" screen DVD unit that also has DVD out in addition to a bunch of other options. Sound quality is very good and function has never been an issue for me. My BCM on the other hand was which I had to fix.
The JVC KD-R900 is a very good unit that has great sound quality. Better then the one I have with the Burr Brown processing. It is JVC's top of the line receiver. The JVC KD AHD-59 is another nice radio with the color change function, USB and aux input, has built in HD radio, and 5 volt preamp outs.

Dude the car is right hand drive....


NICE..

Another feature about the X100 that caries over to the later models is the ability to change the color of the background lighting and screen from red to blue. I set mine to red to match my Formula's instrument lights, but my screen is set to blue. Also, you can have custom backgrounds for the X100 and the X305 series as well. Just my 0.02.

I'm really liking the X305.... :hmm: Maybe I can tinker w/ one at Best Buy or any other stereo shop.

What do you all think of pioneer HU's? Aside from the JVC suggestions, is Alpine the one to go w/? I've always been a big fan of Pioneer.

Also..... what's the difference in an iDA-X300 & an iDA-X305 ?

what he said...

I personally like the kenwood excelon units because the usb input is not on the face, its a wire that is on the back. Run it to your glove box and just put the USB Jump Drive in there. Makes the Head Unit so much more appealing not having a Jumpdrive sticking out of it. I have the KDC-X891 and i love it.

The Alpine IDA-x series also has the USB on the back instead of the front.

Also, There is a great deal of difference between the X-300 and the X-305. The 300 is an older model, and was 2 levels down from the X-100. The X-305 is a newer model, and is equivalent to the X-100.

Hope that helps!

i have the alpine ida-x200
newer model, but lower end
no color screen
love it, great price too $125

i have the alpine ida-x200
newer model, but lower end
no color screen
love it, great price too $125


Probably what im going to end up getting...what do you need to make it work? Where did you get the trim panel?

Probably what im going to end up getting...what do you need to make it work? Where did you get the trim panel?

Well i have it in my silverado...
so what do you mean what did i need to make it work?
and the trim panel came with it..

Since I bought mine from Crutchfield, they had a deal at the time (maybe they still do), where they will throw in the mounting kit, wiring harness, etc. with the unit at no extra charge.

Hmmmmmm it'll take a jumpdrive? See, the biggest complaint w/ my iPod/iPhone is that if I'm the road somewhere and hear/download a good song on my laptop, I have to wait until I get home to actually put it onto my iPhone. (my laptop is my company computer, so i don't have iTunes on it). But, I just about always have at least a jump drive in my car, soooo in theory, if I am able to burn a CD, I'm also able to load the same song onto the jump drive.

Am I clear on this? If not, please correct me. If so, this changes everything. I like having the portability of a jumpdrive.

Ok just to clarify the use of the jumpdrive a little more. I have the IDA-X001 (essentially the same thing just 1 year older) the way the usb works is that alpine includes a cable that plugs into the back of the headunit via a male usb connector. The cable can be routed where you choose (i.e. glove box) and ends with a female usb connector. This is where you can plug in a jumpdrive or use the special ipod cable that they will include (male usb to ipod dock connector). You do not need to format or organize the music in any certain way, the HU will scan the jumpdrive and show you all the music located on it, the organization is completely up to you (i.e. put each artist in their own folder)

Sorry for the long post but I figured I'd try to clear it up a little and if you have any more questions I'll help you out as best I can