i'm in the market for a new headunit. not looking for and LCD to play dvd's. sound quality and functionality is a must. mp3 capability not really a concern. just wanted your audiophile opinion.

thanks.

 

Even though its last year's model the Alpine CDA-7863 is an excellent headunit. I installed it last weekend in my s2k and was totally impressed. Lots of great features, a great display and a fairly inexpensive pricetag. Someone on here is selling a used one for $200 with a PAC steering wheel controler included:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...?threadid=21407

 

I am partial to the one I just installed. It is the Alpine CDA 7977

It sounds awesome. Will tilt to help you see it in bright sun with top down.
And it is silver and o so pretty!! AND BY GEORGE HAS A KNOB!

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=19475

 

Most of the high end headunits sound the same. The real question is what features do you need. Are you hooking amplifiers to the deck? If so, you need Line Outs. What amplifiers (if any) will you be using? DVD/Video? Equalizer? Is a tuner optional for you? Multi-disk changer? Spiffy lights/screensaver? Are you installing in a custom location? And most importantly, what price range?

 

The other thing to consider is the car you're putting it into. This car has a decent noise level even with the top up. It is not going to be able to take advantage of the nuances that a top level head unit will provide relative to a mid level priced unit. I'd get a head unit from a reputable manufacturer with the features you want and get one in the mid level price range ($200-400) and be done with it.

 

thanks for the responses.
i'm looking into the following:

alpine cda 7797
clarion drx9675z
pioneer deh p930
kenwood kdc-x917

i'd like to the head unit to be pre-amped and with as much sound contouring capabilities as possible. i don't have a need for dvd capabilities or mp3s.