StuartL

I've just spent an hour on the phone to Alpine about the new head unit range coming out for 2005. They are exceedingly helpful, very knowledgable and amenable to long discussions about trivial information. He did seem quite surprised that I knew as much as I did about the Alpine range but then I've always been one to do my homework before making phone calls...

So anyway, the outcome is this. There are four models of significance in the MP3 player market.

The CDA-9847R is a single slot front loading player with a single line display. It uses the same output electronics as all the others listed here so don't take any sheet from Alpine dealers saying that you have to pay your money for the extra sound quality. It's a budget unit that cuts down on the features (no swing front, single line display, no bass engine and no media expander) but don't let this put you off. It's a good unit missing features that 90% of you will never need to use. This unit is available today for about 150 quid if you hunt around, list price is 200.

The CDA-9851R is a swing front player with a single line display. The second line in the display is used for source indication and is to all intents and purposes useless for MP3 information. It contains a bass engine (allowing you to adjust the crossover and phase of a separate sub woofer) but is still missing the media expander. This unit is available today for about 190 quid, list price is unknown but probably about 230 ish.

The CDA-9853R is a swing front player with a two line text display. Both lines are used for MP3 information. It also has the 'glidetouch' control instead of the 6 normal preset buttons, allowing a more intuitive interface. It has the bass engine (as above) and the media expander (useful to restore some quality to badly recorded MP3s but useless for anything over 128kbps). This unit is not available in UK spec until at least April. There is no pricing information yet.

The CDA-9855R is the new leader in the swing front range. It has a full electro-luminescent dot matrix display with flashy animations and multiline display. It also sports the glidetouch control, bass engine and media expander. Apart from this (and some very minor feature differences) it's identical to the CDA-9833R. This unit is not available in UK spec until at least April. There is no pricing information yet.

In my hunting I have found a LOT of people importing US spec units into the UK. Most of them don't seem to be aware of the difference and claim they will work identically. The most important difference to those reading this is that the US models do not have the steering remote control interface, meaning that you can't fit the KCE-865B interface and use your dash mounted controls.

Depending on your budget and desires any one of the 2005 models are good purchases. The output electronics and PCB layouts are completely new for 2005 and supposedly improve the cooling and sound quality of the unit. The Alpine representatives I spoke to said that they would wait and spend the extra for the 2005 models instead of saving the model on cut price 2004 models but I'm reserving my judgement on that. I'm still seriously looking at the CDA-9833R because of the price I was quoted by Impulse Trading in Watford.

All comments welcome.

lovegroova

A new range means that the outgoing range will be available at bargain prices for a short while. I'd disagree with the Alpine techs about spending the extra for the 2005 models - they would say that wouldn't they - as any difference in sound quality will be nullified by the noise levels inside an S2k anyway. Additionally, improvements in sound quality from year to year are negligible IMO, especially on quality kit like the Alpines.

Impulse fitted a 9833 and R series components to my car for bout

Mossinez

I don't suppose they've announced anything with DAB built in?

This is the only criticism I have of my Alpine 9812. They can't seriously be expecting people to pay

AquilaEagle

the dab chip is different for in car moss, it has to deal with changing frequencies and stuff, while on the move, so whilst domestic dab is available failry cheaply - building into in car is a bit more on cost.

There is then the issue of DAB being primarily a UK only market (with exception of Germany, and soon Spain) so a lot of the large global manufacturers don't see the scale they want to, to produce a DAB unit.

That's my take

mikey k

Good write up!

I will be waiting for integrated DAB and Satnav

Did they comment on direct communication between HU and their range of Amps so the amp can be adjusted/setup from the HU?

StuartL

They did, I'm pretty sure that comes in on the 9853 but it'd pay to check yourself before relying on my information. Of course some of the 2004 models do it too so you don't need to wait for the the 2005 range later in the year.

Mossinez

AE,

I'm sure you're right, but it seems odd then that I could buy a Blaupunkt HU for 330 quid with DAB built in, when Alpine want more than that alone for a receiver box.

I have a personal DAB radio that works fine on the move, e.g over train journey distances, and costs 120. If I wanted to I could listen to this via headphones in the car, so I don't see the complexity in building this into the HU?

Obviously Alpine aren't stupid and there must be a reason for not offering this up until now, I'd been thinking that they would announce it in their 05 lineup though.

Maybe the reasons are economic - like you say with the limited DAB takeup. Though XM is apparently popular in the US (not sure how similar these are?)

StuartL

Ok, update time:

I have just purchased the CDA-9847R and KCE-865B from Impulse Trading in Watford for 200 quid (self fitted). Quite a bargain for a 2005 model CD/MP3/WMA head unit and the adapter.

I shall, of course, post a more full review when I've used it for a few days but bear in mind that I'm not an audiophile and won't be going into the details of imaging and phase correction. I just can't be arsed with all of that in a car where you're defeaned by the wind any time it's not raining. I shall detail the head unit and how much I do or don't like it's little idiosyncrasies.

AquilaEagle

XM is totally different to DAB it is satelite based

Mossinez

Further to the above, I contacted Alpine about their roadmap for DAB. This was the response:

"Hi there, currently we dont have a DAB sloution ourselves, i have been
testing a Revo DAB tuner , its around