Which Car Stereo to buy... Alpine or Pioneer?

[tm37]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
I went with the Alpine for several reasons.

Most importantly to me, it just "sounded" better in the store. Maybe its because it has 11 more dBs of SNR.

It has a search function for MP3s, where you can use the knob to quickly get through the songs versus pressing foward multiple times on the pioneer.

I also can put the CDs right in instead of having to flip down a faceplate while driving with the pioneer.

Do you know what signal to noise Ratio is?

Just wondering.

 

[compudog]

I would go with the Alpine. I have owned both Alpine and Pioneer equipment since the early 80's and the Alpine lasted much longer. Pioneer is NOT bad stuff, I had a Pioneer Super-Tuner III Cassette that kicked! But overall I think Alpine is the better product.

 

[MikeMike]

from everything i have ever heard, alpine is second in sq, to only eclipse. pioneer is in the middle bunch.

the thing that pioneer has going, is that it has awesome displays, however i have heard the menu is hard to navigate.

alpine, has its own unique look. and amazing sq.

MIKE

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: compudog
I would go with the Alpine. I have owned both Alpine and Pioneer equipment since the early 80's and the Alpine lasted much longer. Pioneer is NOT bad stuff, I had a Pioneer Super-Tuner III Cassette that kicked! But overall I think Alpine is the better product.

I have had both and would go with the pioneer. My truck has a pioneer CD deck that I love and I am gonna get one for the wife's car that I actually have been using to comute.

Of course the last alpine I had was about 5 years ago. The Tape deck died and it was only about 3 years old.

 

[Shockwave]

Eclipse > Alpine > Pioneer.

I recommend a Eclipse 😉

 

[glenn1]

I have a similar Alpine model and i've been extremely pleased with it. The controls are extremely easy to work even while driving on the highway at night, and the direct feed of the CD rather than having a faceplate to flip up were what made my mind up more than the inperceptible difference in sound quality. I've owned Pioneers before and been pleased with them, but the controls for the Alpine are hands-down better in the more recent models. The one extremely minor issue i have with the Alpine is that the station preset buttons are green backlit with white paint on the surface, so you can't tell one from another if it's not daylight.

 

[GT578]

Alpine and Pioneer are equal in terms of reliability AND sound......I say this from my own experience. I've had good experiences with both....as well as Clarion. Pick based on what features you like. You can't go wrong with either three.....Eclipse is good but you should really get those at authorized dealers. I like all those brands and I wouldn't put one ahead of the other......btw I have a Pioneer Premier DEH-P740MP.......

 

[LS20]

oh yeah, time correction is a neat feature, but i dont even use it. it sends signals to the different speakers at different times... delaying the signal tot he speakers furthest away from the listener so that it's as if you were sitting at the very center of the car.. for a "truer" soundstage...supposedly. i dont use it...the less sound processing/altering the better for me. so what if im sitting in the driver's seat... nobody's ever complained about imaging before w/o T.C. it'll be like me, at a show, standing slightly left of the stage, thats fine.


anyways, i remember why i went with an alpine... the search function is really handy. you press a button to toggle between searching folder or files... then use the volume knob to quickly scroll through them... theres also 2 directional buttons that jumps between folders, if you're scrolling through files. with an mp3-disc of 150+ songs... it really really is useful

 

[Schadenfroh]

pioneer

cause im a pioneer fanboy

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
I have it narrowed down to two choices.

The Pioneer DEH 5500 for $225 or the Alpine CDA9807 for $266?

Neither, Panasonic or Toshiba.

 

[bleeb]

I have the Alpine 9811. If you can, I suggest upgrading to that model. Has everything besides the V-Drive (which you dont' really need anyways)

It reads mp3 CDs really quickly, looks cool, funcationality is top-notch (once you learn where everything is), tilt feature is nice, remote control is nice and big enough for my hands, sounds AWESOME.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: LS20
oh yeah, time correction is a neat feature, but i dont even use it. it sends signals to the different speakers at different times... delaying the signal tot he speakers furthest away from the listener so that it's as if you were sitting at the very center of the car.. for a "truer" soundstage...supposedly. i dont use it...the less sound processing/altering the better for me. so what if im sitting in the driver's seat... nobody's ever complained about imaging before w/o T.C. it'll be like me, at a show, standing slightly left of the stage, thats fine.


anyways, i remember why i went with an alpine... the search function is really handy. you press a button to toggle between searching folder or files... then use the volume knob to quickly scroll through them... theres also 2 directional buttons that jumps between folders, if you're scrolling through files. with an mp3-disc of 150+ songs... it really really is useful

well then i guess that's where we just differ. i <heart> time correction like no other. isntead of it being at like a hsow, it'd be more of me in front of my sound system right in between the 2 speakers, instead of being slightly to the left. but then again, personal preference i suppose.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis

Originally posted by: LS20
oh yeah, time correction is a neat feature, but i dont even use it. it sends signals to the different speakers at different times... delaying the signal tot he speakers furthest away from the listener so that it's as if you were sitting at the very center of the car.. for a "truer" soundstage...supposedly. i dont use it...the less sound processing/altering the better for me. so what if im sitting in the driver's seat... nobody's ever complained about imaging before w/o T.C. it'll be like me, at a show, standing slightly left of the stage, thats fine.


anyways, i remember why i went with an alpine... the search function is really handy. you press a button to toggle between searching folder or files... then use the volume knob to quickly scroll through them... theres also 2 directional buttons that jumps between folders, if you're scrolling through files. with an mp3-disc of 150+ songs... it really really is useful

well then i guess that's where we just differ. i <heart> time correction like no other. isntead of it being at like a hsow, it'd be more of me in front of my sound system right in between the 2 speakers, instead of being slightly to the left. but then again, personal preference i suppose.

what does it sound like to the rest of the passengers in the car?

 

[LS20]

Originally posted by: iloveme2

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis


what does it sound like to the rest of the passengers in the car?

logistically, if the feature "shifts" the soundstage to center around the driver... then it'll just make other passengers seem farther away

 

[Chelsey]

Alpine
I have the 9815 and it is freakin awesome!