Eclipse CD8454 vs. Alpine CDA-9815

I am looking to buy a head unit and have narrowed it down to these two decks. I have a 2003 VW GTI with the stock Monsoon system in it, and it actually sounds "ok". But I am wanting to upgrade it slowly. To start, I bought a JL Audio 250W amp and a JL Audio Stealthbox. I like the stealthness, and wanted to add a little bit of nice bass (for SQ, not shaking the neighborhood). It will be a little while before I have the money to upgrade and put an amp in for the mids/highs and replace the stock speakers. So I am doing a head unit right now. I want enough power so that it can "keep up" as best as possible with the 250W the JL is putting into the 10" sub. The Alpine was attractive because it boasts a 60x4 (27x4 RMS), and the Eclipse is boasting 50x4 (13x4 RMS). Here is where my question lies. The Alpine says its RMS is based on "per EIA-517 standard, 27 x 4 (20hz - 40hz, .8% THD, 14.4DC supply)" The Eclipse says its RMS is based on "13 x 4 (20hz - 20khz, .8% THD), 4ohm" I don't like this because its not apples to apples. What would the Alpine come in at if it was showing power at 20-20khz? I can handle if the Alpine was a "little" more RMS powered than the Eclipse, but I mean 13W vs. 27W is double the power and thats significant. I realize Eclipse owns :), its going to have the better SQ no doubt, the 8V pre-outs, and lots of really nice features. Its also a bit more $$$$. I may be willing to pay that too, but I don't want to plug it in and find that its not up to task. I will be using the High-Pass filter of either of these decks to xover and send only mids/highs to the stock speakers, too minimize distortion and maximize power efficiency. Please, someone with experience, and who has heard Eclipses 13W vs. Alpines 27W decks and tell me straight up if there is an edge there. I really appreciate the help I am shopping and trying to educate myself.

The edge lies with the Eclipse, for no amplifier in the world will make the same difference in sq that Eclipse does to everyone else in a cd player. If you are doing your system right the first time, then you would have bought good components (done - check off list), you would amplify them (will be doing - check off list) so the built in amplifier power in a cd player should be the least of your concerns. Yes there may be a noticable difference in output levels between the two, but that will be negated when the amp is used. Buy the Eclipse, it is much better in the long run which is where you want to go.Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

I was just jumping to this thread to say "Eclipse" as the no-brainer choice and notice Rob has already done it.  Cool, then all I have to write is DITTO. 

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes I realize that once I add an amp for the mids/highs (considering the JL Audio 300/4 for when I do this), that the internal power of the HU will be moot. It just may be a while, since this stuff can cost......and I guess half of me is hopeful I will like the JL 250/1, stealth box, HU and stock speakers enough that I may even stop right there.........never know. I think the dealer here wanted $499 for the 8454.   That seems decent..... Right now my system is the stock Monsoon amp thing, which is probably not as powerful as either of these HU's and definitly not as clean. I am hoping once I take advantage of the HU's High Pass filters, that 13W will go a long way on mids and highs. You know, I like to turn it up loud, but not trying to make it heard for miles, just like to jam every now and then.

The Monsoon system isn't bad as far as OEM systems go, but compared to what you're talking about it sucks.  The Eclipse HU may seem to have less power on paper, but the built-in amps are superb and clean and very underrated.  Eclpise and Nakamichi are abot the only two head unit brands that have good enough built in amps that external amps for the mains are really not necessary.  If I were you, I'd upgrade the main speakers and HU first before I'd consider amps for the mains.  Get rid of those factory speakers, they are crap.  In fact, if you have to piece this, I'd dump the factory speakers first before I bought the new HU.

I hear what your saying about the Monsoon. The thing is, the monsoon system works like this: The Monsoon (Clarion?) double din HU sends line out (via factory harness) to a box in the back of the car. The box in the back of the car, sends line out to 4 sets of seperates (2 front, 2 rear). The "box" isn't really an amp, so much as it is an active crossover of sorts, working off line level inputs/outputs. The speakers are all 4ohm, except for the rear woofers which are 2ohm. So this box takes care of crossing over the seperates as well as hashing out the impedences. So with the Eclipse HU, I will still be running into this "box", since thats whats going to be working as a crossover for the tweeters and mids.....sure the eclipse has HP/LP xovers, but the factory speakers are seperates, so once the frequencies are crossed over and sent, they still need to be filtered so that only highs goto tweeters, etc. That being said, i am not "crazy" for the box, but I can only do one thing at a time. The stock speakers don't sound entirely too bad, so as long as they stay, the box stays (for obvious reasons). But if I do not like what I hear when I am done swapping this HU, then I will have to get new speakers, amp, and re-wire......which is considerable work and effort. I will just have to see.

Take the monsoon system and follow the "HOW TO DEAL WITH BOSE DISEASE", use rubber gloves to prevent contamination of your audio system. Take all remnants of Monsoon system out of suspect vehicle, handle with caution. Carefully lift lid of garbage can, taking care that no BOSE equipment makes a break for freedom. Replace lid. Take garbage can when full out to desolate and isolated area, empty and run over until all items are broken into tiny unidentifyable pieces, then burn and bury the ashes. Hope this helps with the dreaded and uncontrolled audio diseases that we all face on a all too regular basis.Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

this guy makes me smile