Not happy w/new Alpine headunit
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=33279
Printed Date: July 06, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Topic: Not happy w/new Alpine headunit
Posted By: TXSVTLIGHTNING
Subject: Not happy w/new Alpine headunit
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 8:20 AM
I previously had an Alpine CDA-7832 and made the switch to a CDA-9830. The previous one was aged, face plate contacts wearing out, was hard to get CD/Rs to play, bewteen the trim ring & face plate it rattled a lot.
This new Alpines sound quality sucks. Both are 4volt pre amp. My stock headunit actually sounds a lot better than this new Alpine. Anything I'm missing with this new one? I've played with the built in EQ, crossover etc etc.
I'm actually thinking of getting some knock-downs and using the stock radio, I'll loose MP3 ability, but that's not a big loss for me.
Anythoughts? Alpine gone down hill in the past few years? I've had my CDA-7832 for 7 years and it sounded great, just a little worn.
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Replies:
Posted By: 12voltfan
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 9:41 AM
Are you installing this head unit on the same vehicle that you had the 7832, if not maybe the speakers are different. I just bought a 9830 10 days ago but haven't had time to play with it yet, I did notice that my other vehicle sounds better and I have a 2 year old Alpine in that one too but different speakers and subs so I don't know what to blame. I'm also having trouble with the faceplate shutting off on any little bump.
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 10:00 AM
Do you use external amps? Did you re-adjust the gains for the new head? ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: 12voltfan
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 10:05 AM
Is that question for me or for Txsvtlightning
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 10:20 AM
Txsvtlightning, actually. In your case, you can't blame the head for different sound if all the other components are differnt. It's the entire system that creates the sound. ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: TXSVTLIGHTNING
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 11:42 AM
It's just a headunit swap, everything else the same still. I'm still not sure about the x-over setup, 4 bands, 3-5 freq. within each band, Q settings (what is this?). And the MX feature I can get something dialed in pretty good, switch Discs or turn on the tuner and it's sounds awful.
I like simplicity, this thing seems to have a lot of bells & whistles!
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 11:56 AM
Yes, it is a very complex head unit. Not a simple head at all. The parametric EQ can be very difficult to set up, and can serevely affect the quality of the sound - since that's what it is for! I recomend you set all the frequency band controls to their center settings, all the Q controls to 1.0, and all the level controls to zero. Then slowly adjust the level controls until you like the sound. Most people like bass and treble at +2 to +4 and midrange at 0 to -2. Are you using external amps? ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: TXSVTLIGHTNING
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 12:24 PM
Yeah, I have all of this to play with for the EQ-
Equalizer Presetings:
Rock, Pops, Jazz, Electric, HipHop, Easy, Country, Classic, News & Flat
Adjustable frequency bands:
BAND1 : 40Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz
BAND2 : 100Hz, 150Hz, 200Hz
BAND3 : 500Hz, 700Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz, 6kHz
BAND4 : 10kHz, 12.5kHz, 15kHz
P-EQ for adjustable band width:
BAND1 : 1.0, 2.0, 3.0,
BAND2 : 1.0, 1.5, 2.0
BAND3 : 1.0, 2.0, 3.0
BAND4 : 1.0 (fixed band width)
Not really sure what the above is for (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 etc)
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 12:57 PM
The "P-EQ" settings control the bandwidth of the equalizer envelope. Meaning, if the "Band" is set to a specific frequency, how wide an area on either side of that frequency will be adjusted by the level vontrol. Set them all to 1.0 as a default. Also, your deck has very sophisticated crossover and time alignment circuitry in it. If you do not understand how to use these functions, I suggest you defeat them (turn them off.) It sounds like you'd be much happier with a simpler head unit. Look at the Nakamichi CD-400 (or the older model - and one of my favorites - the CD-45z.) The sound quality of a Nak is noticably superior to an Alpine, IMO. ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 12:59 PM
Or you could go with an Eclipse deck.....
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 1:34 PM
 took the words right out of my mouth.  ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: June 04, 2004 at 7:32 PM
You definately need to read the manual and have a great amount of experience to set up the new alpine decks, it takes me a good hour to set up the cda-9830 and up to the 9835. There is just wayyyyy to many functions. Turn off your MX, its only to be used on poor radio stations to boost the bass. Once your deck is all set up, all you should have to play with is the volume, and the sub volume. ------------- 2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
Posted By: TXSVTLIGHTNING
Date Posted: June 06, 2004 at 5:50 PM
What would be better-
X-over in headunit for 6˝" Quarts
X-over in amp for 6˝" Quarts
Full range signal to the MB Quart X-overs
X-over in headunit for 10" subs
X-over in amp for 10" subs
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: June 06, 2004 at 8:24 PM
Full range to amp, then X-over on the amp at or below what the x-over for the MB Quarts x-over is set at. Then for the sub, use the x-over in the deck and amp. Just because with the boost option on the deck, you don't really need to be boosting stuff you not going to be useing.
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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
Posted By: kfr01
Date Posted: June 06, 2004 at 8:38 PM
Shouldn't he just use the headunit crossovers for the highpass and sub? I read somewhere that the digital crossovers in headunits like that are superior to the active analog crossovers in most car audio amplifiers. AlpineGuy, why do you suggest running both deck and amp crossover for the sub. Doesn't this create a steeper than desireable cutoff slope and have the potential to cause some strange dips / phase problems? I guess I would simply use the headunit crossovers and turn off the crossovers on the amp. 80hz for both would be a good starting point I think. kfr ------------- New Project: 2003 Pathfinder
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: June 06, 2004 at 9:28 PM
Yeah, you do make a pretty good point, but in that deck you should be able to adjust the slope, ,unless im thinking of the 9835.
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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
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