Feedback on Alpine headunit and Focal speakers

[mythmok]

Recently I had an Alpine CDE9882Ri headunit and Focal 165CVX co-axial speakers installed in my Jazz VTi-S. Sadly to say that I feel I made a wrong choice.

Firstly, the Alpine CDE9882Ri headunit ($245) works fine and looks good, a very tidy setup to hide the USB and iPod connector cables in the glove box. However, I was so surprised to find that it has NO CLOCK DISPLAY! I can't believe a high end headunit would miss such a simple but useful function. Now I regret so much why I didn't get the Pioneer DEH-P4050UB ($225) which shares most functions of the Alpine CDE9882Ri, but CHEAPER and comes with an EXTRA REMOTE.

Secondly, the Focal 165CVX sounds better than the factory speakers, but the improvement is not that impressive and doesnt justify its price ($225). It would sound better if you listen to CD most of the time, but to a iPod or mp3 listener like me, it would only make a small difference.

Its a painful experience and I feel I just wasted money on the wrong equipment. Afterall my personal opinion is:
1) I would go for Pioneer if I have to choose between Pioneer and Alpine;
2) I would not recommend to upgrade the factory speakers if u listen to iPod or mp3 most of the time, UNLESS, u're really rich and don't mind to waste money on fancy toys.

I hope my experience would help if you are planning to upgrade ur car audio with a setup similar to mine.

[hydie]

You say that it sounds not much better then factory..

How did you mount the woofers? How and what are the tweeters aimed at?

It takes alot more then just the factory positions and mounting hardware to make a larger difference. Aswell as after market speakers don't really make a noticeable different unless they're amped.

Sound deadening and sealing the doors as its own enclosure (ie: 3-5mm mdf coving up the service holes) with increase the mid bass incredibly!

Buying the speakers is only half of it, properly mounting and tuning is the other half.



Edit: One more thing, it seems as thought Alpine are doing away with the clocks on their new range, even the higher range 9887 doesn't have it. (From memory).

[tron07]

you need power to make the speakers sing, and the 20w RMS from the hu is too little....

[kelviN]

and dont forget to adjust the equaliser settings on ur headunit. sometimes the presets arent wat ur after so u gotta adjust it urself

[aka_NSX]

How did you mount the woofers? How and what are the tweeters aimed at?

165CVX is a coaxial there is not much u can do on the tweeter

[ICACHA]

rip it off Laski and mount it elsewhere, making it work, thats another problem with coaxials being turned into splits

[55EXX]

amp the speakers! set the high pas filter to around 90hz and you will be amazed. for high volume cranking set it higher to around 100+hz or increse the slope of the crossover steeper.

[JaCe]

For me switching from stock woofers to aftermarket splits (MB Quart) and amplifying them made a MASSIVE difference on anything other than FM radio (which actually sounds rather weaker). The music, when turned up, doesn't just sound tinny and loud (like a cellphone) but rather, it has a nice oomph (with depth) to it. Definitely goes great with the sub.

[hk_peenut]

hey did u guys get the speakers installed professionally or DIY? if DIY how thick was the bracket that u made to install the speakers? friends gave me same speakers as u guys cvx165 and they seem to not fit that well into the existing speaker hole. im afraid the door panel wont fit on properly. or will it? imabout to make 32mm mdf brackets. any help would be great! thanks!

[Drifter995]

I'd be checking out your mounts, and your eq settings. Highpass filter is probably on, and set weirdly.. they should sound much better than the stock sound.

Also, your unit is only entry level. Don't go thinking that means alpine is shit and pioneer is awesome.
To the same point, Don't tell people something is terrible unless you actually know. Since the alpine unit IS NOT a high end unit.
Check eq settings, make sure hp filter is on at like 80hz, and make sure your mounts are solid.