Back in the early '90's Alpine came out w/what I consider to be the best head unit ever. The 7534s. I bought one for my car. I loved it so much, I bought another for my truck. My friends liked it so much, they bought the same thing for their cars. Years later, when my car was broken into and stripped, I started over, by buying a USED 7534s off ebay. Now I'm starting from scratch in my GF's 97 Wrangler which has no factory radio at all. I want another 7534s, but can't find one on ebay. So what I really want is a head unit that is as USER FRIENDLY as that one was. What I liked (I mean LOVED) about it was the fact that inspite of it's broad capabilities, it had an extremely simple and efficient face plate that was very easy to use, and intuitive. It reminded my very much of a home stereo receiver, in it's layout, and mode changing/controls. It would play cassette tapes, radio, and a remote 6 disk changer. I don't need tapes anymore, but a single disk in-dash, w/remote 6 disk would be nice. I don't want a goofy, multicolored display that covers the whole face. I don't need or want a whacky display that has images of dolphins jumping in the ocean. The disply only needs to show me basic information; volume, station, settings, etc. I don't want motorized face plates. I don't want whacky, pre prgrammed EQ's...I want basic treble and bass adjustments, that are easy to get to, and I want a loudness function. I want to be able to turn it on and off by pressing one button, once. No holding and waiting. I don't want to wait for sound after switching stations or play sources (Slow volume ramp-up). I want "tone memory" for the different sources: bass and treble settings on radio vs. CD. What I want is a brand new Alpine 7534s....which doesn't exist. Does anyone know if there is a BASIC, high performance head out there anymore? W/no gimmicks? If you give me advise, could you please give your reasons for the brand/model you're recommending? Thanks! -Tom

i have had 3 different alpine modles my current is 9885

i love it , i would go with a alpine model ,
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-GUmfknO...Display=Alpine

that was my last old one that was stolen i would recomend getting that

The new alpine units don't really look much different then the old ones. They might be a little better because of the sound control in a turn up/down instead of the push buttons. The rest is the same but if your into using your phone and junk its got that too. Or if you got kids that have ipods and junk its got that too.

Best bet is just find one you like and go on eBay like you did before and get it for cheap thats what I did.

I have the Alpine CDA-9857, MP3 player, HD radio, Sat (not just Sirrus or XM but both) ready, highspeed iPod input....really loaded and a nice faceplate. The one thing I've always hated about alpines was the display, this one has a two line display that shows alot of info depending on what you use.



http://www.crutchfield.com/S-T6Zj63m...7&i=500CDA9857

I picked mine up on e-bay for like $259 or so for it.

make sure you dont buy anything from crutchfield there to expencive

check out places like

http://techronics.com/index.cfm?fuse...3830&aff=72182

and iksound

my deh-p7700mp is very easy to use and i only got it for 130

you could always pull a monsoon head unit from a newer j-body or something like that that has the mp3 capability its user friendly, has great output, has basic treble and bass control no stupid displays its back lit red and pretty easy to find. i dont know how hard it is to find one with a cd changer but with mp3 cds you dont need a changer cuz you can have 150+ songs on one disc. You can try junkyards and ebay and shouldnt have a problem getting one but it is a 1.5 din so if you need a 1din then your either cutting or not going to get this, and as far as i know you cant really find a wiring harness from gm to jeep so you'd have to set up all the wires

That's by far, the best idea that I've heard so far. You're right; all teh usefull features, w/none of the retarded ones. Plus, if I hook it up right, I can get speed controlled volume. Thanks!!
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Dude, you need to go back and re-read my first post. Not to sound like a d!ck, but....is that a fking DOLPHIN in the back ground??? Der...
http://i24.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/9a/c8/d95e_1.JPG

-Tom

no problem just trying to help. And SCV is deffinately an awesome feature especially if its a jeep wrangler cuz you can take the parts off and not have to touch the stereo.

Revived from the dead, instead of starting a new thread. I never bought anything in the above situation, but now have a new situation at hand; need a head unit AND amp for my '92 'Vette.

Buying an '05 CTS-V educated me on the value of DVD head units. Aside from playing DVD's, there is the benefit of having a large, simple, easy to read screen, with BIG, SIMPLE BUTTONS. Until I realized that I might be able to find those features aftermarket, I was pretty much resolved that I would not buy an aftermarket HU again...until once again, form follows function.

Following that little novel, here are my questions:
1. What is the most SIMPLE, straight-forward, least annoying double DIN DVD player on the market. I don't care about NAV, GPS, XM, any of that sh!t. I just want to be able to play CD's, a CD shuttle control would be a bonus (if such a thing exists), and Ipod...eh.

2. What is available today, that I could buy used that is comparable to the Soundstream Reference 300SX? That was a great little amp. I would buy another one in a second but they're SO old now...

Thanks for reading

I don't really have anything helpful for you, but just wanted to add my appreciation for the older Soundstream amps. They were very solid and clean for their time and worked great for me during the 1990s.

I guess I'm showing my age, but I haven't had an aftermarket amp in a vehicle since 2001...

i would recommend alpines double dins thats what ive been using for about two years theyre really simple and look nice and have the best outputs and as for an amp soundstream reference series are awesome i bought one from a pawn shop for my 85 z/28 about 6 years ago it came out of there went in my 99 yukon i sold that last fall now its in my 85 iroc pushing all the interior speakers and 2 12'' kicker cvr's still works like its brand new and sounds better than a lot of other stuff ive heard i actually just a few weeks ago hooked my amp up in my buddies car to show him how good they are hes a die hard rockford fan i let him borrow the amp for like three days he just just cam by last night as a matter of fact to show me he found one and hooked it up in his car and he said its better than his rokford amp ever was

^That was one Looooooong sentence! Thanks for the input though.

On that Apline double DIN DVD, will that thing control a CD changer? I've also gotten recommondations on the Pioneer 3200 and 4200. Does any one know if either of those Pioneers will control a CD changer?


LASTLY and this goes back a ways... This is for a totally differnt system (in my boat). Can I use the same ALPINE 6 disk changer (a CHM S620) -just the changer itself- off an Alpine TDM head (w/CD shuttle control)...that I'm using right now, controlled by a RF modulator set up? IOW, I have a Alpine 6 disk changer in my truck, run with the Alpine RF modulator and control. Can I attach THAT Alpine 6 disk changer to a mid '90's Alpine TDM 7543 head (using the appropiate cable) and would the Changer work?

That's a lot of questions! Thanks for reading and replying!

-Tom

eh? ehhh?

http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products...-cd-player.asp

For GM fit this one is good. Also sounds great this too will control a cd changer.

If you can get a hold of a 7618(tape) or a 7909(cd, no mp3's) those are legends and are pretty basic head units
Nakamichis and Denons are also simple and very user friendly with great SQ.
Clarion 9225....
all of those come with a pretty high price tag though...

alpine cde-100 i got one. theyre simple and sound great.

If you are still looking for an Alpine 7534 Receiver, I have one in good condition. Not used much. Please e-mail me at gemini400@juno.com if you or anyone else are interested.

I am interested. WIll email you....

Thanks for writing!

For the rest, I went ahead and bought an Alpine TDM7534 off ebay. I got the working head, faceplate and bezel, an Alpine Changer and an Alpine KTP-445 Power Pack amp...for $69.00. I love that sh!t. Installed it in the 'Vette with two JL Audio amps, 1 12" in the rear storage bin, 4, 2-way front speakers, and 2, 6x9s int the rear. It's working awesome.

NOW I"m on a mission to make the Alpine head...orange!