little help (pick a deck)

[TheHammer 1]

Need a new deck:

Pioneer DEH-80PRS?

Alpine CDE-137/138BT

Clarion CZ702

Kenwood X996

Must haves:

Bluetooth streaming

USB input at least 1 for iPhone control

Good visibility (for convertible)

Considering going active so good processing might be a plus.

On the fence about Sat Radio

Any opinions?

Please be specific.

Ask questions too, I'll provide what info I can.

Thanks,

TheHammer

[Dangrebel 89]

The x996 and prs are the top dogs on your list.

[todd.brust 29]

Kenwood seems to be the best bang for your buck, without comprimising quality. I'm not super familiar with Pioneer but it looks really nice.

I don't like Clarion and Alpine hasn't impressed me in the last couple of years.

[StreetLegal 119]

Pioneer DEH-80PRS

[TheHammer 1]

Thanks,

seems no one dislikes the Pioneer (most expensive one).

I am disheartened with Alpines last few years too.

The Clarion and Kenwood are still on the table tho.

The Hammer

[snowy8171 1]

kenwood or pioneer. i have the x996 so id say that

[Tirefryr 1,742]

I was once a Sony ES, then Eclipse only guy. HATED Pioneer. Bought an 880PRS several years ago and I think any deck I buy from now on will be a top level Pioneer.

[Shogen 325]

I've had experience with the PRS800... Love love love it.. And there are few members on here using the P80.... Liljestrand is one of them...

[reelfish92 54]

Love my Pioneer. Bought a Kenwood in '10/'11, worst mistake I've made. Yes it worked, but was annoying and was difficult to navigate.

[bassahaulic 155]

I'll put it this way, I have two PRS-800's and a PRS-880. And soon to add a PRS80 to the line up.

[audio-neon 34]

I'll be going with the Kenwood with my next build after a few hours of playing with both on the board.

[fearlessgangsta 12]

I have messed around with the pioneers and I really like the features in terms or layout and processing options.

[Godsmack 361]

The only decks I buy for my own use are Pioneer. Its been that way for about 10 years now.

J

[liljestrand 244]

Love my 80prs.

The only problem I see you having is some visibility with your convertable top down. Now I've only had the color on the deck set to white so maybe one of the other colors will work ok.

The USB reading on this deck is the fastest out of any pioneers I've had. No idea bout apple products though. But I have a 1tb hard drive with 500 gigs on it and the longest its taken is 20 secs to read it.

[TheHammer 1]

Thanks guys, some replys lacking detail, but still a cross section.

Fast, good MP3/USB reading makes a difference.

Wish Crutchfield Canada would get their act together. They advised me to order from Crutchfield USA and ship to a USA address, then have that person forward it to me in Canada. I really like the fact that they throw in the install kit. but don't have any Amerifriends.

TheHammer

[liljestrand 244]

Lol really? That seems like a horrible idea.

[SPL_Man 20]

have own or played around with jvc , kenwood , clarion , eclipse & alpine but i keep going back to pioneer since they always have alot of features for the $ & is very hard to beat , for ease of accessing those features imho they are on top too

that 80prs is about the very best they made so far besides the much more expensive 99prs

recently got a pioneer 4400dvd & its a sweet ass deck lol

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I have Pioneer and Eclipse top end units in storage. Considering, one of the new JVC's we carry. But of your list, I lean Pioneer.

[///M5 2,833]

If you choose based on processing the selection becomes simple. Along with the processing comes the goodies I'd be interested in.

I too am a fairly (past 5 years) Pio convert. Alpine & Eclipse previously but alas no more

[smgreen20 3]

I'm biased to Clarion for good reasons, but Clarion aside, I would choose the Pioneer.