Alpine Full Review CDE-172BT & 175BT Car Stereo. INCREDIBLE Car Audio CD Player Bluetooth Headunit
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Alpine for the win! This stereo is the best I've ever had in my vehicle. Links below. Alpine does it again with this amazing CD bluetooth headunit and it's staying in my car for sure! This video is the first of two, & covers the Alpine CDE-172BT and the CDE-175BT. Be sure to see my affordable Sound Ordnance Sub review. Other car gear I'm using below. Alpine Owner's Manual linked at very bottom.
Alpine CDE-172BT:
www.amazon.com...
Alpine CDE-175BT:
www.amazon.com...
Amazing Powered Subwoofer I am using:
SoundOrdnance BP8 has been replaced by this Under Seat version here w/built-in amp:
amzn.to/3Dtjtle
Another good Subwoofer choice if one above is unavailable:
amzn.to/3wVL4dl
My affordable, small, & amazingly powerful Infinity Amp:
amzn.to/3Nz83AW
Rockford Fosgate 6.5 Front Speakers (absolutely amazing):
amzn.to/3Do5ltg
JVC 6x9 rear deck speakers, if you're on a budget these are fantastic:
amzn.to/3IVEmGL
Skar Audio RCA patch cables:
amzn.to/3Lq9Ia0
Amp wiring kit:
amzn.to/3DoIvlc
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Some of these links are affiliate links meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Buying through these links is a great way to support the channel which helps me make useful videos for you.
Unless otherwise mentioned in each video, I do not receive free gear in return for promotion or reviews. Items I review are bought by me for my use, allowing me to give an honest explanation and review.
OWNER'S MANUAL ONLINE:
support.alpine...
MUSIC playing on the CD is by Philip Bardowell
![[TH] VALORANT Champions Seoul - Grand Final - EDG vs TH](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WvObMc9VelI/mqdefault.jpg)
Best review of this stereo.
I just replaced my 15 year old Alpine CDA-9857 with this Alpine CDE-175BT and I'm blown away at the difference in sound quality! Setup was easy as can be. Bluetooth, CD player, Aux in, USB all work flawless.
I bought this same system so am happy to see this good review. Have not installed as I'm still waiting for the harness. I'm not sure why people refer to it as a "budget" system as I'm into it for about $300. One can get car stereos for a lot less than that!
That's true it's not really a budget system compared to the $50 headunits. Prices have come down alot on stereos, 25 years ago this Alpine probably would have been much more. I hope you enjoy it
Just got mine installed today.. sound is amazing..
Thank you so much for the fantastic tutorial. I just had this stereo installed in an older CRV with low mileage. I did a lot of studying looking for the right headset. Since they don’t make this one any longer it was difficult to find but I was able to locate two brand new units and I couldn’t be happier. I would like to know how to set the color on the display. It came factory set in dark blue, as I’m sure you are aware. I would prefer something like white or amber.. Any tips you might have would be greatly appreciated. The Manual is not the easiest thing to read. Thanks so much for your time.
Hi Rebecca, check out the 2nd video I did on this stereo, you can search from my Uploads, I think I covered the color changing in that one which is a shorter video. I no longer own that car with the stereo so I would't be able to walk you through it from memory without the unit in front of me but it's in that video. It's a great unit you can't go wrong with it, congrats on finding one.
I really enjoy my CDE172BT
Pairing it with a Alpine 8"PWRSUB
Looking forward to hearing it
Great video!!
Great review bro! I just got one installed today and I love it so far! Now I am looking to upgrade my speakers. Hopefully get a amp one day but I like having my trunk space.
Actually if you haven't looked at amps in awhile, they have gotten incredibly small. The newer class D amps also run cooler, and aren't very expensive. If you look up my video on 'best budget subwoofer' you'll see the small but incredibly powerful amp for the rest of my speakers mounted in my trunk.
Just installed today. I agree awesome radio.. I just had a small issue connecting to BT. It's not like the others radios, but after I read instructions. I was good to go. Overall I'm enjoying this radio.
Great to hear that! It truly is a pleasure to drive with.
Very well informed video. I was in the market and looking for a solid single din cd player. Couldn't make up my mind until I stumbled upon your video. After watching it I bought the 175. Looking forward to hooking it up with kicker 1800.1 for subs and kicker 360.4 for doors
Got one thing great review but the 175 has near field communication capability. You can see the symbol engraved on the knob on the 175 and what that does if you turn NFC on your Android or iPhone you can transfer files directly to the memory on board the unit.
Thanks for pointing that out!
@@KeithBlade anytime sir! I'm actually on the road right now cranking some tunes. Well I pulled over to answer this anyways LOL
Do you think this feature is worth it for someone who uses Spotify to stream music?
@@davidharmonharmon166 Hello David, well if the music is stored on your phone you can shoot the files over via NFC. Then you'll have them on the Alpine's memory. Convenience to do that... Then ya won't have to do it again until you drastically change your music library. Cheers! I'm loving my unit by the way! The sound quality impresses me!
This was very helpful
Thanks!🥳
Great review,thank you! I just replaced my Kenwood DDX374BT with this. That Kenwood would shut down if I cranked the volume too high and I'd have to reset it. Hopefully I don't have that issue with this one. I have 2 amps and a DSP in my Sentra,now along with this Alpine unit.
The DSP takes care of the EQ,time alignment,Xovers,etc so I will MTL leave everything on the receiver flat.
Hi Keith I have same alpine for a while , I very impressed with sound of your car , you said have three amps can I ask you which ones , and, I m old school sound enthusiast , and that’s exactly kind of sound I’m looking for , thank you , I have alpine like yours and alpine 5 channels amp, one friend told me need better speakers, I have Boston Acoustic components back and front but I’m not happy with sound
Hi, So if you already have this head unit , the issue is the amps might be too powerful for the speakers or not rated properly. Boston acoustic makes good speakers. In fact , that's what I have in the front and I have some cheaper pioneers in the back, but they sound amazing because the amp is properly rated for those speakers. Infinity 4 ch amp. That's the only thing I could think of that could be wrong unless your EQ is setup wrong . At this point you should probably visit a stereo shop and have them Listen... because they have diagnostic tools and can tune the system and tell you what's wrong
I have an Alpine from 2006 I believe with an Ipod interface and even now that that feature has passed I still use this radio and it has good amplifier! It only is missng bluetooth but I am trying to connect through ai net
Hello and thanks für the great review.
Coincidentally this radio is mounted on the same model as my car now I know how good it’ll look 🤣
Hey that's great, it really is a great radio.
I'm taking out my pioneer 6600BS and installing this if for no other reason than I hate only having an EQ instead of the simple Bass and Treble adjustments.
I feel you... and with the Alpine you have both, but the full EQ is hidden, so for everyday use you get Bass & Treble. I prefer it.
Thanks finally got it to work
Another difference between this in the 175 is that the 175 has NFC which makes Bluetooth pairing way easier
Yes, that is mentioned in the Part 2 video which is linked at the end of this one
I've installed this 172 and my 2010 Kia Sportage and it's a great unit but because of NFC and the higher power I'm thinking 175 down the road!
Awesome, enjoy. It really depends on your amps, you may or may not need the higher power. For me it did because my sub amp benefited from the extra volt preamps, it made a big difference. But if you're running really high powered amps you may not need higher power from the headunit.
@@KeithBlade thanks Keith, yeah, I haven't installed the radio in quite some time but the original unit that came with the car wasn't bad and it had enough power but I figured it was time because the USB port blew out and phone calls were hard to hear through the Bluetooth.
Another cool thing about this Alpine unit is the ability to dial phone numbers using the multifunction knob on this unit. Being able to dial a number without having to use your phone as a plus on the road and I've used it a whole lot of times already!
Like I said, great review and keep up the great work!
I just installed the 172BT last night. The bass engine drops out every time I touch anything about the EQ. I hate it. Great stereo though.
Thats correct. If you adjust the EQ while the bass engine is on it will stop the bass engine. The answer to that is adjust the regular EQ first, especially your treble and mid, then turn on the Bass Engine and adjust that til your heart's content and it will stay on.
@@KeithBlade think if people hound alpine enough they’ll change that in a firmware update? I just can’t imagine anyone likes resetting the bass engine every time they touch the treble.
@@leifvernaculum953 maybe, but according to Alpine each Bass Engine parameter has its own EQ already set . I kind of agree with you though would be nice to adjust that part
@@KeithBlade unrelated to bass engine: how do we delete BT devices?
@@leifvernaculum953 That should be in the Setup, hold down the music note button for 2 seconds and it will bring up a bunch of menus to scroll with the dial. Bluetooth is one of them and you should be able to see the connected devices
Thanks for this video. After watching your video and reading reviews, this is definitely the stereo I’m going for. I will be installing it one a PT cruiser with a 12’ infinity sub I put in. Really looking forward to it! I really appreciate the review, and thanks for talking about accessing the bass/treble, as that is very important to me.
The sub really brings it all together, enjoy!
yo i have a question my car comes with. stock amp and sub and i want to add a aftermarket sub n amp. now tot the question lol where would i plug the rcas for it? is it the 2 black ones?
@@bengutierrez2271 hi, its it's R and L, not always by color... you would have to determine which is which. Maybe there's a wiring diagram online for your car's stock radio
for the cd to skip faster you have to hold the button for longer than 2 seconds! it progressively gets faster.
Yes Im aware of that but its not nearly as fast as other manufacturers such as Kenwood. Not a big deal
Are these Alpine's latest best single DIN recievers?
The setup has not changed in later models so I see here now
Yeah they do look and work quite a bit the same, except for the added features for smart phones
Does the Hands Free feature require the external mic or is the mic built in?
There is a tiny wired mic provided in the box, it has to be plugged into the back of the stereo and then mounted somewhere on the driver's side or in an inconspicuous place out of view.
@@KeithBlade Ok, that's what I thought. Thanks!
The blackout light feature is for sound quality not night driving.
Does the unit have am as well as fm radio?
Excellent review its just a shame i am late to the party, i have an Alpine CDE-126BT that has been very good, i have recently started listening to Spotify through it connected to my phone via the built in lead but sadly, for some reason when i want to skip tracks it has started playing tracks randomly for about two seconds and goes through the whole album which isn't good so i am having to look for a replacement, it seems Alpine no longer make single din cd head units, the last one that i have seen was the CDE-205DAB but most suppliers are out of stock as its been discontinued although a few seem to have it in stock at much higher prices, i am having trouble finding the information that i need as the replacement also needs to be able to control spotify through usb as i am not keen on bluetooth.
Thank you... I was just at a local shop 2 weeks ago and they are still selling Alpine single Din, I'll bet if you check locally, you can find shops that are. I find it hard to believe Alpine has totally stopped single din, there are millions of cars from the 90s still on the road that need stereos. Otherwise JVC is another excellent choice.
@@KeithBlade Thanks for the reply, sorry i meant single din CD players as i still want the option of playing cd's, there are other options as you say like Pioneer, JVC, Sony etc but i was really hoping for another Alpine unit, its a shame that they have now moved on to bluetooth or usb cable as i like the set up that i have.
On the Alpine CDE-175BT I don't see where to switch the High and Low pass filter if needed?
Pretty sure it's in the Settings, I linked the owners manual in video description in case you need the exact steps.
The 175 has NFC connection that the 173 does not
Nice review whats the other thing on to the right of the clock most of the accords just have a block off plate just curious?
Missile launcher...lol... actually this is an Acura so maybe just slightly different than the Accord, but under that little covering is the digital clock controls, three tiny buttons.
@@KeithBlade In the accord the clock controls are right below the display. I was just curious they look very similar!
I wanted to know if when on "tuner", the big knob can be used to turn the FM dial. Didn't see that here.
Love mine and the Alpine speakers I put in my GMC Sierra, one question, is 36 the max on volume??
I have amps so I've never had to turn mine up past 25
@@KeithBlade thank you buddy, I don't yet but I m going to
Great Review. Question - Can you charge a cell phone using the USB port? If so, will the headunit automatically switch to USB mode when plugged in (assuming you're already using Bluetooth mode)?
Yes the phone can charge through USB. I dont use USB on this stereo myself but if it doesn't switch automatically it's just a couple taps on the Source button to get to USB mode
Can I run just the cde172bt receiver with a jeep factory 10amp radio fuse? I know I need dedicated power to the battery and a 15amp fuse IF I install the ktp-445a power pack.
Not sure - you'd have to look at the inline fuse that comes with the stereo and use the same one. Otherwise I have the owners manual linked in video description above, there might be a wiring diagram in there showing the rated amperage.
hey man thanks for the video, do you know if this unit can play WAV/AIFF files off a USB? thankyou
Hi, I'm not sure but I've linked the manual in the video description. There's also an 800 number for Alpine on the first page.
Is there a way to disable all EQ. On my old alpine I think it was called default. Then I just had subwoofer control. No bass treble or such as I have that all done at my amps. Great video, I just didn’t see that in the settings?
Pretty much. You would just leave all EQ treble and bass in the stock or neutral settings. If that's not possible on your model then just make sure all three are set to the same number: such as Treb Mid Bass all set at 0, or 2, etc meaning none higher than the other. Keep the Bass Engine off and the User EQ off then you can only use your sub control. However if you have good front speakers or tweeters you're going to want to turn up the treble some so you get the nice crisp highs... I definitely boost my treble for my front speakers a bit. None of this affects your Bass or your sub.
If this only has a 2. v preout at rca cables and pioneer has 5.v which one would you rather have? This one or a Pioneer. Thanks
Hi, this one does not have 2v I think it's closer to 4v so I'd go with the Alpine for it's simplicity
what about the UTE200BT ?? its the same interface and the same menu but is it good as the CDE 172BT??
That one has no CD
Is there really much of a difference between this and the alpine CDE-sxm145bt? They look very similar.
Great job..
I don't have a clock in the car. Does this have a visible clock feature? If so can you go back and check the time while in 'Tuner" mode? Very interested in this model. Great review.
Yes there is a visible clock. I haven't messed with it much, but there is a Display button which helps toggle the display from song or radio station to clock. There are probably additional options in the initial Setup for the clock also which might enable you to have it on more, or constantly; you could try downloading the pdf manual if you want to know for sure but there definitely is a clock you can view. Glad you liked the review.
Is the Ute-73bt a good budget stereo? Debating that and the jvc 380bts.
HI Felipe, I'm not super familiar with that model but I find Alpine one of the easiest stereos to use especially if you find yourself in the menus often. On that model it does appear you give up a CD player though, not sure if that matters to you.
@@KeithBlade I think I will go with the Alpine. I have the 175BT in both my Lexus vehicles so I’m pretty familiar with the menu. I’m doing a budget build on my 97 QX4 off road vehicle and wanted to get the better of the 2 for the price. Thanks for your input.
Nice accord bro
How can I adjust max volume?
There is a link to the instruction manual in the video description, you could see if there is an option for that.
thanks for the video. can you give me the name of the band of the music? have a nice day
Hi Marcio, that's Philip Bardowell th-cam.com/video/lSUw-fBhtp0/w-d-xo.html I believe the album is Fall to Rise... he's actually a great guy in person as well, enjoy!
Thanks a lot :)
Just bought the same stereo! Do you think it has longetivity?
I think it does... Alpine has a good reputation for stuff that lasts & you've got bluetooth and USB so that's all the connectivity you could need. It doesn't have every bell & whistle like some stereos but it's such a solid performer I'm happy with mine for sure.
@@KeithBlade Thanks for the response bro!
Great video! So there’s no way to connect to wireless Bluetooth with this one right? You need a usb or aux cord?
Hi, actually it does connect to Bluetooth wirelessly . If you want more info I've posted a link to the product manual in video description.
Si tiene Bluetooth inalambrico
Nice video ! One question, imagine im playing through the bluetooth and it's playing a song on spotify, if i press the "next" button on the radio it goes to the next music ?
Hi, I'm guessing that would not work that way if the source is your cellphone
Hey I have the same stereo and use Spotify, the next button does work for Spotify
Can you play spotify through the Bluetooth as my phone doesn't have the aux button....thanks
Actually your phone doesn't need an Aux button, just a headphone jack which plugs right into the car stereo. But if it's an iPhone and doesn't have a jack, then yes I'm almost sure you can play Spotify or anything else through your Bluetooth connections
Will this fit in my 1993 Nissan 240sx?
If your vehicle can accept a Single DIN radio then this should fit. To find out for sure goto Crutchfields website to enter your vehicle info, or call them
@@KeithBlade Thanks
Double like
Thanks!
Has anyone tested the clipping point on this HU?
Does it comes with a remote?
I can't remember if this one does and I don't use them anyway. a quick check of their website or Crutchfield should help
Hi I put my single din but the radio is not working
Need more information or details
What is the differnce between this unit and the kenwood bt378u
The Kenwood has a few extra small features but in my opinion the Alpine is easier to use. They both sound great. You'd have to watch both of my reviews on these to get all the details.
Can you only preset 6 channels for the xm radio
I am not sure, I have Sirius XM in my other vehicle but not this one so I don't know for sure about presets.
I just installed this unit in my 2002 Ford Explorer. All went well but I can't figure out how to change the brightness of the display. Can you help?
It's in the Setup. Hold the setup (the note button) for two seconds then there will be many options to select from with the dial, one of which is Display.
Is it possible to dim the source button a little?
Does that model have the new alpine audio amp chip in it?
Supposed to be class d audio amp efficiency.
Did you notice an improvement from previous models?
I don't remember reading anything about that and I'm running a separate Class D amp so for me it wouldn't matter much - but Ive posted a link to the instruction manual in video description if you want to look up that particular question.
Where can I get the best deal for this stereo 172bt?
Can u help me, i got this stereo recently, n i pairing with my cellphone already, so i can play music trougth my cellphone, but i can't make calls, apair like is dialing, but is not ringing in the speakers, like if the micróphone its not working, but i tried with another microphone it was the same thing, ill apresiate if you can help me, thanks
I'm not sure on this, but there's a link to the instructions in the video description, if you want to read more on the pairing process. I think you might also have to select the phone option in settings
These 2 vs UTE-73bt?
Hi, the 73BT is similar but you give up some things, no CD player is the biggest difference. Also no Sirius XM readiness, check Crutchfield for all the details
@@KeithBlade thank you, i did use crutchfield but i was wondering if there was a sound quality difference, id imagine they’re the same then? Other than the sirius and cd player that im not too worried about
@@slowlightning_ I would think the sound quality would be good.
Does it have any kind of Audio visualization thing ?
no not that I know of.
Never showed the crossovers or EQ why? Kinda got hung up on the speed of menu scrolling, ok, I get it, now let’s get deeper into the features
I probably should have touched on those more but I did mention them and the 3 band parametric EQ
@@KeithBlade yes, but I run an pioneer 80prs and the main feature is active cross overs and how to use them, also 5 volt out
do you know if there is a way to turn off inputs that are not being used, such as pandora or sirius, so when you cycle through them you can go faster?
Not that I am aware of. It's much worse on other stereos such as Kenwood, it takes longer to cycle through. It's not bad on the Alpine in my opinion
@@KeithBlade not true, Kenwood u can use the wheel and turn it which is way faster than pressing the button. However that’s very insignificant, I sell this radio and just installed probably the 6th one. They sound great out of the box for sure. I do prefer the kenwoods myself though for my personal vehicles, either way the alpines are nice units as well 👍
@@jldive89diver87hi, his question was about turning off certain options like Sirius or Panorama, and I'm not aware of a way to do that. I own a Kenwood home stereo system and it is awesome 👌. Ive had Kenwood car units that were good, but I think this Alpine is faster toggling. See my other review on the Kenwood deck where I go over the toggling thru receiver options and its without question slower, wheel didnt work on mine for cycling. I think Kenwood is more feature-rich whereas Alpine shines with simplicity.
Hi wondering if this has full Spotify integration ? Thanks
Hi, not that I am aware of, but if you connect by Bluetooth (or Aux cable) it should work just fine because a friend of mine does it that way and we connected his phone to my stereo and he was playing music through another app. This way though it has to be controlled through your phone.
Does the cd read mp3?
I think it does but I haven't tried it. Might also have the FLAC MP3 compatibility which is uncompressed "HD like" mp3s because I think it says something on the faceplate about it. Anyway I have posted a link to the instruction manual in the description you can read all about it there. Thanks.
Can anyone help me?. I ordered the cde-172bt and everything's been fine other then bluetooth and usb not working with my phone I have a galaxy s8 does anybody know what phone are compatible with this system...?
My friend got it working with iPhone, and it is supposed to be compatible with Android also. You could try reaching out to Alpine tech support. Also I have a link to the manual in vid description.
What is the artist's name of the song playing "If I Fall"? I would like to be able to find it online, but can't. Thanks!
That's Philip Bardowell. The album you want is Fall To Rise. It's on TH-cam Music and a few other streaming choices too. Glad you enjoyed that one!
@@KeithBlade Thanks so much!
I want to get an Equalizer and place it under my head unit I bought the 172 from Alpine which one would you recommend
I haven't tried their separate equalizers but I have always liked the graphic style.
get a dsp-408 and stash it somewhere. You can control PEQ, delay and everything w bluetooth
Why does the sub woofer on or off not work on this unit my subs are going through my bass for some reason I do not understand that I been doing installation for 24 plus years
My sub works fine and it can be turned on & off. Not sure why yours isn't working.
@@KeithBlade my sub works but when I try to shut it off through sub out but for some reason only though bass is it working
@@KeithBlade tell me what I am doing wrong when I have tge same unit
@@Captaintripps1 Hard to say without seeing it in person but I would say make sure one of the RCAs arent crossed up somewhere or one didn't get accidentally switched with the other channels. Also check crossovers are set correctly on the amps, just a guess without seeing best of luck with solving.
Subwoofer out from the radio to the amplifier it should have a bass knob simple to everyone that use the bass boost onthis radio
It’s over kill I don’t even turn the regular bass on the radio
Where u set up the clock
Hi please see Part 2 of the video for this answer
Does it have a low pass filter for the sub
Yes.
Hi i am based in Dubai, I like to buy the Alpine CDE 175BT, can someone helpout please
Hi thanks for commenting on my vid - you could try Ebay, there are still a few sellers with the CDE-175. That would be better and safer than asking in the comments as I wouldnt want you to get scammed from a random person here. So yeah if you could find one on Ebay that ships to Dubai, it's a great stereo. Cheers.
Is the song search in for folders when using usb
hi, I'm not sure but I've posted a link to the online manual in the description box.
I have searched through the manual and everything I can find online. I can't find the search button that was on my two older Alpine units. There is a symbol on the volume knob but if that is the access I can't figure out the trick. Has anyone figured out how to navigate the files of an ipnone through the USB?
Howe do you change the colors?
it's in rhe Setup, see link to product manual ive posted in vid description
How do u change the colors on this stereo?
I believe its in the Display settings. I've posted a link to the online manual in the description box.
He left out the only reason I watched this. How do you adjust the crossover??
Hi, I left a link to the manual in video description, it will tell you how to get into the crossovers
What is the maximum volume on this unit?
Hi, max volume goes into the 30s I think but I've never turned it up that loud because I am running amps. Running an amp is better because the sound when turned up will be cleaner with less distortion.
How do I put on high pass!!!!
It's in the settings, you have to hold down that little music note button then more menus pop up. Also I've linked the manual in vid description, you can see a detailed how-to there.
What about TIME ALIGNMENT?????
Not sure this stereo has that, but I've linked the manual in video description if you want to see all the features.
How many sets of RCA outputs??
@keith blade
3 pair: so front, rear, and sub
Why don't you have anything on there about setting the clock.
it's very easy to do, I've posted a link to the instruction manual in the video description.
Does this radio come with a remote?
Not that I recall.
I think you can buy one
Is the 175 worth the extra $70 over the 172?
For me, no - but it depends what you're doing with it. Far as I can tell the big feature is the 175 has even higher volt output preamps. For some sound systems that could make all the difference and it is an option not many stereos have probably why Alpine is charging more. I can tell you the 172 still has pretty high power preamp voltage and it drives my amp and sub amp very well.
Got one thing great review but the 175 has near field communication capability. You can see the symbol engraved on the knob on the 175 and what that does if you turn NFC on your Android or iPhone you can transfer files directly to the memory on board the unit.
Hi,this is Jem from binize car stereo,we are interested in your video of car stereo, plz tell us how to contact you~
hi Jem, please check my channel home page or search 'Keith Blade Channel TH-cam', and then go to the About page. You can contact me there. Thanks.
All that talking and you didn't really say how to change color to green.I have Alpine cde-172
Brian, if i covered every feature this stereo has, it be 30-60 minutes long. I have a link to the manual posted in video description which shows to change colors
Big fast forward and rewind buttons is BS. They are so small I have to use my fingernail or I'll hit the big button in between, just look at it in the video how tiny! I got this for my CDs and mp3 player. Mp3 player picks up noise from engine where my older kenwood did not which is a major disappointment, I even bought a new cable and that was not it so its the alpine. The unit is proud to show FM1 real big all the time but who cares, why not show what the hell radio station its on instead. Also once you got the bass booster set which I like up all the way, time and time again it will zero out sigh... Then I have to loose my concentration take a deep breath and readjust it! I also don't like hitting the button many many times to get through all the stuff I don't use like Pandora ect.. I just use tuner,CD and aux. They should let you disable these bloatware features if you aren't going to use them. It does have cool lights though.
I got this alpine based off of this video. I had many head units in the last 25 years and this one is not easy to learn.
Have fun trying to read display in daylight, always a glare. This is the most unuser friendly POS head unit I ever bought. Tiny fast foward, seek buttons suck. Audio sucks when hooking up external device. I envision the printer seen on office space every time I try to use it. Don't listen to this guy save yourself a headache and don't buy!
Ah yes, the printer scene! Thats a bummer you didn't like the Alpine. It was the best of the units I tried. I don't delete bad review comments so as you can see the vast majority of people commenting love this unit, but perhaps it's not for everyone. Best of luck with your next unit.
@keithblade question on the 3 RCA outputs, I have 1 going to my sub the one that says sub, if I run 2 more amps, 1 to the front rca output and 1 to the rear rca, would I still need to splice in my speakers or would it do it through the harness it self, when I put in my 172 model I ordered the easy connector through Crutchfield as well
The head unit has very little to do with hiss and screeching. Wiring is the thing causes that.
Is it wireless Bluetooth?
Yes
The menus are cumbersome and complicated compared to Pioneer.