I'm looking at some new Alpine units to replace my current Sony. It's about 4-5 years old, works fine.. but I'm looking to replace it mainly because the AUX IN isn't really an AUX IN. It's only and AUX IN for sony unilink devices.

I can see why sony would choose to disable this port unless a unilink device was present, simply to get you to buy more sony stuff. However from an end consumer point of view this is a problem. Do Alpine HU's suffer from this "problem"?

Or are there any other kinds that just have an AUX input that I can switch to?

 

Budget? Features that you want? AUX in comes on just about every headunit except for the VERY entry level ones.

 

I just bought a Alpine headunit from Best Buy....I paid 180 and it came with aux in...i like it alot and it's a breeze to use...i think i found it on sale for like 140-150...I'll see if i can find the product number

 

<$250

Definatly need AUX IN without fancy stupid adapters. I just need to be able to plug something in there and be able to select "source" as the AUX.

Would also like Front/Rear/Sub RCA outputs for future plans. Being able to play MP3's would be pretty sweet.

But really the main thing right now is the AUX in without weird extra adapters. I can trick my current sony to enable the aux in by hooking up my cd changer to the unilink then using the AUX for other things, it just sounds like crap unless it's the cd changer.

Edit: or if I can figure out a way to not make the sound suck for my current sony, I'm fine with that for now.

 

One that I'm looking at is the Alpine CDA-9856.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-XaeChuY...0&I=500CDA9856

Seems to have just about everything I need. Kinda wish that XM reciever was built in and not an extra $100. But then again I already have the RoadyXT XM thing so I don't really need the Alpine one.

 

i have an alpine cda-7998 i believe.. for sale i already have a addaption cable for it and it has the phantom face plate so its a little bit larger...retail is about 800 but i am selling to the best offer...

 

That 7998 looks pretty nice, but it's probably still way out of my price range and really it's more than I need.

 

i have had an offer for 300 shipped and i am waiting to see what else i can get and only really trying to get 250 to buy a new one just a little something since i dont need all that extra stuff just for 4 speakers...

 

ya my sony unit was decent its the cdx-f5710 and it is one of the few that has an actual "aux input" that is sony. i believe its normaly almost 300 but i got it on sale for a little cheaper. i talked to crutchfield on the phone and had them tell me all the ones that had aux inputs, and then called the manufactureres to confirm its a "true" aux.