Well, I got a job and Christmas is coming up so I will have a bit of money so i'm pretty sure i'm going to buy a new HU. I've always wanted an Alpine in the first place but i've only really heard good things about them...so, shopping around on ebay I found and CDA-9885 for a really good deal around $198 bucks but I was on Alpine's website and the CDA-9883 is $120 cheaper at retail and I can't see one difference. I read on some random review that the only difference is the screen is "not as nice and clear" and in some picture's I see it say's iPod connection and shows a little icon of an iPod and on the cheaper 9883 is just says iPod and has no icons. Do you guy's think a screen with some fancier pictures would really make it cost $120 more?...Here's the official site comparison. Alpine CDA-9885/9883 Comparison Page I read through it all and only found that the cheaper 9883 has a 2V PreOut and the 9885 has a 4V PreOut, but I don't even know what that means.

 

The higher volt preouts are better for running amps. If you are looking for all around better quality, go with the higher end one. You wont be disappointed with the lower one though either. Alpines are great.

 

Damn it...I alway's end up putting the extra money out...but I eventually want to run amps. Thanks for the insight though. I'll just need to get an iPod cord on top of the 198 ish, and that's without tax or like 40 dollar shipping, plus the shipping on the cord itself. Damn it, lol.

 

Should be able to get a cord the cheapest on ebay. I think with that model you can control the ipod with the head unit to, so you can have the ipod in the glove box or soemthing. Thats a lot nicer than having to change songs on the ipod itself. You wont be disappointed though. I love the Alpine stuff.

 

Yeah, that's what i'm happy about, being able to control it on the deck itself. and yeah, that cord is 23 on ebay. I think I saw it for 13 but it wasn't the real alpine one, just some copy.

 

Ya, you dont want the copy. Get the real thing