Alpine CDA 7990

Price Paid:  $3500.00 from Boyds Electronics, T

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2003 Alpine CDA-7990R

Summary:
Even for the wealthy (not myself, of course, I'm just a Sound Quality nut!), the prospect of paying over 3000 bucks for a head unit, especially one without a built-in amp, clever onboard eq's or all-singing, all-dancing signal manipulation or electronic trickery must seem a daunting purchase. It was for me! I debated with myself and my bank manager (Okay, her name's Dianne and she is, in reality my girlfriend, but, hey! You know the score! ;-) ) long and hard over the possibility of purchasing such a high-end head unit. Sure, I knew the score ... F#1 Status, Exclusive, Hand-picked Components, Blah!, Blah!, Blah!, but the proof of the sonic pudding always comes in the listening. And listen I did, hours upon hours in the comfort of Holland's premier league dealership, Boyds' listening room. Eventually the deal was done and the F#1 and it's separate DC-DC converter was fitted in my car (a Volvo T5R Station Wagon), heading up a sophisticated sound-quality orientated set-up, comprising around 2.2 kilowatts RMS(!) of Xtant electronics, running two Xtant X1244 dual voice-coil hexagonal woofers and a Micro Precision (VERY high-end, hand-built German speakers) 3-way front end. The F#1 replaced the relatively high-end Alpine CDA-7894R, so how does it sound in comparison? One word ... "PHENOMENAL"! Some people suggested that the difference would be marginal, even going as far as suggesting that whatever benefit the CDA-7990R had in comparison to the outgoing head unit would be impossible to detect in a moving automobile. How woefully wrong they were. This head unit IS the ultimate sound source and it shows so transparently that whether stationary with the engine off, or driving at 120+mph across-the-border on the German Autobahn, the clarity, seoperation and smoothness of this head unit's performance is blatently obvious. But my opinion of this head unit/system has been borne-out by others. Other's more qualified than myself to decide on sound quality ... the EMMA sound quality judges who, yesterday, in my first competition awarded my system first place in the Rookie Unlimited Class at Holland's largest car show!

Strengths:
Strengths ... superlative sound quality, build quality, exclusivity, the Alpine name, the F#1 Status processor that will be joining the head unit soon.

Weaknesses:
None that have become apparent.

Similar Products Used:
Alpine CDA-7909R (way back!), Alpine CDA-7944R, Alpine CDA-7894R.

Price Paid:  $3000.00 from Retail

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2002/ CDA 7990

Summary:
I am rating this product not because I own this product, because I don''t, but because I believe it''s Alpine''s first step in a new direction. I was huge alpine fan back in the day. I owned several of the best products they have ever built. I have had the pleasure of owning the 7914 cd player, 3681 Time/Frequency Processor,and the amazing Alpine 7909 cd player. I lost interest in alpine when they started to produce head units without the six green present buttons on the right side. The green display and buttons were what Alpine was known for. I almost remember Alpine being a cult at the time and I would still be part of it if it weren''t for the change. A few of you remember the days I''m speaking of. The days when Rockford Woofers really said, "The Punch" and when Precision Power had a little design and class. Please don''t get me wrong, I have nothing against the newer poducts, but it would be nice to see the technology change faster than the design and look of the product. I hope Alpine continues in the direction they are tempting head! I can''t wait to see the day when originality meets up with tommorrows technology!

Strengths:
Original look and feel Copper plated chassis Rotary Volume control Blur-Brown 24 bit DAC Three High volatge Pre out''s

Weaknesses:
Well the price right now! $3000 ????

Similar Products Used:
Alpine 7909 Sony CDX C90 Clarion DRX 9675z All wonderful products!

Price Paid:  $2100.00

Year / Model Reviewed:
 2001

Summary:
This unit is awesome! The sound quality is outstanding. Best FM reception I''ve heard in a car receiver. The no-nonsense adult-oriented face design is functional simplicity at it''s best. This unit does not have to rely on the same "features" as many mass-market units do like animated displays, etc. The display is very easy to read from any angle. The function and preset buttons are well organized, perfect size and easy to use. CD''s sound crystal clear. I''m using an Alpine F-407 for my mids and tweeters and T-757 for my 12" sub. You will notice the playback difference between a high quality CD and a poor one. The playback quality of thisis unit is that good. I wcould barely afford this unit but it was worth the money. I can''t drive without music and it has to sound good to me and this unit delivers it oh so nicely!

Strengths:
It has a firm rotary volume knob that feels and works like the one on your home receiver! Crystal clear sound from CD-player S/N ratio 120db! FM reception is very strong and the sound from FM is pretty amazing also. 3 pre-amp outs sub-woofer volume control separate DC-DC converter power supply no cheap internal amp - use a quality external amp. 24 bit D/A converter. Will play CD-R''s (as with all CR-S, you will also notice the slight inferior sound inherent to all CD-R''s as compared to a pressed CD). Very easy to use. Alpine F-1 status and compatible with the (forgot the model number) F-1 digital processor/multi-media unit. Excellent design, beautiful to see and so easy and logical to use.

Weaknesses:
When you skip tracks forward or backward on some CD''s where one song bleeds immediately into the next with no gap, the unit starts a fraction of a second beyond the true beginning of the track. This is not an issue however with individual songs that don''t blend from one to the other. Intersetingly, if you create a CD-R of the same songs, the CD-R is positioned at the true beginning of the track on songs that bleed together. Price is high (3,000 list).

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer, Clarion