Best head unit in the $250 price range

I am looking to replace my Head Unit. I have about $250 to spend and want to get the best head unit I can get for that budget. Only 3 things I care about are :

1 : Ipod Control

2: 4v or more pre outs

3: decent built in EQ

I was looking into the Pioneer 590IB, which i can get for around $200. Are there any better options available for what i am looking for in that price range??

Check out Panasonic, Alpine's in that price range will prob. have 2v pre-outs, but still...it's an Alpine. Eclipse.

I have had bad experiences with Pioneer, and will never run them again.

alpine 9835 or 9855. wouldn't be new, but would be awesome.

Few people recomended the 9855. Any reason why it is better then the 2007 9885 model? The 9885 I can get for around 225....

i don't know much about the 9885, but imo alpine has gone downhill since the '05 models.

How about the Panasonic? I was offered a pretty sweet deal on the CQ-C9801W. Seems to have a ton of features though I can't figure out if I can use an ipod with it or not. other than that how does this model stack up?

Panasonic is good.

Perhaps this suits your tastes?
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=16842

I have an older Panasonic deck with most of the same specs, they definitely have great equalizers/sound options for the money.

Panasonic all the way. Ive been using them for about 4 years and i love them. I replaced my old alpine with one. cq-dfx983u best featurs for the price.

:2cents: CANT GO WRONG WITH ALPINE! :2cents:

I have always liked Apine but it seems most of the latest group of headunits have 2 volt outputs .... they are slipping back to the old standards of the early 90's

plus at 250 bucks it is either a used alpine or feature wise a crappy alpine.

Or 250 can get you a panasonic that has 5 volt preamps, sat radio ready, ax in, programable EQ, remote, mp3/wma, and now 1/8" input for mp3 players, and so many more options. I got bored with alpine HU's awhile ago, they are nice decks. But they get boring, there all the same desing button layout ETC. with the panasonics you can customize background pics and vids. But thats just me.

with the panasonics you can customize background pics and vids. But thats just me.
Panasonic has a program that you can download to make your own movies and add your personal pics to some of their decks. I made a 5 sec opening message for my deck displaying the Chevy bowtie then it slides across to show the same bowtie with "Blazer" logo in it. It isn't all that special but i get a lot of compliments when i give rides to people.

My girl has one i cant remember the model and i made her some palm tree stuff since she likes the paradise stuff. I cant change mine but i rarely use the vids i just love the display.

I have been using a JVC kdsh99 for about 5 years now, I would definatly reccomend it. I am powering a 6.5" infinity componant system and I don't get any distortion when its cranked. check them out!

Speakers good. As for JVC, i wouldnt recomend those as a budget unit. Even the arsenal series isnt that great. But everyone has there preference. Also i have been through 2 jvc units one stopped working the other one started smoking.

I would take a look at the Sony CDX-GT805DX
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ivM8eKVpsug/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=158GT805DX&search=Sony+CDX-GT805DX&tp=5684&tab=detailed_info

It has a lot of features that is vital for sound quality and sound imaging

- Intelligent Time Alignment (I-TA) (puts you in the center of the
sound stage/ can customize it for each speaker)
- DSO 3d (Allows you to adjust virtual elevation, depth, width)
- BBE MP (comes mostly with all sony head units)
- 3-pair 4V preamps output
- Subwoofer pre-amp channel
- Line-in
- HDEQ (Allows you to adjust each speaker (FL, FR, RL, and RR)
independently)
(63 Hz, 100Hz, 160Hz, 250Hz, 400Hz, 630Hz, 1kHz, 1.6kHz, 2.5kHz,
4kHz, 6.3kHz, 10kHz, and 16kHz) +/- 6dB
- CD Changer control
- WMA, MP3, atrac
- DRIVE S HX (Sony's high end sound chassis, high-end audio caps)
- Advanced fluorescent display
- 24 bit D/A Converter bitt-bur brown

Retail price is $330 dollars

but you can buy it off of ebay for ~$ 150
http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-AM-FM-CD-MP3-PLAYER-CDX-GT805DX-NEW-CDXGT805DX_W0QQitemZ280162182289QQihZ018QQcategory Z39753QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is probably Sony's best head unit when it comes to sound quality.
Probably not as good as Kenwoods top models, but it does pose a challenge for a cheaper price.

Few months late on this one, and sony, best and sq dont belong in the same sentence. But this is of course my opinion.

"- Intelligent Time Alignment (I-TA) (puts you in the center of the
sound stage/ can customize it for each speaker) "

why in the world would you want to be in the center of the soundstage ?

" DSO 3d (Allows you to adjust virtual elevation, depth, width) "

I would love to see what freq manipulations they are using

"- BBE MP (comes mostly with all sony head units)"

don't use BBE, it works by creating even order harmonic distortion and adding it into the signal.

"- HDEQ (Allows you to adjust each speaker (FL, FR, RL, and RR)
independently)"

that's a nice thing to have, makes tuning a LOT easier

" DSO 3d (Allows you to adjust virtual elevation, depth, width) "

I would love to see what freq manipulations they are using

"- BBE MP (comes mostly with all sony head units)"

don't use BBE, it works by creating even order harmonic distortion and adding it into the signal.

I only use DSO 3d when I have to... when another person is in the passenger side, i raise the virtual elevation up. Otherwise, it does sound unnatural, but relatively decent.

Yes, I noticed a long time ago that BBE was completely crap. It tinnies the highs and muddies the mids. You'll better off not using it. DSO 3d is more of a gimick than an actual feature. Other than that, it is a good sounding head unit.

actually, BBE will make the voice sounds easier to understand ..... the military figured that out in like the 40's or 50's. But it's also easy to overdue.