Installing CDA-9811

[aleath]

I'm thinking about getting the Alpine CDA-9811 to replace my factory head unit. Here are two sites with info about it.

Crutchfield: http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-lb ... 500CDA9811

Alpine: http://ecominet2.alpine-usa.com/pls/adm ... &p_main=10


I'm probably going to get it from Etronics ( http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=alpcda9811 ) since Crutchfield will be about $86 more. I have the JBL audio package that came with the car and want to keep it for now, so I just wanted to make sure I'd be able to do that. Will a wiring harness allow me to connect the Alpine head unit to the JBL system? I didn't know if the Alpine unit having the internal amplifier would interfere with the JBL external amp.

[aleath]

I've done a bit more research and have answered a few of my questions.. of course


I also wanted to get peoples opinions on what they would do. I have been looking at the CDA-9815 and like the fact its got the 2 line display (nice for MP3s and XM radio). I found it for $385, so around $130 more than the CDA-9811. Would it be worth the hassle of having to directly wire it to the battery for the two line display? Thats the real difference in my opinion.. if you get down to it, it has 4 more RMS watts per channel, bass engine pro, etc. But that doesn't seem that significant.

[99solarai4]

I've done a bit more research and have answered a few of my questions.. of course


I also wanted to get peoples opinions on what they would do. I have been looking at the CDA-9815 and like the fact its got the 2 line display (nice for MP3s and XM radio). I found it for $385, so around $130 more than the CDA-9811. Would it be worth the hassle of having to directly wire it to the battery for the two line display? Thats the real difference in my opinion.. if you get down to it, it has 4 more RMS watts per channel, bass engine pro, etc. But that doesn't seem that significant.

when i got my alpine it said to directly wire it to the battery. i asked around at the local stereo shops and they said that was only necessary on fords for some reason. i wired mine in the dash, as did all of my friends with alpines, and there have never been any problems.

[aleath]

I was looking at the Alpine data sheet for the CDA-9815 and saw the only difference in power requirement was that the 9815 requires a 20 amp fuse whereas the 9811 requires a 15 amp fuse. I looked in my fuse box this morning and saw that the radio has a 20 amp fuse on its wiring already... so like 99solarai4, I shouldn't need to directly wire the head unit to my battery?

[Gunman]

anything with a v-drive should go to the battery or fuse block, all others are a standard install. If you dont and for whatever reason, you could damage the mosfet, and by that alpine will know if it was wired to the battery or not, thus determining if you voided your warranty. Its always a good idea to be safe than sorry.

[aleath]

anything with a v-drive should go to the battery or fuse block, all others are a standard install. If you dont and for whatever reason, you could damage the mosfet, and by that alpine will know if it was wired to the battery or not, thus determining if you voided your warranty. Its always a good idea to be safe than sorry.

I called Audio Express in Richmond VA (pretty big audio chain in VA) this morning and the guy I talked to said they've only had to direct wire one V-Drive head unit so far. Said all the others they wired like a non V-Drive unit and have had no problems. It looks like it would be perfectly safe since the radio electronics have a 20A fuse on them as required by the V-Drive and it will only be pulling 108 watts RMS.

On the other hand it doesn't look that hard to wire directly into the battery. Would the process of directly wiring the head unit be similar to when you helped Peter install his audio equipment? The parts to wire it aren't expensive and it doesn't look to be too hard, so I may end up doing it.

[Gunman]

Its very simple to go directly to the battery, in the solara. Me personally, I go directly every time, I can name a few lazy installers that its bitten them in the ass, while others it hasnt. What happens sometimes it that the fuse for the radio is shared by other components in the car. Many of them share the cig lighter, and when they have it up and go to either light up or plug something in, you could cause something. It might be just a poped fuse, but who wants to keep going back to a shop for that, when the installer should of took an extra 10 min or so to connect it to alpines standard. I tend to trust the tech, and enginers who designed it rather than local shops. Also talking with head of east coast alpine america, not too long ago over this very matter, he mentioned there's the possibility that the effect could develop long term, after your warranty is over. How much would that suck? I dont believe in shortcuts my self, but thats just me. You very well may not have anything happen, I would hope no, considering the price of the units. With that in mind, I would protect my investment.