Hey all.

I've started thinking about upgrading my HU. It's an Alpine CDA-7940, one of their old top-end(ish) models from ~1998. Passive unit with no internal amp, which I got from Tweeter, Etc. for about 60% off, as an out-of-the-box deal.
It's served a year in my '94 Acura Integra, and now four and a half years in my RS.

It's a good soldier, and nothing's wrong with it. But.... it doesn't handle CD-Rs. Skips and searches like mad with most of them; some better than others. Here's my system aside from the HU:

- Boston Acoustics RC61 front components (kick panels)
- DEI HE-1062 coax rears
- AudioControl Four.1i in-dash EQ/line driver
- Alpine MRV-F353 five-channel amp
- Boston Acoustics Competitor 1000 subwoofer (10")

Ideally I'd like to upgrade the amp, but that would require much more than I'd care to spend. At least on this car. So it comes down to the HU. And honestly, the ability to play CD-Rs wouldn't make the decision for me....


It'd have to sound a hell of a lot better, too. In passing, through some of my (and others') past posts, some people have said they didn't notice much. Others disagreed. So I guess I want to collect some opinions.

I'd very likely stay loyal to Alpine, or else move to Eclipse. (Alpine would be nice, since I could just plug the new deck in, without needing a new harness. I checked on that with a post a few weeks ago.) Don't need DVD capability or navigation, and the deck would have to be black. No silver. From what I've seen on Alpine's website in their recent inventory, there's not much to choose from, in the way of passive HUs. Not sure about Eclipse.


But would there be a big bump in clarity, etc. in a six-year-newer unit? I'd think so, but then again, passive HUs are pretty damned good anyway.

So.... thanks in advance!
=S2=

ps - I posted this exact thread a few days ago on www.nasioc.com, where I frequently lurk.
Got a few good opinions, but I wanted to talk to the experts!
(I had to re-register here, though. Guess I'd been away too long....)