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Alpine CDA-9856

CD player with MP3/WMA playback

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  • Alpine CDA-9856

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Item# 500CDA9856 offer details

Item# 500CDA9856

Review Summary

 
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Alpine

Why replace your factory radio?

Two good reasons - sound quality and cool features. A new car stereo offers power that's superior to most factory radios, along with more sophisticated tone controls. And most car stereos offer built-in or optional features that add safety and fun to life in your car, including inputs for your iPod or MP3 player, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free cell phone calls, satellite radio or HD Radio reception, and connections for building an audio system in your car.

Our take on the Alpine CDA-9856

by Tim Sprinkle
Alpine Authorized Online Dealer

Upgrade your mobile audio experience with the CDA-9856 CD player from Alpine. It'll play back all your CDs, including your MP3- and WMA-loaded discs. Hook up your iPod to the built-in Full Speed connection using Alpine's interface cable, and you'll be able to access and control your music collection with the CDA-9856's controls.

Bass Engine sound shaping gives you total control over the stereo's audio performance, and even lets you manage your subwoofer system from the driver's seat. The built-in BBE processor ensures lifelike sound from all your recordings. The CDA-9856 delivers in the style department too, with striking Alpine design, a detachable black flip-down faceplate, and blue button illumination.

If radio's your thing, you'll appreciate the sensitive AM/FM tuner, along with handy controls for an optional HD Radio or satellite radio tuner. Connect an Alpine CD changer to expand your entertainment options, or use the three sets of preamp outputs to hook up your amps and subs.

Highlights:

  • CD player with built-in amplifier (18 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels)
  • flip-down, detachable face
  • plays audio CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs (including discs loaded with MP3 and WMA music files)
  • Bass Engine (bass center frequency, width, and level, plus treble center frequency and level adjustments)
  • BBE processing
  • three sets of preamp outputs
  • Source Tone Memory
  • HD Radio ready (requires Alpine HD Radio Tuner)
  • controls for an optional XM or SIRIUS satellite radio tuner
  • controls for iPod with Alpine's optional Full Speed interface cable
  • CD changer controls
  • clock
  • CEA-2006 compliant amplifier
  • CD frequency response: 5-20,000 Hz
  • CD signal-to-noise ratio: 105 dB
  • FM sensitivity: 9.3 dBf
  • warranty: 1 year
  • Our 60-day money-back guarantee
Shop all Alpine Car Receivers

    Note: Sorry, Crutchfield cannot ship Alpine products to Guam or Puerto Rico.

     

    Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

    Features and Specs

    Features and Specs
    General
    CEA-2006 Compliant
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    Yes
    RMS Power Output
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    18 watts
    Peak Output
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    50 watts
    RMS Power Bandwidth
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    20-20kHz
    Preamp Outputs
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    6-channel
    Sub Preamp Outputs
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    Yes
    Switchable Rear Preamp Outputs
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    Yes
    Preamp Voltage
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    2 volts
    Display Color
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    White
    Key Button Color
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    Blue/Green
    EQ Bands
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    None
    Wireless Remote
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    Optional
    Steering Wheel Control Compatible
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    ---
    Parts Warranty
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    1 Year
    Labor Warranty
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    1 Year
    Expandability
    AUX Input
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    Optional
    USB Input
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    ---
    Memory Card Slot
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    No
    Bluetooth Compatible
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    ---
    Satellite Radio Ready
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    Both
    HD Radio
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    Optional
    Navigation
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    No
    iPod Compatibility
    Full size
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    ---
    Nano
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    ---
    Touch
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    ---
    Mini
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    ---
    iPhone
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    Tuner
    FM Sensitivity
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    9.3 dBf
    European Tuning
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    No
    Seek/Scan
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    Seek
    Radio Data System
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    No

    Product Research

    Product Research
    What's in the box?

    Download owner's manual

    • CD/MP3/WMA receiver
    • Wiring harness
    • Sleeve
    • Trim ring
    • Face
    • Hard plastic face case
    • 4 Countersunk ISO-DIN screws (M5 x 8mm)
    • Face fixing screw
    • 2 Radio removal tools
    • Owner's Manual
    • Customer Care Registration card

    Our Product Research Team

    At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.

    Features
    CD Changer Controls
    Clock Display Note

    Features

    CEA-2006 Compliant: The specifications given by Alpine for the built-in amplifier comply with the CEA-2006 mobile amplifier power testing and measurement standards from the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association). All manufacturers who comply with the standard can display the CEA-2006 logo on their product.

    iPod Full Speed: The CDA-9856 has an iPod Direct Connection mounted on a 6" pigtail on the rear panel. When used with the optional KCE-422i Alpine Full Speed Connection cable (500KCE422i), your receiver can interface with any Apple iPod with a dock connector. You can quickly and easily search through all of the music contained on your iPod through Playlist, Artist, or Album searches. You can view Artist, Album, Song Information and Song Number right on the head unit's display. The unit can be used with the following iPod versions:

    • Third generation iPod: Ver.2.3
    • Fourth generation iPod: Ver.3.0.2
    • iPod photo: Ver.1.0
    • iPod mini: Ver.1.3
    • iPod nano: Ver.1.0
    • iPod video

    MP3/WMA Playback: This unit can play CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW discs containing MP3/WMA files recorded using the ISO 9660 Level 1 or Level 2 formats. MP3 files with constant and variable bit rates from 8 kbps to 320 kbps and WMA files with constant and variable bit rates from 48 kbps to 192 kbps are supported. The unit is compatible with discs containing up to 510 files/folders, with a maximum of 255 folders. ID3 tags v1 and v2, and WMA tags are supported; track title, artist name and album name ID3 tag data can be displayed.

    Text/File/Folder Quick Search: When you're playing a disc with CD Text, MP3 or WMA tags, you can easily search for a track or file by its title. Once you have activated the search mode, you can use the rotary encoder to quickly scan through the titles to locate the desired track, and select it by pressing the Search button.

    HD Radio Ready: The CDA-9856 can receive HD Radio signals when the TUA-T550HD HD Radio Tuner Module (500TUAT550) is connected via the Ai-NET connector. While receiving HD Radio, the unit can automatically switch between the analog and digital signals, or you can manually switch to the analog signals exclusively.

    Satellite Radio Ready: There are several options for connecting an optional XM or Sirius Satellite Radio receiver to the CDA-9856. To receive XM Satellite Radio, you can connect the optional Terk XMD1000 Universal tuner and the Terk XM Direct Smart Digital Adapter for Alpine (700XMALPIN). To receive Sirius Satellite Radio, you can connect the optional Sirius tuner for Alpine (item # 607SIRALP1) directly to the head unit. A portable satellite radio receiver, such as the Delphi SkyFi2 or Sirius Sportster, can be connected to the head unit via an auxiliary input adapter. A compatible antenna and a subscription are also required to receive satellite radio programming from Sirius or XM.

    Bass Engine: Bass Engine functions provide control over your system, so you can tailor the sound to your personal tastes. Bass Engine includes the following functions:

    • Bass Control:
      • Bass Center Frequency: Select from 60Hz, 80Hz (default), 100Hz, or 120Hz
      • Bass Band Width: Select from 1 (narrow) to 4 (wide)
      • Bass Level: Select from -7 to +10 (-14dB to +20dB in 2dB steps)
    • Treble Control:
      • Treble Center Frequency: Select from 7.5kHz, 10kHz (default), 12.5kHz or 15kHz
      • Treble Level: -7 to +7 (+/-14dB in 2dB steps)
    • Defeat On/Off: You can reset the unit to its factory default bass and treble settings by turning the Defeat function on.

    Power IC Off: When an external amplifier is connected and the built-in amplifier is not used, removing power from the built-in amplifier will improve the sound quality.

    Dimmer: This unit is equipped with an illumination dimmer lead. When the unit's dimmer mode has been set to "Auto" and the illumination lead has been connected to your vehicle's headlight circuit, the display and button illumination will dim to a fixed, preset level whenever the headlights are turned on. If preferred, you may choose the "Manual" dimmer mode setting, so the display and button illumination is dim at all times.

    Interrupt Feature: When a device having the interrupt feature (such as a cellular telephone) is connected to the receiver, the audio signal will be automatically muted whenever the interrupt signal is received from the device. The supplied wiring harness contains a pink/black Interrupt lead that needs to be connected to the device's interrupt signal connection.

    Optional Auxiliary Input: With the optional KCA-121B Ai-NET/RCA interface cable or KCA-410C Versatile Link Terminal, you can input audio from an auxiliary source unit, such as a TV, VCR or portable unit.

    Wireless Remote Ready: The CDA-9856 can be controlled with an optional wireless remote control, such as the RUE-4202 (500RUE4202). The unit has a remote control sensor on the upper right corner of the faceplate.

    CD Changer Controls

    Ai-NET Compatible: An optional Ai-NET-compatible 6- or 12-disc CD changer (including MP3 and DVD Changers) may be connected to, and controlled by, the CDA-9856. With the KCA-410c Versatile Link Terminal (item # 500KCA410C), you can control multiple changers with this unit.

    Clock Display Note

    Clock Operation: This unit allows you to choose "keyed" or "unit on" clock operation. When the clock has been given display priority and the unit is turned off, the clock will be displayed whenever the ignition key is in the "on" or "accessory" position. If the clock is not given display priority, the clock is not displayed when the unit is off.

     

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    Reviews for the Alpine CDA-9856

    Average Customer Review:

    173 people say:

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    2 out of 5

    great sound auwfull ipod controls

    Written By boeingman, Indianapolis on Thursday, February 03, 2011
     
    The good:---- Sound is excellent. --Have had the unit for over 5 years and everthing still
    works like day one.---- All the knobs and buttons are still tight.--- there are no burnt out
    LED's.---- You can hook up an Ipod. ---The faceplate is removable and the unit looks
    really good in your dash.

    The bad: --- Ipod interface is absolutely terrible. The only way to enjoy this thing is to set
    up playlists before you hit the road because it just is not practical to go around your
    entirte menu searching for songs or artists or albums. Even after owning this thing for
    over 5 years, I still have a hard time using the select functions for the ipod. This is
    because it is so counter intuative. Forget about plug and play with the ipod. You
    absolutely, positively , must read the directions to work the ipod controls. FM/AM radio
    and cd player is easy to work but have I made my point yet--> The IPOD interface is a
    nightmare!!! <---

    The way I have adapted to listening to my ipod is to let this thing shuffle songs for me or
    just play song after another for me or to select from a playlist I have created previously.

    I wish Alpine would come out with an update to the interface program.

    If this thing had a better ipod interface control i would give this thing a 4.5 out of 5 stars
    but because of this I rate this thing a 2.

    Again the sound is fantastic but the control for the ipod should be a deal breaker for
    most.
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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    4 out of 5

    Unit is great with an iPod. Install had one hitch.

    Written By Eric W., Durham, NC on Sunday, January 21, 2007
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    I installed the Apline CDA-9856 in my Subaru Outback 2003. I was impressed with the detail of the installation instructions that Crutchfield provided, but there was one gotcha when I pulled my factory unit. My unit was a 6-CD changer/receiver as a double-DIN in-dash unit tied to a nine-speaker system (4 tweeters, 4 door mounted speakers, and one subwoofer in the back cargo area). I was provided with a Subaru wiring harness that matched up with the primary harness on the unit, but there was a second, black 6-pin plug with two wires coming out that was not documented anywhere. A call to Crutchfield confirmed at my unit was a Panasonic and not the McIntosh upgrade unit and the best guess was that these two wires went to the subwoofer. It was not clear whether these wires were line or speaker level because I was unable to locate a secondary amp anywhere in the car. I attempted fashion a wire to plug into the Alpine unit's RCA subwoofer out and crimp onto these additional wires. I was not, however, able to get the subwoofer to work.

    Otherwise the unit works great. I ran the ipod connector (KCE-422i) to the glove compartment to plug into my 3rd gen iPod. With 8,000+ songs and over 40 playlists, I was concerned how difficult it would be to navigate the unit. While the Alpine controls are not as intuitive as the native iPod controls, they work surprisingly well. I will, however, need to start shortening the names of my playlists since these don't scroll as I dial through them. Scrolling on the artist/album/song info works nicely as the songs play. Based on the reviews I've read, Alpine has one of the better iPod interfaces.
    6 out of 8 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    amazing value

    Written By will, Dallas, TX on Wednesday, January 17, 2007
    Installed in a 2002 Acura RSX
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    This is the first Alpine that I have ever purchased, and it will be the only brand that I buy from now on. The 9856 is the third after-market deck that Ive put into my current vehicle, and the only one in the $200 or less price range. It also sounds better than the other two decks, hands down. I was blown away by the sound quality that this deck produces, I finally feel like Im getting my moneys worth out of my boston acoustic pros. Ive noticed that some other reviews have complained about a lack of an eq. The fact of the matter is that you simply do not need it with this deck; just minor adjustments to the bass and treble, and this deck sounds better than ANY pioneer deck that Ive ever owned (with incredibly complex eqs). Other people have mentioned the display as being "boring," and not being able to view the artist and time and whatever else at the same time; I find the display to be refreshing. It is not distracting (very important when driving) and not gaudy looking on the dash. A common trend in the reviews for this product is a general disdain for the ipod navigation system: this is a valid complaint. The navigation for the ipod system is extremely counter-intuitive. More than anything it takes practice and patience. The only problem that I have had with this deck is that the face release button in the top left corner (which is neccesary in order to change discs) no longer works consistently. It has to be pressed in just the right way and is nearly impossible to open when needed, so I mostly use my ipod instead. This is the first deck that I installed myself, and with the crutchfield directions it was a breeze, just a couple of hours.
    3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    As to be expected

    Written By Frank, Houston, TX on Thursday, January 11, 2007
    Installed in a 2005 Dodge Neon
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    Great install. Soldered up the harness and left the remote lead for later. Have yet to try out the XM but so far the ipod hookup has been running two days straight and offers such clear music it makes FM sound like AM...Navigation through the menus required me to have the manual handy a few times but it pays to just play through the menus to find all the different setting. I have read concerns about eq's on this unit. In my opinion set it flat and let it work. Boosting the bass or treble all the way is not a natural sounding system. If one of these is lacking its not this head unit....BUY IT you will not be disapointed.
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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    3 out of 5

    Alpine CDA-9856

    Written By Jeff D, Paoli, PA on Wednesday, January 10, 2007
    Installed in a 1997 Subaru Legacy
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    This unit is very good for the price and for what it does - allow you to control an iPod through the receiver. I deducted one star from my rating because the interface is not very friendly. It definitely takes a lot of practice to use it correctly and even now, almost a year later, I still occassionally mess up searches in my iPod.

    The worst part however, is that to scroll through songs or artists, you have to spin the wheel on the head unit which then cycles through each and every entry (I've got over 3000 songs on my iPod). And unlike the iPod, it does not sense you are trying to speed through the songs so it doesn't skip any. As a result (and why I took away another star), it can take a couple minutes to find a particular song which is extremely annoying. And that's not to mention you're generally not paying close attention to the road while scrolling through songs so it's also dangerous

    3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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    4 out of 5

    Great Unit; Mediocre Menu System

    Written By Eric, CA on Friday, January 05, 2007
     
    The Good: Easy install, all connections perfect, all functions operational. The iPod interface is great and with the receiver's flexible equalization I was able to fine-tune the sound quite pleasingly. I can queue up a song off the iPod and start it up fast, and when I shut down the car and return later it will go back to that song seamlessly. The iPod happily resides in the glove box.

    The Bad: The Alpine control system must have been designed by an IRS accountant. Way too many controls needed for each function. Very confusing to adjust the system options. Instead of just displaying the artist, album and track name on one screen, it scrolls them, one after another, slowly and slightly annoyingly.

    The Ugly: As is typical, the default install has the unit sticking out from the dashboard bezel half an inch, with the obligatory generic trim ring. Clean, but it screams Please Steal this Aftermarket Head Unit. I'm maybe gonna try recessing it this weekend and filling in the standard aftermarket-head-unit gap around the face with some black foam weatherstripping or some such.
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    4 out of 5

    Great Features but Slow iPod Controls

    Written By Brandon, Springfield, MO on Thursday, January 04, 2007
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    Overall, I'm very pleased with this unit. Installation was a snap and the features are all fairly straight forward. I've only had to peek at the owner's manual once so far.

    I chose this Alpine over some other brands because of the high marks it received for its iPod controls. While I'm very pleased that all commands are immediate (no lag time), I am disappointed with one thing. When searching, whether by artist, song title or album, the unit ALWAYS goes back to the beginning of the alphabet instead of picking back up where it left off. This would be fine for Nano's or Mini's but I have a 30GB iPod with nearly 400 different artists (and still growing!). My eyes have to be off the road and on the display for far too long to find what I'm looking for.

    I guess nothing can really replace the genius of the iPod click-wheel. At least my iPod is stored out of harm's way.

    I also purchased the optional aux input and it works great. I simply had to navigate through the setup menu to turn the input on. I used it to patch in my XM Roady and it's a VAST improvement over the FM modulator setup I had previously!

    This Alpine unit packs in a lot of great features and plenty of room to grow for a very reasonable price. And of course, Crutchfield got it to me quick and were very speedy in responding to the question I had for them.
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Covers All My Bases

    Written By Shane, Riverton, UT on Sunday, December 31, 2006
     
    I purchased this deck when it first came out and I have nothing bad to say about it. It is extremely universal with its iPod and ai-net connections. The internal amp drives my 4"'s and 6"x9"'s well. Bass Engine and other sound controls give you lots of tools to tweak your sound.
    This is an awesome deck and I would recommend it to any one along with all of alpines other products! FIVE STARS!
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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    4 out of 5

    Nice Stereo; Get the 422i iPod cable and you're set!

    Written By Healymonster, Pittsburgh, PA on Sunday, December 31, 2006
     
    Great stereo for $200 range. Crisp, clean, sound. Adequate power. Nice (not luxurious) display. Decent sound tweaking ability. Adequate connections for typical system (I'm running a separate amp / sub). Switching between sources (tuner, CD, iPod)very fast!!

    Speaking of iPod (the reason I bought it), get the KCE-422i cable and you're golden. iPod control is flawless. I have 80G iPod loaded with 300 albums (about 3600 tracks). I scroll through that as fast as I can turn the volume knob. Near instantaneous searching. Can search on album, artist, playlist, or song, (why would you ever search for a single song among thousands??? Even on a computer that's pure torture). Display instantly shows all relevant track info from iPod. Some key points most reviewers don't mention is it shuts iPod off when engine off, and resumes playback at same spot when engine turned back on. iPod sound quality is perfect (224Kbps MP3's).

    Cons -
    - blue button LEDs a bit too bright (distracting).
    - selecting artist, album uses different button than selecting song (minor inconsistency, deal with it).

    I read dozens of reviews on other iPod connections. They're all bad(including Alpine's 1st attempt). They either have dumb limitations on # of tracks or info displayed, buggy, iPod loses place when car shut off, or SLOOOWWW. The Alpine "full speed" solution just works.
    3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Great Player!!!!

    Written By Evan, Marshall, Mn on Friday, December 29, 2006
     
    I got this cd player for x-mass and i am very impressed with it! I installed it im my 2003 Grand Prix SE and it went in allmost wihtout a hitch. The only problem was that the adapter for the new sterio was a little to big for the slot in the car so i had to take a file and file off some of the plastic so that it would fit in. Otherwise the instalation was flawless. I didn't even have to bend the tabs to secure the radio it fit in so perfect! And the sterio itself is awsome. i hook it up to my ipod nano and i have all my songs and it is so nice not having to deal with the cds. i have allmost 500 songs at my fingertips! the controls however could be a little easier but you get used to them really quick! And i wish it would allways display the clock wile cycling though the song info. Other wise this was a great sterio for someone who has a ipod! and the styling is great. it looks really sharp and clean in the car! But i don't have any real complaints with this sterio! it is a Great sterio. don't hesitate to buy it. you won't regret it!
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    4 out of 5

    Good Head Unit nice Ipod Interface

    Written By Matt, Yo Philly on Thursday, December 28, 2006
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    I installed this unit into my 2004 Honda CRV. This is the first time that I installed a head unit into my car. This is part of my system which includes Polk 6500 (fronts), Polk 650 (rear), Alpine 40W amp, Sirius Sporster, and a 30 gig iPOD.

    I got this unit so that I could use an Auxilliary input for my Sirius and the iPod interface for my iPod. Sirius sound great - CD quality Stern and the music stations sound terrific.

    The iPOD interface is great I give this 4/5 stars just because it would be great if you could operate the iPOD directly rather than use the Alpine. Having said that though. Once you read the manual and practice it becomes simple and quick and very servicable.

    The sound is terrific many adjustments to determine exactly what you listening preferences are. Installation was easy, I called tech support once or twice but the installation was simple and it was all done in about 1.5 hours.

    The price is great. If you want more graphic features and multiple lines of text pay the extra $$ but I am pleased with this.
    2 out of 2 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Just what I expected from Alpine - Great sound quality

    Written By Doug, Springfield, VA on Sunday, December 24, 2006
     
    For those of you who are thinking of purchasing this headunit (H/U), look no further because this H/U will please your ears. I've owned Alpine before and the 9856 is my 4th. This H/U is connected to an after market amp and speakers/sub, so, the overall quality is excellent. I can't really comment about other reviews where this H/U is running on factory speakers, but, generally, from experience, it should improve the sound quality of your car audio system.

    Spend some time reading the manual and it will be much easier to go thru the process of adjusting your H/U. Overall, it's fairly easy. This unit has the basic functions and can do more. The extra features will require additional component installed to this H/U, such as Bluetooth, HD Radio and few others. I purchased this product for iPod compatibility.

    iPod usage: 2 options in hardware for connection. 1-Alpine Full Speed Connex'n Cable (KCE-422i) OR 3.5mm RA-Stereo RCA cable. I'm using the RCA version. This works just fine IF (a BIG IF) the user sets the iPod to "shuffle" play and go. This cable does NOT do the following: charge the iPod, use the H/U as a controller for navigating thru your iPod.

    As I said before, it's my 4th Alpine. That should say enough about this H/U.
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Alpine CDA-9856

    Written By Nancy, pittsfield, ma on Thursday, December 21, 2006
    Installed in a 2003 Mazda 6
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    good deck!
    3 out of 6 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Great in 04 Honda Accord LX

    Written By bobh344, Dover, NH on Friday, December 15, 2006
    Installed in a 2004 Honda Accord LX
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    OK, I was somewhat nervous about putting a second radio in the car, as this installs in the pocket below the combination radio, climate control. Well, I am very impressed. The installation kit fit like a glove and don't need to bother with the $150 dollar trim/climate control unit. The stock radio/clock still has power, so all is good.

    Now - the deck works great. It looks great, great display and the installation was very easy. The Ipod function takes some getting used too, but I am learning the ropes. The full speed cable is very functional and works great.

    The sound is far better than the stock deck, no comparison. Excellent bang for the buck.

    Crutchfield tech support was great and helped me through a problem that turned out to be a simple problem with the my car's interior.
    3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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    5 out of 5

    Excellent product

    Written By jaredgreenleaf, Kansas City, MO on Friday, December 15, 2006
    Installed in a 2003 Pontiac Vibe
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    This is my first after market cd player and needless to say I read threw a lot of reviews before deciding on the Alpine CDA-9856 and it was a great decision. It was everything I expected and more and at a great price. I couldn't be happier!
    2 out of 3 people found this helpful
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    1 out of 5

    Alpine CDA-9856

    Written By Travis, San Diego, CA on Wednesday, December 06, 2006
    Installed in a 2001 Toyota Camry
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    Crutchfield has done me well in terms of its service and offering so this is no means a slam to Crutchfield. I bought this unit expecting HD radio. It will with an additional fee to buy the additional tuner.

    I had 9815 before I absolutely loved the unit. The 9856 is a lesser version of 9815. Alpine is going the way of Sony in terms of its quality and product.

    I should have bought the JVC instead. Ohh well I will do better next time. Remeber if you buy this expecting HD you need the additional tuner to go with it.
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    5 out of 5

    AWESOME

    Written By TOMMYD3UCE, Vancouver, WA on Saturday, December 02, 2006
     
    This deck is just great. I can't find any flaws about it. I remembered how to operate it within the first day of getting it, although ive always been able to do that. The sound quality is amazing, makes my Infinity's sound so nice its unbelievable
    4 out of 6 people found this helpful
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    3 out of 5

    Not awesome, but probably the best IPOD solution

    Written By tsombrero, Seattle, WA on Monday, November 27, 2006
    Installed in a 1988 Volkswagen Vanagon
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    I agree with most of what others have said but the user interface is really poor. To scroll forward through a menu, for example, you might have to press ">>", the "up" button, or turn the "rotary encoder" (knob). It all depends on which menu you are in.

    To select, you might have to press the button with the funky pages button on it, "func", "mode", or ">". They could easily have cut the number of buttons on this unit in half and made it much more intuitive.

    That said, once you learn the ins and outs, it is a nice unit. I chose it for its ipod integration and based on what else is out there I would choose it again.

    It could use more power. I was hoping to get by without an amp.
    4 out of 4 people found this helpful
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    5 out of 5

    wow...

    Written By Jeff, Washington, NJ on Sunday, November 26, 2006
     
    Wow... That was the first word out of my mouth when i finished installing this unit and listened to it... It was totally amazing. I got this head unit along with the Full Speed iPod cable for my 2001 Nissan Altima and it works like a dream. Like others have said, the menus are somewhat tedious but just read the manual and you'll get used to it... Even with my stock speakers (which are being replaced next week), it sounded so much better than my factory setup. I couldn't wipe the silly smile off my face for like two days straight... One thing to be careful with though.. the faceplate is kind of tough to put back on the unit after taking it off to put it away. But besides that, definatley get this unit and you wont be dissapointed..
    1 out of 1 people found this helpful
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    5 out of 5

    Awesome Head Unit!

    Written By sergioc, Napa, CA on Tuesday, November 07, 2006
    Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?)
     
    I installed this head unit in a 2003 Toyo Taco, and I could not believe how easy the installation was. The wiring harness provided by Crutchfield takes all the guess work out. The physical install is extremely easy on this model vehicle, literally only seven screws and about two hours of your time unrushed. I installed this H/U with the optional IPOD cable and then used the Alpine KCA-121B cable to install a XMRADIO Roady XT, so its all hard wired for optimal sound. I must say the sound is amazing compared to original car stereo. The IPOD controls are slightly difficult to get used to but would not not recommend this deck for this reason. I currently still have stock speakers and it sounds great.
    6 out of 6 people found this helpful
    Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
     
    1-20 of 173 >>

    Accessories

    Add accessories for the Alpine CDA-9856

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    Rated 5-stars by consumers

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      Alpine CDA-9856