I just installed my new HU and was kinda happy as this was my first upgrade to my RA besides a perrin shorty antenna. Ive had Pioneer radios for like the past 10 years so i decided id go with a alpine this time, and im glad i did. The stock speakers or whatever speakers were in the car when i got it sound amazing with the Alpine 9885. The install was easy of course since we just use the stock brackets for the new HU. Everything else was self explanitory, i didnt have the S&S package but the wire harness came with all the plugs in case i did so if anyone needs that plug for the amp and stuff let me know since im not gonna need it. Anyway i was just happy to get this installed without any problems at all, took maybe 10 min.

 

nice install,
looks a lot more flush and professional than my pioneer.
im still debating the orbital bracket for a 2xdin screen...
but that mod wil lbe in the region of 600$ if you include the HU.

Still looks nice, sounds a lot better than the stock hu right?

 

Dude, I just put that same deck in my RA. I LOVE IT!!!! Way better than my Kenwood x791 for iPod controls. The sound is amazing. Only bummer is there isn't a 6 band eq, but no biggy. You have 2 band + changing factory eq through Rock, Pop, etc. The outer bezel ring wouldn't go around my kenwood, but fit just fine on the alpine. Definitely recommend this deck to anyone in an RA... well actually the 9886 comes out in a week. Pick that up or the 9887. I have been using Kenwood for 10 years, I think I'm not all about Alpine.

 

i just finished installing my 9883. its nice and sounds alot better but the ipod controls really sucks. its so hard to use and find songs. anyone else feel this way or am i just not using it right?

 

Well i have a 9885, and I LOVE my ipod controls. I don't know how the 9883 works but I'd think it would be the same. I had a kenwood Excelon x791 in my RA before (moved it to my truck), and the ipod controls were the worst in the world on that. You could browse via genre, album, artist, etc. But you could only go a-z. At 3 at a time. Could not do Z-A. So if you wanted to listen to something in the Z's, and had 5000 songs on your ipod, you'd be scrolling for 10 minutes.

Remember you have some options when browsing your ipod with the alpine. A) you can use the 1-6 buttons to do % jumps. So if you are on the A's and want to get to F you'd hit 2 or 3. B) you scroll with the bigwheel on the head unit by pushing your finger on the side and moving your finger... you don't need to put it ON the side, just front side. makes it like using an iPod wheel. I'm not sure what your specific complaint is. If I knew I'd be able to tell you how to fix it or tell you there isn't a fix.

 

i've only played around with it for a little bit so i'm still learning. my biggest complaint so far is that when the ipod is in play, the name of the songs are not shown. it just says track 1, track 2... i havent completely figured out how to browse through the songs yet besides going through it one by one. i will try what u just said tho.

 

I know on the 9885 and 9887 there is an iPod button on the right side of the face plate. If you hit that it will toggle how the names are displayed. Keep hitting it for different results. It looks like on crutchfield's website that the 9883 has the same button. You can do that, you can also browse your menu. Just remember, the buttons on the side. You can return and enter. If you're browsing your ipod, return all the way back. Remember that if you have mix on you won't be able to control it. Hope this helps!

 

finally figured it out! alot easier now and i take back what i said about the controls being sucky. i really love how much the reciever really improves the sound quality. thanks for your help migs

 

No problem bud. I was the biggest Kenwood fan in the world until I got my deck. I still love kenwood's sound, but I love the Alpine controls + sound.