bought Eclipse headunit - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mbtjc · #1 10-10-2003, 10:13 AM

Yesterday I went into a stereo shop and ended up buying a new HU to replace my busted 13 year old Alpine. Scott (SCLJA) recommended the Alpine 9805, 11 or 13. They had all 3 of those, plus Eclipse, Kenwood and Pioneer. I was there for a good while comparing units from all except Kenwood. I had one picked out from all the other 3 (all same price). Here's what it came down to. The Eclipse looks clean and uncluttered. It is symmetrical and the face is flat and doesn't protrude. The faces of the Alpine and Pioneer units stick out really far, and overall look pretty busy and glitzy, more at home in a Civic than a Benz. Also, the Alpine has green lighting. The Eclipse has white lighting with 2 small blue rings on each dial.

Here's what it really came down to. The Alpine and Pioneer definitely have more bells and whistles per dollar spent. But Eclipse seems to put more money on quality (per dollar) than glitz. Here is what the Eclipse has over the others in build. It does not have a detachable face, perhaps the reason it does not protrude, but it has an electronic security network (ESN). You put in a "key CD", one you hate, and then you stash it away in your house. Anytime power is disconnected, you have to first insert that CD in for the CD player to work again. After so many failed tries, it locks up and it's useless (then ya gotta send it off with all sorts of documentation to get it activated again). The shop owner told me that Eclipse is the least stolen brand of HU in the US. Other things, it has a brass spindle instead of a plastic one (wears out), it has 2 rollers on each side of the CD instead of one going down the middle (what brings your CD in and out). These are just a few things, I'm sure there are more.

I'm convinced that I got a superior built unit. The owner said that SQ is by far the best. Ya gotta pay more for the bells and whistles of other similarly priced units, but I'll take quality anyday over glitz that I'm rarely ever gonna use.

I don't doubt the reliability of Alpine, but I got a 3 year warranty, and a 1 year theft warranty.

The usual disclaimer.... I have nothing to do with Fujitsu Ten. I just really like my new headunit!!

At least give these things a good look if you're shopping for a new HU.

esmith · #2 10-10-2003, 10:16 PM

Yeah, I thing their new range of head units are a pretty good match style wise. Which model Eclipse?

mbtjc · #3 10-10-2003, 10:42 PM

Exact same one you got

Of course I can't compare it to the new Alpines, but in comparison to my old one, it blows it out of the water in SQ. My stereo sounds like never before. By the way, is the only way you can have the clock appearing when it is off, is by changing the display to clock first? Otherwise "all off" appears. I just thought that if you turned it off it would automatically go to the clock.

blackmercedes · #4 10-14-2003, 07:41 PM

When I was in the audio biz, we sold Eclipse and Nak car stuff. The Eclipse was pretty high quality for the price, and we sold lots of the first aluminum-cone subs. Those things could take abuse!

The Eclipse decks seemed to hold up well, and we never had much warranty work on in-dash CD drives, but had some problems with 8 disc changers. However, everyone's car changers are unreliable compared to single-cd drives.

supermech2001 · #5 10-15-2003, 06:01 PM

Alright! Good choice..I recently had a Eclipse head unit put in my 1999 C43.It does have the security code feature that you can put in yourself. My Headunit also has the 24bit and it makes the CD sound very good.Most other Head units I think are around 1bit.
I love the Eclipse though it may be a bit more complicated to tune...at least for a layman like myself.Im sure Pros like Scott at Lajolla can navigate their way around it very quickly.
Phillip
1999
C43
38,800 miles

thornton · #6 10-21-2003, 04:23 PM

Well I just opted for an Eclipse as well for my 93 300e. The unit looks great, and I 'm sold on the quality.

The only problem I've got is my installer is getting a noise from what he thinks is a relay. He referred to it as a 'phase problem." After five hours today, I have a new unit that is not hooked up.

Any pros out there have a clue (aside from getting a new installer)?

esmith · #7 10-21-2003, 09:28 PM

What model number are we talking here? Also, what kind of noise is it and when is it evident? Any outboard amps?

thornton · #8 10-22-2003, 09:48 AM

Model is CD 3413. The noise is a buzz when turning the radio on, car is off.

I don't understand the question of Outboard amps.

#9 10-25-2003, 12:24 PM

Thornton.

It means non internal HU amp.

Like the aftermarket amps sold at
stereo shops.

Louis.

2300com · #10 11-10-2003, 08:14 PM

I bought the same Eclipse some months ago from a little shop as well. I had no clue what the heck they were pushing on me until I did a bit of research. I have to say that their product is really solid and is a great compliment to the typical benz dash.

My father has a 190E that he has owned since new in 86 and is in need of a replacement (after 2 Beckers) and I am suggesting the same as well. Alas, the Japanese market makes some nice products once in a while!

mbtjc · #11 11-11-2003, 10:11 AM

Well I hate to report bad news....but...I'm getting a new one on warranty. My month old Eclipse (3403) will hardly play CDs anymore, and it is incredibly picky on which ones it plays. I have one CD that is pretty much crystal clear which it won't play, and another one which looks like a cat got ahold of it which it plays no problem. Other times it will play a CD one day and the next day it won't. Or I'll be listening and all of a sudden it will just stop...like pausing. It also gets very very hot. So I went to my dealer and told him about all that and he said that Eclipses are the best with scratched CDs, so I know that can't be my problem. He also said that they rarely get any Eclipses in on warranty

The good news is though, that he didn't even look at it, he just typed in my warranty information and he said they'd have one waiting for me and would just switch them out when I'm in town again. So at least the whole warranty thing wasn't a headache. If this next one never gives me any problems I'll pass it off as a fluke, but if it happens again with this next one....we're gonna have problems!

#12 11-11-2003, 11:04 AM

Hi Mbtjc.

Eventough the manufacturing process is mostly
computerized,some parts do get put in or on
by a person and mistakes can be made.
Same goes for the computers,they don't make
mistakes but the people programming them do.

I'm sure that the next unit will be OK,since
Eclipse is a quality product.

Sorry to hear about your problems.
I hope it all will work out for the best.

Louis.