Alpine and Pioneer are two of the key players in the car audio market. Pioneer offers the Pioneer Premier series of car audio products that are generally higher-end than its standard car audio offerings. Alpine offers a full line of car audio products, many of which align closely with Pioneer Premier series products, such as head units, speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers.
CD Head Units
Both companies offer several CD-based head units ranging in price (as of fall 2009) from just under $200 up to $600. The lower end Alpine and Pioneer Premier CD head units, the CDE-102 and DEH-P310UB respectively, retail for almost the same price and include most of the same features, such as iPod connectivity and Bluetooth functionality. The high end Pioneer Premier DEH-P800PRS offers in-depth sound shaping features in the form of a 16-band graphic EQ and an automatic EQ setting, but it also costs $150 more than the higher-end Alpine CDA-9887.
DVD and Multimedia Head Units
Alpine offers several DVD and navigation compatible head units. If you're looking for a basic multimedia head unit, Alpine has a few models that start at $550. If you want the Alpine head unit with a built-in navigation system, you will be spending quite a bit more. Pioneer Premier offers one multimedia head unit that includes navigation and all the frills for around $1,200.
Speakers
If you're looking for variety, Alpine offers many more speaker options than the Pioneer Premier series. The best comparison between Alpine and Pioneer Premier speakers is between Alpine's Type-X speakers and Pioneer's PRS series. Both offer 5.25-inch and 6.5-inch component speaker systems. There are two models of Alpine Type-X speakers, one of which is cheaper than the Pioneer PRS model and one that is more expensive. The Alpine speakers can handle a little more power than the Pioneer speakers, but otherwise the specs are very similar.
Subwoofers
Alpine and Pioneer Premier both have several subwoofer options. The Type-X Alpine subwoofers retail around $500 and can handle a peak power of 3,000 watts. The Pioneer Premier TS-W5102SPL offers twice the power rating of the Alpine Type-X subwoofer, but it also costs twice as much.
Amplifiers
Pioneer Premier offers only a few amplifier models, with one multi-channel amplifier option. Alpine has multiple multi-channel amplifiers. If you are looking for single channel amplifiers, each brand offers two models. The Alpine amplifiers are built with stackable cases, while Pioneer Premier amplifiers are built with vibration resistant H-shaped cases.
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