Thanks for those that helped with suggestions and opinions. For about $800 I made a huge improvement from the stock stereo. I won't be winning any contests but this suits my listening just fine and looks clean.

Chose the Alpine 9887 to try and match the factory amber lights. It looks great at night but not so good in daylight. I end up switching to a blue display during the day.http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd111/vike987/DSC00633.jpg

Mounted the sub behind a carpeted board in the trunk. I removed the stock rear speakers to help get some bass up front.http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd111/vike987/DSC00642.jpg

Mounted the amp to a piece made from a Rubbermaid trashcan. Cut to fit and carpeted, not too shabby for $4. It helps cover wiring and the crossovers.http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd111/vike987/DSC00643.jpg

Turned the ashtray into an ipod holder awhile back with the stock stereo.I decided to keep it mostly since it looked cool.http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd111/vike987/DSC00634.jpg

closer pichttp://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd111/vike987/DSC00635.jpg


I installed MB Quart pvf 216 speakers up front and followed the directions here for mounting tweeters in the doors and 6.5s in the kick panels.

Thanks again for the help.

Not to shabby.
I love your fit and finish to all the new panels and ipod.
Nice work!

Good looking setup.
How do you like the Alpine 9887? I am thinking about picking this head unit as well.

Thanks for the kind words. I really like the head unit but it probably has more features then I need. I am waiting for my neighbor who works for Klipsch speakers to help me fine tune it. Right now some songs sound great and some sound pretty bad. Thats probably more to do with my set up then the head unit. The Alpine is VERY adjustable with different settings to suit your tastes, I am more the get it right and leave it type so like I said, it's more then I need. The amber display looks awful in daylight, thats my only real complaint.

Have you tried the imprint module with it?It allows yoy to switch between your own settings and the imprint set up so it doesn't mean you lose tuneability, just means you have to choose between the two. Takes about 40mins to do a full tune

Any links that walk an audio dummy through the process? I have seen some write ups and was hoping my Klipsch buddy could make sense of it all. He is more on the executive sales side of the business but seems very knowledgeable about audio in general, but I believe he is mostly geared towards home equipment.

I have the same head unit and I am happy with it. I have absolutely no clue how to set it up properly however. Looks nice!

I have the same head unit and I am happy with it. I have absolutely no clue how to set it up properly however. Looks nice!

Trade for a 9885? The extra capabilities of 87 are a waste if you don't tune them (well, mostly... the nicer DACs might make some difference).

:D

You can rent the IMPRINT device from Crutchfield (for like $50 but it should be a one time thing...) and I believe tuning is more or less automatic... I'm sure Alpine has tried to make it more or less idiot proof.

I 99% sure this is the head unit I am going for now.

Thanks for the advice on renting the IMPRINT device from Crutchfield. I am also going to call around the area here and see if any of the car audio shops do the same. Usually I am good at tuning stereos (at least everyone else tells me I am) so I am going to give it a try first. Other than not being able to adjust the treble/bass directly, are there any other IMPRINT only features? Does the IMPRINT just use all of the user adjustable features of the 9887 to make the tune, meaning could I match it as well doing it myself?

You're not going to be able to match the imprint features. Yes, you might be able to tune to a similar level or to a level you prefer, but the imprint has something like 512bands of eq and also applies time alignment.

The imprint tuning is easy to use, but you will need a laptop and I used a tripod to get the microphone in the right place. Tuning involves hooking the wires together (easy) then putting the mic in the place the computer tells you to and pressing go. There;s 6 steps (front r, front l, front centre, rear r,l, and c).

You need to do it somewhere reasonably quiet (carport on a quiet street worked for me), and you want to make sure you don't accidentally unplug anything while moving the mic around. This happened to me and I had to start again.

Should add probably best to hook the battery to a charger while you're doing it

i'd still trust my ears over a computer.

but that's just me.

Thanks for the advice on the Imprint feature, thats exactly what I need.

A trashcan for an amp mount, I've never seen that before! Is it sturdy enough to hold the amp on it's own? I might build an amp mount in that location and use the trash can to hide it...

I used two 8" metal "L" brackets mounted to the floor. Attatched a piece of MDF the size of the amp to the brackets. Then put the cover in place and ran the mounting screws of the amp through the cover and into the MDF. It is rock solid.

Thanks for the kind words. I really like the head unit but it probably has more features then I need. I am waiting for my neighbor who works for Klipsch speakers to help me fine tune it. Right now some songs sound great and some sound pretty bad. Thats probably more to do with my set up then the head unit. The Alpine is VERY adjustable with different settings to suit your tastes, I am more the get it right and leave it type so like I said, it's more then I need. The amber display looks awful in daylight, thats my only real complaint.

I might need his info ;) My dad is redoing our theater room.

Great setup! I really like your I-pod holder. Did you make and if not where did you get it from? I want one in my car!

There is a little write up about the ipod holder with some better pics in the e36 m3 section. PM me if you have any questions but its pretty easy.

I really like that iPod mount. Looks great!

Well done neighbor...well done!!!

I love your ipod mount, if only I had a video ipod instead of a 4th gen

Nice and clean job....

Just the way i like it!

Well done!!

So impressive, very inspiring and damn i don't think the complements will end about your ipod and amp mount!

that rubbermaid thing...pure brilliance

The ashtray iPod holder looks incredibly nice. Great job man!

looks good!!!!

How difficult was the ashtray install? and does the ipod pop out at all when going over bumps?