These units original came out in 88-1989ish and was top of the line back then (and still is today)
The limited 30th anniversary model came on in 1997, which Alpine only made
300 units. It had a bronze plated chassis, better RCA cables and other refinements.
It recently won an award as the best ever sounding car cd player.
Original MSRP was $1200
The build quality, sound quality is next to none.
This is/was the must have unit for the Japanese audiophiles.
Alpine's 7909 Head Unit Wins 'Best Ever' CD Receiver Award
The limited 30th anniversary model came on in 1997, which Alpine only made
300 units. It had a bronze plated chassis, better RCA cables and other refinements.
It recently won an award as the best ever sounding car cd player.
Original MSRP was $1200
The build quality, sound quality is next to none.
This is/was the must have unit for the Japanese audiophiles.
Alpine's 7909 Head Unit Wins 'Best Ever' CD Receiver Award
Added info:
Depending where you are in the world, there were 4 7909 models:
- 7909 U.S.
- 7909L U.K-EUROPE
- 7909J JAPAN
- 7909 30th anniversary edition U.S.
1.) The original 7909 has the "pull out" feature. Basically, you can slide out the head unit from your dash. While so many people jump up and down yelling, "that's cool," The consumers in Japan will not accept that. The pull out feature results in each connection, each contact meets a barrier since the 7909 basically "plugs into" it's cage. In other words, the signal is sent, met by the cage terminals but still needs to send that signal to your amplifier...it's not a constant flow. Alpine 7909 30th anniversary and 7909J, do not have the pull out feature and, each connection, each contact has a direct path to your amplifier. Believe me, that pull out feature was a major failure in the original 7909.
2.)The 30th anniversary and 7909J have small black box marked, "Alpine." That is actually a small external DC/DC convertor....the results is a cleaner power supply, cleaner signal and a more solid image. Original 7909 does not have that.
3.) 7909J has a "Black Out" CDS button. Press it and all tone control and lights circuits on the head unit are turned off. This allows a cleaner signal as a result of less interference and full voltage being needing to feed only the laser and spinning mechanism.
The 30th anniversary and original model has the CDS Button. It's a tone control bypass switch. There is an amber led that comes on when engaged. It bypasses the two sliders on the top of the unit....bypassing what is know as a noisier section of cd players. Cool feature.
4.) Vocals are cleaner. There's more detail with out the brightness that original 7909 has.
5.) 7909 30th anniversary and 7909J have Copper plated chassis for noise/interference reduction.
6.) All models play CD-R.
Depending where you are in the world, there were 4 7909 models:
- 7909 U.S.
- 7909L U.K-EUROPE
- 7909J JAPAN
- 7909 30th anniversary edition U.S.
1.) The original 7909 has the "pull out" feature. Basically, you can slide out the head unit from your dash. While so many people jump up and down yelling, "that's cool," The consumers in Japan will not accept that. The pull out feature results in each connection, each contact meets a barrier since the 7909 basically "plugs into" it's cage. In other words, the signal is sent, met by the cage terminals but still needs to send that signal to your amplifier...it's not a constant flow. Alpine 7909 30th anniversary and 7909J, do not have the pull out feature and, each connection, each contact has a direct path to your amplifier. Believe me, that pull out feature was a major failure in the original 7909.
2.)The 30th anniversary and 7909J have small black box marked, "Alpine." That is actually a small external DC/DC convertor....the results is a cleaner power supply, cleaner signal and a more solid image. Original 7909 does not have that.
3.) 7909J has a "Black Out" CDS button. Press it and all tone control and lights circuits on the head unit are turned off. This allows a cleaner signal as a result of less interference and full voltage being needing to feed only the laser and spinning mechanism.
The 30th anniversary and original model has the CDS Button. It's a tone control bypass switch. There is an amber led that comes on when engaged. It bypasses the two sliders on the top of the unit....bypassing what is know as a noisier section of cd players. Cool feature.
4.) Vocals are cleaner. There's more detail with out the brightness that original 7909 has.
5.) 7909 30th anniversary and 7909J have Copper plated chassis for noise/interference reduction.
6.) All models play CD-R.
Its a long time ago but i still have in my mind the unit that was prodused by Alpine
with the 3 cd changer in one din unit...it was so expensive but it has one simple problem....could never produses copy cds only the original ones....all the peoples like it but when they try to put their own discs they were so dissapointed....but it could reproduse so beautiful sound from original cds....so warm and sweet music...i can not remember right now the model
with the 3 cd changer in one din unit...it was so expensive but it has one simple problem....could never produses copy cds only the original ones....all the peoples like it but when they try to put their own discs they were so dissapointed....but it could reproduse so beautiful sound from original cds....so warm and sweet music...i can not remember right now the model
Ya, early Alpine cd players all red cdr's. Early 1992-1997 Alpine cd players dont like to read cdr's.
Alpine 7909 30th anniversary model for sale?
Anyone else have a NOS 7909 or 7915?
Ready to part with her yet?After a long search, numerous bumping threads, I finally got my Holy grail Alpine 7909 30th anniversary model, #291/300.
Someone had contacted me stating they had a mint in box unit. I paid $700 shipped which was fair.
Anyone else have a NOS 7909 or 7915?
Congratulations!After a long search, numerous bumping threads, I finally got my Holy grail Alpine 7909 30th anniversary model, #291/300.
Someone had contacted me stating they had a mint in box unit. I paid $700 shipped which was fair.
Anyways, I havent installed it yet, so heres some pics.
A fantastic HU.
About type sound, Nakamichi MCT1 is for me a direct competitor and i prefer it.
But shades only.
Two maximum performances, and i prefer the Alpine's construction.
It's a pity unfortunately i don't know the ECD-510.
Never had a problem with a 7909L, super sound and constantly.
Fixed connection are sure better in general, and for this model i think possible a tweak.
For this Alpine the CD-R must have great quality.
I owned a 7909 back in the mid 90s. Was an awesome unit and also nice and simple clean and classic Alpine look.
The Pioneer DEXM88 I had when I worked at Pioneer was definitely in the same league performance wise, more modern looking, also with optical input so the cd changer would use the onboard D/A converter.
We did some lab and listening testing while developing the M88 and the ODR system in the early 90s and found the higher end Alpine products to be very very good both spec wise and with a real open and natural sound. The 88 /ODR Pioneers all sounded a little 'dull' comparatively IMHO, but they were bang on spec wise. Splitting hairs in terms of usable performance, but no doubt the 7909 was not only the grand daddy, but also the King of the Jungle. I would bet it won more IASCA Sound Q titles than the next 3 or 4 brands combined.
When mine stopped working, it was impossible to find the parts needed to repair it, so I gave it to a customer of mine.
Recently bought a CDA-7930 (March 1996) which appears to be related to the 7909, at least in spirit and being a dead head with 4 Volts and made in Japan.
Anyone chime in with their experiences with this unit in relation to the big boy old stuff mentioned above? It's going into my Fox Mustang resto mod build featuring a pile of Orion HCCA 225 250 425 amps and Orion pre amps. I may even unpackage my originally purchased unicorn Pioneer CD1000 for this.
Also, the top end Pioneer stuff all featured solid copper chassis, surprised to see the Alpine mentioned as being plated.
Thx!
Paul
The Pioneer DEXM88 I had when I worked at Pioneer was definitely in the same league performance wise, more modern looking, also with optical input so the cd changer would use the onboard D/A converter.
We did some lab and listening testing while developing the M88 and the ODR system in the early 90s and found the higher end Alpine products to be very very good both spec wise and with a real open and natural sound. The 88 /ODR Pioneers all sounded a little 'dull' comparatively IMHO, but they were bang on spec wise. Splitting hairs in terms of usable performance, but no doubt the 7909 was not only the grand daddy, but also the King of the Jungle. I would bet it won more IASCA Sound Q titles than the next 3 or 4 brands combined.
When mine stopped working, it was impossible to find the parts needed to repair it, so I gave it to a customer of mine.
Recently bought a CDA-7930 (March 1996) which appears to be related to the 7909, at least in spirit and being a dead head with 4 Volts and made in Japan.
Anyone chime in with their experiences with this unit in relation to the big boy old stuff mentioned above? It's going into my Fox Mustang resto mod build featuring a pile of Orion HCCA 225 250 425 amps and Orion pre amps. I may even unpackage my originally purchased unicorn Pioneer CD1000 for this.
Also, the top end Pioneer stuff all featured solid copper chassis, surprised to see the Alpine mentioned as being plated.
Thx!
Paul
You should see what they are worth now. You could probably have bought the car it went in back in the 90s.
Thread bump and testing the waters, I have 2x 7909 30th anniversary decks thinking of selling. they are 23/300 & 99/300 one was only store display use for a short time and the other was used for a few years. as a co-worker once coined "That thing has Lightning Bolts coming out of the RCA's", and as someone else said "Finest Kind". One deck powered a few different systems and on comparing other decks the only (singleDIN) unit that came close was the Nakamichi CD-45 20-bit which I have one of too (personal opinion).