Kenwood X615 review and Eclipse questions

[Overtime]

I installed the Excelon head unit yesterday.

The good:
1) Good looking unit. Very nice when lit.
2) The Excelon integrated EQ/crossover. Wow. That's really cool. I see why people are so into it.
3) Sound quality of internal amp. Not that powerful, but much cleaner. I bet this has to do with #2.

The bad:
1) Mounting depth. I tried mounting it in the top DIN, but using stock brackets, it was deep in there. Unfortunately, due to the widened faceplate (which gets even wider with the motorized D-MASK+) the plastic doesn't fit. Sonova. So I bottom mounted it, and while it's deep in there, I can reach it okay.
2) Fold-down face. I guess my old easy-insert RF spoiled me.
3) Only 2 preouts. Man!
4) Tiny buttons and lots of functions mean it's hard to mess with.

So I went to the local car audio place. Chewed the fat a bit with the workers there, talked some about my car (I even got a "nice Subaru" from a customer...recognition at last!) and eventually got a price on an Eclipse unit.

Apparently, in 2001, they've discontinued the 5441i and 5442i. But the 54410 is still around, and it has 3 outputs and changer control.

It's $300. They knocked $70 off the price without my even asking. No clue about install prices, since they have to do it, but I don't think they'd shaft me too bad.

I'm really close to buying it and returning the X615, which I like except for the mounting depth, which, along with the tiny buttons, is killing me.

To those of you who stock the Eclipse line: is that a good deal for that unit?

It's pretty plain, but having that security is a good thing on a college campus, which is where I'll be at next year. It's definitely worth $300 to me in peace-of-mind. But I want to know if I have any bargaining room in case they tack on any additional charges.

[CosmoTheCat]

The 55410 is just the 5441i with an interface for the Eclipse Commander...

E-Com is funky. It's voice activation for stuff. Windows, stereo, phone... GPS module. Odd. Anyway, I paid $240 for my 5441i so 230 is a decent price. A normal deck install will run you about $40. Ask them if they won't just fill out the card and let you install it, if you want to. They aren't supposed to, but most shop owners are pretty realistic. Hmm. It's 11:30pm, where are your kids? Somebody's kids are lighting off firecrackers in the woods behind my house.
Anyway. 54410 and 5441i look the same. They just added an interface for the E-Com.

[Overtime]

Thanks for the advice Horatio.

I ended up buying the Eclipse today and will mail the Kenwood back to Crutchfield. The Eclipse fits great.

I ended up with the $300 price tag (which is $70 less than the retail, but still pricey.) The owner was a nice guy, very "realistic" as you put it. So that facet of the purchase went well.

It's nice not having to worry about my stereo anymore, and the Eclipse is a very nice, well-fitting unit. I do need to wire up my amp sometime, probably next weekend. High-power HU it's not.

[CosmoTheCat]

The Eclipse isn't meant to be a stand alone unit. It delivers excellent sound quality when you use a good amp though.
I like the fact that I don't have to lug around the face plate, and if somebody does steal it, it won't work for them.

[Blue02WRX]

i have a eclipse 5441 with remote that i will sell for 150, it's about a year old. it came out of my neon, when i bought the wrx