Head unit recommendations

[Dadhawk]

My 2013 FRS has a 2014 Pioneer with NAV from the 2014 model year (purchased here, and the NAV module from eBay). The maps are outdated, and it doesn't do Android Auto (AA), but i'm relatively happy with it. I am thinking about swapping it out thought to update it.

We just installed a Kenwood DMX857XR purchased from Crutchfield Outlet with the prewired harness in MomHawk's 2005 Mustang, replacing a previous Kenwood that replaced her Shaker 500 system. Install took less than a half hour, and works with the original Shaker 500 amp, etc. The old Kenwood died after about 10 years, but we had already been considering upgrading because MomHawk wanted wireless AA. It's a little slow to initially connect (takes maybe a minute after the car starts) but other than that works great.

In our 2004 Suburban we have a Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX installed in 2017. It has worked flawlessly but unfortunately predates Carplay/AA. Again purchased through Crutchfield. They sold all the equipment to make it work with the steering wheel controls and to retain all charms/alerts that were tied to the Suburban head unit. Longest part of the install was running the backup camera wiring but that was worth every minute spent on it.

We considered putting the current version of this (AVIC-8600NEX) in the Mustang but it was out of stock at the time, and MomHawk really only wanted AA.

The thing I don't like about replacing the one in the FRS is I don't want the double-din trim pieces. So, I may just stay with the one it for now. I've considered the Chinese android units since they have that shape. I might still do that once the FRS isn't my daily driver. I'm not an audiophile by any means, but I just want it to "work".

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by humfrz

About 10 years ago I had a Kenwood DNX573S installed in my FRS. Yep, the Geek Squad installed it and I played it. It works real good.

The Geek Squad installed the Viper remote start unit in MomHawk's Mustang. They did a great job.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Do you miss not having a physical knob for volume adjustments?

I kinda do, still blindly reach for it and my finger just bumps the screen, lol
Having physical buttons is good enough for me.

Originally Posted by soundman98

still have the 80prs? they're commanding crazy prices these days... almost $400 in some cases. which is still hilarious to me considering my 2 80prs' were picked up for $180/each...


i love my 80prs. i'm still searching for a unit that's as complete and functional. i don't need the full active portion so much, and the 1-global eq sucks, but the massive volume knob, and easy forward/reverse track controls don't exist in anything else so far...

I do still have it along with the carbon trim plate I made for it.
The 3-way active crossover works really well if you end up going that route, lots of tunability. Having a fully tunable front stage in such a small cabin is fantastic. The only three gripes I had with it was 1- the forced Pandora integration, I had to remove the app from my phone because it would default to Pandora mode every time the phone connected. 2- The lack of an attenuation button. Spinning the volume knob down was easy enough, but spin too fast and it doesn't recognize it. 3- The noticeable improvement in sound quality when wired vs just BT. All minor inconveniences, TBH. Really great head unit. The new Kenwood is a worthy replacement but cost 3x as much...

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

I kinda do, still blindly reach for it and my finger just bumps the screen, lol
Having physical buttons is good enough for me.


I do still have it along with the carbon trim plate I made for it.
The 3-way active crossover works really well if you end up going that route, lots of tunability. Having a fully tunable front stage in such a small cabin is fantastic. The only three gripes I had with it was 1- the forced Pandora integration, I had to remove the app from my phone because it would default to Pandora mode every time the phone connected. 2- The lack of an attenuation button. Spinning the volume knob down was easy enough, but spin too fast and it doesn't recognize it. 3- The noticeable improvement in sound quality when wired vs just BT. All minor inconveniences, TBH. Really great head unit. The new Kenwood is a worthy replacement but cost 3x as much...

Did your wireless remote not have an attenuate button on it? I thought all Pioneer remotes have them.

I should post pics of the three different remotes I've used over the past 25 years, for nostalgia purposes. They all still work too!

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Did your wireless remote not have an attenuate button on it? I thought all Pioneer remotes have them.

I should post pics of the three different remotes I've used over the past 25 years, for nostalgia purposes. They all still work too!

Haha that'd be funny to see. One man's history of car stereo remotes, lol
Now that you mention it, I think it did... It's sitting on the workbench in my garage. Never occurred to me to use the remote when the HU is right there. Kinda forgot it existed.

[Dadhawk]

Update on my post #15 above.

The Kenwood unit I mentioned we installed in the Mustang lasted less than two weeks. It developed an issue where anytime it did something on Bluetooth it played at just past volume redline. I thought it was going to blow out the speakers. Crutchfield worked with me for about an hour trying to adjust it, but nothing we did would fix it. It was also happening with multiple phones.

We RMAed the radio and they shipped me the current year model Kenwood MDX9707S for basically the same price. Took about an hour to swap it out, most of that time was disassembling and reassembling the interior. In the Mustang you have to remove the top half of the console and a couple of dash panels to get to the radio. So far, working like a champ.

I also discovered the Pioneer in our Suburban DOES do AA/CP but it only works wired. The USB cables I had installed 5 years ago (replacing one of the two power ports (OK, Cigarette lighters) in the front console were not up to spec for AA. I ordered a douple USB port cable from Crutchfield that was AA certified, one set for the Mustang and one for the Suburban.

20 minutes of work to pull out the Pioneer, and replace the cable, and now I have AA (wired) in the Suburban. I then purchased this Android Auto Wireless adapter that allows use of AA wirelessly on a headunit that only does wired. Both units work great.

Honestly, not sure how often I'll use the wireless adapter, likely just on short trips around home. AA sucks the life out of your battery wirelessly so anything with any distance you'd want to charge anyway. The adapter does have a passthrough power charger but I'm not really sure what that buys you if you have to plug in anway.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Update on my post #15 above.

Honestly, not sure how often I'll use the wireless adapter, likely just on short trips around home. AA sucks the life out of your battery wirelessly so anything with any distance you'd want to charge anyway. The adapter does have a passthrough power charger but I'm not really sure what that buys you if you have to plug in anway.

@Pat uses AA with his 22 BRZ, I think with a wireless adapter. He had the same complaint of insane battery usage. Can't remember if he found a workaround. The Kenwood I installed does Wireless Carplay and Wireless AA (I'm using WCP) and I was concerned about hot phone and battery consumption as I've read it affects iOS as well, but to my surprise it hasn't been an issue at all. I have heard speculation that using the phone's internal GPS processing is what makes them run hot, which may hold some truth because my head unit came with its own GPS antenna and lo and behold the phone doesn't even get warm. Not sure if that's correlation or causation.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

@Pat uses AA with his 22 BRZ, I think with a wireless adapter. He had the same complaint of insane battery usage. Can't remember if he found a workaround. The Kenwood I installed does Wireless Carplay and Wireless AA (I'm using WCP) and I was concerned about hot phone and battery consumption as I've read it affects iOS as well, but to my surprise it hasn't been an issue at all. I have heard speculation that using the phone's internal GPS processing is what makes them run hot, which may hold some truth because my head unit came with its own GPS antenna and lo and behold the phone doesn't even get warm. Not sure if that's correlation or causation.

To my knowledge, all AA/CP headunits have a GPS antenna. All the ones on Crutchfield sells, definitely do, whether they have built-in mapping software or not. The one in our Suburban has one, although I can't attest to whether AA uses it.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

@Pat uses AA with his 22 BRZ, I think with a wireless adapter. He had the same complaint of insane battery usage. Can't remember if he found a workaround. The Kenwood I installed does Wireless Carplay and Wireless AA (I'm using WCP) and I was concerned about hot phone and battery consumption as I've read it affects iOS as well, but to my surprise it hasn't been an issue at all. I have heard speculation that using the phone's internal GPS processing is what makes them run hot, which may hold some truth because my head unit came with its own GPS antenna and lo and behold the phone doesn't even get warm. Not sure if that's correlation or causation.

I think downloading all the maps has fixed most of the issue.

[Dadhawk]

Anyone have the issue where the AA display looks "washed out" and if so did you figure a way to fix it? I tried a couple of suggestions I found searching (go into Developer mode and up the resolution, etc) but none of that seems to make a difference. Happens on both our Kenwood and Pioneer headunits. It's much better in "night mode" but is almost unreadable in Day mode.

[Bobharp]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Anyone have the issue where the AA display looks "washed out"

Does it look OK when you view it head on (@ 90°) My 2020 HU's viewing angle is abysmal. I could never find the specs on what the display is rated at. It loses a lot (e.g. washed out) when viewing details in Google maps from the drivers position. I'm also use to using Google maps on my hi res phone. Which looks awesome and the 2020 HU pales in comparison.
The tragedy of this was once on an exploratory drive looking for curvy roads I wound up on a dirt/gravel road. Was not set up for a rally. Butt cheeks were squooze tight for that. Just could not see the detail needed on the display.

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

and if so did you figure a way to fix it?

No. I've been on the long hunt to swap. As I've stated before, not really interested in enhanced audio, just want a better display and maybe some iDatalink integration. But also the 2020 HU just sucks. Regularly buggy (disconnects & connection blips).



Hope that helps.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Bobharp

Does it look OK when you view it head on (@ 90°) My 2020 HU's viewing angle is abysmal.

Hadn't thought about viewing angle because the native mapping software on the unit is very crisp from the driver's seat, as is all the UI except AA. I'll give that a look.

Thanks.

[Racer X]

I am looking as well. Need Apple Carplay. First interested in iDoing, then Atoto, the Joying and now getting serious about Teyes. Seems all brands have complaints. Hard to tell what is best. Decided want bigger than 7-in. and will get one of the Android radios... but which one?

[Bonburner]

Originally Posted by Racer X

I am looking as well. Need Apple Carplay. First interested in iDoing, then Atoto, the Joying and now getting serious about Teyes. Seems all brands have complaints. Hard to tell what is best. Decided want bigger than 7-in. and will get one of the Android radios... but which one?

All those chinese android headunits are basically the samething, don't mind the brand. Pay attention to the features, resolution, knobs/buttons, and screen size.

I believe they now have wireless apple carplay and android auto units.