Tag: CarPlay

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893s, Alpine INE-W967HD or Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX?

Looking for the Best Double Din Navigation for 2016?

Car Stereo Chick reviews and compares the Kenwood DNX893s, Alpine INE-W967HD and Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX

Double din touch screen navigation stereos are one of the most popular selling products in our showroom. Who wouldn’t want:

On board GPS Navigation (that doesn’t use your data)
Better sound quality
Bluetooth
USB input
Reverse camera capability?

There are a lot of reasons to upgrade your factory radio to a brand name aftermarket double din navigation, but who really makes the best double din navigation for 2016? Well, as I explain to my customers in my showroom, that answer all really depends on what features are most important to you and how you plan to use your new stereo. Each brand has its own strengths and weaknesses as you will see. Get ready for an in depth review on all the Kenwood DNX893s, Alpine INE-W967HD and Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX!

Attention – Please note this is first draft – revisions and additional details to come shortly. Forgive me for any grammar or spelling errors, I usually proofread and revise my posts 30 times before publishing, but I know a lot of you have been waiting a long time for this.

Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX – I’m popular

Like the Nada Surf song, the AVIC-8200NEX is a bit of a catch and when it comes to the choosing the best double din navigation, it is never last picked. The nice thing about the AVIC-8200NEX is the operating platform has been around for a couple years so it is a proven, reliable system. Alpine and Kenwood on the other hand just unveiled brand new operating systems for their units so I’m sure we will see a quirk or two reveal itself over the next coming months. I find the user interface of the Pioneer one of the easiest ones to use and personally one of the most pleasing to the eye, but hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX features a user friendly and intuitive interface.

From the home screen you have several easy shortcuts to:

Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
GPS navigation by Here Maps
Bluetooth Telephone
Your 3 favorite sources
What’s currently playing
Settings

The theme colors and button colors can all be personalized to match your vehicle interior and preference. You can make it as colorful or as dull in appearance as you like.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX Map — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX navigation map screen

Pioneer uses Here Maps for their on board GPS navigation system. Compared to Kenwood’s Garmin navigation, you might find the roads to be skinny and the icons rather small. However, you could just as easily say the icons on the Garmin are too large and take up vital real estate on the 7″ screen. I’ve had 97% positive feedback from customers regarding the navigation, however I do have two complaints I think are worth noting.

I had one customer find it maddening during a long trip from Maine to Connecticut that the system would not automatically re-route to the new route he had decided to take. He had taken the trip numerous times and knew of a couple routes/highways he could use. Although he allowed the system to pick the fastest route, he continued on another route that he knew. However, at every exit the Pioneer navigation (Here Maps) wanted him to get off the highway and get back onto the original route that had previously been calculated and selected. FYI, there is a way around this – you can select an alternative route from the navigation screen, but the navigation couldn’t figure it out on its own. I guess we’re so used to Google reading our minds all the time that we find it annoying when our electronics don’t, you know, just KNOW what we’re thinking.

I had another customer tell me how it wanted them to go the wrong way down a one way street and additionally, it also seemed to think she lived on a one way street because it always wanted her to loop around the block to get to her home address (which was not on a one way street).

One thing worth mentioning is the Pioneer features a latest maps guarantee which is a feature of Here Maps. You will notice these units come shipped with 2014 Maps, but it’s pretty easy to download the latest maps.

Overall the Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX is a full featured and well rounded GPS navigation stereo that ticks off a lot of boxes for users. Aside from on board GPS, the AVIC-8200NEX also features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX features a glass capacitive touch screen which is very bright and responsive. I get asked a lot what that means and basically, a glass capacitive touch screen is like the screen on your smart phone. They are brighter, more saturated in color and more responsive than a traditional TFT resistive touch screen (found on the other Pioneer models AVIC-5200NEX, AVIC-6200NEX and AVIC-7200NEX). The Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX also has all the standard audio features for a sweet aftermarket sound system including:

Three 4 volt pre-amp outputs
13 band EQ
Digital time alignment

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX features digital time alignment, three 4 volt preouts and 13 band EQ — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX features digital time alignment, three 4 volt preouts and 13 band EQ

Overall, the Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX packs in most of the features consumers are looking for these days in a nice easy to use product at what I think is a fair price. I would say my customers think so too because they tend to gravitate towards Pioneer over Alpine or Kenwood (after seeing them in our showroom and checking them out in person).

So where is the Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX lacking?

There are only a few things that annoy me about this model. When it comes to Bluetooth, you cannot have more than one device connected at a time. You can have multiple devices paired, but only one connected at a time. Not ideal if you have a work phone and personal phone, but I would say this probably only effects a small percentage of people.

The only other drawback is sound quality. When it comes to building a high fidelity car audio system, for the true audiophile, the sound quality could be better. It’s by no means, bad, but where Pioneer lacks, Kenwood prevails.

Kenwood DNX893s – The overachiever

Traditionally, Kenwood’s Excelon series head units have always been known for their superior sound quality and thankfully the DNX893s remains true to the Kenwood Excelon sound quality legacy.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Kenwood DNX893s features superior sound quality and sound control — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893s features superior sound quality and sound control

Featuring a 5 volt pre-amp output, the Kenwood DNX893s sounds smoother, more detailed and slightly more natural in tone when compared to Pioneer and Alpine (with everything set flat). Certain tones and frequencies are simply less harsh and more pleasing to the ears. I also have to give some serious bonus points to Kenwood for this additional feature:

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Kenwood DNX893s settings memory recall! — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893s settings memory recall!

Memory Recall – I LOVE this feature of the Kenwood DNX893s

This might seem like such a minor detail, but it can save you time, hassle and a headache. Imagine spending an hour sitting in your car and setting the equalizer for each individual audio source, painstakingly taking the time to measure and set the time correction settings only to find all your hard work has been lost after bringing your car in for routine mechanical service.

If the battery is disconnected, even for a short period of time, both Alpine and Pioneer will lose all audio settings. Kenwood has always had this recall feature for as long as I can remember. You can memorize all your hard work and save it and if you ever need to recall it, you simply hit the recall button. I absolutely LOVE this feature. If you go with Alpine or Pioneer, do yourself a favor and take a couple pictures of your audio settings so you can redo them if you ever lose them. Or just buy the Kenwood DNX893s and hit the recall button.

Bigger Must be Better

The user interface of Kenwood is all about big icons. I think the engineers at Kenwood got tired of hearing me and other dealers complain about the small icons, small clock and difficult user interface. They decided to shut us all up with huge icons, huge text and an intuitive user interface. Cool.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Kenwood DNX893s home screen features big easy to see icons and text — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893s home screen features big easy to see icons and text

As you can see from the home screen on the Kenwood you have easy shortcuts to:

Navigation
What’s now playing
Two favorite sources (easily selectable)
Telephone
Settings (quick tap of the menu button brings up settings)

The icon on the top right is selectable as well – you could either display GPS directional info, bouncy EQ or the clock.

What’s not cool about this screen? Well, if you don’t have anything playing with album art information, the top left icon will show a silly blue splash screen and I don’t think there’s a way to change it. Not that I’ve figured out anyways.

Garmin GPS Navigation – I think it’s better than Here Maps

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Kenwood DNX893S Garmin Navigation — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893S features Garmin GPS Navigation

Everyone has heard of Garmin. They debuted their first automotive GPS system, the Street Pilot, back in 1998 and they have become a household name in the years since. Some find the map layout to be a bit cartoonish, but for those of us that are past that age of, let’s call it having youthful eyesight, the larger icons are well received.

Remember the client I mentioned with the Pioneer navigation that was telling her to loop around her block every time she wanted to go home? I eventually installed this unit instead and she has told the me the GPS has worked flawlessly for her. She found the maps a lot easier to see (she has a Jeep Wrangler by the way, so a convertible) and she found the actual navigation was more accurate. I will mention the unit comes shipped with 2015 maps and I did check to see if there was a free map update, but there isn’t.

Speaking of convertibles and glare – have you ever heard of reverse tilt?

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Reverse Tilt Kenwood DNX893s — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Reverse Tilt Kenwood DNX893s

Most 7″ touch screen navigation stereos have a motorized face that will allow you to tilt or angle the screen back. Kenwood is the only one I am aware of that offers reverse tilt. This is such an awesome feature. So many vehicle dashes these days have an angle to them that really places the vehicle stereo screen in just the worst angle for sun glare. The reverse tilt feature really helps to cut down on that tremendously. I think because of that feature alone, this would be the navigation radio I would encourage all my Jeep Wrangler customers to purchase.

DNX893s – Bonus Features and Pet Peeves

There are a few other really stand out features of this unit worth mentioning. All of these units are iDatalink Maestro compatible, however the DNX893s features some advanced integration such as the soon to be released K40 radar detector integration on screen.

Kenwood DNX893S K40 Radar Integration – Feature coming soon from K40 and iDatalink

Additionally, I was blown away by how good the FM/AM reception is on this head unit. When installing it on my sound board I noticed a ferrite bead on the antenna connection cable. I don’t know if they did anything other than that to improve it, but seriously, I have been blown away by the stations this thing pulls in in cars that don’t usually have great reception to begin with (Jeep Wrangler for one and Mercury Mountaineer for another example).

Okay, now for the surprising and the irritating – no remote control included. Oh and no paper owner’s manual. I was pretty shocked, I really thought the units I got shipped were missing parts. I mean for a $1300 stereo, you would think it would include a remote control or at least a paper manual.

And as for the dual USB inputs, I think the second one is kind of worthless.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Kenwood DNX893S Dual USB inputs — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Kenwood DNX893S Dual USB inputs

Notice one is labeled iPod/iPhone? That’s your main USB input. Aside from an iPod or iPhone, you would also connect Android Auto to that USB port. So what can you do with USB 2? Well, you can’t connect an iPod to it, that’s for sure. You’ll get an error on the screen. When I think back on the Kenwood training, I’m pretty sure they said that second USB input would be for like a memory stick with music on it. So that’s kind of annoying if you’re the kind of person that likes to be able to use their cell phone (either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) and also have an iPod connected to a secondary USB as a back up music source. My husband John and I do this in our Jeep because we often go into areas of Connecticut without cell service on our Sunday drives and it’s just nice to be able to switch your source on the stereo rather than having to try and disconnect your phone while you’re driving and connect your iPod instead. Just sayin, they could have made it play an iPod.

Alpine INE-W967HD – The underperformer

Best Double DIn Navigation 2016 - Alpine INE-W967HD — Best Double DIn Navigation 2016 – Alpine INE-W967HD featuring Here Maps

Oh, Alpine – why do we have such a love hate relationship? I love Alpine’s ease of use and their sleek OEM appearance. I love that you can eliminate redundant or unused sources from your source screen. Sometimes all you want to see is all that is available!

I even love the easy to use swiping menus which you can view in this quick video I made for a customer of an X109-WRA in a Jeep Wrangler.

Alpine, where’s the value?

I hate that it feels like you’re really not getting a lot for your money. For a $1500 navigation Bluetooth radio, you would think it would at least come with a CD/DVD player or maybe Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (no, it doesn’t). But wait, there’s more.

Check out this craziness – I sold and installed one of these in a 2008 Porsche Boxster and it looked beautiful. And I meant to take pictures on the install, but after seeing this model came equipped with 2014 maps, I did what I always do for my customers I started to work on downloading the latest maps – thanks to the Here Maps latest maps guarantee. However, 3 hours later, after 3 different attempts, using 3 different computers and 3 different USB drives, I started to lose it. Half way through each attempted download I kept getting the error “There is not enough memory on your device”. I thought maybe that was not enough memory on my computer or not enough memory on my USB drive. Finally I called Alpine tech support to see what was up (yeah, I’m stubborn, I prefer to try and figure things out on my own before calling someone for help). So get this – it wasn’t me or my computer or my USB drives – Alpine didn’t put enough memory in the stereo! Alpine’s solution? Uncheck the update box for Canada. Really, who goes there anyways? Just joking Canada 🙂

If you can get past the high price, the lack of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, CD/DVD Player and updated Canadian Maps you might really enjoy some of the cooler aspects of the Alpine INE-W967HD.

One thing I found pretty neat is the built in microphone for the Bluetooth. It actually works quite well and that’s one less thing you have to worry about wiring and mounting. Another feature, pointed out to me by one of my well informed customers (Thanks Ryan!), is the parametric EQ. While Kenwood and Pioneer feature a graphic equalizer, Alpine has a parametric EQ which allows you to adjust the center point of the frequency you’re adjusting and the width of the frequency (also known as Q factor).

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Alpine INE-W967HD Parametric EQ — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Alpine INE-W967HD Parametric EQ

Additionally, you still have basic audio adjustments like bass and treble under Tone Adjustment which is accessible with a quick swipe down on the top of the screen.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Alpine INE-W967HD easy bass and treble adjustment. — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Alpine INE-W967HD easy bass and treble adjustment.

The screen itself is very responsive and intuitive. Kudos to Alpine on that. They call it a capacitive touch screen, but it does not have a glass finish like Pioneer or Kenwood does. In fact, that may be better in high glare situations. I haven’t installed enough to really see the difference in bright sunlight, but I imagine there would be less reflection.

Best Double Din Navigation 2016 - Alpine INE-W967HD preset EQ options — Best Double Din Navigation 2016 – Alpine INE-W967HD preset EQ options

I find the overall appearance and graphics to be less flashy than Pioneer and Kenwood and more OEM which really makes it look like it belongs in a vehicle, rather than appearing like an aftermarket product.

Alpine INE-W967HD Sound Quality

When it comes to sound quality, we have found that the built in Alpine amplifiers tend to sound bright and harsh when compared to Pioneer or Kenwood. However, when using an external amplifier, most of that tininess and harshness disappears. Interestingly enough, Alpine also happens to make what we think are some of the best sounding amps out there – their PDX series is our favorite. Yet even with an external amp, it is worth noting the Kenwood DNX893s has a more natural, smoother tone to it.

So who wins Best Double Din Navigation 2016?

I would have to declare Kenwood’s DNX893s the winner based on sound quality, GPS performance and bonus features like reverse tilt, memory recall and improved FM/AM reception. It’s a great balance of features at what I think is a fair price. However, determining which navigation system is right for you depends on what features are most important to you and what kind of user interface is most attractive to you. For a minimalistic, OEM appearance, you may have to cough up a few bucks and give up a few features and go with the Alpine INE-W967HD. If you prefer a less cartoonish navigation than Garmin, but you still want Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, then you should consider the Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX. They all have their pros and cons and I hope this in depth review has helped you select the right one for your particular tastes and needs. Thanks for reading!

Sneak peak at the Kenwood DNX893S

Kenwood DNX893S – Looks awesome on paper and in person

I recently had the chance to go to a Kenwood product training where I got to check out a prototype of the new Kenwood DNX893S.

Just on paper alone, this model has my hopes up and has got me excited about Kenwood again. It definitely looks like it has the potential to be the best double din navigation system of 2016. The DNX893S is part of Kenwood’s eXcelon line and has some pretty desireable features:

Glass capacitive touch screen (like what is on your smartphone – so it is vibrant and responsive).
Onboard Garmin GPS navigation
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
iDatalink Maestro RR compatible (featuring advanced iDatalink features)
13 Band EQ with 5 volt preamp outputs
High Res Audio (supports up to 192kHz/24bit resolution in FLAC or WAV)
New user friendly graphic interface and menu system

User Friendly

“Simplicity” and “Ease of use” were two catch phrases strongly emphasized during the training. It appears the designers at Kenwood finally realized these are legitimate and desirable features and they really made an effort this year to make their products more user friendly. Thank you Kenwood!

Kenwood has incorporated customizable widgets into their screen making it easy to personalize the home screen and easily access the most used sources/features of the stereo. Easily swipe the top right corner of the screen to change the widget displayed. Maybe you prefer to display basic GPS instruction while you listen to your tunes and have a few easy short cuts to radio, nav map or your phone menu.

Or maybe you want a big fat fancy clock on your widget screen. It seems like such a miniscule feature to some, but for someone like me with ADHD (constantly a victim of time warps!) that clock is the easiest and safest way for me to see how late I actually am as I race against the clock to get to my shop before it officially opens for business. Sure, I have a clock on my iPhone, but I don’t want to be fumbling for my phone while I’m speeding to work. It’s the small details that can make a big difference.

Kenwood DNX893S K40 Radar Integration

Speaking of speeding to work – finally! I have had countless customers ask for some type of integration of their radar detector to their stereo system. Most built in radar detectors do have an analog mute wire so you could potentially wire up your radar detector to the mute output of your aftermarket head unit, but this feature goes way beyond the basic mute function. The Kenwood DNX893S will be the first aftermarket touch screen head unit I’ve seen that can give you on screen alerts and information about the radar detector threat.

Not only does the Kenwood DNX893S interrupt and mute the audio (kind of like Bluetooth when you get a call coming in), but it will also show you the speed you were at when the initial threat was detected along with the posted speed limit. Depending on what vehicle you have, you can even use the steering wheel controls to mute the radar detector.

This very cool integration feature is not available just yet. At this point I’m not sure if this will be an add-on K40 accessory that will be able to be integrated with older models OR if this will only be a feature of new K40 systems moving forward. K40 was pretty mum about the exact details of their iDatalink partnership, but did say we can expect to see this integration available in the second half of the year.

More iDatalink Maestro Perks of the Kenwood DNX893S

Aside from K40 integration, iDatalink Maestro has added a few more perks to the Kenwood DNX893s over what was available in last year’s models. There are a few updates in particular that I’m really happy about. In previous Kenwood iDatalink Maestro installations, there was nothing we could do to eliminate unsupported sources on screen.

So for example, let’s say you had a 2012 F-150 without factory SiriusXM. In older Kenwood models with the iDatalink Maestro RR, under OEM features/sources, you might see the SiriusXM icon listed even though it might not be a compatible or available feature – just like what you see with this older DDX9902S in an F-150 below:

DDX9902s Ford iDatalink Integration Features

That was because in some vehicles it was an available integration feature, but not all (more so compatible in GM vehicles than Ford in my experience). So with this minor update, you don’t have any extra and sometimes confusing unused icons under this OEM features menu – it makes a lot more sense to only show the available/compatible features for the particular vehicle the radio is installed in.

Kenwood DNX893s iDatalink Maestro – Less clutter on the OEM screen as only available features are shown.

The Kenwood DNX893S is faster and more reliable than previous Kenwood models

This is probably one of the MOST exciting aspects about this stereo to me. Start-up and boot up time has always been a sore spot for customers with previous feature packed bogged down Kenwood models. Thankfully, the Kenwood DNX893s has a faster processor and more memory than previous models. Additionally, this new Kenwood model is linux based which is generally faster and more reliable.

Users can expect to see speedier boot up times and far fewer quirks/hang ups than seen in previous Kenwood models. With a new dual core processor and automatic cache clearing on start up/turn off, Kenwood has decided to eliminate the old red triangular reset button. What does all this really mean? No more waiting for your Kenwood to boot up in order to back out of the driveway! Kenwood claims their unit will power up and display the reverse camera screen in under 2 seconds.

Kenwood DNX893S Garmin — Kenwood DNX893S uses internal solid state device for Garmin GPS

To keep the Garmin GPS more stable and reliable, this portion of the unit is no longer SD card based and has been switched to a solid state device which has been deemed more reliable. I know I’ve had my share of Kenwood units where the radio itself was okay but the Garmin GPS failed. It’s nice to know Kenwood has addressed this issue.

Additional Cool Features of the Kenwood DNX893S

Additional cool features are the ability to have TWO Bluetooth telephone devices paired and functional at the same time. How many of you have a work cell phone and personal cell phone? Quite a few of my customers do. This feature has been added with you folks in mind. You can still only connect to one Bluetooth audio device at a time and I can see why – it wouldn’t really make sense to try and stream audio from two different Bluetooth audio devices at the same time. Adding to the Bluetooth updates, the Kenwood DNX893s is using HFP 1.6 (previous models were 1.5) which Kenwood says has twice the bandwidth as previous versions. Bottom line? Kenwood claims this is the best handsfree profile chipset they’ve ever used.

The EQ is source dependent – so if you’re still subscribing to SiriusXM you can EQ and boost the snot out of it independently of your cleaner audio sources so you’re not reminded of how crappy it sounds when you switch sources from your iPod to SiriusXM.

And for those of you that really like to be in tune with what’s happening inside your ride, you will enjoy the newly added tire temperature feature under the vehicle info section available with the iDatalink Maestro integration.

Overall the Kenwood DNX893S looks like it could be the best double din navigation system of 2016. Only time will tell. This model is scheduled to ship this month (fingers crossed).

Android Auto CarPlay Kenwood Kenwood DNX893S

Replacing a defective factory navigation radio in a 2012 F-150 with Kenwood’s DDX9902s

Kenwood DDX9902s installed in a 2012 F-150 that came equipped with stock navigation, Sync and reverse camera.

Kenwood DDX9902s – What you buy when your factory 2012 F-150 navigation radio craps out

A couple months ago, a long time customer of mine came into the shop with his 2012 F-150 in need of a new stereo. I asked him why he was considering upgrading and he sheepishly explained to me the stock “POS” navigation screen had stopped functioning properly and shortly thereafter it had an unfortunate encounter with his fist and it now definitely needed to be replaced.

Aside from needing a working radio, the customer was interested in Apple CarPlay and didn’t necessarily need on board navigation since he would have access to Apple Maps. His 2012 Ford F-150 was equipped with the following features that would need to be integrated with or retained:

Sync
USB and Line Input (Aux)
SiriusXM
Reverse Camera
Steering Wheel Controls

Additionally, his factory navigation screen had been the display for all climate control information. Luckily, there is a very cool company out there that specializes in this type of integration and feature retention called iDatalink.

Kenwood was the first to partner with iDatalink. iDatalink is a pretty cool company that specializes aftermarket automotive electronics integration. As a result of this early partnership, Kenwood stereos tend to have more advanced integration features compared to other brands out there like Alpine and Pioneer. Although I had not sold a Kenwood DDX9902s yet, I knew this was really the best solution for this 2012 Ford F-150 and for the customer’s needs. At the time, the Kenwood DDX9702S and DDX9902s were the only two head units on the market that offered the advanced iDatalink integration capability (including climate control ability) and Apple CarPlay (Kenwood has since also introduced the DDX6702s and DDX6902s).

DDX9902S - Tire pressure monitor display 2012 F-150 — DDX9902S – Tire pressure monitor display 2012 F-150

Although there is technically no installation dash kit for this vehicle (2012 F-150 with the OEM navigation), we were able to mount the aftermarket double din DDX9902S in the factory navigation radio opening. After we installed this stereo, I was pleasantly surprised to find the OEM volume knob controlled the new Kenwood radio. This install was accomplished using the iDatalink Maestro RR and FO1 harness. For anyone considering doing this work themselves, please keep in mind you need to set up an account with iDatalink and you will also need an iDatalink weblink programmer and access to a PC with Internet Explorer.

DDX9902s with OEM reverse camera 2012 F-150 — DDX9902s with OEM reverse camera retained 2012 F-150

The factory reverse camera was retained by identifying factory Video +/- and shield and hard wiring these connections to the Kenwood’s reverse camera input. Combining the Kenwood DDX9902s along with the iDatalink Maestro RR and FO1 harness, we were able to retain the factory amplifier, factory Sync USB and line input, factory steering wheel controls and climate control information.

DDX9902S with Ford F-150 climate controls integrated using iDatalink Maestro

Additionally this interface allowed us to display vehicle gauge information and access additional helpful vehicle information. Although the iDatalink Maestro RR did not retain the factory SiriusXM in this particular vehicle (if memory serves me correctly, there was actually an issue with the OEM sat tuner, otherwise I think it would have actually been retained), we were able to simply install the SXV300 tuner and retain the OEM SiriusXM antenna using the iDatalink SAT1 adapter.

After getting an estimate from the dealership to replace the stock navigation, I probably would have punched my dash too. Thankfully, in the end the customer was able to upgrade his seemingly proprietary stock stereo to an aftermarket stereo that will essentially never be outdated (assuming you always have an up to date iPhone or Android phone). Although this customer had an iPhone, the Kenwood DDX9902s is also Android Auto compatible.

DDX9902S - Replaces defective OEM navigation in a 2012 F-150 — DDX9902S – Replaces defective OEM navigation in a 2012 F-150

What if you don’t have the factory Ford navigation radio? No problem, you can still enjoy this kind of seamless integration using the iDatalink Maestro interface. Visit Maestro.iDatalink.com to see what kind of integration features are available for your vehicle.

Android Auto CarPlay Kenwood Kenwood DDX9902s

This week in the shop – Custom Jeep Wrangler Subwoofer and Pioneer AVH-4100NEX

2014 Jeep Wrangler – Another Full Audio System Upgrade

This week in the shop we had another Jeep Wrangler here for an audio upgrade. For this Jeep system, the customer opted for the new Pioneer AVH-4100NEX and a stealth custom Jeep Wrangler subwoofer upgrade.

The AVH-4100NEX is a great option for Wrangler owners for a variety of reasons:

Apple CarPlay Compatible
Android Auto Compatible
Anti-theft Detachable Face!
4 Volt preouts for Front, Rear and Subwoofer
13 Band EQ
Digital Time Alignment

For anyone looking for great cell phone integration, anti-theft detachable face and a great head unit to build an audio system with – the AVH-4100NEX really fits the bill. You can read more about this model in this post here. Additional equipment in this build included Morel Virtus component speakers for the front, Morel Tempo coaxes for the rear sound bar, an Alpine PDX-V9 5 channel amplifier and a good amount of Dynamat.

Since theft is always a concern in Jeep Wranglers, we chose to go for a custom built Jeep Wrangler subwoofer enclosure molded into the rear quarter panel. Although JL Audio offers a few different Jeep Wrangler subwoofer boxes, none of them would really work well for this customer’s application.

Jeep Wrangler Stereo Upgrade - JK-Unlimited-Subwoofer — JL Audio offers a Stealth Jeep Wrangler Subwoofer Enclosure for 2007 and up Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The 13″ TW5 is a bit oversized and it’s really the first generation of JL Audio’s slim line subwoofers – meaning JL Audio has had time to perfect their flat line subs and in our experience, the newest TW1’s have the best sound quality out of all their flat line subwoofers. The 13″ TW5 is not bad, but the TW1’s are definitely tighter, cleaner and more natural in tone.

JL Audio 10TW1 Jeep Stealth Sub Boxes — JL Audio 10TW1 Jeep Wrangler Subwoofer Sub Boxes

JL has had made some new Jeep Wrangler subwoofer enclosures using the 10″ TW1, but the enclosures are placed in a somewhat awkward position. Additionally, there are different methods for mounting the TW1 enclosure depending on whether you have the hard top or soft top. Well, in New England, we usually have both. So that wasn’t really going to work for us.

We decided to remove the stock Jeep Wrangler subwoofer panel in this 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and replace it with the plain panel from Jeep and build an enclosure to fit in the factory location using the JL Audio 12″ TW1. The enclosure was made with some fiberglass and some wood and was build exactly to manufacturer recommendations for the 12″ TW1 (.65 cubic feet – sealed).

Preparing for Custom Jeep Subwoofer Enclosure

First John removed the OEM panel and began prepping the area to begin fiber-glassing.

Marrying Wood and Plastic Panel to Make Custom Jeep Subwoofer Enclosure

The enclosure needed to be attached to the new plain Jeep panel and worked together to create an aesthetically pleasing appearance that was also functional.

Fabricating Custom Subwoofer Enclosure for Jeep Wrangler Unlimited — Fabricating a Custom Subwoofer Enclosure for Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

He continued to blend the two panels together.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Custom Subwoofer Enclosure — Starting to look like a finished product.

Once the material was dry, he smoothed it all out so it could be carpeted to match and blend into the vehicle.

Custom Jeep Subwoofer Enclosure — Custom Jeep Wrangler Subwoofer Enclosure – Blends in nicely.

The finished product sounded amazing and is blended into the vehicle in a clean and unobtrusive manner. The customer still had access to the lower storage compartment as well.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Custom Subwoofer – Storage still accessible.

The end result was a well integrated Jeep Wrangler audio upgrade that provided crystal clear, punchy, warm and smooth sound even at extremely loud volume levels – perfect for those warm summer drives with the top off. If you’re a Jeep Wrangler owner in need of an audio upgrade in CT or NY, please contact our shop Sounds Incredible Mobile (proudly serving customers from Brookfield, Danbury, New Milford, Newtown, New Fairfield, Ridgefield, Brewster, Mahopac, Carmel and more).

Android Auto CarPlay Jeep Wrangler Stereo Upgrade Jeep Wrangler Subwoofer Upgrade Pioneer

Wireless CarPlay is Coming for iLX-007

Lose the wires - wireless Apple Carplay for iLX-007

Apple CarPlay users want to go wireless

Alpine iLX-007 Review - The packaging is pretty sweet — Alpine iLX-007 – The packaging led us to believe wireless CarPlay was coming.

When Alpine first announced the iLX-007 in September 2014, everyone seemed to notice the “Wifi Enabled” feature displayed on the packaging and press release. There was very little information from Alpine at the time other than an assumption that the currently useless feature would eventually lead to a wireless version of Apple CarPlay.

However, if and when that would ever happen was anyone’s guess. It seemed to be a decision that was at the hands of Apple. Yet, just last week at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference an announcement was made that CarPlay was going wireless. So where does this leave Alpine iLX users?

One my readers from Europe received this rather disheartening response from Alpine UK regarding wireless CarPlay on the iLX-700. With the announcement that iOS9 would contain wireless CarPlay ability, Paul emailed Alpine UK asking if there would be an update. Here was the response he received:

“From: AOUK Gait
Date: 10 June 2015 08:07:23 BST
To: Paul
Subject: Re: Fwd: iLX-700
Good Morning Paul

I’m afraid not, the Wifi Chip was only in the first production units and is no longer in the ILX-700, this feature will not be possible on the ILX-700

Regards”

Well, I can’t speak for what Alpine is doing in the UK, but I did speak with my Alpine rep regarding the iLX-007 and here is what he knew about the situation. His understanding is that Apple changed the wireless CarPlay protocol after Alpine already built in the WiFi feature. So the rumor here is that you need to have both Bluetooth AND Wifi to make Apple CarPlay work wirelessly. The other tidbit of information he gave me is that Alpine didn’t stop building WiFi into the iLX-007, they just stopped listing the feature on the box until they figured out what Apple was doing. I’m wondering if the response Paul got was just some corporate BS reply.

I’ve been told that Alpine is coming up with a solution and it will most likely be a Bluetooth dongle that connects to the USB which will add the Bluetooth necessary for wireless CarPlay. I assume there will probably also be a software update for the unit too. There is no ETA on this Wireless CarPlay dongle at this time. Additionally, I wonder if Pioneer will follow suit and create a USB WiFi dongle to allow wireless CarPlay with their models.

Either way, I think wireless CarPlay will be a huge hit. When I show a customer Apple CarPlay for the first time, that is the first question they always have, “Does it have to be connected?”. Apparently we all want everything to work wirelessly. Once Alpine figures it out, I think wireless CarPlay will be a huge hit.

Alpine CarPlay ilx-007 wireless carplay wireless carplay

Kenwood CarPlay & Android Auto – DDX9902s & DDX9702s

Kenwood DDX9902s - Spotify on display at CES 2015

Kenwood reveals two new Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible models at CES 2015 – DDX9902s and DDX9702s

My first stop at CES 2015 was over at the Kenwood booth in the North Hall and my timing couldn’t have been better. I wandered into the unattended room which was displaying the DDX9902s and DDX9702s, Kenwood’s new Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible models. I would later find out this room was normally closed off to attendees and only accessible via supervised demonstration by appointment. Luckily I snuck in before their first appointment of the day and I was able to sit in on the demonstration and ask questions.

DDX9902s - Home screen CES 2015 — DDX9902s – Home screen CES 2015

Kenwood has two versions of this stereo. The regular Kenwood model is the DDX9702s and the Kenwood eXcelon model is the DDX9902s. The stereo menu and user interface is essentially the same as last year’s DDX8901. I was concerned about processing speed as it was always lagging a bit on the DDX8901, Kenwood was unsure at this time whether or not the processor has been upgraded over last year. For what it’s worth, I did not see any lag time in any operations in either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Kenwood DDX9902s - CES 2015 — Kenwood DDX9902s – CES 2015

The DDX9902s will include the standard Kenwood eXcelon 13 band EQ, digital time alignment, built in crossvers, 5 volt preouts, high quality digital to analog convertor. The regular Kenwood version, the DDX9702s will still have 4 volt preouts and most likely come with a more basic EQ like what we saw in last year’s DDX771. The exact details of the EQ are still to be determined.

Kenwood DDX9702s - CES 2015 — Kenwood DDX9702s – CES 2015

You have to keep in mind, these models are prototypes. Often what vendors display at CES are products they are still developing that are about to go into production. Because these products are still being developed and they are not finished samples off the production line, there were some questions I had that were left with open ended answers and flat out, “We don’t know yet” responses.

Here is what I do know about the DDX9902s and DDX9702s

Compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but not at the same time.
Both models include a separate GPS antenna designed to work with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto devices. The stereo takes information from both the external GPS antenna and the information from the phone for the best GPS coverage.
When using Android Auto – the phone is locked, everything must be accessed from the stereo (not the same for Apple CarPlay).
You can access music from other sources such as HD Radio or SiriusXM while accessing Google Maps from Android Auto or Apple Maps from CarPlay. The audio prompts from the navigation are overlaid and reduce volume on whatever media source is playing.
Android Auto relays traffic information when using Google Maps app.
There is no on screen phonebook access – Android Auto really wants drivers to rely on Google Voice and this feature encourages them to keep their eyes on the road.
Connection for Android Auto through USB to micro.
Connection for CarPlay through USB to lightning.
Probably will have two USB ports, but not positive at this time.
Will have HDMI input and can use new optional Miracast adapter KCA-WL100 to wirelessly mirror audio and video from phone (kind of like Airplay from Apple)
Will support iDatalink Maestro integration
Samsung phones will still most likely need a tip adapter.
Android Auto requires Lollipop 5.0 or higher.
You still can’t have more than two phones paired at the same time for BOTH handsfree and audio – you can have one paired for music and one paired for phone calls, but that’s it.
Estimated release date May 2015

Whether you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, there is a huge push by developers to get drivers to rely on their smartphone’s voice control. Android Auto’s voice control function was impressive. Not only can you tell it what artist to play, but you can tell it which app to use to do so. In all verbal test commands, Android Auto obliged. See image below, this is from the command “Play artist Maroon 5 on Spotify”. It was spot on (LOL – I couldn’t resist).

What we don’t know and won’t know until we try it

I have concerns about Samsung devices running Android Auto. I have seen charging issues with the more popular Samsung devices such as the Galaxy S4, S5, and Note 3 running through a USB to micro while running navigation apps, music apps, making and receiving phone calls and received social media and email alerts. Usually the charge supplied by standard car stereo USB (like Pioneer, Kenwood or Sony) is usually not enough to keep up with the phone. Kenwood’s technical rep stated that charging is .5 amp on their USB while their white display board shows 1 amp charging.

Kenwood DDX9902s - Android Auto Phone Menu — Kenwood DDX9902s – Android Auto Phone Menu

Kenwood was running their Android Auto display with a Nexus phone and the stereo alone was maintaining the phone’s battery over the course of CES 2015. When asked about what we could expect to see with the more popular Samsung devices, their guess was as good as mine. It hasn’t been tested, so they simply don’t know at this point nor do they have plans to test every Android phone model and relay to consumers the efficiency or lack of efficiency a particular phone has.

Kenwood DDX9902s - Google Maps — Kenwood DDX9902s – Google Maps

It amazes me how car stereo is really moving into sort of a software and hardware industry. Kenwood has built Android Auto compatibility and hardware into their products and cell phone manufacturers build phones that support Android operating systems. Cell phone manufacturers still build their own cell phones. Some cell phones charge more efficiently than others. The stereo is just a portal at this point so we really don’t know how any one particular phone will respond until we try it.

Other new Kenwood models revealed at CES 2015

Aside from the DDX9902s and DDX9702s, Kenwood revealed an overwhelming amount of new stereo models, many that look a lot like last year’s models with subtle differences. One model worth mentioning is their new flip out 7″ touch screen model, the KVT-7012BT. Kenwood had discontinued their flip out style touch screen a couple years ago, but have brought back an option for those limited to a single din stereo opening.

The new Kenwood flip out DVD features:

Three 5 volt preouts
Bluetooth for handsfree and audio streaming
5 Band EQ
Pandora, iHeart and Aupeo compatibility
Waze compatibility – I’ll believe it when I see it. They did this last year – slapped a label on a product and then legitimized it by saying, well technically using an iPod 30 pin adapter to audio and video into the Kenwood’s A/V in you could mirror Waze on screen. The only Waze control I saw over at the Kenwood booth was on the JVC side and I wasn’t impressed. It was very laggy, unresponsive – it just didn’t work well. I did not see a Kenwood radio with this function set up for demo, but it’s possible I just missed it.

New Navigation Models

The DNX691HD, DNX891HD and DNN991 have been replaced by the DNX692HD, DNX892HD and DNN992. On first glance, they look a lot like their predecessors.

And after browsing through the menus and sources of these new Kenwood models they appeared to be exactly like their predecessors. Even their responsiveness which was a bit disappointing. I was hoping Kenwood had improved the processing speed in these models, but it really seemed exactly like last year’s models. Interestingly, their non navigation models did appear a LOT faster in processing.

Kenwood DDX272 & DDX372BT - CES 2015 — Kenwood DDX272 & DDX372BT – CES 2015

I inquired if the Bluetooth handsfree profile had been upgraded over last year’s version as bluetooth handsfree sound quality has always been an issue for my customers on their non navigation and non eXcelon double din touch screen head units. I was told that it had not been upgraded. So even though processing has been upgraded and responsiveness has improved, handsfree call quality could still be an issue on Kenwood’s DDX372BT, DDX392, DDX492 and DDX672BH.

New single din Kenwood Excelon models

Kenwood introduced 3 new single din head unit models, the KDC-X399, KDC-X599 and KDC-X799 and they carried over two models from last year (the KDC-X898 and KDC-X998). The KDC-X399, KDC-X599 and KDC-X799 essentially look the same and have very similar features and a few subtle differences. Pictured below is the KDC-X599.

KDC-X399:

AM/FM CD Player (open CD slot – no dust cover)
Front USB/AUX
Three 4 volt preouts
5 band EQ
High pass and low pass filter starting at 100 Hz (kind of high I think)
Variable color illumination
Pandora compatible
iHeart Radio compatible

KDC-X599:

Adds dust cover
Adds Bluetooth Audio and Handsfree Calling
Adds SiriusXM Ready (requires SXV300 tuner)

KDC-X799:

Adds HD Radio

Conclusion CES 2015 at the Kenwood booth

By far the most exciting additions to Kenwood’s line this year will be the DDX9902s and DDX9702s featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, we will have to be patient and wait another 5 months or so until they actually begin to ship. Estimated retail price on these models will be $700.

Kenwood DDX9902s - Android Auto — Kenwood DDX9902s – Android Auto

Android Auto CarPlay CES 2015 Kenwood Kenwood Android Auto Kenwood CES 2015 Kenwood DDX9702s Kenwood DDX9902s

CES 2015 – Android Auto Pioneer & Kenwood, Alpine 9″ Jeep Wrangler Deck

Highlights from CES 2015 in Car Stereo

CES is always fun, but it is always a lot of work. Yesterday was a long day of traveling for me and today was a long day of walking, talking, learning, testing, trying, questioning, note taking and photo taking. SO this will be a brief post summarizing all the cool stuff I will be delving into and writing about over the next couple days. LOTS of photos will come shortly, and a couple videos – one on Pioneer Android Auto and another on Alpine’s new Jeep Stereo. I apologize I can’t post it all now, but the internet speed (wired) at the Monte Carlo is atrocious and my 5 minute you tube video still has 375 minutes remaining to upload!

Android Auto – finally!

This is pretty exciting. Both Kenwood and Pioneer are offering Android Auto compatible radios this year (which are also CarPlay compatible too). Both operate by connecting through USB to micro USB and require Android 5.0 Lollipop. Kenwood offers 1.5 amp charging and Pioneer is 1 amp. Both companies had no charging issues and their phones had full charges and had been connected and operating on these stereos alone for the past couple days. Pioneer was using a Nexus 5 and I actually forgot to ask Kenwood which phone they were using, but plan to follow up on that tomorrow. My concern is there may still be charging issues for Samsung users as this has been an issue I’ve seen in the past using the most popular Samsung phones (S4, S5, Note 3) with App Radio Mode.

DDX9902S - Android Auto CES 2015 — DDX9902S – Android Auto CES 2015

Couple key things about Android Auto to know:

It locks the phone out – Once connected, you have to do everything through the stereo which is largely voice activated. Personally, I think this is a great thing and I think it will seriously help stop people from looking down and playing with their phone with one hand when they should have both hands on the wheel and eyes ahead on the road.
You can have audio from another source playing (such as SiriusXM, HD Radio or even a CD) while using Android Auto for navigation purposes.
Android Auto currently uses Google Maps with traffic information fed by Waze.

Alpine – New 9″ Navigation models for Dodge Ram, Ford F150, GM, and Jeep

I had to see it to believe it. I didn’t see how they fit a 9″ touch screen in the OEM Jeep Wrangler stereo location. Yet Alpine has done it and has fabricated a beautiful OEM fit and finish dash kit and packaged it along with an iDatalink Maestro integration module to retain select OEM features, steering wheel control functions and vehicle information details.

They are also expected to start shipping a new 9″ model for Dodge Ram 2013 – up (without 8.4″ UConnect radio) this month, that’s the X009-RAM. Additionally they will be releasing a new model for Ford F-150 with the 4.2″ MyFord Touch radio, the X009-FD2.

Additional detailed posts will come shortly including full write ups, photos and videos on all the new products from Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer and JL Audio for 2015. Check back soon for more information.

Alpine Android Auto CarPlay CES 2015 DDX9902S Jeep X009-WRA

Car Stereo Chick is getting ready for CES 2015

Christmas is over and the new year is here – CES 2015 is next.

When Christmas is over and the new year is here that can only mean one thing for Car Stereo Chick. The shop is booked with plenty of work and the consumer electronics show is only days away. It’s time to get ready for CES 2015! I’ll only be there for two days so I’ve narrowed down which brands I’ll be focusing on and what information I will be seeking.

Alpine CES 2015

Alpine will be my 1st stop during CES 2015. Alpine will be revealing several new applications for their 9” truck and SUV AVN system including – get ready for it – Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra and JEEP WRANGLER. I own a 2013 Jeep Wrangler and we do a lot of Jeep Wrangler audio systems in our shop so I’m pretty excited about this one; it should be a very hot model.

Alpine has definitely branched out from their competitors by focusing in on these niche customers. It makes a lot of sense; these are the types of customers that drop thousands of dollars into customizing their vehicles with upgraded tires, wheels, exhaust, lift kits, etc. Why not build a stereo specifically for these customers?

Alpine has done just that designing a line of 9″ touch screen navigation stereos that seamlessly integrate with existing factory features such as SiriusXM, Bluetooth, Rear Seat Entertainment, and Onstar. The Alpine X-009 series even integrates vehicle information such as tire pressure monitoring and the ability to read and reset vehicle error codes (through iDatalink Maestro integration modules).

All the Alpine X-009 models feature a 9″ touch screen, Navigation, Bluetooth, DVD, HDMI input and each model comes with some serious bragging rights. Who else on the block really has a stereo this big and this cool? I can’t wait to see Alpine’s X009 for the Jeep Wrangler at CES 2015.

Pioneer CES 2015 – when will we see Android Auto?

It’s not often, something really big and exciting comes along in the car audio industry, but I have to say Apple CarPlay has been one of those big things. I’m happy I’ve been able to learn about it, adopt it and promote it.

Pioneer CarPlay update is finaly here — Pioneer CarPlay on AppRadio 4

Now that Apple CarPlay is out, I am eagerly anticipating Android’s answer to CarPlay. And I’m hoping Pioneer has some answers for me at CES 2015 on when we can expect to see Android Auto integrated with a Pioneer head unit.

I’m pretty sure Pioneer will be the 1st to feature Android Auto aftermarket and I have lots of questions for Pioneer regarding this. Will there be a software update for existing models (like Apple CarPlay)? Will there be a model that features both CarPlay and Android Auto (unlike what we’ve seen from car manufacturers)? When will we see a product like this hit the market? I hope to find answers during CES 2015.

JL Audio CES 2015 – party at the Palm’s Casino

JL Audio won’t actually be at the convention center this year and I can’t say that I blame them. Booth space at the convention center comes at a premium price. I’m sure they’ll actually be able to present more (and more effectively) outside the convention center. And with the extra money they’re saving being off the convention floor, I’m sure they’ll also be able to spoil their guests a bit more.

While attending CES 2015, I hope to see two new amplifier models which JL Audio recently announced. They are incredibly compact, efficient and water proof.

These two new amplifiers from JL Audio, the HX280/4 and HX300/1, are offered in both Black and White (Car/Power Sport or Marine). The HX280/4 is a 4 channel amp producing 50 watts x 4 RMS at 4 ohms. The HX300/1 is a mono producing 300 watts x 1 at 2 ohms. Both models have received IPX6 water resistant ratings and feature impressive power handling specs delivered in a tiny, compact package.

Impressive size, impressive ratings and impressive price – only $229.95. I ordered a couple a few weeks ago and I am still waiting for their arrival. I hope to see a sample of these new JL Audio amplifiers while attending CES 2015.

Other cool stuff while at CES 2015

I will definitely venture over to Kenwood’s booth and Sony’s booth as well and I will post about any other cool car audio related gadgets I find while at CES 2015. Check back next weekend to learn about all the latest and greatest in car stereo from CES 2015.

Alpine Android CarPlay CES 2015 JL Audio

Best CarPlay Stereo – iLX-007 or AppRadio 4 – video post

So who makes the best CarPlay stereo? Alpine or Pioneer?

Update 5/10/15 – Be sure to check out my post on the Pioneer AVH-X4100NEX. This model is new for 2015 and is both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.

Well, this past Saturday I spent a few hours comparing these two models side by side. I made a video for everyone interested in seeing and understanding the key differences between these two models. I even connected two iPhones and played the same IASCA demo album for true side by side comparison.

Upon my initial comparison, I HAD to have had a setting off on the head unit. We turn our board off every night and most of these stereos will default to some pretty yucky audio settings (like having bass boost defaulted On or preset EQ set to “Powerful”).

I make it a habit to check all audio settings before demonstrating equipment or doing these types of listening tests. However I think in my excitement to check out the iLX-007, I had to have missed something on the AppRadio 4 because during that initial listening test, there really was no comparison. The iLX-007 sounded clean and clear and the Pioneer sounded muddy. Well, that’s what Bass Boost or a “Powerful” EQ setting will do.

So for this extensive comparison, I was extremely thorough in checking my settings and and also used an IASCA album for the audio comparison.

The difference is so minute it’s hard to even describe. They’re incredibly similar in sound quality.

During a blind listening test, I think my average customer would find it extremely difficult to pinpoint the difference and then decide which one sounded better.

My co-worker Joe couldn’t tell the difference at all. My husband John and I could barely hear a difference and what we did hear was an ever so slight difference in detail with Alpine having the edge.

Alpine CarPlay vs Pioneer CarPlay — Alpine CarPlay “now playing” vs Pioneer CarPlay “now playing”

I cannot stress how slight this difference was. In fact, I do not think sound quality should be a factor in choosing between these two models. It was that slight. Consider function, screen size, flexibility and ease of use instead.

Screen size does make a difference when using navigation. Check out how Apple Maps displays differently on the Alpine CarPlay stereo vs the Pioneer CarPlay. This is where you can appreciate the larger screen size in Alpine.

Side by Side Alpine iLX-007 Pioneer AppRadio 4

Contacts are also displayed differently. I think it’s actually easier to see in the Pioneer AppRadio 4 CarPlay mode due the sharper contrast between white and black vs white and gray in the Alpine CarPlay iLX-007.

Same idea in the keypad area of the phone.

Phone KeyPad Alpine CarPlay vs Pioneer CarPlay

And the winner is?

I want to know what the readers think. A lot of people have been following my posts on these two models lately, so I’m interested in everyone’s feedback. Since the sound quality is so similar between these two, based on the video and information I’ve posted on this blog, which model do you all prefer?

Personally, and if we’re strictly talking about CarPlay here, I like the Alpine better. That Siri button makes the iLX-007 the easier to use CarPlay stereo, especially while driving.

Shop CarPlay on Amazon

Alpine AppRadio 4 CarPlay iLX-007 Pioneer Carplay

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – SPH-DA120

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Hands On Review – SPH-DA120 – I present to you the good, the bad and the quirky

When the UPS man arrived today I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. Pioneer’s AppRadio 4 arrived at our shop today.

I have to say, this is one of the greatest perks about owning and operating a car stereo store. Every time a new product comes out, I get to tear open the box and check out the new goodies (okay – really, it’s gently and carefully open the box – every new stereo that goes on display inevitably reaches its day when it becomes an open box demo sale and I want that box in perfect condition).

I’ve been really excited about Pioneer’s AppRadio 4 and I have to say it’s pretty much exactly what I expected it to be. In this AppRadio 4 review, I’m going to break it down for you between the good, the bad and the down right quirky.

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – The Good

Beautiful and Vibrant Screen
Quite Responsive (not really any lag time between pressing a button and seeing the appropriate response)
13 Band EQ
Digital Time Alignment
Highly Adjustable Built in Crossovers
Dual USB Ports
HDMI Input
Easy to Use
CarPlay Compatible (and CarPlay works pretty well!)
Can easily and quickly switch between NEX mode and CarPlay mode or NEX mode and AppRadio Mode depending on which set up you are using
GPS antenna included for continued and reliable navigation even when your cell service drops out

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – The Bad

Trouble finding compatible navigation apps with IOS8 in AppRadio Mode
Weird tablet like rounded corners may leave gaps in many installation applications
Bulky cables still required for AppRadio Mode for iPhone 5 and up
Can’t easily switch between CarPlay and AppRadio Mode in iPhone 5 and up
Still not sure Capacitive is the way to go in a car due to glare – you can see me and my showroom reflected in many pictures on this post

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – The Quirky

Pandora will not play in CarPlay Mode unless you trick it in to doing so
Pandora will not play when in AppRadio Mode (Pioneer tech was unaware of this issue until I called them – sounds like something that might be resolved)
Keyboard a little quirky in CarPlay Mode
Issues with listed compatible navigation app crashing in AppRadio Mode
If timing not perfect when launching AppRadio Mode, you may have to close the AppRadio App on the phone, then re-open it in order to effectively launch AppRadio Mode
Still a lot of interacting with my phone to get interface working for either CarPlay or AppRadio Mode

In Depth Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – The good

Sound quality and audio control has improved greatly in AppRadio 4 over previous AppRadio models

Pioneer has really stepped it up this year in their whole line of NEX style units and the AppRadio 4 is no exception. Built on the same NEX platform as their double din navigation models, AppRadio 4 users can expect to find a familiar user friendly layout, ultra responsive touch screen and customizable display along with a variety of equalization features.

AppRadio 4 Review - NEX side — AppRadio 4 Review – NEX side

The equalization features and 4 volt pre amp in the AppRadio 4 are features I welcome with open arms. These audio tools are features that greatly influenced my opinion of this stereo. In the past, all previous AppRadio stereos were not the kind of stereos you’d want to build a car audio system with. They all had a basic 2 volt pre-amp, flat/tinny DAC with basic equalization features. You couldn’t build a high fidelity audio system with previous versions of the AppRadio. With the new AppRadio 4, we finally have a chance! You no longer have to sacrifice sound quality for App integration features.

AppRadio 4 Review - Adjusting Crossovers — AppRadio 4 Review – Adjusting Crossovers

Equalization tools include a 13 band EQ, Digital time alignment and highly adjustable crossovers – which I might add are all easily accessible from the audio menu and just as easy to adjust. If these precision audio tools are beyond your scope of expertise, Pioneer still has their built in EQ with preset equalization options as well as preset listening positions for basic time alignment.

AppRadio 4 Review - Adjusting 13 Band EQ — AppRadio 4 Review – Adjusting 13 Band EQ

Awesome picture quality

The capacitive touch screen is sharp, vibrant and down right eye catching. The colors are piercing compared to your typical resistive touch screen, yet I still have reservations and concern over possible glare issues in the vehicle.

You may notice the background glare from my showroom displays behind me in several of the pics in this post – or, if the lighting is right, you may simply be distracted by the stunning vibrancy and sharpness of the AppRadio 4 screen. Check it out — that’s just a You Tube video.

AppRadio 4 Review - Vibrant Display — AppRadio 4 Review – Vibrant Display – from a You Tube video

Using a lightning to digital adapter and USB to lightning cable I can connect my iPhone 6 and select HDMI input as my source. This allows me to view and hear any audio and video from my iPhone on the AppRadio 4 screen.

CarPlay works great with the AppRadio 4

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay - Siri in Action — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay – Siri in Action

Let’s talk about CarPlay. CarPlay is pretty impressive technology and it works quite well in the AppRadio 4. Using the navigation app, Siri will ask me where I want to go. I don’t have to talk to Siri if I don’t want to. There is a keyboard in the upper left hand corner, but Siri seems to understand me pretty well and quickly finds my desired destination.

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay - Navigation in Action — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay – Navigation in Action

I honestly don’t know what people have against the Apple navigation app. Granted, I would prefer to use Waze, but Waze doesn’t really work at the moment. In all my attempts to use the Apple Maps app, it worked quite well! Maybe Siri just understands my voice better than others? Or maybe I haven’t given it a difficult destination (whatever that is). I’m not sure why people seem to dislike this app so much, but they do. However with the AppRadio 4, running CarPlay, it seems to work quite well.

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay - Navigation Map — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay – Navigation Map

Despite only having 2 bars of service in my location at our showroom, the navigation app picked up our location accurately.

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay - Text Message — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay – Text Message

Apple CarPlay let me know I had a text message from my better half, whom I lovingly refer to as Wooshie. Check it out, it even shows the little thumbnail picture of my Wooshie!

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay - Responding to Text Message — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay – Responding to Text Message

Siri then gave me the opportunity to reply. She listened first and then steadfastly dictated my message back. She had it correct on the first try – Send. Success! Too bad it isn’t all success and glory for the AppRadio 4.

In Depth Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – The bad

I love Waze and I always loved that Waze worked with AppRadio Mode. Too bad it doesn’t work with IOS8 and AppRadio 4.

AppRadio4 Review - IOS8 Quirks Waze — AppRadio4 Review – IOS8 Quirks Waze

Yeah, the phone is in the right orientation too. It just doesn’t work right and Pioneer admits right on their website there are a whole host of apps with issues since IOS8 has been released.

I decided to try one of the apps that was not on the list of known incompatibility since release of IOS8, Navfree GPS LIve, but it crashes as soon as the keyboard tries to load. And I didn’t feel like plunking down $25 to try iGo GPS at the moment, but I may give it a shot and see how it behaves. As of this writing, the only functioning GPS app I could use was through CarPlay – nothing through AppRadio Mode which I think it the main reason people want to buy the AppRadio 4 in the first place.

Update – 10/30/14 – I talked to Pioneer tech support and they unfortunately have no ETA on a fix as it seems to be an issue with IOS8 and keyboard interfacing. Problems seem to occur with any app in app radio mode when using the in-app keyboard with iPhone. Unfortunately the newest update from Apple (IOS8.1) did not have any improvement or effect on this issue.

You can’t have it all – it’s AppRadio Mode or CarPlay

The other thing to note is there is no easy/simple way to switch between AppRadio Mode and CarPlay. When I show this radio to customers, I am going to encourage them to use one mode and stick to it. To use AppRadio Mode you need a CD-IH202, an Apple Lightning to Digital Adapter and a Lightning to USB Cable.

AppRadio4 - iPhone 5/6 — AppRadio4 – iPhone 5/6

The Lightning to USB Cable plugs into USB 1 and then to the Lightning to Digital adapter. You also connect an HDMI cable from the back of the radio to the Lightning to Digital adapter. To use AppRadio Mode, you are really connecting your phone to the pigtail of the Lightning to Digital Adapter. You also need to tell the radio what kind of SmartPhone set up you are using. When you use Lightning to Digital A/V for AppRadio Mode, you cannot use CarPlay.

To quickly switch over to CarPlay you have to disconnect the lighting to USB cable on the Lightning Digital A/V adapter, connect that USB to lightning directly to your phone, then go into the menu and turn on CarPlay and change your smart phone settings.

It’s doable, but not doable when you’re driving. I should say it’s not safe to try and do while you’re driving. Please don’t try that while you’re driving.

The other major drawback I see about this unit is it’s slightly rounded corners. Granted this design helps give the impression there’s truly a tablet in your car dash, it’s simply not practical. The rest of the chassis is standard double din and should mount no problem in most standard double din installation kits. The issue is the slight and tiny gap you will see at each of the rounded corners. This will take a bit of creativity to make it less noticeable and this extra installation step is somewhat irritating to me.

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review – In depth – The quirky

Pandora doesn’t work in AppRadio Mode – although it looks like it should

There is a quirk with Pandora and I decided to call Pioneer tech support to see if it was me, a known issue or something else altogether. Apparently I was the first person to bring this to their attention.

AppRadio 4 Review - Pandora Quirk — AppRadio 4 Review – Pandora Quirk

I had been playing Pandora on the NEX side of the head unit and decided to switch over to the AppRadio Mode. I noticed the audio from Pandora dropped out as soon as I switched over to the AppRadio Mode. Interestingly, there is a lower tab on the AppRadio Mode screen which displays what I was listening to on Pandora before switching over to AppRadio Mode. Yet there is no audio on Pandora unless I switch back over to the NEX side.

It appears the mere act of switching over to AppRadio Mode disables or pauses Pandora. Tech support was surprised to hear of the issue and slightly concerned. They advised me they were going to call me back in a few hours after they had an AppRadio 4 set up in their department. Sure enough several hours later I received a call from tech support confirming they had the same issue and they were unaware of the problem. They informed me they would be contacting Pioneer’s engineers in Japan to see what they can do.

That would be a bummer if you couldn’t use Pandora and use a functioning/compatible GPS app at the same time in AppRadio Mode. It appears Pandora is a separate source at the moment which can only be operated from the NEX side of things.

AppRadio 4 Review - Pandora works on NEX side — AppRadio 4 Review – Pandora works on NEX side

I like Pandora, I use it all the time. I was able to get Pandora to work in CarPlay, but only by tricking it. If I started off with Pandora as my source and switched over to CarPlay, Pandora actually continued to play while in CarPlay mode.

AppRadio 4 Review - Tricking Pandora to Work on CarPlay — AppRadio 4 Review – Tricking Pandora to Work on CarPlay

Update – 10/30/14 – I spoke with Pioneer tech support and there is a work around for this glitch. If you start Pandora up on the NEX side, then switch to App Radio Mode, then skip a track forward, Pandora will resume playing in App Radio Mode. They are working on a fix for this issue. Note – this only appears to be an issue with iPhone. Worked fine with a Samsung Galaxy S4.

Don’t be afraid to close the app and relaunch if it doesn’t work the 1st time

AppRadio Mode is not perfect and on several occasions the Pioneer AppRadio 4 would ask me to launch the AppRadio App from my phone, even though it was already launched. This resulted in me having to close the app and relaunch it to get the two to sync up. Again, not the safest thing to be playing around with while you’re driving.

CarPlay has it’s own quirks too – just not as quirky as AppRadio Mode

Ultimately I think the CarPlay integration is working far better than AppRadio Mode. Even still, there is a slight quirk in the keyboard in CarPlay.

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay Keyboard Quirk — Why not make it full size to begin with?

For whatever reason, when first launched, the keyboard comes up all tiny like this. You have to press the arrow on the lower left corner to enlarge it. That’s weird, why not just default to the larger keyboard?

AppRadio 4 Review - CarPlay Keyboard — AppRadio 4 Review – CarPlay Keyboard

AppRadio 4 Review – Conclusion

Quirks and all, I do like this latest AppRadio 4 the best out of all of Pioneer’s AppRadio models. The SPH-DA120 has flexibility in its application, ease of use, CarPlay integration, high voltage preouts, quality equalization tools and a striking screen touch screen display.

I do think the AppRadio 4 has more promise as a CarPlay stereo, than an AppRadio stereo. If these IOS8 incompatibility issues and other quirks are worked out anytime soon, I may change my opinion, but as of right now, I think this is an awesome double din head unit for anyone interested in adding Apple CarPlay to their vehicle.

I have yet to test this radio with a compatible Android phone. It seems every customer interested in this model has a newer Samsung (like a Samsung Galaxy Note 3) with the latest firmware version 4.4.2 (understandable) – Yet AppRadio mode is only listed as being compatible with most Samsung phones running software version 4.2.2. I’ve actually tried AppRadio Mode with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in an AVIC-7000NEX running Android 4.4.2 and it worked, but not on most apps. Anything other than the contacts app ran with lots of glitches and picture cutting in and out.

I am sending an email over to Pioneer tech support this weekend to follow up on the Pandora issue and to see if they have any word on Waze compatibility with iPhone IOS8 as well as Waze compatibility with Android 4.4.2 in a Note 3. I will update this post as more information becomes available. Hopefully I’ll hear back early next week.

UPDATE – 10/30/14 – I did have a chance to test this with a Samsung Galaxy S4 and confirmed compatibility with a Samsung Note 3, both running 4.4.2. Pioneer advised me to change a setting in the Developer Options on the phone. In that Developer Options menu, I had to check the box to “Turn off Hardware Overlays”. To my delight, it loaded up the app on the first try!

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review Samsung Galaxy S4

Additionally, I found that the AppRadio 4 did not have any glitches running Pandora with the Samsung Galaxy S4. I could start Pandora in the NEX side, switch over to App Radio Mode and Pandora would momentarily pause then start right back up without me having to touch anything.

Pioneer AppRadio 4 Review Waze Samsung Galaxy S4

Although Pandora remained playing even after I launched Waze, there was no information regarding what was playing on the lower bar of the screen. With the iPhone running App Radio Mode and Waze, I did at least have this information (although Waze didn’t work properly – you can’t have it all with AppRadio 4).

AppRadio 4 Review Samsung S4 iHeart Radio

I was also happy to see iHeartRadio working pretty seamlessly with the Samsung S4. This is a great app for people that enjoy listening to local and national radio stations, static free. Very cool stuff.

With all the software limitations running 3rd party apps through AppRadio Mode there is no guarantee – even if you have a phone that is compatible and working that at the moment – that it won’t become incompatible through software updates. That’s the frustrating part about AppRadio Mode and that’s why see I the AppRadio 4 more as a CarPlay stereo than an AppRadio stereo.

If you have an iPhone 5 and up and plan on using this stereo for its CarPlay integration features, but also like the idea of being able to mirror video from time to time through HDMI – then this is probably a good option for you. If you really wanted to take advantage of apps like Waze, you may be disappointed with this stereo due to software limitations and various compatibility issues from phone to phone and operating system to operating system.

In conclusion, I think the AppRadio 4 offers a lot of features for iPhone users interested in CarPlay integration. For Android users, it really depends on which Android device you have and what software you are running. If you can confirm compatibility with your device, AppRadio 4 may be a great option for Android users. Overall, dollar for dollar, I think the AppRadio 4 is a better value over Alpine’s iLX-007.

What do the readers think?

AppRadio 4 Review CarPlay Pioneer