Best double din in 2017

[kamodikra]

What is the best double din to buy at 2017? I know the most popular two brands are Pioneer and Kenwood. I am willing to buy Pioneer AVHX5800BHS. Any idea about this model?

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[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

What is the best double din to buy at 2017? I know the most popular two brands are Pioneer and Kenwood. I am willing to buy Pioneer AVHX5800BHS. Any idea about this model?

if you want an active network capable setup and piecing together raw drivers and actually using the network crossovers to achieve amazing sound quality, then get pioneer.

if you just run a pair of components up front and some coaxials in the rear, and want to keep things simple and have no clue on how to do a proper sound quality tune, go kenwood.

basically kenwood is noob friendly. pioneer is for advanced users.

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

Kenwood.. you can get a processor for pretty cheap and get way better results..

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Kenwood is better with CarPlay.

Pioneer is better with audio features if you use them. But it's still very limited. Just not as limited as the kenwood

 

[youdoofus]

which pioneer deck are you guys referring to? or where is the point in the model line where they start having active capabilities?

 

[DarkKnightSM]

FINALLY a post I can actually answer and be helpful!

So I did EXTENSIVE research on the headunit before I bought mine, I went with the kenwood ddx9903s. Heres the pros and cons to both the ddx9903s and the avh4201

Kenwood pros

User friendly

Interface more aesthetically pleasing(atleast to me)

Glass touch screen

Cons

-Warning while driving doesn't go away until you click it, EVER!

-does appear to have "noise" when EQ and specialty settings are raised. If everything is flat, there is little to no noise, turn up the eq and other options such as space enhancement and noise gets louder. Although it appears to only be noticeable when music is paused and at 3/4 volume and up. My issues may very well be solved with running a dedicated ground from the chassis of the unit to a metal part behind the dash. I just leave my eq flat. If it really bothers me Ill just get a DSP and adjust from there. Also my gains are mostly set correct and grounds are very solid. and my wires are run on opposite sides of the vehicle so its not that.

- Doesn't display Bluetooth album artwork for music on phone or Pandora. MUST UPGRADE to work

-Upgrading seems to take a bit of figuring out, theres no SD card slot OR USB slots. The Car play and android auto plug into the back via specialty plug. somehow you must disable android auto and car play to get them to read as USB? IDK I havnt figured it out yet as far as updating goes.

PIONEER PROS

Seems to have a few more options then the kenwood

at the time came with a backup camera

Cons

typical soft touch screen, not as sensitive as the glass.

Pros that both these head units share..

Car Play android auto compatible

both upgradable with navigation(sold seperatly, roughly 400$)

Have same EQ options to include time alignment

If I can think of more things Ill edit later, but for now just keep in mind that I havnt owned the avh4201 but if I did I'm sure id find negative things about that as well. So don't think its a way better option as I went back and forth for weeks on this matter. It came down to the touch screen for me. good luck!

EDIT:

and I might add! there no point in going for the NAV units unless you do heavy driving in low cell service areas! you can always add a nav unit to your car later, and plug and play right into the back of the above mention units.

Unless your dead set on pioneer, the nav pioneer that's similar to the 4201 IS a glass touch screen.

 

[DarkKnightSM]

Kenwood is better with CarPlay. Pioneer is better with audio features if you use them. But it's still very limited. Just not as limited as the kenwood

is this generic brand comparing?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

is this generic brand comparing?

Most of my installer friends tend to prefer kenwood Apple CarPlay.

 

[kamodikra]

FINALLY a post I can actually answer and be helpful!
So I did EXTENSIVE research on the headunit before I bought mine, I went with the kenwood ddx9903s. Heres the pros and cons to both the ddx9903s and the avh4201

Kenwood pros

User friendly

Interface more aesthetically pleasing(atleast to me)

Glass touch screen

Cons

-Warning while driving doesn't go away until you click it, EVER!

-does appear to have "noise" when EQ and specialty settings are raised. If everything is flat, there is little to no noise, turn up the eq and other options such as space enhancement and noise gets louder. Although it appears to only be noticeable when music is paused and at 3/4 volume and up. My issues may very well be solved with running a dedicated ground from the chassis of the unit to a metal part behind the dash. I just leave my eq flat. If it really bothers me Ill just get a DSP and adjust from there. Also my gains are mostly set correct and grounds are very solid. and my wires are run on opposite sides of the vehicle so its not that.

- Doesn't display Bluetooth album artwork for music on phone or Pandora. MUST UPGRADE to work

-Upgrading seems to take a bit of figuring out, theres no SD card slot OR USB slots. The Car play and android auto plug into the back via specialty plug. somehow you must disable android auto and car play to get them to read as USB? IDK I havnt figured it out yet as far as updating goes.

PIONEER PROS

Seems to have a few more options then the kenwood

at the time came with a backup camera

Cons

typical soft touch screen, not as sensitive as the glass.

Pros that both these head units share..

Car Play android auto compatible

both upgradable with navigation(sold seperatly, roughly 400$)

Have same EQ options to include time alignment

If I can think of more things Ill edit later, but for now just keep in mind that I havnt owned the avh4201 but if I did I'm sure id find negative things about that as well. So don't think its a way better option as I went back and forth for weeks on this matter. It came down to the touch screen for me. good luck!

EDIT:

and I might add! there no point in going for the NAV units unless you do heavy driving in low cell service areas! you can always add a nav unit to your car later, and plug and play right into the back of the above mention units.

Unless your dead set on pioneer, the nav pioneer that's similar to the 4201 IS a glass touch screen.

Thanks for your details comparision explaination. You used kenwood and thus you know everything about it. If you use avh4201 then I am **** sure you would find lots of pros & cons .

Right now, I don't want to cross $300 and I am thinking to buy this model: Pioneer AVHX3800BHS. What do you think about this model? It has good reviews on Amazon.

 

[kamodikra]

It was Repeat comment. Ignore please.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

which pioneer deck are you guys referring to? or where is the point in the model line where they start having active capabilities?

avh 1700bs 1800 through 5800bs for touchscreen

the cheapest single din is mvh 580bt at 99 dollars and the 80 prs at 259

There's the FX double din non touchscreen lines at 120-130 dollars that are active capable as well.

Sadly the flagship NEX lines dont have active capabilities.

 

[youdoofus]

avh 1700bs 1800 through 5800bs for touchscreen
the cheapest single din is mvh 580bt at 99 dollars and the 80 prs at 259

There's the FX double din non touchscreen lines at 120-130 dollars that are active capable as well.

Sadly the flagship NEX lines dont have active capabilities.

Well, that's weird for the flagship to not have that capability :/

 

[Coltsdude1000]

https://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-DDX774-DDX774BH-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B01N0YTO87

My choice.

 

[youdoofus]

if you want an active network capable setup and piecing together raw drivers and actually using the network crossovers to achieve amazing sound quality, then get pioneer.
if you just run a pair of components up front and some coaxials in the rear, and want to keep things simple and have no clue on how to do a proper sound quality tune, go kenwood.

basically kenwood is noob friendly. pioneer is for advanced users.

man, when i was selling 12v stuff back in the early 2000's, the kenwood menus were so counterintuitive and just backwards feeling whereas the pioneers were the exact opposite. The kdc-x959 vs the pioneers or even the alpines of the day of the same level quality were a nightmare to set up. I cant remember the model numbers of the pioneer(maybe deh-p3600), but the alpine of that day on the same level was the (AWESOME) CDA-7998. That thing was a beast and easy to navigate the menus on

i had a deh-p350 back in the day and loved it!! It was part of the Premier line, still have no idea what the differences was between those and the normal ones, but i thought i remembered mentions of the DAC being better in the Premier ones

 

[DarkKnightSM]

Thanks for your details comparision explaination. You used kenwood and thus you know everything about it. If you use avh4201 then I am **** sure you would find lots of pros & cons .Right now, I don't want to cross $300 and I am thinking to buy this model: Pioneer AVHX3800BHS. What do you think about this model? It has good reviews on Amazon.

Ahh, my bad. Your title was "best" those two are pretty much the best, without.being nav units