What aftermarket stereo do you have in your car?
02-10-2011, 02:42 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Yuba City, CA - reppin the Wagon Mafia
Posts: 326
Car Info: AW '04 WRX Wagon w/JDM STi drivetrain swap
What aftermarket stereo do you have in your car?
So I just ordered a new stereo for my car to replace the factory unit, but before that, I looked around on the boards here to see what everyone else is using and whether they like the unit they bought. I found a few threads here & there mentioning specific models being used, but not a lot of info on what people are installing, why, what features they like, what they hate, customizations to make things fit, etc., so I am hoping to get the ball rolling - here's what I've got on order, and I'll post up more pics and my experience installing & making it work.
Sony MEX-BT5700U
Ideally, what I've been looking for is a dual-DIN touch screen unit, but since I'm seeing a possible trend toward an Android-based car stereo, I'm holding off on getting an expensive unit until the manufacturers get things sorted with a 2nd generation of customizable touch screen Android-based stereos that can possibly play DVD, other digital media, and hopefully link to both Android & iOS phones via bluetooth or wifi to integrate navigation and all other streaming media and functions into the car's A/V system.
So this unit looks like it will have a relatively user-friendly interface, supports my most sought-after feature - Bluetooth streaming capability - and has easy-to-access front USB and aux inputs so I don't have to figure out how to route the wires into my glovebox for those inputs.
If there's already a thread for "What stereo I've got in my car", feel free to point me to it. If not, what do you have in your car, and what's good/bad about it? How did you install it, where did you buy it, any tips/tricks to make it work?
Sony MEX-BT5700U
Ideally, what I've been looking for is a dual-DIN touch screen unit, but since I'm seeing a possible trend toward an Android-based car stereo, I'm holding off on getting an expensive unit until the manufacturers get things sorted with a 2nd generation of customizable touch screen Android-based stereos that can possibly play DVD, other digital media, and hopefully link to both Android & iOS phones via bluetooth or wifi to integrate navigation and all other streaming media and functions into the car's A/V system.
So this unit looks like it will have a relatively user-friendly interface, supports my most sought-after feature - Bluetooth streaming capability - and has easy-to-access front USB and aux inputs so I don't have to figure out how to route the wires into my glovebox for those inputs.
If there's already a thread for "What stereo I've got in my car", feel free to point me to it. If not, what do you have in your car, and what's good/bad about it? How did you install it, where did you buy it, any tips/tricks to make it work?
Last edited by RALIWGN; 02-10-2011 at 02:44 PM.
02-10-2011, 07:05 PM
#2
I have a Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD with the Bluetooth and Navigation add-ons.
I like it a lot. I has a clean look, it isn't cluttered with buttons and *****, and you can set the color of the menus and the buttons so I have a stereo that is red just like the rest of my interior.
The radio is good, whole bunch of presets, CD/DVD playback is good, iPod connectivity is good, you don't need their stupid iPod cable to hook up your iPod, the Auxiliary input is good no real complaints, I haven't don video through the Aux but the audio is still good.
The bluetooth add-on is ok. The streaming is good, I haven't had any problems with that, answering calls is good too. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't read the contacts off my phone. When someone calls I just see a number and I have no idea who is actually calling me. I also don't like that I can't make a call directly from the head unit. I have to get out my phone and dial the number. So it kinda works more like a bluetooth headset rather than a whole interface.
The navigation add-on is pretty good. I still need to import all the POI but when I have the address to where I want to go it works very well. The only thing I don't really like about it is that the voice giving me the directions won't STFU sometimes and keeps giving me useless "Continue on X hwy." directions.
Overall it is pretty good. I like it a lot and I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a new stereo.
EDIT: I also forgot to mention that I also really like the EQ settings and sounds balancing that I can do with this stereo, makes the music sound that much better.
I like it a lot. I has a clean look, it isn't cluttered with buttons and *****, and you can set the color of the menus and the buttons so I have a stereo that is red just like the rest of my interior.
The radio is good, whole bunch of presets, CD/DVD playback is good, iPod connectivity is good, you don't need their stupid iPod cable to hook up your iPod, the Auxiliary input is good no real complaints, I haven't don video through the Aux but the audio is still good.
The bluetooth add-on is ok. The streaming is good, I haven't had any problems with that, answering calls is good too. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't read the contacts off my phone. When someone calls I just see a number and I have no idea who is actually calling me. I also don't like that I can't make a call directly from the head unit. I have to get out my phone and dial the number. So it kinda works more like a bluetooth headset rather than a whole interface.
The navigation add-on is pretty good. I still need to import all the POI but when I have the address to where I want to go it works very well. The only thing I don't really like about it is that the voice giving me the directions won't STFU sometimes and keeps giving me useless "Continue on X hwy." directions.
Overall it is pretty good. I like it a lot and I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a new stereo.
EDIT: I also forgot to mention that I also really like the EQ settings and sounds balancing that I can do with this stereo, makes the music sound that much better.
Last edited by JourdanWithaU; 02-10-2011 at 07:11 PM.
02-16-2011, 08:48 AM
#3
Registered User
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Walnut Creek/BayArea, CA
Posts: 1,831
Car Info: 2009 WRB WRX Sedan
I have a 09 Sony BT Model and love it. It even streams audio pretty well. I have streamed movies through my Mac to my speakers for louder play and the "Surround Sound" effect. haha. I do miss my 4200DVD player that Jourdan has, I had one of those and that was a dope a$$ deck. sold it due to money issues
02-20-2011, 04:56 AM
#4
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NorCal
Posts: 89
Car Info: 2002 White WRX Wagon
I'm using a Kenwood Excelon DNX6960. The main reason I bought this deck was because it had Garmin navigation built in. I like Pioneer units for the sound quality, but the navigation always sucked. So I decided to give Kenwood a shot this time. Sound quality isn't bad... but isn't great either. I guess some tuning could go a long way.
03-02-2011, 11:13 AM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Yuba City, CA - reppin the Wagon Mafia
Posts: 326
Car Info: AW '04 WRX Wagon w/JDM STi drivetrain swap
So I got the Sony installed in my car. I put up some pics here.
Just a few samples:
I decided to solder the wiring harness adapter (adapts from the vehicle to the stereo's harness), which I don't normally do. I have previously always just used crimp connectors, but this time I wanted to see if it made a difference, and soldering makes a smaller connection, then covering the splice with heat shrink tubing insulated it well, then I threw in a couple zip-ties to keep the harness neat. The biggest difference is, besides taking more time, soldering takes up far less space than the crimp connectors, so all the wires seemed to fit much better behind the stereo. I didn't bother to take pics of that, since wires aren't all that interesting. Pulling off the center bezel & doing the swap took about as much time, including routing the wire for the mic behind the plastics up over the steering wheel to the gauge cluster, as it took to do all the soldering.
I'm still fine-tuning the sound for each input, but it's very nice that the stereo remembers your EQ & volume & preferences for each input, including the difference between AM (I set the EQ to voice) and FM (I set it to XPlod for fuller sound).
Just a few samples:
I decided to solder the wiring harness adapter (adapts from the vehicle to the stereo's harness), which I don't normally do. I have previously always just used crimp connectors, but this time I wanted to see if it made a difference, and soldering makes a smaller connection, then covering the splice with heat shrink tubing insulated it well, then I threw in a couple zip-ties to keep the harness neat. The biggest difference is, besides taking more time, soldering takes up far less space than the crimp connectors, so all the wires seemed to fit much better behind the stereo. I didn't bother to take pics of that, since wires aren't all that interesting. Pulling off the center bezel & doing the swap took about as much time, including routing the wire for the mic behind the plastics up over the steering wheel to the gauge cluster, as it took to do all the soldering.
I'm still fine-tuning the sound for each input, but it's very nice that the stereo remembers your EQ & volume & preferences for each input, including the difference between AM (I set the EQ to voice) and FM (I set it to XPlod for fuller sound).
06-22-2011, 10:08 PM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: concord ca
Posts: 16
Car Info: 09 wrx
im using an eclipse avn-726e, the sound quality is amazing (depending on the quality of music you downloaded) as long as you tune it. radio sucks but you can blue tooth music from slacker through your phone.
pare that with new speakers a couple amps and a base and your good to go.
the big question is to go with a 10 or 12 inch base?
pare that with new speakers a couple amps and a base and your good to go.
the big question is to go with a 10 or 12 inch base?
07-27-2011, 10:32 AM
#7
Pioneer AVIC-700BT.
I like it. But the navi board fried and its stuck in a reboot loop every 3 minutes. HUGE issue with pioneer that they refuse to admit and support. Gonna cost me $200 to have it refurbed. Then I will be selling it.
I was going to get the 4200 or whatever it is that replaced it but after this I don't think I'll go pioneer again. I'll probably go back to Alpine. Been running alpine with great success for like 15 years. Just can't support a company that doesn't support their own products.
I like it. But the navi board fried and its stuck in a reboot loop every 3 minutes. HUGE issue with pioneer that they refuse to admit and support. Gonna cost me $200 to have it refurbed. Then I will be selling it.
I was going to get the 4200 or whatever it is that replaced it but after this I don't think I'll go pioneer again. I'll probably go back to Alpine. Been running alpine with great success for like 15 years. Just can't support a company that doesn't support their own products.
10-22-2012, 11:38 PM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Anchorage Alaska
Posts: 12
Car Info: 2006 subaru wrx tr
I also have hertz mlk 165s in the front doors and hcx 165 in the rear doors and 2 hx 250s subs in a ported box an Audison srx 4 running the door speakers and a Audison sr 1d for the subs
Oh, and at least ICS
10-22-2012, 11:50 PM
#14
Registered User
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: East Bay/ SSF
Posts: 1,277
Car Info: 2004 Forester XT
Pioneer AVIC-700BT.
I like it. But the navi board fried and its stuck in a reboot loop every 3 minutes. HUGE issue with pioneer that they refuse to admit and support. Gonna cost me $200 to have it refurbed. Then I will be selling it.
I was going to get the 4200 or whatever it is that replaced it but after this I don't think I'll go pioneer again. I'll probably go back to Alpine. Been running alpine with great success for like 15 years. Just can't support a company that doesn't support their own products.
I like it. But the navi board fried and its stuck in a reboot loop every 3 minutes. HUGE issue with pioneer that they refuse to admit and support. Gonna cost me $200 to have it refurbed. Then I will be selling it.
I was going to get the 4200 or whatever it is that replaced it but after this I don't think I'll go pioneer again. I'll probably go back to Alpine. Been running alpine with great success for like 15 years. Just can't support a company that doesn't support their own products.