Clarion DUZ385SAT 2-DIN CD/MP3/WMA/AAC Receiver with Rear USB Port, XM Mini-Tuner Direct, Satellite Radio Ready Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this Clarion car stereo as a Christmas gift for my partner. He wanted something simple to use with as few buttons as possible because he is a technophobe. After comparing this to several other double-din models from JVC and others, I decided to go with this since the layout is very simple and easy to understand. I installed it in his 2002 Tacoma pickup (I used to install car stereos professionally and I really would not recommend it for a novice.) The install went very smoothly and the factory brackets for the Tacoma stereo were a perfect match for the Clarion with no modification. After the install was done, I popped in the Josh Groban Christmas CD and I was stunned by the volume and clarity even with the Tacoma's factory speakers. It literally sounded like a cathederal and all of the small nuances and sense of space was amazing. I could not believe it, but the Clarion reproduced the kettle drums and big bass without the need for an extra amp. The bass actually made my pants leg shake and even made different parts of the truck rattle with no subwoofer! If you want to upgrade your factory stereo and you have a double din opening, I would absolutely recommend this stereo to anyone. For less than $200.00 you get a very nice unit that is very easy to understand, has some very nice e.q. settings, a very sensitive radio, and some really incredible sound quality. The unit is also very upgradable if you want to add XM radio, you can, it supports USB and MP3 and has outputs for adding on extra amps or anything else. It also looks quite cool when it is lit up, it has neat blue lights that look very tasteful and high tech. It also has a hookup to the factory dimmer and you can change the contrast of the display to allow for the best view to the driver's seat.

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Kenwood DPX-302 - Radio / CD / MP3 player - Double-DIN - in-dash - 50 Watts x 4 Review

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(More customer reviews)This radio fits very well as a double din replacement, and includes the brackets to install it. Sound quality is good in what you would expect for this price range. Setting this radio for the first time is a bit confusing though, because the instructions don't match what you need to do in practice. It takes a while to figure out. The use of a joystick to select bands and stations is a curious experience in a car radio. My only concern is in terms of the durability of the device compare with the classical buttons. But on the other hand you have the remote control to do the same thing.

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Clarion CX609 2-DIN CD/MP3/WMA/AAC Receiver with USB Port Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased the CX609 for my 2008 Nissan Frontier. Having high end audio systems in my past two cars, I initially was going to just leave my truck stock, but then I got a new phone (Samsung Omnia) on which I can store 16 gigs of music, and the Bluetooth audio bug bit me hard. I picked this stereo because it does everything I want it to do (I will discuss the functions in detail later) and it's Double Din, so it fits perfectly in my dash. In fact, its worth noting that I didn't need an install trim kit to fit this into my dash. Despite Crutchfield telling me I'd need a $20 Metra kit, I found that all I needed to do to install the chassis was to unscrew the 2 brackets from my stock HU and screw them onto the Clarion. Clarion's install instructions clearly explain how to do this for Nissan and Toyota vehicles, although I did not use the thin spacers that the instructions said to use. Didn't need them as the stock and new HU chassis were both exactly the same width (I believe Clarion makes the stock HU).
The main reason I bought this unit was for the Bluetooth abilities, and because in addition to hands free functionality, it also supports A2DP Bluetooth audio streaming, so I can play music from my phone right through the stereo with no wires. I am really impressed with this technology. I did some testing with a CD burned from MP3s, and with the original MP3s streamed via BT. I honestly can't hear the difference. When connected, the HU controls the phone by changing tracks, pausing, playing, stopping, and it also can FF/RW through tracks, which is something my BT headphones can't do.
The CX609 works well as a hands free unit as well. When a call comes in the HU pauses the music and rings through the speakers. I ran the microphone up through the A pillar and headliner and popped it out next to the map light/sunglass holder. This is about where a stock MIC is found on a Frontier with factory BT, and it works fantastic. Everyone who I've spoken to says they can hear me better on the HU than on my phone. The MIC gain can be adjusted easily from 1-5, but I found the stock level of 3 too soft, and my preferred level of 4 is just a bit too sensitive. I just need to speak at a normal conversation levels rather than "yelling" into the BT which is what I often tend to do. Once connected, the stereo is ready to take calls in any mode. To initiate calls you are supposed to be able to browse your phonebook on the stereo (I haven't loaded mine yet, and might not bother), or you can enter numbers directly, or of course use the phone, which is how I do it.
However, all is not perfect. My major gripe with the HU is also Bluetooth related. The HU can be set to auto connect to the phone, or do it manually. Autoconnect works great, and if you want to listen to the phone right away, it handles everything for you. The problem is that if you are listening to any other source, it goes to Bluetooth mode every time you turn it on as soon as the phone connects, and you need to switch back to your old source. If you shut auto connect off, it stays on the previous source, but to connect you need to switch to BT and go through a menu to select the phone as there is a disconnect button, but no connect button. If you don't connect it, you don't get hands free capabilities if you get a call, so its kind of a no-win. For now I just let it connect (which it does VERY fast) and then switch to another source if I don't want to listen to the phone.
The attatched USB cord is very cool and allows you to connect your ipod up without an adapter (haven't tried it), or plug in your thumb drives and stream music off of them. I plugged a Kingston 4gb micro SDHC chip into a thumbdrive adapter, loaded up some albums, and plugged it into the cord (which I snaked into my glovebox), and it works great. The read speed is almost instantaneous, and it navigates folders easily. Very cool.
The stereo works fine, although as the less than stellar FM sensitivity specs would suggest, it doesn't pick up stations quite as well as the stock stereo, but out on the road its fine. In my basement garage I was able to pick up all the stations I would expect, although 1 came in scratchy until I pulled outside. It does not have RDS or HD radio, which would have been nice, but you can program station titles which in a way is better because you don't end up with your stations named incorrectly the way many RDS receivers do it.
CDs play fine. I haven't tried an MP3 disc yet since I have the phone and USB port, but it does read track titles off my CDA discs... cool.
Overall sound quality is good. I still have stock speakers so I can't say for sure how good. The preset sound schemes didn't please me, but the custom function works well. You can set your low, mid, and high levels, and for each you can select the frequency center and Q ratio (I believe this means how wide your adjustment is). I believe lows can be set at 50, 100, or 200. mids at 500, 1000, or 2000, and highs at 5000, 10000, or 15000. Q settings are .7, 1, 1.4, or 2 for each. I prefer smaller Qs. While it's nowhere near as nice as the 12 band EQ I had in my last vehicle, it does work pretty well. It also has a Bass Expander and BBE processing - but only for CDs and MP3s. I wish you could use BBE on everything.
The display is ok but not as high end as it could be. The color on black screen looks good in some of the colors, but not all. My interior lighting is amber but the amber looks bad on the display, so I set it to Red which I find is easier to read. Ford owners with green illumination would like the green, and blue looks cool but it doesn't match my car. You can customize your color (R0-8, G0-8, B0-8), but most colors are pre programmed. My HU is mounted right at 30 degrees, so I need to crank the contrast to be able to read it at that angle... but it works.
The remote that comes with it does enough, although it wont navigate menus which might be more useful than anything. Warning... when installing make sure you plug the MIC into the correct port. It also fits in the remote port which is the same size. I made that mistake and only figured out the problem after the MIC and IR remote both didn't work. This suggests to me that the IR remote may not function if you hook up a steering wheel adapter... although I can't be sure.
Overall, for $230 + $25 in harness and antenna adapters, this radio is an affordable unit that really does the trick, especially if you want to maintain a stock look. You can get much flashier units in a single DIN, or go with a touch screen DVD player for more money, but to have a radio that looks like it came in the vehicle, but does stuff that most factory radios cant, look no further!


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From its symmetric design with large rotary volume control, to the illumination accented dark color scheme, the 2-DIN CX609 offers dynamic looks that blend into your car interior. And with features like built-in Bluetooth, Direct iPod Control, streaming audio from USB devices, and more, this receiver's a pleasure to use, see and hear.

728 Variable-Color Illumination You're free to select the exact color you want, to match your car's instrument panel or match your mood today.
Built-in Bluetooth For wireless connection with mobile phones, PDAs and MP3 Players. Supports Bluetooth profiles A2DP/AVRCP for audio streaming and HFP/OPP for hands-free operation, so you can easily communicate and transfer digital music to your vehicle's audio system. A wired microphone is also supplied.
CDs and Beyond This receiver will play your CDs and CD-R/RWs, but burn a data CD with your favorite MP3/WMA or iTunes AAC files and the fun begins, with hours of music on a single disc. You can also play the files back from an inserted USB thumb drive. The device will display ID3-TAG info like artist or song name for your added convenience.
AM/FM Radio Sometimes you just want to listen to the radio. Store your favorite radio stations on the 18 FM and six AM presets.
BBE MP (Minimized Polynomial Non-Linear Saturation) By restoring the harmonics that are lost during digital compression of MP3 and WMA audio files, BBE MP reproduces the warmth, details and nuances of sound that you would otherwise miss. Effective for digital audio files and CDs.
Beat EQ with Parametric Equalization In addition to providing 3 preset equalization patterns, BeatEQ even lets you freely customize the level and range of the bass, midrange and treble portions of each pattern with a 3-band parametric equalizer
Direct USB iPod control The USB input on the rear of the CX609 lets you connect your iPod directly without an expensive adapter. Just use your stock iPod cable, and you'll enjoy your favorite iPod tunes, along with complete control and battery charging of your iPod. The unit also supports title display for the tracks playing on your iPod.
SAT Radio Ready Clarion gives you the choice of XM Satellite Radio or Sirius Satellite Radio. Choose either system and you can connect a Satellite Radio receiver with Translator connected via Ce-NET. Enjoy over 150 channels of music, news, talk shows, sports and traffic information with CD quality sound.
Front Panel Auxiliary Input Connect MP3 players or other external audio devices in a snap with the 3.5mm front auxiliary input.
Room to Grow The CX609 gives you a 50W x 4 built-in amplifier to begin with, along with two RCA preamp outputs (F, R/SW) for system expansion.
Remote Control Included Control the action with the included wireless remote.
What's in the Box Clarion CX609, trim ring, wiring harness, remote control, microphone, installation hardware, owner's manual, installation guide.

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Pioneer Premier FH-P800BT - Radio / CD / MP3 player / USB flash player - Double-DIN - in-dash - 50 Watts x 4 Review

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(More customer reviews)This head unit is a great option for someone who wants an in-dash iPod (particularly iPhone) solution, but doesn't want to buy a more expensive navigation unit. The simple looks won me over initially, and if you've ever shopped for head units, you know that most on the market look absolutely ridiculous, and are apparently intended to be as obnoxious and blinky as possible. Although one major knock on the appearance of the FH-800BT is that the blue illumination is extremely bright, even after you enable dimming. Bright blue LED's are the bane of modern electronics. Its saving grace, however, is that you can actually shut off the display completely while it is operating, which is brilliant for long-distance late-night drives.
If you have ever used a Pioneer head unit, you will be immediately familiar with most of the settings. EQ, subwoofer, cross-fade, etc. are all there. Some Pioneer units have an adjustable parametric EQ, however this unit has a more straight-forward 7-band EQ. Otherwise, it's typical Pioneer, down to the trademark beep.
The sound quality is excellent all-around. Radio, CD, iPod, and Bluetooth A2DP all sound fantastic. There was a touch of hiss on Bluetooth audio at high volumes, but I think this is unavoidable. The "Audio Retriever" function supposedly mathematically restores audio lost from MP3 compression. It definitely makes a noticeable difference in the high frequencies without much detectable distortion added, but I think it's more a matter of personal preference.
iPhone connectivity is superb. I was able to pair the unit to my iPhone 3GS without a hitch, download the phone book, and make and receive calls without any problems at all. The included microphone is a little on the large side if you are trying to hide your install discreetly. However it works very well, and I had no trouble being heard on the other end at highway speeds, even though my car is not particularly quiet. Goodbye bluetooth headset! One minor note is my iPhone occasionally declares that the cable is not intended to be used with an iPhone and asks to be put into airplane mode. I disregard this message, and all features appear to work flawlessly.
A few things are completely unforgivable on this unit:
For example, "Telephone" REALLY does not need to be accessible via cycling through the "Source" button when there is a dedicated Telephone button right next to it.
The feel of the center knob is a bit flimsy, and center-clicking generally requires two-fingers to avoid pushing the knob left/right/up/down unless you push it dead center.
I wish they just added a few more dedicated buttons instead of burying features in the center-knob. There is a lot of empty space on the face of the unit, which would be great to have things like radio preset buttons (or phone quick-dial buttons). And since there are no dedicated radio preset buttons, why do they bother having 3 sets of FM presets? Couldn't they just put 18 presets in one place instead of forcing me to cycle through? And why does Audio Retriever need a dedicated button? That's a set-and-forget feature.
The iPod control, while generally very good, has a few nags. The unit allows you to alternate between "Song Shuffle", "Album Shuffle", and "Off" (buried in the center-knob functions), however when you tap the dedicated Shuffle button it seems to always jump back to "Song Shuffle". Hitting the button again does not turn shuffle off (as expected), but instead just re-shuffles your entire iPod and starts playing again. This is really a shame because I prefer to listen to my iPod on Album Shuffle mode, but the unit insists on jumping back to Song Shuffle. So instead, I leave Shuffle off. It's easy enough to browse for the albums I want anyways.
All in all, this is a very good head unit that is marred by a few flaws. If you can put up with the usability issues, then I highly recommend it. Otherwise, if you don't mind spending the money, I would look into a more fully-featured unit with navigation.

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JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN Bluetooth Dual USB/CD Receiver with USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite/HD Radio add-on capability Review

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(More customer reviews)Installed it in 2010 Nissan Frontier Extended Cab, along with the HD Radio tuner, 6"x9" Alpine SPR-69C speakers in front and 6.5" Alpine SPS-600's in rear.
Pros:
1. Very easy, intuitive navigation, especially for all the features, including large dedicated buttons for preset radio stations -- which was important to me since I listen to the radio a LOT. Menu and Back buttons make the nested menus easy, especially when using USB mass storage (up to 20,000 songs). Can Hide infrequently used menu options (such as AUX input) using Setup. Can readily "customize it" to meet your preferences. Once you've tweaked your setup, it's very easy to use.
2. Color matched my dash lights VERY well, with separate settings for the display and the buttons, including totally different setups for night and day. Display is fairly customizeable, as well, in addition to choosing Negative and Positive backlighting.
3. Great internal equalizer provides 3 different adustments for each of at least 3 frequencies in each of the 3 broad ranges (High, Mid, Low) -- making it more like a 9 or 10 band equalizer. Can finetune it to your speakers and the car's acoustics -- your tweaking is most easily done by pressing and holding the preset that's closest to what you like, then make your manual adjustments and its automatically saved as a USER preset that's easily accessed via this dedicated EQ button. Or, you can do it the hard way using the Setup >> Audio menu.
4, Strong internal amp is certainly not "over-rated" at 20 watts -- it will produce 20 watts with little noticeable distortion. With good aftermarket speakers, you may not (I don't) need an amp or separate sub, though I'm sure it would sound even better. Multiple LOUD settings to enhance low volume, if desired, but I don't use them -- just tweaked the EQ. You could boost the volume even more by jacking up the input volume (see #5 below). Of course, you have 5 sets of RCA out jacks and built-in subwoofer control if you want to amp it up...
5. Adjustable input volume for each input source(Aux, USB, CD, etc) other than the Radio, so you can get the same output volume from each source withour jarring (and possibly harmful to your ears or speakers) volume changes when switching sources. Even the Aux input sounds good, though it doesn't quite compare to the 24-bit Digital-to-Analog (DAC) converter in the headunit.
6. Clean, great sound, though I didn't try it with just the stock speakers. With all the adjustments, you can tailor it to the type of music you typically listen to. Surprising bass with these nice Alpine speakers. The stereo in my truck now blows away the Pioneer/Bose setup in my house!
7. Attractive, without being flashy. Looks almost stock... hopefully won't attract the attention of theives!
CONS:
1. Couldn't transfer phonebook from my old Casio Boulder. Easily paired up to it, and the Bluetooth works great otherwise. I just dial out using Phonebook on my cell, and the headunit takes over. Could still manually dial using headunit, but it's more cumbersome. Sounds great -- callers say it sounds like I'm just using a headset, without echoes, road noise or other distractions.
2. Didn't recognize my Sansa Clip MP3 player - perhaps because I also have a microSD card in it. Bought a 8GB USB flash drive that works great, and use it on the rear USB, hidden in glove compartement. (The tiny USB Bluetooth adapter stays in the front USB and isn't very noticeable at all.)
3. File names and folders still limited to 25 characters, which initially required some renaming of the files. This has little impact on the display, however, since the Tags (Artist, Album, Song Title) can contain up to 128 characters. Can select to scroll long tags once, repeatedly, or turn scrolling completely off.
4. FM radio reception isn't really any better than stock, though the sound is clearer with less static on normal AM/FM. AM reception seems better than stock, and much clearer overall. HD radio sounds GREAT, though HD stations and their range are still limited. I saw HD as an investment in the future, without subscription charges, especially since the FCC just recently approved the HD stations to increase their broadcast power (i.e. range) ten-fold or something like that.
5. Glossy faceplate and buttons show fingerprints and dust, and makes it look "less stock" than it would if it had a textured finish. Otherwise, matches stock dash very well. At night, with the colors adjusted and stored via setup, it looks like it came from the factory instead of having a multi-colored light show... See the photos that I uploaded.
Overall, I'm VERY, VERY pleased with the upgrade. The improvement in sound (not counting flexibility of two USB inputs, AUX, HD radio, etc.) over the stock single-CD (non Rockford-Fosgate) system is simply incredible. With the 6x9 Alpines, you can crank it up and feel the bass thump your chest. IMO, this JVC has the most features available at this price point in a double-DIN deck, those features are easy to use, and the sound won't disappoint!

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JVC's double-DIN KW-XR810 is a USB/CD receiver with plenty of connectivity--connect USB devices and iPod/iPhones using dual USB ports, or other devices using the front-panel 3.5mm auxiliary input. Bluetooth technology gives you hands-free audio or audio streaming with your cell phone, and expansion options include three preamp outputs and the easy addition of HD or satellite radio. The icing on the cake is JVC's Separated Variable Color, which lets you adjust the receiver's display color to match your vehicle or preference.

Separated Variable Color The KW-XR810 features a Full-Dot LCD with JVC's Separated Variable-Color. Personalize your stereo to match your vehicle's interior illumination colors. Separated variable color lets you use two separate colors from a choice of over 30,000 options to create your own color scheme.
Built-in Bluetooth Wireless Technology Drive more safely (or legally depending on where you live) with hands-free calling. The included wired microphone offers flexible settings for clear communication. The Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) for iPhone lets you automatically access your phone book without transfer. You can also manually transfer up to 400 numbers from compatible cell phones. Changing from hands-free to a private conversation can be done by a push of a key. You can also easily switch Bluetooth connection between 2 phones, such as for business/private use.

CD and MP3/WMA/WAV Playback Enjoy your favorite CDs or throw in burnt CD-Rs. You can also listen back to MP3/WMA/WAV data CDs, which allows you to throw hours of music on a single disc, with ID3 tag display of artist and track info. Or better yet, just drag your files to a USB thumb drive and plug it into the receiver's front-panel USB port.
A 24-bit TI/Burr-Brown analog-to-digital converter provides a solid sound base, and you can perfect it with the three-band EQ. For quiter listening, a Loudness function (in three different patterns) is provided, to ensure you still get some low-end and dynamics.
Front-Panel USB and Auxiliary Input Connect USB thumb drives, iPods/iPhones (see below), or other USB devices using the USB port. If you have another audio device that's not USB compatible, just use the standard 3.5mm auxiliary input and you're all set. A second USB port is provided on the rear of the receiver, so you can keep a couple devices connected.
USB Audio and Video for iPod/iPhone The USB connection for iPod/iPhone provides clear digital sound directly from your iPod or iPhone. While your device is in use, it also receives a charge, so it's ready to step out of the car when you do. Since the KD-R810 features two USB ports, you can connect two different iPods, or a USB device along with an iPod.

With External Mode for iPod, you can also enjoy sound from your favorite iPod/iPhone apps in your vehicle, such as Internet radio, games, video, or navigation apps (compatibility differs by model).
AM/FM Radio The KW-XR810 features an AM/FM radio, with 6 AM and 18 FM presets, for quick access to your favorite stations.
The HS-IVi tuner features higher sensitivity, thanks to three IF bandwidths (wide, middle and narrow). It also includes AM Noise Canceller plus upgraded IF filters that help avoid the distortion caused by interference from adjacent stations.
HD/SAT Radio Ready If you'd like to add some serious entertainment options to your vehicle, add an optional HD or Satellite radio solution from JVC to take advantage of XM/SIRIUS programming or HD features like Multicasting or iTunes tagging.
50W x 4 MOSFET Amplifier The built-in 50W x 4 MOSFET amp provides plenty of power, but three 2.5V preamp output terminals (front, rear, subwoofer) are also provided for system building.
What's in the Box KW-XR810 Receiver, Bluetooth Microphone, Sleeve/Trim Ring, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Instruction/Intallation Manuals, Warranty Info

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