Stereo options/recommendations (1 Viewer)

[RobE30]

In my 94, I'm currently running a junkyard find head-unit and it is terrible. I'm looking to install something decent, bluetooth compatible etc that I can link my phone to so I can stream Pandora or whatever. This one has caught my eye, Pioneer AVH-2550NEX

I'm looking to see if anyone has any experience with this or similar, how it handles sun glare etc.

Thanks

 

[Cruzerman]

I personally am not a fan of LCD stereos and touch screen controls. Give me a button to press and a knob to turn. I'm running a Kenwood unit that was around $80. Does bluetooth, Pandora, IHeartRadio, and has a USB connector. I just plug in a $5 USB drive loaded with thousands of songs and I'm set.

 

[voodu3]

I had a similar pioneer head unit in my truck and it didn’t work well for me. It was intermittent at best with the Bluetooth connection and backup camera function was about the same. I ended up going with this Sony unit Sony XAV-AX5000
And it works much better for me. As far as glare they are about the same but the picture from the backup camera is better on the Sony. YMMV.

 

[Greg E23]

I'm running the Sony XAV-AX1000 and have been very pleased so far.

 

[RobE30]

@Cruzerman sounds like my kind of stereo. I'll keep searching through Crutchfield. I really need to up the stereo's oomph, gets drowned out quickly with windows open and with general wind noise from the truck

 

[Cruzerman]

I hear you on the oomph. In these rigs, F fidelity, give me volume.

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

This is worth a look... Alpine Halo 9

 

[Willy beamin]

I too was in the same boat. i went Focal 6 1/2 components in the fronts and 6 1/2 full range focals in the rears, with a kenwood dmx905-s head unit and alpine nano amp to push a Focal 8" shallow boxed sub. Then added another alpine nano to push the door speakers. Mounted the amps on the wits end RQP. Sound is superb. No clarity loss with volume. The apple play is a great feature, nav, siri and etc. is more tech than my 200. Head unit does not have a volume knob, just buttons and im good with that. Added a back up camera a few weeks ago. Sun glare is minimal. Takes the driving experience up several notches. Its overkill but so is owning more than one LC.

 

[MoJ]

Another Sony xav-ax1000 vote.

 

[LC4LIFE]

I absolutely wanted a volume knob along with all the other new options. CarPlay, rear view camera, etc. Ended up going with the Sony XAV-AX100.

https://www.sony.com/electronics/in-car-receivers-players/xav-ax100

I am very happy with it.

 

[thebfg]

I put in an expensive Pioneer CarPlay & GPS unit and then decided that CarPlay is stupid (in my case) because I keep the phone mounted way higher than the stereo and thus the phone is in a better eyeline. So I replaced it with a "stupider" unit: one with a volume knob and an LCD for a future back-up (and potentially front) camera(s) and no GPS. The CarPlay and GPS units take too long to "boot-up" for me also (not sure if it's the CarPlay or the GPS that's the real culprit in the slow boot times).

 

[96LandcruiserPJ]

I received (as a gift) a very similar Pioneer double DIN unit (AVH-2550 NEX). It has a DVD player which is pretty useless. I have been pretty happy, but the bluetooth is sketchy, so I have it plugged in to the phone most of the time.

 

[baggar11]

Absolutely loving my Sony setup.

 

[lumbee1]

I received (as a gift) a very similar Pioneer double DIN unit (AVH-2550 NEX). It has a DVD player which is pretty useless. I have been pretty happy, but the bluetooth is sketchy, so I have it plugged in to the phone most of the time.

I've got the same unit and I'm really surprised by all the bugs in the interface. I need to check for a firmware update. It does sound significantly better than the JVC it replaced.

 

[Willy beamin]

I received (as a gift) a very similar Pioneer double DIN unit (AVH-2550 NEX). It has a DVD player which is pretty useless. I have been pretty happy, but the bluetooth is sketchy, so I have it plugged in to the phone most of the time.

to my ears a direct plug in sounds way better than streaming bluetooth.

 

[jonheld]

I have a Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS in my LX450. For the extra $70 I added the Sirius/XM receiver as well.
Single DIN, simple unit. All the modern conveniences without a ridiculous price tag.
My speakers were shot after 20+ years so I replaced all 4 doors with the Polk Audio DB651.

 

[Steve D]

I put a double-din DVD-playing Kenwood unit. Due to the unit's significant depth, I was having issues with it pinching wires. I just installed the shallow chassis Alpine ILX-W650 and it provides all kinds of room for wiring.

 

[Sc0-]

I have been thinking about swapping out my Premier Pioneer for the AquaticAV unit, been running one in my Harley for years... They even offer a hidden version, that will free up a large chunk of your dash space...

 

[namsag]

Same unit as voodu3. Very happy with it.