Double Din for Christmas

[ryanbssc29 10+ year member]

Ok so my parents want to buy me a navagation system for my car since I'm going off to college soon, and I was able to talk them into a in dash unit rather than one of those tom tom things. Since its Christmas and I'm not paying for it price isn't a big issue, but I'd like to keep it under 1,500. I want the unit to have good picture quality, able to play mp3/dvd/nav, and I need to be able to hook three amps to it. I don't really have my heart stet on any specific units but I do like these two:

Alpine's IVA-W205 http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?search=alpine+blackbird&i=700ALPNAV

Eclipse AVN6610 http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=168550&i=099AVN6610&tp=75

Click to read more...

 

[blazeplacid 10+ year member]

If you just want a good nav Id do the Pioneer D3. I had the unit and now I wish I hadnt sold it.

I have an Eclipse 5510 and the SQ on it surpasses the D3 but the nav on the D3 was alot better.

I dont like Alpine (the brand) to much so nothing negative or positive about Alpine.

Id do the D3 if you want features. Its 899 from crutchfield with a free back up camera.

If you want great SQ and so so nav then do the 6610.

 

[HmoobVaj 10+ year member]

I hope you realize that the w205 alone does not have nav built-in. You will need to buy their nav addon unit or the blackbird. HU does have an internal docking port for the blackbird.

You should check out the Kenwood DNX7100 too. Nav is based on Garmin, SD slot for map updates, rear usb port, and plays divx too. I've been eyeing this unit for awhile now.

 

[BringDaBoom 10+ year member]

I vote the W205. It with the black bird should be right at your $1500 budget.

It's a killer head unit. Has all the expandability options you could every want, direct iPod interface, 24 bit DAC, 3 sets of pre-outs, etc, etc. The black bird I've read is very good too.

There is a two page review in the latest CA&E magazine on news stands right now. Its got a black and green cover and the W205 is right on it. Check it out.

 

[Mike437 10+ year member]

I would go with the Pioneer Avic-Z2. I have been eyeing this one out, thinking about asking it for x-mas also. Heres a link to one for $1349.99:

http://sonicelectronix.com/item_9006_Pioneer+AVIC-Z2.html

For the price you also get the 30GB internal HDD which is awesome to store music/maps for the gps. As far as sound quality, it is awesome. My friend has this unit installed in his mustang w/ 2 12" premier subs and it sounds awesome, plus the internal amp for the stock speakers sound crisp and clean. If i were you i'd go with this one.

 

[jdc753 10+ year member]

I just purchased a W205 but primarily cause I like Alpine and I didn't really need Nav and wanted to get the best expandability and Sound quality from a double din I could get. Hopefully in the future I can add a H701 to it.

In your position wanting primarily nav and maybe a more "feature" rich HU I would go for either the Pioneer Z series or the Kenwood, just to get the whole package in one single unit.

Really is prett tough choice and sort of comes down to personal preference and what you see yourself using the HU for the absolute most

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

I say a kenwood ddx model would be my choice.

 

[eatank 10+ year member]

Kenwood 7100, I have it running in my car and love it.

 

[dazza7 10+ year member]

how about the jvc avx800?

 

[ryanbssc29 10+ year member]

Thanks for the replys guys. I might have over emphasized my need for a navigation unit though, I mean don't get me wrong the nav is important but picture quality and sound quality come first. So, I'm guessing that no one likes the eclipse?

 

[ryanbssc29 10+ year member]

bump

 

[blazeplacid 10+ year member]

Eclipse is great like I said.

Trully I have yet to see ANY in dash sceeen, over head, any type of monitor that had an extremly clean picture.

Dont expect HD quality from an indash.

To me all the sceens look the same. The Jensen screen even looks nice.