Head unit with loudness or bass boost button?

[chazzy]

Looking for a new head unit. My requirements are pretty simple: cheap (but decent), RGB, BT, and loudness button. I currently have an Alpine UTE-73BT in my beater truck, but the loudness button is worthless. It doesn't boost lows/highs, but cycles through my set EQ and 3 preset EQs that sound pretty terrible. Does anyone know if the following models have a functional loudness button? Specific models don't really matter... each brand has a half dozen models that look basically identical.

Pioneer DEH-S6220BS
Kenwood KMM-BT525HD (rear usb is a plus)
JVC KD-X370BTS

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[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

I have ran that model of Pioneer. It has 3 different levels of loudness. The pioneer app ( smart sync) gives you a lot of sound settings. 31 band eq, crossovers, time alignment etc.

 

[huberoy123 10+ year member]

Looking for a new head unit. My requirements are pretty simple: cheap (but decent), RGB, BT, and loudness button. I currently have an Alpine UTE-73BT in my beater truck, but the loudness button is worthless. It doesn't boost lows/highs, but cycles through my set EQ and 3 preset EQs that sound pretty terrible. Does anyone know if the following models have a functional loudness button? Specific models don't really matter... each brand has a half dozen models that look basically identical.

Pioneer DEH-S6220BS
Kenwood KMM-BT525HD (rear usb is a plus)
JVC KD-X370BTS

I have a JVC with an equalizer which does a good job with the bass.

 

[chazzy]

I have ran that model of Pioneer. It has 3 different levels of loudness. The pioneer app ( smart sync) gives you a lot of sound settings. 31 band eq, crossovers, time alignment etc.

Looks like Smart Sync is the replacement for Arc. I can still find some Arc-equipped units for sale. Any idea if Smart Sync is better?

 

[some dude]

That's a bass booster button on the Pioneer. I have a similar deck.

 

[some dude]

Double post

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

Looks like Smart Sync is the replacement for Arc. I can still find some Arc-equipped units for sale. Any idea if Smart Sync is better?

Yes. Smart sync is all around more advanced than arc. Like the eq in arc is either 10 or 13 bands, whereas smart sync is 31 bands.

 

[chazzy]

I got the Pioneer. After 10 min of playing with it, it looks and sounds like a good unit. The bass button acts as expected. There's also a loudness setting buried in a menu. Haven't dug too deep into the menus or app yet. There's some crackling in one speaker that I think is a bad solder in the wiring harness that I have to address... somehow got some lead-free solder... not sure how that made its way into my hobby bucket.

After playing with this unit, the Alpine is very disappointing.

Edit:
The Pioneer is pretty awesome! The phone microphone is astounding. The Alpine's mic was useless in my fairly quiet Ranger, but the Pioneer's mic is very usable in my loud, rattly diesel. Bass boost works as it should... only wish it had two boost levels that cycle with the button. It has a ton of audio controls to get it just right. The app is pretty awesome too. Makes the menus much easier to navigate.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

somehow got some lead-free solder.

It's hard to find the old fashioned stuff anymore actually.

Glad the new unit has the features you like. In future I'd always suggest calling up Crutchfield. They're not the cheapest but their phone support is very competent and can always tell you which (if any) things on the market will do what you want it to do and are generally great with after the sale support or service if needed. I'd probably only buy a new source unit from them or in person from a trusted shop unless I knew precisely which make and model I wanted coming into it.