Need a refresher!

mendon mafia said:

Hi guys,

Been out of the game for a while but looking at getting a new deck as it is becoming somewhat expensive plus my time and labor to add a bluetooth adapter when I s womt be able to skip tracks from the deck.

So I figured if I'm gonna get a deck I want something decent. 

Last deck I bought was a flagship JVC about 10 years ago. It has 5v preputs and 24bit burr brown DAC but has very limited crossover functionality and eq. I also hate the user interface, very clunky navigation. I also hate how the bluetooth uses a module that goes in one if the 2 USB ports (LOL!)

I much prefer the interface (rocking knob) of the pioneer 590IB. Do pioneers still use the rocking knobs for navigation? 

I'm considering the 880PRS but don't know if I'll be able to tell the difference over the other decks I'm used to. I know it has way more adjustments but is it worth the $700 price tag? I would love to spend under $200 but am willing to spend more for a proven quality upgrade.

I would like single DIN, at least 4V preouts and a 24bit DAC. Bluetooth with hands free and good sounding mic. CD. USB. AUX. 7 band eq (preferably parametric). Am/FM. Hd radio. Front/rear/sub switchable to high/mid/sub. 

I am also interested in any units that may have bass restoration like the epicenter built in but I doubt any do. 

I'm currently running passive but I would like the ability to have a separate crossover network that allows for active crossover adjustment between tweeter and mid.

I've landed on the Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS. $180 from crutchfield which seems like a good buy as this was about what I paid for my JVC about 10 years ago.

Is there anything else I should consider or that is truly worth more money? 

Thanks!

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Provided you stay out of the gutter tier stuff you shouldn't have any issues with reliability or bad sound.   BT/Apple/Android integration has come a long way so that'll be a bit more streamlined in everything.   The way I'm reading it though, most of your concerns are very subjective, is Kenwood or Pioneer buttons or menu/track navigation "easier" or more user friendly?  Ask 20 people you'll get 20 answers.  If that's your concern go find some IRL at a shop and go out and poke around on them.

Whether or not ponying up the big bucks to get into some powerful DSP options built in is also really subjective.  All those units are very nice, and you're getting a good value in processing power as opposed to buying that stuff outboard, but they are big bucks and most folks manage to get by without.  I do believe JVC has a unit that can do active crossover if you just want that feature, and I'd say if your last one lasted a decade that's pretty solid and not a bad brand.  I think a forum search for active capable head units might come up with half a dozen mid-priced options.

I don't think anything has "bass restoration" built in but I'd suggest Zed Audio Ra over the Audiocontrol Epic/Epicenter.  It's a lot more versatile and subtle.  I found Epic went from off to overwhelming without any in between.

mendon mafia said:

Thank you!  

I agree lots of these are subjective. I already went to Walmart to test some but they were all lower end than I liked and none were intuitive in my experience. 

Objectively: I'm looking for good crossover functionality with the ability to run active from the deck and adjustable slopes. Time delay would be nice. An eq with at least 7 bands. 4volt or higher preouts. 3 sets of RCA outs. Bluetooth with mic for calls. 24bit DAC. 

But from what it sounds like anything mid road and up should be good here. I'll have to go to a real shop or best buy to try some better decks.  

BTW my pioneer 590ib was my first deck and it still kicking some 12 years later and being in 4 vehicles!

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know about the Kenwood KDC-X702? also how does it differ from the 302 and 502 models besides port placements? These seem to have good crossovers and eqs also.

Lastly am I stupid for wanting CD? I hardly listen to them anyways. Is there something better I can get if I ditch the cd?

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I think wanting active capable narrows down your list a fair bit.  I'd try the search function and either bump one of the older list threads or start a new topic to get a current list.   I'd say anything in-store at a Walmart is either gutter brand or bottom tier from the good brand names, though I know you can order some nice ones off their website.  Best Buy will have a couple mid tier ones in the board, but typically they just have the cheap lineup in their board as well (though they can also order nice stuff). 

I think anything that can active crossover will have the other features you want.  Active capable generally puts you higher mid-tier by my estimation.

I don't use CDs any more myself but there's only a small handful of HUs that are USB only.  I had been running a Kenwood for a while that was USB only and loved it, recently replaced it with a Sony USB only that I really like.  The other Sony I got for my Corolla is mostly designed to integrate with smart phone but also has CD.   CD technology is so old now that the cost to add it is pretty much nothing so it's not like it's a feature that you're saving a few bucks by not getting.... these days it's pretty much like a tuner, it is unusual not to find it.

IMO Alpine, Kenwood (JVC is owned by Kenwood and many of their units appear to be just rebadged Kenwood), Pioneer are the big players in HUs and all of them should offer something with all the stuff you want.  I've had good luck with Jensen in the past but IDK if they make anything any more and I'm really digging the Sony products this year.   Straying from those brands may be hit or miss, the Boss, Dual, SoundStream, etc. and those bootleg no-name alibaba brands should be avoided at all costs. 

With what you wrote and what I read.... Just get the Pioneer DEH-80PRS. It can be had brand new on eBay for $260 free shipping and buy it now.

Active - yes

Left and right eq's - yes - 16 bands per side

Time Alignment - yes

24bit Burr Brown D/A converter - yes

This head unit will put you in the mid tier with active capabilities.

If you are wanting better... and the ability to play higher quality audio files then I would save up your cash and buy an even higher end HU with the ability to play HD audio files including DSD files and use an external DSP for the EQ's and Time Alignment.

mendon mafia said:

Front/rear/sub switchable to high/mid/sub

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It's going to be tough to find any headunit with a built in band pass crossover.  I've been in car stereo since the '80s and off the top of my head can't come up with one that could.  Alpine had their V12 Expert amps and a couple processors that did it, but I don't think you'll find anything today, especially in a DIN chassis.

Everything else on your list shouldn't be tough to find.  I used Alpine headunits from '95 to '16 when I tried Kenwood.  I switched back to Alpine in '17.  To me, Alpine sounds better and has a better user-interface.  Look at Alpine's CDE-HD149BT.  It should measure up, and utilizes Alpine's Tune-It app that lets you make your adjustments with your smart phone.

A few things I noticed when changing from a Kenwood DNX-893S to Alpine's ILX-207 are:

• I had to turn my amp gain down with Alpine's 4V versus Kenwood's 5V.
  
• Alpine's HD tuner is better.
  
• Alpine's CarPlay works a little better than Kenwood's, but this doesn't apply to you.
  

Good luck searching for your headunit.

Pioneer jvc and alpine have single din head units with 3 way crossovers ie bandpass for mids.

Alpine Ute 62 cde 163/164....

Mr12voltwires said:

It's going to be tough to find any headunit with a built in band pass crossover.  I've been in car stereo since the '80s and off the top of my head can't come up with one that could.  Alpine had their V12 Expert amps and a couple processors that did it, but I don't think you'll find anything today, especially in a DIN chassis.

Everything else on your list shouldn't be tough to find.  I used Alpine headunits from '95 to '16 when I tried Kenwood.  I switched back to Alpine in '17.  To me, Alpine sounds better and has a better user-interface.  Look at Alpine's CDE-HD149BT.  It should measure up, and utilizes Alpine's Tune-It app that lets you make your adjustments with your smart phone.

A few things I noticed when changing from a Kenwood DNX-893S to Alpine's ILX-207 are:

• I had to turn my amp gain down with Alpine's 4V versus Kenwood's 5V.
  
• Alpine's HD tuner is better.
  
• Alpine's CarPlay works a little better than Kenwood's, but this doesn't apply to you.
  

Good luck searching for your headunit.

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fithwheel said:

Pioneer jvc and alpine have single din head units with 3 way crossovers ie bandpass for mids.

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WOW, cudos to Pioneer and JVC.  I worked for Alpine for almost a decade don't remember having any HU with active band-pass.  Just got off the phone with their senior product planner and he doesn't remember one either.  I tried to look up the UTE & CDEs, but Alpine's support website is down.

Oh well...

Mr12voltwires said:

WOW, cudos to Pioneer and JVC.  I worked for Alpine for almost a decade don't remember having any HU with active band-pass.  Just got off the phone with their senior product planner and he doesn't remember one either.  I tried to look up the UTE & CDEs, but Alpine's support website is down.

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idk man I'm not having any trouble running active off my ute62 or cde 163 lol.  The 163/164/62 they're just like the 2din w265 as far as the audio/crossover works. You may not find info on alpines site at it appears they're replacing these models and moving away from 3 ways.  I think crutchfied still has some 62s left if you get on their site and look at the details section on one you'll see the bandpass crossover points etc. These models are still out there but they are getting harder to find. Sonic still has some last time I checked.