What’s the best head unit available?
- Thread starter Gillon Johnstone
- Start date
Mine must be 6 months old now, no dust so far, a little condensation under the screen in the winter though.
Hope it stays like it .. I think as my van was second hand there was a fair amount of dust from previous owner floating around in there so .. it may just be related to that .. however how they get away with out an air sealed design is baffling to me ..
Please can you stop putting pictures of new head units on the forum.....if I get one I’ll end up at mediation on the 2nd Divorce
ok lol
sorry
alcarmichael
Member
@Absolut5 What's the all in price for one of these please?
Do you have factory parking sensors and audio controls on the steering wheel?
alcarmichael
Member
No factory parking sensors and currently no steering wheel controls but I will be looking at upgrading to a mfsw in the not too distant future...
Just to report my findings after going down both Kenwood and alpine rabbit holes and rummaging around .. I must have had my Kenwood 9019 dabs or whatever it was .. it was top of the range ..best part of 8 months before ultimately getting my money back and similar with the alpine halo again I’ve been refunded . The Kenwood got dust under its screen and they were unable to fix the issue it would also stop car play completely in certain areas where there was interference either to the wireless or the Bluetooth I’m not sure .. but car play audio would suddenly stop . The alpine sounded the best but had a noisy fan and the sat nav and gps positioning on two units had random glitches .. that for me were unacceptable. I’ve actually gone back to the original VW head unit with its tighter integrations with the instrument cluster and its cd player and blue tooth audio and to be honest .. (using the screen on my iPhone which is far higher resolution than any of these units and my iPhones gps ) I’m getting more reliable results . For the time being I’m putting up with no reverse camera .. that’s something I do miss for sure. Using my phone with Bluetooth for audio is certainly a little more quirky than CarPlay but after trying both top of the range offers from both Kenwood and Alpine .. I will keep my money for a while until someone comes out with something far better then the present offerings that are extremely overpriced . How about optical audio out ? Higher resolution screens that are comparable with the resolution of an iPad or iPhone would be nice. Better operating systems . Maybe a unit with no screen at all but integrates with your iPhone and shows reverse camera image on the phone itself . I think there are some massive improvements to in car technology just around the corner . Although I also fear that there is going to be more intrusion into our freedoms as we become ever more of a world of surveillance. I’m not sure what is stopping the authorities of recording our speed and location at all times whilst using car play or just Google maps or waze or apple maps on your phone If they are not already doing it they soon will . In fact it may be soon impossible to start your engine without an internet connection .
alcarmichael
Member
Food for thought. It was initially the Alpine I wanted but found myself looking at Kenwood because I was under the impression it was a better built and more reliable unit.
My 9190 has been fine, there is one area in town that always kills the CarPlay connection, but the rest of the time it’s rock solid.
It’s like my HiLo, no issues at all, but others have had absolute nightmares.
It’s like my HiLo, no issues at all, but others have had absolute nightmares.
My findings were the alpine is a more solid and better built unit with a better amplifier .The Kenwood is more cutting edge but is just built with the cheapest of components . There is a higher end Kenwood unit available in the states . The reference series that includes higher end audio components . But you can’t get them in the U.K.
unless someone knows better ?
Both Kenwood and alpine units leave a lot to be desired and would make more sense at half the asking price in my opinion certainly the Kenwood range . Don’t they make kitchen appliances ?
This wonderful new term ‘mech less ‘ that is being bandied about just means less manufacturing costs so therefore should be reflected in the asking price .. but of course is not.
A big screen is nice but not if it’s blocking the ventilation in my opinion .
Drop us a pm if you like to discuss in greater detail
alcarmichael
Member
PM sent
It's a bit too small and discrete.....
Morning all,
New to the forums so I apologise if there is a thread about this already.
2016 LWB Kombi
Looking to have one of the new kenwood 10.1 inch floating display head units fitted. Wondering if any readers have them or have seen them. Looks fantastic in the showroom but it is BIG.
Adding a reversing camera and new from and some rear speakers at the same time. Will be done once it’s been sound proofed, insulated and carpeted.
Any advice much appreciated.
MP
This one
www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk
New to the forums so I apologise if there is a thread about this already.
2016 LWB Kombi
Looking to have one of the new kenwood 10.1 inch floating display head units fitted. Wondering if any readers have them or have seen them. Looks fantastic in the showroom but it is BIG.
Adding a reversing camera and new from and some rear speakers at the same time. Will be done once it’s been sound proofed, insulated and carpeted.
Any advice much appreciated.
MP
This one
DMX9720XDS Floating 10.1 HD touch screen Android Auto • KENWOOD UK
Go big with the DMX9720XDS 10.1 HD floating screen with Wireless/Wired Android Auto, Android Mirroring for your car. More info
www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk
Great thanks a lot for the advice. The guys that are fitting it have one in a T6 that I can look at before committing. Bit concerned that it will look way too big, too nickable and may not dim down enough at night.
MP
MP
Could I ask a couple of possibly dumb questions?
Does the navigation come through on the MFD from CarPlay apps or is that only for true navigation “sat nav” head units?
I am currently using iPhone on MagSafe next to my factory head unit “simple discover media”, this is fine as the phone is close to the wheel and directions are easy to follow. If nav is on the head unit only (no MFD) do people find it ok to see/follow with it so far out of line of sight on the inbuilt units like the 8019?
However the Bluetooth is choppy and I am trying to convince myself this is all worth the chunk of money that it will be.
Does the navigation come through on the MFD from CarPlay apps or is that only for true navigation “sat nav” head units?
I am currently using iPhone on MagSafe next to my factory head unit “simple discover media”, this is fine as the phone is close to the wheel and directions are easy to follow. If nav is on the head unit only (no MFD) do people find it ok to see/follow with it so far out of line of sight on the inbuilt units like the 8019?
However the Bluetooth is choppy and I am trying to convince myself this is all worth the chunk of money that it will be.
