Kenwood eXcelon DMX958XR Preamp Voltage Test - ROUND 2 - Apple Sound Check Turned OFF
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- In this week's video @carstereochick attempts to move past her preamp testing blunder by RE-TESTING the Kenwood DMX958XR with her Fluke scopemeter. In this Round 2 of the Kenwood eXcelon DMX958XR preamp test, testing is completed with Apple Sound Check TURNED OFF.
How does the Kenwood DMX958XR really perform? Is it truly 5 volts? Is it the same output whether you are connected wired, wirelessly or a simple Bluetooth connection? What is the safe max volume of the Kenwood DMX958XR's internal amp? At what point does it start to clip? Find out in this in depth Kenwood DMX958XR preamp testing video.
Aside from Apple Sound Check, what other hidden audio settings in your phone could be limiting your output in your Kenwood car stereo? Spotify's Enable Audio Normalization, Android's Absolute Volume or Tidal's Loudness Equalization can all hamper and decrease the voltage and thus reduce performance of your car stereo system. Be sure to check all your app and phone audio settings to make sure you are not leaving any quality on the table!
PLUS BONUS FOOTAGE - Discussion on the sound quality and screen quality of the Kenwood DMX958XR compared to the Kenwood DMX709s and Sony XAV-AX6000. You have to see the screen quality difference between the Kenwood eXcelon DMX958XR and the Sony XAV-AX6000. It's so dramatic and once you see it, you can't unsee it.
If you're a fan of Kenwood eXcelon car stereo, you will not want to miss this video!
***HARDWARE USED***
Kenwood DMX958XR - amzn.to/3Hl1MYh
Fluke 123 Oscilloscope - You can find a used one in good condition on eBay for far less than the price of a new one. Prices range from $200 - $1000 used. We bought ours used on eBay for around $500.
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Crazy how you helped me pick out my first head unit at the CT shop when I was 15 now in 2023 im down in fl getting help virtually. Thanks for the updated video and all your help!
Yes! I thought that was you Ryan, that's awesome! So happy I can still be assisting you all these years later :) It's good to hear from you, I hope all is well. You were smart getting out of CT. The winters suck here lol. Enjoy some sunshine for me!
Could you do a comparison between this unit and the Alpine iLX-507? I would like to see the screen and interface comparison and which one you think is best.
I'm particularly interested in the sound quality difference. The Alpine ILX-507 really promotes the DAC and Tidal app which has me leaning towards the Alpine ilx-507. Please help! Your videos are great!
This is the first time I have seen someone inspect something by meter and you are excited by the result you've got. I'm surprised, good for you. Actually I'm a fan of car sound equipment, this is one of my hobbies and I learned from you. you like your job, it's obvious. I'm trying to gather a good solution for my car, my head unit will be Kenwood DMX958XR and still looking for a 3-way to have clear sounds. wish me luck. thank you.
Appreciate the videos. Are you planning to do a full review of this unit at any point? There isn't a ton of content right now surrounding these next gen decks with the new UI and everything. I'm super picky about head units and have been waiting a long time for the right one. Had been looking into the Alpine iLX series, but your review of the laggy touch response kinda threw me off that. These new Kenwoods look perfect on paper, but would definitely love to see em in action. Cheers!
Yes, was thinking of doing that next actually. I have a long list of requests/video ideas I'm working through. So glad to hear you're finding my reviews helpful! So far this deck is one of my favorites. The screen is just SO much more vibrant/saturated than the Sony or Alpine and SQ is top notch. The user interface is very much the same as previous generation Kenwood models, it is using Linux in the background so they're very reliable and sound great. There are few more things I want to play around with and familiarize myself with so I'll probably have that video up in a week or 2. Depends how busy it is at the shop this week ;)
@@carstereochick Thanks for the reply! Definitely looking forward to your full review and really glad to hear the current feedback so far. Sounding promising! Hoping to snag something within the next couple months.
Why not just use a usb drive with the test tones on it? No dealing with apps and devices mudding the sound?
I’ve decided to reincorporate my mosconi 6to8v8 into my system after realizing how off these new head units are.
I miss the days when alpines and excelons didn’t clip and put out the right voltages without guesswork.
Thank you again for these videos. We don’t need more videos of people showing us CarPlay. Show us the head unit part, what sets them apart from the Chinese eBay products, which is why I love these tasting videos you do 👍
Simply because this is how most people are using these head units - with their smartphones. But I was about to start putting the tracks on a USB drive when I couldn't figure out what was going on with my phone initially. I got a lot of feedback from viewers that also had this setting on without realizing it and it made a dramatic improvement in their sound quality. So despite my embarrassment, it turned out to be a great learning experience for myself and others! Thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback and kind words of encouragement, I will keep these videos coming ;)
The loudness didn't make a difference because the volume is up full, all loudness does is like crappy factory head units it pumps up the bass and treble but rolls it off as you go it's synthetic crap and should never be used in any situation except maybe if running off head unit only no amps no subs as you will get a slightly fuller sound in low volumes but could belt your speakers around if they are cheap lol. Just my take on it, but that's the basic gist of loudness and has been on all stereos since loudness has been a thing
Thoroughly enjoy these videos! Very interesting and informative! Looking forward to your next one!
Thank you for your support and your encouragement ❤️
Can’t wait to see you do the DMX809S!
I'll be doing the DMX908S once it arrives. The 809s is basically the same as the 709s but with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto :)
@@carstereochick didn’t know that thanks I’ll go check that one out
Can u please test the distorsión for the Kenwood exelon dmx 907s i have this estéreo ❤
Probably a stupid question but how come the newer excelon units don’t have the excelon branding on the unit it just shows kenwood? They usually show excelon or xr on the bezel or around the screen somewhere. Not a big deal just nice to show off a excelon reference xr lol.
Oh, I don't know. Totally didn't notice that, but that's a great question!
Excellent Videos once again. I decide to pull the trigger on the Kenwood DMX958XR and CMOS-740HD along with PAC RP5-GM11. This head unit is able to view rear camera while in Reverse and while in Drive and Park. After discussing this, Crutchfield suggested not to have the camera on during driving and park, only with reverse. Reason: Camera will wear out sooner and was not made to be powered on continuously. Is this true or false. Thanks for the help.
Why doesn't big HU companies provide HU with optical out or coax output?... For audiophiles like myself who run SQ, connecting to a DSP is far simpler and i dont have to deal with gain set the rca plus i get Hi-res sound ...for that reason is why i went with a Android HU ATOTO S8 PRO ...also, i get everything android has to offer like Netflix, Hulu, etc... Dont get me wrong, its still has its flaws but for the music side, it fars exceeds my expectations
THIS. But I will say Stinger does make one and that is the saving grace of their HEIGH10. The optical output made me fall back in love with our Stinger HEIGH10. We're running that to a Helix V Eight DSP and Helix C One in one of our vehicles and the sound is just incredible. The 1st time I sat and listened as a passenger, when the song ended I felt compelled to clap. It sounded like it was live in front of me. SUCH a huge difference from RCA. I did not know Atoto has digital out!! I really appreciate for the tip!
@@carstereochick i would love to run full digital from a helix ultimate to a helix C one ... At the moment i am running a helix dsp.3 to tru Technology billets but i am jealous you got to listen to a fulk digital set ..i know about the stinger HU having optical out but to be honest, i hardly use my headunit since i usually play music from my phone to a topping d10s to my DSP ...
I’m planning to buy this unit and I don’t plan to install any amp in my 2015 Corolla. I plan to get Alpine S series high resolution speakers, front 6.5 component and rear 6x9 coax. Will this unit be able to handle them just fine??
These are the models
Front - alpine s2-65c - component
Rear- alpine S2-S69
Thanks!!!❤❤❤
You can definitely power those speakers off the head unit. Just keep in mind you can always add a small amp later on to get a little more output and better performance out of the S2 speakers. Either way, just doing the head unit and speakers will be a night and day difference over the stock set up!
@@carstereochick awesome! Thank you so much!
Will up grading from a Alpine CDE175BT single din to this Kenwood Excelon dmx958xr improve sound quality?
I had to change the "gain" on the system level to 100% instead of 30% which it came at to eliminate clipping
@carstereochick
Yes, when WIRELESS Android Auto is used, Lossless Audio + images/video (such as NAV Maps and album art) are transmitted to the head unit via WiFi, due to its much higher bandwidth compared to Bluetooth. WiFi can support the full 1440kbps data rate of Lossless uncompressed 16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality playback.
However, when using Android Auto (either Wireless or Wired), the Bluetooth connection is ALSO used to initiate the Android Auto or Apple Carplay connection "handshake", in addition to Bluetooth's AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile), which is used for sending Playback Commands such as Skip Forward, Pause, or Play, from a controller device (e.g. a smartphone) to a target device (e.g. a head unit).
An important note is that Apple iOS devices Do Not support Sony's "Lossless" wireless Bluetooth LDAC codec. For LDAC to work, both the Transmitting Device AND the Receiving Device must be LDAC compatible. Sony and most Samsung Galaxy-series smartphones have LDAC Bluetooth compatibility.
HOWEVER, One More Thing....in order to take advantage of the "Full Resolution & Quality" of LDAC, you need to go into the Android Smartphone's Wireless Bluetooth Settings and choose or activate the "Highest Quality" + "990kbps" settings.
The Apt-X HD Bluetooth Audio Codec is the next best highest quality wireless Bluetooth codec compared to LDAC. After that, standard Apt-X is one step below the "HD" version.
However, there have been some tests that show that the standard Apt-X codec is actually worse than Apple's AAC. So if you have a choice, use LDAC first, Apt-X HD second, and probably don't bother with standard Apt-X (unless you think it sounds better to YOU).
Apple's current "highest quality" Bluetooth transmission Codec as well as its lossy, compressed audio file Codec is AAC, which is very good, but it is still more "lossy" and "compressed" compared to Sony's "Lossless" LDAC codec.
Bitrate to Bitrate, Apple's AAC is a step above standard MP3. Most Blind Listening Tests have shown that a compressed 256kbps AAC file is as good as a 320kbps Constant Bit Rate MP3, but the AAC file will take less memory storage.
Hope that helps and doesn't confuse the issue! There are a Crapload of Synonyms and Catch Phrases these days with the advent of digital audio and wireless digital audio! It's hard to keep them all straight and not confuse them.
Super interesting and EXTREMELY helpful! But also raises a lot more questions for me. If Apple doesn't support LDAC, why do these radio manufacturers push this feature like it's the holy grail of wireless audio quality? Especially when it seems like 75% of clients, at least in our area, are using Apple.
I think, and I have to clarify this, but I did get some answers from Josh Bowen at Kenwood when I asked him about all this - my understanding was Apple is using WiFi for both the audio and video. If the audio is being transmitted over WiFi for both Apple and Android, and the Bluetooth is just for the handshake/initial connection and some controls, not audio, why would it matter what Bluetooth processor is being used at that point??
The other thing I have noticed regarding Apple - unless clients are subscribing to Apple Music, the best quality they have for options in the settings is AAC 256 kbps. I think that is what you're referring to regarding testing and Apple's standard highest quality offered. BUT when subscribed to the Apple Music service, I can turn on Hi-Res Lossless which is listed in the phone as being ALAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz. I'm constantly turning this on for people OR just letting them hear the same song they were just listening to on their car stereo, but using MY phone with this setting and they're always blown away with the quality difference.
Either way, your explanation regarding Android and how it talks to head unit for wireless Android Auto these days is SUPER helpful and GREATLY appreciated. This stuff is constantly changing, so it's hard to keep up with.
@@carstereochick Majority of the world uses Android and LDAC is close enough to free to implement in Android vs Apple hiding features like the ALAC behind a paywall subscription service designed to keep you in their ecosystem.
Your shop is located in an area with a decent per capita income and extremely high median income vs the national average which is why you see more Apple customers even though they are a market share minority. I can second what BB foto was mentioning. I'm not sure what Mr. Bowen was citing but in both AA and CarPlay, the ultimate output of both over the headunits ad-hoc WIFI connection and USB is exactly the same as the Redbook Audio CD standard.
The Bluetooth transport and handshake is for allowing uninterrupted media playback and navigation while still able to carry out telephony related services over Bluetooth ( your nav app still talks and updates without the call interrupting that and vice versa).
The BT codec doesnt matter if you're using CarPlay or AA but it does matter if you're using pure BT streaming, or care to use music files on a USB drive as the codec is used for both.
The physical and wireless standards are lossless but the apps themselves can limit or dictate what they send out, usually by using a low quality version. The reason why you see a huge difference is due to the application and iPhone tight knit resource sharing that is meant to goad you into buying into the service using high quality audio as an incentive.
Spotify also does something similar where their streaming audio is already compressed before it even sees your phone. For others reading this, you can think of it as trying to take a 320P video, upload it as 1080P and while the video could be 1080P, the original data was a low quality format. Even if the customer has disposable income and has all the services, most also do not explore or bother to research their phone so never know what either platform is truly capable of which causes you to go the extra mile to enable it for them which I admit is awesome customer service.
I'd like to thank you and your videos as they allowed me to purchase this headunit to replace my old Excelon DDX593, very few others made any substantial effort to explore it in part I guess because this thing does cost an arm and a leg. Safe to say I'm very grateful for your analysis and thoughts behind the product.
If possible on future reviews, would you please incorporate more Android Auto performance and demos alongside your Carplay tests as most people have that watching on YT?
Hi, I have been watching a lot of your reviews. Great job! Question: I know this receiver is the best in terms of sound quality etc, but In my Honda Ridgeline the alpine ILX F509 would look amazing in it vs the standard and boring Double din. Do you think alpine would be far off from quality or too frustrating to use?? Feeding helix p6 ultimate audio frog GBs etc
Oh and for android auto wireless it's Wi-Fi direct audio and data, although Bluetooth is still used for mic and setup purposes like adding a new device same as say adding a new chromecast it can use noise at a frequency we can't hear and Bluetooth and location services as well to find and connect to new devices that run on WiFi connection except for Shepparding the initial setup. This was from a reliable Android source, I didn't check iPhone because I loath them no offence lol
Thank you for that! I have since done more digging and found that both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are using WiFi for the audio which is basically maxing out at CD quality 16 bit/44.1 kHz regardless of whether or not you're using an HD or FLAC quality music app. Handshake is Bluetooth and then WiFi for audio/visual.
Hello you get the excelon 908s in yet for testing. Hoping it’s similar rca voltage as this xr. Just red last post on your last testing lol once it comes available you’ll test it .
Not yet, kind of getting ticked. Last month they told me it would ship this month and still nada. And yes indeed, I will be testing - this time with Sound Check off ;)
I just bought this stereo and I also have the Kenwood DMX709s both are amazing when it comes to high level speaker lead output , but I can’t get sound or even a signal out of the preamp rca outputs in either radio. Is there a trick to enabling or unlocking the rca outputs?
Hello - is that all of the preamps or just the sub? Have you checked the software or tried resetting the unit? If you've only tested it on the sub preout, try the front or rear. Perhaps you may have the sub turned off in the speaker select settings.
I just ordered the kenwood DMX958 for my WV Beetle 2013 i don't no if the stock speakers can handle this unit ...
It should sound a lot better with the DMX958XR. Did you get it installed yet? Is yours equipped with the premium audio system?
Thanks for the video! What are your thoughts on the new JVC KW-M875BW vs DMX958XR? Both have LDAC, but the JVC is $200 less.
My pleasure! I don't carry JVC (sister company to Kenwood) but from what I can tell, the main difference is the screen quality. The JVC appears to have a standard 800x480 clear resistive touch screen whereas the DMX958XR has a 1280x720 HD capacitive touch screen. That high res screen also means the DMX958XR is compatible with Kenwood's HD CMOS-740HD camera (best quality camera I've seen from all the brands). When you see this model next to others in the showroom, this screen vibrancy really stands out, it's a great quality screen.
Crazy how the sony xav 6000 is comparable to the 709s which is over 100 cheaper, i think thats gonna to be my stereo
It's a wireless (6000) vs wired (709s) in the cost difference between those 2. ALSO - both models are on sale right now, but Sony has the bigger discount. The 6000 is regularly $699 and the 709 is regularly $449 so get 1 while the getting is good ;)
I went with this unit because of your thorough review and you answered the questions I had about it thoroughly. 💪
Awesome! I'm so glad you found the content helpful. I hope you enjoy it for many years to come!
Thanks for the video update. I just had the DMX 958XR installed in my Ford Excursion. The follow up video provided clarification on the unit’s capabilities and affirmed my choice!
So happy I could help! Thanks for watching 🙏
I noticed the DMX958XR has two subwoofer pre out. One says left and one says right on the manual. But in my testing you cannot fade them left and right.. Are they really getting bass from left and right channels and the left bass goes to the left pre out sub? or are they both summed and the same thing?
The manual doesn't specify, but I would assume it's mixed mono same signal on both.
Just bought this for my eagle talon. Does that mean I can turn up the volume offset to my factory amplified infinity system to utilize the HU amp as well?
Normally we're using volume offset to lower, not increase. It depends on how you have it wired up. If it's speaker level (if you used a Metra 70-7001 harness) then you could use it to level match between the stock amp and the Kenwood internal amp. If you went RCA low level (Metra 70-7003 or 70-7004) then you're really just using the amp in the car which probably doesn't have a ton of output. I would caution against using it to increase output, especially if you still have the stock speakers installed.
Im using the oem amp integration harness and I've replaced the speakers with 2.3 ohm infinity kappas. I've noticed the speakers crackle a bit when I go to high. I was thinking it's due to not enough power.
If it's at all possible, I would highly recommend bypassing that factory amp and installing an aftermarket amp that is 2 ohm compatible. You will get SO much better sound quality once you do that.
Need an eq on the video
I just purchased this unit thank you for this review 🙏 😊 🙌
You're welcome, thank you for watching! I hope you enjoy the new stereo :)
Does adjusting the eq taking it off flat change the rca voltage ?
Yes, great question. That is something I found in my 1st round of testing videos (when I accidentally had Apple Sound Check on). I jacked everything up to the max in the EQ which is something I don't ever recommend. Normally we are using the EQ to fine tune, I don't ever usually put anything to the max. More like take away a little here, add a little bit there. When used in that regard it should not have a dramatic effect on voltage or clipping.
If I set the main volume at 39 with a +1 offset for my app and use the RCA pre-outs to connect to my aftermarket amp, achieving 5 volts with no distortion, will adjusting the gain on my amp affect the voltage from the head unit's RCA outputs? Or does it only impact the individual speaker levels?
Additionally, I've read that this head unit supports a 3-way crossover system for crossovers and time alignment. However, in your video, I didn't see any settings indicating the presence of a 3-way crossover for this head unit. Can you confirm if such a feature exists for this particular head unit?
Adjusting the gain on your amp won't affect the voltage from the head unit. It's just receiving that signal from the head unit. Once signal reaches the amps, you'll want to test your speaker level outputs at the amp in a similar fashion to make sure you are not sending a clipped signal to your speakers. One of these days we'll be doing a video on how we set amp gains/tune a system at our shop. Thanks for the reminder ; )
And yes, it does support the 3-way network mode. I think I went over that in the more in depth head unit review video. The thing is you have to be real precise with your crossover settings if you plan on using the head unit to do your mid and tweet crossover. If you don't have that dialed in exactly as recommended for the speakers you can either damage the speakers, or just make it sound harsh. If you have a bi-ampable crossover, you may be better off using the external crossover network. Really depends on your equipment.
@@carstereochick I appreciate the clarification on the amplifier gain. Regarding the 3-way crossover system and time alignment, if my speaker set already has a passive crossover separating frequencies for the midbass, midrange, and tweeter, and it only outputs a single wire to the amplifier, can I still implement time alignment for each speaker individually with this head unit?
My pleasure! And to answer your question, if your crossover only has the single amp output wire then it's not a bi-ampable crossover so you wouldn't be able to implement the time alignment individually. You'd have to be able to amp each channel separately. What speakers are you using? I know Morel or Focal for example do sell crossovers separately. Depending on the series speakers you're using you may be able to buy the appropriate bi-ampable crossover network separately. If that's not an option, I would contact the speaker manufacturer with the head unit crossover settings and ask them based on the options available, how/if they would recommend utilizing the head unit's internal crossover network.
@@carstereochick So I have not purchased speakers yet however I am leaning towards the Focal PS 165 F3E 3-Way System. It comes with a passive crossover and I think just to save me the headache, I’ll just use the passive crossover so no damage is done.
The only downside I see to a passive system is the time alignment. It is being used in a C5 Corvette so I guess I will just have to be ok with no time alignment. Although it’s a pretty narrow car so I am hoping the staging and clarity still sounds good. I’ll be replacing the rear speakers with some coaxials as well. And then just run all these off a 5 channel amp.
For the time alignment I guess I can just take the average of the two sides from the front 3 ways speakers and then the 2 coaxials in the back and it should sound pretty good.
If you wanted to be able to time align the individual tweeter and mids up front, I would recommend doing a set of components with a bi-ampable crossover like the Focal PS 165 FXE would be one option. But then you're doing front sound stage only because you're using your 4-channel amp to power your "fronts" as your tweeters and your "rears" as your mids. That will give you the individual control from the head unit without worrying about hurting the speakers or switching the head unit to the network mode.
If you want to do a set of coaxials in the back as well, then you just need passive crossovers for the front and can use the average between the mid and the tweet to make your measurement. I tend to err a bit closer to the tweeter.
If you want individual control over everything and still want to have front to rear fader control and sub level control from the head unit, consider a 6 channel in/8-channel out DSP so you can have your tweeter, mid, coaxials and sub all individually controlled. Maybe a Helix DSP.3.
Great video! Thanks for taking the time to test these decks👍
Thank you! So glad you like them :)
hi, If I use this unit with idatalink in my jeep cherokee 2015, can I retain brake service release and Hill Assist?
I have not run into a situation where any settings like that were lost. The concept is whatever vehicle settings that are accessible through the factory radio would be retained and accessible in the vehicle settings menu on the aftermarket radio. To be 100% certain, I recommend reaching out to iDatalink for confirmation.
What does the loudness normalization do on tidal ? Do I leave it on or off ?
It turns down audio levels. So it essentially works just like Apple Sound Check where it's looking at whatever tracks in your library have the lowest output level and then drops everything else down to that same output level. The concept is if you're listening on headphones you don't want to damage your ears or get jarred by a large volume increase going from listening to a low output track recorded in the 80's to a higher output track recorded recently. If you're listening in your car, I would leave it off. In my case it was a dramatic difference in volume levels. My normal cruising volume is 17, and it jumped all the way up to 24/25.
Do you have any idea why this unit isn’t available in europe?
Great question! Unfortunately I have no idea. I've also seen some cool models from Kenwood and Alpine that are offered in Europe, but not available in US. I really don't know how these companies decide what to market where.
Oh is that so, I couldn’t find a Kenwood unit with a 720p screen here in europe. So I think I’ll have to go with alpine ilx 705d. (507d in US) although I like the Kenwood menu and Home Screen customization better. I’ve heard that the radio frequencies are different here in europe, so they don’t have the same radios.
Pls test sony ax6000 again
I promise I will! That and the DMX709s 😉
Just earned me as a sub good work!
That's awesome - thank you and welcome! I truly appreciate feedback and your support :)
No Pioneer output tests for comparison? 😞
Just been busy, but definitely still on my to do list! I will say, I think I have a little post pandemic anxiety with Pioneer. My last couple experiences with them (from 2020 - 2022 during supply chain issues) regarding models with quirks/defects were extremely tough to deal with. I got through it, happy customers and all, but I think I'm a bit hesitant to dip my toe back in that water. I will definitely do it though.
@@carstereochick Good to know. I'm on the fence right now between either this 958XR unit or a 908S OR the Pioneer DMH-WC5700NEX. I thought I was settled on Pioneer but I'm swaying towards Kenwood now. I just want all the features to work and the screen to be responsive and I've heard gripes from both camps lol
From a reliability and SQ standpoint Kenwood all the way. I have not seen any screen responsiveness issues with Kenwood. The 958XR is fast becoming one of my favorites. It may not be as pretty from the user interface perspective, but the last Pioneer DMH-W4600NEX I sold was to a client with a 2015 Grand Cherokee that needed full Maestro integration and it was glitchy AF. I got no answers/help from Pioneer tech support or iDatalink. The unit would randomly turn on the back up camera and you could not exit that display unless you cycled the ignition. Ended up putting an Alpine in that vehicle and that solved all issues. Was some kind of firmware issue either on Pioneer or iDatalink's side, but it just soured me on using Pioneer in any vehicles where a Maestro is required. Then I had another one in a Wrangler give me weird issues like random black screen and no audio (but the back up camera always worked!). Pioneer did send me a refurbished unit after I sent that one out. The turn around time for the client was about 4-5 weeks. Kenwood on the other hand? I can recall 1 defective unit in the past 3 years. They sound fantastic and have been really rock solid at least for me at my shop. The last time I did an A/B comparison from an audio perspective I found the Pioneer to be a little too bright/harsh for me personally, but some people like that. If you can find a shop that carries both and has them available to listen and look at, that would be ideal, but I know shops like that are few and far between these days.
@@carstereochick Thank you for taking time to reply, that is very helpful info!! My install will be a 2010 Tacoma and I do want a Maestro rr2 so I think you've sold me on the 958XR. I messed with a couple displays at Best Buy yesterday and I think I prefer the Kenwood interface layout over Pioneers anyway. Couldn't listen to them tho, and they didn't have the models I'm interested in. There's actually a Crutchfield an hour from me so I could go over there and play around with some more comparable units but they don't have the Kenwood in stock yet either. I think I'm just waiting for them to get the XR unit in stock at this point and I'll order it. Thanks again.
@Daniel Dugger
If you have the money for one of Kenwood's *eXcelon Reference* models (model #'s that end with "XR"), I would highly recommend them. From overall features, reliability, to Sound Quality, IMO they are the best overall.
And they access and play Hi-Res files almost instantaneously from the USB inputs. So far I've used up to a 2TB HDD and SSD with my Kenwood XR head units and they haven't skipped a beat.
I'm not so much a fan of Kenwoods GUI as its a bit Y2K-ish and dated, but you get used to it, and it works. I wish that the GUI followed more closely to that of Apple Carplay or Android Auto, but if you primarily use one of those, then you don't have to spend much time in Kenwood's base GUI once your head unit is set up and configured how you like it.
In addition, you might want to sign up to the DIYmobileAudio.c0m Forums as there are multiple members there that have documented their Tacoma's high-end car stereo installations in the "Build Logs" section. You might get some valuable tips and learn some shortcuts for your Taco stereo install. You can then post a new Thread in the "System Design & Help Me Choose My Equipment" subforum.
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Thank you SO much.
So glad you found it helpful!
@@carstereochick It really did, it pushed me over the edge to order this unit after spending months comparing and digging through technical data. If I wasn't thousands of miles away I'd have definitely given you my business. There's little to no technical reviews of these products available that aren't sponsored so thanks so much for the content you provide.
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