Digital Media Receivers

[kung fu jesus]

I have been searching around on this forum, looking at different suggestions and models. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I need some advice about digital media receivers.

Must haves: Bluetooth, handsfree with good mic, 4 or more RCA outputs, rear USB, prefer 2, can live with 1, Ipod controls, orange/oem color illumination, clean design. No CD player wanted or needed.

I have a JVC KD-X50BT in my RSX, which is used more like a truck than anything else. It was cheap, works like I need it to, but is lacking in being a bit gaudy/flashy.

I was so pleased with it that I bought a JVC X80BT for my wife's Miata. It's a little more feature rich and the iPod navigation is really pretty good. Unfortunately, it looks like it belongs in the dashboard of an alien spaceship.

I am reading about the Kenwoods, Alpines, Pioneers, even looked at Nakamichi, Jensen and Asteroid. I like some of those but am reading bad things about the menu navigation on a lot of them. I hate having to button fcuk the head unit just to change to a different playlist or radio station. It's annoying and dangerous while driving.

I have been happy with the JVC handsfree, but our phones don't seem to always connect. I do take regular calls from work and refuse to answer my phone in the car without it being handsfree.

I am willing to spend a fair sum ~$300 give or take. I don't need the latest and greatest.

I will be mating this to an Alpine MRP300 with Infinity 509CS components up front, Infinity Reference 5032cf in the rear deck. I will definitely be adding Luke's 8" sub box.

All opinions are welcomed! :mrgreen:

[StereoInstaller1]

Staying tuned for other opinions....I just wish I could find one that played FLAC!

Oh, wait...you haz Apple? See what you think of this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XDPM...em.html?tp=119

GL!

Oh, we will be doing another run of 8" boxes shortly, LMK when you are ready

Luke

[berlow94]

Digital Media Receivers

I love my Alpine CDE-147BT. Orange backlight matches the OEM color almost perfectly. Functions are all nice and easy to use. And sounds great hooked up to my Soundstream ref. 5.100, Alpine type R's f + r and my Infinity ref. sub in my 12" Lukebox.

[Ray Smoodiver]

I ran an Alpine iDA-X305S, the interface was compete shit and a pain in the ass.

I would like to play with the CDE-HD149BT, which has line in, USB input, 3 RCA outputs and bluetooth.

Oh, wait...you haz Apple? See what you think of this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XDPM...em.html?tp=119


Luke

Tell me more. How do I make this work with a C33?

[StereoInstaller1]

Feed C33 into box, box runs speakers/amps.

No wired controls though....

[kung fu jesus]

Luke, that is a really interesting solution, I like the suggestion!

That is a direction I had not thought of. It would be really slick to be able to add, say, a CD 43, and add an ipod control. I had done that in my e36, but the ipod controller would crash often. If I could add bluetooth for handsfree calls without one of the visor clip-on type devices and use a small mic instead, it would be perfect!

That Sony unit going for $50 new has almost everything I could use to take a flier on it.

[kung fu jesus]

Just started doing a bit more research down the digital link systems.

I like the theory, but not certain about which headunit to work with this, particularly the handsfree needs. I could be wrong, but it begins to seem a kludge. I can add on a universal handsfree system then I need a way to control/integrate it without an array of added-on controllers mounted on the dash.

I thought about it and stated looking at hands-free rear-view mirrors I could possible integrate and use the stock rearview mirror mount, but I couldn't find a good solution that wasn't a cheesy clip-on type (clips over the existing rearview) or a glue-on style from a late model.

May be I am being too demanding?

I am still going to see how I could integrate that Sony system...

Back to the DMRs:

I am looking at the Parrot Asteroid and the Kenwood KIV-BT901 . I am reading a lot of negative reviews, but I know happy customers rarely report while unhappy customers can't voice their disgust enough. Anyone have experience with this unit? I saw a small mention of it from Luke while searching other information.

Parrot Asteroid seems to have some really quality components to it. The use of it as a mini-computer, I don't care about. I read a lot of bad reviews about the apps, it doesn't concern me as I doubt I would use them. I like the half-depth of this particular unit. It would give me more room behind it to install it.

The number of USB ports is interesting too. I would have at least something to plug my phone and ipod into for charging. The face is clean and simple, but the colors aren't adjustable. It has the number of pre-outs I want, too. It seems like a solid headunit for sound, not so much for the Android-rich features.

The Kenwood KIV-BT901 has similar features to the Asteroid, but the unit seems glitchy from the reviews. The design and illumination options are on par for what I am looking for. I am reading a lot of issues with the interface. Again, any personal experiences with this unit would be welcomed!

As it is now, I used my ipod in the other two cars with a USB cable connected to the back of the headunit and the ipod stored in the glovebox. I like this because I don't have cables coming out the fronts of the headunits. I can control the songs through the headunit reasonably well. I do have an iphone5, but am not that crazy about it. I am not Apple-centric, and may go back to an Android. I don't like using a phone as an all-in-one media device, which is why I hang onto the ipod. Generally, I run a charging cable from behind the dash though a discreet hole on the centerstack so I can charge while I drive and the phone just lays in the center console bin. I use Google Maps for turn-by-turn that connects through the hands-free (cut into the music or broadcast to tell when to turn). I like this because I don't have to look at a map.

[kung fu jesus]

Alpine it is.

[StereoInstaller1]

There ya go...it really is hard to go wrong if you get 3 basic features: 3 pre-outs, Bluetooth and USB. Seems every deck that has those 3 are just fine otherwise.

GL and LMK if you get stuck on the install.

Luke

[kung fu jesus]

Thanks, Luke!

Chose the Alpine despite the CD player. The features, navigation interface and tactile interface I played with on a similar unit was better to me.

Should begin the installation in the next week or two, then will reach out about an 8" box in grey.

[kung fu jesus]

Luke, I do have a question, actually.

If the front components are connected to the amp are 2 ohms, can I run the 3/4 channel bridged to a 2ohm 8" sub or would that be too low of resistance? I am pouring over the amplifier's specs, it can handle the 2 ohms, but uncertain how to wire the sub or I should run a 2 or 4 ohm sub? It is an Alpine MRP-F300. Thanks for your time!

[kung fu jesus]

NVM, found a nice tutorial.

[StereoInstaller1]

I would disagree with many points of that tutorial, but he has the basics right.

[kung fu jesus]

Appreciate that! I needed a refresher on resistance and such.