FYI: Bluetooth/iPod head unit quips Options

[stetsonaw]

Hope this helps anyone looking for a headunit. another user asked me some questions about car audio, thought i'd pass off the knowledge, as he was asking about ipod HU's.

SONY FANS

i just bought the Sony MEX-BT5000, which has built-in bluetooth (which is amazing), and it has an aux input on the back that you can plug RCA cables into, and sony also makes an ipod controller for it for about a hundy ($100). This deck is VERY EASY to set up, the bluetooth is great. within 10 seconds of turning the car on, and player is linked to my phone with no interaction needed (make sure to set the phone to trust the deck). you can set the deck to auto answer after any amount of time from 1 second to 60, or you can just push the call button on the deck to answer. when the call ends, it automatically goes back to the cd (it just pauses it, not mutes), or back to the radio. if you happen to need to walk away from the car, or your conversation goes into the end of your drive, there is no need to hang up and call back. Just open your phone (if it's flip), put it to your ear, and when you shut off your car, or walk out of range of your deck, the call transfers over, or disconnect the bluetooth on the deck or phone (my phone has the option in the in-call menu to shut off bluetooth). i haven't tried a bluetooth audio device with it, but it does have that option. it also has 3 sets of preamps, and my subs sound great on it. built in HPF/LPF also. haven't tested the ipod control, mainly because i hate ipods. bad part is no usb . unless you buy the adapter box, but the only thing you can hook to that is a laptop. has terrible glare, but looks great at night. flip down face.

NON-SONY FANS

Kenwood's KDC-MP535U is nice too... just no built-in bluetooth (you add it on with a $100 adapter). it has usb input, and audio (rca) input, and you can buy an ipod connector for about $40. you can also hook a thumbstick or up to 30gb hard drive up to it. i didn't try anything higher than that. i had this deck for about a week, loved it, but wanted the built-in bluetooth, so i went with the sony above. i really miss the usb, you can't beat the convenience of getting a mp3 from somebody at work that you're dying to hear on the drive home, and throwing it on a thumbstick, and just popping it in when you get in the car. so much easier than wasting a cd. i'm actually thinking of going with the JVC below. flip down face.

JVC has a SWEET deck out now, about $300 on onlinecarstereo... it's the KD-BT1 (sadly i have these memorized). Built-in bluetooth with a remote mountable mic, usb, bad part is you have to buy the iPod adapter ($30-$50), or the RCA adapter ($40). motorized face. BEST DEAL.

Lastly there's the Alpine IDA-X001, this guy is JUST an ipod controller, you plug in your ipod, and the controls are exactly the same on the deck as on the ipod, the bad part is the price, ouch. No CD player on this one. this one is bluetooth ready also.

Crutchfield is amazing for shopping, but don't buy from them... find the one you want, then go to yahoo shopping and put in the model number and find the best price, OnlineCarStereo is pretty good on prices...

oh, epinions and crutchfield have great user reviews... or cnet.

if you have any car audio questions, send them my way.

Oh, and i'm in no way affiliated with any of the above companies, just passing on knowledge and opinions.

mods please move if i placed post in wrong forum.


This post has been edited by stetsonaw: Oct 1, 2007 - 8:09 AM

[kerosene]

pioneer 7900BT or better is also awsome BT/IPOD ready

[LewFX]

jvc makes nice decks...and is only around 240 on ebay

This post has been edited by LewFX: Oct 1, 2007 - 10:17 AM

[mneal2_92788]

why not buy from crutchfield? is it overpriced that much?

[GriffGirl]

why not buy from crutchfield? is it overpriced that much?

It hasn't been my experience that Crutchfield is over priced. Maybe it's higher than some other online venues, but I wouldn't guess it's by much, and in my opinion, the free lifetime tech support, outstanding customer service, and outstanding overall service is worth paying a little more for if you're going to go the online route. For those not so technically inclined, they also contract with local car audio places if you need to have installation done; for those more technically savvy but not as experienced, they have great instructions to help you install stuff yourself, and also offer great tech support for that (so if you get stuck you have someone you can call and ask!)

I DEFINITELY don't have a lot of money to play around with, but I think sometimes good customer service is worth paying for and saving the hassle from other places that are done with you once they get your money.