Head unit suggestions?

[willinnashville]

I have a 2005 Denali, and I'm thinking about a new head unit. Anyone have suggestions on specific head units?

I would like to keep my steering wheel controls, but it's not a deal killer

I don't have an iphone/ipod, and I don't use Pandora, so those are not on my list of things to have.

I want bluetooth, reverse camera inputs, sub amp pre-out, good FM signal, and all my existing alerts and whatnot still working.

Nav would be nice, but not a must have. I'm not sure on DVD playback, but I do like touch screens.

Any suggestions?

 

[4wheelin]

I'm looking for something similar. Half of the lights are burned out on the stock unit.

I wanted a touchscreen with built in back up camera, and to be able to work with Bose speakers and keep my steering wheel inputs.

Clarion makes a double din radio that I think even comes with nav, but it's been a few months since I looked at it.

The best thing you can probably do is take it to your local stereo shop and see what they suggest. This is how I found out about the Clarion, (SS speed shop in Leavenworth, KS) and they gave me a brochure that I have floating around the garage somewhere. I was told there are several choices with their respective pros and cons, but that this Clarion will give me all that I want. There were other parts to be purchased to make it all work together, and I was quoted right around $800 for parts and install.

If you find out anything, post it up here as I have yet to do anything with mine. I always like to know what is out there, and info, along with experience, seems somewhat limited.

 

[willinnashville]

Thanks man

 

[Fosscore]

I have considered this head unit myself and seen it mentioned numerous times on here.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-4100NEX-Multimedia-Receiver-Touchscreen/dp/B00SKJPKGW
Have seen it a bit cheaper on eBay sometimes too. Might be worth a look.

Here was a write up done recently from one installed in an NNBS.

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/pioneer-4100nex-installed.74114/

 

[willinnashville]

That one looks like a strong contender. Thanks for the link, and congrats on TOTM a few months back

 

[Fosscore]

Thx sir.

Yeah I keep eyeballing this unit for a change out of my JVC. Wanted to see the price maybe come down a bit, but the features and reviews look really good. And of course TYF tested too.

 

[chipf]

im looking to replace my head unit as well, the local stereo shop had a kenwood ddx372 for $450. I wanted to see what Best Buy had and turns out they carry the same kenwood for $299. It has back up camera input also. check it out. i havent checked reviews on it yet

 

[4wheelin]

After doing a lot of research, I'm going with this one:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DNX692/Kenwood-Excelon-DNX692.html

I ordered a Kenwood back up camera for it, and everything else to make it work from Amazon, including the kit for the steering wheel inputs.

 

[willinnashville]

4wheelin, where did you order yours from? Did you get everything from Amazon, or head unit from crutchfield and everything else from Amazon? The reason I ask is because I'm a little worried I'd need tech support in the process of installint it. I'd go with Amazon in a second if I knew they had specialists like Crutchfield

 

[4wheelin]

I found this unit on Crutchfield originally, read a lot of reviews for it, and then price shopped it for the lowest price. I bought the unit itself on eBay for $580, then I bought the stuff needed for install from Amazon. There were many available from different sellers. The unit I got is new in the box, or advertised that way at least. There are a few more head units that are refurbished from the manufacturer for even cheaper. I think the head unit was priced about the same as Crutchfield's on Amazons site for around the $699. I saw some that wanted even more for it sold as brand new.

I plan to install it myself. I've always done my own. I've used Kenwood's technical service before, and they were good to me. Crutchfield technical support is exceptionally good.

 

[willinnashville]

Sweet, thanks for the reply. Let us know how it goes

 

[4wheelin]

Will definitely do

 

[treehan77]

I'd like to know if it's as slow as people say it is after you are finished installing it. Boss has kenwood Excelon from last year with the maestro etc in his 2012 Yukon. It's nice but painfully slow to boot up.

 

[4wheelin]

I'm hoping it's not, but I'll definitely post a review of it when I'm done.

 

[4wheelin]

So got the radio installed this weekend after the temps got up in the 70's outside. I can say that I love this thing! I also happen to have a 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT with the 8.4 double din radio that came with all the goodies on it, but this Kenwood is way better. By a lot. I can turn the back up camera on while driving and watch behind me, which I thought was pretty neat. I can minimize the map, a dvd if one is playing, or camera, and still see the radio stations to the side of that. The nav is spot on and it includes my speed, the posted speed limit, and no annoying chime that tells me I'm going over the speed limit.

Pros- Too many to list. This thing is just plain cool, and I still haven't learned how to use a lot of things on it yet!

Cons- Installation. There are a ton of wires. I need several other components to make everything work. By everything I mean steering wheel controls, the GMOS for the amp and Bose speakers, a new Sirius XM satellite receiver, and the back up camera. There is just enough room to fit all of this behind the radio, and I had to remove the climate controls so that I could push the rest of the wires in.

This unit does take about 15 second to warm up and come on, but the back up camera is instant when put in reverse, and by the time I've backed out of the driveway it's already on. I use remote start during the winter, so it's on anyway by the time I get in.

I put it in myself and it took about 6 hours, counting wiring things up and routing the new camera and XM receiver out the back of the truck to the roof and having to remove some interior trim pieces to make it happen. I can probably do it in half the time now that I know where the wires all go to.

I forgot to mention that I have an HTC N8 phone and it pairs with the Bluetooth flawlessly. It's all hands free and I can make calls by speaking into the microphone that comes with the radio (I mounted it on the windshield, comes with peel and stick backing). If I'm talking on the phone and shut the Yukon off, my phone automatically picks up the conversation and I can continue it.

All told, I have about $850 invested in it between the radio and other parts to make it all work.

 

[willinnashville]

Nice! Thanks for replying back

 

[4wheelin]

You're welcome.

 

[Bruizza]

I have considered this head unit myself and seen it mentioned numerous times on here.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-4100NEX-Multimedia-Receiver-Touchscreen/dp/B00SKJPKGW
Have seen it a bit cheaper on eBay sometimes too. Might be worth a look.

Here was a write up down recently from one installed in an NNBS.

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/pioneer-4100nex-installed.74114/

I have this HU installed. If you have an iPhone it is amazing. The integrated Apple Carplay rocks. Press a button and ask Siri for anything. Have her read you your texts and you can reply. Use Google maps or Apple maps for navigation. Plays DVDs and movies from a usb stick. Just TONS of things you can do with it. I bought a refurb with factory warranty for pretty cheap.

 

[4wheelin]

That's a nice looking radio too. Does all the same things as mine. My girlfriend has an IPhone. I'm trying to get her to pair it up so I can see all the extra stuff I'm missing out on by using an android phone. Pioneer makes great stuff. I have a single din Pioneer HU that's paired with Pioneer speakers in my other Yukon, and that rocks out pretty loud when it's cranked.