cheap double DIN radios...?

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pishta

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I see them on Ebay, sort of an android cell phone in a double DIN enclosure with a CD player on top. some are cheap, $66 with no CD or up to 1599 with Sat Nav and HD radio. The $119 one had a CD player, aux, bluetooth, USB and SD input as well as AM/FM/SW(?). I had a cheap *** spindleless AM/FM/USB but the AM reception was terrible and I actually listen to AM news. FM was just as bad...is it just the "radio on a chip" thats so bad for terrestrial reception? The antenna is stock that worked fine on the OEM radio. This wouldnt be for the 65, it would be for my 92 LExus with a stock double DIN thats not working well. radio preamp is flaky. It would use the stock 5 channel amp in the trunk so I would not use the inflated 40WPC that the new stereo promises, just the preouts
 
Chances are those cheap ones are exactly that and made in China. I was thinking about a double DIN for my custom 65 Dart dash and the audio store said go with a Kenwood, Sony or other name brand and buy it from a reputable brick and mortar store.
 
Go with a Kenwood or Sony that's made in China, too then, right?

I got a Dual AM-FM-CD-MP3 player in my truck and I love it .It's nice and sounds great and works great. If you want something cheaper, I would recommend getting something from one of your local big box stores. That way, you are dealing with someone face to face, in case of any warranty issues. The Dual units are made by Pioneer, FWIW.
 
Go with a Kenwood or Sony that's made in China, too then, right?

I would recommend getting something from one of your local big box stores. That way, you are dealing with someone face to face, in case of any warranty issues. The Dual units are made by Pioneer, FWIW.

I wouldn't doubt they're all made in China and suspect the name brands might have better quality control. Agree on the the big box stores - Best Buy, etc - or your local audio store.
 
standard aftermarket (DIN) is 2" tall, double DIN is 4", my SC is actually a 2.5 DIN (5" at the face) but extends down from the standard 4" DIN bolt pattern, nothing a bracket wont fix.
 
standard aftermarket (DIN) is 2" tall, double DIN is 4", my SC is actually a 2.5 DIN (5" at the face) but extends down from the standard 4" DIN bolt pattern, nothing a bracket wont fix.
DIN is a German acronym I don't need to regurgitate.
 
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Many of the aftermarket stereos are far too complicated for inflight use. I'm now using the second Kenwood. First one had a feckin 6 axis knob, worse than a play station controller. Touch it the wrong way and "game over". Lots of tiny *** buttons. The one button that I wanted to be power I/O popped the face panel off.
Even though the current head unit is a little less complex/complicated.., If I don't have a co-pilot in the passengers seat, I get a cd/whatever playing before I start moving and keep my hands off it.
How do I spell distracted driving? Aftermarket jukebox.
The funniest part... I put about 2 years into designing and building a D.I.N. friendly rally inst' panel.

DeMonDIN  02.JPG
 
IIRC Kenwood was bought by JVC a few years ago.

I find JVC stuff to have not very intuitive control interfaces.
Not sure if that has festered over to the Kenwood line yet.

Our boy put a JVC unit in the wife's car whaile he was driving it and neither one of us can figure out how to use some of the features that should be super easy to do (and the boy and I are computer network guys).

I've found a certain model of Pioneer (also not the biggest Pioneer fan, but pickin's are gittin' slim), that has a reasonably intuitive interface and level adjustments for the inputs. (I HATE all the units that have the aux or USB input way lower than the CD or tuner).

I just bought a third unit in an attempt to standardize across all my vehicles, and I'd love to get another for the wife's car. With all the crap they do, especially search a large MP3 library, the menu can get really complicated.

Just an FYI- the factory Mopar 1970-1974 cassette recorder "pods" are in fact, DIN width and 1.5 DIN height.

.....if you can find one.....and afford it.
 
15 years ago I bought an old analog Am/FM Sanyo tape deck, 2 knobs and nothing else. I cleaned the head and aligned it, plugged it into a 50W 2ch amp and boy that old dog sounded sweet in my 65. Cheap 6x9s in the trunk panel and extended the tweeters up front. simple as can be. I got a simple 80's Sherwood (refurb as the Sherwood distribution was 8 miles away and almost gave rebuilt stuff out the back door) but its hit and miss if it even turns on nowadays.
 
I get all my audio, and electronicks equipment, from Sonic Electronics, good prices, and they have lots of stuff.

barracudadave67
 
Many of the aftermarket stereos are far too complicated for inflight use. I'm now using the second Kenwood. First one had a feckin 6 axis knob, worse than a play station controller. Touch it the wrong way and "game over". Lots of tiny *** buttons. The one button that I wanted to be power I/O popped the face panel off.
Even though the current head unit is a little less complex/complicated.., If I don't have a co-pilot in the passengers seat, I get a cd/whatever playing before I start moving and keep my hands off it.
How do I spell distracted driving? Aftermarket jukebox.
The funniest part... I put about 2 years into designing and building a D.I.N. friendly rally inst' panel.

View attachment 1715105508

I cannot agree with that any stronger. I was a fan of the old shaft style. All good things must end I guess.
 
Give me an "up/down/left/right" control if I have to navigate a directory structure.
 
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