So, I wanted a new stereo in my truck to add backup camera and bluetooth capabilities.
Purchased a Pioneer AVH-X2800BS . This is 2016 model and has integrated Spotify and Pandora.
The pandora works GREAT with android, shows album art, starts in on your phone when you select on HU, etc.
The Spotify doesnt work as well, but works. No album art, trouble connecting, slow to load your stations, etc.
The Pandor and Spotify sound good. Seems like a little less stereo separation than my stock stereo in my 2003 F150 Lariat, but clean, clear, loud, tight bass with stereo separation. Its possible my stock unit has surround and thats a minor difference or something.
Now the bad. The FM tuner in the pioneer sounds horrible. No detail to the music. Its muddy. minimal stereo separation. You cannot equalize in whats not there. I spend a lot of time listening to radio while driving and this is a deal breaker. My stock FM tuner sounds 100% better, richer, more detailed. Im not kidding when I say my 1983 FM tuner in my jeep sounded richer and with more stereo separation than this Pioneer HU has.
Has anyone else experienced this with DVD head units?
Any one which is known to sound great?
Ive bee out of car stereos since about 1990, but I can tell you it feels like things have gone backwards in sound quality. Just bunch of features. No one reviews SOUND , people review and rank by lists of features. Pioneer doesnt even list stereo separation as a spec. Everyone is quoting outrageous Watts (total) that back in the day only the cheapest crap stereos (pyramid, audiovox, etc) did. Today everyone does.
I went to a local shop that carries Pioneer and Kenwood DVD stereos. A whole wall of displays. NONE hooked up to speakers so that you can hear them. I told them they were fools and left.
Possibly its intentionally crappy to drive people to purchase the HD radio version . Im probably going to give that a try next, but its reputed to be troublesome with cutting in and out.
Purchased a Pioneer AVH-X2800BS . This is 2016 model and has integrated Spotify and Pandora.
The pandora works GREAT with android, shows album art, starts in on your phone when you select on HU, etc.
The Spotify doesnt work as well, but works. No album art, trouble connecting, slow to load your stations, etc.
The Pandor and Spotify sound good. Seems like a little less stereo separation than my stock stereo in my 2003 F150 Lariat, but clean, clear, loud, tight bass with stereo separation. Its possible my stock unit has surround and thats a minor difference or something.
Now the bad. The FM tuner in the pioneer sounds horrible. No detail to the music. Its muddy. minimal stereo separation. You cannot equalize in whats not there. I spend a lot of time listening to radio while driving and this is a deal breaker. My stock FM tuner sounds 100% better, richer, more detailed. Im not kidding when I say my 1983 FM tuner in my jeep sounded richer and with more stereo separation than this Pioneer HU has.
Has anyone else experienced this with DVD head units?
Any one which is known to sound great?
Ive bee out of car stereos since about 1990, but I can tell you it feels like things have gone backwards in sound quality. Just bunch of features. No one reviews SOUND , people review and rank by lists of features. Pioneer doesnt even list stereo separation as a spec. Everyone is quoting outrageous Watts (total) that back in the day only the cheapest crap stereos (pyramid, audiovox, etc) did. Today everyone does.
I went to a local shop that carries Pioneer and Kenwood DVD stereos. A whole wall of displays. NONE hooked up to speakers so that you can hear them. I told them they were fools and left.
Possibly its intentionally crappy to drive people to purchase the HD radio version . Im probably going to give that a try next, but its reputed to be troublesome with cutting in and out.
