Car audio reviews http://www.caraudioreview.net Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:52:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Pioneer FH-P8000BT Double-DIN review http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-fh-p8000bt-double-din-review/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-fh-p8000bt-double-din-review/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:12:43 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=226

This in-depth review of the Pioneer FH-P8000BT CD/FM/AM radio receiver should help you come to a conclusion as to whether the product is ideal for you, your budget and your car. As with many Pioneer products the Double-DIN FH-P8000BT oozes quality and value for money, plus it will look rather striking in any car.

The Pioneer Mobile Business Group is well known for their offering of in-car products that makes driving a pleasurable experience by giving high quality audio and video whilst on the move, plus seamless connectivity and ease-of-use that is practically unrivalled.

Pioneer’s Mobile Business Group is known for offering the kind of in-car products that make driving more enjoyable by offering high quality audio and video, seamless connectivity and ease-of-use

The unit comes with a standard one-year warranty so if you have any problems with your purchase within the first 12 months then you’re eligible to have the unit fixed or replaced without cost. Those interested in purchasing the unit will find the cheapest price over at Amazon.co.uk.

What’s in the box

Let’s start this review with detailing what’s in the box. First up we have, as you have probably already guessed, the Double-DIN Pioneer FH-P8000BT receiver, wireless remote control, bluetooth microphone, USB extension, wire harness, mounting screws, owners manual (comes on a CD), installation manual, quick start guide, owners card and finally the trim panel for the stereo.

Excellent Value

We all want to get value for money when we make a purchase. especially so when we make a purchase that costs more than a few dollars – it’s no different where in car entertainment is concerned and the Pioneer FH-P8000BT doesn’t disappoint.

It comes with lots of features to ensure you have the best experience possible such as Bluetooth and an intuitive navigation.

Advanced Sound Retriever

Pioneer’s ever evolving technology means you get much more value for your money. You can listen to your music as the artist would of intended, by making the audio as crisp, clear and warm as possible. By restoring data (even more as at a higher frequency) that is usually lost in the compression process, the Pioneer Advanced Sound Retriever technology continually enhances the audio reproduction – practically all the way up to 20 kHz frequencies.

Plays files from CD or external devices

Whether you’re a hoarder of CD’s or whether you have all of your music stored digitally on your iPod, iPhone or other USB or Bluetooth device, it doesn’t matter – you can listen to your music literally in a matter of seconds without any fuss. The Pioneer FH-P8000BT is capable of playing MP3, WMV and WMA files direct from your compatible devices.

The USB port is located on the back of the stereo which is where the included USB extension could come in useful. Whether you want it to come through the centre console or in to the glove box or somewhere else, it’s totally up to you.

If you decide to connect your device via USB to listen to your library of music then you’ll even get the added extra bonus of the device being charged whilst keeping yourself entertained at the same time. You may even use USB memory sticks to listen to your music – practically any USB storage device can be used.

Not in the mood for listening to your own music? You can listen to the FM or AM radio with a simple tap of a button.

Stylish and practical

Not only is the stereo practical but it’s also very stylish. It has a style that will fit inline with pretty much any car interior. It’s not overtly over the top but remains to look like the centre piece of the car as any car stereo should.

Its features include Bluetooth capabilities – this allows you to make and receive hands-free telephone calls, plus they come in loud and clear with the advanced echo cancellation technology.

Hands-free calling

When you’re on the go it’s always nice to be able to answer your phone without putting your life or drivers license in danger – this is where hands-free calling comes in. With the addition of the Bluetooth microphone included in the box you can make and receive telephone calls with crystal clear audio – you can even import your telephone contacts to the stereo itself, you can store up to 3,600 different telephone numbers.

Supertuner IIID AM/FM Tuner

Another clever bit of technology from Pioneer combines the best of digital and analog tuner technology which will help to reduce noise distortion – this means amazing FM and AM performance and clarity where possible.

Let’s say for example you live in an area where your reception is particularly weak then you will probably notice a big difference in the strength of the signal received as compared to devices that don’t have this technology. In an area which features tall buildings? Not a problem. The Supertuner IIID technology will automatically reduce the effect of multi-path noise – this usually occurs when the signal is bouncing off buildings.

MOFSET 50w x4 Amplifier

If your sound system is particularly power hungry then the MOSFET amplifier circuit will deliver lots of power and less distortion and zero on/off switching noise. This doesn’t only mean a boost in volume though, it also means that your music will be much clear at higher volumes – this is due to the fact that you’re not pushing your amplification circuit to the limit.

Everyone wants clean and efficient power that will give you the most pleasurable audible experiences. For the people out there that want a little more power then there are three 4V preamp outputs which are included on the head unit for great expansion possibilities.

Expansion Options

On the back of the stereo is the obvious AM/FM antenna input along with IP Bus input for external device input such as satellite radio, auxiliary input, USB input, wired remote control input (for steering wheel control), wire harness input and 3 sets of high volt RCA outputs.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-fh-p8000bt-double-din-review/feed/ 0 Finding the right car stereo http://www.caraudioreview.net/finding-the-right-car-stereo/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/finding-the-right-car-stereo/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:12:33 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=169 Finding a car stereo is easy enough as the market is full of them, however finding the one that fits your needs, requirements and something that fits in seamlessly with your car is another task all together. As there are so many different models and manufacturers of car stereo out there, where do we even start?

The internet is full of information and should be used to your advantage when going ahead and looking for a product to purchase. In the case of car stereos, you need to ensure first of all that any car stereo you decide to buy has the right fitting, ensuring it fits in the head unit slot without issue. Many automobiles in the United States have what we call a double-din slot – when purchasing a car stereo you will need to ensure that it’s in the size of double-din.

Stereos usually come in the sizes of DIN (180 x 50 mm) and Double-DIN (180 x 100mm). Just remember to find out the size of your head unit before you buy, otherwise you will find that it won’t fit. In some cases however, you may be able to find another accessory that fills in the space that is left over by your choice of car stereo.

You will need to decide whether or not you would like features such as Bluetooth, USB connectivity, hands-free and the likes. Many units will come with all of these as standard, depending on the exact model and price of the unit you decide to buy, but you will find bargains out there that below the competitors out of the water – it just takes time. It’s also worth noting that some units even come with variable colours to choose from – the JVC KW-XR810 for example has over 30,000 different colours to choose from, allowing you to fit it in with your dashboard colours to make the perfect match.

Heed the advice in the article and you should bag yourself the perfect stereo for you and your car.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/finding-the-right-car-stereo/feed/ 0 The best brands in car stereos http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-best-brands-in-car-stereos/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-best-brands-in-car-stereos/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:54:01 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=167 There are many different brands of car stereo units available to buy, but which are the best and why? Technology has evolved a lot in recent years and the progression of it in the car industry in particular is nothing too short of remarkable. The engineering, technology and modern improvements in car stereos have allowed us to get where we’re at today – with lot of different head units to choose from, offering lots of different features and connectivity options.

So, which companies have helped the progression of head units as a whole, who offers the best value for money and which company is the best overall bet to rely on for now and the future?

JVC

JVC are a Japanese company that manufacturer many different products from televisions to headphones and even car stereos. The company intends to give the user a perfect experience with their line of audio and video technologies and to be fair, they do just that in most cases. The company give such great products and customer service that they’re hard to be beaten, hence why they’re at the top of the car stereo ladder, usually the first stop for most music and car fanatics alike. They’re also the manufacturer of the best car stere head unit yet, the inspirational and value for money JVC KW-XR810.

Pioneer

Pioneer are an established and well known brand across the world, they offer reliable products and value for money in many of their products. They lead the electronics industry in many different sectors, they are leaders in the sound and music industry in particular. Their product range comes in the form of GPS navigation systems, CD players, car stereos and HD plasma televisions to name a few.

Kenwood

A company that aims to discover new technologies and envision a world where people are unified through the sound of music. They have lots of different products on the market, from car audio entertainment, sound systems for the home, expansions for multimedia and other amazing product ranges.

As time passes and when technology becomes the height of its age, we will probably see Kenwood up there with the likes of JVC battling to be the best technology company on the planet. The future is bright for this company as long as they keep doing what they’re doing now; innovating and offering products of such high quality with a relatively low price tag when compared to its competitors.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-best-brands-in-car-stereos/feed/ 0 The different music file formats http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-different-music-file-formats/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-different-music-file-formats/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:30:43 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=158 Most of us would of heard of MP3, WMA, WAV and even AAC filetypes, these are often talked about in regards to music and electronic devices that are used to play audio files. In essence, they’re all audio formats but there’s more to them than just their names – some have different audio qualities that they output and some are simply compressed files.

Continuing on from above, the compression of files exists because of the space that large media files take up on devices – compressing helps save this space and allows files to become much smaller whilst retaining its quality. The well known filetype .wav (Waveform Audio) is an uncompressed audio file that is typically used by the Microsoft OS.

There are two different types of compressed audio, some are compressed and retains its high quality of sound, however there are others that exchange better compression for a large portion of the quality of the resulting sound from the compressed file.

The WMA format that was derived from Microsofts technology uses a compression makes the file a little smaller and retains the original quality of sound, which is great for people who aren’t desperate for the extra space on their devices.

Most audio files are in the MP3 format which is by far the most popular. It has been the industry standard for software and hardware companies along with record labels who release their music on to CD’s. This file format utilises set ‘bit rates’ – this is the amount of data that is being used per second – higher quality audio is achieved by using higher bit rates and as a consequence, greater compression.

Then there is the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), this is a newer format that has often been used by Apple. It’s not nearly as popular as the MP3 file format, however it’s ever growing in its authority and use. The main advantage of the AAC filetype is that it is more significantly utilised than MP3 at the same bit rate.

AAC is always growing towards being the number one standard for audio compression as it has a significant edge over its MP3 rival. Give it a few years and Apples technology will be widely used as its advantages are much greater than the other formats available – Apple are growing in the technology market and as it continues to grow, so will the technologies that it utilises.

As you may or may not already know that most newer car stereo will play many of these file formats. The newer the head unit the more likely that it will support the latest technology in all respects, not just the file types that it will support. The JVC KW-XR810 for example will utilise all of the popular file formats and also harbours connectivity such as Bluetooth and USB.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/the-different-music-file-formats/feed/ 0 Head units are the centre piece of your sound system http://www.caraudioreview.net/head-units-are-the-centre-piece-of-your-sound-system/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/head-units-are-the-centre-piece-of-your-sound-system/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:45:48 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=153 The most important aspect of any car audio system is the head unit, this is for a number of different reasons. The receiver (i.e. the head unit) is what is responsible for taking the sound it receives and outputting it to the rest of your system, which is a strong reason why the receiver is such an important factor.

Years ago the head unit had very little bearing on the quality of sound it produced and passed on to the rest of the system. These days your head unit can take signals from varying sources such as satellite radio, HD channels, Bluetooth, USB devices, CD’s and cellphones. This day in age many even incorporate GPS navigation systems, video playback and CCD camera technology.

Head units that cost a lot of money are often a target for thieves, which is becoming more popular amongst criminals as the prices of technology increases over time. Anyone such as myself will ensure they get a car stereo that has a detachable face plate, these are often easily removable and makes removing the stereo system a much more difficult task and just the face plate alone will be of no use to the thief.

Safety is a something you should always consider when buying a car stereo. There’s usually two things that can help decide how safe the car stereo is; these are user-friendly controls and the possibility of hands free cell phone calling. Obviously the easier a unit is to navigate and operate, the less likely you are to have to look away from the road, which is obviously hazardous. Cell phones have already been banned in countries like the UK and states in the US are slowly taking similar actions.

Anyone seriously looking at buying a head unit need to answer a number of different questions before they decide to purchase. There are head units such as the JVC KW-XR810 which have tonnes of different options to choose from and covers all the options you could probably ever ask for in a car stereo. You also need to ask whether the unit is within your budget and if it has all the features you really need, plus if the styling is right for you and your car.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/head-units-are-the-centre-piece-of-your-sound-system/feed/ 0 Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD review http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-avh-p4300dvd-review/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-avh-p4300dvd-review/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:23:12 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=102
Rating:
  • FREE Delivery
  • Intuitive, touchscreen navigation
  • Watch Youtube and Netflix videos
  • Play videos via DVD, CD, USB, SDHD
  • Plenty of expansion options
  • Excellent for families
  • Multi-angle adjustment and color display

The Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD is an absolutely gorgeous Double-DIN colour screen multimedia receiver for your car. It’s not only absolutely beautiful but packs tonnes of functionality, comes with multi-angle adjustments and custom colour displays, giving you extra customisability. It has a touchscreen display which allows you to tap, swipe and drag icons on its beautiful interface and has superbly designed intuitive controls – the good part is this is just a fraction of what the Pioneer AVH P4300DVD has to offer.

Music capabilities

As you would imagine from a top of the range head unit like the Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD it has functionality for you to listen to your own music whilst on the go. It has front-facing USB ports that allow you to connect your iPod, iPhone or other USB compatible MP3 player – within seconds you can be listening to your own music library in a breeze. You can play MP3, WMA and AAC files even if they are recorded on to a DVD, CD, SD or SDHC memory card giving you tonnes of different options to choose from at a whim.

Watch Youtube and Netflix videos

With the help of your trusty iPhone you can access Youtube and Netflix and watch your favourite videos or listen to your favourite songs all with a few touches of a button (well, touchscreen technically). This is just another of the many functions that come with the incredible multimedia device – all from your comfort of your own car – click here to find more info.

Audio and Video features

  • DivX video playback from mediums such as DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW discs or even SD/SDHC memory cards
  • 8-band graphic equaliser with 7 preset EQ curves
  • JPEG picture playback with CD’s or SD and SDHC memory cards
  • Auto EQ function to create a sound curve for your car automatically
  • An advanced sound receiver

What’s in the box?

When you buy a product, one of the most important pieces of information you need to know is what you get in the box when you buy your latest must have gadget. You get a lot for your money with the Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD, but what exactly do you get in the box?

  • Wire harness
  • Remote control
  • Mounting screws
  • Trim panel for presentation
  • Warranty card
  • Manuals in English, Spanish and French
  • USB extension for your USB compliant devices

Connectivity / Expandability

You can expand the head unit via various different means. It has a built-in audio iPod control, which is an optional adapter that is required for viewing various video content. The unit is fully compatible with the Pioneer adapter, navigation unit, HD Radio tuner and satellite radio – it has rear AV, auxiliary and USB slot, an SD memory card accessible via the front of the unit and and rear-view camera input for reversing – it also switches to the rear-view camera automatically when reversing. Not only that but also has outputs for video and a 6-channel preamp output; this includes 4-volt for the front, rear and subwoofer.

Not only that but but there is also an AM/FM antenna input accessible via the rear of the unit. There are also video input, video output and rear seat output for rear entertainment options along with a wire hardness input. Then there is the possibility to add a wired remote input for the steering wheel which is possible via a third party connector.

Great for the kids

Give your car a multimedia entertainment experience you will never forget. With this excellent head unit you can watch movies whilst you’re parked up or even play a DVD for the kids on your rear seat whilst you’re travelling – nothing seems to keep children quiet quite like their favourite movie or television program.

What’s more it comes with a 1 year warranty and is fully compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls, however this does require an adapter to be functional. The P4300DVD head unit is also CEA-2006 compliant.

If you’re on the lookout for a brand new in-car DVD player then this beauty is definitely going to offer you excellent value for money and keep you and the kids entertained for hours. A definite must buy, especially for those of you with a family – however you may be put off by the cost, it all depends on your requirements in all honesty.

]]> http://www.caraudioreview.net/pioneer-avh-p4300dvd-review/feed/ 0 JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN Review http://www.caraudioreview.net/jvc-kw-xr810-double-din-review/ http://www.caraudioreview.net/jvc-kw-xr810-double-din-review/#comments Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:08:15 +0000 admin http://www.caraudioreview.net/?p=31 jvc kw-xr810
Rating:
  • FREE Delivery
  • Amazing value for money
  • Bluetooth for music and hands-free
  • Beautiful design
  • Over 30,000 illumination colours
  • Great durability
  • Intuitive Navigation

If you’re looking for an impartial review on the JVC KW-XR810 Double-DIN, Bluetooth, Dual USB/CD Receiver then you’ve come to the right place. Hopefully this review will help you decide if the stereo is what you’re looking for or not. The JVC dual din car stereo is currently available to purchase on Amazon.com

I’ve had plenty of CD / MP3 players and other in-car sound products in the past and whilst some have been great, some have been well, absolutely awful to say the least.

What’s in the box

Okay so let’s start with what’s in the box. First of all as you would imagine there is the receiver (head unit) along with a Bluetooth microphone, a sleeve/trim ring, a wiring harness, installation hardware, manuals and the information relating to your warranty. So, now we know what’s in the box, how does the hardware fare up? Keep reading…

Value for money

To start with the Double-DIN Bluetooth Dual USB/CD Receiver an exceptional product for anyone looking to find value for money and a product that is packed with tonnes of features and necessities – it has definitely made my daily commute a blissful experience that I wish lasted longer, two hours just doesn’t seem enough now.

CD/MP3/WMA and WAV Playback

The wonderful thing about this player is that not only can it play CD’s, but also MP3, WMA and WAV files direct from your external MP3 player such as an iPod or iPhone via USB and even comes with a 3.5mm auxiliary. It has a number of USB ports, front-facing and at the back of the unit. Your USB device will even get charged whilst isn’t connected to the stereo – even if it’s being used to play music.

“My expectations were blown away when I installed it. The sound quality is superb and fit and finish of the unit is top notch. This is an AWESOME head unit.”
– Jersey Guy, Amazon.com
>> Click here to read more reviews <<

Color options

When looking for a new CD / MP3 player unit, some people, like me, tend to look for a unit that has lighting that matches the cars dashboard colors to make things match and look almost like a stock product. With the JVC KW-XR810 this isn’t an issue, with over 30,000 different colors to choose from you’re almost guaranteed to find a color that matches your original car dashboard lighting – I found the exact color to fit my car in minutes.

Other color settings and options include:

  • Positive and negative backlighting
  • Setups for both night and day
  • Different buttons for the display and buttons
  • Separate variable color allows you to use two different colors

Great style

The unit is very attractive without being too glitz and glamor, it kinda has a stock feel to it and sure enough it will probably deter thieves from potentially stealing it. It also doesn’t have all those annoying and flash lights that seem a bit too much for most people, especially me.

Intuitive navigation

I absolutely love the navigation on the unit, it’s so easy to navigate and is extremely intuitive. One minor problem is with the plastic on the front, it’s glossy and can sometimes, in some lights, show the dust that it collects but it’s not that noticeable – simply wipe it once in and a while and you’re good to go.

Go wireless with built-in Bluetooth

The Bluetooth on this outstanding product works a treat. For example, if you’re listening to music and a telephone call comes through your cell, it automatically mutes your music then switches over to the cellphone. What’s more when you do receive a text message or incoming call the display colour of the unit will reflect that of the event, so you’ll know if and/or when you get a message or call – pretty neat huh?

Not only that, but if your device supports Bluetooth you can even stream music from your device to the receiver without the needs of wires.

Phone calls over Bluetooth

Aside from its overall usability and elegance, the part I love most about this product is the ability to be able to accept calls through the unit and talk whilst driving, so no more need for any hands-free units. It comes with a microphone, which connects to the unit and the sound from my own experience is excellent, the people on the other end could hear me with great clarity and i too could hear them just great. I absolutely love it!

A neat little feature of the KW-XR810 is that you can have two cell phones connected to the unit simultaneously. This means you and a passenger can have your phones connected at once, exchanging between connections by simply pressing and holding he phone button, which hot swaps between the two.

Remote controlled use

If you’re planning on using the remote, you’re best leaving that to the kids. The remote is ridiculously small and very fiddly to use; however it’s pretty much useless anyway, even if it was large and functional, the on-unit buttons and navigation are easy enough to use whilst on-the-go, so don’t worry about it too much.

Besides, you won’t need a remote because you can control the JVC KW-XR810 via voice control, which so far has words excellent for me. I guess it may become a small issue for people with particularly strong accents, but as i mentioned, this isn’t something i’ve come across thus far.

Overall this CD / MP3 Player from JVC offers amazing value for money and there are many thousands of happy customers just like me out there. Get yours today and you will not be disappointed.

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