Kenwood DNX9140 or Pioneer AVIC Z110BT ?
02-12-2010, 12:46 PM
#21
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Loooong Island!
Posts: 2,195
02-12-2010, 05:47 PM
#23
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 552
I am interested in doing the same with my 2008 Mustang GT/CS w/Shaker 1000.
Leaning towards the Pioneer AVIC-X910BT. Has someone replaced the Shaker 1000 unit with a Pioneer AVIC unit? Did you manage to re-use the Shaker 1000 speaker system, including the 4 amps? If so, what harness/modules did you use?
Crutchfield has a note on this unit with the Shaker 1000 that an additional wiring harness w/module is required enable to use the existing amps:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127C2RF...e.html?tp=3486
Anyone?
Leaning towards the Pioneer AVIC-X910BT. Has someone replaced the Shaker 1000 unit with a Pioneer AVIC unit? Did you manage to re-use the Shaker 1000 speaker system, including the 4 amps? If so, what harness/modules did you use?
Crutchfield has a note on this unit with the Shaker 1000 that an additional wiring harness w/module is required enable to use the existing amps:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127C2RF...e.html?tp=3486
Anyone?
I'm waiting for the X920BT myself, probably available within the next 6 months. Nav/IPod/Bluetooth, all voice controlled, doesn't have MSN Direct, but does have the capability of using Pandora through your Iphone. I was going to get the Z110BT or 910BGT before I found out back in October that they were discontinuing the MSN service.
04-22-2010, 07:24 PM
#24
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NH
Posts: 1
I have used my DNX9140 receiver for a couple of months. All of the issues below have been sent to Kenwood’s technical support. I have verified that I have the latest firmware upgrades.
Random Play Mode has to be reset every time
One of the biggest reasons I bought the DNX9140 was to play my library of music off a USB Drive. This unit fails big on this task. I like to listen to music in a random order. It’s like having the radio on with no commercials. I believe this is preferred by most reasonable people. Every time you stop the car the random mode has to be re-established and it takes 2 minutes of boot up and 8 screen taps to do it. Think what a pain this is. Bottom line, if the USB memory has not been removed, then the receiver should remember the mode/playlist it was in last time the radio/car was turned off then go back to that mode automatically on restart.
Sound Stops and Starts in USB mode
Occasionally when playing through the USB, the music will stop for a second then restart. I estimate this occurs on average once every 2 songs. I have confirmed with technical support that my music files are within the specs of the player (WMA 192kbs, 48 KHz, constant bit rate). I have tried 3 different USB drives and they all have the same problem in the DNX9140 but work fine in my Hyundai Santé Fe’s stock radio and in my wife’s BMW.
Voice recognition is a Joke
I get less than 60% voice recognition with the car engine off in a quiet garage with the garage door closed. I get 20% with the car at idle with the windows closed. I get near 0% when the car is moving windows closed. With the windows open just forget it. I speak slowly and I speak loud and get this poor performance. The microphone is mounted about 1-2 feet from my mouth on the window pillar. I will try a different mount point but I do not think it will matter all that much. If I can’t get 90% recognition with windows closed driving, then voice recognition is more hassle than it’s worth. Also, there is no command to exit voice recognition. A simple word like cancel or play should kick you out of voice mode. Instead you have to wait for voice mode to time out 30 seconds or push the voice mode button again. I understand having to push a button to start voice recognition (cuts out speakers), but you should be able to exit by a voice command. The microphone is also used for telephone conversations. The person on the other end can hear me when I am at idle but once I start moving (windows up) forget it.
USB Folder limitations are on the small side
I knew this going into the purchase. However it is worth noting that 255 folders each containing up to 255 files is on the small side. The folder option gets especially small if you have \Artist\Album\Song title file structure. I had to go to \Artist\Album-Song title to get all music on my USB drive recognized by the receiver.
Settings menu is confusing
Menu system is confusing to set volume offsets for different sources. Manual is just adequate.
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
This should not be a problem for most people, but convertible owners take notice. When you go to a fancy touch screens, be prepared for the consequences. Dials and real buttons are sometime better. To get this unit to my preferred USB play mode in bright sunlight is an accident waiting to happen.
Radio station presets do not transition to FM1 or FM2
After saving radio station presets, you would think that once you were at the last station in FM1 and you go up one more preset, you would go to the first station of FM2. This is what happens in my stock Santé Fe and my wife’s BMW but not the dnx9140. It goes back to the first item in FM1. There may be an option to change this behavior but I have not found it yet.
Some of the menu options don’t make sense
There is a 2line option or 4line option for the broadcast information from HD radio (song tile, station, artist, etc). When you select the 2 line option you would think that you would get more space for other functions on the screen but you don’t. What’s that all about?
Finally The good
Navigation by Garmin
I have used Garmin navigation systems many times, they are intuitive, consistent and get the job done. Even my wife could figure out how to use it.
Lots of sound options
Let’s be serious about this, who plays with the sound options on a daily basis or even monthly? What most people do it set it up once and forget about it. If you are a sound tweaker then this unit has lots of tweeks.
Kenwood Tech Support
They have been trying to help. They do respond to questions. But this unit has serious design flaws in my opinion that technical support will never be able to address. Maybe a firmware change would help.
Bottom line – Lots of buyer’s remorse on this one. Kenwood has not made it easy for the driver. I would like to see some programmable buttons (macro buttons) at least 8. Example: Source (USB)-Select Genre (Classic Rock) - Select Mode (Random) – Play. That would be great, is there anything out there that does this?
Random Play Mode has to be reset every time
One of the biggest reasons I bought the DNX9140 was to play my library of music off a USB Drive. This unit fails big on this task. I like to listen to music in a random order. It’s like having the radio on with no commercials. I believe this is preferred by most reasonable people. Every time you stop the car the random mode has to be re-established and it takes 2 minutes of boot up and 8 screen taps to do it. Think what a pain this is. Bottom line, if the USB memory has not been removed, then the receiver should remember the mode/playlist it was in last time the radio/car was turned off then go back to that mode automatically on restart.
Sound Stops and Starts in USB mode
Occasionally when playing through the USB, the music will stop for a second then restart. I estimate this occurs on average once every 2 songs. I have confirmed with technical support that my music files are within the specs of the player (WMA 192kbs, 48 KHz, constant bit rate). I have tried 3 different USB drives and they all have the same problem in the DNX9140 but work fine in my Hyundai Santé Fe’s stock radio and in my wife’s BMW.
Voice recognition is a Joke
I get less than 60% voice recognition with the car engine off in a quiet garage with the garage door closed. I get 20% with the car at idle with the windows closed. I get near 0% when the car is moving windows closed. With the windows open just forget it. I speak slowly and I speak loud and get this poor performance. The microphone is mounted about 1-2 feet from my mouth on the window pillar. I will try a different mount point but I do not think it will matter all that much. If I can’t get 90% recognition with windows closed driving, then voice recognition is more hassle than it’s worth. Also, there is no command to exit voice recognition. A simple word like cancel or play should kick you out of voice mode. Instead you have to wait for voice mode to time out 30 seconds or push the voice mode button again. I understand having to push a button to start voice recognition (cuts out speakers), but you should be able to exit by a voice command. The microphone is also used for telephone conversations. The person on the other end can hear me when I am at idle but once I start moving (windows up) forget it.
USB Folder limitations are on the small side
I knew this going into the purchase. However it is worth noting that 255 folders each containing up to 255 files is on the small side. The folder option gets especially small if you have \Artist\Album\Song title file structure. I had to go to \Artist\Album-Song title to get all music on my USB drive recognized by the receiver.
Settings menu is confusing
Menu system is confusing to set volume offsets for different sources. Manual is just adequate.
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
This should not be a problem for most people, but convertible owners take notice. When you go to a fancy touch screens, be prepared for the consequences. Dials and real buttons are sometime better. To get this unit to my preferred USB play mode in bright sunlight is an accident waiting to happen.
Radio station presets do not transition to FM1 or FM2
After saving radio station presets, you would think that once you were at the last station in FM1 and you go up one more preset, you would go to the first station of FM2. This is what happens in my stock Santé Fe and my wife’s BMW but not the dnx9140. It goes back to the first item in FM1. There may be an option to change this behavior but I have not found it yet.
Some of the menu options don’t make sense
There is a 2line option or 4line option for the broadcast information from HD radio (song tile, station, artist, etc). When you select the 2 line option you would think that you would get more space for other functions on the screen but you don’t. What’s that all about?
Finally The good
Navigation by Garmin
I have used Garmin navigation systems many times, they are intuitive, consistent and get the job done. Even my wife could figure out how to use it.
Lots of sound options
Let’s be serious about this, who plays with the sound options on a daily basis or even monthly? What most people do it set it up once and forget about it. If you are a sound tweaker then this unit has lots of tweeks.
Kenwood Tech Support
They have been trying to help. They do respond to questions. But this unit has serious design flaws in my opinion that technical support will never be able to address. Maybe a firmware change would help.
Bottom line – Lots of buyer’s remorse on this one. Kenwood has not made it easy for the driver. I would like to see some programmable buttons (macro buttons) at least 8. Example: Source (USB)-Select Genre (Classic Rock) - Select Mode (Random) – Play. That would be great, is there anything out there that does this?
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