# Kenwood Vs Pioneer



## JSM-FA5

Ok I know both these brands are good for head units. The one I'm looking at have blue tooth and HD radio. 
But which actually have a better SQ?


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## SaturnSL1

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

Which ever one you can afford and looks nicer to you.


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## D-Bass

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

I personally prefer a KDCX996 or 896 over the DEHX8500BH or 9500BHS. I look forward to messing around the the new X997 when it comes out.
I don't have any specs on DAC's, chipsets, etc. but the x996 does have more sound control than the others.


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## rdubbs

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

Single DIN or Double DIN? Want tuning abilities for active processing or staying passive and getting a processor down the line? Basically most aftermarket systems will be better SQ than your factory garbage, especially on the non-navi civic's.


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## JSM-FA5

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

Sorry double Din. And I realize it will be better than stock but i didn't know if one brand sounded better. Ill be going active


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## Timelessr1

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

I'd love a double din with Nav, and a digital output! :-( i might be waiting for a while!!


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## D-Bass

*Re: Ken wood Vs Pioneer*

if you are looking at a 2din with navigation, Go Kenwood Excelon
if you are NOT looking for navigation, Go Pioneer. The kenwood 2din dvd decks are actually weak sauce jvc


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## K-Mike

I've had both Pioneer and Kenwood and personally I've always preferred the pioneers, but Pioneers Nav has disappointed me. I've never had any experience with Kenwoods navigation, so like D-Bass said, if you don't need Nav I'd go pioneer


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## JSM-FA5

That's what I was wanting to do. (They look better haha) but if kenwood a sounded better I was going with them no matter what they looked like. But as far as the AVH-p and AVH-x are there any differences? I know the x is this years model but is it worth the extra money


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## evo9

^^^ P= i-Pbus 
X= No more i-Pbus. Replaced by HDMI on some models.


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## JSM-FA5

^ that's a little out of my league. Is that for the display for iPhone and other devices?


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## GS-R_Autotech

I think the X denotes the models with mixtrax. The AVH-X models are sat radio ready through the new universal bus system. 

And no more p-bus as evo9 pointed out 
As far as I have seen, the only model that utilizes an HMDI connector is for the Appradio2. The Iphone/Android connector uses it.

Kenwood nav units use Garmin nav. So yes, a familiar layout to most. And yes, an awesome nav unit. And I like the negative tilt the excelon 7" does. Makes it perfect for a civic up high and at an angle.

The Pioneer Z140 uses Navteq software for its nav. Garmin uses navteq as well. See where I'm going with this? IIRC the Z uses an audiophile grade power supply. Sound wise both very similar.

And the "weaksauce" JVC units I actually like better than the Kenwood non navs. yes yes jvc kenwood corp. But the JVC units are just better.


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## MB2008LTZ

Pioneer....enuff said!


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## chithead

GS-R_Autotech said:


> And the "weaksauce" JVC units I actually like better than the Kenwood non navs. yes yes jvc kenwood corp. But the JVC units are just better.


I agree. I am running the JVC R900BT right now, and REALLY like this head unit. Very nice sound quality, even when using the 3.5mm jack from my phone. In fact, I like it just as much as the Pioneer P880PRS.


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## GS-R_Autotech

chithead said:


> In fact, I like it just as much as the Pioneer P880PRS.



WHOAAAAA there! I said I like the JVC units. I would never pick one over my 880 though.


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## chithead

I don't mind saying it. The R900BT is a very nice unit.


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## K-Mike

The X's also have Bluetooth audio streaming, higher resolution, a different layout, and other minor upgrades. If you have some cash the Avic z110bt is awesome, although if sound quality is king at that price you could get the p99 so


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## D-Bass

GS-R_Autotech said:


> And the "weaksauce" JVC units I actually like better than the Kenwood non navs. yes yes jvc kenwood corp. But the JVC units are just better.


I'm not saying all JVC's are bad. I am saying I don't like the kenwood non-nav. yes, JVC and Kenwood are a combined corporation, but these units are actually a JVC product, just with the kenwood graphic and model number.


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## evo9

^^ Yeah......But the Kenwood nav units has 4 volts out RCA's. While the JVC has 2.5 volts.


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## ZAKOH

Buy a Kenwood only if you don't mind replacing a head unit every other year. I had a X994 whose face plate stopped working just about 18 months after installing it, and I never remove or open faceplate to play CDs, because I store music on USB. This was not an isolated problem as a lot of other users have reported similar issues. It seems like the face plate contacts with the head unit become loose. As far as I can tell, the physical design hasn't changed between X993 through X996, so you can expect the same problems again.

As for Pioneer vs everything else, if you can afford Pioneer's DEH-80PRS, then go for it, because no other currently produced head units can match that, not even close. I am talking about SQ. It's active front stage capable (2-way+subwoofer, or 3-way without subwoofer), with time alignment, 2x16 band equalizer, USB/SSD driver support, bluetooth phone support, AutoEQ, 3-sets of high voltage outs, etc. Neither JVC nor Kenwood are in the same league. An Alpine head unit coupled with Alpine's PXA-H100 processor is in the same league, but note the price difference. With a PXA-H100 and its self tuning kit, the Alpine solution will cost something like $500 vs Pioneers $300 DEH-80PRS.

Actually, maybe I am wrong about "not even close". The new Clarion CZ702 could be a poor mans Pioneer DEH-80PRS without AutoEQ or independent L/R equalizer. Obviously, getting the SQ out of it will be a little harder, but it has the potential.


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## Jachin99

Kenwoods are starting to have HUD integration if you have a GM. Right now its only track names, but hopefully they find a way to add nav directions soon.


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## bigaudiofanatic

I would personally take kenwood over pioneer no matter if it was double din or single. Understandably that pioneer has some sick SQ decks, however I have just had bad luck with the brand in the past.


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## Booger

Alpine 940!!! Nav and Dvd for $599!


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