gcope63

I am looking to upgrade my stock stereo soon and had filtered the head units down to these two. I have ran searches in the Audio section but don't find much if anything about these two units.. I have always like Alpine but the Kenwood has traffic reports where the Alpine does not.
My question is does anyone have the new Alpine installed in there car and how do you like it? Also, how do people like the new Kenwood 9990?

Thanks

Gary

0Double D Mods

Therse are not even close to being the same radio.
The Kenwood hands down is the better of the units. Alpine user interface is about 3 years behind the times when compared to Kenwood.

The 6990 is a more comparable radio to the Alpine price wise and is still better than the Alpine.


Kenwood 9990 package 1399.99 with 100.00 mail in rebate and free Lloyds C6 single logo cargo mat
Just call to order!

gcope63

So Alpine didn't improve the UI on the 920HD over the older 910?

Gary

0Double D Mods

in my eyes no

but
I do not like Alpine double din units myself so I am a fan of Kenwood and Pioneer over Alpine

Flame Red

I like the Kenwoods a lot but I am kind of disappointed with the 2012 models. The main feature of them is supposed to be data bus integration, but it requires a special harness called iDatalink Maestro that was supposed to be released in June for Fords and 3rd quarter for GM. Not out yet for anything but the roomer is that they might release the Ford one in a couple months and GM some time later. Seems like VaporWare to me. Kenwood should have made sure it was available before releasing the feature set.

The thing that burns me is that Kenwood removed several useful features that I deeply miss in 2012. I could have bought a re-manufactured 2011 9980 for about half the price of the 2012 model 9990. I did for my wife's car and it is much better than the 2012 model. For example, red light voice alerts work on 2011 but not the 2012. The hidden file manipulation menus work on the 2011 but not the 2012 and they are necessary if you want to add new ICONs to the map or voices. Plus the on the 2012, some stuff is update through the USB thumb drive and others stuff via the SD card. The other thing is that the 2012 was supposed to be significantly faster than the 2011 models - NOT the case. I have both and the 2012 can lag and boot speed is about the same.

Quite a few people are complaining about the 2012 9990 behaving strangely on the Kenwood forum. I have not observed a not of the issues noted there but there is a current thread regarding the Apline vs. the Kenwood right now.

My wife is VERY happy with the factory reconditioned 9980 being that is HALF the price of the 9990, and I kind of regret getting the 2012 unit myself because of the missing features. I could have better spent that extra $700 elsewhere.

0Double D Mods

Maestro harness for Fords ship Monday

Kenwood 9990 is MUCH faster than the 9980

The 9980 was 400.00 more in retail than the 9990 is. Kenwood took away these features mentioned that less than 10% of the consumer based used in order to drop the retail price by 400.00. IN return we have sold so far more (137) 9990 units with only one return and that was for a bad screen and sold 75 all last year for 9980 units and had 12 returns on them all for internal wiring issues. 18 of the people who purchases 9980 units last year upgraded to the 9990 unit and love it.

The reason the release date was changed was mainly a Ford issue and not Kenwood as Ford changed software for some of the 2012 models. Currently only about 85% of the current Ford vehicles with the SYNC setup are compatible with more being added daily.


Hello Kenwood Dealers

It’s been a long wait, but we are pleased to provide you with the “7 Day Notice” of our Maestro and SW launch. Below we have outlined our launch plan so that you will know what is happening each step of the way.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH: Monday, August 20, 2012
· Shipments to all direct dealers will go out from here.
· Tech support queue will be staffed and live.

gcope63

Thanks you guys!! I think there is a local dealer that carries both Alpine and Kenwood, I will have to go down Saturday and see how they compare side by side (if they have them..). That was an interesting forum thread to read too..

Gary

gcope63

No problem, I know everyone has their favorites.. Like me, I have always liked Alpine but their recent A/V head units have not been well liked.. I was hoping that the new 2012 stuff was better.. Was surprised that there aren't many reviews on either online but I guess they are still pretty new..

Gary

millerjj

Whats it cost for the kenwood with everything needed to install in a 07 c6 z06 with bose. I would like to maintain my sterring wheel controls if I can. Well atleast the volume

0Double D Mods

1399.99 for
radio
harness
antenna dapter
dash kit
ipod adds 29.99
SW controls adds 49.99
Link to order
http://shop.doubledmods.com/Kenwood-...6PKG9990HD.htm
If you happen to want to order on website note you would like free Lloyds cargo mat with C6 Logo

1399.99 is before mail in rebate
we are fully Kenwood online authorized dealer so you get full 2 year warranty as well

We can also prerwire this for you and preprogram the sw controls as well
Dennis

Flame Red

Just wanted to chime in that Dennis was wonderful in that he supplied me the pre-wired up harness which made it a very easy install indeed. I believe it was only two wires had to be tapped into the factory harness. The only problem I had was programming the steering wheel controller. Dennis (and his daughter) was very quick to help with my stupidity. It really helps if one pays attention and carefully reads the instructions!

C5 Hardtop

Same story with the DNX-9140...The product flyer promised features, but when they released it the compelling features were not enabled. The firmware was really extremely bad also.
After about 2 years after I bought one, the constant and random reboots seldom happen (but still do), SMS works, Garmin NAV is nice, but still has bugs in areas such as favorites that cause blocking issues.

I was fizzed off after installing the DNX-9140. Today its not so bad, but never again will I give Kenwood my money. It was a $1,500 (ish) product. Crap hardware, rushed to release and ken wood knew this. They do it just to make more money at the expense of someone else (customers).