torchred96

Just wondering how you guys without volume ***** fare on the double din pioneers or kenwoods etc. I like the clean look and the larger screen that it affords but does it sacrifice being able to quickly change the volume level? Years ago I had a Pioneer head unit with a button for volume...it was far less convenient to find and hit that button than a ****...even though it looked cool. And I always regretted the purchase.

I'm getting older, drinking more coffee and add that on to the stiff suspension...pointing my finger at a volume icon may not be the easiest option. But I'm asking this because I haven't tried it on the new units...and now they are much bigger then they used to be. sooo.

I'm really interested in hearing from you guys who have the touch screens without a volume ****. Which do you prefer, and do you find it less convenient to not have a ****?
thanks

1963SS

I have the Kenwood 4160 with the volume ****. I wanted it and it was a deciding factor. It's easier to change volume without taking your eyes off the road. Just grab it and growl. Our cars are not known to be soft riding vehicles and a touch volume control may be a pain on a bumpy road. You could reach down to turn up the volume and do something else entirely.

torchred96

Yep...That is exactly what would happen in my old 90 iroc and is also why, if no one who has the volume knobless radios chimes in on their experience I will be buying one with the volume ****.

Like I said though it was a small button and I remember having to rest my wrist on the shifter and I would usually hit the volume button after two or three attempts...but a big pia..

It doesn't look like I'm gonna get too much feedback here to support the knobless ones so I think I'm gonna do as you did and go with my experience.

frenchsquared

I got the Kenwood 5120 with a volume know. I got it cause the price was great $250.
I wanted the larger touch screen and didn't see why a volume know would matter.

Few weeks later and I have decided never to get a deck without the volume ****.
Because the **** is there I can control the volume while in navigation and other screens.
The screen is hard to reach because of the shifter. The volume **** is easy to reach.
The little arrows are hard to push with the car bouncing as all vettes do.
I can find the **** without looking.

CDN/AZ LT4

Frenchsquared, are you at liberty to share where you can get a Kenwood 5120/5140 for $250.00? Was it new? That's a fantastic price.

Goldcylon

On the Pioneer Avic Z1-Z3 series the Vol **** is still there its just two small up and down arrows on the bottom trim. Also a handy remote is available for the steering wheel that works real well. Its volume **** are on the underside so you adjust as your drive. GC

torchred96

French^2, That's what I thought.. Just wondering if things have changed since I bought mine years ago. For that price I'd have a hard time passing it up, but then again, if it bothers me that I can't change it, then it's worth the price to get what I need...ie a volume ****.

Gold, I meant an actual Dial, not a button..is that what you are talking about? I do like the idea of a steering wheel control, but in addition to the volume dial, not in lieu of it.

thanks for all the responses.

torchred96

OMG, I am trying to discern the differences between all the different models of the kenwood and pioneers. I've always loved the old Alpines, but I don't see them as a clear winner today as they were years ago. Don't even like them anymore.

There has to be a better way of labeling their products in order to know what they have and don't have.

I would have bought a pioneer a long time ago if all the different names didnt confuse me so I could compare them.. My head is spinning.

I don't even know what I need or want. Just got on the iphone bandwagon and don't want to buy and then find out I coulda shoulda bought something else for the same or near the same money.

Coupe89

On my Pioneer Z2 I used the steering wheel remote.

LT5corsa

I have a Pioneer Z2 upgraded to a Z3 (60gig HD) and loved it....

Just bought a Pioneer Z130BT and will install it monday.

Highly recommend Pioneer units. Makes it seem like a factory stereo or one that GM should have installed in C4's.





David

Flame Red

This is an excellent thread as I had never considered this issue. I got one with a small volume **** purely accidentally. Kinda wish I had gotten one without but now I am not so sure. Steering wheel controls seems to be the answer but my year did not have them and I could find no aftermarket kit for Kenwood so I am glad I have the little **** reading all these comments.

frenchsquared

I have the same kenwood in the picture above.
You can set the color to match the factory lights. It real looks factory.
I have had several people notice and ask how I run my system on a factory deck.

CDN/AZ LT4

So, Frenchsquared, where did you get yours for $250?

frenchsquared

Craigslist... Was asking $350, but when I got there the gps antenna was broken off in the unit.
I told him it was $100 to order a new one and that I would give him $250. He actually said ya ok.
The remote is also missing. I have a stack of remotes that I don't use. Never seem to like them.

The antenna was $30. I just had to pull the broken end off the unit.

So... I guess I really have $280 in it.

We found several in the $350 range on Craigslist.

torchred96

Flame, you know I never would have thought of it either until I bought the wrong unit and realized how inconvenient it was to hit the button while moving. The steering wheel controls might be the answer, but another issue I had with the old pioneer (very old) was that when you push the button you didn't get instant change.

Anyway, that kenwood looks very nice. I wish I knew enough about what I wanted to be able to make a decision. I have narrowed it down to one with a volume control.

Thanks for the responses.

frenchsquared

The kenwood 5120 is slow. You will notice the time is takes to load a usb device or to change folders. It also take a noticeable time to start playing when you first start the car.

I am very happy because of the price. I would be very upset if I had paid $500 or more for it.

CDN/AZ LT4

Frenchsquared, thanks for the price info...would the Kenwood 5140 be any faster? How about iPod/Iphone connectivity? Bluetooth? Thanks for the advice I've been getting from this thread. Like the OP, I want to make a move over the winter.

Flame Red

The one I have pictured above is the 5140. Yes, it takes quite a while to boot when you start the car up. I never really timed it before so I went out and it take 18 seconds from tuning the car on till it boots. Then it starts playing the radio or whatever. If you use a CD or DVD to store your music, it takes another few seconds to read the CD/DVD. A bit more time when you insert the CD/DVD depending on what is on it. When I have album art on the DVD the kenwood does not seem to recognize it and will not display the album art. Or at least I have not figured it out.

One thing I did find and it says in the manual is that you cannot store music on double layer (8GB) DVD. Only 4GB DVD.

Iphone works well as it supports ADSP2. So you get battery level and a few other controls like skipping forward and pause. I was never able to get the address book downloaded from the Iphone, and this is common with Apple. My Toyota did not transfer either.

Only other thing I have not figured out is how to get video's from the Iphone to play on the Kenwood even when I use their Iphone cable.

A few comments about the Garmin Nav built into the kenwood. It is excellent. I have had TomToms and others and IMHO Garmin is still the best. Make sure when you install it that you run a mini-usb from the back of the unit to a place where you can hide the cable. Secure that cable in so it won't accidentally pull out. You can use this cable to then access the internal "disk" of the kenwood with a LapTop with the proper drivers. This will help you update Maps, voices, and POI. Maps are available for very low cost (read between the lines)! You can even get the world wide data base of red light camera's and speed traps and load them using this cable. It is all documented out there, Google is your friend.

If anyone has an experience with some aftermarket steering wheel controls that fit nice and function well on the C4 steering wheel and are compatible with the Kenwood, I would like a Holiday project!

CDN/AZ LT4

Thanks, FlameRed. Now I'm wondering if other brands have the same issues with processing speed. I still like the look of the 5140 as it looks like a "stock" fit. I'm not aware of C4's having steering controls so if there are after market products that allow for that I would love to read details and see some pictures. I have this imagine of a remote control duct taped to the steering wheel.

frenchsquared

18 seconds seems about how long my 5120 takes.
Feels like forever.

Mine will display album art if the album art was in-coded correctly.
It just depends on where you get your music.

I was not aware you could hook a laptop up to it, will have to check that out.

My gps works very well but is out dated. I need to buy the updated maps.
I'm guessing it is an early production model. It cant find any new address.