[ErikAtTheW]

My birthday is approaching and I thought a nice new stereo for the Jeep would be cool. I did a quick search on Crutchfield's web site and found the Sony Xplod MEX-BT3800U. It runs about $200 and looks like it does what I want.
Has Bluetooth for phone and music streaming.
Has front USB port and front 3.5mm aux input.
Has optional rear aux input.

Anyone have one or any experience with something similar?

Thanks!

Just found it on eBay for $138 + free shipping.

 

[seapahn]

My head unit in the blazer went out a few weeks ago so I was recently shopping around. I have always been a big fan of pioneer so I ended up settling for the DEH-P7200HD. It'll be hard to find it for $138 but it retails around $200ish.

The important things for me were the 3 pairs of RCA pre-outs in the back, HD radio (I have never used but would like to give it a try), and front USB/Aux inputs (also has a rear aux input which I'll be using as well).

Generally you can't go wrong with pioneers but Sony seems to be hit-or-miss ... especially in their car audio department.

 

[bob1340]

I just ordered the Pioneer DEHP6200BT from Crutchfield. Free shipping today. The factory radio volume control is going out fast. The Pioneer has Bluetooth which I wanted. I just hope it pairs to my iPhone!
Total was $220.00.

 

[ErikAtTheW]

I just ordered the Pioneer DEHP6200BT from Crutchfield. Free shipping today. The factory radio volume control is going out fast. The Pioneer has Bluetooth which I wanted. I just hope it pairs to my iPhone!
Total was $220.00.

Did you get it installed? If so, how do you like it?

 

[bob1340]

I just ordered the Pioneer DEHP6200BT from Crutchfield. Free shipping today. The factory radio volume control is going out fast. The Pioneer has Bluetooth which I wanted. I just hope it pairs to my iPhone!
Total was $220.00.

Did you get it installed? If so, how do you like it?

No, not yet. It came Thursday and looks pretty nice. Crutchfield includes fairly detailed instructions. Hopfully tonight I may start on it.
One thing I know I will not like are the small control buttons and small control icons and lettering. But this is a problem with the majority of aftermarket units. I also do not like the red lights. I'd rather have a choice. I did get a new iPod nano and loaded about 40 hours of music in it. This radio has a USB port that allows both iPod charging and display info from the iPod on the stereo display.

 

[ErikAtTheW]

Just saw this one too: Sony CDX-GT740UI

No Bluetooth, but from what I have seen, none of them allow audio stream via Bluetooth. So the only difference is no phone calls thru the stereo, I can live with that, most of the reviews said that the audio to the caller is not that great anyway.

 

[Big Show]

The last 2 stereos I have purchased (Crutchfield) are Alpines. Back in the day, Alpine was sooooooo much more expensive than other manufacturers, but they've come more in line the past 5 or so years. Both have Sat radio and iPod/MP3 capabilities.

I highly recommend Crutchfield. They include detailed instructions as well as the correct pigtail for your vehicle.

 

[seapahn]

I installed my DEH-P7200HD last weekend and had a nice long 1000 mile round trip trip to play with it. All I can say is I really like it. The sound quality is amazing but I also changed one of my amps with a class D pioneer amp so I can't say it was just the deck.

HD radio works great around where I am. I'm really loving that feature.

Now some of the negatives: It has this joystick type round knob that you can press or pick a direction and also you can rotate like a volume control. It's pretty confusing at first to figure out which one you have to press for what. But you slowly get used to that (like do you press left/right or do you rotate the knob left right etc).

Sometimes when you try to press the knob in while driving, you end up hitting one of the directions due to the vehicle bouncing a bit. A little annoying but not too bad.

I haven't read the manual so I am still a bit confused about some of the options but I am figuring things out slowly.

I haven't tried USB but I have used both the front and rear AUX inputs. For the rear you need a little module from pioneer which I already had. The front is just a regular stereo jack.

So overall, I'm kind of happy my last deck died. The new one has been a great improvement! I will be trying out the usb input soon too but for now, HD sounds pretty good and all that for $210 (free ship).

 

[bob1340]

I just ordered the Pioneer DEHP6200BT from Crutchfield. Free shipping today. The factory radio volume control is going out fast. The Pioneer has Bluetooth which I wanted. I just hope it pairs to my iPhone!
Total was $220.00.

Did you get it installed? If so, how do you like it?

Finally got it in. Pretty easy straight forward install. Great sound. I have not paired the Bluetooth yet. It comes with a small mic for the bluetooth and a long cable. I ran the cable up and over the windshield plastic cover and super glued it to the cover. I also have not tried the USB port/iPod deal yet. The controls are as I expected, too small with tiny print. I knew I was not gonna like that, but figured I'd learn braille to use it. I like it. Well, so far I like it.

 

[bob1340]

Finally got it in. Pretty easy straight forward install. Great sound. I have not paired the Bluetooth yet. It comes with a small mic for the bluetooth and a long cable. I ran the cable up and over the windshield plastic cover and super glued it to the cover. I also have not tried the USB port/iPod deal yet. The controls are as I expected, too small with tiny print. I knew I was not gonna like that, but figured I'd learn braille to use it. I like it. Well, so far I like it.

Just an update on the Pioneer 6200BT. Great unit. It paired right up to my iPhone and the sound quality is pretty good with the top on. Actually better than expected. I love the usb port and iPod deal. All the info is on the radio screen and easy to read. No more fumbling with the nano while driving. At this point I give it a thumbs up. Only complaint is the small buttons and red lighting. Once my braille gets better it'll be easier.

 

[dling]

Not sure how "secure" your jeep is but I just helped a friend install a GPS/radio and the unit is very slick. definitely kills 2 birds with one stone and ends up looking factory. Not sure if we have enough room to install in TJ's but it may be worth looking at.

On his (sony I think) the GPS was removeable and had a battery in case you wanted to use it in another vehicle etc.

 

[ErikAtTheW]

Not sure how "secure" your jeep is but I just helped a friend install a GPS/radio and the unit is very slick. definitely kills 2 birds with one stone and ends up looking factory. Not sure if we have enough room to install in TJ's but it may be worth looking at.

On his (sony I think) the GPS was removeable and had a battery in case you wanted to use it in another vehicle etc.

I have an iPhone, although not perfect, the mapping is sufficient on that. Thanks for the input though!

 

[seapahn]

Another update on my Pioneer that's driving me nuts with what a rediculous design it is ... this model still loses all your settings if you disconnect the battery. I often disconnect mine since my blazer sits for days at a time and there's no reason for the battery to drain all that time and I have to reset things on the radio every time But that is my only major nag point with Pioneer.

 

[bbusch]

Not sure how "secure" your jeep is but I just helped a friend install a GPS/radio and the unit is very slick. definitely kills 2 birds with one stone and ends up looking factory. Not sure if we have enough room to install in TJ's but it may be worth looking at.

On his (sony I think) the GPS was removeable and had a battery in case you wanted to use it in another vehicle etc.

Anyway you could find out what unit that is?... I'd like to see it.

 

[Tigger]

Another update on my Pioneer that's driving me nuts with what a rediculous design it is ... this model still loses all your settings if you disconnect the battery. I often disconnect mine since my blazer sits for days at a time and there's no reason for the battery to drain all that time and I have to reset things on the radio every time But that is my only major nag point with Pioneer.

I've never know a stereo to keep it's settings once power is removed. I suppose some of the new ones may have a battery on board like a computer but I have never seen one.
I have heard of hooking up a 9v battery through the 12v port, but not sure it works or how long it would last.

 

[ErikAtTheW]

I purchased and installed the Sony CDX-GT740UI CD Receiver and I am very pleased with it.

I wanted to be able to play songs from my iPhone thru the stereo and there are two ways of doing this. One is by using the bottom port of the iPhone (iPod) with the 32(?) pin connector into the USB port on the front of the stereo. This works, but you have to use the stereo controls to navigate thru your songs. This seemed very cumbersome to me. The other way is using the aux input on the stereo and connecting a cable to the aux output on the iPhone. This allows you to use the iPod controls on the device which are much better. Sound quality seemed the same.
The one difference is that you can't charge thru the aux port like you can thru the bottom port, but I can live with that.
There was quite a bit of discussion in the reviews I read about a bad glare problem. It seems no worse than on the factory unit.
Sounds quality is great, but I am no expert and my wife says I can't hear anyway.

Overall, I am pleased with the unit and I would recommend it.

Oh yeah, installation was a breeze, took about an hour. The longest part was making the connections between the two wiring harnesses. That was simple with the heat shrink/solder connections.

 

[seapahn]

I've never know a stereo to keep it's settings once power is removed. I suppose some of the new ones may have a battery on board like a computer but I have never seen one.
I have heard of hooking up a 9v battery through the 12v port, but not sure it works or how long it would last.

I may be wrong but I don't seem to recall ever having to reset the stations on my stock TJ radio (03). I've had the battery disconnected a few times. This is such a simple thing these days and it just boggles my mind why these aftermarket radios still don't have this "feature"

I remember the good old days where you used to pull out the station knob and push it back in and it would mechanically remember the dial position on the radio

 

[Red Rocker]

I've been kicking around one of these, I like satellite radio and there's no way to connect one
physically to the stock radio in my 06 LJ.
Alpine CDE-124SXM

 

[geroux]

I just recently got a Kenwood from Crutchfield with USB in the back and will control ipod from the head unit. I like that. Hook up ipod and velcro'd it to the back of the glovebox.

 

[marka2k]

I have been thinking of replacing the factory Stereo also, am wanting one with Sirius since I drive over 50 miles one way to work every day. The question I have is if I put the Sirius Antenna on the top roll bar (magnetic mount) will the hard top block the signal?