Hi Guys, what’s a good double din stereo? I have an alpine single din now, might need to stay with that brand but open to ideas. Need good Bluetooth capability.
Thanks!

 

pretty much any double din will fit our cars. i have used pioneers and kenwoods in the past. they are pretty cheap and all have bluetooth at this point. you can also fit the chinese android touch screen head units without a problem.

 

I'm installing this one in mine as soon as it arrives:


Sony XAV-AX1000

Digital media receiver (no CD), Apple CarPlay, which is about all I wanted. It's actually a single DIN with a double-din display.

 

I actually am using that same exact radio in my RX, it does look clean on the install, but I had it done by car toys. Overall I do like the unit, its quite responsive and even with the oem rear speakers (Front ones are removed since they were all dry rotted and essentially blown) and I am content with it for now, just hopefully can wire in new front speakers and a subwoofer somewhere. Hopefully this was able to help you with choosing!

 

Would you mind posting a pic?

 

question with airplay.
can you use it AND have another audio source?
there is a apple wifi adapter for my ECU but I dont have an iphone( thought of getting a used one and not even getting service to it ) but I would only do this if I could display the engine data AND listen to music at the same time

 

What installation kit are you guys using for that Sony? I just purchased one and am working on the install, but it isn't working to smoothly with my existing single din mounting kit

 

I used the Metra 99-7501 dash kit. Be aware that you will have to modify it to make it work. For mine, I cut the two-shaft mount out, and sliced the support bar in half so that the radio would sit flush on the mount. I used a Dremel to slice it. Illustrated below:



You will also have to use the bracket set included in the kit and bolt them to the DIN mount. Then, just bolt the entire thing to the dash, and use the 1/2" or 1" (can't recall which) spacer to fill in the space at the bottom. I superglued it to the frame. The side spacers (#2) will be needed to fill in the space on each side of the radio. Once complete, it's a pretty clean install.

I'll take a pic and post the install later when I get home- my 'vert is safe & sound in the garage at the house.

 

Final install. I replaced the surround and vents with S5 ones- the original one fell apart in my hands.

 

Another question specific to the Sony AX100. How do you guys have your antenna powered up? I know that I have to use a relay to switch the wire to ground instead of 12V. But, I don't see where this radio has a 12V antenna wire, as in a wire that only supplies 12V when the tuner input is selected. The only option I see is the 12V remote, but that is always powered up when the radio is on. This would mean the antenna is always up, even if listening to a different source, bluetooth or andoid auto, etc.

Unless I am missing something, it looks like it is either antenna always up, or I could wire in a switch and manually control it when needed.

 

I’ve found the newer radios don’t have the antenna control wire anymore. Crutchfield told me this was due to new cars having hidden antennas.
I had to rig a separate switch .

 

It is always up when the radio is powered. That doesn't bother me, I suspect you will have to wire in a switch as you mentioned.