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Author Topic: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?  (Read 11920 times)

Inder

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TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« on: May 18, 2016, 03:35:39 pm »
Hi guys ,

My mk5 is long over due for a double din upgrade iam fed up of having a system that cant plays mp3s at the least lol yes its been a sad life!

Now its time  to finally upgrade, what do you all recommend?
I would ideally like to upgrade to a system that has a sat nav or mirroring capability not forgetting good sound quality and mp3,usb,plays cd's and you guys get were iam going.. you know all that modern stuff !! LOL

So please spread your double din knowledge and share with me on what you all would consider for an upgrade weather it would be a OEM from a newer model or an aftermarket unit ,currently my budget for the upgrade is about £300 and below if possible please help!!.

Thanks
GTInder :happy2:


 

Offline white91

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2016, 11:23:48 pm »
Would probably get a dnx521dab for that money


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Offline john87

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2016, 12:27:01 pm »
I went for an RNS510; a great head unit with touch screen, SD card (MP3/WMA), Aux in, Sat Nav, DVD Player  :party:

There are plenty available on ebay for £300 or under, but if you have an earlier Mk5 you have to factor in the cost of replacing the 'Gateway' which controls the way power and other signals go to and from the unit.
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Offline twistywizard

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2016, 02:24:34 pm »
I picked up my R32 a week and a bit ago.

I popped in one of the Pumpkin 8" Android units. Extremely impressed for what it is. Does pretty much everything you need and for not a huge amount of ££. They have quirks but nothing that cannot be worked around it seems.

Simple to fit as well. No chopping of wires or fiddling around to get it to fit either.

However a friend managed to bin his Gti a few days back and I am having his RNS510, Bluetooth adapter etc for pennies, so cannot pass on that.

Had this not happened I would not have bothered with the OEM solution. Purely down to cost for functions. So now I have a week old Android unit surplus. Sods law he couldn't have crashed a while ago  :grin:

Lots of Info on the Android units on XDA Forums

Offline raz469

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2016, 03:49:53 pm »
I'm a bit of an audiophile, and whilst changing to a pioneer avh.

Id love an oem unit as it can offer all the creature comforts i need with the added functionality of interfacing with the car (mfd/mfsw).

I wouldn't be able to use torque obd tool with it (avh don't either) but i think thats the only limit these oems have. Except

The oem sound quality.
Ive heard (and would happily be proven wrong) that the oems have poor wattage output circa 20/25w. That wont do, even if it gives me a reach around after every drive.

My avh was cheap (actually free) as my mate gets it ex display, which i can ask him for more, and whilst the 50w is great, im not too happy with the rest of it.

Food for thought, the car came with a rcd300 and a parrot kit. The parrot kit connects to my iphone like a champ w bluetooth usb and qux. Sound quality was much better then the 300. Both items unwanted.

Offline FJ1000

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2016, 04:10:38 pm »
Pioneer SPH-DA120.

In budget.

Apple carplay + Mirrorlink.

Clean design and integrates nicely with the correct surround.

See here:

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,101205.msg1008185.html#msg1008185


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Offline An0NyMOUs

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2016, 09:27:11 am »
I'd have to go with a Pioneer Appradio series head unit (I have an sph-da110). The sound quality from a factory stereo is awful, I don't get why everyone wants one.
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Offline flashp

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2016, 11:23:16 am »
I'd have to go with a Pioneer Appradio series head unit (I have an sph-da110). The sound quality from a factory stereo is awful, I don't get why everyone wants one.
Got to agree with this, particularly with compressed audio formats. I came from an RNS510 for which I rarely used NAV but I listen to BBC6 every time I'm in the car. I bought a single DIN HU with the genuine VW single DIN fascia with rubber mat. I'd even go as far to say that the OE nav system is poor compared to a standalone Garmin, especially so when you consider that it's not hard to buy one with lifetime maps.

Anyhow, this what my HU looks like with the single DIN conversion. Got handsfree and BT streaming into the bargain. The illumination can be made to match the red and blue of the dash lights perfectly, although it's rendered as a little orange in the photo. Wheel controls are supported also.

« Last Edit: May 21, 2016, 11:25:15 am by flashp »

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Offline An0NyMOUs

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2016, 11:28:31 am »
I'd have to go with a Pioneer Appradio series head unit (I have an sph-da110). The sound quality from a factory stereo is awful, I don't get why everyone wants one.
Got to agree with this, particularly with compressed audio formats. I came from an RNS510 for which I rarely used NAV but I listen to BBC6 every time I'm in the car. I bought a single DIN HU with the genuine VW single DIN fascia with rubber mat. I'd even go as far to say that the OE nav system is poor compared to a standalone Garmin, especially so when you consider that it's not hard to buy one with lifetime maps.

Anyhow, this what my HU looks like with the single DIN conversion. Got handsfree and BT streaming into the bargain. The illumination can be made to match the red and blue of the dash lights perfectly, although it's rendered as a little orange in the photo. Wheel controls are supported also.



Would you be able to give me the part number or the place you bought the single din conversion from?

I'm thinking of going back to a single din unit and want a decent fit like you have
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Offline white91

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2016, 01:49:17 pm »
I've had a standard, AVH, dnx521 and now dnx525, was happy with the sound of all except the standard. Obviously due to the lower power output and also due to the well noted bass reduction at high volumes standard units have


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Offline flashp

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Re: TOP 5 Double Din Head Unit ?
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2016, 07:53:57 pm »
I'd have to go with a Pioneer Appradio series head unit (I have an sph-da110). The sound quality from a factory stereo is awful, I don't get why everyone wants one.
Got to agree with this, particularly with compressed audio formats. I came from an RNS510 for which I rarely used NAV but I listen to BBC6 every time I'm in the car. I bought a single DIN HU with the genuine VW single DIN fascia with rubber mat. I'd even go as far to say that the OE nav system is poor compared to a standalone Garmin, especially so when you consider that it's not hard to buy one with lifetime maps.

Anyhow, this what my HU looks like with the single DIN conversion. Got handsfree and BT streaming into the bargain. The illumination can be made to match the red and blue of the dash lights perfectly, although it's rendered as a little orange in the photo. Wheel controls are supported also.



Would you be able to give me the part number or the place you bought the single din conversion from?

I'm thinking of going back to a single din unit and want a decent fit like you have
Certainly can help you, have a read of the thread I wrote at the time I installed it...

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,84703.msg869637.html#msg869637

Gone but not forgotten :-)