car stereo buying guide

Bluetooth hands-free calling

The Sony MEX-BT5100 has a built-in Bluetooth receiver.

Most Bluetooth applications require the purchase of add-on Bluetooth receiver modules, which enable calls to be routed from a connected cell phone through the stereo to the car's speakers. Add-on Bluetooth kits often include an external microphone, which can be attached to the car's dashboard or sun visor. Some systems do come with Bluetooth calling capabilities built in.

Sony's MEX-BT5100 and MEX-BT2600 both come with Bluetooth receivers as well as built-in microphones, as does the double-DIN-size AVN 2210p from Eclipse and JVC's KD-BT1. Dual's XDMA6700 also features a built-in microphone and a unique hard-button keypad, although curiously requires an external module to connect to Bluetooth phones.

When evaluating a Bluetooth-enabled stereo, it is important to take into account the ease of making and ending calls and the quality of the built-in mic. Also, many add-on modules are clunky boxes that require a substantial amount of room behind the dashboard or in the globe box.

GPS navigation

As this is primarily a guide on car stereos, we won't go into too much detail on the technical details of GPS: those looking for an in-depth analysis of GPS can check out our GPS buying guide. However, navigation does deserve a mention as many double-DIN aftermarket car stereos (and some single-DIN ones) come with navigation as an optional or standard, integrated feature. Most touch screen and LCD in-dash audio/ video players come with navigation as a standard feature or offer it as an option via an add-on GPS module.

Among the former group, the Pioneer AVIC-Z1 and the Eclipse AVN series are state-of-the art examples of navigation-enabled stereos, as both offer detailed maps, text-to-voice route guidance, and the option of real-time traffic information. The AVIC-Z1 even comes with the added benefit of a voice-recognition system--something that we usually see only in high-end factory-installed systems.

The Pioneer AVIC-Z1 combines audio/video playback with GPS navigation.

Other in-dash touch screen navigation systems include the Panasonic Strada CN-NVD905U and the Kenwood Excelon DDX8019. Recently, there have been a couple of manufacturers that have attempted to combine portable navigation with in-dash systems: Eclipse's AVN 2210p combines an in-dash stereo system with a cradle, which is designed to hold a TomTom portable navigation device. Later this year, Alpine is scheduled to release the IVA-W205, which does a similar job of combining digital-audio playback with a cradle for the standalone Alpine Blackbird portable navigation device.

As with factory-installed systems, ease of programming is a key feature to consider when shopping for an aftermarket in-dash navigation unit. Processor speed and refresh rate are also important factors: you don't want the system to take three or four seconds to refresh between each letter of a destination or when adjusting the level of zoom.

Because navigation systems usually feature maps, which require lots of real estate, single-DIN systems don't often attempt to offer navigation. One notable (and unfortunate) exception is the Eclipse CD3100, which attempts to give drivers turn-by-turn navigation without the use of either a GPS receiver or a map. The CD3100's navigation system features a system called Area Shot, which requires users to download files to a CD-RW from Eclipse's Web site--not very user-friendly. A far more successful execution of a single-DIN-size navigation-enabled stereo is JVC's KD-NX5000, which, despite its size, integrates a bright, 3.5-inch color LCD screen to guide drivers around.

The JVC KD-NX5000 is a hard-drive-based system, which means that its GPS database is stored on an internal drive rather than read from a DVD-ROM. The advantages of hard-drive-based GPS systems are numerous: they don't require a separate disc drive for navigation data; they are far quicker at calculating routes and refreshing maps; and they can often be used to store media files as well as their map information. Expect to see more hard-drive-based GPS units hit the market as hard drives become more rugged and resistant to extreme temperatures.