Kenwood KDC248U In-Dash Head Unit Car Stereo

 

Kenwood KDC248U In-Dash Head Unit Car Stereo

 

Price : $75.99

Customer Reviews

I have had this in-dash unit for just over a year, and it is so good that I decided to write my first review ever on Amazon. I have owned many car stereo systems over the years, including some $500+ units purchased in the 70s and 80s, when $500 was a lot of money. I wanted something that would control my iPod Touch, so I headed to a local electronics shop to see what was available.
I bought a different brand first, but upon getting it home I discovered it did not control the Touch 4th Gen, so back to the store. I ended up getting this unit, though it was a bit cheaper than I had planned on spending (nearly twice what it is now), because there was a limited selection of units that could control the iPod Touch.
The unit installed easily in my 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT with Monsoon sound system. I had it installed in about an hour, using a $12 installation kit, without breaking anything or having any extra parts left over.
I had to find a place to get a continuous 12 volts, because I couldn't find one in the original wiring harness. I went to a local automotive supply store and found a simple device that plugged into an existing fuse slot and added another fused circuit. I had to pull out an existing fuse to add the device, so I decided to use the circuit that fed the in-dash stereo system with continuous power. I don't remember why I couldn't just have wired it in on the existing harness, but there was a reason.
Now, with everything installed and wired it was time for a test run. I plugged in my iPod and turned on the radio. I found the iPod input easily by going through the menu, and selected it. I picked a song from a favorite artist. I COULD NOT BELIEVE my ears! I had never heard such quality sound before, not even out of my past expensive systems. This thing just blew me away. I cranked it up way beyond what I would consider loud, over 30 on the volume control. The sound held together, remaining crisp and clear.
Over the next few months I began listening to more loud music than I've listened to in years. I fell in love with this system. Then one day when I cranked it up, the sound began to cut out and break up. As soon as I turned it down, the sound became steady again. I was bummed out! This continued for about a month. Every time I turned the volume too load, the sound would break up. I was about to take out the unit and return it when it died completely. I thought maybe a fuse had blown and when I checked it I found that the device I had put in to add a circuit had come unplugged and fallen out. I realized that the vibration of the speaker in the door had caused the device to vibrate loose. I plugged it back in and added a tie-wrap to hold it in place. The system has worked flawlessly since then, no matter how high I turn it.
Since this is one of the cheaper Kenwood models, I wonder what the expensive ones sound like. Maybe they add more features. I'm not sure.
I would recommend this unit to anyone looking for a great in-dash system at a low price. I don't know if I just got a 'sweet' unit, or if they are all this good. I hope that you find this review helpful.

I bought this stereo for its USB feature. I had no prior experience installing a car stereo. I was able to install it on my own over several hours, and after purchasing 1) wire strippers, 2) electrical tape, and 3) a few replacement screws for ones I misplaced haha. Looking back, the installation wasn't difficult, but the first time at anything will take some time. I own a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant by the way.
I have driven five or six hours now with the stereo on, and it completely exceeds my expectations! Sound quality is very important to me, and I do not hesitate to adjust whatever EQs I can find. This unit takes it to the next level, by allowing you to select the speaker setup in your car--mine has the awkward 6x9" rear speakers. By choosing this speaker configuration in the stereo, I believe (could be wrong) the system adjusts the EQ at different volume levels. With the factory stereo, music would sound great at regular volume, but the rear speakers produced some bass notes better than others at high volume. With this Kenwood stereo, the bass response stays flat and even and hits nice and hard at much higher volume. Why the freakin' factory couldn't design a radio that works better with their own speakers is beyond me, but Kenwood nailed it.
Yeah it controls an iPod. So far I've just put it on shuffle all. The interface is probably what you'd expect. It's mostly red so it matches my gauges nicely. Removable faceplate is also an important feature. Altogether, this is one of the best $90 (including cost of wire strippers) I have ever put into the car.

Product Description

Making it easy to connect, search, select and enjoy music from your iPod;reg; or iPhone;reg;. In addition the Kenwood KDC248U In-Dash Head Unit Car Stereo features a front auxiliary input that easily accepts the headphone output of a portable music player or smart-phone and a remote control. The Kenwood KDC248U In-Dash Head Unit Car Stereo is a great sounding receiver with multiple connectivity options all at a great price.

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B004EG0LS2
• Item model number: CD Receiver
  

Technical Details

• Power Handling Peak: 50W X 4
• Power Handling RMS: 22W X 4
• Front USB Port Provides Direct Control Of IPod And IPhone
• CD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3/AAC/WMA Playback

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