I have 06 6MT w/Nav, I am wondering if I should get a music deck only, or something satellite/GPS capable...I also currently use XM in my deck.

Not sure if the Avic Z3 is still the popular choice or not.

What have other people done in this situation? Can you use the built in screen as an auxilary? Should I use it for GPS and have the new deck for audio? I would really appreciate any input!



PS..I already have a JL 10w6 500 amp/sub hooked up.

 

AVIC Z3 is still a good unit, but the Z110 can be had for $900 now.

With the right adapter, you can use the factory screen as an auxiliary display, http://www.avelectronic.com/ is a source for the adapter.

I'm not sure if the Z110 lets you put navigation on the second display or not, or if it just clones the original.

If you're happy with factory nav, it lets you be a little more free with your options on the DD unit, and most ever unit these days can have XM through add-ons. You probably won't be able to get away with using the factory antenna, but you may be able to get a signal by mounting it just under the dash, where GPS can get its signal as well.

 

What if I just go for a deck only, no xm/gps? What would be the best option? I would prefer something where I can stick a compact flash card inside it or it have a hard drive...

 

Compact flash is pretty rare on external units, unless you use a usb adapter.
SD cards have become quite common though.

Neither of these options usually is as well featured for search ability or capacity as going with an iPod supporting unit.

If GPS is not important, the Pioneer AVH4200 is a pretty popular choice and is a new unit that'll support most anything you want to add on (including GPS) if you never, ever want to put GPS in it, you can find it's predecessor, the 4100, which is quite a popular and well featured unit.

The hard drive featured unit discussion came up a couple weeks ago. It comes down to this - for the premium price of a small hard drive equipped headunit (20GB for example) you could purchase a more modern unit and an iPod classic with like 120gb of storage. The AVIC Z1/Z2/Z3 was about the last headunit to throw internal storage like that in it. Loading music on it is nowhere near as easy as the iPod, and iPod support is not likely to go away in headunits for a good decade, at least. iPod support is more common than CD changer support was when that was the best way to get a lot of music out of your car.

USB support on headunits hasn't advanced much either, since it's easier for them to just interface with an iPod. The iPod has its own built-in database that the headunit can just tap into, whereas with USB sticks/USB drives, it has to re-read the file structure every time. Kenwood tried using its own software to create an iPod-like database, but it was limited to 1024 songs. They may have improved it, but I doubt it. iPod's just easier for them.

Anyway, bottom line is, there's no justifiable reason to go with a hard-drive embedded headunit when iPod interfacing is so much better.

I wish that manufacturers would have kept evolving USB support to the point that it was as functional as iPod support, but I just don't see it happening.

 

Why am I unable to find anything on the internet related to Kenwood KDH or 4200?

 

Because I mistyped it. AVH4200. Sorry.

 

Ok, thanks! So its a pioneer not a kenwood, looks pretty good to me.

 

You rock. I appreciate all the help! I have my DD kit and Pioneer 4200 ($380 new) on the way.

To finish this off, I still need a few things if you could please give me some direction:

- 4 channel amp (anything to fit in place of stock bose? I like JLaudio)
- 4 6 3/4 speakers, prefferably something with some good mid range
- steering wheel adapter pac? not sure which one I need

I plan to continue to leave the rear deck speakers disconnected leaving my 10w6 to handle the bass.

 

For the amp and speakers, post a fresh thread in this forum with a title like:
"Recommendations on $1200 speaker/amp (not sub) budget for coupe"
Include in the post the headunit you're installing and your sub/amp combo already installed. You should get a lot more good advice than tacking that onto this thread.

You may want to decide whether you're going to do a front sound stage with no rears in advance, that's a hefty debate. - look here for a rundown:
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...o-you-use.html


For the Pioneer you need the PAC SWI-PS.

As for leaving the deck woofers installed - if somebody has a differing opinion, chime in here - I'd remove the deck woofers if they're not powered. They may be moved enough by the 10w6 to act as passive emitters producing sound outside of the range you're trying to hear. If you think of your whole trunk as a speaker box, would you put want them there?