Alright,
In looking for head units for my max, i have stumbled across a problem. I want to replace the Bose head unit with something that has DVD, music, and navigation, but I have already decided that i don't want the microvision/sepearte DVD player option. So, upon searching the interent, I came up with:

Kenwood's model, the DDX7015
Kenwood

And Eclipse's model, the AVN5435
Eclipse

The dimensions of the screen are both the same, 6.5" and i know that the eclispe is 7" x 4", which is perfect for the spot of the bose head unit. I am not sure about the physcical demensions of the kenwood, but i would assume its the same...

The price of the eclipse is about $2,000 i think. But the price of the Kenwood is about $1,700, but thats without the $1,500 for the DVD navi add-on, which comes with the eclipse.

So...is the more money worth it for the Kenwood, or should I buy the eclipse?
I am leaning more towards the eclipse, but maybe someone could help me out if they have had experience with one or the other.

Thanks,
Andy

 

i have the eclipse avn5435, extremelly good unit.

i was thinking between clarion and pioneer avic-n1, but this eclipse blew both of those off.

anywayz, back to topic:

Eclipse:

Pros:

1-extremelly good sound quality, the kenwood doesn't even come close to it in terms of sound quality.
2-Navi built in, so a lot cheaper than kenwood and saves space + installation time and costs.
3-1 year theft protection not offered by anyone else out there (that is if you have it installed by a authorized dealer).

Cons

1-Screen resolution on the eclipse is around 400X300 not too impressive on the trained eye, but the average people will not even know the difference.
2-MP3 needs some buffers to pre-load songs (takes 4-5 full seconds to switch songs)
3- i'm not sure on this, but i believe the eclipse does not play Vcds and WMA i think i'm gonna try a vcd on my eclipse, i'll let you know more details once i try.

Kenwood

Pros:

1- Plays almost all formats
2- Comes with a remote (eclipse u gotta buy it)
3- has slightly, i mean very slightly higher resolution than the eclipse

Cons

1- Navi add-on $1500? WTF are u smokin? let me take a hit!
2- Sound quality does not come close to eclipse.
3- No theft protection
4- according to Don kenwood has an extremelly high rate of fail, defective equipment.

that's all i can think of.

 

+1 to the above post. I vote Eclipse.

 

Eclipse, enough said!!

 

Thanks fellas,
i think i am going to go my local eclipse dealer next week sometime to see about install costs and other things, but after looking at the two untis a little further, i am going to buy the eclipse.

A few more questions about the AVN......How well does the navi work? Do you use it often, and do you have to pay a monthy fee, or is it yearly, I would assume you would have to pay something, and if you don't mind me asking, how much is it a month/year?

Also, I know on some of the newer flip out DVD units, they won't allow you to play DVD's while driving, is this the case with the eclipse?

 

you gotta pay weekly, $50 plus $.99 per mile.


that's if you been smokin some good $hiet.

No, really, the navi works good, gives me information on nearest restaurants, atm, gas stations and a millon other things.

The voice guidance comes in handy if you don't wanna take ur eyes off the road, is around 95% accurate (all the navis out there have around 5% of mis-interpret chance, which is normal, the system relies on the GPS satellite, which cannot be 100% accurate at all times, specially when you are in a very wooded area).

Sometimes the voice guidance gets annoying, but u can always turn it off.

a good feature of the eclipse navi is that it will always give you 3 different routes, i dunno if others do the same, but this does come in handy.

i have yet to get lost even once after i got navi.

As for the navigation itself, is free for life.

Ground the parking wire and ur good to go

 

I don't know if that's true with the '05 models...

 

my AVN is a 05 model and i can watch dvd while driving with no problems.

Maybe ur confusing with the pioneer avic-n2.

reason u cannot watch dvd while driving is because of the new gyro sensor, which automatically turns off DVD if you go over 5 MPH, even if u ground parking wire.

 

Thanks for al the really good info, the DVD players that don't play DVDs while drving really drive me nuts, I will make sure to reember to ground the parking wire. Now i just need some subs to go with the head unit.....................

Thanks again.

 

lol eclipse vs kenwood? man eclipse will beat alpine, shiet it will murder kenwood

 

Yea, what he said.

 

I'm not knockin the Eclipse, but i bought a Kenwood DDX7015. I got it b4 the Eclipse came out. I have to say it has been an awesome unit, and now they have the iPod interface for Kenwood...i like being able to control my iPod on my touch screen. But i will have to agree with evereyone else, i would have bought the eclipse if i had that option.

 

Eclipse by far, hands down.

Unfortunately your not local to me, as I dont charge anywhere near $2K for Org members.

 

Yes grounding the wire works.

 

Don i think i may have to pull a jeremy and come by the shop in about 4 years when i get a new car and im finishing law school to ge ta new system in...or maybe ill go to law school up north!

 

LoL

Im still waiting for him or Chris to post some pics.

 

Chris didnt call me at all for his deadening project...ive got nothing to do since exams are done and i sure wouldnt mind testing our systems out in the boonies where he lives.