so currently i have an Alpine CDA-9847 Alpine CDA-9847 CD player with MP3 / WMA playback at Crutchfield.com and i just upgraded to a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X994 Kenwood Excelon KDC-X994 CD receiver at Crutchfield Signature

i upgraded due to better ipod scrolling and bluetooth.

my audio guy tried to screw me by telling me i need to pay him $120 for installation. how hard is it to install this? im guessing its almost plug and play since i already have an aftermarket HU? as soon as it gets here ill have more specific questions.

also, anyone know anything about this unit. pros cons? thanks

 

A headunit is a headunit, its going to have the same basic connections and such for it to work normally the only thing that would differ would be the features it has and maybe a few extra input/output options, i wouldnt actually see why you would need to buy anything at all, other then maybe a few connectors to connect the existing wiring harness to the radio, let alone pay 120 dollars for a headunit installation, crazy.. if anything, i charge 20 bucks typically for any basic headunit provided all the accessories included.

Id go ahead and do this one yourself, it shouldn't take more then a half hour or so, theres plenty of people here and enough guides online that anyone should be able to do it.

 

Do it yourself

Then let us know what you think of the bluetooth, me and Trent (04blackedge) weren't sure about how good the bluetooth on these are.

 

I installed the Kenwood X794 last week and it was simple, just like a normal headunit install. Only difference for yours if you'll have to run the bluetooth mic somewhere. You can use the same install kit you currently have, just match the wire colors on the stereo to the wire harness. Took me 30 minutes with soldering and heatshrinking everything to get it in.

 

All you should have to do is remove the wiring harness off the Alpine and put the new one on for Kenwood. It's really easy, probably the easiest thing you can DIY.

 

i actually tried the bluetooth on the Kenwood in the audio shop and it worked pretty good there. i heard that the bluetooth is better than the $200 price range alpines. ill let you know how the bluetooth is.

Trent I almost got the X794, then i found the X994 for $199.99 from crutchfield's refurbished products so i couldnt turn it down.

I am going to do the install myself and ill let you guys know how it goes

 

Dang! I wish I had seen that, I would have bought that too.

Its a fantastic unit, I'm really not a single din fan but yet I love mine. The iPhone integration works perfectly which is the entire reason I went with the unit. Very very happy with it