This deck matches our interior nicely... has two-tone silver face one that is
a perfect match and another shade that is gray-er. I did the install myself
except for the removal of the original unit. It was a pretty simple task with
the VW harness and swap of the yellow and red wires as has been reported
here. The new deck sounds great! I drilled a 1" hole in the ceiling of the
glove-box compartment area where the iPod cable comes out.

The UI on the Kenwood deck is weird but I'm starting to get used to it.
The sound is fantastic and the deck only costs $150. The iPod interface is
another $99. The deck can also connect to a Kenwood HD-radio module.
If I can figure out somewhere to hide it, I may be adding that at some point.

I'll try to post a picture in the next few days.

Steve

 

Hi
Interested in your install would love to see a pic.

 

Hi
Forgot to ask Is you Ipod charging while hooked up to the radio or do you have to charge it independently???

 

the kenwood interface box charges the iPod when it is plugged in.

 

Clarion makes a nice match too.
https://www.crossfireforum.org/galle...cat/500/page/2

 

Hi STRYFOX
What model # was that Clarion you installed in your crossfire ???
Can you control the Ipod via the radio controls or only via the Ipod itself ???
Dose your Ipod charge when hooked up ???
If its not too bold what did the Clarion & the install cost ???
TIA

 

I have the Alpine variant, and my only complaint is I can't read the radio face when the top is down during the day...other than that the IPOD is awesome! I keep mine in the glovebox (out of sight out of mind!).

How is the display on the Kenwood?

 

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-tTHuEi2...00&I=020DXZ655
You also need the ipod controller about $90
install was easy. Crutchfield sent every thing needed.
It charges the ipod and the controller makes it work like a disc changer. You can read all about it at the crutchfield site.
I am very happy with the radio set up.
I spray painted the surround bezel to match. Duplicolor silver.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

The Kenwood's display isn't great... neither is its control of the iPod... but, the sound quality
I'm very happy with. There are a lot of stupid things in the user interface. You can't
use the controls on the iPod and it seems to loose track of what browse mode you are in.
I usually try to keep it in Artist mode and sometimes it manages to stay there between
trips and other times it doesn't. It defaults to playlist and from there you have to use the
scan button on the radio to get it to Artist mode and it always starts at the beginning.

Annoying as it is, it sounds great and sure beats dealing with CDs.

 

The alpine is the same. It continues from whatever song you left off at, but on the album versus genre, mix all, etc... it must be in the IPOD itself with an external interface. The other issue I have is that if the IPOD is not used for more than 12 hours, it goes into hibernation and the head unit can't see it. I have to unplug and replug it then everything is good.

Thanks for the info.

~ Jess

BTW: In the roadster there is no room for CD's which would cause me to pull over whenever I wanted to change music...biggest reason I went to the IPOD. Next year's Alpine lineup is supposed to have the capability of an internal HDD with USB interface (manage your music with a thumb drive).