New Kenwood NAVI!!!

[Mike07SE]

Since I see that the Kenwood DNX7100 seems to be fairly popular around here (and have been thinking about it myself ), I thought I'd share some info on a new unit debuted at the CES 2008 show this past week. It's the Kenwood DNX8120.

- It has the same memory based Garmin GPS Nav that everyone really likes.
- It adds Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 Decoding with 5V pre-outs.
- Bluetooth is now built into the unit.
- A few more interesting options you can read on the SoundDomain blog.

Sounds real neat to me and I'm glad I've been holding off for something like this to come out. A lot of the 2007 headunits that were out either had one feature I wanted but not another. Should be out around March.

 

[Elusive]

wow... now i get to wait even longer as i was about to pull the trigger on the 7100.

 

[Mike07SE]

Yeah I was getting really close to pulling the trigger myself. I can't stand not having a DVD system in my truck after having one for the last several years in my old Jeep. Only reason I haven't as of yet was that I was waiting for this CES show to come and be over with. Manufacturers always debut their new products at this time.

 

[Coffee4us]

Dang I just last week had the 7100 installed in mine. Now I wish I would have known about this new 8120.

I guess I will have to do my homework and look around better before I go and buy ;(

 

[tsklh]

Dang I just last week had the 7100 installed in mine. Now I wish I would have known about this new 8120.

I guess I will have to do my homework and look around better before I go and buy ;(

My Local shop is out of the DNX7100's and told me they hope to get some of the 8120's around the middle of March.

I love to have the latest equipment but I am concidering the purchase of a 7100 on ebay for $700-$800 and applicable bluetooth unit for around $100. So worst case I could spent $900 for unit with bluetooth. Is it worth an extra $600-$700 for the 8120? 5.1 surround capibality isn't important to me.

Does my pricing seem fair? Any comments appreciated.

Nice Site.

 

[Mike07SE]

Pricing on new unit seems fair to me. At ~$700 for the 7100 that is also a deal if you can deal without certain features. What would you spend on a stand alone Garmin Nuvi on its own - $5-700? That makes it a deal to me already with bonus of being able to watch DVD's, BT calling, sat radio. etc., etc.

Problem for me was that I had spent the last 6 years with two different vehicles that I had made mobile theater/surround audio setups out of with the DTS/DVD-Audio collection built up to support it. When I bought my '07 in Oct. I didn't feel like tearing my stereo out for the 3rd time (plus being relatively outdated at this point) I just figured I'd look for a new unit especially a DD. After looking around I was fairly disappointed with all brands for their '07 lineups since they all had one feature, but lacked another, and on top of that 5.1 output seemed almost non-exhistent.

 

[ERG2008]

thanks for the info here I am just wondering what the Kenwood DNX8120 is going to go for price wise? I am trying to find the price with everything GPS sat radio, this is for my brothers 06 SE I want to put all of the best in it.

thanks a million!

 

[4runner91]

thanks for the info here I am just wondering what the Kenwood DNX8120 is going to go for price wise? I am trying to find the price with everything GPS sat radio, this is for my brothers 06 SE I want to put all of the best in it.

thanks a million!

In an advertisement on cardomain they said without the built-in Nav it would be $1000 and with everything would be $1600. Then again I went to a local shop and they were saying $1999, i told them about the prices i saw and they told me that they hadnt updated there prices yet. So anyways donno if they will be going for this price or higher. There was a website that was doing a presale of both the DNX812 and DNX8120 for the $1000 and $1600 price believe they were all out of the 812 last i check and wasnt how much longer they would be taking orders for the 8120. We'll just have to see, i imagine they will def be out my the end of march at the latest.

 

[hkspwrsche]

It looks like they have regular am/fm tuners also?? Just making sure.
How do you update the nav info? do they sell a CD?

Whats different on the 8120 from the 7100?

 

[Mike07SE]

Yes it's a standard radio. HD will require a tuner box like that of Sat radio.

Navi is updated by using an SD Micro card. Update at the Garmin website using the card in your computer, then take that and put it into the slot behind the flip down screen and it updates.

Diff's are that the 8120 ups the ante by including 5.1 processing with 5v preouts vs. 2v and no 5.1 output. Improved interface, built in bluetooth, and other features.

 

[hkspwrsche]

Yes it's a standard radio. HD will require a tuner box like that of Sat radio.

Navi is updated by using an SD Micro card. Update at the Garmin website using the card in your computer, then take that and put it into the slot behind the flip down screen and it updates.

Diff's are that the 8120 ups the ante by including 5.1 processing with 5v preouts vs. 2v and no 5.1 output. Improved interface, built in bluetooth, and other features.

At half the price is it worth the difference?

 

[Mike07SE]

To some people, these differences are.

 

[4runner91]

Well i like another on here just went with the 7100. Dont think there is much of a difference or aleast not enough to spend $1600 or probably more on the 8120. I just ordered from crutchfield (i know there not the cheapest but they come with everything to hook up and you have there support) and spent $1200 for everything ipod/usb, steering wheel adaptor, and the adaptor which connects me to my stock amp for speakers. oh and of course this one comes with the garmin nav. It should arrive today at some point and will be installing it tomorrow. For those of you who have done this install is there anything i should look out for? thanks in advance.

 

[Elusive]

the kicker for me to wait is the built in bluetooth and the 5v preout vs the 2v on the 7100 which is insane for such an expensive headunit. If you arent running an aftermarket amp then the 2v isnt a problem, but with my system being powered entirely from a 5 channel amp for components, coax & sub, the 5v is well worth it.