What aftermarket head unit are you running?

[theesotericone]

Re the whole FLAC conversation, if you have hd Bluetooth can't you just use your phone to natively play FLAC and stream it via Bluetooth? I found the Bluetooth (v4.0) on the 149BT streamed from my Nexus7 2013 to be near indistinguishable from audio CD.

Yep. You can do that. Or if you have a cheap non-flac playing deck like I do you can just use your DAP via the 3.5 jack. I had to decide between getting an expensive deck ot getting an amp and speakers. I went with the cheap deck for now and have no issues with how it sounds.

 

[kurticus91]

Kenwood KDC-BT362U Stereo AUX/MP3, USB, Bluetooth, AM/FM, CD

 

[Taos4runner1]

Installed an Alpine unit with a small external alpine amp that's built to plug and play with the headunit, no additional wiring needed. My stock speakers sound amazing. Very happy with the set up. Let me know if you need specifics on model numbers, I'll have to do some digging to find out, meaning get off the couch and check...

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[Majindan]

Alpine 149BT

Totally worth it and if you want to save some cash just buy it as grey market on eBay. I think I paid like $230 on ebay 2 years ago.

Absolutely awesome radio and the display is worth the upgrade cost. It isn't that this display is a gift from God or anything, just that the other Alpine single DIN displays are pretty crappy and look like they are from the 90s. Seriously the other single DIN displays look like they cost $20 in parts in 2006. I have no idea what Alpine's problem is with single DIN displays, Kenwood seems to have the same challenges.

Re the whole FLAC conversation, if you have hd Bluetooth can't you just use your phone to natively play FLAC and stream it via Bluetooth? I found the Bluetooth (v4.0) on the 149BT streamed from my Nexus7 2013 to be near indistinguishable from audio CD.

Looks pretty good overall, I'll do some reading up on it. I had to admit, but I never really thought about streaming FLAC over bluetooth. Only issue with that is my iPhone only has 16gb of storage and I take so many pics and vids of my kids it's usually full within 2 weeks of dumping files lol. I could stream it with my Samsung tablet I guess, but the ease of just having a big ass flash drive always in is just too bad ass to ignore. Thanks for the idea either way.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Personally, I don't stream via Bluetooth FLAC, I have 320K mp3s. I was just stating I think it would be possible.

 

[Scramble]

Yeah gotta say, nothing can be considered "audiophile" unless it supports FLAC. I'd actually prefer just a USB port or two, and radio abilities, pretty much all I need. Would prefer to find a HU with good built in amp, usb, FLAC, double din, radio. I don't need a damn CD player or w/e. A 32bg mini flash drive or bigger is sweet to just leave plugged in and no dicking around with your phone.

I'll be moving over to FLAC when my CD changer craps out since no one makes them anymore. I cant stand the limited dynamic range of MP3's.

 

[bikeman22]

I don't remember the model number but here is the photo. Sorry for the photo, not yet familiar on how to attach a photo the right orientation.

 

[drei4runner29]

I'm running a Pioneer FH-X520UI double DIN. Nothing to fancy. Bought as a replacement for my old Pioneer AVIC-N1 single DIN flip out monitor nav HU.

Monitor wasn't working anymore and when I got hurt and couldn't drive for awhile, my car battery died and after jump starting my baby up, I found out I couldn't connect my old iPhone to my HU anymore since it reset the whole system and I couldn't go back to the set up screen since the screen was dead. Didn't feel like spending a whole lot of money trying to repair the screen so I decided to just go a tad bit basic on my HU.

 

[J i m s t e r]

Looking to upgrade mine but the choices tend to grate on me. Think about this:

As a former interface designer (for aerospace), the issue for us in Ye Olde England is that we are all RHD (my truck is a Japanese Surf) and just about all head units are made for LHD drivers - all the major buttons and dials are on the left of the unit.

Secondly, us RHD folk are forced into using our left hand to do everything, when most of us are right-handed.

Combined with the fact that these trucks have the vibes down the bottom of the centre stack, we are expected to be prodding down, with our cack-hands, below eye-level and keeping eyes on the road. And my truck rides quite hard, so it's like being sat in a supermarket trolley at the same time (a cart, for my US brethren).

That all makes manual tweaking an uncomfortable stretch. You can recreate the experience by attempting everything from the passenger seat of your 4Runner while someone else is drving and pretending you have to drive as well. YEAH, THE JDM EXPERIENCE NOT SO GREAT NOW, HUH? :lookout:

I've driven a lot of new vehicles recently and while they all have nice big screens top-centre, us RHD folk are still stuck with the left hand problem. Touch-screens seem to exacerbate it - you have to get the pressure just right, it seems. There is no workaround for this, other than get a LHD car

My current old JVC has a remote which negates most of the prodding, but it has the old "VCR clock" LED display and is unable to render a big folder list of music like I can see on the PC, or coverflow, like on an iphone.

Ultimately, I want a remote and something that displays a folder list from my USB drive quickly. Some of those new cars had units that would only let you list Artist, Album, Title etc. Pretty annoying if you have odd 12"s, albums, hour-long mixes etc. Any recommendations?

Otherwise I think I will resort to getting a BT head unit and then doing everything from my phone, which I have in a screen-mount to my right.

 

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

I use a remote on mine for volume / track change / power / source. Mainly because it has "real" buttons that I can use by feel.

I'd also rather steer with my right hand and do the less pointless stuff with my left hand... at least out indicators are on the proper side! :girl:

 

[J i m s t e r]

And to be fair, your BM doesn't need indicators at all. :bounce:

 

[Suspect_U]

As a left handed guy who has only ever driven LHD vehicles, I feel your pain as far as using your non-dominant hand for radio and climate controls.

Of course, I deal with this same issue in all areas of life, so don't really think much about it.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Scallywag303]

Pioneer 4200NEX has apple CarPlay and android auto. All the NEX radios play Flac files. Pretty solid radio for my uses mostly the Bluetooth and nav. Also adjustable tilt screen and removable faceplate.

 

[Pedrojr80]

Pioneer 4200NEX has apple CarPlay and android auto. All the NEX radios play Flac files. Pretty solid radio for my uses mostly the Bluetooth and nav. Also adjustable tilt screen and removable faceplate.

Nice setup! Could u tell me the size of that screen or better yet the whole system? I want to get me one of those but inlike kenwood as my preference but i have not measure how big the space for the radio that it would fit on the runner
Is this pioneer model the same as the kendwood excelon models? Or similar to?

 

[Scallywag303]

The screen size on mine is 6.95 so t it has a larger screen but the overall size of the unit is the same for any double din style radio. So any of that style will fit in a 3rd gen.

As far as the radio, kenwood offers a DDX9703S that is their version of my pioneer. Spec wise almost exactly the same. The excelon version is the DDX9903S and the difference in the kenwood units is the excelon has 5v preouts for amps instead of 4 and a 7 band eq instead of 5.

 

[Waka Flocka Sy]

Got a Pioneer in today. Need to do some soldering

 

[spazzyone]

The screen size on mine is 6.95 so t it has a larger screen but the overall size of the unit is the same for any double din style radio. So any of that style will fit in a 3rd gen.

As far as the radio, kenwood offers a DDX9703S that is their version of my pioneer. Spec wise almost exactly the same. The excelon version is the DDX9903S and the difference in the kenwood units is the excelon has 5v preouts for amps instead of 4 and a 7 band eq instead of 5.

Up vote for a pioneer. I have an AVH-5800BHS ($300) with the ND-BC8 camera ($80). I removed the first cigarette lighter and placed an aux/usb port ($12) there. The cig lighter has my garmin's power/traffic module plugged into it hidden inside the dash rather than hardwiring. Originally bought a $20 license plate one but axed it once it was delivered. Well worth having. I didn't "need" a camera. I did it because I was already bringing my 4r into 2016 and my wife drives it a lot. It definitely helps, especially when i have the cabin fully loaded with cargo. For my phone mount, the air vent ones don't fit well without taking a fin out. i took the last one out on both sides. I originally had two phone mounts ($15) but my wife took one out for a rental car and lost it. I'll be replacing it shortly. They've fit our iphone 5s, 6s plus, 7 and galaxy s7 no problem (we upgraded phones recently). Oh, almost forgot, I added the microbypass chip to it ($15) so I can have access to all menus at any time. I don't use it "illegally", but if I'm at a red light or a passenger needs to adjust something, they can without the car going into park and handbrake applied.

My gripe with this headunit is that bluetooth can take a few moments to start up. It's not the fastest head unit out there but none of them really are that quick. Also, you can't use bluetooth and USB at the same time. You have to actually switch it within the menu to choose either or. It's a dumb thing but whatever. I didn't know until after I installed everything.

Sound in my 4r was shot. I haven't added a second amp yet but will sometime next spring with new component speakers. I added a self contained small 8" kicker sub ($200) to fill in the lack of lows and it has truly surpassed any expectations I had. I mounted it under my driver seat. I come from having 12"s, amps and full component speakers in my previous cars. Obviously it doesn't knock the same, but it still bumps. Since it's under my seat, it gives does give me that knock and sound without being so far away. I'm older now. I don't need the neighborhood to know I'm coming through. I just want music to have a full sound.

Added a clearance shot so you can see how much space there is. I cut slots in the carpet and strapped it in running them under the carpet with the provided straps. Their instructions ask for it to be drilled in, but I'd rather not add holes if they're not needed. I shot these before cleaning the interior. Don't mind the dirt and dust. SS license plate screws and rust stain remover coming in spring. I just don't feel like doing it right now.

 

[jimmyrecluse]

Pioneer AVH-280BT

Didn't need a GPS, but I did need a screen for the back up camera. Replaced the tape deck.

 

[ThorInc]

Something made by Pioneer that was quite reasonable and works great!

 

[twa318]

Running a scion TI1809 with iPod connected in the glove box. There are many Scion units that are straight plug and play with our 4runners and can be had for cheap (I got mine for $40). The scion units look like original equipment and work really well. Here is a link with detailed info: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/engin...41-ultimate-scion-headunit-stereo-thread.html

Edit: Need to add that for the 1809 it's a double din unit so I did have to trim the bezel with a dremel tool