"Closer Look
The Supertuner IIID+ Enhanced Performance Tuner’s enhanced design improves the cancellation of FM multi-path noise and AM noise. You can store up to 18 FM or 6 AM stations or let the DEH-P7700MP pick the stations with the BSM feature. The Pioneer DEH-P7700MP is rated to deliver a maximum power of 50 watts per channel (22 watts, continuous) on the front and rear speaker outputs. The DEH-P7700MP also has front, rear, and subwoofer RCA outputs rated to deliver 2.2 Vrms to power external amplifiers. To control that power, the DEH-P7700MP has a built in high-pass and low-pass subwoofer crossover that work on both the RCA and speaker outputs. Nice feature. To finish the unit off, Pioneer includes a full-function, 23-button remote that allows you to control all of the basic functions of the DEH-P7700MP.

Want more? The Pioneer DEH-P7700MP is XM Satellite Radio-ready and can have either Sirius Satellite Radio or an iPod added to the unit. Being this flexible is great. Using a CB-IB100 (a $140 dollar option), you can connect an iPod to the DEH-P7700MP, or you can connect an auxiliary input to the unit if you have a different MP3 player or source unit. For maximizing the sound quality of compressed files, the DEH-P7700MP uses BMX (BitMedia eXpander) digital enhancement. When MP3 or WMA files are compressed, the sound can be thin, dull, or can even lack depth in the soundstage. The BMX technology takes the audio file and recreates the sound, restoring depth and width to a soundstage as well as increasing the lively ness of the program material.

Ease Of Use
I found the Pioneer DEH-P7700MP extremely easy to use. The 7-way rotary commander control knob works like a combination joystick and dial and can access nearly all of the functions of the DEH-P7700MP. With it, I was able to access track selection, audio functions, display functions, and Track navigation when using a disc of MP3-encoded files. By incorporating so many functions via the rotary commander knob, the rest of the unit was very clean and uncluttered, a must for good ergonomics. With a little practice, you can control the functions without looking at the unit. Great job!

Installation
The installation of the Pioneer DEH-P7700MP went well. Installation is typical from what you would expect from a source unit. There were no external boxes required to install for the unit to function. The RCA jacks are located on an external pigtail on the back of the unit. Hidden by the power connector is a 10-amp fuse. With all head units, proper installation will yield maximum performance. For the best results, it’s recommended to have an authorized Pioneer dealer perform the installation.

Manuals/Web Support
There are two manuals for the Pioneer DEH-P7700MP. The installation manual covers all of the basic information needed to install and wire the unit. It’s simple and easy-to-read. The operation manual covers the functionality of the unit. It covers all of the basic functions of the DEH-P7700MP as well as the not so common. It’s necessary to read the manual to learn how to control the non-common functions of the Pioneer unit.

The company’s Web site, www.pioneerelectronics.com, is well laid out and easy to navigate. I was able to quickly find information on the DEH-P7700MP — I found basic information, specifications, and accessories for the unit. I was also able to download a PDF of the installation manual and the operation manual. Well done.

Sound Q & Performance
The performance of the Pioneer DEH-P7700MP is good. With the tone controls set flat, the RCA produced a maximum unclipped output of 1.89 Vrms at 61 on the volume control. At the maximum volume setting of 62, the DEH-P7700MP delivered a slightly clipped 2.32 Vrms.

On the speaker outputs, results were similar. At 49 on the volume, the DEH-P7700MP produced a clean 18.5 watts into 4 ohms. Raising the volume to 50, the output increased to 21.6 near 1% THD + Noise. Setting the volume to maximum produced a square wave output generating 39.9 watts per channel.

The sound quality was above average. The sound was open and detailed. Noise floor specs on the unit match my test: undetectable. On my test speakers, the speaker outputs were a little bright. However, a quick adjustment of the tone controls fixed that. In fact, the adjustability of the tone controls allowed me to really fine tune my system, yielding awesome sound — a very useful feature.

Summary
The Pioneer DEH-P7700MP is a very good head unit for mid- or entry-level systems. The DEH-P7700MP is extremely capable, allowing the control of nearly all types of media, including iPod encoding. With the extremely flexible controls, cool display, and ease of use, the Pioneer DEH-P7700MP would make a fine addition to your system. "

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"This deck is awesome and by far the best for iPod integration. The navigation is very smooth, and easy to control. If you use your iPod exclusively then this is the deck for you. It also accepts USB sticks to play songs off of which is a nice feature.

The radio controls, especially for presets are pretty bad. You have to press the preset button, then scroll through the 6 presets and hit enter. This means you may have to press up to 8 buttons to get to your preset.

I also bought the HD Radio receiver. The deck's controls for multicasting are pretty bad. You need to select the channel. then press search, and scroll through the multicast channels, then press enter. You can't use the seek button to get to the different channels. You also can't save multicast channels as presets. It will default to the -1 station which is a huge pain. The same is true when you shut off the car, it will go back to the -1.

That is my only complaint, normally i wouldn't care, but we get some good multicast stations in my city, and I just wish it were easy to get to these stations. I have not used another HD Radio so this may be the norm. I bought this for the iPod integration, so I still give this 4 stars, and am very happy with my purchase."

ALPINE IDA X001 IN DASH RADIO DIGITAL UNIT EXCELLENT    US $200.00

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Review By: Kevin Massy

The Eclipse AVN2210p is a novel addition to the aftermarket in-car navigation scene. It is the first system we have seen that combines the functionality of an in-dash GPS navigation device and media player with that of a standalone portable navigation device. It does this by using a TomTom Duo portable GPS device in combination with a unique docking mechanism, enabling drivers to insert and remove the touch screen navigation module at will. In its in-dash mode, the system can be used to play a variety of digital audio formats, including MP3 and WMA discs, and input from portable digital audio players via a front-mounted USB port. It can also be used right out of the box as a very useful Bluetooth hands-free calling interface with some advanced options, including instant phonebook transfer and text message playback.

Design
Apart from the hard button used to switch between map and audio view, all of the navigation functions on the Eclipse AVN2210p are controlled using the TomTom Duo's touch screen. Due to its dual functionality, the navigation screen on the Eclipse AVN2210p is far smaller than those on other double-DIN-size in-dash units. However, this size restriction does not impede functionality as much as it might, and maps and menus remain legible thanks to the TomTom's bright and colorful graphics. For digital audio playback, the Eclipse AVN2210p makes use of the same rotary volume knob/four-way push-button selector as that in the Eclipse CD3100. Curiously, disc-based audio cannot be controlled via the LCD touch screen, but media played via the USB port can.

Navigation
Whether the TomTom Duo device is docked or undocked in the AVN2210p cradle, all navigation functions are performed using its touch screen. Programming in a destination is straightforward, thanks to the colorful icons that populate each menu level. Destinations can be entered by address, ZIP code, city center, or cross street. Punching in an address on the system's touch screen keypad is easy and very quick, thanks to the impressive refresh rate of the menu level screens, and route calculation is equally swift. After selecting a route that meets their specifications (fastest, shortest, avoiding freeways, designated arrival time, etc.), drivers are given a whole host of features to preview their journeys before setting out. Specific route-preview options include: browse as text (gives a list of turn-by-turn directions); browse as images (shows each turn on the map); browse route on map; show route demo (runs through a virtual tour of the route, complete with turn-by-turn voice directions); and a route summary. When satisfied with the proposed route, the system gives turn-by-turn directions to a destination, either via the car's speakers (with the nav system docked) or via the TomTom Duo's built-in speaker. During route guidance, the screen displays roads in bright colors, with suggested turns illustrated with big, green arrows.

The AVN2210p gives drivers a host of options for previewing their routes.

The TomTom Duo does not include text-to-speech functionality to enable the system to call out individual road names, but a useful bar on the bottom of the screen displays the name of the upcoming street, which is the next best thing. With the TomTom device docked, the GPS signal is stronger, as it is connected to an external antenna that can be mounted on the car's dashboard. In standalone mode, the signal is weaker, and we found that the system lost its bearings a couple of times when driving between tall buildings in downtown San Francisco, taking up to a minute to regain a GPS fix at times. Generally, the GPS system was quick to reroute when we purposely defied it by missing turns or going the wrong way.

One observation that is worth making, however, is that the system makes no distinction between driving directions (for when the TomTom unit is docked) and pedestrian directions (for when the TomTom unit is detached), meaning that all suggested routes are given with respect to road restrictions, such as one-way streets. We would like to have seen a pedestrian mode in the vein of other standalone portable GPS devices. Another niggle we have with the standalone GPS device is that its spoken directions are barely audible on a busy street, even with the volume turned up to maximum. And to round out our criticism of the standalone TomTom Duo, its battery life registered at less than two hours--far beneath the five-hour mark that most standalone GPS devices manage.

We like the turn-by-turn route guidance, but with the TomTom Duo in standalone mode, spoken directions are difficult to hear on busy streets.

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"Kicker ZX300.1 is the perfect car stereo amplifier for those who are fond of bass. This amplifier is designed with high-end amplification to set standards for a powerful sound and a unique look would make your amplifier stand apart from the various other amplifiers. The Kicker ZX300.1 mono subwoofer would control your subs with nearly 300 watts of power. This unit does not have a peak power rating and you can ensure that the amplifiers CEA-2006 compliant rating would mirror a true measure of its capabilities. Similar to all the kicker amplifiers the Kicker ZX300.1 is also designed with a high quality internal component to offer you a reliable performance. The Kicker ZX300.1 features an in built low pass filter that helps in removing high frequency that is generated by the amplifiers output, so that you get the most from your subwoofers. Apart from this, there is a subsonic filter that eliminates the intense low bass that usually hampers the system efficiency. You can use the bass increase control to make a little more low-end bump or you can also turn it on and off with the additional wired remote control.

Features:
The Kicker ZX300.1 features a CEA 2006 complaint where the power ratings are calculated according to the firm standards dictated by the Consumer Electronic Association (CEA). The unit also features a speaker level input or a high level input connection that allows you to use it with a source that does not have RCA preamp level output. Along with this, the unit also features a remote bass level control that allows you to adjust the output levels of the amplifier from anywhere in your vehicle. When you attach the remote bass level control to the mounting bracket it will have the dimension of W=2.204″, H=1.171″, D=2.253″ that includes the knob. There is also the KickEQ bass enhance circuit that offers a 12 dB signal increase at 40Hz."

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"The design is fairly clean overall. Connections are made by removing the fascia shield via the 2 allen head screws allowing access to the terminal strips for connections. The first thing I noticed is the weight. This amp is light. Meaning, there can't be that much inside for a clean performer. Sure enough, this is a plane jane stripped down amp, with limited MOSFETS.

Here's the specs:
Class D Mono Power Amplifier
K-STAT technology
Dual sigma drive
Dual power supply with two transformers
Maximum Output Power: 1200 Watts
RMS Power 4-Ohm: 300 Watts x 1 (20-200Hz, 0.5%THD)
RMS Power 2-Ohm: 600 Watts x 1 (100Hz, 0.5%THD)
RMS Power 1-Ohm: Over 600 Watts x 1
Signal To Noise Ratio: 80dBA (Ref:1 Watt into 4Ohm)
Infrasonic Filter: 15Hz, 25Hz, -24dB/oct
Bass Bosost ready (Wire remote): 40Hz-100Hz, 0dB-+18dB
Low Pass Filter: 40-200Hz (Variable), -24dB/oct

OK... Now for the truth. CEA 2006 rating is 1% THD. Meaning it's a Loose noise monster. Secondly...Where's the second power transformer... There sure isn't one on the board. Lastly, do the math. 40A fuse X 13.8V = ~552W peak load before the fuse pops. Generally, this formula works for class AB the best. Digital amps are more efficient. Based on the number of Mosfets...there's no way this amp is getting near 800 or 1200 watts.

This looks like a revised layout from the older KAC series amplifiers, with near identical componentry. There is so much sparce space on this amplifier board, there's no reason to have the heat sink this large. The other thing I observed... is the solder joints on the MOSFETS on the amplifier side of the board looked relatively poor and high in flux.
Under high load, I would expect a failure condition.

If your looking for just cheap sound reinforcement and not worried about quality, then pick this one up. If your looking for Better Regulated, true digital class D, and better overall circuitry...look on to either Xtant (before their MTX aquisition), JL, or Directed."

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