Having a great car stereo can make the big difference between having a wonderful ride every time you head out or staying uncomfortably quiet every time you are driving. Kenwood has been around for quite a long time already.
The brand has created and designed many amazing digital receivers for all budgets. Now, if you’re looking for the best Kenwood car stereo, this guide got you covered. We have put together the top five best Kenwood car stereo that’s worth considering. If you’re ready, let’s dive in!
Our Best Kenwood Car Stereo Reviews
Kentwood is no doubt one of the best developers of car entertainment products across the globe. If you’re seeking to change your car’s stereo system, always go to Kenwood Car Stereo. This global brand is widely sought not just by consumers but by industry professionals as well. You can expect all car stereos from this brand to be designed for value, performance, and quality.
Check out our review of the best Kenwood car stereo reviews below:
Best Kenwood Car Stereo Overall: Kenwood DMX7706S
Drivers who prefer the best audio experience often consider upgrading their car’s outdated sound system with something modern. The Kenwood DMX7706S is a great option. The double-DIN unit offers optimal sound quality from a company that has been in the audio business for over seventy years!
It also has many other features that provide superior connectivity, safe driving, and a few shocking features that are unique to this product, such as SiriusXM Radio ready as well as short chassis that make for hassle-free installation.
DMX7706S is also designed for smooth audio. It exceeds CD audio standards along with top-notch sound quality stemming from high-res audio. That kind of audio technology pulls out the details to all your favorite tunes.
This unit also has a thirteen-band graphic equalizer that modifies audio quality to fit your individual tastes. Further, the Time Alignment feature, designed to improve the sound further, offers sound staging. That makes your entire ride home the ultimate and best sound experience.
Pros:
- It will pair numerous devices
- Your phone can be utilized as a remote
- You can live to browse the music library
Cons:
- It does not play CDs
- You may need to purchase other products so they can fit inside your car
- Apple CarPlay is a safer way to use your iPhone in the car. Simply talk to Siri or touch the receiver's display to get directions from Apple Maps, make phone calls, listen to voicemail, send and receive texts, and listen to music, all in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road. With the latest iOS version (iOS 12.0 and higher), 3rd party navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are also supported.
- Android Auto was designed with safety in mind, helping you to minimize distractions and stay focused on the road. KENWOOD's multimedia receivers combine an intuitive voice controlled interface with a large touch screen and superior sound quality, making it the perfect complement for your in-car life. With the latest ANDROID OS version (PIE and higher), Google Maps and Waze are also supported.
- Up to 5 Bluetooth devices can be connected to the receiver at the same time, allowing you to take turns streaming music with your friends and family.
- Connect your iPhone or Android device to access and control the most popular music application sources. Simply install the Spotify and/or Pandora apps on your device, then connect iPhone (USB or Bluetooth) or Android (Bluetooth only) to enjoy music playback.
- With multimedia receivers shorter in depth than any of our previous models, installation is made easier in a wider range of cars than ever before.
Best Kenwood Car Stereo for the Money: Kenwood KDC-BT278U
The Kenwood KDC-BT278U provides amazing features that include XM satellite radio compatibility. This awesome radio receiver does not just sound awesome, but it offers a convenient front auxiliary input along with a hassle-free front panel connection for your compatible USB-enabled devices like iPod, iPhone, and other compatible Mass Storage Class devices such as smartphones portable hard drives, and USB thumb drives.
In addition, the USB input will enable you to control and charge the music playback with the Kenwood Music Play application on your Android device. The Drive EQ increases particular frequencies in the audio signal to overcome the negative effect of road noise.
You can also enjoy easy control of famous apps such as Pandora and Spotify, along with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calls and excellent streaming music. The input of the Kenwood KDC-BT278U includes auxiliary input, front-panel USB port, and two-channel pre-amp outputs.
The screen also displays different languages such as French, Spanish, and of course, English.
Pros:
- A great unit for its price
- You can do a lot of customizations
- It seems to have everything that other expensive units do
Cons:
- It does not always auto pair like it is supposed to
- No remote
- It’s challenging to navigate the head unit settings without the app
- SMARTPHONE CONNECTIVITY: Enjoy convenient control of popular apps like Spotify and Pandora, built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calls and streaming music, as well as the ability to use your smartphone like a wireless remote control with the KENWOOD Remote app.
- AUDIO QUALITY: Sound quality enthusiasts will love the playback support of various types of music formats including FLAC files. Simple on-screen or app-assisted sound customization is also available for the EQ & Digital Time Alignment.
- EXPANDABILITY: Inputs include front-panel USB port and aux input and 2-channel preamp outputs (2.5-volt rear/subwoofer). Includes high quality external microphone.
- LANGUAGE OPTIONS: Screen text display available in English, Spanish, and French.
Best Cheap Kenwood Car Stereo: KENWOOD KMM-BT328U
The KENWOOD KMM-BT328U replaces the famous KMM-BT325U car stereo and adds the versatility of Alexa voice control. This stereo is quite slim, and the single-DIN chassis fits in most cars. Kenwood outfitted it along with many different features for the money, which includes iPhone integration, a USB port for high-resolution music, Bluetooth, and the capability to control the receiver through JVC’s free remote app.
The Bluetooth connectivity offers hands-free calling and streaming, and two phones can be paired at the same time. That’s quite limited compared to Kenwood DMX7706S. If you are into internet radio, you can also enjoy your playlists and discover new music on Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. What’s more, Alexa is ready for your controls over the weather, audiobooks, internet radio, and so much more.
The USB port of the stereo is compatible along with all types of music files! That’s especially true even in high-resolution FLAC files. The Sound Reconstruction technology of Kenwood restores the depth, which is often missing from compressed music files. The digital time alignment guarantees all that sound reaches your ear as well.
Pros:
- It can pair up to five devices through Bluetooth
- Features a dedicated button to swap between phones
- Thirteen-band equalizer and digital time alignment
Cons:
- It can be a bit challenging to navigate through the options
- It does not provide a CD player compared to Kenwood KDC-BT278U
- GENERAL FEATURES: Car Stereo receiver with LCD display, Built in iPhone Control, detachable face, USB 1.5A Connection Charges devices quickly, Powerful 50 Watts per channel Amplifier, Front AUX input, Plays MP3, WMA, WAV, ACC, and high-res FLAC and WAV music files
- BLUETOOTH and SMARTPHONE FEATURES: built-in Bluetooth for audio streaming and hands-free calling (mic included), control 2 phones at once, voice recognition dialing, wirelessly control PANDORA and Spotify from your iPhone and Android device
- AUDIO FEATURES: Plays USB memory devices, 13-band equalizer with digital time alignment, sound-shaping tools get more out of your digital music library, Music Mix feature allows music streaming playback and control from up to five paired smartphones ---Does not play CDs---
- INPUTS: front USB, front auxiliary (AUX) input – OUTPUTS: 6-channel preamp outputs (2.5-volt rear, sub)
- INSTALLATION SIZE (WxHxD): 7-3/16" x 2-1/8" x 3-15/16" (182 x 53 x 100mm)
Best Performance Kenwood Car Stereo: Kenwood Excelon DMX706S
The Kenwood Excelon DMX706S is suitable for people who like to enjoy the superior sound quality and the capability to stream music. Both iOS and Android are supported, even though you need to plug in your phone. If you are a safety-conscious person, then you can also mount two cameras and take advantage of its hands-free calling feature.
You get the latest tech with this double DIN stereo. The built-in Bluetooth connectivity will enable you to have a hands-free calling with utmost comfort. That’s the simplest and safest way to talk and drive on the phone. Well, we know it’s distracting, but at least you are keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
When we talk about music, you can also enjoy standard FM/AM radio. You will also find a USB input, allowing you to plug a pen drive and listen to your favorite songs. Take note that the USB is rear input, so you must run a USB cable to get access to it.
Pros:
- It is a great unit for the money
- Excellent sound quality without speaker upgrade
- The backup camera turns on immediately, so you don’t need to wait
Cons:
- The display often lags
- Apple CarPlay is a safer way to use your iPhone in the car. Simply talk to Siri or touch the receiver's display to get directions from Apple Maps, make phone calls, listen to voicemail, send and receive texts, and listen to music, all in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road. With the latest iOS version (iOS 12.0 and higher), 3rd party navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze are also supported.
- Android Auto was designed with safety in mind, helping you to minimize distractions and stay focused on the road. KENWOOD's multimedia receivers combine an intuitive voice controlled interface with a large touch screen and superior sound quality, making it the perfect complement for your in-car life. With the latest ANDROID OS version (PIE and higher), Google Maps and Waze are also supported.
- Up to 5 Bluetooth devices can be connected to the receiver at the same time, allowing you to take turns streaming music with your friends and family.
- Connect your iPhone or Android device to access and control the most popular music application sources. Simply install the Spotify and/or Pandora apps on your device, then connect iPhone (USB or Bluetooth) or Android (Bluetooth only) to enjoy music playback.
- With multimedia receivers shorter in depth than any of our previous models, installation is made easier in a wider range of cars than ever before.
Best User-Friendly Kenwood Car Stereo: Kenwood DDX26BT Double DIN SiriusXM
The Kenwood DDX26BT Double DIN SiriusXM features some fantastic features and user-friendly capabilities. This Double-DIN receiver rewards you right away following a no-frills installation. The display is extremely responsive and simple to navigate. It can also play high-resolution music files and features built-in support to WMA, MP3, WAV, and FLAC.
It’s worth noting that the clear resistive touch functionality of the display offers a decent amount of drag, which makes the entire navigation feel easy and smooth to control while on the move. Both Android and iPhone devices are catered to their wireless Bluetooth connection or wired USB.
What’s more, the USB port of the unit is back-mounted. From the outset, the Kenwood DDX26BT is flexible when it comes to its performance. If you wish to run it as a basic unit for simple communication and music playback while you are on the road, it surely delivers.
Pros:
- You can set up a unit with minimal effort
- Three pre-outs that lets you add an amplifier
- Read camera input if you like to mount a backup camera
Cons:
- There’s no AUX input
- You need to buy other hardware to use it
- 6. 2" Wvga clear-resistive touchscreen with variable-color button illumination
- Built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming with dual phone connection
- 1 A/V input (optional ca-c3av)
- Built-in iPad/iPod/iPhone control
- Rearview camera input with parking guidelines
Features to Consider for the Best Kenwood Car Stereo
A car stereo is the brain of your mobile entertainment system. That’s the component inside the audio system of the vehicle, controlling what you listen to, how the media is delivered, the tone and volume, among others.
Apart from controlling the media, there are a set of units that can interact with your smartphone, allowing you to have access to your audio files, phone calls, messaging, and even navigation. It will help if you consider your car stereo as the portal to your mobile entertainment world.
Keep in mind that Kenwood brings a wide selection of car stereo systems or receivers to the market. All of them are of superior quality. That’s why it can be quite challenging to choose the best one for your vehicle. Before you get overwhelmed by the options, follow our buying guide below.
Power Ratings
Power ratings are an essential feature to consider while selecting a Kenwood car stereo. Without an external amplifier, the car stereo’s power output is what dictates the speaker’s power and the sound’s power.
You will find two power output ratings, which are given along with car stereos:
- RMS (Continuous) Power Output – RMS power rating is considered the amount of power a car stereo can produce at a continuous or constant rate. That’s the most crucial power output rating.
- Max Power Output – It’s the maximum amount of power your car stereo can produce for a short time. Further, it’s the maximum amount of power that will be delivered to the speakers without any external amplifier.
Together with output and power handling, the control level of the output sound’s shape is essential. That control is normally produced through a built-in equalizer, allowing you to change the sound’s shape, lowering or increasing the level of specific frequencies to best optimize the output sound for the car’s environment.
The higher the number of bands the car stereo’s equalizer produces, the more you can personalize the shape and frequencies of your sound and music.
Expandability
Did you know that expandability is what enables you to connect external components to your Kenwood car stereo? The best Kenwood car stereos will have approximately three four-volt RCA outputs, AV outputs and inputs, a microphone input, and rear-view camera inputs.
Smartphone Integration
All of the best Kenwood car stereos enable you to fully integrate along with your smartphone, allowing the best features such as Spotify and Pandora while letting you answer phone calls without even touching your smartphone. How awesome is that?
With recent legislation stopping you from using your phones while driving, it’s becoming more critical for the best Kenwood car stereos to fully integrate with your smartphone. Furthermore, they will come with a microphone with a noise-canceling feature that will polish your voice and get rid of road noise.
Playback
In case you didn’t know, playback can be determined as the process that your car can playback audio. Some of the common playback types that most car stereos will normally have include Bluetooth, Auxiliary Ports, HD radio, Pandora, MP3, DVD, and CD.
You’ll like to ensure that the playback processes you plan on utilizing are consistent along with your car stereo’s playback features. Or else, you may be stuck with a head unit that does not play your music in the format you currently have.
Below is the breakdown of the most typical playback features in the best car stereos:
- XM radio – It’s a satellite radio that enables you to connect and listen to different radio channels through a satellite connection. That boosts the radio’s coverage, but it needs a paid subscription.
- USB port – It will permit you to connect your music devices through a USB connection. Further, it enables you to listen to the music from your device and charge it for endless listen time.
- Bluetooth – A Bluetooth music lets you connect to the music on a smartphone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices. It lets you play your music wirelessly from the device through that connection.
- Auxiliary port – It lets you connect any music device through a headphone connector.
- CD player – They often play your favorite CDs in different formats such as WMA, WAV, AAC, MP3, CD-R/RW, and CD.
- HR radio – It’s relatively the same to radio stations you listen to, but with a higher audio quality and much metadata. Metadata is composed of information about titles, albums, artists, and more.
Display
Display features play a big part in how user-friendly and stylish your Kenwood car stereos are. Keep in mind that high-end stereos will have a great LED pixel count and offer customizable features such as brightness and color to match your interior’s color.
Conclusion
Updating your car stereos is not a bad decision. Many car manufacturers install stock systems that do not deliver the same quality as a reasonable upgrade can provide. You will observe a marked improvement if you change those stock stereos with one of the excellent Kenwood car stereos on our list.
We hope this post helps you find the best Kenwood car stereos. We wish you the best of luck in your buying journey!
