In this video, we are going to see if a $49 Amazon CarPlay and Android Auto vs the Pioneer DHM-1800NEX: I’m a World Champion installer and in this definitive car stereo comparison for beginners, we test sound quality, Bluetooth, boot speed, and installation difficulty to see if the budget car stereo is worth buying over the trusted car audio brand Pioneer Radio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
If you would like to join our Inner Circle Newsletter, for deeper dives and exclusive content:
Join here –
If you want to purchase the radios compared here, and prefer to buy online (links below):
Amazon’s Budget Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Radio –
Pioneer DMH-1800NEX with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay –
Want a deeper dive? Join our newsletter –
00:00 Intro: $49 Amazon vs. Pioneer Showdown
00:34 Boot-Up Speed Test: Cheap vs. Brand Name
01:26
06:24 Display Customization & Screen Settings
09:11 EQ Settings for Beginners: How to Tune Your Sound
12:28 Hardware Comparison: Wiring Harnesses & Build Quality
17:15 Wiring Diagram: Understanding Standard Car Audio Colors
19:03 What is the Orange Wire For? (Illumination Wire Explained)
22:18 Remote Control & Accessories (What’s Included?)
23:31 Installation Difficulty: Easiest Radio for Beginners
26:23 Common Install Problem: Why My Radio Won’t Fit (No Fix!)
27:45 Verdict: Is the Amazon CarPlay Radio Worth Buying?
#CarAudio #CarStereo #CarAudioDIY
If you’re car audio obsessed like us, sign up for my free newsletter at https://caraudioobsessed.beehiiv.com, get your vehicle featured in our newsletter, and ask your car audio questions!
A few things, One, there are plenty of video’s here on YouTube that explain all the color wires and what they do… 2, they can’t ship batteries with things from China without customs issues, Also the cheap steering wheel button controls that come with these actually work excellent, Also.. On many of these Cheap Android HU’s, you can change things like, the button colors, the time / date format and such, Also many come with fairly good DSP’s with features like the Pioneer has, filters, better EQ’s, time alignment and such, you just need to take your time researching the different models… You can find really great ones if you can afford to move up to the $60 to $90 dollar price range… I recommend looking at all the pictures on each cheap android radio, the ads often don’t tell you all the DSP features… I have one in my beater work truck I bought almost 3 years ago with a fully featured 4.1 DSP and wireless Android Auto, and it was only $60 and came with a back-up cam, it is still running strong now 3 years later.. ( to be fair build quality of these can be hit or miss, but you do have 30 days to return on Amazon , Build Quality and Longevity are the biggest differences between these cheap models and the better ones from big brands like Atoto, or Kenwood here in the states, Atoto is a Chinese Android brand that does have great English speaking customer service ) . I have it running to a half din EQ / line driver that acts as a LOC giving me 4 to 8 volt RCA outs to run my amps and Subs, I added a back-up camera filter from Temu for $5 that greatly improved the quality, as well as a blue tooth steering wheel controller with physical buttons… Lastly I would say that if you have an older car with an external amplifier, there is a good chance that if you replace the original head units with one of these cheaper Android HU’s that has a decent DSP, it will boost up the power and sound quality of your system, The line level out of these can act as a line driver on those in many cases… If you can spend a few more dollars, I highly recommend looking at Atoto or Enon Android head units, they are the same build quality as a Pioneer or Kenwood, but much less expensive and with good customer service…. Just my 2 cents worth, I have installed quite a few of these units…
Can i install the pioneer on a 2009 acura mdx with nav
Can you turn off the display on a phone call? I have the DHM-1800NEX and can’t seem to.
I completely agree with you, I used to have Kenwood Excelon Nav units in my cars, but now I need a single DIN radio and there is no good brand that sells an Android Auto single DIN with single DIN screen size. Can you recommend one that it is OK?