Radio upgrade please

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by Icrob

[ATTACH]215457
I just replaced mine with a Kenwood unit that has Apple CarPlay , Garmin GPS , Camera Input so you can use your existing cameras and more. I added a full time camera monitor at same time. Pioneer just came out with a similar unit that has both Android and Apple Car Play wireless feature. It also has waze built in.

Nice!
Do you use CarPlay or Android Auto? If so, what do you think of it? Which features do you use?

Did you reuse the original speakers?

[Akdare]

This...

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_500ILX...-iLX-F309.html

Fits in a single DIN...huge screen, and you can get an option for a back up camera.

My local Car Toys has it cheaper, and with free installation...Apple Car Play is awesome.

[Paul L.]

Originally Posted by Doug-Terrie

We have been working hard on our new to us, Monaco Diplomat. The major projects are wrapping up and now on to something different.

Can anyone advise on a radio update? I want to use the same “hole” in the dash, where the original currently resides. We were pleasantly surprised to find we could turn the radio on and off from the bedroom.

I want to be able to listen to my iPhone through the radio.

I am also in need of a new backup camera. Is there an option that may combine these two?

If not can anyone recommend a new radio that will utilize the current speakers and wiring? Thanks

Hi Doug-Terri -

I was in the same boat as you last week. New to me Monaco and wanted Bluetooth, etc. Love the remote in the bedroom, the wireless remote so wanted to try and retain those.

I bought this -

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/kenwood...?skuId=6197106

The remote in the bedroom still works! I had to swap out the plug for the head unit but not really a big deal. The difference was two wires were swapped so I chose to just replace it with the new one but you could simply swap those and call it a day.

I can still use my iPhone for nav, etc., and I keep everything looking clean.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

-Paul

[TJDave]

I replaced the crummy sounding Magnadyne in our 05 Holiday Rambler with a new bluetooth Pioneer unit with a remote control. Used the .5 din adapter plate. Changed out the 4 stock round speakers with Kicker speakers, and added a small Pioneer powered subwoofer behind the driver's seat.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130TSW...xoCSSMQAvD_BwE

Sounds pretty darn good, and the remote control is very handy.

[Dennis_K]

My last three Motorhomes came with Magnadyne radios. I put up with them for a few weeks and into the trash they went.
My Monaco Knight had a 1.5 DIN and I opened up the dash opening to 2 DIN so I had a larger selection of head units to choose from. I wanted a tiltable display, backup camera input, XM ready, a remote, and no GPS. I ended up with a Kenwood DDX 719 (Now discontinued). Not perfect but, way better than what was there. I even got it to work with the Smart Wheel controls.

[Dav L]

From an audio sound quality perspective, the speakers and their enclosures (what? no enclosures in my Newmar?) have more to do with it than the radio / head unit. Of course the amplifier needs to put out enough juice and not distort at normal listening levels.
The quieter the interior, the less the volume the radio needs to make. So if your RV is loud up front, you probably need more umpph out of the stereo (ie: more money).

IMHO there are three levels of speaker performance: Cheap - amazing how inexpensive and terrible for listening to music. Not sure how many still use AM, but thats about what the speakers are ok for. Middle - sound decent and worth every penny. High end - can sound amazing and there is a large gap in dollars for every little teenie bit better sound as you go more upscale. Custom installation, large amplifiers etc. I find most RV systems are somewhere between Cheap and Middle. My stock system was definitely Cheap speakers. they are now lower middle because I was in a hurry
On the to do list is to pull the audio system out of my Jeep (audio system is worth more than the car) and put it in the RV. That would then be lower high end.

[JimmyB2]

When I replace the Magnadyne in my 2006 HR, I will purchase the Magnadyne single DIN adapter and then purchase a single DIN radio with flip up 7" screen.

Get the advantage of an Android "radio" and apps without having to cut up the dash to install a double DIN

[Dav L]

JimmyB2, you can get an Android radio in single din with an assortment of screen sizes.