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Toyota Prado - Stereo Upgrade |
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Stereo UpgradeMay 2008 This page is all about what happened with my Prado stereo upgrade. The standard stereo in the Prado will usually be a Fujitsu Ten model. In Australia the part numbers are 08600-00988 or 08600-00989. That's the model I got anyway and it obviously varies between the various trim grades and year models. Sound is subjective issue and to me the standard systems sounds 'perfectly' OK. Nowhere near the best or worst I've heard. Even the top of the range Grande models sound essentially the same. Presumably the speakers are to blame or perhaps the wiring or even the amplifier. So unless you're not fussed about the quality than the standard one is quite acceptable. The size of the stereo hole is double DIN so the new one has to be the same size because a single DIN stereo would just look odd. The models I looked at where essentially the ones available from the big chains since they are generally the cheapest. I did not want one with built in GPS because I'm happy with the separate unit such as the TomTom, Garmin or Navman. Besides I wanted to be able to transfer between cars and motorcycle. I wanted a big touch screen that had lots of AV inputs a built in AMP and DVD, MP3 and Apple iPOD capable. So the models I looked included the following: What I ended up with is the Sony XAV-W1 AV Center. The reasons I chose it above the others are, that it had the clearest screen and best color compared to the others. It physically looked the nicest and seemed easiest to use! It was still a current model and the only double DIN AV stereo offered by Sony. See the other side of the page for the proper review of the XAV W1. If money was not an issue I would pick the Pioneer AVH-P6850DVD and ONLY because you can get the AVG-VDP1 module for it that allows you to get vehicle dynamics information since this module has GPS, Gyroscope, G sensor and a speed sensor that you can see on the main screen. For speakers (I haven't actually bought them yet trying to find the cheapest prices online and at the shops.) However I've already decided what type I'm going to get. I've moved the installation instructions to a separate page because this page is way too long!
Ok tons of sites have some specifications but very few have actually used one so here's the list customized to show what I think are the most important.
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Sony XAV-W1 AV Center Review
This is the only double DIN DVD capable stereo being made by Sony for this year - at least. It was the best overall model for my needs. It is not as feature packed as models by other car audio manufacturers but it has other features that convinced me to get it. It was physically the best looking and best screen compared to the other models, it was also the easiest to use out of the ones I had a chance to try out. So I'll start the review off with the best parts. The screen is better than the rest. The built in power amplifier It has plenty of audio and visual inputs - up to 3 AUX built in and then there's the dedicated rear video camera and/or navigation inputs. That's 5 as standard! There are also plenty of pre-amplified outputs including dedicated sub-woofer and center speaker. You can add even more inputs and outputs by getting the Unilink module - sold separately. Of the sound control functionality, it has a DSP or sound field controls for positioning the sound according to where you are seated, a built in 7 band graphic equalizer with preset and a customizable EQ setting, it even has a low pass filter for the sub-woofer and high-pass control. It can decode Dolby Digital signals so you can have 5.1 surround sound in the car. You can use it on normal CDs and MP3s too. As a novelty you can also plug in a microphone and set the XAV-W1 to Karaoke mode! This stereo can play almost every format of music and media you can think of (main stream only!) through the DVD slot. All formats of MP3, WMA, CD, and SA-CD, DVD and DivX are supported included home made ones. The sound it produces is very clear and powerful. No muddy bass or top range distortion here! The graphic equalizer works instantly and it's easy to alter the sound waves, it's up to you to work out what you like. There are various presets but it is missing the ubiquitous LOUDNESS setting which is a fix all for most systems. The radio is the other standout function. The sound reproduction is excellent. Very clear no equalization or turning up the volume to hear what the announcer said on the program. It seems to to pull in the signals as well as the standard unit. I was impressed immediately. The picture reproduction form DVD is the best there is - for the moment. Remember only comparing with other AV centers like this one. We did not need to adjust any settings from the default! The main reason why the picture is clearly better is that the screen has 1,152,000 pixels as opposed to the usual resolution of 339,000 pixels in other units! So about 3 times more definition than the others. The unit has Dolby Digital Pro Logic II that can also simulate a virtual center speakers and together with the sound field processing works rather well in differentiating where each movies sound effects come from. It can also play Super Audio CDs which if you've ever heard do sound better than normal CDs. Connecting an iPod to the Sony is not as easy as you would assume or as it should be. That's the reason why I wrote a complete new page in an attempt to explain the various issues. It applies to all in-car stereo system not just the Sony. But for this page YES - you can connect an iPod to the Sony XAV-W1 via the AUX inputs. Sound from the AUX using RCA connectors wasn't the best I've heard but acceptable. The sound was the same for all AUX connected iPods since I tried connecting it to every iPod I get my hands on. It' s probably because of the cables rather than hardware issues. It of good but the inbuilt FM tuner sounded better for comparison sake. BUT if you use the the 'universal' iPod dock connector (the one at the bottom) and the appropriate cable you will hear a noticeable and improved sound quality. Yes even via a composite AV cable. This unit can play Dual layer DVD's so if you burn your MP3s to DVD you can have up to 8 GIG of songs to play with. It can also play JPGs pictures and various movie formats from a DVD or CD. 6 CDs @ 640MEG x 6 = 3.8 GIG. So that's equivalent to 12 regular CDs! Hence you'll only need a multi-CD hanger if you only play CDs. Personally I have the iPod option it's much easy to manage and no need for multi stack rubbish taking up car space. The touch screen controls and menu navigation are easy to use compared to AV units from other manufacturers. The screen does not attract every finger print so not too many smudges. So what's not good about it. Although the basic unit has all the features you consider standard it needs the additional Unlink modules to be able to use Bluetooth, iPod controls, TV and navigation features. The modular approach is good in the sense that you're not paying for things you don't want. More to the point if you read my issues with using the iPod you'll appreciate why a modular approach is the best long term solution. So this is not strictly a bad point - just a note. Overall the RRP price is steep compared to other more featured models BUT you can get a good deal these days and I got mine for under $800 with extras I was happy with the deal. There is also a fan in the back of the unit and you can hear it when it turns on when the unit gets hot. Some older CDs can be heard spinning in the case. The system interface is slightly sluggish. However every model we tested including from other brands where just as sluggish. Sony should have included more customization options in terms of animated wallpapers and of course spectrum analyzers and so forth. The only way to add your own is via taking screen shots of what ever you are playing. And believe or not that's it! It's a nice AV stereo system that works really well. Recommended if priced right and or if you want the best screen quality. Sound quality is subjective - and it does sound nice and clear. Sound volume is great with distortion free sound from the built in amplifier - more than ample for a comfortable driving environment. I have not replace the OEM or standard speakers yet - since they actually sound OK with the new Sony. They clearly have limited head room or frequency range. I can live with quality for the time being but will replace them within 12 months as the budget allows! Pictures of the Prado's speakers - speaker size for the Prado - removal of the door trim How to connect an iPod or other portable MP3 or music player to your car's stereo |
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