Topic: Review : Kenwood DNX9960

[Sly Bob]

I have had my Kenwood DNX9960 for some time now, installing it, with some help from Joe at MMM7. As it’s been some months since I installed it, I figured it’s about time that I wrote a review. I’m not going to post videos as the gentleman that runs the Kenwoodforums.com site has posted lots of them to Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vblue42+9960&aq=f

Here’s picture of it in the car on the iPod screen. I leave my iPod Touch in the car and rarely listen to the radio any longer. I love the sound as the stereo sounds so much better than the stock Monsoon did. I liked the Monsoon but wanted something a little better and full featured. Listening to Joe’s deck last year and hearing the difference that an aftermarket deck could make was what convinced me to take the plunge. 

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The install wasn’t without its share of problems but there were out of our control at the time. The PAC steering wheel interface that Crutchfield shipped me was bad and I spent the whole weekend doing the install and trying to get it to work. Spent many hours on the phone to both Crutchfield and PAC on Saturday trying to get it to go but in the end they concluded that the unit was dead. Once they shipped me a new one on an RMA it took me all on 10 minutes to get the thing installed and programmed. 

It wasn’t a total waste of time though as I learned a lot. First of all I can rip the dash apart with my eyes closed now. The guy that I was speaking to at PAC also said that the connections to the car wiring harness should be soldered for it to work properly. They said that they have seen many times where a crimped connection either doesn’t work or just works intermittently. I also know how the interface talks to the radio in our cars. A different voltage is sent along the single wire that comes from the factory interface buttons. Pushing the mute button might generate a voltage of 6.2 volts, pushing the volume up button might generate a voltage of 7.3 volts and so on. Each preset voltage tells the factory radio what button was pressed and it responds accordingly.

I have enjoyed the summer with the 9960. Boot time from when you turn the key to when you can listen to the iPod is about 10 seconds. Crank it and the bass thumps and the highs are clear, at least to these ears. I find it easy to use with the steering wheel controls, with the voice recognition and with the included wireless remote control.

The unit has a power button to power off the unit if desired and the Garmin navigation is awesome. You can plot several points or waypoints along with your final destination with voice recognition (VR) when using the Garmin. The interface is uncomplicated and easy to use as well as being familiar to anyone that has used a Garmin in the past. I have loaded a red light camera data base in the unit and it alerts me as I approach the intersection. Likely don’t require this as I always stop at red lights in a timely manner but it’s a nice feature to have.

The free traffic that is built in (no add on tuner required) is ad supported and on occasion, a pop up ad will be shown on the screen. They are unobtrusive, although if you don’t want the free traffic it is possible to shut it off.

When listening to an AV source, the titles scroll if they are too long to fit the box provided. The VR works well if you are controlling the iPod or the rest of the feature in the deck although I generally just use the steering wheel controls. VR is practically useless when you are tearing down the highway anyway but it’s nice to use when you can.

The 9960 supports 5.1 sound and sounds great when watching a movie although that’s not something that I will likely be doing much of in the Solstice. In the family car with the kids in the back, probably but not the Solstice. It supports external monitors and has inputs for external source like a video game or two but there again, not in the Solstice. Where would you put the game, in the trunk? 

A nice feature is that you can save all you settings so you can reload them after doing a firmware update and disconnecting the battery won’t lose all those settings either. That’s a REALLY nice feature on a unit like this where there are so many things that you can set up and tweak to your liking.

The screen is HD and is easily readable in bright light. The screen also has the ability to go to a reverse angle (tilt) that helps reduce even more, any glare that we could potentially get from the screen when the top is down.

Others have said that the BlueTooth really works well with this unit but I can’t verify those claims because I haven’t got a BT phone. You can stream your music via the BT if you choose to do so although I installed a cable for my iPod when I did the install.

The radio works well, as the tuner is great at picking up weaker stations. The back of the unit features two USB ports. The one port comes with a cable so you can plug in a thumb drive to play music, movies or perform firmware updates to the stereo portion. Garmin updates are done with the SD card slot. The second USB port on the back allows you access to the file system of the unit. You can add voices or cars to the Garmin and there are others that are working on other uses for it as well.

Garmin map updates are available frequently and those that have access to unlocked Garmin maps will work with this unit.

I am really quite happy with the DNX9960. As with any early adopter I paid a little more than I should have but I knew that going in. It had only been available for about a week when my unit was delivered. Several firmware updates have come out since it was available. The first one fixed the reset problem that this unit had when it was new. It would, quite frequently actually, forget all its settings and you would have to set it up again like you had just taken it out of the box. The 1.10 firmware fixed that issue though.

Would I do it again? Yeah, in a heartbeat!

[LiquidPT]

Curious... what's the button yuu have mounted below the screen on the right?

[Sly Bob]

That button is the one that you push to activate the voice recognition. I found that to be the best spot as my thumb falls easily on the button when my hand rests on the "oh shit" handle. I didn't want to put it somewhere where I'd be searching for it.

Some on the Kenwood forums have put the button on the floor where they hit it with their feet. I don't know how long the button would last...

[elff]

I really love my DNX8120, but I am going to disagree with you on the Garmin.

Using the Mod Meet as a desitination reference point
IT FLAT OUT SUCKS
The logic behind it's routing is just plain stupid. I won't even be nice about it anymore.
Tom Tom's navigation and POI's blow the Garmin away.
Not to mention, the Garmin in dedicated radio's like this are at least 1 year behind on Map updates due to the process they go through.  You might be lucky to get the road changes in 2009 incorporated into the unit in the 2011 update.  
it's gotten so bad, I simply use the Tom Tom app on my iPhone and let the Radio charge it.

Aside from that, I love the Multimedia and Radio functions of the Kenwood systems. I believe they outshine the competition.

the Bluetooth works great both with the Phone functions and with streaming music.
I have had it work with 3 models of iPhones.  3G, 3GS, 4

[Sly Bob]

I've never had a problem with the Garmin elff. I have a portable Garmin and now the one in the 9960. I guess it must be what you are familiar with. The Garmins have always worked well here and the Garmin software is different on the 9960 from the 8120, quite a bit different.

If you check the forums for the Kenwood you will find a way to put 2011 Garmin maps on the unit instead of waiting for Kenwood to make them available.

[elff]

You should compare it with a Tom Tom and see what you are missing.
I'll check to find the work around for the 2010 maps.
Maybe it will suck less.
Another example is I couldn't find a restaurant in their POI database.  It has been in business for 5 years.
Once I got to the restaurant, while sitting in the parking lot, I attempted again
NOPE.
that's about the 7th time it's POI has failed.  I always have to put in an address.

[Critterman]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't a business have to pay to be a POI?

[elff]

Really?
That's insane

[LiquidPT]

That button is the one that you push to activate the voice recognition. I found that to be the best spot as my thumb falls easily on the button when my hand rests on the "oh shit" handle. I didn't want to put it somewhere where I'd be searching for it.

Some on the Kenwood forums have put the button on the floor where they hit it with their feet. I don't know how long the button would last...

Cool, that's where I have the "shut up" button for my radar detector.

[Sol Asylum]

Does Bosch know that you call her "radar detector"?

[elff]

I got one of the newer map files.  I need to get a large enough SD card to put it on and then I will see what changes they made.
At least I didn't waste more money this way

[Bosch]

Does Bosch know that you call her "radar detector"?

Actually he doesn't and if he did, he would learn first hand that I really don't find that people calling my car a mini hearse as a bad thing.. I just don't bother with the coffin..

[Critterman]

SMACK.

Score
Bosch 1
SA     0

[elff]

Got a 2gb SD card and put the new maps into the SD card slot.
It automatically picks them up. 
I didn't really notice a difference.  I'll have to check the POI's and other stuff.
It is still missing streets in my area which are over 10 years old that appear on the TOM TOM.
So far
Google Maps > Garmin [Google just doesn't do turn by turn spoken directions but definitely more accurate and better routing]
Tom Tom > Garmin

So my iPhone is by far a better navigation device than the Garmin

[smartin]

My Garmin is great. But Jeremy's (DrGolf's) TOM TOM takes him on some strange jaunts!

I guess it depends what one you have.

I know JustMike's took him to somebody's house when we got to Myrtle Beach and SKYJACK's took him to the bank.
I used mine to get us to the hotel.

[Sol Asylum]

SMACK.

Score
Bosch 1
SA     0

Looks like Bosch and I are playing golf, so far she's loosing!  GJ help me out, you used to work at a golf course how the hell do you score a 0 and not get accused of cheating?

[Gentleman Jack]

you have to be damn good looking.  Its the only way to get away with it.

GJ

[elff]

I can't wait for the following to hit the US
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/sonys-head-units-xplod-into-the-infotainment-scene-with-tomtom/
Once it does, I will have my Kenwood up for sale

[Sly Bob]

It's unfortunate that the DNX8120 that you own is so outdated. That unit that was released in 2008 is 2 generations behind the 9960 and has old Garmin firmware.

My wife loves the Garmin in the 9960 way more than the old suction cup Garmin that she uses in her car. The new Garmin is intuitive and is light years ahead of the old ones. To compare the nav on your DNX8120 to a new TomTom application on a smart seems like comparing an apple to an orange.

People are generally divided as to what navigation platform is best as it's what works better for them. It's kind of like asking what wax is best. 

[elff]

I really don't think the firmware in the new unit is that different than what I have and if it is, there is no excuse for there not being a firmware update. 
Just 2 more reasons why I think they suck.

[Sly Bob]

Don't know if the hardware is the same on the old units compared to the new units but no manufacturer of any devices releases the firmware for a newer unit to run on it's legacy hardware. They wouldn't sell hardware that way. Like it or not, in electronics of any sort, that's the American way.  

[elff]

I've already had a couple firmware updates in the nav and for the radio.
But I still highly doubt it's different.
It will be easy to prove.

[Critterman]

Let me be the first to bid:

$.99 - Installed.

[elff]

I would smash it on your supercharger for that price
 

[smartin]