Anyone have experience with Kenwood Excelon DMX906S yet?

Looking at this unit to replace Entune and get CarPlay - don't need nav (going to use phone) or DVD - so this seems like the best unit to get me where I want with options to deliver better audio when I upgrade speakers too.

Anyone with experience would be great to hear from you.


Brian
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2017 Inferno Off-Road

 

I am interested in this as well. Over the past few weeks I have went from The Kenwood Excelon DDX9906XR for 899, to last week I think crutchfield got the Kenwood DDX8706S for 699, and then a few days ago I seen the one you are mentioning. From what I see on the specs it doesn't have the dvd player or navigation. I think it is also a bit bigger screen maybe, 6.95 vs a 6.75? Everything else looks the same spec wise. Unless I missed something. I don't need the DVD player or navigation either. Stream videos from your phone? Not sure that is possible but as a media center it seems like it should be possible. I am looking forward to some of the added info it will provide that I can normally only see with a ODBII scanner.

 

Yes I talked with Crutchfield - this new gen of Kenwood gets wireless CarPlay - and this one does have slightly bigger screen as the face doesn't have to open for CD or DVD - while navigation sounds nice in concept I rely on Waze and Google Maps and will continue to do so and therefore won't be paying for those features which add quite a bit of cost. Likely going to add the Kenwood Dashcam and a front facing cam in the grille too. Still don't fully understand what I'll be losing in terms of features which is my biggest concern should I overlook something I really need.

 

Same here. I am thinking of doing a switch and running a line for a front cam and one somewhere on the rear I can mount when I tow something. To be able to switch between the two. Then be able to do the rear camera as normal. Maybe do the dash cam, haven't decided on that.
I also use google maps and I think with carplay it works much like probably better than regular navigation. I am not sure how this unit works but I have a friend with a chevy silverado that shows the multiple views with phone intergration like 2d view, earth view and maybe 1st person view? I thought the google earth view was the coolest. That is all kind of trivial but I do wonder how this unit works. I haven't had much luck finding any of these in any local places where I can touch and play.
I would guess you are probably going to use the maestro box in conjunction with the kenwood unit?

 

yes - planning on Maestro. curious too - looks like you lose the navigation display on the dash with this unit - would a unit with Nav keep that functionality - that might pull me up to the next unit with nav.

 

I don't see how that could be, being the point of carplay is to integrate your phone to the car head unit. Especially with phone mirroring. You have my curiousity perked. Some of the reason for wanting one of these is to be able to see the map on the unit and not have to look at the phone. I don't use navigation much but when I do that ability would be nice.

 

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/dmx905s/

If you scroll down on the last model in the link I provided, you should see that part of the page where carplay and android auto are talked about. In these photos it shows navigation which I believe is completely controlled by your phone.

I find it odd Kenwood doesn't have the latest models on their own website before launch, much less after launch of a new product. Unless I just couldn't find it but google couldn't find it either.

EDIT:
If you go to the newest excelon product listed
https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/ddx9906xr/

look under the carplay on this one and it shows compatable with google maps and waze so I think your worries are null. Part of carplay is that navigation feature. The unit just displays from the phone from my best understanding.

 

sorry - to clarify - in my 3rd gen there is a screen between the tach and speedo that shows info - with OEM it will show speed and direction and turn by turn - with other installs I have seen this screen now stays blank all the time. Wondering if there is any way to maintain the original features in any way. I have used Waze a lot in rental cars with CarPlay - love it and yes it works as you describe - it's the main reason I want to swap out the entune.

 

Well I went with the 9906XR as it has a higher resolution screen and I didn't opt to pay the extra $500 to get Garmin GPS given I never would use that with CarPlay as an option. Few lessons learned:
1. Flashing the Maestro - when I tried to just turn off radar detector option and progressed along I discovered that it was turning off other options including factory amp. So I left settings to all on and then it flashed properly
2. I could not get the GPS adapter to work so I just stuffed the GPS antenna into the dash
3. ran the provided mic up to top of my windshield - would have preferred to keep OEM but overall this looks good and I like the fact that it is pointed directly at me - will see if others notice any improvement.
3. Overall given I had Crutchfield do the harness wiring it was basically very plug and play once I got the maestro flashed properly

A couple of picture below.

 

were you able to keep the navi in the screen between the speedo and tach?

 

I went with a 9906xr - which gave me a higher quality display but no navigation - so I don’t know - wasn’t worth $500 extra for a Garmin system I wouldn’t use. All other screens and features work perfectly.

 

Is that the Metra dash kit or the American International?

 

Not sure - whatever came with the Crutchfield kit - I can look it up of you need to know

 

Based on what Crutchfield puts in the cart if you add a radio kit (at least, at the moment), it's the American International. I ordered the Metra kit a few days ago and it should be here soon. Hoping the edges around the radio are sharp and flat, not rounded like the AI adapter.

 

Would love to see your ls once installed - might switch if it looks sharper.

 

Sure, I'll take some pics once they arrive. I also ordered the Scosche kit to compare. I'll keep the winner and return the other.

 

From just the test fitting the Scosche kit looks like a winner to me.

 

nice!

 

I was looking at this Kenwood but also Pioneer...loved their head units when I was younger