headless audio system

I've been mucking around with some midline gear in bro-truck for a long time, but have never been happy with the head unit options. When my eclipse 7100 had display and button issues I swapped to a pioneer 80prs instead of repairing it. The pioneer had the same specs and was less than half the price. Too good to be true. It has some nice improvements, but I'm not really a fan of it.

My usage has changed and now I really only listen to music through my phone. I clung to CDs and ripped files for as long as I could, but it's cheaper and easier to no longer use discs or maintain a digital library. I'm in the apple music circle jerk, so source quality is questionable

I want to go headless by adding a DSP that can use a phone as the source. Helix DSP.2 is at the top of my list. The blue tooth module is appealing, mostly because their USB card will not charge the device. I've seen others create a custom remote volume knob using a potentiometers like the helix remote. Plan is to add a phone cradle in my dash's double din opening and a simple volume knob next to it to control the DSP. Track skip via onscreen buttons.

Dash appearance should be kind of like the sony rsx-gs9. A simple aluminum knob is all I need. I have the means to machine one. I'd buy the Sony, bit it's lacking the crossover controls I need for 2 way active plus sub. Adding a DSP downstream feels wasteful given the combined price.

Anybody running headless? Looking for a simple, clean single source solution. Bro-truck isn't a DD, so no need to go crazy. Car PCs are too complex, truck tablet is usually left off until it gets to dirt. A get-in-and-listen use is best. No start up or connecting.

Current gear:
Pioneer 80prs running active
Dynaudio MD102 tweeters
Dynaudio mw160 mids
JL stealthbox with included 10w3?
Zedd audio deuce amp, mids
Zuki elects amp, tweets and sub

 

Have you considered a Director? Or URC? I think you can switch sources from both as well as programmable dials