DNX9140 or AVIC-Z110BT

[bper]

I own a DNX-7100 and was looking to upgrade to the DNX-9140, but the Z110BT has struck my curiosity. From what I've been reading/researching, I like what I see, but I have a couple questions regarding this unit:

 

-From all the youtube vids I've searched, I can hear the person (Anna?) talking text-to-voice during Navigation and whenever that speech button is pressed (like for making calls, changing sources, etc). I've looked thru the Z110Bt manual, but couldn't find if there's a setting, but can she be silenced? If you silence her, can the Nav still call out general terms (like turn here, turn there, w/o text-to-voice street names and such)?

 

-I seen on vids and read on some threads that when you start the unit, a black warning screen comes up and you have to push the OK button to continue. But does this screen only come up if you had the Nav screen on before shutdown? Like if you had the FM screen, DVD screen or iPod screen on before shutdown, would that black warning screen still show upon startup?

 

-One annoying thing w/my 7100 (heard also w/the 9140) is that if I'm playing a video on my iPod then shut the car off, when I restart the car, the iPod does not resume the video upon startup. You have to go into the iPod Video menu, then select the video and then it'll play where it left off. They had addressed a firmware update previously which only resumed it once it was reselected in the iPod Video Menu (before, you literally had to fast-fwd it to the spot it was last at). So w/the Z110BT, if you are playing a iPod video and shutdown the car, does the video automatically startup and resume from where it was left off at restart?

 

-On my 7100, I can name my FM/AM stations. So like instead of the station reading 96.3, I can rename it to lets say "KRock FM 96.3" or something like that. Does the Z110BT support that?

 

Thanks.

[VBLUE42]

I've looked thru the Z110Bt manual, but couldn't find if there's a setting, but can she be silenced? If you silence her, can the Nav still call out general terms (like turn here, turn there, w/o text-to-voice street names and such)?

 

When you hit the voice activation button, you can quickly hit it again to silence the response. But there is not setting to silence the response to the voice activation button. There are settings to adjust or silence the navi voce instructions.

 

-I seen on vids and read on some threads that when you start the unit, a black warning screen comes up and you have to push the OK button to continue. But does this screen only come up if you had the Nav screen on before shutdown? Like if you had the FM screen, DVD screen or iPod screen on before shutdown, would that black warning screen still show upon startup?

 

It only comes up if you were last on the navi screen. However, voice activation will not work if the OK button from the caution screen is not pressed first.

 

-One annoying thing w/my 7100 (heard also w/the 9140) is that if I'm playing a video on my iPod then shut the car off, when I restart the car, the iPod does not resume the video upon startup. You have to go into the iPod Video menu, then select the video and then it'll play where it left off.

 

Same problem here unfortunately. It will start where it left off but it has to be reselected.

 

-On my 7100, I can name my FM/AM stations. So like instead of the station reading 96.3, I can rename it to lets say "KRock FM 96.3" or something like that. Does the Z110BT support that?

 

No.

[bper]

I know you can add a boot-up wallpaper, but what about wallpaper for the screens after boot-up (similar to the kenwoods), can those be uploaded? Also, can this unit display pictures (jpg, bmp), like a slideshow?

 

I may pull the trigger on this one, I just found a site (authorized) which I can get the unit for $1050, MSN Direct module for $75 and iPod cable for $35.

[james2266]

And which site would this be? I am still undecided on Kenwood/Pioneer but I'm interested in a good deal nonetheless.

[bper]

6Ave....name yo price !! They accepted my offer. So which one are you tilting towards?

[james2266]

To be honest, at this moment the Kenwood 9140. I just feel there is so much more audio control and i think more power will fix my bass situation. The big factor here is that I already have a PAC SWI Jack too and the installation should be alot easier as the bluetooth mic from my 814 is probably the same so no need to rewire that either. In the end, I am going to need to look at that Z110BT a little more. It doesn't really matter until I find a buyer for this DDX814 first tho. I refuse to shell out another $1500 or so for another unit and have this current one collecting dust on my shelf beside my two other Pioneer CD players and 2 now unused amplifiers. I already have enough stuff to do another car! I should try selling some of this stuff I guess but I hate trying to do EBay or other services. My only experience selling on EBay was not a good one (bought lots of things tho mostly with good experience) and they cost you money even if the item doesn't sell if I am correct. I am going to have to reocup some losses before I do anything likely.

[CamelTowing]

What does "more power will fix my bass situation" mean? You're not running subs off the head unit are you?

[bper]

To be honest, at this moment the Kenwood 9140. I just feel there is so much more audio control

 

Yeah, I'm thinking that too. But what do you think about the iPod control? And hands free? I read that you can't just say "call Jane" on the 9140 and have to dig thru menus. I also saw a youtube vid of the iPod lag, not sure if that new firmware fixed that. From using my 7100 and knowing the 9140 UI is similar, I think the z110Bt beats it in that area. But I think the 9140 is packed w/more features though. I have 7days for that price at 6Ave, so I'll have to decide by then......

[Scott8659]

That is correct. On the Kenwood you need to navigate the menus even with voice control. That, the UI lag, slow iPod response, and iPod controls that were lacking is why I went with the Pioneer. I've only had it installed for a week but it is so easy to navigate and use I'm glad I chose it over the Kenwood even though it cost me an extra $450.

[james2266]

The Pioneer cost you $450 more than the Kenwood?!?! I thought the retail on the 9140 was like $2k or better and the Pioneer was around $1600. I know that there are a lot more deals to be found on the 9140 now than the new Z110BT tho. All of my research is looking like they are about the same cost actually now. I also think that if I give the Pioneer a few months that its price will follow suit and start being discounted too. You are right on the Bluetooth, there are a few menus to navigate through to call someone from the unit - even using voice control. The voice control on the kenwood will only recognize words on the current screen so you can't just say 'call Jane mobile' from any screen like you can on the Pioneer. I did say I like the voice recognition better on the Pioneer and no question the IPod control is better on the Pioneer too. For me the Bluetooth is a non-issue as I hardly ever even have my cell on and when I do I never call out from the car (or very seldomly). The IPod is a big reason I am still a little undecided. I find myself using that ALOT. The really weird thing is I have the exact same files on a USB thumb drive and there is virtually no delay with loading album art. This tells me it might be the new ipod cable and I told my dealer rep adn he is going to pass that along to one of the reps for Kenwood Canada. One thing I have found with Kenwood is that they do try to make their stuff better via firmware updates a little better than Pioneer I find.

 

As for me needing more power, I mean a more powerful sub amp with a built in eq - bass boost preferably. No I am not using deck power to power a sub. I am powering everything with a PDX-5 and with this unit I am finding it is lacking in the sub channel unless I have the Dolby setting on. I also have a 2nd Boston 10inch G2 coming so I will need more power if I decide to use it (I bought it for the box initially). I am going to try a little experiment whenever I get some time... I am going to take out my 814 and hook up my 880PRS to the system and see what the sub channel is doing. I would think the sub preout on this unit (without running all the eq and DTA stuff) would be similar to the new Z110BT. It will be something interesting to see nonethless as I never had the PDX-5 powered up with the 880PRS before. I was using two amps - an Alpine MRP series that puts out 100rms at 2 ohm and a Phoenix Gold mono block that was putting out 400 watts into 2 ohms. I had a little more on the sub channel before but I had the gain turned almost off on that unit so as to protect the sub that is only rated at 300rms.

[CamelTowing]

The 880PRS is a much better sounding deck than either of the two nav systems, but when just considering the sub channel, you should be able to adjust the gains on your amp to get them to sound the same. If you have an oscilloscope, it would definitely be helpful to get that gain perfect. Or maybe a local shop has one you could borrow?

[james2266]

You are not the first to tell me that. I was really hoping this Kenwood 814 would be equivalent with the 13 band eq and DTA. My installer actually says the 800 series PRS is the best deck he's ever heard! I just wish some manufacturer would put that technology into a DVD deck (doesn't even have to be a nav system either IMO although it would be nice) with the Ipod functionality and Bluetooth that the Z110BT has. Some year they might get with the program.

[KIDD]

Just my opinion. I owned the DNX-9140 for a month and had it installed in my car and i was not impressed or happy at all with the unit. so i went ahead and sold it and now have the Z110 and the sound quality is alot better and it fits alot better in my dash.

[james2266]

Good to hear. I am still hoping to compare these two units head to head hooked up to the same equipment and soon. I hope I can do that this weekend or maybe even tomorrow. I will report on my findings after I do that.

[RallyJon]

Reading all the gripes on the 9140 forum convinced me to buy the Z110. Now I get to experience all the shortcomings of the Z myself.

 

It is beyond belief that these two frighteningly expensive flagship models, incorporating the best that two major CE companies engineers can come up with, are still so completely flawed.