In the world of automotive electronics, Pioneer products occupy a fairly prominent place. Every car enthusiast knows that radios, speakers, subwoofers and car radios from this company are good, high quality and multifunctional. The Pioneer AVH-X8500BT car radio is no exception. This multifunctional combine can not only play music. We will talk about its capabilities in this material. But a little later.
A little about the company
The Japanese company is well known among professional DJs and advanced motorists. Every driver knows that it is Pioneer that produces the highest quality and most affordable car electronics. The manufacturer offers head units (car radios) of varying degrees of complexity, high-quality speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, LCD panels and much more. In Russia and the CIS countries, Pioneer products enjoy well-deserved popularity. Top-end 2DIN radios like the Pioneer AVH X8500BT are in special demand.
At one time, the company was also engaged in the production of computer components, DVD drives and other peripherals. Also, it was Pioneers that took an active part in the development of CDs and everything related to household players. However, that is now in the past. The company decided completely focus on car audio. for cars from Pioneer boast a good price and excellent Japanese quality. The Pioneer AVH X8500BT car radio is no exception. Let's analyze it in more detail.
Contents of delivery
So, the Pioneer AVH X8500BT radio tape recorder is delivered in a cardboard box, on which it is artistically depicted. On the back of the box, specifications devices. The packaging style is typical for Pioneers: white and red palette. Inside there is the device itself, a removable panel in a separate case, a set of fixing screws and the necessary wires for connecting to the car's wiring. There is also an adapter for ISO, because you won’t be able to connect this miracle directly.
In the box, along with the radio, there is an instruction manual. It is completely in Russian and written in an accessible language. If you thoroughly study it, then there will be no problems with configuration and installation at all. In addition to the instructions, the box also contains a warranty card. The official product warranty is 12 months. Standard term for many devices. Pioneer AVH X8500BT is no exception. The instruction manual, by the way, has all the information necessary for correct installation, setup and operation of the product.
Appearance and design
Now let's move on to the appearance. The design is classic for the products of TM "Pioneer". They couldn't come up with anything new. But in the radio, the main thing is not beauty, but sound. The front panel is made of glossy plastic. Almost all the space is occupied by the LCD screen. Mechanical control elements are located under the screen. This arrangement of buttons raises serious concerns in terms of the comfort of using them while driving. If you need to insert a CD or USB flash drive, the front panel folds and "moves off" to the side. A very interesting solution. But over time, the mechanism wears out and huge backlashes appear.
Button illumination is implemented in exactly the same way as in other Pioneer models. The Pioneer AVH X8500BT is no exception. The firmware of this head unit offers the user a choice of about 200 backlight options. The most interesting thing is that the manufacturer is in no hurry to update the firmware. And this is not very happy with the owners of this car radio. But even without that head device sounds and looks good.
Specifications
Now let's move on to boring numbers. What can the Pioneer AVH X8500BT radio tape recorder offer to an advanced car enthusiast? Power MOSFET amplifier is 50 watts per channel. And there are 4 channels in total. A processor is installed in the radio to ensure speed. It also provides playback various formats audio and video. The DAC delivers great sound. But only in tandem with an adequate speaker system. Although many owners claim that regular speakers start to sound much better with this car radio.
Pioneer AVH X8500BT supports CDs and DVDs, USB flash drives and Mini SD. It is also possible to connect a smartphone or tablet. Playable formats include MP4, MP3, WAV, WMA. There is no lossless FLAC support. On the back of the radio there is the required number of inputs and outputs: 3 RCA (tulips) for connecting an acoustic system and a subwoofer, 2 additional RCAs that are used for video output, and connectors for connecting an additional amplifier. Although with such a power of a standard head unit, it is not needed.
Additional features of the radio
Thanks to advanced firmware and the presence of a processor, this car radio can be used not only for playing sound and video. The device has software for navigation. And the navigator works surprisingly well. It is also possible to use the radio as a parking sensor when connecting an additional rear camera. The radio tape recorder switches to the parking sensors mode instantly, one has only to turn on the reverse gear. This car radio also has the ability to use the steering wheel buttons as a remote control. remote control playback. But you need to buy an additional module.
Thanks to the built-in Bluetooth transmitter, it is possible to connect a smartphone or tablet on "Android" or iOS without using wires. Such a connection makes it possible to use the speakerphone in the car radio: receive calls through it and talk. But the quality of communication leaves much to be desired. The radio also has an FM tuner (where without it). However, without external antenna it works very badly. An antenna is required.
Positive feedback from owners
Now let's move on to the opinions of those who had the good fortune to purchase a Pioneer AVH X8500BT. Reviews about this head unit are mostly positive. Owners like almost everything - from the removable panel to the sound quality. Many note fast work interface operating system. If the machine is in motion, then the response time is very great importance. Sound quality really high level. This is exactly what those drivers who purchased this device say. Also, many were pleased that the panel is removable. You can safely leave your car on the street. The navigator works as it should. And the parking sensors do not fail. The vast majority of users are satisfied with the purchase. Although some admit that they chose this particular device solely because of the brand. There were many much more functional things on the counter from other manufacturers. But Pioneer is Pioneer.
Negative owner reviews
There are dissatisfied customers too. This is the fate of any product. The Pioneer AVH X8500BT car radio is no exception. Reviews of a negative nature are mainly associated with a poor-quality screen and a slow sensor. Also, many owners complain about fast wearing mechanism for folding the front panel of the device. But most of the complaints are about the device's warning that the image may be a mirror image. It appears in the parking sensors mode and makes it difficult to see some elements. It is impossible to get rid of it. That's why it's so annoying. Among the minuses, many include the fact that the radio tape recorder cannot play such popular formats as FLAC and MKV. Yes, this is the lot of top head units, but this miracle came out in 2013, when such formats were not in use. But complaining about the fact that over time the panel does not completely “hang up” in its rightful place (mechanism wear) is already serious. As a result, artifacts appear in the image. And on a particularly bumpy road, the radio tape recorder refuses to work at all. And yet, Pioneer has much more pluses than minuses.
Conclusion
The head unit of the premium segment Pioneer AVH X8500BT has just been reviewed. This is a very worthy 2DIN standard car radio, which may well replace a GPS navigator, parking sensors, speakerphone and much more. At the same time, the device can easily play audio and video files and has excellent sound. What else is needed for happiness?
The Pioneer AVH car radio with DVD and monitor is a special offer on the car accessories market, which differs not only in its concept, but also in its implementation technology.
Perhaps in the future digital media systems will be implemented in a similar way. Now we can talk about what those wishing to acquire head unit and digital panel can try one of the Pioneer AVH models with DVD.
At first glance, two things can be noted:
- Firstly, there is no need to adapt the regular place for a multimedia model with a touch screen, which is twice as high;
- Secondly, you have a full-fledged digital panel in your car, albeit a small one.
Car enthusiasts familiar with digital technology can already list the expected characteristics, below we have reviewed what a user can really expect when buying a model from the Pioneer AVH line. On sale you can find 160DVD, 180G, 1400DVD, X1500DVD, X1800DVD and models with a 7-inch motorized screen 3500DVD.
Technical capabilities of the series
The first question about the cost of a car multimedia system with a monitor immediately raises a whole series of clarifications about certain technical capabilities. In practice, the proposed models have the following features.
Main functions on the example of 3500DVD
The multimedia radio has the following features and functions (for example, 3500DVD):
- digital tuner: FM+MV;
- 1 DIN;
- audio: MP3+WMI+AAC;
- video: MPEG4, DIVX, AVI, xVid;
- plays video from DVD;
- touch motorized display;
- monitor diagonal 7 inches (quality can be seen in the photo).
At first glance, this is just a multimedia system, but it is different great features. For motorists who want to get good sound and video in the car, this budget version will be to your liking.
An additional bonus will be its options and characteristics:
- Three pairs of RCA inputs allow you to connect an amplifier and a subwoofer to get great sound in the cabin;
- There is an output for the rear view camera;
- The motorized drive makes the screen slide out perfect and, importantly, reliable (watch the video);
- The radio tape recorder reads information from all media.
According to reviews, the quality of Pioneer in this series is very well guessed. In addition to simple installation without accessories and reassembly in the cabin, even in the absence of an amplifier, you can get great sound and enjoy the video in your spare time.
Of course, multimedia functions without access to the Internet cannot be considered complete, but this product is designed for its buyer. He apparently likes to use the touch screen, but does not believe that he needs the Internet in the car, navigation combined with an audio system, and video telephony. This approach cannot be considered wrong - many people drive freely without navigators. For this reason, it makes no sense to overpay for unused functions. The cost of such an auto device is only about $300, the cost of devices in the line does not exceed $200 on average. And this is a very worthy budget purchase with excellent sound quality.
Pioneer AVH series models and features
The release of a series of car radios implies that it has models designed for different users and requirements. The line also includes 2 din devices, which, as expected, have wider multimedia capabilities.
The series includes the following models:
- The Pioneer AVH 160DVD radio tape recorder provides excellent sound quality, there is an MP3-nis that restores the quality of a simple audio file with a bit rate to the sound level of a CD, a monitor that does not glare in the sun, and a bright, pleasant backlight. 160DVD is a great media station for the money;
- The Pioneer AVH 180G radio tape recorder is designed for the declared parameters of the series, only for a different size. The size of the built-in display (non-motorized) is 6.2 inches. 180G is a Pioneer 2 din AVH radio tape recorder, especially for those users whose regular size corresponds to 2 din;
- 1400DVD - also designed for two-din size and has a built-in display. Otherwise, the 1400DVD meets the main parameters of the series, such as high-quality sound, all-disc readability, sound restoration, clear colors on the display (5.8'') and its good responsiveness. Can be controlled with a remote control (not included). The pluses of the model include direct subwoofer control (when connected);
- X1500DVD - has advanced features, supports connection mobile devices Apple's professional set of video and audio formats allows you to view both high and low quality videos. For low quality video tracks, a recovery procedure is applied. An external tuner can be connected, X1500DVD supports ID3 tag processing and more, including satellite navigation (with AVIC-F220 module);
- X1800DVD - 6.2-inch display, two-din model that can work with the original navigation module, supporting modern multimedia functions when connected via a smartphone;
- The Pioneer AVH 3500DVD radio tape recorder - the options of this model are discussed above, despite the fact that this is the older model by the abbreviation of its capabilities, on the one hand, it is more modest, but it is designed for its buyer and guarantees excellent sound in the cabin and a full-fledged digital panel on the single-din size of the car radio .
As you can see, the series offers model options for all occasions, network connection via mobile device can be called fully justified, since it is there that all the necessary files are located. Accordingly, "cloud" synchronization, which is known to be unsafe for personal data, can be avoided.
Connection instructions
A feature of this series from Pioneer is the utmost ease of installation. The car owner needs to choose a model that matches the connector and needs. From the above description of the products, it is clear in which cases one or another choice is appropriate.
Just in case, you can check the pinout, but this is not necessary - everything fits perfectly to the standard connectors:
- Remove the locking front panel from the latch;
- Insert a device selected from the line onto the sled;
- Connect the connectors to the connected equipment;
- Fix the device;
- Snap on the front panel.
All devices have an intuitive clear interface which will take no more than 30 minutes to get acquainted with.
Key Benefits
All of these devices have Pioneer's characteristic bright and rich sound, which will be especially appreciated by lovers of quality music.
Sound quality, excellent display, ease of installation, budget price - these are the key features of this series.
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Pioneer car radio prices
The Pioneer brand is an international concern that specializes in creating high-quality audio equipment. Pioneer branded car radios have a stylish design and play content from any device, be it a USB drive, smartphone, tablet or laptop. In addition, the Pioneer radio can be integrated with the car's control and security system. The player can be used as a navigator (if the model has an appropriate monitor), connected to parking sensors, CCTV cameras, speakers, subwoofer.
How to choose a good Pioneer car radio at an affordable price
Pay attention to the dimensions of the compartment in which you plan to embed the player. Different models of transport are equipped with different seats for the radio. Among car radios manufactured by Pioneer in Moscow and other large cities of Russia, models in the 2DIN form factor are popular - such devices are more modern and functional. In addition, there are models 1DIN and 0.5DIN. How smaller size car radio Pioneer, the already its functionality. Although there are devices with a compact body (on 0.5DIN), which is equipped with a retractable 7-inch screen, a special compartment is built into the player with a height of 25 mm, where the display is stored. Such a Pioneer car radio has a corresponding price, belonging to the highest range.
What to look for when choosing
The catalog contains a large number of models with different hardware resources. The car radio is equipped with a CD / DVD-changer, cassette recorder, push-button FM-receiver, monitor, additional amplifier for harmonious sound.
If you are inclined to save free space in your car, then it is better to buy a Pioneer car radio with the maximum possible filling. Such a player can be adapted for a navigator, registrar, multimedia station for watching videos and for a powerful acoustic system. One player can contain several devices, which individually take up a lot of space in the cabin. Such Pioneer devices already belong to the high price range.
The Pioneer AVH-3500DVD has one of the best bass responses we've tested, according to the professional sound engineers who participated in our tests. Indeed, the lower range sounds dense and collected, it gives the full sound picture the proper volume and dynamics.
Look at the chart below: here is frequency response test signal passed through audio path automangitola superimposed on the reference characteristic of the same signal.
Even on the graph, you can see that the high bass component is quite pronounced. The mids are also quite saturated, which gives a sense of the presence of a sound picture: instruments and vocals sound very good. What can not be said about the upper component of the spectrum. Our experts believe that they spoil the overall listening experience: if it were not for the presence of "dirt" in the upper range, then the radio tape recorder would deserve one of the highest ratings among all the devices we tested.
Ergonomics - 3.9
The Pioneer AVH-3500DVD car radio is made in a standard size of 1 DIN (178 × 50 mm).
This device has big screen, which is folded inside the case using a special mechanism.
The stylish front panel of the car radio with the screen folded inward is made of glossy plastic with ergonomically illuminated controls.
If you look at the photo, you will see how the radio will look like if you push its screen forward.
The front panel cannot be removed from the main unit of the car radio. Since the device is controlled mainly on the touch screen, there are not many buttons on the front panel: there is a disc eject button and a screen eject button, a Source switch, a Wide button with which you can change the screen mode or turn it off, rewind buttons and a rotary encoder for volume control. Also on the front panel are two ports: USB and AUX-IN. It is worth noting that the buttons have a soft, pleasant move, only the encoder seemed inconvenient to us: like all the buttons we tested radio Pioneer, it's slippery.
The Pioneer AVH-3500DVD retractable screen has one feature - it has an adjustable tilt angle, which is configured through the settings menu. By the way, you can also adjust the degree of extension of the screen from the front panel itself.
There are separate options for playback control and media navigation on the touch screen. True, in our opinion, switching and rewinding tracks on the Pioneer AVH-3500DVD is slower than on other tested devices: there is a noticeable delay.
The touch screen makes navigation much easier. Firstly, because you have the opportunity to see the contents of folders on the storage device, and secondly, files and folders are displayed in as many as 6 lines! Entering the media directory view mode using the option with the magnifying glass icon, you can easily find the file you need: the car radio groups the contents by their type: music, images and videos.
Equalization of the music you listen to is carried out in the device settings menu. The equalizer will give you a choice of 6 presets, one of which involves manual setting 4 frequency ranges of the audible spectrum.
To tune the radio, you need to use the track rewind buttons - this way you will find the required frequency in automatic mode. To activate manual mode search, you need to hold them for 1-2 seconds. You can also search required frequency using the keys on the touch screen. As with all tested devices, the rear panel of the Pioneer AVH-3500DVD car radio has an antenna output. It is also equipped with a standard ISO connector and RCA connectors for acoustics, as well as an input for a TV tuner.
Screen - 4.3
What sets the Pioneer AVH-3500DVD apart from others we've tested is the 7-inch touch screen. True, the color reproduction of this display, in our opinion, is unnatural, and the brightness is a bit lacking. In addition, when viewing photos and videos, and even when browsing the menu, pixelation is noticeable.
Separately, we want to highlight the display sensor: it is resistive, that is, to activate the function, you need to press on it.