10 best car radios for sound quality

Driving can be fun and exciting, but more often than not it is monotonous and boring. This is especially true for traveling alone. And when choosing a radio for a car, the driver first of all seeks to entertain himself on the road. It is not surprising that motorists want to purchase a high-quality and functional device that will ideally cope with the tasks assigned to it. However, not every driver is ready to spend a lot of time looking for the best option for their needs and financial capabilities. And if you belong to this category of consumers, then it's okay, because we have done everything for you, having compiled a large review of the best car radios.

Which car radio is better to choose

Perhaps it is difficult to find another niche where so few manufacturers are represented. If we talk about market leaders, then almost every driver can name only 2-3 brands. Our rating includes 5 well-known manufacturers of car radios:

1. Pioneer. A company that needs no additional introduction. Its history began over 80 years ago, and the Russian consumer has known Pioneer since the mid-90s.
2. KENWOOD. A brand known to both domestic and world motorists. The KENWOOD brand is only 8 years younger than its main competitor, but its scope is somewhat broader.
3. JVC. One of the oldest manufacturers that has established itself well in the acoustics market. There are excellent radio tape recorders in its assortment.
4. Sony. This company started out with the production of radios, but over time its field of activity has changed. Now Sonya even has a department responsible for the production of films. But the company has not forgotten about audio equipment, including car radios.
5. Alpine. Expensive and rich. Perhaps this is what should be said about this brand. The fifth place on the list for Alpine is just a formality, because its technology can definitely leave most of the competitors behind.

TOP 10 best car radios

An interesting fact - all the companies presented in the review are created in Japan. And who, if not the Japanese, are the best at fine sound and technology? This means that in terms of sound quality, all car radios presented in the rating can pleasantly surprise you. There are also no complaints about the assembly and reliability, which is a very rare occurrence. At the same time, the cost of the models we have chosen is very diverse, which will allow finding the ideal option for both drivers with 3-5 thousand, and motorists who are ready to spend more than 7 thousand on the purchase of a radio tape recorder.

The best 1DIN size car radios

The key characteristic of any radio is its size. It comes in two types and is defined by the German DIN standard. The width and height of the first variety (1DIN) are 178 and 50 mm, respectively. Today this is the most popular solution, but gradually such devices are being replaced by more advanced options. If your car requires a radio tape recorder of exactly 1DIN size, then choose the appropriate option among the models presented below, which are the best in their class.

1. Sony DSX-A212UI

Impressive functionality isn't important to everyone, but the affordable cost will appeal to many motorists. If you belong to this category of consumers, then the budget Sony DSX-A212UI radio tape recorder is the ideal choice for your requirements. The power of its amplifier is designed for 4 otters of 22/50 W.The device supports FLAC, WMA and MP3, and has 18 and 6 presets for FM and AM, respectively.

If you like rich lows, then just press the EXTRA BASS button to fill the cabin with rich bass. You can also individually adjust the sound with a 10-band equalizer. Users can connect both flash drives and mobile devices to the built-in USB port. Moreover, support for Android Open Accessory 2.0 allows you to directly play music from your smartphone.

If we consider the DSX-A212UI within its price category, then we can say that we have the best car radio in terms of sound quality. Indeed, to find an equally interesting solution with a price tag in not just difficult, but impossible. And if you are not a demanding user, but want to save money, then the device from the Japanese brand Sony is exactly what you should buy.

Advantages:

• attractive cost;
• peak power 4 x 55 W;
• adjustable backlight;
• clear sound;
• amazing sound;
• customizable steering wheel control
• 10-band equalizer.

Disadvantages:

• inconvenient location of buttons for switching tracks;
• slightly confusing settings.

2. KENWOOD KMM-304Y

Want to get great sound at an affordable price? In this case, it is better to buy an inexpensive radio tape recorder from KENWOOD. The KMM-304Y has a rated power of 30 W (for each of the 4 channels) and a peak power of 50 W. There is support for iPhone / iPod and RDS. If necessary, you can organize control of the car radio through the joystick on the steering wheel. Traditionally, for modern devices in KMM-304Y, backlighting of the screen and controls in any color of the user's choice is available. For safety in the radio, the front panel is removable.

Advantages:

• 11 presets of an equalizer;
• switching between mono / stereo;
• multi-color backlight with the ability to adjust;
• attractive appearance;
• supports Hi-Res Audio;
• great sound;
• combination of price and features;
• flexible adjustment through the equalizer.

Disadvantages:

• plastic gets dirty very easily.

3. Pioneer DEH-S5000BT

Continues the rating of Pioneer DEH-S5000BT car receivers. This device has an attractive appearance, excellent sound quality and a very good price for the declared characteristics. ... The maximum power of the device is 4 x 50 W. The DEH-S5000BT has a monochrome display with customizable backlighting and easy operation.

The device is equipped with a circuit based on MOSFET transistors, which results in smoother and more efficient amplification.

You can play tracks on your Pioneer car radio using AUX, USB or CD. The latter option is less and less common in new devices, so it's nice that it is present here. The DEH-S5000BT also has a radio.

What we liked:

• voice control (via Siri);
• support for Android and iOS;
• excellent functionality;
• reliability and practicality;
• optimization of the audio stream;
• three pairs of RCA for acoustics;
• Bluetooth microphone for karaoke;
• playing CDs.

4. JVC KD-X355

JVC's 1 DIN line of car radios for 2018 offered many interesting products to motorists, including the KD-X355 model. What can this acoustics offer at a cost of about ? Of course, several colors for the built-in backlight, DAC (24 bit, 96 kHz), support for all popular formats, as well as Apple devices, a 13-band equalizer and flexible adjustment of all parameters necessary for the user.

Advantages:

• you can change the color of the backlight;
• compactness (only 100 mm long);
• charging the phone when connected;
• excellent audio processor;
• a wide variety of settings;
• the sound is quite good for the price.

Disadvantages:

• can be difficult to connect smartphones.

5. Pioneer SPH-10BT

The first place is occupied by another Pioneer car radio. The SPH-10BT model is a very worthy purchase option that will definitely not disappoint buyers.You can adjust the sound settings for the model under review using a tablet or smartphone with Smart Sync installed.

The SPH-10BT radio tape recorder supports voice commands, providing the most convenient control and quick access to key features.

By the way, the phone can be fixed here on a special holder. As a result, this not only makes it easier to manage, but also allows you to display video on it and use other options. The Pioneer radio is compatible with parking sensors, so the distance to an obstacle can be displayed on the display of your mobile device.

Advantages:

• smartphone mount;
• thoughtful management;
• ease of customization;
• price-quality ratio;
• amazing sound;
• voice commands;
• focused on the modern user.

The best car radios in 2DIN size

2DIN size differs from the first type only in height. Here it is exactly twice as large (100 mm). Of course, with the help of adapter frames, the driver can install more compact radio tape recorders in the car. But a larger size also means more possibilities, so you should not give up the choice of 2DIN car radios, if they can be installed in your vehicle. Among the main advantages of these solutions are the increased screen size and more convenient control. For the second category, we also chose 5 representatives, and their manufacturers are almost the same (Sony was replaced by the Alpine brand).

1. JVC KW-X830BT

If the stock car radio does not suit you, and you want to purchase something more advanced in features and sound at an affordable price, then take a look at the KW-X830BT model. JVC has thought out its device as much as possible, making it both functional and stylish. Amazingly, the manufacturer managed to combine rigor and elegance in one device. Several angular features, customizable backlighting, convenient control panel - all this characterizes the KW-X830BT perfectly.

Of course, the advantages of the car radio do not end there. To control the radio via Bluetooth, the manufacturer has provided a convenient proprietary application that can be downloaded from the AppStore and Play Market for iOS and Android, respectively. There is also a control panel here, which is also nice to see with the price tag in ... The display in one of the best car radios is monochrome. To display information about the track, there are two fields of 13 and 8 characters, each of which is divided into 16 segments. Also, the screen can display other information like the time or today's date.

Advantages:

• great sound;
• flexible audio settings;
• convenient control both through a smartphone and without it;
• hands-free function;
• FLAC up to 24 bit / 96 kHz;
• attractive design.

Disadvantages:

• the complexity of the settings;
• does not read drives with a capacity of 32 GB.

2. Pioneer MVH-S610BT

The next line is occupied by one of the newest models from Pioneer. If you do not want to bother with the choice of a car radio, then give preference to the MVH-S610BT and enjoy an advanced device for a reasonable price.
As for the cost, it starts from ... For this amount, the buyer will receive a stylish car receiver with a 12-character screen, a hands-free function, the ability to work with devices based on iOS and Android, over 210 thousand colors for customizable lighting, and a 4 x 50 W amplifier. There is also a karaoke function, the ability to control a joystick on the steering wheel and Spotify support (free and premium accounts).

Advantages:

• excellent build;
• three RCA outputs;
• functionality at a high level;
• low cost;
• high-speed performance;
• high sound quality.

3. Alpine CDE-W296BT

Alpine's car radio is the most expensive in the ranking, which is why it only took third place. But if we talk about the sound quality, then the CDE-W296BT has almost no competitors.Flexible sound settings, the ability to control music via a joystick on the steering wheel, a wide range of illumination options for the controls and the ability to synchronize with a smartphone via Bluetooth are some of the key advantages of the reviewed model. The downside of a 2 DIN car radio is the inability to work with Russian tags.

The CDE-W296BT is the only device in this category that can play music from CDs. If you have a large collection of CDs that is a shame to throw away, then this is the feature of the Alpine model for sure.

Advantages:

• high-quality DAC;
• thoughtful equalizer;
• control from a smartphone;
• wonderful design;
• ease of management;
• fast search for radio stations.

Disadvantages:

• impressive cost;
• high percentage of rejects.

4. KENWOOD DPX-M3100BT

When it came to what an excellent radio tape recorder in combination with price and quality is worthy of taking second place, we no doubt chose the DXP-M3100BT. This beautiful and reliable device can be yours in just ... Isn't there a reason to run to the store? If you need more information, then the monitored car radio boasts a bright matrix-character display, perfectly readable even in bright sunlight.

There is also a USB port and AUS, hidden in the lower right corner behind a hinged shutter. The Bluetooth module built into the car radio allows you to simultaneously connect a pair of devices to the 2DIN receiver in hands-free mode. If we are talking about the mode of listening to music, then their number increases to five pieces. The manufacturer used Space Enhancement (virtual increase in sound space) and Sound Realizer (for compressed files) as sound enhancement tools.

Advantages:

• informative display;
• price tags are lower than competitors;
• reads all major formats;
• well-developed controls;
• several ways to output audio;
• good functionality;
• excellent audio processor;
• sound improvement technologies.

Disadvantages:

• unfinished iOS app.

5. Pioneer FH-X730BT

With the first place, we decided not to suffer, and just chose a 2DIN size Bluetooth car radio, which car owners like the most. We have to admit that the FH-X730BT has not only surpassed most of the competitors, but has also become one of the most interesting devices within the Pioneer brand. Clear sound, convenient controls, a well-thought-out equalizer for 13 bands - all this is a significant plus of the reviewed model.

The FH-X730BT allows you to play music of almost any format via USB, AUX, as well as Bluetooth.

As expected of modern car audio systems, the popular car radio model supports Apple technology. At the same time, playback can be controlled not only through the panel, but also through any modern smartphone. The FH-X730BT also has a hands-free option, and the CD-receiver itself can recognize all popular formats, including FLAC.

Advantages:

• functionality;
• simplicity and variability of settings;
• control via telephone and steering wheel joystick;
• excellent value for money;
• perfect combination of price and sound quality;
• sound at the level of more expensive analogs.

Disadvantages:

• sometimes freezes when reading flash drives;
• the front panel is easily scratched.

Which car radio is better to buy

The presented rating of the best car radios in sound quality was headed by Pioneer. First, she is the leader of each category. Secondly, this brand took 4. out of 10 places at once. Actually, any of its devices is an excellent choice for its money. In the 2DIN category, Alpine is the strongest competitor. True, the price tag for the CDE-W296BT is quite high. If you can't afford such a device, then choose JVC or KENWOOD. They also performed well in the 1DIN segment, but Pioneer still managed to become a leader, bypassing both these brands and the popular Sony brand.