Kenwood Double-DIN In-Dash CD/MP3/USB Bluetooth AM/FM Car Stereo Receiver High Resolution Audio Compatibility Pandora/iHeart Radio/Spotify/iPhone and Android App Ready with ALPHASONIK EARBUDS
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Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Kenwood |
Connectivity Technology | USB |
Controller Type | Android |
Special Feature | Pandora, Spotify |
Compatible Devices | Speaker, Smartphone |
Connector Type | USB, 3.5mm Jack |
Audio Encoding | Stereo |
Audio Output Mode | Stereo |
Color | BLACK |
Item Weight | 4.45 Pounds |
About this item
- Kenwood 2-DIN Car Audio In-Dash CD MP3 AM/FM Receiver w/ Bluetooth
- Plays CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs, including discs loaded with MP3, WMA and AAC file
- Pandora and iHeartRadio control with Apple iPhone and Android
- Built-in iPhone and Android control using USB port
- Supports Android music playback using the Kenwood Music Play app
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This Item Kenwood Double-DIN In-Dash CD/MP3/USB Bluetooth AM/FM Car Stereo Receiver High Resolution Audio Compatibility Pandora/iHeart Radio/Spotify/iPhone and Android App Ready with ALPHASONIK EARBUDS | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | $149.95$149.95 | $199.00$199.00 | -10% $89.95$89.95 List: $99.95 | $129.00$129.00 | $139.00$139.00 | $139.00$139.00 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.7 |
Bluetooth connectivity | — | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 |
Touch Screen | 4.3 | — | 4.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 | — |
Sold By | Alphasonik | WORLD WIDE STEREO | West Peak Retail | Audio Watt Store | Audio Watt Store | Electronics Expo (Authorized Dealer) |
number of channels | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
connectivity tech | USB | Bluetooth, USB | Auxiliary | Bluetooth, USB | Bluetooth, USB, Auxiliary | Bluetooth, USB |
control method | application, remote | remote | touch | application | voice | application |
controller type | Android | Android, Amazon Alexa | Android | Android, iOS, Amazon Alexa | Android | Android, iOS, Amazon Alexa |
audio output type | Speakers | Speakers | Speakers | Speakers | Speakers | Speakers |
supported services | Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio | Pandora, Spotify | Maps | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa |
model number | DPX523BT + ALPHA | DPX795BH | KW-SX88BT | DPX305MBT | KW-R950BTS | DPX395MBT |
output wattage | 50 watts | 50 watts | 200 watts | 50 watts | 50 watts | 50 watts |
From the manufacturer
Compatible Phone Application for Remote Control!
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 12 x 10 x 4 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 4.45 pounds |
ASIN | B00B7IQC6K |
Item model number | DPX523BT + ALPHA |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #225,126 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #2,170 in Car Audio Receivers |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Wireless communication technologies | Bluetooth |
Connectivity technologies | USB |
Special features | Pandora, Spotify |
Other display features | Wireless |
Color | BLACK |
Department | Car Stereo Receiver |
Manufacturer | KENWOOD |
Date First Available | February 5, 2013 |
Warranty & Support
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Product Description
Kenwood DPX530BT 2-DIN Car Audio In-Dash CD MP3 AM/FM Receiver w/ BluetoothPlays CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs, including discs loaded with MP3, WMA and AAC file Pandora and iHeartRadio control with Apple iPhone and AndroidBuilt-in iPhone and Android control using USB port Supports Android music playback using the Kenwood Music Play app
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the performance, sound quality, quality and ease of installation of the av receiver. For example, they mention it works great, the bass options are very cool and it plays music at high quality. Some appreciate the color selection. That said, opinions are mixed on brightness.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the performance of the av receiver. They say it works well enough for a basic stereo, and is easy to navigate around all the features. Some say the unit is difficult to read during the day, but not really an issue. Overall, most are satisfied with the performance and recommend it to others.
"...The radio (after upgrade) works reliably and the support of the different CD music file formats and the USB stick are real pluses for me...." Read more
"Very nice system, fits great in my vehicle and plays music at high quality. I've had it for over a year now and haven't noticed any issues...." Read more
"...It does fine and sounds good enough. No real complaints beside just the user experience...." Read more
"...But then the unit just stopped working!..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the av receiver. They mention that the sound is good, loud, and has cool bass options. Some appreciate the Bluetooth audio in their car, and mention that there is no buzzing, hissing, or popping.
"...The Bass options are very cool too. I didn't know my stock speakers were capable of such seat-shaking soundwaves. lol...." Read more
"...By the way, I listen to METAL. With a good CD, it sounds crisp, clean, and very detailed...." Read more
"Love this thing. Bluetooth audio in my car is absolutely the bomb...." Read more
"...It's loud... I just found a cherry 94 Camry in a little old ladies garage with only 36K miles on it and this unit slipped right in perfectly... and..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the av receiver. They mention it's an excellent stereo, plays music at high quality, and represents a real upgrade in terms of function and sound. The head unit is capable and enhances the quality the audio overall. Overall, customers find it to be a fantastic replacement for their stock stereo.
"...(in a classy/slick kind of way), there are a lot of customization options for audio quality. Don't like messing with treble/bass/mids/fader/balance?..." Read more
"Very nice system, fits great in my vehicle and plays music at high quality. I've had it for over a year now and haven't noticed any issues...." Read more
"...of them all the Kenwoods seem to always sound the best and be the most durable. This one is no exception...." Read more
"...The Kenwood product represents a real upgrade in terms of function and sound. Bummer it's got no cassette player, though...." Read more
Customers find the installation process of the av receiver to be pretty straight forward. They say the settings are easy to use and make quick adjustments to the sound. Customers also say the controls are user friendly and it's easy to connect their phone to Bluetooth.
"...It replaced the stock receiver in my Nissan Frontier. It was very easy to install by watching a few videos on youtube...." Read more
"...harness into the radio and the other into the existing car plug(s)- very simple, and allows the new radio to be removed and the old one reinstalled..." Read more
"...I need to push are clustered together which makes it very easy to make quick adjustments to the sound...." Read more
"...It is very easy to connect my phone to Bluetooth every time I use this." Read more
Customers like the value of the av receiver. For example, they say it's reliable, cheap, and a great buy. Some mention that the sound quality is good for the price.
"...If you are looking at this because it's a cheap double din and looks good, read the specs on the kenwood page!..." Read more
"...The price was good at $125 and prime shipping made it even better...." Read more
"...This was cheap, and for the features I use it's awesome!" Read more
"...My 2009 Xterra is reborn and upgraded. Awesome head unit for price and ear buds were in the box." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the color selection of the av receiver. They mention that having different colors is a plus, and it's easy to match the dash lights in their car. Some appreciate the ability to customize the lighting color to match their Toyota dash display. They also mention that the color of the stereo can be changed to match your car's interior.
"...-Ability to customize the lighting color to match the Toyota dash display.-..." Read more
"...The sound quality is good. Having multiple colors is a neat feature so you can match the stereo to your interior lighting...." Read more
"...Can read the screen in any lighting conditions and was able to color match to my dash lights. No buzzing, hissing, popping or anything like that...." Read more
"...can equalize your sound anyway you want and you can also change the color of the stereo to match your car's interior." Read more
Customers are mixed about the brightness of the av receiver. Some mention that the display is bright and readable in bright sunlight, while others say that it's completely unreadable during the day.
"...The unit can be hard to read in daylight, especially if you wear polarized sunglasses...." Read more
"...As others have stated before display is s little hard to see in bright sunlight...." Read more
"...The buttons are large and easy to operate while driving. Display is bright and readable in bright sunlight. The sound quality is good...." Read more
"Great unit. Difficult to read during the day but not really an issue. If USB drive is left in while parked in the sun seems to be too hot to read...." Read more
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Here are some general features of this stereo:
* USB Connectivity for iPhone, iPod and compatible USB mass storage devices
* Pandora Connectivity, Sirius XM ready
* Kenwood Music Control for Android Smartphones
* Front USB and AUX Input
* 3x 2.5 pre-amp volts
* 1.5" display (with 24 color choices for button backlight & display led)
* Dimmer control (great for night driving)
* Steering Wheel Remote Input
Interesting Specs:
* Supported File Formats WMA / MP3 / AAC
* 24-Bit Digital-Analog Converter (usb port)
* Front AUX Input
* USB 1.1 & 2.0 Full Speed
* File System FAT16/32
* Preout Impedance(Ω) Under 600Ω
* Speaker Impedance(Ω) 4-8Ω
There are several things I really love about this particular stereo:
Aside from it adding to the appearance of the inside of my mustang (in a classy/slick kind of way), there are a lot of customization options for audio quality. Don't like messing with treble/bass/mids/fader/balance? There are presets on the stereo for different types of music. Hear a fav dubstep/rap song? instead of changing your custom audio settings, go to the loudness & Bass Booster options and crank it up from nothing to lvl 2 or 3! There are further advanced controls which are beyond me, but I know at the very least you will need a dedicated amp and good set of speakers to fully appreciate all the advanced settings you can tweak on your head unit. If you just bought this head unit as a first step like I did, fool around with the presets, your bass/treble/mids and don't worry about touching the advanced stuff yet. I also like that the DAC (digital-analogue converter) is 24bit. They knock your socks off compared with using an iPod with an auxiliary cable (sound quality wise). It also a built in mosfett 4-channel amplifier which provides at least a 4x improvement over your car's stock setup! The buttons on this device are SOLID and not crappy or cheap looking. They have a satisfying click sound and feel when depressed or tapped. The control knob is tickered; every 10 degrees or so that you rotate, you hear/feel a tick sound. Very reassuring and allows for precise volume adjustment. Volume max is at 35. I actually like my music loud, but I cannot stand it much at 20. In fact, I feel that 15 is pretty loud. That leaves 20 more values to go! So there is a lot of potential for this speaker if you like deafening music volume. The Bass options are very cool too. I didn't know my stock speakers were capable of such seat-shaking soundwaves. lol.
There are things I do not particularly like with this stereo:
There is no HD Radio built in. Not a big deal, but I do love radio stations on long rides and having CD-quality music from stations sounds great. But it does not come with this and the upper end models. I also do not like that the pre amp voltage is only 2.5. The excelon series kenwood stereos have 4 volt pre amps. The difference is a cleaner sound with less distortion (when connected to an amp) at higher volumes. Though this difference I have been told is negligible. Only an extremely extreme audiophile can tell this minute difference. Many on popular auto/audio forums claim they can rarely tell the difference between 2.5 vs 4. Though your amp will provide an extremely important purchase later down the road. Lastly I did not like it when plugging in an iPod/iPhone- it immediately turns your stereo as the controller. I personally like changing my music on my iPod/iPhone- not on the stereo itself. Not to mention its easier for passengers to handle an iPod than some foreign stereo device they've never used before. Luckily, there is an option to put the device in/out of "App Mode" which lets you regain control of the handheld device. That's pretty much it with the cons. They are minor and hardly worth mentioning.
Please ask if any questions!
*update* 4/25/13
I found out how to change the color of the buttons/display lights! You need to turn on the car fully, turn on the stereo, and in small silver print on the stereo plastic is says "FCN". Press and hold that button for a couple seconds until you reach a Function Control menu. Turn the dial until you find the setting for color and select by pressing the knob. THen adjust to your hearts content. 24 choices.
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2013
Here are some general features of this stereo:
* USB Connectivity for iPhone, iPod and compatible USB mass storage devices
* Pandora Connectivity, Sirius XM ready
* Kenwood Music Control for Android Smartphones
* Front USB and AUX Input
* 3x 2.5 pre-amp volts
* 1.5" display (with 24 color choices for button backlight & display led)
* Dimmer control (great for night driving)
* Steering Wheel Remote Input
Interesting Specs:
* Supported File Formats WMA / MP3 / AAC
* 24-Bit Digital-Analog Converter (usb port)
* Front AUX Input
* USB 1.1 & 2.0 Full Speed
* File System FAT16/32
* Preout Impedance(Ω) Under 600Ω
* Speaker Impedance(Ω) 4-8Ω
There are several things I really love about this particular stereo:
Aside from it adding to the appearance of the inside of my mustang (in a classy/slick kind of way), there are a lot of customization options for audio quality. Don't like messing with treble/bass/mids/fader/balance? There are presets on the stereo for different types of music. Hear a fav dubstep/rap song? instead of changing your custom audio settings, go to the loudness & Bass Booster options and crank it up from nothing to lvl 2 or 3! There are further advanced controls which are beyond me, but I know at the very least you will need a dedicated amp and good set of speakers to fully appreciate all the advanced settings you can tweak on your head unit. If you just bought this head unit as a first step like I did, fool around with the presets, your bass/treble/mids and don't worry about touching the advanced stuff yet. I also like that the DAC (digital-analogue converter) is 24bit. They knock your socks off compared with using an iPod with an auxiliary cable (sound quality wise). It also a built in mosfett 4-channel amplifier which provides at least a 4x improvement over your car's stock setup! The buttons on this device are SOLID and not crappy or cheap looking. They have a satisfying click sound and feel when depressed or tapped. The control knob is tickered; every 10 degrees or so that you rotate, you hear/feel a tick sound. Very reassuring and allows for precise volume adjustment. Volume max is at 35. I actually like my music loud, but I cannot stand it much at 20. In fact, I feel that 15 is pretty loud. That leaves 20 more values to go! So there is a lot of potential for this speaker if you like deafening music volume. The Bass options are very cool too. I didn't know my stock speakers were capable of such seat-shaking soundwaves. lol.
There are things I do not particularly like with this stereo:
There is no HD Radio built in. Not a big deal, but I do love radio stations on long rides and having CD-quality music from stations sounds great. But it does not come with this and the upper end models. I also do not like that the pre amp voltage is only 2.5. The excelon series kenwood stereos have 4 volt pre amps. The difference is a cleaner sound with less distortion (when connected to an amp) at higher volumes. Though this difference I have been told is negligible. Only an extremely extreme audiophile can tell this minute difference. Many on popular auto/audio forums claim they can rarely tell the difference between 2.5 vs 4. Though your amp will provide an extremely important purchase later down the road. Lastly I did not like it when plugging in an iPod/iPhone- it immediately turns your stereo as the controller. I personally like changing my music on my iPod/iPhone- not on the stereo itself. Not to mention its easier for passengers to handle an iPod than some foreign stereo device they've never used before. Luckily, there is an option to put the device in/out of "App Mode" which lets you regain control of the handheld device. That's pretty much it with the cons. They are minor and hardly worth mentioning.
Please ask if any questions!
*update* 4/25/13
I found out how to change the color of the buttons/display lights! You need to turn on the car fully, turn on the stereo, and in small silver print on the stereo plastic is says "FCN". Press and hold that button for a couple seconds until you reach a Function Control menu. Turn the dial until you find the setting for color and select by pressing the knob. THen adjust to your hearts content. 24 choices.
I would say that this model would probably be about the same as any double-din in the price range (like Pioneer's model, etc.). I choose this one because reviewers mentioned that there were actually buttons that you could feel when pressing them. Other models simply had flat panels with lights and indicators, which seems great until you're trying to change a track while driving. With this receiver you can feel around for the buttons instead of having to look at the panel to make sure you're pressing it. For me, that was the deal breaker.
As for the other features, I don't really do much besides stick a CD in and drive. I did adjust the EQ and set the clock...that's about it.
I needed a simple replacement for the radio in my 2004 Toyota Camry (non-JBL) as the CD and tape player both died. The price was good at $125 and prime shipping made it even better. This review covers the radio as well as some do-it-yourself installation issues.
What I liked:
-Large display with decent sized buttons
-USB memory stick port.
-CD player with support for common CD music formats
-Ability to customize the lighting color to match the Toyota dash display.
- There are other options which I didn't care about - it seems now to support Pandora (there was a manual sticker on the faceplate) but it is not clear how. I am not a bit fan of Pandora so I didn't pursue it.
What I didn't like:
-Lack of decent documentation. The manual it came with has almost no useful information.
-The main manual is only online in HTML format, so you can't easily print it out to refer to it. It is not quite up to date either.
-If you let the display colors cycle through (as is the default) they will be at times unreadable, especially during the day, due to certain colors in the cycle being too dark to read.
-This unit is advertised as coming with a Toyota mounting kit and faceplate, but Kenwood email Support could not tell what year car(s)it would work with. The sent a canned letter that told me the installer would know and offered a list of local installers. Of the installers listed one was a Best Buy closed for two years, another a West Marine that had no clue what I was talking about, and the other two were too far away to even bother. When I tried another email there was no reply. I found out after purchase it was NOT a 2004 Camry, so I had to order a mounting kit from a separate source. This should have been in the documentation.
-The radio sensitivity is not quite as good as the OEM radio. Close, but I couldn't pickup some stations that I normally listen to.
-There doesn't appear to be a manual tuning option that I could find, so I couldn't set the buttons for the stations I wanted but the auto scan skipped.
-When I first got the radio up and running it would frequently stop working, requiring a push of the reset button on the front panel. Come to find out I had version 3.03 of the firmware, with the latest being 3.06. An upgrade fixed the problem. The upgrade was remarkably easy after finally navigating to the proper page on the Kenwood website in spite of some broken links. This is likely what reviewer Maurice Delgado experienced, as his unplugging and plugging in is the same as pressing the reset. The upgrade would have probably fixed his radio, but it is not advertised.
-There is a cool function that syncs the clock to the radio signal, but it is an hour off. I don't know if this is a DST problem but there is no way I can see to adjust it.
If you do the install yourself you will need a mounting kit and (not necessary but highly recommended)an intermediate wiring harness. Trying to find a decent schematic of the Toyota wiring harness online was fruitless, and I didn't want to buy the whole repair manual just to get it. Buying the aftermarket harness does make it easy - you will need some way to join the wires between the new radio's harness and the aftermarket harness - I used "quick splice" wire joiners, but solder and heat shrink or inline connectors and crimps will do too. Using the aftermarket harness as an intermediary makes this wiring process become a simple matching of wire colors with the harness from new radio to the intermediate harness. This is not particularly well documented either, but it was sufficient to get the job done. Once this is done you simply plug one end of the completed harness into the radio and the other into the existing car plug(s)- very simple, and allows the new radio to be removed and the old one reinstalled because you leave the old connectors intact.
-Could not find a well fitting mounting kit, but what I got worked well enough - just looks a little cheap. NOTE: This is dependent on what aftermarket kits are available for your car and is not a function of the Kenwood radio. If you have a different car you may find a mounting kit with a perfect fit.
After all is said an done it was a process that turned out pretty well except for the mounting kit faceplate - I will review that elsewhere. The radio (after upgrade) works reliably and the support of the different CD music file formats and the USB stick are real pluses for me. I will try to post a photo of the completed installation when I get a chance.
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2013
I needed a simple replacement for the radio in my 2004 Toyota Camry (non-JBL) as the CD and tape player both died. The price was good at $125 and prime shipping made it even better. This review covers the radio as well as some do-it-yourself installation issues.
What I liked:
-Large display with decent sized buttons
-USB memory stick port.
-CD player with support for common CD music formats
-Ability to customize the lighting color to match the Toyota dash display.
- There are other options which I didn't care about - it seems now to support Pandora (there was a manual sticker on the faceplate) but it is not clear how. I am not a bit fan of Pandora so I didn't pursue it.
What I didn't like:
-Lack of decent documentation. The manual it came with has almost no useful information.
-The main manual is only online in HTML format, so you can't easily print it out to refer to it. It is not quite up to date either.
-If you let the display colors cycle through (as is the default) they will be at times unreadable, especially during the day, due to certain colors in the cycle being too dark to read.
-This unit is advertised as coming with a Toyota mounting kit and faceplate, but Kenwood email Support could not tell what year car(s)it would work with. The sent a canned letter that told me the installer would know and offered a list of local installers. Of the installers listed one was a Best Buy closed for two years, another a West Marine that had no clue what I was talking about, and the other two were too far away to even bother. When I tried another email there was no reply. I found out after purchase it was NOT a 2004 Camry, so I had to order a mounting kit from a separate source. This should have been in the documentation.
-The radio sensitivity is not quite as good as the OEM radio. Close, but I couldn't pickup some stations that I normally listen to.
-There doesn't appear to be a manual tuning option that I could find, so I couldn't set the buttons for the stations I wanted but the auto scan skipped.
-When I first got the radio up and running it would frequently stop working, requiring a push of the reset button on the front panel. Come to find out I had version 3.03 of the firmware, with the latest being 3.06. An upgrade fixed the problem. The upgrade was remarkably easy after finally navigating to the proper page on the Kenwood website in spite of some broken links. This is likely what reviewer Maurice Delgado experienced, as his unplugging and plugging in is the same as pressing the reset. The upgrade would have probably fixed his radio, but it is not advertised.
-There is a cool function that syncs the clock to the radio signal, but it is an hour off. I don't know if this is a DST problem but there is no way I can see to adjust it.
If you do the install yourself you will need a mounting kit and (not necessary but highly recommended)an intermediate wiring harness. Trying to find a decent schematic of the Toyota wiring harness online was fruitless, and I didn't want to buy the whole repair manual just to get it. Buying the aftermarket harness does make it easy - you will need some way to join the wires between the new radio's harness and the aftermarket harness - I used "quick splice" wire joiners, but solder and heat shrink or inline connectors and crimps will do too. Using the aftermarket harness as an intermediary makes this wiring process become a simple matching of wire colors with the harness from new radio to the intermediate harness. This is not particularly well documented either, but it was sufficient to get the job done. Once this is done you simply plug one end of the completed harness into the radio and the other into the existing car plug(s)- very simple, and allows the new radio to be removed and the old one reinstalled because you leave the old connectors intact.
-Could not find a well fitting mounting kit, but what I got worked well enough - just looks a little cheap. NOTE: This is dependent on what aftermarket kits are available for your car and is not a function of the Kenwood radio. If you have a different car you may find a mounting kit with a perfect fit.
After all is said an done it was a process that turned out pretty well except for the mounting kit faceplate - I will review that elsewhere. The radio (after upgrade) works reliably and the support of the different CD music file formats and the USB stick are real pluses for me. I will try to post a photo of the completed installation when I get a chance.
Top reviews from other countries
Reviewed in Mexico on October 27, 2018