Just put a Pioneer Apple CarPlay Receiver in Roadster

[garry753]

I just had a Pioneer SPH-DA120 installed in my Roadster Sport, replacing an old Kenwood head unit. It really transformed the experience in my car - it feels much more like the Model S center pad, but in a Roadster form factor. People can hear me on calls much better with the mic from the Pioneer and calls sound a lot clearer. The GPS implementation is a lot better through Apple Maps (though I do wish I could use Google Maps instead) than through the Garmin Maps in the old Kenwood (and they are always up to date). Listening to music is a lot easier (although I wish the Pioneer had a better implementation of album art). The Siri stuff helps me stay hands-free too by reading messages and with voice transcription. In all, I'm really happier driving the Roadster with this head unit.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

Can you take pics during the day? I'd love to see it, thanks.

 

[garry753]

Better?

 

[josh-io]

I'm really interested in the single DIN version for my 1.5 (Pioneer AVH-3300NEX). But I don't think the screen will clear the windshield wiper stalk when it's deploying/retracting. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[garry753]

Originally (even before the Kenwood) I had a head unit with this issue. At the time, I cut the stalk and sanded it down to shorten it. It worked just fine, but of course I needed to modify the car to make it happen. That stalk piece is like $30 or so to replace btw.

 

[4SUPER9]

I am thinking about an Apple Carplay unit for my classic. My current unit is awful. Does this unit support wireless Apple Carplay, or does it require a lightning cable to work? Alpine is supposed to be releasing a wireless Carplay, but it has been extremely delayed.

 

[garry753]

Lightning cable for full carplay, but it does support bluetooth for regular pioneer apps.

 

[BNazari]

I'm really interested in the single DIN version for my 1.5 (Pioneer AVH-3300NEX). But I don't think the screen will clear the windshield wiper stalk when it's deploying/retracting. Anyone have experience with this?

You are absolutely correct! The Pioneer AVH-3300NEX screen does hit the wiper stalk when the screen opens. On the plus side, it keeps the windshield clean. I'm going to see if I can order a replacement stalk and trim off the end of it. Possibly 3d print a replacement cap.

Has anyone else done that, out of curiosity?

 

[smorgasbord]

People can hear me on calls much better with the mic from the Pioneer and calls sound a lot clearer.

That could be mostly due to the location of the mike - looks like a new mike is stuck to the instrument cluster and not placed where the old mike was on the dash.

 

[drewski]

You are absolutely correct! The Pioneer AVH-3300NEX screen does hit the wiper stalk when the screen opens. On the plus side, it keeps the windshield clean. I'm going to see if I can order a replacement stalk and trim off the end of it. Possibly 3d print a replacement cap.

Has anyone else done that, out of curiosity?

i know the thread is old, but want to put this here for the archives.

i'm looking at options for my new (to me) v2.0 and found this write up of a flip-out single din with a little detail on the mod to the wiper stalk to make the screen clear it.

Car Audio Tips Tricks and How To's : Tesla Roadster 2.0 Flip Out In-Dash & Rear View Camera Install.

 

[X.l.r.8]

Why exactly do you want a flip out stereo? Just curious as I have what I consider a decent stereo and thought about the halo or a flip screen, but decided it did nothing to enhance my objective to improve the stereo. I have a phone for GPS and I rarely use that unless I want to check distances. I’m curious as to the reasons as there are quite a few good single DIN stereos.

 

[pwwojcik]

I don't have a flip out but I'm thinking about getting one. The old JVC has a lot of functionality but it is difficult to use. I love Apple CarPlay which gets me access to Waze and Spotify and some other things.... Plus it would be a nice way to incorporate the backup cam.

I am interested in other people's thoughts too.

 

[annetoneyo]

Looks good! Why do you have so many unread messages and calls/voicemails?

 

[drewski]

Looks good! Why do you have so many unread messages and calls/voicemails?

hopefully he's gotten to those after 2+ years!

 

[drewski]

Why exactly do you want a flip out stereo? Just curious as I have what I consider a decent stereo and thought about the halo or a flip screen, but decided it did nothing to enhance my objective to improve the stereo. I have a phone for GPS and I rarely use that unless I want to check distances. I’m curious as to the reasons as there are quite a few good single DIN stereos.

similar to the other comment re Apple, i use Android Auto.

for phone GPS, what mount do you use? or do you just go by voice prompts and not worry about screen placement?

 

[drewski]

Why exactly do you want a flip out stereo? Just curious as I have what I consider a decent stereo and thought about the halo or a flip screen, but decided it did nothing to enhance my objective to improve the stereo. I have a phone for GPS and I rarely use that unless I want to check distances. I’m curious as to the reasons as there are quite a few good single DIN stereos.

oh, and flip vs. halo so it's more subtle if i'm parked with top down . . . or is the halo screen removable, like some radio faceplates?

 

[X.l.r.8]

No, the halo is moveable, not removable and is suited to the 1.5 but not the 2.0/2.5. I stuck with a single DIN as I just wanted a stereo with multiple media playback. I’m old so I have a huge collection of Kef speakers. Right now I have uniQ 130’s in front and 110/19’s rear but at some point I’ll try putting the UniQ160 up front or swapping the components to the front and adding some aura bass shakers. I stick to the class D amps which is totally new to me but I have a concern of pulling to much power from the APS so I’m still finding a balance and having a fairly steep high pass cut off presently at 80Hz to protect the speaker more than power requirements. The bass shakers I will see if I can get them under the seat but I’ll want to epoxy some ply to the floor and I don’t know if I’ll have the clearance, but I used them before and where there is no room I think I they work well. Again never with class D amps so I also worry about overheating. The fit nicely in the passenger footwell so the cabling is super simple. I don’t want to cut anything until I commit to fitting the components up front. Once that’s done there’s no turning back and my hearing is not what it used to be to warrant that much work and never ending playing around, it’s taken 6 months to get my simple home hifi set up after moving and a car is infinitely more complex.
I have a Mercedes proclip that happens to fit on my dash without falling off even with very spirited driving on rough roads. Paired to a baseus wireless charge mount, I put it there as a temporary holder while doing some work and it’s stayed there. I also have an old iPod Classic (15 years old) for storage, an iPod touch (smashed screen and dead battery in case someone thinks I’m super rich, I just didn’t want to throw it away) to leave in the car and stream Apple Music and my phone with the huge screen does GPS duty when needed. Mostly it’s just charging my phone. I felt I wanted audio rather than visual and I have comprehensive playlists that Siri takes care of for me. When working with a clipped medium I still prefer using a CD but the car is not big enough and my home Collection is never going to the car. I simply consciously decided I would be happy with a single DIN in my car, the obvious choice would be double DIN conversion but then where do you stop?

 

[LeoNordic]

You have seen this link for a kind of modern update for the 2.0/2.5?

Finally! A modern stereo for single-DIN Roadsters

No, the halo is moveable, not removable and is suited to the 1.5 but not the 2.0/2.5. I stuck with a single DIN as I just wanted a stereo with multiple media playback. I’m old so I have a huge collection of Kef speakers. Right now I have uniQ 130’s in front and 110/19’s rear but at some point I’ll try putting the UniQ160 up front or swapping the components to the front and adding some aura bass shakers. I stick to the class D amps which is totally new to me but I have a concern of pulling to much power from the APS so I’m still finding a balance and having a fairly steep high pass cut off presently at 80Hz to protect the speaker more than power requirements. The bass shakers I will see if I can get them under the seat but I’ll want to epoxy some ply to the floor and I don’t know if I’ll have the clearance, but I used them before and where there is no room I think I they work well. Again never with class D amps so I also worry about overheating. The fit nicely in the passenger footwell so the cabling is super simple. I don’t want to cut anything until I commit to fitting the components up front. Once that’s done there’s no turning back and my hearing is not what it used to be to warrant that much work and never ending playing around, it’s taken 6 months to get my simple home hifi set up after moving and a car is infinitely more complex.
I have a Mercedes proclip that happens to fit on my dash without falling off even with very spirited driving on rough roads. Paired to a baseus wireless charge mount, I put it there as a temporary holder while doing some work and it’s stayed there. I also have an old iPod Classic (15 years old) for storage, an iPod touch (smashed screen and dead battery in case someone thinks I’m super rich, I just didn’t want to throw it away) to leave in the car and stream Apple Music and my phone with the huge screen does GPS duty when needed. Mostly it’s just charging my phone. I felt I wanted audio rather than visual and I have comprehensive playlists that Siri takes care of for me. When working with a clipped medium I still prefer using a CD but the car is not big enough and my home Collection is never going to the car. I simply consciously decided I would be happy with a single DIN in my car, the obvious choice would be double DIN conversion but then where do you stop?

 

[X.l.r.8]

I did, I’m a snob when it come to audio, I’ll freely admit while it fits the gap perfectly it’s not something I would buy to run my Kef’s. Hence why I’m more than happy with a single din.