disregard this, it appears as though the listing below was originally for a pioneer headunit, not this weird knock-off one.
found a listing with more reviews, though still seems surprisingly decent.
Hard to go wrong at this price point, if you’re on a budget. Just know that the reviews for this unit, on the mothership, are quite old.
How do you determine if this fits you model of auto?
It’s a double-DIN size, which fits many European and Japanese cars from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s as a drop-in replacement, and many other vehicles with an installation kit. You can use a site like Crutchfield to see if a double-DIN fits your car; this particular brand is not carried by them (a warning sign you shouldn’t ignore as they are picky about what brands they carry), but if you select a comparable double-DIN unit on their site and choose the “see if it fits my car” option, you can then input your vehicle data and they will tell you if it fits, and if so, what (if any) installation kits and harnesses you’ll need. (And you’ll always need a harness unless you’re retrofitting it into a vintage car (1970s or earlier).)
If you’re still in doubt or you can’t otherwise use a service like that, and you’re comfortable with posting your vehicle info in a public forum, tell me what your car is and I can tell you what you need. I used to install car stereos as part of an old job, and I still do it for friends and myself to this day. I won’t say I’m a professional but I’m a well informed practitioner and I’d be glad to help.
Use a fitment guide on a website like Crutchfield
Keep in mind that these cheap Chinese units are often Android 6.x (we’re on 14 now) and they will never be updated by the manufacturer. When they say they support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay it’s not true. They require you to install a piece of software that is kind of like those apps but it isn’t the same thing. The quality of these units is just terrible. Obviously, at $90 you’re getting what you pay for but you aren’t getting much.
guess those folk with new GM vehicles can get carplay/android auto back!
These head units are not running android, its a proprietary OS. This isnt same as the no name knock-off car radio. Its in the same category as other low budget units like Dual, or Pyle or Jensen, and lower end units from Kenwood/JVC and Pioneer. Its not top quality, but its not super cheap garbage either.
they usually require an extra usb module to be compatible, but they are compatible. Someone below commented that this isn’t even an android radio which would be a big turn off for me.
For those interested, here is the link to the user manual for this unit.
Disc formats: DVD/VCD/CD/CD-R/CDRW/DVD+R/DVD+RW
For those who missed out on the SuperDrive!
This one you actually drive around with!
Funny to hear you call Nakamichi knock off. It was one of the premier high end Japanese brands. They make like the best Dolby atmos soundbar and used to make Lexus head units and stuff like that.
I have a 2014 Lexus IS 250. Will this fit?
Well, maybe not knockoff, but to consider this equipment the same as the Nakamichi audio equipment from the 70s and 80s is pushing it.
The name has been through a number of owners in the last decade. At one point it was most definitely owned by a company that sold cheap Chinese made headphones and audio accessories, like the headphones you used to see for 4.99 at KMart or other box stores.
I have heard good things about their new sound bars, but the poor reputation the name had in the 2000s will be a big hurdle to get over.
Aftermarket radios are not recommended for your vehicle as there is not a readily available dash bezel kit and wiring harness to properly integrate it with the rest of your dash and vehicle control systems. Unfortunately this is becoming the case for many later model vehicles which tightly integrate most or all of the car’s functions through the factory head unit.
this looks better than the one in my jeep but size is too big.
I’ll relay my experience with the 7" Nakamichi that was on sale here a while ago for $150. That one didn’t have a CD drive and was basically a radio, USB media player, and Android Auto/Carplay screen.
My 2010 MX-5, which I’ve had for over 10 years has been through a bunch of different head units. This time, I was replacing a single-DIN Alpine for this Nak. I’ve had all aftermarket speakers since the start and I had a 2-channel amp powering the front, while the head unit would power the read.
After installation, I was met with a massive ground loop hum and alternator whine. I re-routed all my grounds to the same point and eventually purchased a ground loop isolator, which only reduced the problem and didn’t solve it. In the end, I dropped the amp and just powered all four speakers from the head unit, which is sufficient.
During my research, I found that Pioneer head units have a microfuse installed that will blow if you disconnect the RCA outputs while the headunit is powered. Once the fuse is blown, you get a ground loop and you have to send the head unit in for repair as the fuse is on the circuit board and is not replaceable. I’ve never heard of or experienced this ridiculous limitation and was for sure replugging RCA cables while verifying left/right connectivity.
So maybe it’s a good thing these units are probably built using Pioneer components, or maybe not. Overall, after a standard connection with no amp, everything has been working great. Android auto works just as I need it to. I feel a little disappointed I could have had a CD player for $60 less in exchange for only .2" of screen size, but I am satisfied with the Nakamichi brand.
How the mighty have fallen. Nakamichi used to make what was arguably the very best cassette car stereo systems in the world. This is obviously not the same company and just one that bought the rights to use the name. But, these systems provide a lot of value for the money.
Are you sure about not running Android? Writing their own OS is not something these smaller companies will do. They will customize Android, but I would doubt that they would write their own OS when Android is free.