I don't know if this is worth mentioning, but there appears to be some contradictory information in the manual.....on page 44 of the SRK-JW18EH manual, it states that the following functions are NOT retained when switching to this unit. •Compass (when equipped with 7” or 8.4” screen) •Clock (I see a clock, wth?) •Phone pop-ups •Navigation pop-ups •Speed Controlled Volume Uconnect Features •Uconnect Access Remote Start / Lock / Unlock •SOS / Assist •Vehicle Location Service •WiFi-Hotspot SiriusXM Guardian Services •SiriusXM Radio (This appears to be working?) Then all this becomes exponentially more confusing if I'm considering putting this in a 4xe.
Hi John-Patrick, fantastic questions! I believe I addressed this in an earlier Alpine video, but totally forgot to go over it in this one. You lose the Compass, Clock, Phone pop-ups, navigation pop-ups that show up IN your instrument cluster display. You do however get the clock, phone interruption, GPS turn by turn directions and compass on the radio display when on the GPS screen. The Alpine X409-WRA-JL did retain the Compass and turn by turn directions in the cluster. I don't recall if this radio has speed control volume, I think it actually does. I would check, but our Jeep is in the body shop right now :( Uconnect remote start - yeah, you lose the app, but still works from the fob. We used the Uconnect service for a year and didn't renew. Could always do a Compustar Drone if you wanted that and they have much better service plans. $180 for 5 years if paid up front. I haven't tried our SOS/Assist button, but I'm pretty sure that no longer works and same thing with SiriusXM Guardian services/vehicle location. The SiriusXM radio you see is because we used the SXV300 tuner (sold separately). I hope that clears it up. Awesome question, thank you for asking!!
I wish I had know this before buying the unit last week. I also noticed that the clock has to be set manually, it is not sync'd when connected either through Bluetooth of Android carplay. When the clocks changed an hour last week, the Stinger's did not. Question, did any of you also buy the Igo navigation? If so, which update did you get. Mine is dated 2018. Thanks.
The thing I am most interested in is the variable output toslink. As far as navigation. Like I mentioned in part 1, unless the test file is set at or near 0db, you aren't going to be able to drive much out of that preamp. Open it with audacity and have a look.
@carstereochick quick question... I see in the stinger vehicle settings menu in your video, there are tons of vehicle options that dont show up in the same menu as my heigh10. Only setting I see is Units. I have a 2014 JKU. Did i connect something wrong or is that the only thing i will be able to see because my jeep is a 2014?
Possibly??? 🤷♀️ I haven’t tried that since we ran the HDMI. There are a lot of those wireless steaming adapters out there, I haven’t tried or sold any because I’m honestly not trying to encourage clients to be watching videos while driving. I think because those adapters are basically hijacking and emulating over CarPlay thru thr USB, I don’t think parking brake status would have any effect on disabling video while in motion. So from a liability perspective I steer clear of those adapters at my shop.
Thanks - great info in here. Do you have any experience putting the Stinger in a JK that came with the Alpine upgraded system? Im wondering if it will be better to keep the the amp that came with that than to use the new one that comes with the Heigh10. Keeping in mind that amp has seen some wet weather and been well used for 7 years. Thanks again.
Hi Lara, thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful. The stock amp in the JK is digital and unless there is something wrong with it or you are also upgrading all the speakers and doing an aftermarket amp/sub, I would not recommend bypassing it and using the Stinger internal amp. Basically there is a CAN bus signal from the factory head unit to the amp which is sending digital information. Once that data reaches the stock amp it tells the front speakers exactly what frequency range to play, the rear speakers what range to play and the stock sub what range to play. The included adapter with the SR-JK11H kit will retain that amp, BUT, you will lose fader control. All the speakers will play, but you'll only have balance left to right, no more fading front to rear. If you had an issue with the stock amp, you could bypass it and run the main speakers off the deck, but you'd also have to add a small separate amp to retain the stock subwoofer. Just keep in mind, the internal amp on this radio is limited in output. If you keep the stock amp/speakers, you will still get better sound quality with the HEIGH10 just because you are starting with a cleaner digital to analog converter in the head unit. I hope that is helpful!
More pros than cons for sure but definitely disappointed in the 1.8v preouts. I like the fact it's one of the few that has a toslink. I need the toslink for my VX600/6i amp I'm going to be installing. I also really like the 4 camera feature. I plan on buying a Challenger soon and all these features really tick every option box I'm looking for but it does have its shortcomings. Great review, Thank you.
Thank you! FYI in our vehicle we put in an audio control line driver, it really helped to make up for the low voltage pre-out. Haven't had a chance yet to wire up the toslink in ours. Normally toslink has less output than RCA, but it's cleaner for sure.
When you mentioned the software being common with other brands, are you speaking of the GUI itself? As far as navigation, Alpine uses Navi which I have mixed feelings about. This one uses iGo or are they the same company now? I'm still using an Alpine X208u and like a lot of stuff, the built in processor was anemic so some things are slow to open. The other put off is how cryptic Alpine is with spdif if included at all. The Stinger is variable output spdif and uses the standard spdif socket. It would be nice to for once have a built in Navigation that responds to voice. I don't like depending on a cellphone to have that feature. I had to turn Waze off, it interrupts my favorite songs too much to tell me there is a car on the side of the road. The android powered head units probably do have voice GPS but I wouldn't trust them yet as they may not hold up to environmental extremes like the common brands we use here. My two Alpine X208u units in two vehicles have withstood more than two summers of anywhere up to 122 degrees outside and I'm sure that inside the parked vehicle it's way way above that and they keep on working. Some have criticized that GPS is a paid add on, well, it's cheaper without it and they have to pay iGo to use the software, many are happy just using their cellphone navigation via Android Auto. If one is never going to use the Vehicle/Head Unit GPS, why pay for it? Here you do not have to pay if you won't used it. The GPS floating screen units from other manufacturers are several hundred dollars more than the non GPS floating screens from the same manufacturer. I will say that upgrading Alpine's Navigation software is ridiculous. I would imagine this is not the case here as it's on a removable drive. I'll see what Alpine does but I am really tired of these companies bastardizing spdif if they even offer it or requiring a kludge to connect to spdif only to have it as a fixed output level. I have a dsp that takes a spdif toslink or coaxial but it needs to be variable and the Stinger has this variable toslink output or so I am lead to believe. Hope there is a part 3 and hope that the level problems are a one off situation as that would totally mar a good unit otherwise. I think stinger is on the right track but there is a way to go. Aftermarket stereos should just use the CAN bus directly depending on what the car has. Any vehicle from 1996 on has OBD2 that at least shows engine info and now other accessories use it. Imagine being able to add rear controls after the fact by just connecting to can bus provisions. On my last Avionics assignment, I began to see CAN bus use in aircraft as it is that extensible and identical to the NEMA bus for Marine. Robert Bosch did good inventing the CAN bus but I digress.
I put it in my 2018 ram and there is no space to get the wire harnesses in the dash plus hard to get the wires run. I love the picture and camera and the interference is good
To be honest I have not ever sold the i407-WRA-JL. All of our clients are going for the larger screen with either the HEIGH10 or the i509-WRA-JL. It's basically an iLX-407 with all the adapters. The 407 has been pretty reliable for us in general with most vehicles. It is a different operating system/user interface than the 509. It's a smaller screen and I don't think the 407 display is quite as vibrant as the 509, but it's probably about the same as the HEIGH10. And like the HEIGH10 it's a wired connection for CarPlay/Android Auto only. Tough call. If you're doing an audio system, a lot of our clients do it in phases and start with the PAC AP4-CH41R2 and then save up to the larger head unit upgrade at a later date. Sorry I haven't sold or installed one to comment on reliability/quirkiness aspect.
How do you have the video playing on a high 10 radio? I know you have a HDMI coming out of the back, but what is that you had hooked up to to make it play
So how much louder is your Alpine with aftermarket amplifiers then this Stinger that is only putting out 1.7 volts is it a noticeable difference? Because ever since you showed that I have been debating whether or not to sell this and get an Alpine would love the new Alpine but way too expensive I'm sure
It's definitely a noticeable difference. Even on our sound board in our showroom you can clearly hear the difference in output between a basic 2.5 volt deck and a 4 and 5 volt deck. But we put in a line driver to address it. Not ideal, but definitely did the trick. The i509-WRA-JL is expected to sell for $2399.99 as of right now (3/10/22). Pricing is subject to change as the cost of fuel, raw materials and shipping costs fluctuates.
More output, louder. For example in the past we’ve used a JL VX1000/5i (75x4 RMS plus 600x1) with a DRC205 and a preamp adapter and set up multiple presets for listening. Some presets were analog and some were Toslink. Toslink is definitely cleaner, but the analog was louder/more efficient. We have since utilized the optical output on this stereo going into a Helix V Eight DSP amplifier (75x8 RMS and separate Helix mono block) and are absolutely in love with how it sounds. It’s incredibly clean. You just REALLY need to have sufficient power IMO if you’re going to utilize the optical output. It’s well worth it, that is the redeeming feature of this head unit that’s really made us truly appreciate it.
@@carstereochick It has more to do with the receiving product. A good DSP should give full gain when using optical and/or coax in. The receiving product should use its own ADC and preamp stage to adjust the gain. If this is not the case the optical receiver on the DSP is not up to the task.
@Mark Brooks I was going to add that my 1st experience with optical was with that JL VXi amp and perhaps the DAC/processing in that amp just wasn’t as high of quality as others. When I heard the A/B set up we did with that JL amp, we reached out to a few industry folks and was told optical simply isn’t as efficient as RCA. That wasn’t the 1st time I’d heard that so I assumed that what I was told about optical efficiency is true. And most clients are putting these Stinger HEIGH10 head units in Jeeps. Doors off, top off, you need output and efficiency for sure. I’d rather see a Jeep client go with a clean, high powered RCA amp than a lower powered optical amp if they plan on driving/listening with doors/top off. EDIT: actually I just remembered this too, when we did that A/B comparison with the JL VXi amp, we had even added a secondary amplifier for the rears (XD 400/4 - 75x4 RMS) so we were running 150x4 effectively, but even with everything to the max in the JL DSP amp settings, there was a significant output level difference between the digital and analog presets. This is when we started calling people including JL tech support to make sure we weren't missing anything in the software settings. We can say we haven't had that same issue with our Helix DSP amp so I guess the limitation with digital is really in the amplifier/DSP you plan on using.
I am trying to make up my mind with the heigh10. I love all the features it has. Cost wise it seems to be the best priced unit with the features it has compared to others. Im so torn on it haha.
As long as you are aware of and willing to live with it's quirks, it's a great value. Stinger has been running specials on it lately so the price is very fair. We are currently using the digital out which sounds amazing with our Helix V Eight DSP amp. But even after updates and resets our reverse camera still sometimes gets confused if we recently used the HDMI input. We don't mind since it sounds great at this point.
Yes, we installed one in June once we finally received one and I’ve really gotten to know it’s quirks. Because availability has been tight we haven’t put one in our Jeep yet. It’s basically the iLX-507 but made specific for Jeep. We have another one scheduled this week and I’m planning to document the install and review soon!
How did you get the gage read out to come up? Ive been looking and I cant find how to navigate to that feature. is it apart of the nav chip? I didnt get the chip yet. Plan on installing that when I get the HDMi cable.
Is it installed in a 2018-up Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator? That feature is vehicle dependent, it's not applicable to the 2011-2017 JK/JKU, but you will get similar vehicle information when used in a 2013 - 2018 RAM pickup or 2015 - 2023 Challenger, Charger or Chrysler 300. If compatible, there will be a vehicle info button on the second lower page of the home screen, tap the down arrow.
Right now we have the Helix V Eight DSP and P One utilizing the super clean optical out of the head unit. We didn't initially use the optical. We changed it later when we had time and it has been the redeeming factor on this head unit. We're running it with some Morel Hybrid 602's, the two JL Audio Stealthboxes and Kicker L7 12" ported box.
Hi this is Will. We connect a while back about the high 10 radio on my Jeep JL 2018 I just picked up some 6 x 9 pioneer speakers.Ts-A6996S five way speakers 1000 w and am looking at Pioneer GM-D9705 2000W Max 5-Channel GM Digital Champion change the subway. What do you think of this application and can you do a video on it
Also, can you test pioneer amplifier? I sent you to see if we get a better output i’m looking for new videos on the high 10 radio and amplifier. Can you make some new videos?
So quick question! 14 Ram I want to throw the 8" factory radio in a fire!! 🤣 thinking about the Stinger. I haven't upgraded from the stock Alpine system yet but will down the line. Is there any sound difference with the factory alpine system and the Stinger?
Hi Jason - that's a really great question. Truthfully I have not just replaced the head unit ONLY in a Ram with the 8" Alpine Uconnect. Usually we're doing speakers, amps, etc. I assume you would notice a sound quality improvement similar to the sound quality improvement I see happen for clients with a 2011 - 2017 Wrangler equipped with the Alpine premium system when all we do is just upgrade the head unit. Even though it's still the stock amp and speakers, you're starting with a better DAC, cleaner signal so there is usually an audible improvement in clarity and detail. One thing to be aware of, the PAC interface to retain steering wheel controls, stock amp, etc. usually does not retain fader control in premium amplified models. I'd have to dig into the install guide to verify for your particular year/model, but just an FYI.
There is a difference nothing major! The highs are definitely brighter! Other than that....🤷♂️ you are right about the fader! My steering wheel controls don't work which is not great but I will figure that out!
I didn't drive my Jeep JT for like 5 days and my dashcam malfunctioned and drained the battery to near dead. This gave me an error on my Auto start/stop and "needs service" and it hasn't functioned since i charged the battery. I got to disable my auto start for free :P
How long has it been since that happened??? That happened to us too when we had the factory head unit, but it wasn’t from a weak battery. Do you still have the error light on the dash?
@@carstereochick it happened maybe 5 days ago. It since has been driven enough that the batteries should be full. My initial suspicion was the aux battery dying or getting too low. It wasn't there when I parked. I have 0 mods or add-ons other than the suspension. Yeah the error light is still up
@@chad5576 light would bother me in the cluster. I was wondering if it was the aux battery going too. We just replaced ours at about 44,000 miles. When ours went, it died out of nowhere. Had to jump the car randomly even though driven every day and the freaking thing died at the next light because the stupid start stop reset 😂 I hate that “feature”. Our next video includes replacing one in a 2020 JLU because we had a hunch that might have been what was causing the clients Alpine radio to bug out and not power up. He had similar miles to ours.
@@carstereochick it definitely does bother me, but at this moment the light bothers me less than the auto stop would, or having to turn it off every time as I don't have a tazer yet. I have 0 other issues going on so I might just see if I can clear it with my father in law's code reader. I've only got 20k miles on mine. I'll see how long I can go before it drives me crazy lol
SO if you asked me this a couple months ago I'd say Alpine 509. It has a better screen, better SQ and true 4 volt pre-amp. Plus I think the fit and finish is nicer. BUT we recently utilized the digital toslink output on this to our Helix V EIGHT DSP amplifier and that changed everything. My husband John and I were driving around last weekend and when a song ended and I turned to him and said, "I feel like I should be clapping". It sounded like I was at a live performance and the guitarist was right in front of me. What a flipping difference. We're probably going to put the HEIGH10 in my car with a Helix DSP because now his car sounds better than mine and I can't have that. So my answer to that question varies greatly depending on what your ultimate end goal is equipment wise. Digital or analog connection to your amps? If RCA, Alpine will sound better, it's truly 4 volt. The Stinger is not unfortunately. But when you go digital out, that pre-amp voltage doesn't matter. All depends on what features are most important to you.
I ended up installing 8.4 inch Uconnect radio on my JL. After investigating Insane, Stinger, and Alpine - all looks good on the paper, but post-installation - it's bugs, bugs, bugs . With all new 2024+ jeeps now coming out equipped with 12 inch systems, the incentive for the respective companies to finally (after many years on the market) resolve the issues with their stereos in the future is negligible.
I hear you. The OEM unit can be nicely integrated with aftermarket equipment using the PAC AP4-CH41R2 and you can even go Toslink out with that using an adapter so from a sound quality perspective, you're definitely not limited with the OEM screen. Many of our clients choose to use their OEM screens for their Jeep stereo upgrades. Stinger did recently come out with a new update and so far so good. Before the update, the camera seemed to get confused after using the HDMI input. Overall, we're happy with it largely due to the big screen, toslink out and HDMI input.
Yes, I hooked everything up like the manual said. Unless it came lose when I put in the radio. Looks like I may have to take it off again and double check the green wire to the parking break wire. My 📷 does come on reverse
I have a love hate relationship with ours. Now that we're using the Toslink connection, the sound quality is phenomenal with our Helix V Eight DSP amp. If we were using RCA I think we would have eventually put the Alpine i509-WRA-JL in there. The Alpine has a brighter/more vibrant screen too.
@@carstereochick I have it in a silverado. I don't remember if it's not idatalink maestro compatible or if it was a software issue or something with stinger but I could not access vehicle menus, see hvac controls or gauges on the headunit. I did call stinger and they hadn't developed that stuff to work on chevy trucks. That was a deal breaker at the price.
So for $1.3k in 2023 No Wireless Apple android car-auto, No HD radio tuner, No 5G, Separate charge for nav and Sat radio……not sure what are they trying to sell.
I believe it's called shrinkflation my friend! Bigger screen I think is the main sell, going after Wrangler owners with the Uconnect 5. The problem is there are not a ton of options on the market for this car at this time due to space constraints and interfacing all of the data that runs through the factory head unit. So this is the cheaper alternative to the Alpine i509-WRA-JL. The digital output is awesome, we're finally using that feature and I think for that alone it's probably worth it if you're going to build a high fidelity full aftermarket system. For reference even the $2399 Alpine with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto does not come with navigation or sat radio - it's all extra!
@@carstereochick Agreed in some points but you still have 6 to 10 better options in Amazon with way more feature for half of the price. This radio was $1.2k last week and I saw it last night in Amazon for $999.
Android auto is 480p upscaled/stretched. Noticable around most text and icons, especially street labels in maps. Developer settings in android auto to allow higher resolution have no effect. Disappointing.
Oh man, now that I think about it I don't recall selling this to any clients with Android, it's always been Apple users! With CarPlay the icons aren't huge like they are in a lot of other 9" - 11" models, but that's probably why, to try and preserve the image quality of the icons without stretching them out. That makes a lot of sense. Super disappointing, but thank you so much for pointing that out!
Lol very funny everyone have opinion about everything that come out and act like an expert. No one turn up the bass or volume and bass up to get extra voltage to get more volts. That's my opinion like you ha e opinion
I actually really love the way this head unit sounds now that we’re using the optical out, but it’s just disappointing that they compromised on component quality due to supply chain issues. My original shipment of these at my shop were indeed 4 volt flat. Also whenever I test preamps on aftermarket head units TYPICALLY what I see is the actual advertised voltage. That’s with everything flat in the EQ. Some models it’s with sub level all the way up, some it’s only at plus 1 or 2. It was really the inconsistency and change in production that irked me. Also as someone with 23 years in the business serving end use consumers, owning a shop that sells and installs these products on a daily basis, I think I have more exposure to this than someone that just decided to buy one and put one in their own vehicle. Last thing I want is to sell someone something and they’re disappointed with the performance. Every head unit has its pros and cons, I’m just very up front with clients about all of it so they can make an informed purchase decision.
Please note your complaint has been registered. Although we cannot guarantee a favorable outcome in this matter, it is possible your feedback may help to improve our services. 😂 I don’t like quiet spaces in between talking. Reminds me of when I’m with clients in the showroom without background music going. It can get awkward or down right uncomfortable. This is an earlier video, I’ve gotten better at it.
Oh man! I'll have to re-watch it in my editing software to see where my levels were. As I said, I think I've gotten better at it. I made this one over a year ago and try to improve with each video. I also edit using headphones specifically for that reason. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and give me feedback as well as letting me have some fun in the comment section ; )
I don't know if this is worth mentioning, but there appears to be some contradictory information in the manual.....on page 44 of the SRK-JW18EH manual, it states that the following functions are NOT retained when switching to this unit.
•Compass (when equipped with 7” or 8.4” screen)
•Clock (I see a clock, wth?)
•Phone pop-ups
•Navigation pop-ups
•Speed Controlled Volume Uconnect Features
•Uconnect Access Remote Start / Lock / Unlock
•SOS / Assist
•Vehicle Location Service
•WiFi-Hotspot SiriusXM Guardian Services
•SiriusXM Radio (This appears to be working?)
Then all this becomes exponentially more confusing if I'm considering putting this in a 4xe.
Hi John-Patrick, fantastic questions! I believe I addressed this in an earlier Alpine video, but totally forgot to go over it in this one.
You lose the Compass, Clock, Phone pop-ups, navigation pop-ups that show up IN your instrument cluster display. You do however get the clock, phone interruption, GPS turn by turn directions and compass on the radio display when on the GPS screen. The Alpine X409-WRA-JL did retain the Compass and turn by turn directions in the cluster.
I don't recall if this radio has speed control volume, I think it actually does. I would check, but our Jeep is in the body shop right now :(
Uconnect remote start - yeah, you lose the app, but still works from the fob. We used the Uconnect service for a year and didn't renew. Could always do a Compustar Drone if you wanted that and they have much better service plans. $180 for 5 years if paid up front.
I haven't tried our SOS/Assist button, but I'm pretty sure that no longer works and same thing with SiriusXM Guardian services/vehicle location.
The SiriusXM radio you see is because we used the SXV300 tuner (sold separately). I hope that clears it up. Awesome question, thank you for asking!!
The website says this stereo is not compatible with the 4xe if I’m not mistaken
Anything brought in from China will have contradictions
I wish I had know this before buying the unit last week. I also noticed that the clock has to be set manually, it is not sync'd when connected either through Bluetooth of Android carplay. When the clocks changed an hour last week, the Stinger's did not.
Question, did any of you also buy the Igo navigation? If so, which update did you get. Mine is dated 2018.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Well detailed and very tastefully done.
Keep it up!
Thank you Zak, will do!
Thanks for the review
So glad you enjoyed it :) thanks for watching!
Great video
The thing I am most interested in is the variable output toslink. As far as navigation.
Like I mentioned in part 1, unless the test file is set at or near 0db, you aren't going to be able to drive much out of that preamp. Open it with audacity and have a look.
@carstereochick quick question... I see in the stinger vehicle settings menu in your video, there are tons of vehicle options that dont show up in the same menu as my heigh10. Only setting I see is Units. I have a 2014 JKU. Did i connect something wrong or is that the only thing i will be able to see because my jeep is a 2014?
I agree with your cons for this unit .
Thanks for talking about the USB. My big question can you use a item that is called stream to your car? UA-cam videos in live TV through the USB.
Possibly??? 🤷♀️ I haven’t tried that since we ran the HDMI. There are a lot of those wireless steaming adapters out there, I haven’t tried or sold any because I’m honestly not trying to encourage clients to be watching videos while driving. I think because those adapters are basically hijacking and emulating over CarPlay thru thr USB, I don’t think parking brake status would have any effect on disabling video while in motion. So from a liability perspective I steer clear of those adapters at my shop.
Just making sure I heard you correctly. I will retain the blind spot monitoring and chime from the blinkers and mirror alert?
Yes, blind spot alert and park distance sensor chimes are retained.
Thanks - great info in here. Do you have any experience putting the Stinger in a JK that came with the Alpine upgraded system? Im wondering if it will be better to keep the the amp that came with that than to use the new one that comes with the Heigh10. Keeping in mind that amp has seen some wet weather and been well used for 7 years. Thanks again.
Hi Lara, thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful. The stock amp in the JK is digital and unless there is something wrong with it or you are also upgrading all the speakers and doing an aftermarket amp/sub, I would not recommend bypassing it and using the Stinger internal amp. Basically there is a CAN bus signal from the factory head unit to the amp which is sending digital information. Once that data reaches the stock amp it tells the front speakers exactly what frequency range to play, the rear speakers what range to play and the stock sub what range to play. The included adapter with the SR-JK11H kit will retain that amp, BUT, you will lose fader control. All the speakers will play, but you'll only have balance left to right, no more fading front to rear.
If you had an issue with the stock amp, you could bypass it and run the main speakers off the deck, but you'd also have to add a small separate amp to retain the stock subwoofer. Just keep in mind, the internal amp on this radio is limited in output. If you keep the stock amp/speakers, you will still get better sound quality with the HEIGH10 just because you are starting with a cleaner digital to analog converter in the head unit. I hope that is helpful!
@@carstereochick very helpful. Thank you!
More pros than cons for sure but definitely disappointed in the 1.8v preouts. I like the fact it's one of the few that has a toslink. I need the toslink for my VX600/6i amp I'm going to be installing. I also really like the 4 camera feature. I plan on buying a Challenger soon and all these features really tick every option box I'm looking for but it does have its shortcomings. Great review, Thank you.
Thank you! FYI in our vehicle we put in an audio control line driver, it really helped to make up for the low voltage pre-out. Haven't had a chance yet to wire up the toslink in ours. Normally toslink has less output than RCA, but it's cleaner for sure.
When you mentioned the software being common with other brands, are you speaking of the GUI itself? As far as navigation, Alpine uses Navi which I have mixed feelings about. This one uses iGo or are they the same company now? I'm still using an Alpine X208u and like a lot of stuff, the built in processor was anemic so some things are slow to open. The other put off is how cryptic Alpine is with spdif if included at all. The Stinger is variable output spdif and uses the standard spdif socket.
It would be nice to for once have a built in Navigation that responds to voice. I don't like depending on a cellphone to have that feature. I had to turn Waze off, it interrupts my favorite songs too much to tell me there is a car on the side of the road. The android powered head units probably do have voice GPS but I wouldn't trust them yet as they may not hold up to environmental extremes like the common brands we use here. My two Alpine X208u units in two vehicles have withstood more than two summers of anywhere up to 122 degrees outside and I'm sure that inside the parked vehicle it's way way above that and they keep on working.
Some have criticized that GPS is a paid add on, well, it's cheaper without it and they have to pay iGo to use the software, many are happy just using their cellphone navigation via Android Auto. If one is never going to use the Vehicle/Head Unit GPS, why pay for it? Here you do not have to pay if you won't used it. The GPS floating screen units from other manufacturers are several hundred dollars more than the non GPS floating screens from the same manufacturer. I will say that upgrading Alpine's Navigation software is ridiculous. I would imagine this is not the case here as it's on a removable drive.
I'll see what Alpine does but I am really tired of these companies bastardizing spdif if they even offer it or requiring a kludge to connect to spdif only to have it as a fixed output level. I have a dsp that takes a spdif toslink or coaxial but it needs to be variable and the Stinger has this variable toslink output or so I am lead to believe. Hope there is a part 3 and hope that the level problems are a one off situation as that would totally mar a good unit otherwise. I think stinger is on the right track but there is a way to go. Aftermarket stereos should just use the CAN bus directly depending on what the car has. Any vehicle from 1996 on has OBD2 that at least shows engine info and now other accessories use it. Imagine being able to add rear controls after the fact by just connecting to can bus provisions. On my last Avionics assignment, I began to see CAN bus use in aircraft as it is that extensible and identical to the NEMA bus for Marine. Robert Bosch did good inventing the CAN bus but I digress.
I put it in my 2018 ram and there is no space to get the wire harnesses in the dash plus hard to get the wires run. I love the picture and camera and the interference is good
Yes! The install in the Jeep was extremely tight, I'm sure it's very similar in the 2018 RAM. So happy to hear you're enjoying it!
Do you have thoughts between the Heigh 10 and the Alpine i407-WRA-JL since they’re similarly priced?
To be honest I have not ever sold the i407-WRA-JL. All of our clients are going for the larger screen with either the HEIGH10 or the i509-WRA-JL. It's basically an iLX-407 with all the adapters. The 407 has been pretty reliable for us in general with most vehicles. It is a different operating system/user interface than the 509. It's a smaller screen and I don't think the 407 display is quite as vibrant as the 509, but it's probably about the same as the HEIGH10. And like the HEIGH10 it's a wired connection for CarPlay/Android Auto only. Tough call.
If you're doing an audio system, a lot of our clients do it in phases and start with the PAC AP4-CH41R2 and then save up to the larger head unit upgrade at a later date. Sorry I haven't sold or installed one to comment on reliability/quirkiness aspect.
How do you have the video playing on a high 10 radio? I know you have a HDMI coming out of the back, but what is that you had hooked up to to make it play
That is an official Apple Lightning to Digital A/V adapter. In my experience only the Apple brand works.
So how much louder is your Alpine with aftermarket amplifiers then this Stinger that is only putting out 1.7 volts is it a noticeable difference? Because ever since you showed that I have been debating whether or not to sell this and get an Alpine would love the new Alpine but way too expensive I'm sure
It's definitely a noticeable difference. Even on our sound board in our showroom you can clearly hear the difference in output between a basic 2.5 volt deck and a 4 and 5 volt deck. But we put in a line driver to address it. Not ideal, but definitely did the trick. The i509-WRA-JL is expected to sell for $2399.99 as of right now (3/10/22). Pricing is subject to change as the cost of fuel, raw materials and shipping costs fluctuates.
Just want to make sure I heard you correctly; did you say around 6:24 that analog out usually sound better than optical out?
More output, louder. For example in the past we’ve used a JL VX1000/5i (75x4 RMS plus 600x1) with a DRC205 and a preamp adapter and set up multiple presets for listening. Some presets were analog and some were Toslink. Toslink is definitely cleaner, but the analog was louder/more efficient.
We have since utilized the optical output on this stereo going into a Helix V Eight DSP amplifier (75x8 RMS and separate Helix mono block) and are absolutely in love with how it sounds. It’s incredibly clean. You just REALLY need to have sufficient power IMO if you’re going to utilize the optical output. It’s well worth it, that is the redeeming feature of this head unit that’s really made us truly appreciate it.
@@carstereochick It has more to do with the receiving product. A good DSP should give full gain when using optical and/or coax in. The receiving product should use its own ADC and preamp stage to adjust the gain. If this is not the case the optical receiver on the DSP is not up to the task.
@Mark Brooks I was going to add that my 1st experience with optical was with that JL VXi amp and perhaps the DAC/processing in that amp just wasn’t as high of quality as others. When I heard the A/B set up we did with that JL amp, we reached out to a few industry folks and was told optical simply isn’t as efficient as RCA. That wasn’t the 1st time I’d heard that so I assumed that what I was told about optical efficiency is true. And most clients are putting these Stinger HEIGH10 head units in Jeeps. Doors off, top off, you need output and efficiency for sure. I’d rather see a Jeep client go with a clean, high powered RCA amp than a lower powered optical amp if they plan on driving/listening with doors/top off.
EDIT: actually I just remembered this too, when we did that A/B comparison with the JL VXi amp, we had even added a secondary amplifier for the rears (XD 400/4 - 75x4 RMS) so we were running 150x4 effectively, but even with everything to the max in the JL DSP amp settings, there was a significant output level difference between the digital and analog presets. This is when we started calling people including JL tech support to make sure we weren't missing anything in the software settings. We can say we haven't had that same issue with our Helix DSP amp so I guess the limitation with digital is really in the amplifier/DSP you plan on using.
I am trying to make up my mind with the heigh10. I love all the features it has. Cost wise it seems to be the best priced unit with the features it has compared to others. Im so torn on it haha.
As long as you are aware of and willing to live with it's quirks, it's a great value. Stinger has been running specials on it lately so the price is very fair. We are currently using the digital out which sounds amazing with our Helix V Eight DSP amp. But even after updates and resets our reverse camera still sometimes gets confused if we recently used the HDMI input. We don't mind since it sounds great at this point.
Did you ever do a Alpine I509-wra? It's been. It's been a few months since this video?
Yes, we installed one in June once we finally received one and I’ve really gotten to know it’s quirks. Because availability has been tight we haven’t put one in our Jeep yet. It’s basically the iLX-507 but made specific for Jeep. We have another one scheduled this week and I’m planning to document the install and review soon!
Nice
Thank you for watching!!!
Does your climate controls still work for this cuz I have a 2016 Challenger
In our Jeep yes, we have climate controls retained. In the Challenger it looks like that is also retained when you use the SRK-CHR15H install kit.
How did you get the gage read out to come up? Ive been looking and I cant find how to navigate to that feature. is it apart of the nav chip? I didnt get the chip yet. Plan on installing that when I get the HDMi cable.
Is it installed in a 2018-up Jeep Wrangler/Gladiator? That feature is vehicle dependent, it's not applicable to the 2011-2017 JK/JKU, but you will get similar vehicle information when used in a 2013 - 2018 RAM pickup or 2015 - 2023 Challenger, Charger or Chrysler 300. If compatible, there will be a vehicle info button on the second lower page of the home screen, tap the down arrow.
@@carstereochick 2014 wrangler jku . So I guess its not a feature for me? thanks for the info!
What speakers and amplifiers did you pair with? Heigh10 radio.
Right now we have the Helix V Eight DSP and P One utilizing the super clean optical out of the head unit. We didn't initially use the optical. We changed it later when we had time and it has been the redeeming factor on this head unit. We're running it with some Morel Hybrid 602's, the two JL Audio Stealthboxes and Kicker L7 12" ported box.
Hi this is Will. We connect a while back about the high 10 radio on my Jeep JL 2018 I just picked up some 6 x 9 pioneer speakers.Ts-A6996S five way speakers 1000 w and am looking at Pioneer GM-D9705 2000W Max 5-Channel GM Digital Champion change the subway. What do you think of this application and can you do a video on it
Also, can you test pioneer amplifier? I sent you to see if we get a better output i’m looking for new videos on the high 10 radio and amplifier. Can you make some new videos?
So quick question! 14 Ram I want to throw the 8" factory radio in a fire!! 🤣 thinking about the Stinger. I haven't upgraded from the stock Alpine system yet but will down the line. Is there any sound difference with the factory alpine system and the Stinger?
Hi Jason - that's a really great question. Truthfully I have not just replaced the head unit ONLY in a Ram with the 8" Alpine Uconnect. Usually we're doing speakers, amps, etc. I assume you would notice a sound quality improvement similar to the sound quality improvement I see happen for clients with a 2011 - 2017 Wrangler equipped with the Alpine premium system when all we do is just upgrade the head unit.
Even though it's still the stock amp and speakers, you're starting with a better DAC, cleaner signal so there is usually an audible improvement in clarity and detail. One thing to be aware of, the PAC interface to retain steering wheel controls, stock amp, etc. usually does not retain fader control in premium amplified models. I'd have to dig into the install guide to verify for your particular year/model, but just an FYI.
There is a difference nothing major! The highs are definitely brighter! Other than that....🤷♂️ you are right about the fader! My steering wheel controls don't work which is not great but I will figure that out!
I didn't drive my Jeep JT for like 5 days and my dashcam malfunctioned and drained the battery to near dead. This gave me an error on my Auto start/stop and "needs service" and it hasn't functioned since i charged the battery. I got to disable my auto start for free :P
How long has it been since that happened??? That happened to us too when we had the factory head unit, but it wasn’t from a weak battery. Do you still have the error light on the dash?
@@carstereochick it happened maybe 5 days ago. It since has been driven enough that the batteries should be full. My initial suspicion was the aux battery dying or getting too low. It wasn't there when I parked. I have 0 mods or add-ons other than the suspension. Yeah the error light is still up
@@chad5576 light would bother me in the cluster. I was wondering if it was the aux battery going too. We just replaced ours at about 44,000 miles. When ours went, it died out of nowhere. Had to jump the car randomly even though driven every day and the freaking thing died at the next light because the stupid start stop reset 😂 I hate that “feature”. Our next video includes replacing one in a 2020 JLU because we had a hunch that might have been what was causing the clients Alpine radio to bug out and not power up. He had similar miles to ours.
@@carstereochick it definitely does bother me, but at this moment the light bothers me less than the auto stop would, or having to turn it off every time as I don't have a tazer yet. I have 0 other issues going on so I might just see if I can clear it with my father in law's code reader. I've only got 20k miles on mine. I'll see how long I can go before it drives me crazy lol
So which do you like better the Stinger or the Alpine 509??
SO if you asked me this a couple months ago I'd say Alpine 509. It has a better screen, better SQ and true 4 volt pre-amp. Plus I think the fit and finish is nicer. BUT we recently utilized the digital toslink output on this to our Helix V EIGHT DSP amplifier and that changed everything. My husband John and I were driving around last weekend and when a song ended and I turned to him and said, "I feel like I should be clapping". It sounded like I was at a live performance and the guitarist was right in front of me.
What a flipping difference. We're probably going to put the HEIGH10 in my car with a Helix DSP because now his car sounds better than mine and I can't have that. So my answer to that question varies greatly depending on what your ultimate end goal is equipment wise. Digital or analog connection to your amps? If RCA, Alpine will sound better, it's truly 4 volt. The Stinger is not unfortunately. But when you go digital out, that pre-amp voltage doesn't matter. All depends on what features are most important to you.
@@carstereochick what is the cheapest way to use the toslink on this head unit?
I just had the Stinger installed and noticed the loudness issue. So is the helix a easy install,?
I ended up installing 8.4 inch Uconnect radio on my JL. After investigating Insane, Stinger, and Alpine - all looks good on the paper, but post-installation - it's bugs, bugs, bugs . With all new 2024+ jeeps now coming out equipped with 12 inch systems, the incentive for the respective companies to finally (after many years on the market) resolve the issues with their stereos in the future is negligible.
I hear you. The OEM unit can be nicely integrated with aftermarket equipment using the PAC AP4-CH41R2 and you can even go Toslink out with that using an adapter so from a sound quality perspective, you're definitely not limited with the OEM screen. Many of our clients choose to use their OEM screens for their Jeep stereo upgrades. Stinger did recently come out with a new update and so far so good. Before the update, the camera seemed to get confused after using the HDMI input. Overall, we're happy with it largely due to the big screen, toslink out and HDMI input.
How did you get the HDMI out put to work? Even when I have it on park or have the vehicle off. I can't get to the warning sign to go off.
Is the parking brake wire connected? Light green coming off the HEIGH10.
Yes, I hooked everything up like the manual said. Unless it came lose when I put in the radio. Looks like I may have to take it off again and double check the green wire to the parking break wire. My 📷 does come on reverse
Stinger needs to update the Height 10 to wireless. Plus it makes no sense to separately charge to get navigation
You mean Bluetooth Android Auto?
@@Davesworld7 Both Android Auto and Apple car play
No HD FM, bummer.
I was highly disappointed with the stinger. I returned mine and got an alpine halo
I have a love hate relationship with ours. Now that we're using the Toslink connection, the sound quality is phenomenal with our Helix V Eight DSP amp. If we were using RCA I think we would have eventually put the Alpine i509-WRA-JL in there. The Alpine has a brighter/more vibrant screen too.
@@carstereochick I have it in a silverado. I don't remember if it's not idatalink maestro compatible or if it was a software issue or something with stinger but I could not access vehicle menus, see hvac controls or gauges on the headunit. I did call stinger and they hadn't developed that stuff to work on chevy trucks. That was a deal breaker at the price.
So for $1.3k in 2023 No Wireless Apple android car-auto, No HD radio tuner, No 5G, Separate charge for nav and Sat radio……not sure what are they trying to sell.
I believe it's called shrinkflation my friend! Bigger screen I think is the main sell, going after Wrangler owners with the Uconnect 5. The problem is there are not a ton of options on the market for this car at this time due to space constraints and interfacing all of the data that runs through the factory head unit. So this is the cheaper alternative to the Alpine i509-WRA-JL. The digital output is awesome, we're finally using that feature and I think for that alone it's probably worth it if you're going to build a high fidelity full aftermarket system. For reference even the $2399 Alpine with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto does not come with navigation or sat radio - it's all extra!
@@carstereochick Agreed in some points but you still have 6 to 10 better options in Amazon with way more feature for half of the price. This radio was $1.2k last week and I saw it last night in Amazon for $999.
Android auto is 480p upscaled/stretched. Noticable around most text and icons, especially street labels in maps. Developer settings in android auto to allow higher resolution have no effect. Disappointing.
Oh man, now that I think about it I don't recall selling this to any clients with Android, it's always been Apple users! With CarPlay the icons aren't huge like they are in a lot of other 9" - 11" models, but that's probably why, to try and preserve the image quality of the icons without stretching them out. That makes a lot of sense. Super disappointing, but thank you so much for pointing that out!
Did you find a solution to this, my android auto looks horrible
Lol very funny everyone have opinion about everything that come out and act like an expert. No one turn up the bass or volume and bass up to get extra voltage to get more volts. That's my opinion like you ha e opinion
I actually really love the way this head unit sounds now that we’re using the optical out, but it’s just disappointing that they compromised on component quality due to supply chain issues. My original shipment of these at my shop were indeed 4 volt flat. Also whenever I test preamps on aftermarket head units TYPICALLY what I see is the actual advertised voltage. That’s with everything flat in the EQ. Some models it’s with sub level all the way up, some it’s only at plus 1 or 2. It was really the inconsistency and change in production that irked me.
Also as someone with 23 years in the business serving end use consumers, owning a shop that sells and installs these products on a daily basis, I think I have more exposure to this than someone that just decided to buy one and put one in their own vehicle. Last thing I want is to sell someone something and they’re disappointed with the performance. Every head unit has its pros and cons, I’m just very up front with clients about all of it so they can make an informed purchase decision.
Take the damn baseline out of your audio; damn....
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😂 I don’t like quiet spaces in between talking. Reminds me of when I’m with clients in the showroom without background music going. It can get awkward or down right uncomfortable. This is an earlier video, I’ve gotten better at it.
@@carstereochick I was listening on my headphones. Made it halfway through before I had to turn it to a whisper 😂
Oh man! I'll have to re-watch it in my editing software to see where my levels were. As I said, I think I've gotten better at it. I made this one over a year ago and try to improve with each video. I also edit using headphones specifically for that reason. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and give me feedback as well as letting me have some fun in the comment section ; )
@@carstereochick no worries. Was just having some fun as well! I appreciate the content