OEM vs Headunit Internal Amp vs External Class-D Amp




OEM Headunit (Toyota Entune 2.0) vs Aftermarket (Pioneer Avic-w8400nex)

Sound Quality


 This head unit, w8400nex, sounded quite a bit better than stock Toyota, much cleaner, flatter, and fuller spectrum of sound. The volume was quite a bit louder, and distorted at approximately 14-17 on the pioneer headunit. But it felt like the bass lacked dynamic response and the highs too lacked excitement. 

 Aftermarket head unit sounds much better with flatter cleaner signals. 

Features and OEM Integration 


 The aftermarket Maestro integration with the OBD II info is slick retaining all the original OEM headunit features including custom settings like door unlock behavior.  There is a slight difference though in terms of physical integration, and in my case it isn't quite as good as stock but very close. 
The Aftermarket Headunit retains all factory functions.  


Navigation Toyota OEM Scout vs w8400nex built in vs CarPlay Waze 


 The Scout connected navigation is trash, and had taken me to the wrong address, worked intermittently, with poor visual representation, vague instruction and slow re-routing.  Completely the opposite of the Pioneer w8400nex which has an abundance of information and works reliably.  

 Took it thru NYC the next day and it was great with the onboard navigation. The lane information is great for an out of towner. There seems to be more info on the built in nav units, but it is not as good as Waze for traffic re-routing, which I'll use in heavy traffic when I have to be somewhere. When I use Waze it is really easy to pull it up and CarPlay, and it runs well, unlike Pandora which has some hiccups. Apple should allow integration of Siri at a deeper level with Amazon, Pandora, as I understand it I cannot just ask Siri to Play Pandora Avicii Station and at times you really need to use Siri for CarPlay tasks. 

Headunit Internal Amplifier (w8400nex) vs discrete Amplifier (Infinity Reference 4555a) 

 The amp took the clean signal and amplified it, it is more dynamic and exciting with reserves to run as Adele hits her notes. It also enabled the speakers to play low frequencies flatter and with quicker transient response.  The volume is much louder than the internal amplifier.  The sound quality is much improved because there are less headroom issues to contend with and more power to supply to the infinity reference four 6x9 3-way and four 3.5" 2-way speakers.  The speakers sound really really good with the amplifier.  there is a greater sense of ambiance, and the sound stage is more consistent and wider.  

 The volume and sound quality with the aftermarket amplifier and headunit is much better than with just the headunit, and incomparably better to the stock system.  

Headunit Amplifier pairing with Discrete Amplifier Notes


Just like your home-theater many car stereos have measured auto performance.  At some point Dolby Atmos would be very useful to pair with such a system in a car allowing people to specify approximately where the speakers are and have such a system measure it and optimize playback for it. 

 The Pioneer Auto EQ was very good and tuned everything to a very grown up flat level, surprisingly it completely turned off the rear speakers (a menu choice) and it does sound good with just the front sound stage. Imay save then re-run the auto eq settings with the subwoofer gain and eq turned down, then turn them up a bit as I like perhaps a bit more bass in my space.

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