[luvjascha]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

For USB in the rear, i guess you could look at 6039U

How is the 6539 different from the 6039, in terms of features and prices?

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

If you are ok with front USB, then 5539U (for direct ipod control) or 5039U (iPod as a USB drive)

Pardon my ignorance, but what's the difference between direct iPod control and iPod as as USB drive?

From a convenience standpoint, will all these HUs allow me to control the selection of songs / artists from the iPod, directly from the HU - meaning that do these HUs have a toggle?

[gunbir]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

For USB in the rear, i guess you could look at 6039U. If you are ok with front USB, then 5539U (for direct ipod control) or 5039U (iPod as a USB drive)

The 5539U wasn't available officially in India at last check. The price difference between the 5039U and the 6539U isn't huge, but the 6539U is a much better unit sound wise and features wise. Having used all three (5039U, 6539U and 7009U) I would say the 6539 is terrific VFM, especially if you can get it at anything under the retail price.

Originally Posted by luvjascha

How is the 6539 different from the 6039, in terms of features and prices?

I think the 6039 isn't available here. I think the 6039 was without USB.

Originally Posted by luvjascha

Pardon my ignorance, but what's the difference between direct iPod control and iPod as as USB drive?
From a convenience standpoint, will all these HUs allow me to control the selection of songs / artists from the iPod, directly from the HU - meaning that do these HUs have a toggle?

Direct iPod USB control (like in the 6539U) means you control your ipod menu (playlists, artists, albums and so on) from the HU itself. The USB drive feature (like in the 5039U) means the HU treats your iPod like a hard drive, and though it will play songs you added through iTunes, it will see the file names as iTunes has named them.

There is no toggle. The 6539 will see an iPod as an iPod and the 5039 will see it as a mass storage device.

[luvjascha]

Originally Posted by gunbir

The 5539U wasn't available officially in India at last check. The price difference between the 5039U and the 6539U isn't huge, but the 6539U is a much better unit sound wise and features wise. Having used all three (5039U, 6539U and 7009U) I would say the 6539 is terrific VFM, especially if you can get it at anything under the retail price.

Gunbir, would you recommend the USB slot in the rear too?

One of the Kenwood dealers quoted 9.9K for the 6539U, and 7.4K (6.2K by another Kenwood dealer) for the 5039U.

I am looking for SQ and a VFM Kenwood HU. What additional features does the 6539U have, that the 5039 doesn't?

[gunbir]

Originally Posted by luvjascha

Gunbir, would you recommend the USB slot in the rear too?

One of the Kenwood dealers quoted 9.9K for the 6539U, and 7.4K (6.2K by another Kenwood dealer) for the 5039U.

I am looking for SQ and a VFM Kenwood HU. What additional features does the 6539U have, that the 5039 doesn't?

I have no reason to prefer front USB over rear or vice versa except from a convenience and aesthetics point of view. For those reasons alone I would prefer a rear USB type HU.

9.9K is the MRP for the Kenwood 6539U, maybe you can get some discounts if you haggle with the dealer. 5039U retails for around 7.7K if I'm not wrong. For a feature comparison you should visit the Kenwood site and use the "compare" feature. I also remember having posted the differences between these models elsewhere on the forum, maybe you can search for it.

I would take the 6539 over the 5039 anyday.

Cheers!

[luvjascha]

Originally Posted by gunbir

Direct iPod USB control (like in the 6539U) means you control your ipod menu (playlists, artists, albums and so on) from the HU itself. The USB drive feature (like in the 5039U) means the HU treats your iPod like a hard drive, and though it will play songs you added through iTunes, it will see the file names as iTunes has named them.

There is no toggle. The 6539 will see an iPod as an iPod and the 5039 will see it as a mass storage device.

Great explanation! Thanks Gunbir. I'll get the 6539U and try to haggle with the dealer.

[abhibh]

Originally Posted by luvjascha

Gunbir, would you recommend the USB slot in the rear too?

Why i prefer rear USB Slot.

One of my friend had a Pioneer Front USB player. Once his bro. took the car and he came back with a broken USB stick. On asking what happened the reply was "I was adjusting the seat (hes 6'5") and accidentally hit the KNEE and the drive broke"

[ethanhunt123]

Are you sure 5039U retails for 7K + ?? I just got 5039U + JBL 6" coaxs for my brother's Zen Estilo for 8.5k. The dealer had quoted 6k for the HU. (All with B&W)

[phamilyman]

Yeah man, kindly post his number here. Then the rest of us can call him up on speakerphone and use the conversation to bludgeon rates down at our local fellows

[ethanhunt123]

I dont have the phone number. I can tell you the location of the shop in Mumbai.

[ascertain]

Do you want a single DIN or 2 DIN?

Single din - you can get pioneer mid-high end for 10K comfortably
With USB- front is ok if you don't use those giant sized flash drives , smaller USB drives are perfect and hassle free. I personally dont feel like getting a rear end USB cable, and having it dangle around- it kind of defeats the purpose of compactness (personal view strictly )

2 DIN - Kenwood DPX (Under 10K just) series or pioneer FH P6050UB (12K)

[vezj420]

i'm probably a bit late to influence the OP's buying decisions here, but anyway.

my current setup is a Pioneer 6950IB (cost a little more than 9k with the Ipod control cable). I'm very happy with this setup, considering that Ipod control, i.e. song and playlist selection is quite good on this unit. SQ is also pretty good compared to my previous Sony HU.

Back then, I could have splurged maybe another rs. 1500 more and got a Pio 7950UB, which comes with motorized faceplate and perhaps better SQ and control features. Not to mention it also supports other USB drives.

For me, the Pio range was the best VFM. However, if you can find them (or have someone get them from outside India), ALPINE makes some killer HUs that feature great SQ and intuitive Ipod control. Their displays are also quite something, esp. for the higher end models.

[greenhorn]

nothing like too late, its been almost a year now and the OP's been the perfect hamlet

[abhinav.gupta88]

They dont
I'd suggest try Alpine if you directly want Ipod .
For the ones with aux - in , you will have to use the ipod to control the songs while with the Alpine, you can do it with the help of the HU itself.!

[vezj420]

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

They dont
I'd suggest try Alpine if you directly want Ipod .
For the ones with aux - in , you will have to use the ipod to control the songs while with the Alpine, you can do it with the help of the HU itself.!

Abhinav, not sure who you're replying to here, but several units out there now (that come with the "Made for IPod" tag) feature DIRECT IPod control. This includes several Pioneer, Alpine, Kenwood and even Panasonic models. Out of all the options available in India for reasonable prices, I would go with either Alpine or Pioneer. (although good Alpine HUs are hard to find)