Alpine iLX-W650 7" Double DIN Touchscreen Digital Multimedia Receiver with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Installed this in a 2009 Chrysler 300 where the opening behind the radio is too narrow for double-DIN head units that are more than about 4 inches deep. This unit is only about 2.5 inches deep and is loaded with features (except for a disc player). I really like that the display is large and the text is very easy to read. The touch screen works really well. Blue-tooth connectivity works great. Apple CarPlay works great. The switch from Bluetooth to CarPlay is automatic just by plugging/unplugging the cable. It will drop audio for 1 or 2 seconds during the switch. Cons: Stupid #$%&ing parking brake sense wire is required to access most of the settings including just switching between two bluetooth devices. It can't be bypassed by simply grounding the wire. It requires a smart bypass circuit with a timed relay. I bought the "MicroBypass Parking Brake Override" on Amazon after I found out I couldn't even access the settings without the parking brake being engaged. The built-in amplifier is only 16W x4 vs. the typical 22W x4. I imagine this is due to the much smaller space available inside the unit. It's still good enough for the factory speakers in my car, though. Update: Aug 22, 2019. After 3 months, I'm still liking this unit. Some things I've noticed since my initial review: I occasionally see a lag on the touchscreen when using CarPlay, but it's rare. Not sure if it's the phone or the unit. When switching between Bluetooth and CarPlay in the middle of a song, it's obvious that the Bluetooth and CarPlay audio go through some different audio processing (e.g. equalizer settings). CarPlay sounds a lot better. Again, not sure if this is something on the phone or the unit. There is a small window of time about 3 seconds after you turn the unit on but before the unit is fully booted up where if you plug in your iPhone, it won't be detected and so CarPlay won't be available. If it happens, the simple solution is to unplug the cable and plug it in again. Update Aug 10, 2020: Wanted to update that the custom equalizer settings don't seem to affect the Carplay or Bluetooth at all. This is kind of a let-down for me after changing out my speakers.

Installed this in a 2006 F-250. Quite happy with it, it has good sound quality even with old factory speakers, although I was mainly just looking for something to work with my phone's map and to receive the audio/Bluetooth. It has a sleek look and was well worth the time and effort. I self-installed this and it wasn't very difficult with the help of a couple YouTube videos. I have a few minor gripes that I can't blame the manufacturer for. One is that without a dial changing the volume is a little bit of a hassle. I like the look of the solid glass face, but it is a little annoying trying to tap the small volume up or down spots while driving, a classic knob is preferred, at least by me. Alpine also uses a security feature to ensure the car is in park with the parking brake on before accessing some settings. I totally understand this is a safety matter but for me I was unwilling to locate and tap into the brake wiring. Granted there are other options out there to bypass this which I HEAR work well...... Final gripe is that in order to use Android Auto you must have it connected via USB. It works really well when hooked up, but would be even more useful if it was a wireless connection. That whining aside, happy with the final result and it is a worthwhile upgrade and expense.

This is my first touchscreen head unit and it is worlds more advanced than any head unit I've had before. This Alpine unit is simple to use and tweak to your liking. The screen is bright and easy to see during the day when its sunny outside and dims automatically at night. You can also adjust the brightness and dimness of the screen to your liking. Sound quality is first class and you know you are getting Alpine sound a build quality which will bring you years of quality use. All parts of this unit are very simple to use including the 9 band EQ, making or receiving calls, or navigating to a destination. Before buying this unit I compared it to the Kenwood DMX9706S which cost about $100 more (best I could find on internet). The Kenwood is obviously a great unit (I have Kenwood in my other automobile) but the Alpine just seemed easier to manipulate and manage due to its simple (iPhone - Like) feel. Of course the Alpine is compatible with both Android and Apple Car Play which is very nice for navigation, playing music, and making calls. When shopping for a new head unit I found most of the units were very comparable and do a lot of the same things (sort of like comparing smart phones) but I felt this Alpine head unit was the simplest to use and I felt ease of use is particularly important when you are installing it in an automobile. Also the price on it is better than the competition as I picked this one up for $279.00. It's a good buy on a great unit. Cannot go wrong with Alpine as the sound quality is definitely what you expect from Alpine.

Awesome sound (using 4V pre-amp out) it has a sensitive screen, Good Brightness but no interface wire to match dash brightness. The lack of radio data was nearly a deal breaker. I added a cheap $20 china backup camera and wired it to the reverse light, it works great. Alpines three finger 'swipe to change song" feature doesn't work with car-play. The deck is a very good-looking and understated replacement well suited to the dash of an adults car. Overall the value is a bit low for the quality of the firmware and lack of a few features. When using an known good Apple lightning cable and new phone the Deck sometimes displays "This device is not supported." Because my car had a factory amp I used the 4V outputs and removed the wires to the internal amp. I also removed the wire that connected to the handbrake (because I have no need to watch video while driving) but that was a big mistake this Receiver won't allow a Bluetooth connection or access to the settings without the handbrake wire installed and the handbrake active. I searched the manual which is deficient and Alpine tech support was useless suggesting I buy a new cable (which is not available). Sooo can one of you good amazon buyers help out by uploading a picture or video of the power and speaker harness? Specifically the location of the Parking Brake wire (Yellow/Blue) I have to re-install the wire before I can access the Settings menu. Thanks! Keep Calm and Rock on!

Just received my Alpine car stereo and I love it 🥰. My husband hooked it up for me since he is the person to go too and hook up everybody music. He connected his android phone to the Bluetooth with no problem. When it was time for my IPhone 13 Pro Max to be hook to it, it wouldn’t let me. The option was grayed out. My husband had to hook 3 extra wires to it and it worked.

Few products eviscerate such a strong negative emotion when I think of them. Deep in my bowels, I resent the 'engineer' who cobbled this thing together and shipped it without testing. I loved Alpine as a teenager. I spent countless hours researching, nitpicking, purchasing, installing, and testing, my beloved Alpine head units, amplifiers, subwoofers, and even custom sealed enclosures for my alpine speakers. When it came time to upgrade my work truck with a modern head unit, I was stoked to re-engage in the process. Unfortunately, what I didn't realize when I bought this head unit, is that Alpine hasn't realized the world has changed. They haven't embraced software, or wireless connectivity, or backup cameras. If you're looking for a solid old school head unit to install in your retro porsche, there's probably some good equipment at the top end of the line with Alpine. But if you're looking for a basic head unit that integrates (reliably) with apple carplay or android auto, I'd definitely avoid this one. I tried *everything* to get it to work. First the backup cameras wouldn't activate. After purchasing 2 more backup cameras (thinking it couldn't be the perfect alpine headunit), I discovered that it was a 'safety feature' Alpine had that had to be over-ridden with a relay switch (sold separately and not endorsed by Alpine). So, fine. But the most frustrating thing about this head unit is how flaky the bluetooth and wifi pairing is for apple carplay. Doesn't matter if your phone is brand new. It will cut out. It will drop signal. It will refuse to pair again. And if you think you can just hardwire a USB port (which I did), nope, that won't work either. What a piece of (@#&%)@Q. I'm beyond frustrated.

This head unit is fantastic. Touch screen is very responsive, user interface is as intuitive as most of the after market units I've used. The only thing I would change would be to get the Alpine amp as going without leave some to be desired, I can live with the sound, but its definitely lacking. The unit is definitely TINY. It is very short, about a third of the size of the JVC unit that I had running in my car. Car that the unit was installed in is a 2004 Ford Escape, and through no fault of the unit, the installation was painfully long. This is more a dig at my Escape as mounting but the mounting location was not the same as described in the instructions, I had to fab up my own bracket to connect the sides to the central mounting "rail" in the car's dash. So if you have a 01 - 07 Escape know that there is going to be some work involved. Overall this head unit is just what I wanted for this price point, Alpine did a great job.

Its great, super easy to install. I bought the touch screen unit, plastic easy mount kit, wire harness for mercury marquis, and a 10$ bypass kit. I paid to have the harness professionally wired to the unit along with the bypass outside of the car. Meaning the stock wires in the car never had to be altered. And I just handed the audio shop my unit and the harness and they wired them right in front of me. Then clipped the harness into the stock connector and boom I got sound. I did install it myself and I had to grind a plastic lip out of the dash so it would fit. with the easy install kit you do not have to take the dash apart to remove or add to the unit, u can use a screwdriver to unclip it. Did have stock radio and this touchscreen unit made the sound quality amazing. Lots of options in this unit. Fine tune sound, watch movies, or mirror your phone to it. super great unit.

Como siempre la marca no decepciona, esta vez Alpine hace honor a sus productos ! Es asombroso su sonido y sus funciones están de primera !

I had to get a new phone as my old one wasn't really compatible with the system, which I guess I was due got a new phone anyways. But either way it's working great after about 16 months of owning it, even throughout the cold Canadian weather. The steering wheel controls won't work for a few minutes if it's really cold, but the touch screen does regardless. Very happy with this and I was even able to get a backup camera because of this, I'd highly recommend!

Excelente estéreo buena calidad de sonido excelente apariencia

After owning a few Android head units and a BOSS unit that were all terrible in there own ways the Alpine unit has been amazing for the last year or so.

Buen estéreo y buen servicio del vendedor para atención al cliente.