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HEAD UNITS
Gadgets freaks of the world unite — Kenwood has made the head unit for you. You know who you are. The first question you ask when you see something new is, "What does it do?" In the case of the KDC-X869, it would be easier to tell you what it doesn’t do — it would be a shorter list.
First Look
The Kenwood KDC-X869 is a gadget lover’s dream — it’s a single ISO-DIN chassis head unit with a flip down control panel and wide display screen called the 3D MASK 3-Dimensional 2-Piece Motorized Control and Display System. Its speaker outputs are rated to deliver 50 watts per channel (22 watts rms) with front, rear, and non-fading RCA outputs capable of 5 volts RMS. The KDC-X869 will also control a changer, satellite radio, and will also interface with the Kenwood Music Keg. This head unit will play CD, CD-ROM, CD-RW, and MP3 files. Basically, almost any way you record music, the KDC-X869 can play it. The KDC-X869 also comes with a remote control that accesses its primary functions.
A Closer Look
At first, this baby can seem a little intimidating. The bottom line is that you have serious control of all the different aspects of this head unit. Instead of just bass and treble controls, the KDC-X869 offers bass, mid, and treble level controls that allow you to change the center frequency and the amount of boost or cut. On the bass and midrange, you can also change the "Q" value (range of control). This allows you to really fine tune the sound of your stereo to your personal tastes. There’s a speaker type setting, a high-pass and low pass crossover, as well as five different preset EQ settings (rock, pops, easy, top 40, jazz), one user preset, plus flat, including a SRS setting (WOW) that is pretty interesting. The SRS sound selection has three different modes (WOW, TruBass, and Focus), each one of which has two different settings, plus off. The non-fading output has a level setting function as well as the ability to change the phase from 0 degrees to 180-degrees. To match the output of different sources, there’s a volume-offset function tied to each different source input. Oh yeah, there’s also Fader and Balance controls.
Ease Of Use
At first, the KDC-X869 is not intuitive. You must read the owners manual to fully understand and operate this unit. Once you understand the basic layout, the KDC-X869 is easy to use and you’ll be able to access all of its functions quickly and easily. The volume knob, source button, and track controls are placed in logical positions on the motorized face of the KDC-X869. The display screen assists you with letting you know what functions you’re controlling. The extra functions are accessible through a menu-driven set of buttons called ‘Soft-Key Controls’ on the upper right of the motorized faceplate. From there, you can control all the special functions of the KDC-X869. There’s an angle adjustment for both the control pad and the display of the KDC-X869. This allows you to set up the display angle and button angle to make it as easy as possible to control the unit. You can also control the look of the display right down to the color of the fonts. Once all the custom functions have been set-up, the basic controls of the KDC-X869 are very easy to use.
Installation
Installation of the Kenwood KDC-X869 is simple and straightforward. Special care must be taken to allow for the full movement of the motorized face. In addition to the standard power and speaker wiring, the KDC-X869 has a B.M.S. (Bass Management System) interface that lets you control the bass boost function of compatible Kenwood Excelon amplifiers right from the head unit. Way cool. With any unit with motorization, it’s important to make sure that the unit is installed properly. The KDC-X869 is a complicated, sophisticated piece of machinery and I highly recommend that your Authorized Kenwood Excelon Dealer install this unit.
Manuals/Web Support
The best advice I can give to someone interested in this unit is to read the manual. It’s well written, easy to understand, and gives you the ability to control all the different capabilities this unit has to offer. You can download the owner’s manual from Kenwood’s Web site (www.kenwoodusa.com). The site also provides excellent information about the unit.
Sound Q & Performance
Yes, it has all the gadgets, but how does it sound? In one word: Great! The sound is open and detailed. With the tone controls set flat, the RCA outputs generated 4.92 volts rms of clean unclipped audio. In fact, I was able to boost the midrange control (I set it to 1 kHz) and was able to get 5.52 volts rms of clean power. I measured the RCA output impedance as 79.3 ohms. With lower source impedance such as this, you have the ability to drive multiple amplifiers with excellent noise rejection. The speaker power of the KDC-X869 was measured at 22 watts of power with less than 1% THD (Total Harmonic Distortion).
Summary
The KDC-X869 is a great head unit for gadget freaks and people who want great sound. The ability to play any audio format, and the control over Sirius satellite radio and the Kenwood Music Keg, makes the KDC-X869 an ideal choice as the command center in your high performance car audio system.
Lies, Damn Lies And Amplifier Power Ratings
The Kenwood KDC-X869 exceeded all of its performance specifications I measured. The reality, though, is that this head unit generated 34 percent THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) while producing 52 watts per channel. Undistorted, the head unit produced a very respectable 22 watts per channel (meeting its spec) and over 5 volts rms on the RCA outputs (exceeding the spec!). The undistorted speaker power and the low impedance 5-volt rms RCA outputs make the KDC-X869 a truly excellent performance head unit.
The Kenwood KDC-X869 On The Sonoda Scale
Strengths: Great sound; plays practically all media types and storage formats; able to control Sirius satellite radio as well as the Kenwood Music Keg or a changer.
Weakness: Must read owner’s manual to gain full control of unit. Motorized faceplate may limit some installation locations.
Best use: A fantastic command center for your high-end system.
Performance Value:
****
Ease of Use:
***
Capability to Play CD, CDR, CDRW, MP3, & DVD:
Manuals, Online Support:
****
Kenwood KDC-X869 SPECS
Price & Contact: $599.95; 1-800-KENWOOD
Operating Voltage:
14.4 volts (11-16 volts allowable)
4-ohm Power Output:
Max Power 52 watts x 4 at 34% THD (measured)
RMS Power 22 watts x 4 at 0.84% THD (measured)
RCA outputs:
5.52 volts rms at 0.03% THD (measured)
Output impedance: 79.3 ohms
(measured)
CD Player:
Signal-to-noise Ratio: Greater than 105 dB
Frequency Response: 10 Hz-20 kHz (1 dB)
Channel Separation at 1 kHz: Greater than 95 dB
D/A converter: 1-Bit
Media capability: CD, CDR, CDRW, MP3, WMA
FM Tuner:
Tuning Range: 87.5 MHz-107.9 MHz
FM mono sensitivity: 9.3 dBf
50 dB quieting sensitivity (stereo): 12.2 dBf
Frequency Response: 30 Hz-15 kHz (3 dB)
AM Tuner:
Tuning Range: 530 kHz-1710 kHz
AM sensitivity: 28 uV
Dimensions:
7 inches x 6.5 inches x 1-15/16 inch (178 mm x 165 mm x 50 mm)
Weight:
3.75 Pounds (1.70 kg)
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