By Gideon V. – Sonic Electronix Editor

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, the Kenwood Corporation is known for their outstanding products. They remain a leader in car audio today, going on 63 years of industry dominance. Today we discuss two of the top Kenwood stereos.

Kenwood KDC-MP638U and KDC-MP738U are superb car stereos. Both are in-dash CD/MP3 players, which means you can load hundreds of MP3 files on a blank CD and have music playback for hours without switching discs. Both head units are loaded with expandability options, as they are both compatible with Satellite Radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth hands-free talking, and iPod connectivity. Satellite Radio has commercial-free, premium content. HD radio gives you a clearer signal almost anywhere. Bluetooth hands-free devices are now required by law in many states. Besides, it makes your drive safer and more convenient.

Both car stereos have iPod to USB connection capability. The USB input enables you to use the iPod cable that came with your iPod to connect it to the stereo, just as you would connect your iPod to a computer USB input. In fact, you can connect practically any unit or portable storage device to the USB input. You can control playback with your stereo controls, and your MP3 player or iPod charges while the music plays.

You will love the total equalization control you get from the System Q Sound Control. The stereos come equipped with a 3-band parametric equalizer and 6 preset tone curves. Adjust the bass, treble and other sound details based on the music or song you are listening to. When it comes to connecting an amplifier, the 3 sets of preamp outputs will allow you to connect each channel.

The KDC-MP738U is an upgrade over the KDC-MP638U, because it has a few additional features. For just a little more money, you get a model that has everything the 638U has, plus steering wheel control compatibility for your convenience and a Security Code for theft prevention. The steering wheel control accessory is required and sold separately, but it is a very important safety feature because it keeps the driver’s eyes on the road and hands on the wheel when adjusting the stereo controls. The security code is a built-in anti-theft device that requires a security code to be inputted when your head unit is re-installed. If someone were to steal the stereo, the thief would not be able to turn it on without the security code. Besides that, the hope is that these codes will deter theft since thieves may be aware of units that require security codes.