Pioneer MVH-X370BT In-Dash Digital Media Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth

What customers say about Pioneer MVH-X370BT In-Dash Digital Media Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth?

1. 11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

   
   Replaced my Clarion Media Receiver – Bluetooth Phone Connection is Cool, October 27, 2014

   By 

   jp2code «Joe Pool to Code .NET» (Longview, TX [USA]) –

   Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Pioneer MVH-X370BT In-Dash Digital Media Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth (Electronics)

   I got the MVH-X370BT over Pioneer’s MVH-X560BT Digital Media Receiver because I could not see anything different between these two units. This one shows on Amazon’s page that it was first available on August 16, 2014, whereas the MVH-X560BT shows November 19, 2013. Upon closer inspection on Pioneer’s website, one learns that the X560 has a custom color illumination option and 3 sets of RCA Preouts. This system only comes in Blue and has 1 set of RCA Preouts.

   This unit replaced the Clarion FX150 that I purchased last year. The sound quality of the Pioneer is much better, but I really liked the SD card option on the Clarion. Unfortunately, the Clarion managed to chop off the first 3 or 4 seconds on every song. That was irritating.

   I have already noticed a few things this unit is lacking on:

   1. In the menu, there is an option to program what time the display should dim. That is nice, I guess, but all stereo systems already have a wire from the light switch. Why can’t this unit just dim when the lights turn on like a factory-style device does?

   2. The buttons are created in such a way that you can only read them if the backlight is turned on. I would much rather have a unit that was not as visually loud in my vehicle, because I do not like announcing that I have an aftermarket deck in my vehicle. However, if the backlight were turned off, it would be nearly impossible to read the keys. A different color choice would have been very nice. The unit’s Blue Backlight is even ON when the unit itself is turned OFF.

   3. The hands-free device for Bluetooth phones is AWESOME! Even if the stereo is turned OFF, it is still connected to the phone. As long as that Blue Backlight stays ON, your Bluetooth phone can still communicate through this. When the vehicle’s power is turned OFF, however, the stereo actually turns completely OFF as well. That’s good!

   4. Calls coming in on the stereo seem to be a constant volume. Whether you have the stereo cranking Rock tunes really loud or barely trickling in some soft Classical, the music is stopped, and the phone’s ringer transmits through the vehicle’s speaker system at some predetermined audio level – which is acceptable.

   I’ve only had this receiver installed in my vehicle (a 1994 Nissan Hardbody pickup) for a few days. If other stuff comes up, I’ll update this review at that time.

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2. 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

   
   Excellent value, December 21, 2014

   By 

   R.D. Monsoon –
   
     

   Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Pioneer MVH-X370BT In-Dash Digital Media Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth (Electronics)

   (This was review was written using iOS devices: iPhone 6, iPhone 3GS, iPad 3rd gen, and iPod Classic)

   NOTE: this unit does not have a CD player.

   OVERALL: This unit is an excellent value. For relatively little money you can overhaul the music system in older cars and fully utilize all of the media on your phone (music, streaming, apps), and add handsfree calling.

   Let me start with what are the best features of the pioneer media player before I go into more detail:

   1. Whether connected via Bluetooth or USB, when you turn your car on and the media player powers on, it begins playing exactly where you last stopped listening to audio. If you were listening to audio in an app, such as the podcast app (as opposed to the iPhone’s native music app), it will resume playback there. I consider this a major plus because many factory installed car radios will not do this — when powered up they always play the first track of music on your phone or iPod. I rent a lot of cars for work and it’s shocking how many cars radios still do this.

   2. You can control playback of audio from your phone or iPod — meaning, that when it is connected to the media center you are not forced to navigate and select audio through the media player. Again, lots of factory radios won’t let you do this, and it’s always easier to navigate on your device than through the media player.

   3. You can listen to audio from any app. Some car radios can be funky about allowing playback through third party apps, like the NPR app.

   INSTALL: If you’ve never installed a car radio before in can seem daunting, but it’s really pretty simple. However, Pioneer’s instructions are mediocre, and the wiring harness does not come pre-stripped, so you will need to have a wire stripper for the install. You also need wire nuts, or at least electrical tape. IMPORTANT: If your cars warning sounds and chimes are stored in the factory installed radio, then you’ll also need to buy an aftermarket wiring interface to retain them (usually in the mid-$20s). You’ll probably also need an antenna adapter (~$10) and a dash kit (~$15).

   BLUETOOTH: I had no problems paring several devices. Up to 3 can be stored in the media player’s memory so that you can easily toggle between them without having to go through the pairing process each time you want to switch which device the media player is pulling audio from. When you turn on your car and the radio powers up it quickly finds my iPhone, connects, and begins playing audio.

   PHONE: This unit comes with a wired microphone. It has a clip that you can use to hang it from your visor or clip above the steering column; I installed it on the latter. When phone calls come in the media player displays what you’d see on your phone — if it’s from a number of a stored contact you see that contact’s name; if not, you see the number. Through the media player’s menu you can easily access the most recent call list and bring up your contacts directory. You can also turn the 1 through 6 number buttons on the media player into speed dial buttons for selected contacts. I think that’s pretty spiffy. People on the other end of my calls said that my sound quality was good — no issues hearing me.

   INTERFACE: The buttons are too small. You’ll end up always controlling things from your phone.

   SOUND QUALITY: It’s excellent, including through Bluetooth.

   OTHER FEATURES: This is actually a lack of feature: no CD player. It’s crazy the the overwhelming majority of aftermarket radios still include a CD player. When was the last time anyone listened to a CD in the car? Compared to the rest of the Pioneer line you only seem to save a few dollars by opting to go without it. The lack of CD player does make the install easier because the unit is about half as deep as ones with the player.

   The media player also comes with a remote. I suppose it could be useful for allowing people in the back seat to change the radio station on their own.

   Some people have complained that the display is difficult to impossible to read during the day. I’ve had no such issues, even when sun light is shinning on the display and I’m wearing sunglasses. I think folks just need to adjust the settings.

   CRITICISMS: I cannot figure out how to display both the track name and the clock at the same time.

   As I mentioned early, it’s ridiculous that the wire harness doesn’t come pre-stripped. If you don’t own a wire stripper or have access to one, that’s an additional expense.

   I’m taking a star off for that.

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3. 4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

   
   Great Receiver, November 25, 2014

   By 

   Steve –

   Verified Purchase(What’s this?)

   This review is from: Pioneer MVH-X370BT In-Dash Digital Media Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth (Electronics)

   I bought this for two reasons: I don’t use CDs and I needed bluetooth.

   I usually listen to podcasts and my music is on my phone so I have zero need for a CD player. I didn’t even realize they made receivers without CD players but I came across this and thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Okay, maybe only the greatest thing since torrents. Not having a CD player makes this thing almost comically small. Reduces it by about 1/2 in length compared to a CD reciever.

   The bluetooth works great. Autosyncs to my phone in less than 5 seconds when I turn the car on. It does autoplay what was playing when I turned off the car which is great for me (the podcast thing and all) but if you’re a middle aged dude blasting One Direction, this could possible lead to embarrassment…just so you know.

   The display like everyone says, is very low in daylight conditions and very bright at night. I don’t think I’ve read a review on any receiver that this wasn’t the first complaint. There’s a clock-synced display setting that I guess adjusts the brightness by time of day but I can’t figure out how it works. The manual doesn’t say anything about it. You set the times that you want the sync to happen but when I set it for 6pm-6am it doesn’t seem to change the brightness at all. For now, I’m just doing it manually if I’m annoyed by the brightness at night.

   Those little controls above the radio station presets are painted on and do not light up so you’re on your own if you use those at night. I just memorized that preset #4 controls the play/pause for bluetooth/usb music so that’s not a big deal. I don’t use the other painted on functions like «random» and «repeat» so I don’t care much about those.

   I don’t talk on the phone much, let alone in my car, but I did install the microphone. I ran it behind the dash, up the window pillar and across to the rear-view mirror. It has a clip and also a set of sticky tape if the clip doesn’t put it in the right position. I’ve tested it once, and the caller said I sounded normal so whatevs on that.

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