by Joshua Thomas
Single Din Head Units provide an excellent upgrade for your vehicle's sound system. These head units are typically 2 inches tall and 7 inches long, which means they have enough space to accommodate most functionalities that motorists want on their car stereo.
With the best single din head unit, you get functionalities like USB, AUX, Bluetooth ad CD player. Additionally, most also have bright LED displays that make it easy to navigate through the different settings.
Generally, most car owners choose Single Din stereos as they are cheaper than their 2 Din counterparts. Also, they are smaller, which means you can have a storage box above or below the unit. Better still, they fit almost any slot type, making them ideal for any vehicle.
In this article, we review some top-rated single din head units and provide a buying guide to helps make it easier to pick an ideal model for your vehicle.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. Pioneer DEH-S1100UB (Best Overall) |
|
 | 2. BOSS Audio Systems 616UAB (Best Budget) |
|
 | 3. Sony DSX-A410BT (Best Wireless) |
|
 | 4. Pyle PLMRB29B (Best Multimedia) |
|
 | 5. Kenwood KDC-BT375U (Best Biggest Screen) |
|
You can hardly ever go wrong with any Pioneer head unit as they are among the industry leaders for all kinds of sound hardware. The quality and sound output you get with their Pioneer DEH-S1100UB shows why millions of motorists trust the brand worldwide.
Besides the sound output, other things that make this our best overall model include the fact that it can work with almost any handheld device via USB and AUX connectivity. What's more, motorists can also control it via their Android devices.
Also, the unit comes with a remote control to allow for wireless operation and has some intuitive knobs and buttons for those that prefer not to use a remote. The head unit has a nice single-line and multi-segmented display with LED backlighting and red button illumination to ensure you can see it even at night.
Since the faceplate is entirely detachable, motorists do not have to leave it in the car as they can quickly remove it for secure storage. One more thing many users will love is that the installation process is relatively straightforward.
Although one would expect this single DIN head unit to include Bluetooth connectivity like most modern ones, its absence should not be a deal-breaker given that you can still connect it to your phone and other handheld devices.
What We Like
What We Don't Like
BOSS Audio Systems 616UAB is one of the best single DIN head units out there for motorists shopping for a budget-friendly model. But, despite being a budget model, it still has all the functionalities you would expect from a good head unit.
One of its primary highlights is Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to make calls hands-free and play music from your handheld devices wirelessly. Also, the unit has both USB and AUX to give you more wired connectivity options.
Its LCD display is quite eye-catching as it includes LED dancing lights, and you can also dim both the display and buttons when you do not want distractions. If you prefer wireless operation, the stereo also comes with remote control.
When it comes to the sound output, you will be in more control since the built-in EQ allows you to customize how you want to hear the music by regulating the bass, treble, and balance.
Bass seems to be a little lacking for this head unit, but it should be okay for its price. Also, the buttons and knob might look and feel a little cheap, but they will hold up well for at least a couple of years.What We Like
What We Don't Like
Sony DSX-A410BT will make wireless operation a breeze for motorists. It has seamless Bluetooth connectivity that allows for dual phone connectivity to ensure you can also include your navigation device even as you listen to music from your phone.
Additionally, it is also one of the most powerful head units on our list as it provides a total of 220 watts to ensure you always get a fantastic sound. Better still, it has a bass boost button you can use when you need to give your music some extra punch and a digital equalizer for further sound customization.
When it comes to controlling the unit, you can use voice control which helps ensure more safety when on the road. But, there are still some intuitive buttons and a knob, and this head unit also comes with remote control.
The LED color might not work for some drivers as it cannot be changed to match the vehicle dashboard, and the screen could also be larger. However, both are minor issues that many motorists will hardly even notice.What We Like
What We Don't Like
If you are looking for a multimedia car stereo you can use for playing all kinds of media, Pyle PLMRB29B is perfect. The head unit has Bluetooth, AUX, and USB connectivity to ensure you can connect it to different devices for multimedia playing, as it supports most file formats.
Better still, it is a highly powerful 300-watt car stereo that will give you exceptional sound quality. Besides being the most powerful option on our single DIN head unit review, it includes an EQ configuration to customize the sound.
You never have to touch your phone when driving, as this stereo has a built-in mic to allow for hands-free calling. The phone number is displayed on the bright LCD screen when calling, and there is also a button for starting to ending calls
With the universal 12V configuration, this head unit should work with almost any vehicle that came with the single DIN radio.
This head unit seems to get quite hot when you run it for a long time, but this does not affect its functioning. Also, it feels a little too lightweight, which can give the impression of inferior quality, but it is still exceptionally well-built.What We Like
What We Don't Like
Kenwood is another top brand that never disappoints when it comes to car stereos, and their KDC-BT375U model is as good as it gets for single DIN head units. It offers a larger 1.5-line display that ensures easy interaction with radio and includes many other impressive features.
Key among these features is the robust and seamless Bluetooth connectivity that can pair up to 5 phones to allow for music mixing. Additionally, it also allows you to switch between phones easily.
Controlling the stereo is guaranteed to be a breeze as you can easily adjust all the basics settings via the smartphone app or use the included remote control. There are also built-in drive and graphic equalizers that will give you more control over the sound output.
You will need to buy a separate wire harness to set up this head unit, as it does not include them. Also, there is no external antenna, but both are inexpensive things you can get locally.What We Like
What We Don't Like
Power is a crucial factor to consider before buying a new head unit, as is a determines of how well the unit will provide audio signals to the speakers.
Head unit power is measured in watts, and there are often two ratings, which are the peak and RMS power. Peak power is the maximum power that the built-in amplifier can reach, while the RMS is the actual average power getting to the speakers at all times.
A single DIN unit with at least a 200-watt power rating is often good enough. However, something that delivers even more power like the 300-watt Pyle PLMRB29B is better for those who prefer highly powerful sound outputs.
Since single DIN head units are small in size, it is natural to assume that all have small screens. However, this is not the case. Some single din stereos have large screens that flip in and out of the unit, effectively giving you a 2 DIN size screen from the small unit.
Therefore, if you fancy having a large screen with its accompanying features, yet you have a single DIN slot in your dashboard, It is still possible to get something with a larger screen like the 1.5 line display you get on the Kenwood KDC-BT375U.
Besides screen size, it is also essential to make sure that the backlighting is good to see well even in the dark and that the display uses a font that is easy to read.
Stereos are for car entertainment. As such, the best head unit should have USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity and CD players that can play at least MP3, and WMA audio formats as well as MP1, 2, and 4 video formats.
Most songs are available in these formats, and so to ensure you can enjoy them, your head unit needs to be able to read the file.
Since you cannot be certain of all the exact file you will need to play, it is always better to go for a multimedia unit like Pyle PLMRB29B and most others on our review.
The expandability of a head unit depends on the input and output ports. A head unit with multiple I/O ports is better because it is easy to expand. For instance, having RCA outputs allows you to expand the sound system with amplifiers and subwoofers.
On the other hand, a camera input enables you to expand the stereo's capabilities to improve your driving experience, as you can use it to mount a monitor for your reverse camera. This input makes the head unit useful for more than just listening to music.
Read More: The Best Backup Cameras
When it comes to connectivity, the more options, the better as they ensure you can connect your head unit to almost any device. But, here are the three main connectivity options you need to make sure you get.
Read More: 10 Best Bluetooth Car Kits
BOSS Audio Systems BCPA10RC Apple CarPlay Android Auto Car Multimedia Player - Single Din - Walmart Link
Sound Storm Laboratories SDML9ACPR Apple CarPlay Android Auto Car Multimedia Player - - Walmart Link
Binize 10.1 Inch Single Din Android Car Stereo Radio Touchscreen in-Dash Multimedia - Walmart Link
Pioneer MVH-S310BT Single Din Built-In Bluetooth, MIXTRAX, USB, Auxiliary, Pandora, - Walmart Link
Android Single Din Car Stereo GPS Navigation Head Unit 7" Touch Screen FM Bluetooth WiFi - Walmart Link
Android Single Din Car Stereo GPS Navigation Head Unit 9" Touch Screen FM Bluetooth - Walmart Link
BOSS Audio Systems 632UAB Multimedia Car Stereo - Single Din, Bluetooth Audio and - Walmart Link
the BOSS Audio Systems 616UAB - Walmart Link
BOSS Audio Systems BCPA10RC Apple CarPlay Android Auto Car Multimedia Player - Single Din - eBay Link
Sound Storm Laboratories SDML9ACPR Apple CarPlay Android Auto Car Multimedia Player - - eBay Link
Binize 10.1 Inch Single Din Android Car Stereo Radio Touchscreen in-Dash Multimedia - eBay Link
Pioneer MVH-S310BT Single Din Built-In Bluetooth, MIXTRAX, USB, Auxiliary, Pandora, - eBay Link
Android Single Din Car Stereo GPS Navigation Head Unit 7" Touch Screen FM Bluetooth WiFi - eBay Link
Android Single Din Car Stereo GPS Navigation Head Unit 9" Touch Screen FM Bluetooth - eBay Link
BOSS Audio Systems 632UAB Multimedia Car Stereo - Single Din, Bluetooth Audio and - eBay Link
the BOSS Audio Systems 616UAB - eBay Link
With the best single DIN head unit, you can easily take your car's sound system without having to spend much. Regardless of your preferences, there is a good model for you on our review above.
That said, the Pioneer DEH-S1100UBis our best overall model and top recommendation. Besides delivering exceptional sound quality, this unit works with most handheld devices and is packed with various other fantastic features.
However, for motorists looking for something more budget-friendly, the BOSS Audio Systems 616UAB will be a more appropriate choice.
 |
 |
 |
 |
About Joshua Thomas
Joshua Thomas just simply loves cars and willing to work on them whenever there's chance... sometimes for free.
He started CarCareTotal back in 2017 from the advices of total strangers who witnessed his amazing skills in car repairs here and there.
His goal with this creation is to help car owners better learn how to maintain and repair their cars; as such, the site would cover alot of areas: troubleshooting, product recommendations, tips & tricks.
Joshua received Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University.
Just Car Care
