Kenwood KDC-MP642U and Kenwood KDC-X693 Comparison

Today I am going to do a side by side comparison of the Kenwood KDC-MP642U and the Kenwood KDC-X693.

First off, here is a list of Specs for each Radio:

KDC-MP642U

General features:

• CD player with built-in MOSFET amplifier (22 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels)
• plays CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RW discs, including discs loaded with MP3,WMA, and AAC files
• detachable face
• remote controlAudio features:
• Sound Excellence DSP (3-band parametric equalizer, iPod EQ, Highway Sound, Digital E's crossover)
• high-pass filters (speaker and preamp outputs), low-pass filter (sub preamp output)
• speaker settings that let you tailor the sound to the size and type of speakers in your carExpandability:
• iPod direct control via USB input — no adapter necessary, but adding Kenwood's optional USB Cable lets you leave your iPod cable at home
• compatible with Kenwood's satellite radio, CD changer, Bluetooth adapter and HD Radio™ tuner
• inputs: rear USB and auxiliary inputs
• outputs: 6-channel 2.5-volt preamp outputs (front, rear, subwoofer)Other features and specs:
• compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls (adapter required)
• warranty: 1 year

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KDC-X693

General features:

• CD player with built-in MOSFET amplifier (22 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels)
• plays CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RW discs, including discs loaded with MP3,WMA, and AAC files
• detachable face
• remote controlAudio features:
• Sound Excellence DSP (3-band parametric equalizer, iPod EQ, Highway Sound, Digital E's crossover)
• high-pass filters (speaker and preamp outputs), low-pass filter (sub preamp output)
• speaker settings that let you tailor the sound to the size and type of speakers in your carExpandability:
• iPod direct control via USB input — no adapter necessary, but adding Kenwood's optional USB cable lets you leave your iPod cable at home
• compatible with Kenwood's satellite radio, CD changer, Bluetooth adapter and HD Radio™ tuner
• inputs: rear USB and auxiliary inputs
• outputs: 6-channel 4-volt preamp outputs (front, rear, subwoofer)Other features and specs:
• compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls (adapter required)
• warranty: 2 years

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Alright now that is done, on to the Visual section:

Both the KDC-MP642U and the KDC-X693 have a rounded smooth, no sharp corner look, and are visually attractive. The KDC-MP642U face has a flat black finish, with chrome/black knobs. Four line text fills the display with song, album, artist, track, and time, and blue illumination. The finish on the KDC-X693, is a gloss black, and also has the 4 line display. What this radio improves over from the other, is the variable color illumination display. That way you can let it scroll through all the colors, or stop it on your favorite color, as compared to the KDC-MP642U single blue illumination. Both have the ability to change what information you are seeing on the screen and in what order.

Features:

Both radios feature a menu driven FL Display. Using a series of button pushing, turning, and jogging, you can select different various menu options and make changes. The KDC-MP642U has a 3 band EQ, while the KDC-X693 sports a 5 band eq control.

For preouts, the KDC-MP642U have 3 2.5 volt preouts, whereas the KDCX693 has 3 4 volt preouts. Both have configurable hertz and gains for all 3 preouts. Subwoofer controls are available on both radios, to completely control your bass.

Both radios incorporate AME, or Automatic Music entry to automatically program the next six strongest stations. Keeping you from having to manual do it, you can just let the radio do it for you.

Satellite radio, HD radio, bluetooth are among the features these radio can have, of course, through optional purchased modules. iPod control is full featured through the use of a behind the radio USB cable. Both the KDC-MP642U and KDC-X693 have a rear USB and Aux inputs. You can use the KCA-ip101 cable, optional to run a iPod cable to wherever you want it, ie; glove box, center console, wherever you can find a place to stash your iPod or iPhone. That way you can leave you stock iPod cable at home.

The KDC-MP642U has a 1 year warranty, while the KDC-X693 has a 2 year warranty.

Overall Recommendations:

KDC-MP642U

Ease of Use: 7

Appearance: 7

Performance and Features: 6

Pros:

Easy menu setup and the ability to change eq settings. Big buttons on the face, make it easier, to scroll through your music. The rear USB and Rear Aux makes it easy to hook up a iPod, thumbdrive, or other audio source.

Cons:

The loss of preset channel buttons make it alittle harder to set stations, through the menu. The absence, of a iPod cable, requires you to use the stock iPod cable until you are able to get a second one.

KDC-X693

Ease of Use: 7

Appearance: 8

Performance and Features: 7

Pros:

Very nice face, glossy, sleek appearance. Having a USB and Aux in the rear, makes it a neater installation, by routing the cord to another location. 2 Year warranty is always a plus.

Cons:

At certain lighting conditions, and during certain color changes of the multicolor illumination, the display can almost be unreadable until either condition change. The absense of the ipod cable, will make it harder for someone to hook theirs up without using their own white iPod cable or having to purchase another one.

My Thoughts:

These two radios are almost head to head in features, looks, and ease of use. Both radios feature a multiuse joystick style volume knob, that can use be used for most features. The absense of the iPod cable for the box, does put a hamper of having to haul your stock iPod cable around with you at all times. So, even though both the KDC-MP642U and the KDC-X693 are nice radios, I guess my pick would be for the KDC-X693, due mainly to the fact of the 2 year warranty. Even though the color changing is neat, certain colors do make the display unreadable, it is still my pick.