Great video….I find it funny that you guys had trouble with the reverse camera through the maestro…. My car is fully stock for right now and even then the camera is a little wonky every once in a while so maybe it’s just a Jetta thing
This car is built on the same platform as my golf r yet the dash area is completely different this is crazy, although I like the strong and tight clips these cars are built solid.
Thank you so much!!! We’re so glad you enjoyed watching and are happy to hear someone else appreciates the finer details behind the work we do 😊 Edit: P.S. I seriously wish T-Taps were outlawed. I have to make a video to make on that alone. Check this out. Recently we found one single T-Tap in an otherwise alright remote start installation that held up a client's vehicle at the dealership for nearly a year. All because they misdiagnosed the issue on why the car wouldn't start. We didn't do the original work on the car, but the client brought it to us for another opinion/alternative solution since the dealer threw their hands up and said we have no ETA on the part you need. They thought it was an immobilizer issue where the receiver in the car needed to be replaced and they were on eternal backorder because of supply chain issues. The person who had installed the remote start T-Tapped a factory ground. That was it. I had previously advised the client over the phone to start by having the dealer pull the remote starter and at this point we were both under the impression it had been removed. We were shocked to see it was still in there. I wish I had been there to witness the client's conversation with the dealer! True story, it's hard to believe. That client hugged us both when he picked us his car that day. Such a shame he had to be without his car for nearly a year due to a T-Tap and an incompetent car dealership mechanic.
Thanks for this! This vehicle is not very easy to work on, and you have given my son and I a new sense of hope to get his sound right in his 21 Jetta. Quick question, do you have a video of how you installed the bass knob? That looks so clean and it’s the perfect spot for the knob. Great work!!
Thank you! I've asked John if we can make a video on that for the next Jetta, Golf or GTI that comes in for an amp/sub upgrade. He hates when I ask him to put it there because he says it's a real PITA. But he made it look so nice so that's where I always ask him to put it now. He said it's just very tedious and delicate work to get it in that spot because you have to very carefully remove some of the plastic material on the back side of the panel. But you have to be careful not to remove too much or it can compromise the integrity of the panel. I hope that's helpful!
Hi there. The DMX 7522s appears to be the Australian version of our DMX809s. Essentially it's the same as the DMX709s, but with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Have you seen my review on the DMX709s? You may find it helpful :)
Love your videos. I'm just really not a fan of what Kenwood did with the software UI in the 809s and 709s. There are subtle things that make it feel like they make it a point that it is a cheaper unit than their others. The biggest one is the giant black box that pops up on the screen when you go into reverse and covers a large portion of the reverse image. That alone along with getting a mute button was worth the upgrade to the 908s.
Thanks Luke! I definitely prefer the operating system of the 908s and 958XR and agree you can definitely see where they cut corners, just in the graphics for example on the user interface, in order to hit this price point and combination of features.
I was just about to embark on my Jetta upgrade when I came across your video. Great work. Unfortunately, I still can't find the VW kit and when I sent idatalink an email, it went unanswered. I guess I am in a holding pattern unless there is any inside scoop on release data?
I checked back in April and it sounded like it was going to be some time before it was released. They didn't have a solid ETA. I know there were//are a bunch of newer Ford kits and the Charger/Challenger kit that was coming out 1st. We're starting to see those trickle out so maybe later this year? We got lucky getting that sample to use, that's for sure.
When i check tha max outputs of my estéreo Kenwood exelon dmx 907s 😅 i used 1 kilohertz testtone and no distorted but when I set my gains of my amplifier dsp audiocontrol D-4.800 they shows distortion. When i put music even my amp for subs of my estéreo wy 😂😅
might be a dumb question, but the external mic that came with my 709s kenwood unit does not fit into the mic input which is pink / labeled with mic. The mic has a 3.5mm jack.. What am I doing wrong? It doesn't fit snug, and won't stay connected.. ?
Any idea when or if the iDatalink KIT-VW1 will be made available to the public? I can't find it, and its my only hope of upgrading my system in my 2020 Jetta.
Yes, did you happen to catch my last video at the GoFast Expo? I talked to Matt at the iDatalink booth and it sounds like it's 6 months out at the earliest, but keep in mind it that could change. I know for example the USB hub we had in the sample kit wasn't correct, we were able to work around it, but I'm sure that's something they're working on as there appears to be some variation between models. For your reference ---> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5OI-WQ1I60I.html
What happens when you hit the driving mode selector, normally it shows what mode you're in (eco normal sport or custom) on the factory radio and it's where you edit the custom mode.
Hello, whatever vehicle settings that were available in the factory radio should be retained with the maestro. If there is a specific option you didn’t see, I suggest reaching out to iDatalink directly for verification.
Your videos are very informative! Have you / will you make a video for the Kenwood DMX8709S? The custom installer I'm going to recommended that for me on my '09 Honda Accord EX, but I can't find any videos on it.
Thank you, I'm so glad you're enjoying the content! I probably won't make a video on that model because it's basically the same operating system/features and design as the DMX709s and DMX7709s, but with wireless. So the differences between the DMX709s and the DMX8709s: DMX8709s has wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, 1 year warranty and a 4 volt pre-amp whereas the eXcelon version, DMX809s, has 2 year warranty and 5 volt pre-amp. The only difference between the DMX709s and DMX809s is wired vs wireless CarPlay/Android Auto. Same applies to the DMX7709s vs the DMX8709s. I hope that is helpful information!
Yes! We feel your pain. I'm still thinking about that dash 8 months later. That is a Kenwood DMX709s and the kit we used was a prototype, but iDatalink should be releasing the KIT-VW1 soon enough.
Would this Ken wood head unit work in a 2024 Jetta Sport? I just spoke with Crutchfield and all of their aftermarket head units for the 2024 Jetta lose all steering audio controls, and possibly traction control on the car as well. Which seems crazy. They said I could of course upgrade the door speakers and add some , tweeters (car doesn't come with tweeters so higher expense to add) plus a sub and amp. But the head unit is what i want to replace first. Can you suggest any head unit upgrades to a 2024 VW Jetta Sport trim? Which keeps the steering controls and vehicle traction control?
It might work. I was google imaging and the 2024 looks the same to me as the 2019 - 2023. Your best bet is to send pics of your radio and the various vehicle settings in the radio plus a pic of your steering wheel controls to iDatalink and ask them if they think their KIT-VW1 would work. Sometimes when I inquire about cars not listed yet, they have notes about whether or not it's been tested yet in the field. Sometimes it has and there are known incompatibilities, but other times it just hasn't been tested and confirmed.
I know this is probably a long shot, but The location of the bass knob, Do you recall if that tab pops out individually, or if that whole panel needs to be removed from under neath??
Good question. Typically for placement like that we are removing the cover and trim around the shifter to get access. I know it looks like individual blanks, but it's part of a larger piece of trim. There was a bit of trim work underneath as well to accommodate. Very tight fit!
Thank you Sayed! The client was cool with a wired connection for CarPlay/Android Auto which saved him about $150 by going with the DMX709s over the Sony XAV-AX6000.
It's super tight. Even if you put the single DIN chassis towards the top like the way the factory radio is, it really doesn't leave you much room for wires or the Maestro module which is probably why iDatalink recommended shallow mount chassis. Nothing is ever easy in VW's!
That was a sample kit we were lucky enough to snag, it should be coming soon. I'll know more in a couple weeks after we attend an iDatalink training at the GoFast Expo.
Great question! For some models yes. Specifically iDatalink says it will retain it in models with the white MFD display and retain Meta Data display, Caller ID and Internal Navigation Info Display.
I installed this one for my 2018 santa fe xl i have the same issue where when i put the suv in reverse the camera will come on and shut off i have to open the camera manually when i put the car in reverse now what can i do to fix this
In our case the Maestro was not consistently outputting a reverse trigger wire for the Kenwood radio. So we did it the old fashioned way and just ran a separate wire from the reverse trigger in the car. I couldn't tell you off the top of my head where you could find that in the 2018 Santa Fe XL, but in many vehicles it's common to have to go directly to a reverse light in the rear.
Does the Sony XAVAX4000/6000 retain the same fancy stock vehicle settings when combined with the Maestro? Thinking of getting a 2019 VW and putting a big 15in 600W RMS sub and aftermarket stereo in
EDIT: I totally forgot because we did this job almost a year ago. Shallow mount is a must for this car, I do not recommend the Sony 4000/6000, the single DIN chassis is too deep. We had to modify just to get the DMX709s in there and that’s super shallow. It’s interesting because iDatalink Maestro's application guide shows Sony too. I bet in the KIT-VW1 install guide it mentions the depth issue. Should be available with any fully iDatalink Maestro compatible head unit. But stick to a shallow mount in this car! And sorry I overlooked the Sony specific aspect of your question.
@@carstereochick it's all good, thank you foe the answer. I actually ended up purchasing a 2024 VW Jetta GLI and will try to do a high level converter for a subwoofer. The head unit is not replaceable on this year unfortunately
Hey Steve, great question. All depends on the year, make and model vehicle. For many cars, we can use the iDatalink SAT1, the PAC Audio SAT-01 or the Metra 40-SIRSXM. These parts are all the same, except the Metra one has a small extension with. Metra also makes a 17 ft version of that as well in case the OEM tuner is in a different location. iDatalink also has a few like the ACC-SAT-TO1 for specific cars where the connection isn't typical. For some cars, like 2013 Subaru Outback with OEM Nav, it's none of those, but there are some companies out there that carry adapters for some of the oddball ones. Like Discount Car Stereo online has a whole category for these rarer antenna conversion cables and also VAIS technology has some as well.
Hi Brian, yes! It's on my list. I'm sorry I haven't gotten to it yet. Lots of content to make, but I only have enough time to make one video per week right now. But I definitely have plans to create a review and pre-amp/voltage test for this one.
If you're asking me I'm going with Kenwood, but stepping it up to the DMX958XR. Based on sound quality, screen vibrancy, high voltage pre-amp. I like Alpine too, but with everything flat, John and I feel Kenwood is more lively. Alpine has more EQ control though so you can actually tweak it to bring it to life so it's definitely a contender. We made a video on the iLX-507 both a review and then another one where we show the EQ curve that brings it to life, not sure if you saw those. But the responsiveness on the Alpine screen (certain areas not as responsive as others) would personally drive me nuts. My DMX908s finally shipped last week so at some point I'll have a side by side video up on the DMX958XR vs the DMX908s. The 958 has LDAC which supports high res wireless, the 908s does not have LDAC. Alpine does have LDAC. If you can get to a shop that carries both, it's best to see/hear in person. I hope that helps!
@carstereochick will be posted for those new vids :) The double din world is so daunting in choices, budget, and features. I currently have a 908s on backorder and my anxiousness is having me looking at other units instock. Will take a look at your vids on the 958 again (it was $200 more over the 908s) but did have a gorgeous screen.
