Features and specs:
6.95 inch
Wide VGA Color LCD Display with LED Backlight
Glossy & Capacitive Touch Panel
Motorized Reverse Tilt & 6 Step Tilt Angle
Adjust
Touch Panel Control, Variable Key Illumination
Background Customize (JPEG x1), Display Customize
(Color Coordinate)
Picture in Picture (Visual Source in Navi)
Multi-Language Menu & Tag (21 Languages
(English, Spanish, French and others))
Maximum
Output Power : 50W x 4 (MOSFET Power IC)
3 Preouts (5V)
HDMI / MHL Connection with Optional Cable *1
1 Rear AV Input (Mini-jack, Swithcable), 1 Rear AV
Output (RCA: Video / Mini-jack: Audio)
1 RCA Video Input for Front Camera / 1 RCA Video
Input for Rear View Camera
Sound Excellence DSP (13 Band Graphic EQ / Digital
Time Alignment / Space Enhancer
Sound Realizer / STAGE EQ / Bass Boost / Loudness
/ Drive EQ+)
Installer & Backup Memory (Store & Backup
Audio/Video Settings)
*1: KCA-HD100 for
HDMI, KCA-MH100 for MHL
Built-in
Garmin Navigation
Photo Real Junction View, Lane Assist, Multiple
Route Preview, ecoRoute, My Trend
SD Card Slot (for Map Update)
Parking Guide Line
DVD
Video±R/RW Playback, MPEG 1/2/4, H.264 Video Playback
VCD Compatible, MP3 / WMA / AAC / WAV / FLAC /
CD-R / -RW Playback
CD Text Ready, Repeat / Random Play
24 Bit D/A Converter
Built-in HD
Radio
Sirius XM Ready
FM / AM 24 Station Presets (FM x 18, AM x 6)
RBDS with Radio Text Plus
AME (Automatic Memory Entry), Up/Down Seek Tuning
USB
Interface x 2 (Rear, Detachable)
MP3 / WMA / AAC / WAV / FLAC Playback, MPEG 1/2/4
Video / H.264 / JPEG Playback
iPhone/iPod USB Direct Connection with Optional
Cable *2
iPhone App Mode
Android Rapid Charge
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
Hi-Resolution Audio Capacity
*2: KCA-IP102 /
KCA-IP103 (1 Wire) for iPod Music, KCA-IP202 (2 Wire) for iPod Music & Video
Built-in
Bluetooth
(Hands-Free Profile / Audio Profile (A2DP) /
AVRCP1.5 / SPP)
Bluetooth Auto Pairing (iPhone/Android)
Voice Control with iPhone using Siri
Dual Phone Connection
Wireless Music Browsing
OEM Remote Control Interface
iDataLink
The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S came in a great looking color
printed box with photos of the receiver and it’s specs. Opening the box
revealed a very well protected receiver held in custom fit Styrofoam. Materials
used in construction were mostly metal, with some plastic. Quality of materials
used was very good. The fit and finish was excellent. The Kenwood Excelon
DNX-893S was very well made and felt so in hand. Also included in the box were
the bevels for installation, mounting screws, keys, GPS antenna, microphone for
voice controls, dual USB doggle, wiring harness, and owner’s manual.
Getting the Kenwood Excelon DNX-8935 installed was fairly
straight forward. Once installed, I was a bit taken back. There are so many
features, where do I start? It was like being a kid in a candy store with a
pocket full of money. Having the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S is a lot like that.
I think the first place to start is the basics. The Kenwood Excelon
DNX-893S is a double-din GPS Navigation System. It starts with a 50x4 mosfet
internal amplifier. There are three 5V preouts for a clean powerful signal, as
well as multiple other inputs and outputs. The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S gives
you a lot of options. Additional optional accessories are HDMI cable, front and
rear cameras, and remote control. The display is a 6.95” LED backlit touch
screen. It’s tuner has 24 station presets, with RBDS. The transport is a DVD/CD
player. Additional media control
features include Bluetooth and dual USB inputs, as well as an SD card slot for
audio/video playback as well as GPS map updates.
The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S also includes many advanced
features such as advanced panel, new GUI and premium audio. There are advanced
navigation features with Garmin Navigation, parking guidelines, and INRIX, with
either the USB or Bluetooth connections you can access your phones features
through Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Wireless Music Browsing, including Dual
Phone Connection. Another optional feature is the idatalink Maestro. With newer
vehicles it will tap into its system to view it’s info , such as gauges,
climate, and vehicle info.
I love the look of the new GUI interface. The colors are
vivid with high contrast. Texts are crystal clear. Navigating the set-up, and
the various pages for accessing it’s features, was very simple. Once the power
button is pressed, the system was up in 14 seconds, which was about as expected.
Navigating the screens was fast and responsive, thanks to its new dual-core
processor for running its Linux based OS. The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S is
redesigned inside and out, and it shows. Not only is it quick and responsive,
the new interface looks simply sexy. And I love the ability to have a graphic
EQ spectrum analyzer on the display.
The advanced audio features are also excellent! At it's core, the Kenwood DNX-893S is an Excelon. This means it was designed for the audiophile in mind, with higher quality and standards in mind, like the 5V pre-outs, and 13 bands of EQ. These advanced features
include Sound Excellence DSP, 13 Band Graphic EQ, digital time alignment, space
enhancer, sound realize, Stage EQ, bass boost, loudness and drive all of this
lets you totally customize your sound the way you like it. And with its
extensive sound tweaking abilities, customizing your sound is very easy to do.
Not only will your CD’s and MP3’s sound great, it also can handle High Resolution
Audio up to 192 kHz/24it! So it’s ready for your music now and in the future. It's enough to get any audiophile drooling!
The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S also does an excellent job in
getting you to your destination, and doing so safely. With front and rear
cameras connected, you will have parking guidelines, to help you get in those
tight spaces. INRIX gives you traffic info, parking locations, as well as gas
prices, even weather info for your commuting needs. 2 years of the INRIX service is included. And
of course the Garmin Navigation does an amazing job of getting you from point A
to point B. Garmin’s built-in lane guidance and Photo Real Junction View helps
to ensure you are on the right path, and keep you there. Of course if you miss your turn, no need to fret. You'll get re-directed. And you can also updated your preferences such as shortest distances, or quickest drive times. Don't like toll roads? You can choose to avoid those as well, thanks to it's well thought out preferred travel settings.
Last but not least among the great features is the ability
to more conveniently and safely use your smartphone’s features. No matter if
you use iPhone or Android, the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto features have you
covered. The features you are used to using on your phone, such as sending or
receiving texts, making or receiving calls, listening to your music, or using
Voice/Siri, and now be done through the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S. All of these
features can be conveniently seen on the receiver's display. The Dual Phone
Connection features will allow you to use two separate smartphones. Switching
phones for making and receiving calls is as simple as a press of a button. You
can also with Wireless Music Browsing go through your music selection on your
phone through Bluetooth.
The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S GPS Navigation System turned
out to be a very solid performer! The
built-in amp put out plenty of power (for a receiver). Located in rural Arizona, radio channels are
not easy to pull in, but the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S did a very good job in
pulling in those channels. And I loved
the built-in HD Radio. The music was
cleaner in the FM, as well as the AM. I
also liked the sub channels for extra content, as well as the music info being
displayed such as artist and song.
The DVD/CD transport also provided a smooth well functioning
operation. With a push of a button the
screen slid down to allow insertion of the CD/DVD, or the eject of a disc. CD sound quality was excellent as was the
tracking of the songs on the disc. The
same was also true for DVD movies. I
would expect nothing less from any receiver, and the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S
performed just as expected.
This is the 10 year anniversary of Kenwood's partnership
with Garmin in their GPS enabled receivers.
In that time, thanks to Garmin's experience, Kenwood has had a lineup of
well functioning GPS navigation receivers.
The Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S's navigation function has met my high
expectations. I was easily able to see
my location, and route to my destination.
The spoken turn by turn directions were also easy to follow. The unit has yet to not get me to my desired
destination. Of course being able to see
the POI's along the route was also very helpful! So if you need some gas, or just a bite to eat, the Garmin navigation features have you covered as well.
The extra features, such as Android Auto was also easy to
use. I enjoyed being able to use my
phones features, such as making and receiving calls as wells as texts. And of course I also can't forget being able
to access my Spotify and Pandora tunes!
Unfortunately I had a compatibility issue with my HTC One M9 smartphone,
so I was not able to use the mirroring function. But a simple software update can potentially
fix that. Having an SD car slot also
proved extremely handy! The SD card slot
is used to updated the navigation maps.
But it can also be used to play music and videos. Given the size of your music collection, you
can potentially put all of your collection on a single SD card, and have all
your music with you on the go! I know many of us have transitioned our entire music collection from our old iPod to an SD card, or even microSD card, so you can have it all with you on your phone. Now you can take your card with you in your Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S!
Kenwood has done it again.
For the many years I have had the privilege to review Kenwood products,
their reputation has given me high expectations for their products. And again I am pleasantly unsurprised at
Kenwood's ability to deliver a product that meets my high expectations. One of their standard single DIN receivers
provide a lot of features. But if you
want top of the line features, the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S GPS Navigation
System should be on the top of your list to check out. It truly is loaded in features, and it also
performs extremely well! It's build
quality also appears good enough to give years of service. Based on its design, features, quality, and
performance, the Kenwood Excelon DNX-893S GPS Navigation System as earned our Editor's
Choice Award. Kudos to Kenwood on such
an excellent product. For more info and
complete specs, check out their website at www.kenwoodusa.com. Components of
reference system used in the review: German Maestro MS 654010 Active component
system, Alpine SPX13-REF component system, Image Dynamics IDMAX10 subwoofer, JL Audio XD600/6 Class D amp, Vibe Audio
LiteBox Stereo 4 Class GH amp, Vibe
Audio Black Death Bass 1 Class GH sub amp, Audio Control DQXS electronic
crossover and equalizer, Kicker Front Row DSP/Crossover.
