What is a good single DIN radio?

Are you looking for a good single DIN stereo? You might be, and not even realize it. Typically, only two types of people even know what single DIN means: car audio geeks, or those who have actively shopped for a single DIN stereo. It certainly doesn’t help that the acronym DIN stands for a German term: Deutsches Institut für Normung.

That mouthful translates to German Institute for Standardization, the organization that originally created the standard size for in-dash car stereo receivers, now used by all car manufacturers. In other words, single DIN refers to the size and shape the hole in the dashboard should be to slot a receiver into: about seven inches wide, and two inches high.

In the days of old, before in-dash touchscreens became commonplace, virtually all receivers were single DIN radios. These days, double DIN receivers, which are four inches high to make room for touchscreens, are more common. But whether your dashboard only has a two-inch slot for a single DIN radio, or you prefer to lower the profile of a single DIN radio, Car Audio City can help you find plenty of terrific single DIN options. It’s just a matter of knowing what makes a good single DIN radio.

The basic model: Pioneer DEH-S1100UB

Any online search for a good single DIN radio will undoubtedly lead you to the Pioneer DEH-S1100UB. It combines a 50 watt amplifier with an easy to use, backlit interface, and many features standard to a single DIN receiver. It still plays CDs and CD-ROMS, including various audio files, and can also play audio through USB or auxiliary connectors. It’s a good single DIN radio, but you might miss functions including wireless Bluetooth compatibility.

For the modern user: Kenwood KMM-BT325 + ALPHA

A more updated example of a good single DIN radio is this Kenwood model. Though this digital source unit has done away with the CD player, it likewise offers 50 watts of power and both USB and auxiliary inputs. But this Kenwood also boasts Bluetooth connectivity as well as better support connecting to smart phones, whether iPhone or Android. Or both, as it turns out. This unique single DIN receiver will actually connect two phones at once via Bluetooth, allowing you to make and receive calls from, say, both the driver’s and passenger’s phone. Or, you may use this feature to switch between each phone as an audio source, which means the driver may accept incoming calls while the passenger creates the perfect playlist.

The next step up: Pyle PLTS78DUB

Just because you need a single DIN radio, doesn’t mean you have to give on the dream of an in-dash touchscreen display. The Pyle PLTS78DUB single DIN radio can behave like a double DIN receiver thanks to a retractable, 7-inch touchscreen display that slides out from the single DIN slot to pop up above the receiver. This provides a more intuitive interface for a receiver with both smart phone and Bluetooth compatibility, including effective navigation as well as audio and video playback.