Review: Alpine INE-W925R

My latest toy is a new Alpine INE-W925R.

I bought it in August to replace my Pure Highway 300Di. Whilst there was nothing wrong with the Pure unit, the Bluetooth in my Mercedes Audio 20 head-unit was to an old standard and not compatible with the latest generation of Android phones. As a present to myself I thought I'd treat myself not only to a new head unit, but a top of the range one.



It features DAB (obviously), FM, LW, CD/DVD player, USB player and Bluetooth, where it can be used for calls and music streaming. It supports steering wheel controls and on compatible cars (sadly not my Mercedes) it will also enable the display of the station/track name in the instrument binnacle. You can also upgrade it with a Freeview tuner (although HD is not supported) and/or a reversing camera. 

Anyway, I made a YouTube review, hopefully this will be of interest!

Pioneer AVH-X3500DAB - Spec Check

Pioneer have had a following amongst in-car audio enthusiasts for some time, however it has taken them until Christmas last year to include DAB in their radios. Priced from £300 upwards, the AVH-X3500DAB is a double DIN touchscreen headunit.

Not just a DAB radio

The great thing about this particular head-unit is that it is very versatile. You get a DAB radio, but also a unit that also plays CDs, DVDs and has a rear USB input, which can be accessed via a USB socket routed inside your glove box (or wherever you prefer). It supports Bluetooth for calls and streaming audio, and if you have an iPhone it also supports AppRadio (via a separately sold cable), which allows you to use around 30 phone apps on your radio.

Power output is 4x50W. The display and button backlights can be changed. At first glance, this radio is a little busy with a display as busy as the Aurora Borealis, however this can be altered to a static screen in the settings. Finally, it is compatible with steering wheel controls.

A radio you can upgrade

It is possible to upgrade the AVH-X3500DAB too. It is possible to add GPS navigation with an add-on module (for around £400), as well as a reversing camera and DTT tuner (for Freeview). Whilst collectively the cost of these upgrades might be the same as just buying a head unit with all of the features in, if you have a limited budget it is a handy way to add extra functionality as and when you can afford it.

DAB features

When using the radio in DAB mode, you are presented with information about the genre, the multiplex name and station name. It's possible to browse stations alphabetically or by multiplex. There's no recording feature on this radio, but you can pause and rewind. Pioneer claim there enough memory on-board to pause up to five minutes of radio at 192kbps. As only BBC Radio 3 is the only station broadcast with such a high bitrate in the UK, in reality you'll actually get a little bit longer.

My usual disclaimer - I haven't seen this radio in the flesh, this is simply a look at the Pioneer AVH-X3500DAB on paper. 

Pure Highway H240Di and H260Dbi - Spec Check

When I heard that Pure were launching a new DAB head unit I was quite excited as previous Pure in-car DAB products such as the original Pure Highway and the Pure Highway 300Di were both revolutionary at the time they were released.

A couple of weeks ago Pure launched not one, but two new DAB head units. They are single-DIN in size, so will fit nearly all cars out there. I suspect Pure will have success with these radios simply because they are a well liked brand, but does that mean they are the right choice for you?

Pure Highway H240Di

This is the most basic head unit available. It contains the basics you'd expect from a head unit, such as detachable fascia, CD player and line-in. It also has a front USB port, which is compatible with MP3 play back and can also be used for iPod/iPhone play back and charging as well as any future software updates. Power output is a modest 4x45W. It's only available at Halfords, and the head unit only is £129.99.

Pure Highway H260DBi

The second head unit from Pure, isn't that much more expensive than the H240Di at £149.99, however it does also boast Bluetooth for hands free calling and audio streaming, as well as a better 4x50W power output. You are also able to customise the colour of the backlight too from one of twelve options.

DAB operation
Both units sport a two line display. The top line always displays the name of the station being listened to, whilst the bottom line can be tabbed between multiplex name, programme genre, scrolling text and the time. Station selection is typically Pure, unlike many DAB car radios that allow tuning by multiplex, the Pure requires a full scan like it's other DAB radios. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, if you only ever drive around one location this is possibly a good system as you'll be always covered by the same multiplexes. However, if you do regular journeys of any distance you may find constantly retuning your radio annoying compared to tuning by multiplex. 

Run of the mill
I was first excited when I heard Pure were launching a new DAB head unit, however there is nothing that makes this radio special compared to anything else you can buy for your car for similar money. A real let-down with these units is that unlike other comparably priced car radios steering wheel control is not supported. 

I haven't had the chance to have a play with either of these radios yet, this blog is simply a look at them on paper. I reckon that these radios will sell very well for Pure, but it's a shame there's nothing about them that makes them anything special like the previous two Pure Highway devices were.