Double Din Car Stereo VRCPAA-7DRM – 7” Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Head Unit, Bluetooth Stereo for Car, AUX, USB, SD, AM/FM Radio – Mechless Double DIN Touchscreen

This item is on the lower-cost end of the spectrum for Android Auto-capable head units. The unit's original price (retail, not the inflated MSRP) was reasonable but the "discontinued" price (this model is no longer manufactured) we purchased at made it a fantastic deal. There are double-DIN head units sold all the time in the sub-150.00 price range but those units' touchscreens tend to be terrible. This unit's screen is nicely responsive and adequate resolution for regular radio and backup camera use. Some reviews have stated the sound level output is too low. There is a loudness option in settings that is turned off by default. The unit has a reasonable volume level without it but definitely does better with the option enabled. Android Auto (via USB only) worked flawlessly. The only complaint is that there is only one USB port and it is on the front of the radio so you will always have a wire dangling from the dash if you want to use Android Auto. Installation-wise this radio is true double-DIN with no issues of being "almost double-DIN" as you find with some inexpensive imported units. The unit installed as it should with a normal Metra install kit. Wire colors were all standard and were easily matched with same-colored wires in a Metra wire harness kit. Screen display is plenty bright enough for daytime use. The screen has auto-dimming dimming function based on headlight signal input wire but in our case this resulted in some screen flicker -- likely due to a fluctuating electrical signal from the vehicle. We turned off the auto-dimming function in the radio settings. Without the dimming feature enabled the screen can be overly bright at night but there are multiple brightness level options to choose from in settings. We added an inexpensive backup camera (connected via standard RCA video input) which works very well with the unit. The unit provides an additional connection for a front camera as well as an accessory A/V input (all RCA connections). After several weeks of use I am exceedingly impressed with the unit for the sale/discontinued price and would have been satisfied even at the original, non-discontinued price.

I have bought and installed in 4 different vehicles two for myself and two for others. The functionality and quality of these for aftermarket are amazing just need your harness and Bessel then good to go the backup camera will be sold separately but the quality on screen is wonderful. Highly recommended for every day use or even with systems. As it has equalizer function as well apple and google play works great with the proper data cable there very easy to install touch screen Bluetooth as well.

Quality is good looks great sounds great only downside is needed a cord to connect for Google maps and contacts lists. Would be 5 stars but cord to connect for certain things.

So, first of all, I rarely write reviews on anything unless it’s complete garbage. I kind of expect that an items quality should be in direct correlation to the price you would expect to pay for a similarly capable item. In my case, I needed an upgrade from the factory radio in my 2017 Nissan NV200, that would provide me with navigation and also a bigger display. I bought a Pioneer DMH1500 NEX, which does a great job. I was so impressed by how well this performed in my work vehicle, that I decided to buy something for my personal vehicle, which gets much less useage. I couldn’t justify spending $300 dollars for something that only gets used occasionally, so I went to Amazon and read reviews (which is in itself a big stressful job with all of the variety of choices) and settled on this model. I can say not only was I pleasantly surprised, but actually stunned at the value this unit delivers. Forget the comparing apples to apples: in my opinion this unit out performs the name brand in several metrics. My personal vehicle is a 2005 F150. The installation was very straightforward for this vehicle, and was completed in about an hour, most of which was attaching the leads from the unit to the neccesay connector which plugs into the corresponding pigtail from the vehicle. The screen is more brilliant than the name brand, and the software that you use to navigate the different functions is exponentially more intuitive. I also really like that this has a rotating potentiometer to control volume as opposed to a tiny up and down button. I also like that the the connections you’d normally use for connecting your phone are accessible from the front panel as opposed to having a wire dangling under the dash. I find the unit to be far more responsive to voice commands as well. I’m not an audiophile (in fact, I wear a cochlear implant) so my opinion of that should be taken into account, but my wife agrees that this unit is superior in that the sound produced is not distorted as it is with the pioneer when reproducing Apple CarPlay. I installed this in October, and the vehicle has taken two trips of 400 miles as well as lots of local useage, and I’ve not had any issues. Does this mean that I won’t tomorrow? I don’t know, I certainly hope not, but if I did, , I’d probably harvest the connector and give the brand another chance. When I consider that it’s less than a third of the cost all in, including the necessary connector, it all comes down to how long it lasts.

I purchased the Soundstream 7 inch Double Din Car Stereo HD Touchscreen back in April of 2023, and while it initially seemed like a great value and worked as intended, I'm disappointed to say that it burned out after just 5 months of use, so I can only give it a 1-star rating. Pros: The initial functionality of the stereo was impressive. The HD touchscreen was clear, responsive, and made navigating through my car's entertainment system a breeze. The price point was excellent for a double din car stereo with these features. It offered great value for the money spent. Cons: The biggest issue with this product is its durability. After just 5 months of use, it completely burned out. The sudden failure was a major inconvenience and disappointment. The short lifespan of the product raises concerns about its build quality and reliability. A car stereo should be able to withstand regular use for a longer period. Overall, while the Soundstream Double Din Car Stereo initially delivered on its promise of providing a high-definition touchscreen and good value, the fact that it burned out within 5 months is a significant drawback. It left me frustrated and in need of a replacement far sooner than expected. I cannot recommend this product due to its reliability issues, and I would advise potential buyers to consider other options with a more proven track record for longevity.

Works fine, decent price.

I bought the non-cd version of this radio. The radio still works and sounds fine with an amp. My problem is that any time the battery loses power and sometimes even when I start the car it will lose power and then reset itself. It also resets to demo mode instead of leaving it where it was. It's very annoying having to reset the time, light, etc. Also there are no updates to fix the long start when you first power it. I would like to remove the startup logo as it lights up the whole car at night when you turn the radio on. Also because of the dual function on the volume knob you can't turn the radio off right away like when you turn it on. You have to hold thee button down to turn the radio off. Maybe some minor things but they should get addressed with software updates which are non existent.

Update* - Found a use for this for now. Installed it in our company vehicle. Lacks low end audio which the factory stereo did better. EQ is far off. 500hz supplies more bass than 100hz. Jazz is the most acceptable EQ setting. Is this worth the price? Maybe, I’d have to test another “new” double din touch screen within the same price range. Old review: I almost got this installed. I’m 90% done installing the stereo when issues arose. Here are my takes on the stereo so far. Cons/dislikes : - The instructions do not tell you what all the wires are for in the 4-8 pages. I’ve installed several stereos and never came across an FCCD wire. I googled it and still don’t know. - The amp remote wire was on the second harness not the main harness. - The stereo has a lot of wasted space in the shell, extra holes that are labeled but nothing there. There’s even a fan hole that has a Bluetooth wire coming out of it and no fan. - The stereo has a low pass filter, but not a high pass filter. It could benefit from having more control over the audio settings. - When using the radio, it takes a moment for the audio to come through in stereo. On some stations the sound only comes out of one side. - Volume difference between sources. I got lower volume on Bluetooth (phone was all the way up) than Radio. It was only off by about 2. - The sound isnt that great, I haven’t played with it a lot but in the time I had spent I got it a little better but it’s still lacking low end. - The stereo did not come with a microphone, my previous stereo had a 2.5mm plug for the microphone, this one uses a 3.5mm. If I keep this in my car I’ll have to order and reinstall a microphone. - Only one/mono RCA for the subwoofer. This was almost a first, but I noticed Sony did the same on their stereo’s. - USB port is in the front which once again messes up something I had on my previous stereo that has a usb in the back. There goes my cable management. Now the Pros/likes: - Touch screen works fine. It’s very responsive and accurate. - Wired Apple car play is exactly how I hoped it would be. - Love the knob for volume. It’s easier to turn a knob than look for and press buttons.