New headunit ?

Patrico777

Patrico777

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Hi

Looking for new headunit for my a3 s line black edition, would like to have bluetooth and nav at least, wondered which ones are good if anyone can shed some light heard bad thinks about android ones ?
I love the look of rnse !

Pfa
 

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RNSE may look OEM, but it is now very out of date and is lacking some of the basics for similar money to some aftermarket stuff.

Android units are hit and miss, and build quality/stability does suffer on many, so it is a lottery - I used one for over a year and loved it, but they are nowhere near some of the more mainstream systems.

If you're not obsessed with keeping the OEM look, you should definitely check out some of the current Android Auto and Apple Carplay headunits - much cheaper and more featureful systems that have SatNav built-in. Depending on your choice of mobile phone, Android Auto seems to be the better option with support for Waze, which is pretty much the best mobile satnav solution out there. You can listen to internet radio, which seems to be more stable than DAB, stream music via Spotify, Google Play, etc, or listen to MP3s if that is still your thing.

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I'm tempted to try android head unit.
Looking maybe to get new Xtrons unit with octa core, 4gb ram 32gb and android 8.0. Rns fits nicely and it's oem but it's dated and limited with features. Waze is great and would love to use it on unit rather than on the phone.
 
leshkin said:
Don't buy the really cheap Android units - you will pay for them in other ways...

Xtrons seems to have the best presence in UK and a wide range of units available.

Here are to that will work with 8P and will come with all the adapters you need:

http://xtrons.co.uk/head-units/cust...-7-display-custom-fit-for-audi-a3-s3-rs3.html

http://xtrons.co.uk/head-units/cust...-7-display-custom-fit-for-audi-a3-s3-rs3.html
Click to expand...
Is that both same link right yeah that looks lovely so there is all I need and boose will work also? Im going to get it ?
 
Patrico777 said:
Is that both same link right yeah that looks lovely so there is all I need and boose will work also? Im going to get it ?
Click to expand...

Same here id definitely say get an xtrons if you’re getting an android unit, there is only the new xtrons units that work properly with Bose without having to buy any extra adaptors etc.
If you buy from xtrons website and register on there then you get 15% off as I’ve recently got one from there.
 
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ab1702 said:
Same here id definitely say get an xtrons if you’re getting an android unit, there is only the new xtrons units that work properly with Bose without having to buy any extra adaptors etc.
If you buy from xtrons website and register on there then you get 15% off as I’ve recently got one from there.
Click to expand...
Ok im
Going to register now is there a code or something ? That is great I dont need additional
Cables etc im going for the one that look like oem! Hopefully will be good
 
I have the Xtrons Octacore in my 8P. With TV, DAB+, Bluetooth etc. Yes, they are built to a price BUT it is a wonderful interface and you can add your favourite apps such that it can be customised to just the way you want it.

Personally, the thought of retrofitting OEM Audi kit that was designed 15 plus years ago puzzles me.
 
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leonwilliams said:
Hi yes they do check out there website. You can ask them questions

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
To be fair I checked them all out every Android. It's either xtrons or pumpkin I choose pumpkin for the quality. Do your research mate. Each to their own. Once you've bought and fitted it's a long way to send it be l if it's not right.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
audi upgrades
I am thinking about one of these units, so either £169 or £309 and they are made in the same factory ?
 
MICHAEL PARKER said:
I am thinking about one of these units, so either £169 or £309 and they are made in the same factory ?
Click to expand...
You'll get scammers looking for £550 on ebay for a unit that costs 270 retail. I'd check out that XDA link and do a bit of research.
I bought mine from the xtrons.co.uk website, signed up to their VIP scheme (not checked its still running) and got a 15% discount.
 
SpeedFerret said:
You'll get scammers looking for £550 on ebay for a unit that costs 270 retail. I'd check out that XDA link and do a bit of research.
I bought mine from the xtrons.co.uk website, signed up to their VIP scheme (not checked its still running) and got a 15% discount.
Click to expand...
Xtrons are selling a unit for £199 on ebay, just tried to find info on that XDA link but no obvious thread.
 
Correct .. you have to trawl through loads of threads on that site just to confirm my previous msg. Just posted this for the benefit of folk on here NOT to hand over £500 or £600 for a skinned £250 unit. But it is up to folk to do their own research.
 
There is a more in-depth discussion on the ICE thread, re the Android units: http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/android-rns-e.248150/page-12

Patrico777 said:
Looks really cheap plastic that PUMPKIN also seeing this on ebay might be any good as the xtrons is OUT OF STOCK
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/322556527031
Click to expand...

Why not wait for the Xtrons unit to come back in stock?

The URL linking to eBay; the advert does not mention the OS of the head unit (I read the advert briefly so apologies if it’s there) but at £169 I’d suspect it’s WindowsCE OS and 256mb RAM won’t make this the fastest device.

Xtrons typically sell from UK stock - VIP15 is the discount code, making it cheaper than the 3rd party eBay sellers selling the same device.
 
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samuelh_888 said:
There is a more in-depth discussion on the ICE thread, re the Android units: http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/android-rns-e.248150/page-12



Why not wait for the Xtrons unit to come back in stock?

The URL linking to eBay; the advert does not mention the OS of the head unit (I read the advert briefly so apologies if it’s there) but at £169 I’d suspect it’s WindowsCE OS and 256mb RAM won’t make this the fastest device.

Xtrons typically sell from UK stock - VIP15 is the discount code, making it cheaper than the 3rd party eBay sellers selling the same device.
Click to expand...
As my pics shows I opted for the pumpkin has all I needed and more. Xtrons was doing it for me looked really cheap

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
samuelh_888 said:
There is a more in-depth discussion on the ICE thread, re the Android units: http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/android-rns-e.248150/page-12



Why not wait for the Xtrons unit to come back in stock?

The URL linking to eBay; the advert does not mention the OS of the head unit (I read the advert briefly so apologies if it’s there) but at £169 I’d suspect it’s WindowsCE OS and 256mb RAM won’t make this the fastest device.

Xtrons typically sell from UK stock - VIP15 is the discount code, making it cheaper than the 3rd party eBay sellers selling the same device.
Click to expand...
Ok I will wait for xtrons to be again jn stock then as u guy no is good the. Is better to wait
 
leonwilliams said:
Not cheap it's actually put together really well. I could have bought the cheap ones ie xtrons and others can't remember the names for under 200 quid you get what you pay for.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Looks pretty good on their website and £269.
 
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My personal view is that the Pumpkin branding looks cheap at the bottom centre. The plastic injection moulding of the surround doesnt look that great either, and its trying to copy a 15yr old design.

How about this ...

http://xtrons.co.uk/head-units/cust...-7-display-custom-fit-for-audi-a3-s3-rs3.html

I'm not bothered either way. Bottom left and right buttoms are fake on the Xtrons. They hold the 32GB cards that are exposed in the other HU.

Its also a Quad Core which has a slower bootup and response time than an Octocore (Xtrons).
 
Last edited:
leonwilliams said:
Hi yes they do check out there website. You can ask them questions

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The pumpkin one will work with Bose but the sound quality will be nowhere near as good as normal, the bass will be seriously lacking. The ones sold by xtrons will work properly with Bose as They now have a blue power cable built into the speaker loom to give power to the Bose amp once the blue cable is connected to power from the headunit. The other units do not have this so the bose amp doesn’t get the power it needs.

I know this as I used to have a unit I bought from Erisin and sound quality was nowhere near as good even with a seperate powered audio filter that is described in the android thread in the i.c.e section on this forum.
 
The ones you want to be buying are the android 8 octo core units from xtrons, these are the newest most upto date version.
The ones that look like rnse are out of stock but the ones that look like symphony/chorus units are in stock and are exactly the same unit but with a different button layout to make it look different.
All the android 8 units that are sold by various different companies are more or less the same units but xtrons are the only ones that supply cabling with them that work properly with Bose.
 
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They’re essentially the same unit but my personal opinion is to wait for the Xtrons.

Xtrons v Pumpkin
  • Android 8 v Android 7.1
  • Coretex A53 Octocore (2012-14) v Coretex A9 Quadcore 1.6GB (2009?!)
  • Kingston 4GB RAM v 2GB RAM
  • £263.49 (with 15% discount) v £269.99
  • No branding v branding
Still, it’s your choice.
 
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SpeedFerret said:
My personal view is that the Pumpkin branding looks cheap at the bottom centre. The plastic injection moulding of the surround doesnt look that great either, and its trying to copy a 15yr old design.

How about this ...

http://xtrons.co.uk/head-units/cust...-7-display-custom-fit-for-audi-a3-s3-rs3.html

I'm not bothered either way. Bottom left and right buttoms are fake on the Xtrons. They hold the 32GB cards that are exposed in the other HU.

Its also a Quad Core which has a slower bootup and response time than an Octocore (Xtrons).
Click to expand...

I quite like this - and it’s still in stock. I’m not sure whether to get this or wait for the RNS-E Rep to come back in to stock. For some reason changing the HU has been the longest decision process of my S3 tenure.
 
I took ages too. I'd advise octocore for speed. Bootup time is 1 to 2 secs. The Alpine W928 (Flagship till 2016 is 20 secs plus in my wife's SLK ... and the Alpine unit is C R A A P ... utter C R A A P)

A variation on the W928 was put into a Tesla roadster and fired off to an asteroid belt the other week where it is expected to be smashed into pieces.

I mourn for the Tesla but the Alpine will not be missed. Utter garbage.
 
samuelh_888 said:
I quite like this - and it’s still in stock. I’m not sure whether to get this or wait for the RNS-E Rep to come back in to stock. For some reason changing the HU has been the longest decision process of my S3 tenure.
Click to expand...

Have you got bose? If so don’t get that one, get an xtrons
 
I have full Bose and will only look at the Xtrons. Just not sure which model (albeit both octo). There is the RNSE look-a-like and the Concert look-a-like. Most likely the RNSE rep.
 
I will wait for RNSE rep I like to look and I do have Boose yes
 
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