Pioneer MVH-S720BHS 1-Din Car Stereo with Bluetooth, USB, HD Radio | Digital Media Receiver, SiriusXM, Color Change, FLAC, Voice Control, 50W x 4 Output, 13-Band EQ, AM/FM, Hi-Volt RCA Preouts

My first Pioneer, I've had Kenwood, Alpine, I'm very happy with it. The control especially using the app has been the high point of this unit. My music can be balanced, dialed in, making a wonderful sound stage. The BT works well, the main source I'd planned to use. No major cons worth mentioning.

If you are wanting a high quality system that's highly configurable then this is the buy your looking for. First stero I've used in my ride and I've loved every moment of jammin.

Initially purchasing a Kenwood KMM-X705 due to many stating the radio is better than a Pioneer for natural sound, subsequently finding the Kenwood KMM-X705, upon connecting to a SiriusXM unit/antenna, the SiriusXM unit would causing significant continuous/repetitive clicking RFI noise on my separately connected (via direct battery) CB Radio. Later finding the SiriusXM radio uses a powered antenna, not well documented, the SiriusXM antenna requires mounting away from and separated from the ground plane of the CB radio antenna. Funny thing, after separating antennas, the noise significantly uncontrollably continued moderately with the Kenwood radio, while Pioneer and a previously purchased Sony radio appeared to either properly filter or avoid such uncontrollable RFI noise! Most likely understand, radio RFI is a very high priority typically indicating quality. So having tested both on my Ford vehicle with CB radio and SiriusXM units, returned the Kenwood with well documented RFI problem. Will now replace the twenty year old original speakers, so that I can hear the audible Bible spoken clearly... Subsequently replaced two decade old Ford OEM speakers with PIONEER A-Series MAX TS-A683FH 6x8 inch speakers. Now can hear the upper frequency ranges more audibly, more articulated talk/speech frequencies versus only de facto sound frequency ranges, and less so due to original aged/worn speakers. Chose speakers providing more upper frequency range, stiffer/metallic tweeters, typically preferred for hearing the upper sound frequency range above road noise. So far, seems to be working well. PROS 1) Far less RFI noise than the Kenwood KMM-X705, while apparently maintaining the same tuning sensitivity. 2) More refined than the Kenwood KMM-X705, as if the Kenwood KMM-X705's buttons and buttons were designed within a stricter budget. 3) Pioneer unit has better display readability and brightness/visibility during nighttime. (eg. Display can be dimmed significantly for nighttime.) 4) Can disable functions not used; such as SiriusXM, Bluetooth, Auxiliary input, ... 5) Display can be set for display CLOCK/SPEANA, so called SPEANA typically is a visual spectrum analyzer, however CLOCK/SPEANA apparently displays a clock and a current frequency signal strength indicator! Granted, the signal strength indicator is somewhat rudimentary having three horizontal tiered bars, however could be incorrect and more so is for audio visual spectrum. Signal strength, in my class, is far more useful than eye candy. Seems to be more so indicating signal strength than audio frequency. (Updated: Pretty sure CLOCK/SPEANA is clock and signal strength.) CONS 1) Engineering maybe a couple of years older than Kenwood KMM-X705, since there's no date code on the Pioneer, apparently likely manufactured within the same facility and during the same time due to very similar labeling fonts and product origins. 2) The Kenwood KMM-X705 has apparently more speaker configuration options, such as sizes and spacing, doubtful if there's any difference with and without. (Updated: There are customized speaker configuration options, more in depth into the Pioneer configuration settings, apparently requiring enabling, rather than using basic default speaker option.) 3) Extra buttons I typically have no use for, such as loudness and mobile/cell phone buttons. (Updated: Loudness, seems I might use the loudness button, every now and then, for maybe cancelling road noise.) 4) Really disappointing these radios still cannot manage daylight savings, or managing consistent sunlit/nighttime dimming/lighting times! (eg. Once clock is reset for daylight savings or standard time switch, usually requires changing dimming times.)

If you’re looking for a modern upgrade for your car audio system, the Pioneer MVH-S720BHS delivers way more than expected for its size. This isn’t just a basic head unit, it’s a fully connected, customizable sound system in a compact 1-DIN design. Right away, the Bluetooth connection is quick and reliable, making hands-free calls and music streaming effortless. It also supports smartphone integration through the Pioneer Smart Sync app, unlocking features like voice control with Alexa and expanded sound tuning.

In the last few months I re-riped my entire CD collection to a home database in the FLAC format. A number of years ago I had done the same thing but to the AAC format. Well, comparing the AAC to FLAC on several systems at home it was clear to me that FLAC is the way to go now. Much improved sound quality. Cant tell it from CD, which is the point. Trouble is the older Sony multimedia player in my Van only supported lossey formats like AAC. Looking around for something very similar to it, but with FLAC support I came across the S720. I picked this particular model over the other Pioneer choices with FLAC because it also has the other features I had come to need with my Sony (DSX-310BTX), had a couple more, and it fit into the same 1 DIN standard depth slot in the van. Installation was typical. While the wire harness color code is standard so in theory a straight swap in should be possible, the actual connectors are different, so i cut out the old harness and wired in the pigtail (minus the speaker wires) that came with the Pioneer. I use an Alpine 4x45W amp for the JL Audio midrange and tweeters and a Sony 300W sub amp for a Pioneer subwoofer so do I used the pre-outs from the S720. I also took advantage of the of the Pioneer internal 3 way crossover not in my Sony to eliminate the JL Audio passive crossovers. Funny thing about the S720 pre-outs...The Front/Hi out is the middle pair, the Rear/Mid is on top, and the sub on the bottom. While the chassis is labeled with stampings to this effect, it is nowhere in the user manual and pretty hard to read when the head unit is half installed. I initially put the tweeters into the top set and mids into the middle (which is logical to me, and in fact the way most similar units including a Pioneer or two do it). It was pretty obvious to me when the tweeters were trying to play midrange. Playing FLAC files is not as straight forward as one would think. First issue is that the CD ripper/FLAC converter I used didnt produce files that the S720 recognized as music. I used EAC with the XPIS FLAC plugin, which works great everywhere except in the S720. Eventually I found that by "re-converting" my existing FLAC files to FLAC using the dBpoweramp app, I was able to fix whatever the Pioneer doesnt like about the XPIS conversion. It was probably related to file info and not the actual compression. Once that was solved I next found there is some upper limit to either the number of files or the size of the end package of files the S720 will support. I know that when I put the entire reconverted set of files (72GB and 3800 files on a 128G flashdrive) I get an Error 19 when plugging the flashdrive into the S720. When I deleted a number of folders and was below 64GB (not sure what the final file count is, but still on the same 128G flashdrive), it worked fine. Next I went thru the S720 driver time alignment, then a leveling and EQ process using an Android based app with white noise, spectrum analyzer and calibrated mic as a reference to get a relatively flat frequency response. Time consuming, but worth the trouble. The best part is how great it sounds. Not just because of the FLAC format, but even AAC and analog sound better. I am sure the ability to time align and fine tune the eq contribute a lot but it also looks like Pioneer did a nice job of implementing the digital and analog in the head unit. Complaints? I cant believe head units havent begun using non-volatile memory for configurations. Pull the power and you get to start over. This sucks if you sent a lot of time setting it up. There is literally no installation manual. You get a quick start guide with the unit, but it doesnt even have a picture of the I/O on the back. There are a bunch of videos on the Pioneer product page for the unit, but they only cover the connector wiring color meanings and a bunch of how-to's on various functions once you get it up and running. By the way, these videos are way better than the user manual explaining how to set up and use features. Finally, who needs a really, really large BASS button? Its the second largest function on the units face next to the rotary encoder. So far the Smart Sync app is a mixed blessing. It makes it possible to find my way thru the FLAC files in short order, where the front panel interface is hopeless (all the music files are presented on the S720 as though in a single folder and in alphabetical order by file name). My biggest complaint with it is that it seems to want to take over all functions on the phone and it puts itself on top of all other apps. I found a way to prevent it from automatically starting up when the phone connects to the head unit, but then it wont even connect after the bluetooth connection is established. I cant seem to locate the 31 band EQ that some of the literature touts is available thru Smart Sync, and when Smart Sync is connected I cant change the contents of my custom EQ. I hope this app is a work in progress and not what Pioneer considers THE app. It needs lots of work.

Installed quickly and easily into a 2001 Corolla. The Toyota mounting brackets easily fit into the sides of the head unit after removing the pre-installed DIN rail. The only other item I needed was a Metra adapter harness. I was interested in this unit over others for the HD Radio, which is definitely worth it- much crisper quality than standard FM. Bluetooth, and in particular Spotify control was another seller for me. It's overall seamless, unless Bluetooth is switched off on the phone or the Spotify app is closed (on Android). If this is the case, it'll often connect, hiccup, and disconnect, prompting a manual resync. Not exactly difficult, but it does take a bit getting used to. If you leave your phone's Bluetooth switched on all the time, you shouldn't run into any issue. It does come with a Bluetooth mic, which attaches via a clip or with double-sided tape. I attached my mic in front of the gauge cluster, behind the steering wheel. People I've called haven't complained of poor sound quality even with road noise, so that's a plus. Overall, a good value, and performs just as I expected. And of course, it's much nicer than using a cassette adapter!

The positives: solid update / replacement for a 24-year old Pioneer on my boat. Easy install (note that it’s a full sized single DIN) and solid audio output. Handles my 16gb of usb-stick music with a workable menu system. The meh: it’s a bit on the pricey side for what it is, and the Pioneer audio app that it wants to see for a phone connection is a tad clunky; I haven’t quite figured out if it’s possible to just connect a phone for basic music streaming without using the app (it demanded the app, and I just went with it). On the positive side, having Bluetooth control of the radio (volume, fader, music selection etc) via the app from the flybridge is nice. Overall, would buy it again.

Great radio with decent power love the bluetooth auto connect

Excellent value. Using it in a system with highs, mids and sub. Total freedom to set it up. The app is a little tricky to get working but it adds a lot to the value.

Antes de comprar esta unidad de Pioneer, investigué en su página web las características del mismo. Todo se veía excelente. Lo que más me atrajo fueron sus prestaciones para ajustar el audio, las preferencias para la iluminación de la carátula y que fuera para reproducir medios digitales, ya que no uso CD's. Pero cuando lo recibí, junto con el estereo llegaron varias decepciones. 1.- Siendo que Pioneer ya utiliza un chasis mucho más chico para las unidades digitales, puesto que ya no hay un reproductor de CD, no entiendo por qué decidieron usar un chasis de tamaño regular para esta unidad o cuántos componentes requiere para haberlo diseñado asi. 2.- La carátula, posiblemente, es lo peor. De inmediato me di cuenta de que, quien la haya diseñado, no conoce conceptos como la accesibilidad, el aprovechamiento del espacio disponible, la estética y la efectividad. Lo primero que resalta es la baja calidad de los materiales que está hecha. Muy frágil y desechable. Lo segundo es el tamaño y la posición de la enorme perilla del volúmen (y el acceso a menú que, por el espacio disponible, bien se hubiera podido agregar otro botón para esa función). Aspecto que no se puede apreciar en las imágenes publicitarias de pioneer. Lo tercero es el tamaño, la ubicación y el diseño de los diferentes botones para las diversas funciones de la carátula. Los hay muy grandes, muy chicos, redondos, rectangulares, translucidos, de color sólido y hasta incorporados a la lámina de la carátula. Es un desastre y, una vez más, habiendo mucho espacio disponible en la carátula para diseñar botones uniformes y cuya ubicación sea de fácil acceso; la mayoría están amontonados alrededor de la enorme perilla. Lo cual dificulta acceder a las funciones mientras uno va conduciendo. Nada más el adelantar o regresar una pista requiere cálculo, pues los dos botones son muy chicos y están justo debajo de la perilla que, por su tamaño, estorba Aún peor, en un día soleado, la iluminación de la carátula es insuficiente y puede que no se aprecie la información. Y si agregamos que Pioneer no es para darte un estuche de plástico para proteger la carátula, como solía hacerlo, pues dejan mucho que desear. Muchos dirían que exagero, pero si tomamos en cuenta que ni siquiera es una de las unidades básicas de Pioneer de 1 DIN, era de esperarse mayor calidad. En resumen, si lo que buscan es buena calidad de audio, es una buena opción. Si buscan algo más, vale la pena revisar otras opciones.

Although I like this stereo I have to give it a bad review because is not a short chassis