Recently installed a Kenwood KMM-X503 head unit. Was shooting for the same as the old KDC-X898 - do everything, but without the CD player plus be able to play FLAC files.

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/kmm-x503/

I have very good things to say about this model, and it has a feature I found particularly impressive in that it apparently adjusts output tailored for particular speaker systems. It actually asked for my speaker, tweeter, and subwoofer sizes when I selected component speakers! Other things too IIRC. I think it asked about speaker positioning. And it's dirt cheap! In any case sounds even better than my old head unit.

I did have a chance to directly compare WAV to FLAC to -V 2 encoded MP3 using the same exact music (Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms - original mastering - my reference music because of the extremely high dynamic range of the recording) where the FLAC and MP3 was converted from the WAV. I found myself readjusting the sub slightly when listening to the MP3 at higher volumes - surprisingly to me both the WAV and the FLAC needed a bit more sub than the MP3, but was crisper in general. Maybe it's a difference in the DAC or something else inherent to the deck? In any case, I'm pleased that the system is good enough to hear the difference.

Only downside is the documentation on setup and operation sucks and does not begin to include everything. I'm still finding out stuff. Early on I had to call Kenwood to figure out how to get it out of the Spanish mode I had accidentally placed it in. Couldn't read much of the menus, to even poke around and look for a solution! IMHO sometimes the Spanish language accommodation gets ridiculous.

 

I hid a little 300 watt amp to push a 10" in that cubby hole like that for a little while in my 04, and if I pushed it too hard for too long the amp would overheat and go into protect... Pop the lid off that storage box though and it would cool off in no time and be fine to play non-stop.

Just something to keep in mind if it starts giving you issues. With the lid on it's just stagnant air in that compartment, no ventilation at all, so it doesn't take long for an amp to heat up in there.

 

Yeah, I know...... I ran around with the cover off the top of the cubby for a week or two during the late Summer until I was sure it wasn't going to overheat. Mine is a class D amp (first time I have had one). They are supposed to be more efficient and run cooler. Seems to be true. I crank it pretty good, but only for a half hour or so at a time. Maybe I'll stick my thermistor for my temp gauge in there and take a reading after playing the system for a while. Ambient temps are still supposed to be in the 80's later this week.