Kenwood DDX9705S Review in 2024 – Is it the right choice?

Click Image to see Reviews and Latest Price

Can a factory stereo be beaten by Kenwood?

I have to hand it to the carmakers they are trying. I mean, they have to focus on so many things when they build cars. Maybe entertainment and music are least of their priorities.

For customers, it’s the most important thing. So no wonder there has been a boom in the stereo aftermarket. Every year the companies are trying to outdo each other. At the moment aftermarket stereos leave the car manufacturers in the dust.

This is why I’ve created this Kenwood DDX9705S Review. It’s for you. You are probably thinking about installing this head unit in your car. I will make you a promise. Contrary to the hype you are used to, I will tell it straight.

You will see the good and the bad side of this head unit. By reading this article, I hope you will make the right choice.

Let’s get this Kenwood DDX9705S review started.

For all those who want the final results for this double DIN head unit, here they are.

Does it fit in my car? Click Here to Check
Click Here to Check

Who is the Kenwood DDX9705S for?

Who are the people who are buying a Kenwood head unit?

Those who already own a Kenwood head unit. Once you get one, you will only upgrade to a better one.

Kenwood positioned itself as one of the best music quality double din stereos on the market. I mean this quality at this price range is without competition.

If you love to listen to music and radio while driving, this stereo would be a great choice. By music and radio, I mean crystal clear sound. Say goodbye to scratched CDs’ and tapes. (What’s a tape?)

Also, the Kenwood DDX9705S d comes with built-in HD radio. The audio is crisp and clean. I can’t imagine myself driving without built-in HD radio.

Besides these features, the stereo gives 22 watts of power. After installing this head unit, people have learned that they have subwoofers. Crazy isn’t it? You had it all along, and you couldn’t feel it. Then comes along a stereo and you have unlocked your car’s full potential.

The other segment of the market that buys it is people needing extended capabilities. No more outdated GPS is making you go down on one-way streets.

Thanks to the wide range of apps, you can drive and take calls hands-free. Best of all, you can have text messages read to you. Plus, you can reply to them by dictation.

For all this, you don’t have to buy a brand new car which costs tens of thousands. All this technology can be yours if you install a Kenwood DDX9705S head unit.

What can the Kenwood DDX9705S do for you?

I already mentioned that thanks to the extra power, the subwoofers are felt. This is not just for those who want to enjoy great music.

Finally, a WIFI enabled stereo. This means that you can enjoy wireless Android Auto. Before the WIFI feature, you always had to connect through the USB port. Plus, it wasn’t charging the phone. This is in the past.

Did you know that you can pair up to five phones?

This comes handy on long road trips. Anybody with a phone can put on music.

What I loved was that you could actually connect your steering wheel controls to the device. This means you can take a phone calls by pressing just one finger. You can drive safe and keep your attention on the road.

Kenwood is known for its customization capabilities. For example, you can change the background of your touch screen — no more boring stock images.

Thanks to Google maps, you don’t have to worry about outdated maps. Plus, you don’t have to pay anybody to update it (lost revenue for dealerships).

Has this happened to you? Driving in a new city and the GPS takes you down on a one-way street… of course, it’s the wrong way.

I almost forgot to mention this. I have to return to the audio quality again. It has one of the most in-depth Equalizers I’ve ever seen. If you want that extra quality, then you can customize to your heart liking.

The EQ is easy to use. Plus, you can achieve some great tonalities.

The LCD touch screen is great and responsive. Gone are the days when you had to press extra hard to see something change. It’s responsive, and the design is slick. The LCD screen size is 6.95 inches wide.

Last but not least, let me tell you about the apps which can be used. No matter if you use an iPhone or an Android, it will work with this unit (Android Auto, Apple Carplay, Kenwood Weblink). Siri and Android Auto are at your disposal. With the help of your smartphone you can do audio streaming. Your favorite apps Spotify Pandora can do the audio streaming for you.

Besides all these features, the head unit comes with two camera input. The must-have is the rear view camera. With the help of this, you can easily and safely park. Plus, you can add a dash cam.

If you want to see some other Kenwood receivers, take a look at the best Kenwood receivers page.

Click Image to see Reviews and Latest Price

Kenwood DDX9705S DVD receiver shortcomings

It’s not the perfect stereo, either. It has some issues.

It starts with an LCD. Samsung is creating the best and cheapest LCD on the market. Kenwood should invest in them because the screen glare is bothersome. The biggest problem is that the map isn’t that clear during strong sunlight.

Squinting at the screen and not looking at the traffic could be dangerous although you can tilt the screen to get a better view.

Another issue with the screen is that it collects a lot of fingerprints. It’s a good idea to buy a screen protector.

Let’s talk about the menu system. Brace yourself; it’s overwhelming. In a way, it’s good that you can customize so many things. In a way, it’s bad because there’s a learning curve. Once you set it up, it’s good forever.

It’s advertised to work with iPods. They failed to say that it’s only compatible with the latest high-end versions.

Soundcloud doesn’t support Android auto, and they will never go there. What a shame I’m a great fan of them.

How To Get The Most Out Of the Kenwood DDX9705S?

Even though Kenwood made this unit easy to install I highly recommend going to a specialist. So many people complain that the unit is defective or some features don’t work. When you get to the bottom of it, it’s because of bad wiring.

Save yourself from stress and headache and take it to a professional. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the “miles” of wiring.

Installing the head unit isn’t that hard. Difficulties pop up when you are installing the cameras. And the toughest thing to crack is the steering controls.

I know there are people out there who want extra info about their car. This is possible if you install an iDatalink Maestro. With the help of this gadget, you can see voltage, tire pressure, etc. Plus you can fully customize your steering wheel controls.

This is why I recommend a professional installer.

Alternative for the DDX9705S DVD receiver

As you have seen, you are getting tons and tons of features with this Kenwood head unit. And this comes at a cost. For a few, it might be too much.

For this reason, I always prepare an alternative. There’s the Kenwood DDX9704S. For some reason, it is more expensive at the time of writing. Maybe this will change, and the price will be lower.

The main benefit of having the older version is that it should be cheaper. Although you will be losing a couple of perks. For example, it doesn’t have WIFI. Another thing that was an issue was the slow boot. You will be driving some before the music starts. It’s that slow.

If you are interested in an in-depth Kenwood DDX9704S review, read my article here.

Kenwood DDX9705S Review Conclusion

At the moment, Kenwood DDX9705S is the latest generation. It’s jam-packed with features that make it a no-brainer purchase. It’s all about safety. Thanks to built-in Bluetooth you can enjoy wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay. If you install a rear view camera you can park better. Not to mention a dash cam can help you out if anything happens. By customizing the steering wheel controls you can answer calls with ease.

Are you a SiriusXM satellite radio fan?

Then you can enjoy your favorite shows with this radio tuner. Actually it’s one its main features. You can listen into SiriusXM satellite radio wherever you are.

I’m about to conclude my Kenwood DDX9705S review. Feel free to contact me if you want to see different reviews also if you have something to share a comment below or email me.

Catch you later.

Does it fit in my car? Click Here to Check
Click Here to Check

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Is the Kenwood DDX9705S double DIN head unit a marine audio?

No, this DVD receiver is for cars only. Kenwood does make marine audio stereos.

Is the Kenwood DDX9705S compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto?

Yes, it is. All you have to do is connect your phone and you will be able to use Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Thanks to the USB ports you can connect to Apple Carplay Android Auto with ease.

Is the iDatalink Maestro compatible with this Kenwood doulbe DIN head unit?

It is always good to check the main iDatalink Maestro website. Besides that the Kenwood DVD Receiver is compatible with iDatalink Maestro.

Do I need iDatalink Maestro with Kenwood satellite radio?

It depends on how much you want to customize your double DIN DVD receiver. If you want to display all the car information then you will need to use the idatalink maestro with the Kenwood DVD receiver. To access all the features what your steering wheel controls can provide you will need it.

How hard is it to customize the steering wheel buttons with this radio tuner?

Let’s just say it’s not a walk in the park. I would highly recommend a pro to do it.

How’s the Kenwood radio tuner’s car audio?

The car audio quality is excellent. The music is crisp. All this with the stock speakers that your car has.

Is the Kenwood DMX7706S a good alternative for the Kenwood DDX9705S?

Yes, the Kenwood DMX7706S review can help you understand why.

What kind of camera input does this Kenwood DVD receiver have?

You can connect two cameras to this car stereo. A rear view and dash cam is your best option.

Does the Wireless Android Auto work?

Wireless Android Auto is in the beta stage. It only works with a select Google phones. Blame it on Google they are too slow.

Where is the USB port located?

With most head units it’s a rear USB. To have this USB port accessible you will need to do some wiring. Maybe try the Kenwood Weblink if you want those features. Thanks to the USB ports you can charge your phone while driving.

What are the main features of the ddx9705s Kenwood double DIN unit?

You are getting a lot for your dollars. For example high-resolution audio this means that you can listen to high-resolution audio FLAC files. With the apps you can use your favorite audio streaming apps like Pandora Spotify. It plays the most popular file types like MP3 WMA. It supports dual phone connection. And the display is color LCD. It’s radio ready and this is where high-resolution audio shines as well.

Does it have camera inputs and video inputs?

Yes it has a camera input and video as well.

Last Updated on November 4, 2023 by Brian Beasley