Single vs Double DIN Head Units: Which One is Better?

Head units are integral units of your car stereo that plays the cassette tapes on the road or on tracks using CDs on its rotation mechanism that reads specific data on those disks. There are different types of head units available in the market, which are single DIN and double DIN. You might be thinking of upgrading or replacing your head unit, and knowing the difference between a single and a double-DIN unit can help you choose the best one for your vehicle.

Single vs Double DIN Head Units: Which One is Better?
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Size

In general, cars have been getting smaller. However, the size of head units has remained mostly unchanged since its invention in 1981. The traditional Double DIN standard which is the size of two stacked standard squares is about two inches high, seven inches wide, and six-and-a-half inches deep. Single DIN head units are about one inch high, seven inches wide, and six-and-a-half inches deep. There are a few rare exceptions where a car's design requires a different shape for it to fit properly or fully utilize space within the dashboard. This often occurs with expensive luxury vehicles such as Acuras and Mercedes Benz vehicles. In these cars, it can be either this size or slightly, depending on the make and model of the car.

Ease of use

The larger size of the Double DIN head unit makes it easier to use and manage most features. Sometimes this can be a negative thing as well. Because there is more space inside the head unit, manufacturers often use that space to add more buttons and knobs, which can lead to accidental presses with little pressure applied. The larger screens also make it difficult for some people like those who suffer from eye strain or vision problems, but others find them easier to look at for longer periods of time because there is less scrolling required to view long text messages and lists (Ex: album titles in an MP3 player). This is especially true for older drivers, who may have decreased vision due to age-related conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration.

Connection options

The Double DIN head units have a standard ISO-DIN mount, which is the same as most factory stereos that come with cars from the manufacturer. This means that upgrading to any of the double DIN head unit top picks featured in car enthusiast blogs or reviewer sites does not require additional adapters if your car already has available space for it in its dash. Vehicles from Acura, Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen, and other luxury brands often had more factory installation choices made specifically for their make and model of vehicle. This can be a difficult task given these vehicles are more expensive and older models may no longer be on the road, making the replacement impossible. Also, because they are older designs, their replacement requires going through dealer networks for replacement parts and there can be a steep price associated with it.

Power 

Single DIN head units are more powerful because they do not have to account for the additional space required for double DIN head units. This means that the power supply is not an issue like it is in some vehicles where certain models of Double DIN head units must be replaced with very specific ones or in some cases none at all in order to avoid cutting into factory wiring in the vehicle's body which leads to installation issues in the future when installing new equipment. The smaller size also means that they can use less power than their larger counterparts, so they produce less heat while operating, which prolongs their life expectancy considerably, especially in hotter climates where temperature extremes are seen more often.

In terms of power, Double DIN head units have a slight advantage over their single DIN counterparts because they can be set to produce more wattage for speakers that require it whereas the Single DIN cannot provide enough power to do this without possible damage caused by distortion or reduced sound quality from blown speakers.

Compatibility

Double DIN head units have a greater level of compatibility compared to the standards set by Single DIN head units. They can support a wide range of signal inputs, which means they work with all factory-installed systems and aftermarket devices without requiring adapters or converters, which is something required when using standard Single DIN head units. This greatly expands their capabilities, but it does not come without its own issues because all of these signal inputs are put into one space, which means that the more features you have, the greater your risk is for sound quality issues. This can happen when two or more signals go into the same space without adequate shielding to block out unwanted noise that comes from other sources in close proximity.

[image: pexels]

In terms of design and function, Double DIN head units have a bigger advantage because they give manufacturers greater freedom in what they can do with them, so long as the functions pass ISO standards set by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). They allow for easier access to advanced technologies but at the same time, this means that there are higher chances of damaging things like speakers due to increasing power levels to accommodate high-end equipment even if it is just a factory-installed system. Single DIN head units are not as powerful, but they are limited by their size which means that there are fewer possibilities for interference or sound distortion problems which ultimately leads to better sound quality.