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TIFFANYN Posted
I’ve been having an issue with this radio I will get a black screen and the lights on the radio just come on
Posted
Hi TIFFANYN,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we are very sorry to hear you are experiencing this black screen issue with your receiver.
If this is happening when you start the vehicle, it may be that the radio is not connected to the correct power and ground connections. If it is happening after putting the vehicle into reverse, the unit may be improperly connected to a reverse signal input wire in the vehicle, or there could be an issue with the factory or aftermarket backup camera signal. Alternatively, if this happens after a phone is plugged in, it could be caused by a faulty or inferior USB cable.
Because this behavior is often linked to the wiring, we highly recommend seeing an installation professional to properly inspect and diagnose the radio connections.
Thank you for considering Sony!
Regards,
Dominick
DanielP Posted
Love it. Single din fitment means it fits easily. Yep
Justin Posted
Great so far. Similar to the ax3000 but has the screen mirroring which is super cool.
TylerW Posted
Love the head unit it is great value for the money
RobF Posted
Unit was a great upgrade to a five year old oem radio without a touch screen/Android Auto. Sometimes there is lag but that is probably related my somewhat older S9 phone. Largest issue is the display is terrible in bright sun.
BradleyG Posted
It makes my radio experience a 100% better makes my.
SylviaZ Posted
Super service and quality product. I wouldn’t go anywhere else
ROBERT Posted
I didn't see any reviews on this head unit and the one I did find mentioned something about it being an EU model. I think otherwise or that maybe this unit was manufactured specifically for Best Buy stores, the manual says for the US market. I really like it. I had a Pioneer AVH-290BT before this and always wanted CARPLAY this unit gave me that with a bigger screen and better build quality without breaking the bank. Obviously, your system is only as good as your weakest link. With a "good" amp you will have no regrets with this model. My amp has 0.02% THD at rated 100w RMS. My gains might be at half and I have PLENTY of volume, it's unbearably loud with the windows closed. That being said, a "good" amp is subjective but this unit has a very clean signal to send through your amps without the need of an inline EQ or sound processor. Great Sony tech at a great price. If you wanted to get more volume and clarity than the factory and add CARPLAY to a vehicle without it, this is a great option. Also great for big/larger systems. Pros: -DSO (Digital Stage Organizer) *WORKS GREAT* -APPLE CARPLAY -4 channel output + sub output -Easy Interface -Bright Screen -Buttons have very solid clicks -Steering wheel controls -Sirius XM capable -video input (backup camera) -5 selectable wallpapers/backgrounds for the sony interface. Cons: -Dimmer is sometimes still too bright, can't change the precise brightness, dimmer is either off or on. -Anti Glare screen sometimes catches the light at a weird angle -Takes about 3-5 seconds to register your phone for car play -EQ has a lot of flexibility but isn't very sensitive -Has attenuation but no quick mute ability / can be muted through a few buttons. -MAX VOLUME with no amp is around 20 before it hits distortion, this is fixed with an amplifier. I have Infinity reference components and with the head unit power, they're very clean and pretty decent volume but, windows down and you probably won't be too happy anymore. *I'll update this if I have to but I've had it for over a month now and it's been great overall. Nothing is ever perfect but this checks all the boxes and leaves you smiling. I consider myself a VERY picky consumer and this doesn't leave me with buyer's remorse. Quite Happy with this product.
KadeinC Posted
Quit working 2 days afer i was able to return no andriodauto
LongTimeAustinite Posted
The SiriusXM radio feature does not work and only displays a "Check Tuner" message.
JasonGenova Posted
Pretty nice HU. I have it paired up with Focal PS 165 V1 components and Focal Auditor coaxes running off Audison SR amps. Other gear was installed but not relevant to this review. I wish the pre-out voltage was higher and that it had some more audio tweaks like T/A, but it sounds great as is. Apparently DSO adds some T/A and it does spice up the sound nicely, but I would prefer to actually control those parameters. Changing EQ settings is easy, but it's annoying that you have to use the slider. I wish there were arrow keys for more precise control, as they are there in the balance/fade controls. Physical buttons are awesome! I find myself using them almost exclusively. Illumination is solid white and adjustable, with the option to disable it completely. I also liked that I didn't have to run a separate GPS antenna for Android Auto, as running all the other wiring was a task in itself. The screen does get bright (at night at least, and there's an option to dim it), but it is washed out. Doesn't matter to me, I'm solely using it for music. I added a PAC USB socket that replaces a cigarette lighter. With my S23, it charges slowly but surely. This also reminds me that the Sony has a very long USB cable from the rear, so be prepared to tuck that away. I didn't want to spend more for wireless Android Auto, so wired it is. Currently devising a manner to secure my MagSafe case to the dash and run the cable in a neat manner. Now, for what actually matters: operation and sound. This thing is crisp. I can go in between apps in Android Auto mode without a hitch. No lag. The screen is very responsive and I have no qualms with it. Make sure to calibrate it in the settings or else your touch input may be off by a decent amount and have you wondering why it's clicking the wrong thing. Sound quality is great! Per my measuring, I got pre-out clipping at 40/50 with the subwoofer level at +10, setting my optimal gains there. There's no hissing, humming, etc. with my class D amps. I've had that issue in the past, but not here. Maybe the Audisons are a step up from the Alpine PDX I previously used, but nonetheless, this thing is clean to my ears. Make sure to buy good RCAs to mitigate unwanted noise. Most of the preset EQ options are pretty aggressive, but I'm more of a flat EQ listener anyway. 10 bands for custom EQing are there if you need them, along with some basic crossover settings. It's very barebones, but if your speakers are installed properly and are of high quality, your foundation should be pretty solid out of the gate. Can't comment on the internal amp, never used it. Call quality with the BT mic gets the job done, nothing more. I think that covers just about everything. Would I buy it again? I would. Just be aware that it's wired AA and your sound tweaking options are limited. Thank you for reading!
ToddK Posted
Stereo is decent a little hard to see screen in daylight. The major issue is you need a very good cable to keep phone connected to use Android Auto or Apple Carplay and it is not included with device or offered during purchase or even offered by installation team. Thankfully there is Amazon and less than $10 I now have a rock solid connection. Photo in 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. Tried another brand head unit and although it said it would fit it was too long in depth of chassis so install team were able to swap for Sony and made it work. Shout out to Josh at B.B. in Sunnyvale.
Posted
Thank you for the fantastic review, ToddK!
We’re thrilled to hear the XAV-AX3250 was the perfect fit for your Dodge Ram and that Josh at Best Buy Sunnyvale provided such great service! We appreciate the "pro-tip" about using a high-quality cable for a rock-solid connection—it’s a detail that makes a world of difference for Android Auto and CarPlay.
Thank you for choosing Sony!
Best regards,
Gus, Sony Social Media Team
JohnnyBRim Posted
At first I couldn’t get the Apple CarPlay to work but I had to get an official Apple lightning cable . But everything works now. The only thing I dislike about it that it has a matte type finish and it is sometimes dim at day, but at night it looks good and the sound quality is Amazing and it isn’t slow
JuneD Posted
I purchased to upgrade the stereo in my 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. Best Buy installed for free. The installation rep Rey (Sunrise) went above and beyond helping us when a piece was missing for the installation to keep steering wheel controls. Very happy to have Apple Play in the car to be able to use phone hands free everything is clear and crisp. Everything sounds great very loud. Now old screen controls HVAC and new screen has all controls for stereo.
SathyaK Posted
I have to first say, the guys at Best Buy has done an excellent job. It was installed nicely with in a hour and half. The only complaint is the standard installation does not include steering control, I have to spend an additional 120. In my opinion it is still cheaper than outside for installation. Device itself is decent does the job. My main use case is apple car play. Works most of the times. My observation is the issue with some apps on the phone. I observed that myQ app is kind of interfering to its connectivity. However if you close the connection and do it again it works. The sound quality is good. Its bit hard to see the screen in direct sunlight, probably that is the limitation of the technology. Overall I am happy with my purchase. I wish I have done this early enough. My daughter is happy to have her spotify gets into car without too many connections.
MadThug Posted
Good stereo for that price. It has a lot of features for the XAV series. WebLink works, calls are good quality, also sound settings are nice, buttons work very well also it comes with wireless remote control. You can mirror screen your media device is connected to the video output with a special AV converter adapter which I have not tried yet. What I don't like is the screen responsiveness and low sensitivity, light reflection glare, and also the stereo tends to get hot and slows down a lot.
JerodA Posted
This was a great addition to my daughters 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee! The safety it added with the back up camera and the hands free options was a huge plus. The large on screen icons icons and Apple CarPlay made listening to her music and navigating safe and easy. The receiver itself added extra power the factory radio didn’t have which made the speakers in the car sound so much better to listen to. Overall I would purchase this receiver again and I will recommend they have Best Buy install for no worry or hassle enjoyment t!
Mythos25 Posted
So the stereo itself was good. The sound output on stock speakers was loud and clear 7.5/10 and the screen had decent resolution. Bluetooth worked like its supposed to with no issues. Problem we had with my wife's iPhone SE(and this unit in general) is that it requires you to download weblink to use(wired) carplay. The app had specific apps it works with and until you download it the carplay icon doesnt show on the screen. With her phone the app never worked and so carplay didnt either. Now i never tried using andriod auto or mirroring theough the usb as i dont link my phone to her car...but andriod has a much different(easier) interface setup for head units. Overall if you want a good radio that you stream to or an andriod phone for navigation, etc. This unit might be good for you. Didnt have a newer iPhone or iPad to try this stereo with, that may solve the issue but we ended up returning this and getting a kenwood instead
JBrown Posted
I am a Sony fan boy and rightfully so. Sony did it again with this product. I had this radio installed in a 25 year old car and it connected seamlessly. It jazzed up my driving experience by bringing me up to 2025. Apple CarPlay, nice sounds, I couldn’t ask for more. The touch screen is very responsive to touch and you can see the screen with no problems in sunlight like other radios. I am very happy with this purchase.
Posted
Thank you for that fantastic review, JBrown!
As a longtime Sony fan, your feedback means the world to us. We are so pleased to hear the XAVAX3250 was a seamless installation in your 25-year-old car. It's truly rewarding to know it "jazzed up" your driving experience and brought you up to date!
We designed this product to provide a great user experience, so it brings us joy to hear you're enjoying the nice sound, Apple CarPlay, and especially the responsive touchscreen and clear visibility even in sunlight.
Thank you for choosing Sony for your trips!
Best regards,
Gus, Sony North America Customer Support
Jafet Posted
Works nice, nice sound, not too many options, screen not too bright. I installed in my toyota highlander and it is an improvement for the car, Sound it is great, hands free works good and android auto works fine.