About a week ago, I had Alpine’s newest version of its popular multimedia receiver – the iLX-507 – installed into my beloved nine-year-old car, providing a much-needed upgrade. Head below for more details.
New technology, old ride
I want to start with this: I love my 2013 Toyota Rav4, truly and genuinely. I know it’s a uniquely American thing to love your car, and an even more uniquely Detroit thing to love your car (sorry, Big 3), but I have to say it, because it’s true. It’s the first car I’ve ever outwardly owned, and I have every intention of driving it until it no longer runs; for what it’s worth, the factory system, dash, and stereo have all held up extremely well. That said, having the iLX-507 installed is by far the best thing to happen to my Rav since I bought it off the lot back in 2017. Everyone knows how quickly cars depreciate in value, and everyone also knows how quickly technology evolves. Having a 2022 multimedia receiver installed into a 2013 crossover is, as you can imagine, a massive refresh.
The first thing that impressed me about the iLX-507 was how cleanly it fit into my dash. Even though I had seen pictures of the device in other cars, I wasn’t sure how it would look when it was fully installed into mine, and to my delight, it fits beautifully – you wouldn’t even know that it was an after-market stereo because it looks like it’s always belonged there. Even though I continue to reach for a phantom volume knob that no longer exists, I have quickly adapted to the iLX-507’s 7-inch touchscreen interface.
Something I did not expect with the installation was that the overall sound quality would improve on such a noticeable scale. I still have factory speakers, and honestly I thought they sounded pretty damn good, but with the iLX-507, it sounds like a completely new system. In fact, it sounds so good, that I had to double-check with the installer that he hadn’t also installed new speakers into my car (he had not). While I haven’t messed with EQ settings just yet, I do have a 13-band parametric equalizer, and the sound can be specified and individualized to each of my four speakers, in addition to a subwoofer. The iLX-507 boasts about three times the power that my factory radio had, which makes for a bright, gorgeous soundscape.
Another early impression that got my attention is the safety features. The iLX-507 has both wired and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto options (more on CarPlay in a moment), and while driving, the iLX-507 simply doesn’t let you do anything dangerous on its interface, such as texting or typing destinations into GPS; you can only tell Siri where you want to go or who you want to text. Furthermore, to make any big changes to the settings, your car needs to be in park with the emergency brake on. Lastly, I have been loving the 7-inch screen as it relates to the backup camera, making backing up (re: parallel parking) a safer process.
First-time CarPlay user
Perhaps the biggest draw for me with the iLX-507 is Apple’s wireless CarPlay integration.
Once my iPhone was connected to the device, the iLX-507 instantly synced my contacts, favorites, text messages, Spotify, and Apple Maps to the interface. I know that CarPlay has been around since 2014, so for many readers this won’t be impressive, but for me, it has been a night-and-day driving experience. I love that I have the ability to ask Siri to play my personalized Spotify playlists, to send and/or have read texts to me, and to make and receive phone calls without ever touching my phone. Again, I know this isn’t new for many, but having CarPlay adaptability in the iLX-507 makes me feel a thousand times safer while driving; I’m no longer glancing down at my phone (while at a red light!) to check directions, texts, or to change the music. I simply ask and receive.
Favorite specs on the iLX-507
Along with CarPlay and Android Auto wired and wireless integration, with the iDatalink Maestro module (sold separately), the iLX-507 also allows you to see all of your vehicle’s gauges and gadgets with the push of a button. This is especially prevalent in my car, seeing as my tire pressure light is basically always on, whether or not I actually need to add air to my tires (I’ve been told this is a known Rav issue). Now, I can see the specific PSI of each tire –an extremely helpful feature.
The iLX-507 also boasts built-in iPod, iPhone, and iPad control, in addition to HD radio, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, and SiriusXM compatibility. Using a lightning-to-HDMI adapter or a USB adapter, you can connect your phone to the 7-inch screen to watch TV while the car is in park. Additionally, a fun little thing I learned is that you can customize the wallpaper when in CarPlay, as well as the way in which your apps are organized.
Wrap-up
Suffice it to say, the iLX-507 (clocking in at $749.50) has given my 2013 Rav such an upgrade that not only does it feel like a new car, it sounds like a new car. With built-in Bluetooth and the integration of CarPlay, driving is more seamless, less dangerous, and is overall a much more enjoyable experience, which I didn’t know was possible.
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