Power Acoustik CPAA-70M

More than I expected

Fixing up a 20-year-old Oldsmobile Intrigue my son handed down to my 15-year-old daughter; the car pre-dates many tech convenience features we have come to appreciate every day. I wanted her to be able to connect her phone for hands-free calling and Apple Car Play / Android Auto for maps to help her find her way around. I also wanted to be able to add a backup camera. Given the venerable age of this car, I was also budget-minded...music/sound quality was actually the last priority on my list of needs. I had never heard of this brand, it was priced lower than most similarly featured head units made under brand names I was familiar with, I thought I would probably get a lower quality sound, thinking of the old adage "you get what you pay for". However, since this model fit my budget and fulfilled all my feature priorities, I ordered it without high sound quality expectations in mind. I appreciated the Sonic Electronix assistance with choosing the correct wire harness, antenna adapter, and trim kit for my specific application. The discount on these bundled accessories was substantial when I priced all items out individually on the big online marketplace named after a rainforest... Anyway, all the components were delivered in two days. Though there were "instructions" they were not precisely explicit, they seem to assume the installer is somewhat experienced with automotive audio equipment. After watching a few YouTube videos, my son and I installed everything, including a license plate frame backup camera, within a couple of hours. This is including the time it took to remove and reinstall the necessary car dashboard and center console trim pieces. Neither of us had any previous car audio installation experience of any kind, though my son is handy with soldering. The unit powered up and we tested the functions, which were all working as advertised. Right away I was surprised, shocked even, by the sound quality. This stereo sounds awesome! We had pulled out a GM factory Bose sound system (featuring a cassette player!) so it does have an amplifier and decent quality speakers to work with, but wow, this inexpensive Power Acoustik stereo sounds 10x better than the one we removed. It sounds super crisp and clear in low, mid and high tones even with the volume turned way, way up. My daughter was able to pair her phone and get everything set to her preferences easily with the included user manual. The stereo far exceeded my expectations, I'm thinking of ordering another for my husband's old Silverado pick-up that is also lacking a backup camera and has a basic, lackluster GM factory stereo. This Power Acoustik stereo has only been installed one day so I can't comment to longevity, which is why I only checked three stars in the durability category, figuring this would be "average", but straight out of the box, I do recommend this stereo.

By Lisa on May 28, 2022 Verified purchase

Pleasantly surprised, great value!

I gotta be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from this unit for the price. I’m a bit of an audio snob and in most cases, would be installing source units 3-4 times the cost of this one. However, I decided to upgrade the head unit in my beater (2004 Camry) and wanted the cheapest double din option with Apple Car play and with Sonic’s awesome pricing, this one fit the bill.
I must say, I am impressed. It’s feature packed, easy to use, has a great visual appearance and sounds fantastic.
For the money, if you’re looking for a budget build, this is a great place to start.
I’m giving durability a 3 star because I’ve only had it for a little over a month now, so I can’t really rate that above average but I honestly have no reason to believe it won’t last.

By Bill on April 22, 2022 Verified purchase

Great Bang for Your Buck!

Put this in my 2002 Dakota absolutely love it. I also installed brand new kicker speakers all the way around. With no amp just the head unit they sound amazing. Head unit works great. I’ve had it for about two months now haven’t had any problems at all. Love the apple CarPlay turns the unit into a $800 unit just have to have your phone plugged in but doesn’t anyone do that anyway? Great unit for the money don’t hesitate to get it. Thinking about buying another one for my other vehicle.

By Tom on March 22, 2022 Verified purchase