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Alternative to Jensen AV receiver?

GazzBC
Explorer
Explorer
Hi folks - I have a Jayfeather trailer which, like most, came with a Jensen radio/DVD multi-zone player. It lives up to my expectations of anything Jensen: it’s a second or third-rate piece of ****.

There is a reason no-one other than a desperately broke teenager installs a Jensen stereo in their car - yet they seem to have the RV market all to themselves. I have been unable to find anything by a more reputable brand to replace it with.

Am I missing something? Does some decent electronics brand make a unit for RVs?
10 REPLIES 10

GazzBC
Explorer
Explorer
2oldman wrote:
Anything will work. I don't know what is meant by 'made for RVs'


The form factor for my RV AV unit is different than a car DIN or double DIN. And the functions are different - multi zone speaker control plus DVD.

In the end, I just disconnected the unit from the TV, installed a new TV with better built-in speakers and a separate up-converting DVD player. The picture is now great, and the sound is adequate. I may pick up and re-purpose a 2.1 computer speaker setup to improve the sound even further.

Barematy
Explorer
Explorer
Will you be using a sub? Center? Surrounds?

What are your main speakers?

You can get something cheap around 200$

Some options with their compares:
https://chooserator.com/best-av-receiver-under-200

2oldman
Explorer
Explorer
Anything will work. I don't know what is meant by 'made for RVs'
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

belairbrian
Explorer
Explorer
I guess I don't get RV entertainment systems. Our 5th wheel had a supposed 5.1 surround system. Of course the player/receiver died. But the area of an RV is just too small. The "rear" speakers are in front of the recliners, think about that. The subwoofer was behind a cabinet door.

Plus open a speaker cover and find some seriously cheap speakers.

A DVD player and television are all I really need. But a sound bar will do more than a replacement RV entertainment system.
TV 2007 Chevy 2500 Long Box Vortec 8.1/Allison or 2016 Tundra Crew Max 5.7L 4x4
2022 Freedom Express 192RBS
Equalizer 4 way WDH, Prodigy 3 BC
USAF Retired
WAR EAGLE

philh
Explorer II
Explorer II

GazzBC
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks everyone - you’ve given me some good leads and ideas.

ppine
Explorer II
Explorer II
Glad to see this thread. I have a Rockwood with the pos Genesis 2.0. Made by Concertone and no longer production, it was owned by Forest River.

There are RV stero units out there like Jensen and iRV that will fill the large rectangular hole and plug in to the existing wiring. They cost a lot and are also crappy units that are notoriously undependable.

I found an auto installer that knows this business. I just bought a Pioneer 211 EX double din that is a rectangular touch screen. It will do everything. Comparable units are made by companies like JVC and Kenwood, or Alpine. My guy says Pioneers never come back compared to the other brands. It will be installed by a pro for $100. Money well spent if you ask me. Stay tuned. I paid $179 for the Pioneer.

RobWNY
Explorer
Explorer
If you're referring to the units found in Travel Trailers and 5th Wheels, I agree. Total junk. I don't know what they put in Class A's, B's and C's. If you do find something, plan on needing to modify the opening to have a decent fit and finish. You'll also need to plan on running new speaker wires because they use a common ground in RV's and the wiring is a mess to say the least. Where the grounds are located and whether they are all connected is a mystery. Likely within the rats nest of wires found hidden somewhere in your RV. So you'll have positive and negative sets of speaker wires at the back of the Jensen unit but by the time they reach the speakers you'll have something different. They might not even be the same color wires like in my RV. Somehow they work with the original POS Jensen but not all the speakers work with better units and I've tried three different units and I can't figure it out. A close friend of mine who is an electrical engineer can't figure it out either! I didn't want to run all new wiring through the walls and ceiling so I just gave up and use my phone and good bluetooth speakers for music. For DVD's and Television I put up with the lousy sound. Good luck to you!
2020 Silverado 2500HD LT, CC, 4X4 6.6 Duramax
2021 Grand Design Reflection 311BHS

I asked him to do one thing and he didn't do any of them.

garyemunson
Explorer
Explorer
I've actually had excellent luck with cheapie eBay units. Hard to believe something so inexpensive would work at all but I've used 3 so far (in two RVs and my old truck) and each one did exactly what they were advertised to do and the two I still have are still working fine, one after 3 years.. All 3 were actually different from each other..what they sell changes frequently. As cheap as they were I figured I'd roll the dice...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Android-8-1-Car-Stereo-GPS-Navigation-Radio-Player-Double-Din-WIFI-7/254095461800?hash=item3b29450da8:g:AS4AAOSwNXpcSw-6