Dension Bluetooth Vs Parrot Bluetooth Kits - Which is Better

After recent news that Dension are due to release a new product entitled the
"Gateway Five" we received our sample models and set about to get
testing just how good it is. Dension promised the item to have a much
better integration than a Parrot MKi 9200 (Parrots Flagship Bluetooth
and iPod car integration kit) and after working with Dension for a few
years - we believe them!

The main big advantage that the Dension
Gateway Five will have over the Parrot alternative is that the Dension
integrates into the stereo's display and controls (either from the
stereo itself, or from the steering controls). This in itself gives it
a better selling point compared to the Parrot but pair this with the
way that the Dension Gateway Five actually takes control of the iPod
and the Phone in comparison to the Parrot MKi 9200 and you really do
have something special. Could this be the product that knocks Parrot
from its perch?

Lets start off by providing  a comparison
chart, showing which kit has which features. After the chart we can
move onto discussing each feature or specification, one by one.

Features & Specifications	Parrot MKi 9200 Range	Dension Gateway Five Range
Full CD Quality Audio	No	Yes
Hard-Wired Digital Connection	No	Yes
Works through ALL speakers	No	Yes
Control Bluetooth from the stereo (Including Missed Calls, Received Calls & Phonebook)	No (but from external display)	Yes
Control iPod from the stereo	No (but from external display)	Yes
Requires External Display	Yes	No
Integrated through the Vehicles Display	No	Yes
Integrated Steering Wheel Controls	No	Yes
Phonebook Displayed on the Stereo/Cluster	No	Yes
Control iPod Playlists from the Stereo	No	Yes
Control iPod Artists from the Stereo	No	Yes
Control iPod Albums from the Stereo	No	Yes
Control iPod Tracks from the Stereo	No	Yes
Control iPod Podcasts/Genres etc from the Stereo	No	Yes
Compatible with most Mobile Phones	Yes	Yes
Charges the iPod/iPhone (Including 5v iPods)	Yes	Yes
Add-Ons (Like Video Outputs)	No	Yes
USB Input (For using USB Flash drives and Hard Drives)	No	Yes
Aux Input (3.5mm Jack)	Yes	Yes
Average Price (Including Vehicle Specific Wiring)	£220	£220

From
the above chart you can sort of get your head around why this product
is so exciting. We will now talk about our findings and go further in
depth for each feature listed above.


1. Full CD Quality Audio
Bluetooth
as a technology doesnt provide enough bandwidth for the music to be
sent to the stereo in perfect audio. Pair this with the fact that the
Parrot DOESN'T use the car stereos amplifier (it uses a pretty poor 15
watt internal amplifier) AND the fact that you can only get sound
through your front speakers (unless your lucky enough to be in the 2%
of people who have a vehicle which can handle a better wiring harness,
all be it for another £80!) mean that the Dension simply wipes the
floor with the Parrot kit here. The Dension kit fully hard-wires into
the car stereo via the CAN-Bus system so the entire connection is
optical digital, quality is just perfection. The only time you will
hear bad quality with the Gateway Five is if the MP3 file on the iPod
is poor quality.
Dension - 1
Parrot - 0

2. Hard Wired Digital Connection
We
have touched on this a little above so there isn't too much need to go
into detail but because the Parrot MKi-9200 transmits the iPods music
via Bluetooth, the quality isn't the best. Compare this with the
Dension's CAN-Bus connection and Dension take the spoils again!
Dension - 2
Parrot - 0

3. Works through ALL speakers
Another
simple response needed. The Dension works through every speaker and
utilises the cars amplification (be it from within the stereo itself or
from any upgrade like a Bose system). Because the Parrot MKI kits use
older SOT lead technology, only the front two speakers work.
Dension - 3
Parrot - 0

4. Control Bluetooth from the stereo (Including Missed Calls, Received Calls & Phonebook)
Obviously
the Parrot comes with an external display which can control the phone
functions. Its not a terrible display but its nowhere near as good as
using the vehicles display. It looks out of place in most vehicles and
just doesnt look "OEM". However, you can search by missed calls and
received calls etc. The Dension does exactly the same thing but through
the cars display and cars controls (steering wheel controls and stereo
controls) instead of fiddling with a little external screen.
Dension - 4
Parrot - 0

5. Control the iPod from the Stereo
Now
this is obviously where Dension excell, they have been at the forefront
of iPod integration since the iPod was first made. Anyone who wishes to
integrate iPod in a car always use Dension systems as the standard but
they can never achieve what Dension have achieved because everytime
anyone gets close, Dension raise the bar. The Dension Gateway Five can
control the iPod fully from the stereo, this includes searching for
artists, albums, track, playlists, podcasts, genres - all using the
stereo controls and the steering wheel controls (control can also be
reverted back to the iPod if needed anyway). The Parrots iPod interface
is pretty simple but not impossible to use. Obviously the control has
to be done from the external display again.
Dension - 5
Parrot - 0

6. Requires external display
Some
like external displays, others think there are numberous issues with
using an external display. One of the main concerns is that theifs know
that there is an aftermarket Bluetooth kit fitted into the vehicle -
making it a target. Other issues are that the displays look fairly ugly
(the ones which dont look too bad tend to be too small to use
accurately). Instead of using an external display, the Dension Gateway
Five uses the vehicles display to tell you everything you need to know.
Dension - 6
Parrot - 0

7. Integrated through the vehicles display
The
same as above really, obviously the Parrot needs the display to be
operated where-as the Dension uses the vehicles displays. This point
isn't a win or a loss for either Dension or Parrot so the scores stay
the same!
Dension - 6
Parrot - 0

8. Integrates though the vehicles display
Again, as above. No conclusion can be drawn from this point other than give the facts.
Dension - 6
Parrot - 0

9. Phonebook displayed on the stereo/cluster
Well another point for Dension here. The Dension Gateway Five allows the phones contacts to be viewed from the cars display.
Dension - 7
Parrot - 0

10. Control iPod Playlists from the stereo
The Dension can, the Parrot cant. Simple.
Dension - 8
Parrot - 0

11. Control iPod Artists from the stereo
As above.
Dension - 9
Parrot - 0

12. Control iPod Albums from the stereo
As above, again.
Dension - 10
Parrot - 0

13. Control iPod Tracks from the stereo
As above, again, again!
Dension - 11
Parrot - 0

14. Control iPod Podcasts/Genres etc from the stereo
And again...
Dension - 12
Parrot - 0

15. Compatible with most mobile phones
Neither
a winner or a loser on this one so both get a point. Both kits work
with nearly every phone around today. The Dension utilises the new Blue
Core Chip which is considedered the new standard in bluetooth
technology. The Parrot uses its original chip - which is by no means
far behind!
Dension - 13
Parrot - 1

16. Charges the iPod/iPhone, including 5v charging iPods
The Dension certainly does do this. The Parrot's NEWER models does this.
Dension - 14
Parrot - 2

17. Add-ons (Like Video Output from the iPod into the stereo/nacigation)
Another
point for the Dension. Because it utilises the CAN-Bus system, there is
a possibility of sending so much more information through the system.
Dension - 15
Parrot - 2

18. USB Input for flash drives and hard drives
Yet another point for Dension... They are really destroying the Parrot kits here!
Dension - 16
Parrot - 2

19. Aux Input
Both get a point here.
Dension - 17
Parrot - 3

20. Pricing
Both
are on par. However, its important to remind you that the Parrot kits
DO need an additional part to connect it to the vehicle, the Dension
doesnt. Another point for Dension.
Dension - 18
Parrot - 3