CarAudio
Latest
Bose wants to keep the sounds of the road out of your vehicle
If the sounds of the road are interrupting your road trip playlist, Bose might have the solution. The company announced its new QuietComfort Road Noise Control system designed to cancel out all of the sounds that seep in from outside of your vehicle. The technology, branded with the same name as Bose's noise-canceling headphones, is being made available to vehicle manufacturers around the world to provide a quieter cabin experience inside of cars, trucks and SUVs.
SwiftKey's predictive text input makes its way into your car stereo
It's no secret that we're pretty big fans of SwiftKey 'round these parts, but even we couldn't have predicted where it'd wind up next. Today, the keyboard app announced that its adaptive text-entry will be integrated with Clarion's forthcoming AX1 head unit. It might seem odd at first, but since Clarion's kit has native apps for email and web browsing, predictive text (compared to a standard keyboard) ought to make the device easier to use. As SwiftKey tells it, the company is taking everything it's learned from the mobile environment, and applying it to other areas where it makes sense. In other words, this likely isn't the last time we'll see the third-party keyboard somewhere other than a phone or tablet. The AX1 is expected to release sometime this quarter for $800, and if you're feeling antsy you can pre-order one right now.
Sony unveils in-car receivers with App Remote, taps into your smartphone music from October
Sony has been big on smartphone integration for car audio lately, having already launched its MirrorLink receivers earlier in the year for the more well-heeled drivers among us. The company is bringing that mobile tie-in down to Earth through a new quartet of in-car CD receivers. The MEX-GS600BT, MEX-BT4100P, MEX-BT3100P and CDX-GS500R all bring in App Remote, which lets the faceplate buttons steer local music or Pandora streaming radio coming from Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Walkman devices paired through a Bluetooth wireless link. The old-fashioned USB connection is still on offer for these and the HD Radio-toting CDX-GT710HD, while the whole collection can graft on the optional SXV200V1 tuner to carry the full Sirius XM satellite radio lineup. Differences across the line aren't completely clear from Sony's wording, although both the MEX-GS600BT and CDX-GS500R carry two USB ports as well as 5-volt RCA preamp outputs. You'll be waiting awhile to slip any of these receivers into a DIN slot, regardless of which one you pick: the GS500R ships in October for $199, and the rest hit the shops in November for between $149 to $249. %Gallery-162517%
Two Sony MirrorLink car stereos coming in Q2, along with compatible Samsung smartphones (hands-on video)
For everybody who's waited with bated breath for the widespread arrival of MirrorLink, take heed because the smartphone / car stereo integration technology is about to make a significant splash in the first half of this year. Along with the Sony XAV-601BT and the XAV-701 HD -- two MirrorLink-enabled Sony head units set for a Q2 arrival -- we've also just learned Samsung will introduce MirrorLink support for its smartphones during this time frame as well. Even Sony Ericsson's jumping into the fray, although the company wasn't able to provide any additional details regarding availability. Be sure to read on for our impressions of the new toys, along with a video of the same.
Ford USB Music Box adds mass storage playback, smartphone charging to AUX-enabled receivers
Sure, you've probably been leading a compact disc-less life in the living room and on the go for quite a few years now, but there's one place where optical media often remains the only option for on-demand tunes: your car. Now select Ford owners in Europe have an option accessing and controlling their smartphones, flash drives or other USB mass storage devices from an in-dash audio system. The USB Music Box connects to compatible audio and nav systems with an AUX input, and lives in the glovebox, center console or armrest, pumping tunes through your car's speakers with "great sound quality very similar to that of the radio." Last time we checked, FM radio has an equivalent bitrate quite a bit lower than your typical digital music file, so that's not exactly a glowing testimonial. Still, if you're desperate for a way to carry thousands of tracks in your car without filling the trunk with an array of sizable silver saucers, it might be time to toss aside the gloves and open up the Music Box -- assuming, of course, that you own one of ten recent models outlined in the PR just past the break.
Sony's Digital Link Sound System brings all-in-one iOS integration to your dashboard
Is your car yearning for more iOS integration? Sony's got you covered, with its new Digital Link Sound System. The company's new audio package is available in two models: the all-in-one XDP-PK1000 and the more compact XDP-MU110. The former consists of five components, including an iPhone / iPod Touch cradle (pictured above), wireless remote control, customizable digital sound processor, 12-inch box subwoofer and 300 watt Class D mono block amp. The XDP-MU110, on the other hand, is geared toward drivers who are already content with their amp / subwoofer setup, but simply want to outfit their ride with a fresh audio system, with the help of Sony's cradle, processor and remote. If you're interested in getting one, however, you'll have to wait a little longer; the XDP-PK1000 is expected to start shipping in September, for about $800, with the XDP-MU110 slated to ship in November, for $400. Cruise past the break for more information, in the full PR.
Sony introduces stereo systems for high-end iPhone audio without breaking up the dash
Sony Mobile Audio today introduced a new car stereo system that brings high-quality sound to cars that aren't already equipped with the latest and greatest in car audio. The XDP-PK1000 (and its companion unit the MU110, whose only difference is that it requires a third-party subwoofer and amplifier) is headed out to car stereo retailers this Fall, and it will allow consumers the ability to improve their car stereo systems without having to mess with the dashboard or replace any head units they're already using. Essentially, this new unit is just a box that goes inside the car, and connects to the existing stereo system, an iOS device dock, and an amp and subwoofer, and brings high-end premium audio sound into the car without having to replace all of the gear inside. The device uses Sony's Digital Link Sound System to not only control the way audio is delivered through the speakers, but even adjust things like timing and "staging" to make the audio sound like it's live inside the car, and coming from right in front of you on the dash. Before you go running out for the XDP-PK1000, know that it's not cheap -- the unit itself will run $799, and that's in addition to any installation costs your local stereo retailer will charge. This is high-end sound, and you'll be paying a high-end price. But the real benefit here is that you don't have to rip up your car -- whatever dashboard unit or setup you have can stay in place. That's a big trend in the car industry (the "disassociated dash," they call it), so a lot of consumers want an audio system to install that won't mess up what they already have. The other big benefit, of course, is that the iOS dock actually plugs right into the XDP-PK1000 unit and then is transmitted out to the amp and speakers, so if you want to listen to your iPhone audio without rewiring your speaker system, this will make things a little easier. I got to hear the unit running in a car the other week at a Sony event, and it sounded as good as you'd expect -- nice highs, and lots of lows bumping through the loudspeaker. I did try listening in to the system via Pandora on my iPhone, and there, because it's free streaming audio, the quality wasn't really good enough to quite justify a whole system like this. If you are going to shell out this one, you should definitely start with high quality MP3, AAC or even go back to CD-quality sound. Still, if you want great sound in the car and also need a place to plug your iPhone in, Sony's setup will do just that. If you're interested, check with your local stereo dealer later on this year.
iPad 2 already installed in Ford F-150 truck
It's been a while since we've seen an iDevice embedded in a vehicle, but the wait was worth it -- the guys at SoundMan Car Audio have placed a brand new iPad 2 in the dashboard of a new Ford truck, and it's pretty glorious. You can see the whole process after the break -- they set up the dashboard first, and then after bringing home the iPad itself, slide it in and install the whole thing. It's pretty groovy. They can browse Maps, of course, do a FaceTime call (one hopes that they don't try it in motion), and even run Pandora straight from the iPad. There's a dock connector hooked up to the car for charging while driving, and while it doesn't seem like they have audio connected, that seems easy enough to do as well (you could go through the dock connector or just use the headphone jack out). If you want them to do the same thing to your car, the YouTube page says it would run about $800-$900 to push the dashboard mod in (which doesn't include the iPad 2 itself). So, it's not cheap, but having a place to store and use your iPad in the car like that just might be worth it.
Sonos recounts its successes, dishes on future plans but not Android support
Amid the doom and gloom of the economic... whatever it is we're stuck in at the moment, it's nice to look at a success story. Sonos is such a tale and GigaOm has taken the time to profile the upstart, which started in 2002 and has gone on to produce a series of high-end docks, networked audio players, and an iOS controller app that ties it all together. Sadly, users of non-Apple devices have been left out in the cold and, while Sonos VP of Sales Tom Cullen wouldn't say when other versions are coming, he did at least say "We can see a handful of other potential platforms, and we want to see which one has the biggest concentration of music lovers." We say why choose one? Plenty of music lovers exist on them all. Moving back to hardware, Cullen indicated that a person's music largely moves with them these days, and so the company is looking to moving into the car and personal audio areas, meaning we could see some Sonos-branded headphones and head units in the not too distant future. This could be in addition to what looked to be a potential move into proper home theater. These are crowded spaces compared to the world of wireless audio that the company currently plays, but another quality option is certainly not a bad thing. Update: Just got a note from Sonos indicating that "at no point in the near future does Sonos plan on moving into cars." So, it looks like you're stuck with any of the dozens of other alternatives for now.
Oxygen Audio's O Car deck turns your iPhone into a car stereo
Like the idea of having your iPhone with you in your car, but looking for an alternative to a Bluetooth transmitter or cabled hook-ups? You may want to check out the Oxygen Audio O Car stereo deck, which basically turns your iPhone itself into your car stereo. Brought to our attention by Gizmodo, the O Car deck allows users to control all the regular car stereo functions, like volume and tuning, along with their iTunes library, internet radio station apps, GPS navigation, Google maps -- and anything else one uses their iPhone for. By clicking the iPhone into the dock/charger (for both landscape and portrait use), it becomes a slick part of your car's dashboard. Sure beats the look of your regular old standard car stereo deck, that's for sure. Priced at US$349, the O Car has pre-amp outputs and FM/AM preset station options, it puts out 4 X 55 watts of power (max), and it supports the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. While it is seemingly a little pricey, it's a neat implementation for in-car iPhone use. I have been using my iPhone to listen to Pandora streaming in the car via a wired connection, but my phone always ends up somewhere on the passenger-side floor when I take a corner too fast. Having the ability to click it in place right on the dash would be a welcome addition to my car. Of course, I could just install an in-dash iPad for even more features, but my Mini Cooper doesn't really have that kind of space. [via Gizmodo]
Sony brings TomTom to US-bound XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT in-dash head units
We heard back at IFA that Sony was making the absolutely brilliant move of incorporating a market leading navigational system into its Xplod line of in-dash A/V units, and now that love is being shipped across the Atlantic (or the Pacific, if you're taking the scenic route) in the form of the XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT. The beautiful Sony / TomTom partnership will soon be assisting clueless American motorists when both of the previously mentioned units ship in November, with the 770BT offering a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen and the 660BT stepping down to a 6.1-incher. They'll both feature rear USB ports for iDevice connections, support for multi-channel audio playback and most importantly, pre-loaded maps of US and Canadian roadways. TomTom claims that its maps offer more than one million more miles of roads than other GPS brands in America alone, and buyers will also be treated to familiar TomTom extras like IQ Routes, Advanced Lane Guidance, MapShare and six million POIs. We still wish Garmin would've received the nod here, but it's certainly better than some white label system -- check 'em soon for $1,300 and $1,000 in order of mention.
Scosche MotorMouth II brings handsfree calling to any aux input-equipped vehicle
Nah, it's not the second coming of the Jupiter Jack. In fact, it's not a lackluster FM transmitter at all. Instead of pumping yet another one of those, Scosche has decided to take the high road here with the MotorMouth II, a Bluetooth streaming device that's designed for use in any vehicle with a 3.5mm auxiliary input. The idea here is to pair your Bluetooth handset with the adapter, then plug the adapter into your head unit; once you start a handsfree conversation on your mobile, the caller's voice can be heard loud and clear over your car's stereo. Of course, you may want to avoid this critter if you're planning on taking to your part-time lover while your full-time partner in life is riding shotgun, but for the faithful ones out there, it's available now for $79.99.
Sony's head units Xplod into the infotainment scene with TomTom GPS on in-dash screens
They may not have been the highlight of Sony's IFA 2010 press conference, but the company's new XNV head units deserve a place of their own, given they integrate full-blown TomTom GPS units and audio/video playback into their 7- and 6.1-inch WVGA touchscreens. Presently destined for Europe, the XNV-L77BT, XNV-770BT, XNV-L66BT and XNV-660BT will ship in November with TeleAtlas maps of 45 nations for a number of undisclosed prices, with each sporting Bluetooth, auxiliary and USB jacks, DivX playback and a DVD drive. The presumably-more-expensive "L" models also come with the usual array of traffic and weather alerts plus a Google-powered local search function, and all four decks sport a music recommendation engine that reportedly changes track based on your mood... though how the system measures your emotional attentions, we're not quite sure, and hope to find out soon. Press release after the break.
Harman Kardon, JBL spring forward with refreshed audio lineups for 2010
Say hello to Harman International's home, media and mobile updates for the spring, bringing its audio expertise to those who aren't quite ready to step up to its higher end line of standalone receivers and the like. Promising to perfect the audio performance of any car audio setup in just 10 minutes, the $799 JBL MS-8 is as interesting as it is specialized. The HKTS 20 and HKTS 30 ($799 / $999, March) are standard 200w 5.1 surround sound setups, and while they promise improvements over their predecessors the Go + Play Micro boombox ($399, March), On Time Micro & 200P clock devices (both $249, April) and On Stage Micro II ($129, April) probably aren't hiding anything too surprising underneath those iPod docks, but we'd suggest perusing the gallery just to be sure. %Gallery-88520%
Pioneer officially leaving the TV biz by March 2010, focusing on audio
Bad news Kuro fans, the rumors were true and Pioneer is leaving the TV manufacturing business. On the upside, the restructuring deadline is March 2010, so a predicted net 130 billion yen ($1.44 billion) loss shouldn't be enough to get between you and the plasma HDTV of your dreams. The company's U.S. and U.K. plants are shutting down by April and February of this year, respectively, and product development for TVs beyond what's currently on the market is ending, seeing no prospects for improving profitability even after combining plasma efforts with Panasonic and LCDs with Sharp. Overall, there will be 10,000 fewer full time and temporary Pioneer employees than there were at the end of last year, while pay and bonuses for execs have been cut. The future for Pioneer? Mostly car audio, including in-car Blu-ray players and networked electronics, while its home electronics business focus on audio, DJ equipment and cable TV boxes, with a focus on using its expertise in improving sound. All other ugly details are contained in the press release, mourning the passing of another plasma supplier is in the comments.[Via Bloomberg and AV Watch, thanks Carl H.]
Blaupunkt shows off miRoamer-powered internet car radios
We'll be honest: apart from the ridiculous custom cars and the Viliv S7, we pretty much avoided the car audio-oriented North Hall at CES this year -- which means we sadly didn't get any facetime with Blaupunkt's miRoamer-powered TravelPilot New Jersey 600i internet car stereo. (Apparently double-DIN is big in the Jerz.) The prototype head unit connects to a cellphone over Bluetooth to access the internet, and uses the miRoamer service to stream "tens of thousands" of stations on the service -- which the company estimates will consume about 2GB of data a month, so you'd better hope your data plan doesn't cap you off or charge you for overages. The radio is expected to arrive in the second half of the year for $399, which isn't bad, but doesn't do much good for the squares like us who never swap out their car stereos -- which is probably why miRoamer is targeting 2010 for placement in OEM head units. One more pic of the single-DIN sized "Hamburg" model after the break.
2009 Jaguar XKR to come with Bowers & Wilkins sound system
It's not like anyone 'round these parts will be parking their keister in a 2009 Jaguar XKR, but now we've got one more reason to envy those who will. The motorcar, which is set to debut at the New York Auto Show later this month, will come standard with a lavish Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system. More specifically, those with an eye on this car can start dreaming of the Kevlar-injected mid-range drivers, aluminum tweeters and lots of longing looks from those cruising by. No idea what effect this system will have on the sticker price (being that it's included and all), but seriously, if you're making space in your garage for this, you and your Centurion Card ain't sweatin' a thing. %Gallery-18295%
Pioneer releases four Bluetooth-enabled car stereos
Sure, they're not the hot new AVIC-LINC or SCD car entertainment rigs Pioneer was hyping today during its press conference, but these four new Bluetooth-enabled, HD Radio-ready decks are pretty hot in their own right. Pioneer says the double-DIN FH-P8000BT and FH-800BT have "better than OEM" appearance, with a 3-line OLED display, while the single-DIN DEH-P7000BT (pictured) and DEH-P700BT make due with a single line display. All the units come with built-in microphone for handsfree Bluetooth calling, a USB port for playing files off flash drives, and the iPod integration features have been beefed up to include new alphabetical search modes and -- a feature we've wanted for years -- the ability for a passenger to use the iPod itself to select and play tunes. All these should hit sometime in March for between $290 and $330.
Rainbow Audio unveils sleek iPaul line of car audio amplifiers
The almighty "i" prefix has somehow bled all the way over to the car audio realm, as Rainbow Audio has now glossed up a couple of amps and thrown 'em in the iPaul lineup. The iPaul 4.300 can put out 4 x 90-watts when ran at 4-ohms or 2 x 270-watts when bridged to two-channels, while the less powerful iPaul 2.400 outputs 2 x 130-watts at 4-ohms and takes up quite a bit less space. Both units sport a black / silver motif, obvious Apple influence, and of course, several levels of bass boost to keep the junk in the trunk appropriately jacked. Both amplifiers look to be available as we speak, and while the little fellow will run you £249.99 ($496), the 4.300 rings up at £299.99 ($596).[Via Audio Junkies]
Sirius intros Sportster 5 dock-and-play radio
Sirius is apparently busy today, since hot on the heels of its announcement concerning the Stiletto 2 comes word of the brand-spanking-new Sportster 5. Updating its year-old Sportster 4 model, the new desktop- or dashboard-seated satellite receiver boasts a 6-line, multicolor display, the ability to pause or rewind through 60 minutes of live radio, a real-time sports news ticker, storage for 30 preset stations, an FM transmitter or line out for connecting to audio sources, and comes with a full vehicle kit for mounting in your car, truck, or 50-foot yacht. Weighing in at 3.7-ounces, this is apparently the lightest Sportster ever, so you don't have to feel bad about making the kids carry it from the car to the house. Now all you have to do is decide how many you'll need to buy. Available this Fall for $169.99. Peep the gallery for higher-res action.%Gallery-5928%
