30 July 2007

By: Florin Tibu, Audio Editor
Sony Xplods on the SACD Market
A first for Sony and good news for drivers
Satellite radio, DVD movies, surround and. SACD! Sony
You don't need to be one of those people which are obsessed by car-tuning to get to know what Sony Xplod stands for: we're talking some of the neatest in-car audio systems available on the markets of the planet day and night, blasting from trunks and doors, making windows tremble and so much more. In short, Xplod is one of the leading brands in the audio automotive industry, spearheading this field and adding new dimensions to what sound can be like inside cars, with each new [admark=1]product they introduce.Well, it's time to tell you about a first in the Sony Xplod series, one CD player that brings something different, something cool and something that the rivals do not have yet, at least not on a larger scale: in-dash SACD compatibility. The Sony Xplod XAV-W1 is the codename of the newest piece of gear that promises a dramatic change in the automotive industry field.The Sony Xplod XAV-W1 is at the same time 'a first' in large visual jukeboxes for cars, allowing you to run your media in both usual stereo conditions for your MP3, WMA or CDA files and in 5.1 surround if your car is equipped with a corresponding loudspeakers set. Even more, the Sony Xplod XAV-W1 comes with a 7" touchscreen on which you can watch the supported DVD movies, including DVD-R discs.If you feel like this isn't enough, you could go for the optional tuners for HD radio and Sirius/XM satellite radio or the connector/controller for your iPod. The Sony Xplod XAV-W1 will blast up to 52W in 4 satellites and the public release date was scheduled for August 2007. So far, the announced price is $800 and even if no significant price changes were recorded, fluctuations are possible.We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going mainly to those who submit. The address is.
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VME 9512TS

"There's no question about it: in terms of configuration the Audiovox VME 9512TS is an exemplary unit."

UPPER CLASS

PRICE/PERFORMANCE "excellent"
"The VME 9512 ZS from Audiovox is an authoritative looking 1-DIN moniceiver. The control knobs feel good to the touch, the buttons don't rattle and the display emerges nice and smoothly. There's no cause for complaint about the surface at all. The control buttons are of a contemporary design, they are selfexplanatory and react promptly. The speed of navigation is also particularly remarkable. You really only have to touch the buttons very briefly with your fingertips. The following scenario must be familiar: you want to select another station from the station list, so you enter the text and inadvertently choose the station located underneath - for the tenth time. This isn't the case with the Audiovox, as the buttons are very responsive. The only thing the display doesn't succeed in doing so beautifully is the presentation of deep black tones. What is particularly classy, however, is the picture-in-picture function. A miniature view of what is being displayed on the rear monitors is generated within the main monitor, which therefore provides you with control over what the children sitting in the rear seats are able to view. Switching the rear monitors to another source is a matter of three buttons. Everything imaginable can be connected to its small additional box and Bluetooth and SD slots are located in the unit itself. However, a notable thing about the small box is that it's extremely practical. You can accommodate it in the glove compartment, for example, which means you have quick access to the removable media without any cables cluttering up the interior. Incidentally the unit is connected via an HDMI cable, which provides a wideband interface that is fast enough to easily handle all removable media. Interaction with the iPod: no problem with the Audiovox. Just as expected, it divides the contents of the player according to artist, album, track and playlist. If you want to watch video content, you can switch the mode from audio to video to start visual playback on the player. The VME 9512TS is one of the few multimedia devices to-date which isn't concerned whether the media is stored on USB or SD. Even if videos, pictures and music are stored on these devices at the same time, it always knows what it has to do. Other devices often only recognise music or video or images. Given the multitude of possibilities what more can you ask for? A navigation system perhaps? This is naturally available as an optional extra and it can also be operated via touchscreen.
The results of our listening test are impressive. Resolution, spatiality and neutrality are of a high quality and the the VME 9512TS also delivers an adequate "kick". It sets voices cleanly in the centre without neglecting the action.

Conclusion

There's no question about it: in terms of configuration the Audiovox VME 9512TS is an exemplary unit. As its main virtues, such as picture and sound quality don't provide any ammunition for criticism, we can particularly recommend this unit. the Audiovox VME 9512TS - an absolute all-rounder. It plays really anything you can throw at it and it is nicely rounded-off by the Navibox. We have even received information that there will soon be a portable navigation system from Audiovox, which will interact with the moniceiver."

Represented in the test field: Pioneer AVH-P5000DVD, Sony ZE-MC192

XAV-W1,