Audio Video News

Sony Announces Hi-Res Audio Gear for the Car

SV Staff  |  Sep 25, 2015

Sony announced plans to introduce a lineup of Hi-Res car audio products in time for the holidays.

Due out in December, the lineup will include a digital media player (RSX-GS9, $1,499), four-channel amplifier (XM-GS4, $299), and super tweeter (XS-GS1, $199). The new products will join a previously released lineup of front and rear speakers, two subwoofers, and a mono amplifier.

In addition to playing DSD files, the RSX-GS9 head unit upscales standard music files using Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE HX) and employs LDAC audio coding technology to facilitate high-resolution streaming over Bluetooth when used with Sony’s SongPal App. The player incorporates the ES9018S 32-bit audio D/A converter from ESS Technology and has three USB ports (one micro-B).

The RSX-GS9 has an aluminum faceplate with an OLED display and all internal components are enclosed in a rigid dual-layer chassis to minimize resonance and interference.

The XM-GS4 four-channel amplifier has a rated bandwidth of 10Hz to 100KHz and variable low pass/high pass filters. Intended as an add-on for the previously released XS-GS6921 rear speakers and XS-GS1621 and XS-GS1621C front speakers, the XS-GS1 super tweeter has a 1-inch soft dome and can be installed facing the windshield to increase high-frequency dispersion.

For more information, including a list of RSX-GS9 features, visit sony.com .

COMMENTS
John Sully's picture
Submitted by John Sully on September 25, 2015 - 6:42pm

I just don't get it. A car is basically a fairly lousy place to listen to music. Even a very quiet car has a noise floor of ~60db and a lot of high frequency wind and road noise which is part of that.

Nothing against Sony car audio, I had Sony Mobile ES stuff in my system for 15 years or so and it was great. Once I got an iPod and ran out of options with the head unit, I got a Kenwood Excelon head unit which integrated quite nicely with an iPod. But could I hear a difference between 256Kbps AAC and CD in a car? No way. OTOH, if had had the scratch....

ricksmith's picture
Submitted by ricksmith on September 27, 2015 - 1:24am

It is quite noble that Sony has produced a tweeter specifically designed to match an amplifier capable of 100kHz. Sugh an amazing feat. Surely a fine Japanese engineer wouldn't design a tweeter that was octaves short of their source's response.

Kamryn Jackson's picture
Submitted by Kamryn Jackson on December 4, 2015 - 5:27am

This is quite a good product from SONY. Entertainment is needed while commuting and it is boring if the sound comes from the car stereo so feeble. This product from Sony will definitely groove the ear buds with a heavy bass. No doubt in that. And consequently if we do not take care of our car, we will certainly face some problem while we commute. So we must take the car to the expert repairing center. I prefer the most trusted and fully experienced car repairing center in South Florida and they provide expert service with a very affordable repairing price.

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