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Car Audio

Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX4000 Digital Multimedia Receiver

Sony XAV-AX4000

Over the last few years, Sony’s multimedia receivers have become increasingly popular. As more units have sold, retailers have asked for iDatalink Maestro integration, USB-C support and powerful sound customization. With Sony’s new XAV-AX4000, those requests and more have been fulfilled. Let’s look at what this sleek and impressive car audio source unit offers.

Clean Cosmetics and Intuitive Technology

The first thing you’ll notice about the XAV-AX4000 is that it still looks great in the dash of your car or truck, and the user interface is as intuitive as it gets. Anyone can easily select source options or adjust settings without needing to read the owner’s manual. The icons on the screen can be expanded by selecting the “All Apps” icon on the screen and can be rearranged to create a layout that gives you quick access to the elements you choose on the home screen.

The 6.95-inch touchscreen display has a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels with a brightness of 600 Cd/m2. Four physical control buttons along the bottom of the screen make it easy to access the main menu, adjust the volume, change tracks or activate voice recognition features.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Sony multimedia receivers have one of the most intuitive menu systems on the market.

The radio includes wireless Apple CarPlay and wired and wireless Android Auto connectivity. Start your car, and the phone will connect automatically so you can make phone calls, send texts or get navigation directions from Google Maps or Waze. Of course, you can use your favorite streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Apple Music to be entertained while you drive. A USB-C port on the rear of the chassis can be used with a USB mass storage device to play MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSF or DSDIFF audio files.

You can also use the USB-C port to charge your phone with up to 3 amps of current. The XAV-AX4000 supports the LDAC codec with Android smartphones for those wanting excellent Bluetooth streaming audio quality. Of course, the radio includes an AM/FM receiver with RDS information display.

Sony XAV-AX4000
High-resolution Bluetooth audio streaming is supported by Android smartphones that use the LDAC audio codec.

Audio Features Add Realism to Your Music

The XAV-AX4000 includes a 14-band graphic equalizer, front, rear and subwoofer signal delay setting adjustments and adjustable three-zone high- and low-pass crossovers so your installer can fine-tune your system to deliver excellent sound and detail. The preamp outputs are rated to provide up to 2 volts of output, and the built-in four-channel amp is good for 20 watts of power in compliance with the CTA-2006 standard.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Premium system configuration and calibration included with the XAV-AX4000 will help your car stereo sound great

iDatalink Maestro Integration

One of the most sought-after upgrades to the XAV-AX4000 is the inclusion of support for the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 integration modules. These interfaces will allow the radio to communicate with certain vehicles to provide steering wheel control, backup camera and auxiliary input connectivity. You can display vehicle information such as engine speed, vehicle speed, battery voltage or engine load on the dashboard display and check tire pressures and battery voltage on another. Many vehicles allow the Maestro interface to provide access to climate control adjustments. Your Sony retailer can let you know about the features that are compatible with your make, model and year of car or truck.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Compatibility with the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 allows the Sony XAV-AX4000 to communicate digitally with your vehicle.

Installer- and User-Friendly Design

From an installation standpoint, the single-DIN chassis behind the double-DIN display dramatically simplifies installation. The radio includes an external Bluetooth microphone to deliver excellent outgoing audio quality. Another new feature is selectable and user-uploadable background wallpapers to match your vehicle interior or your mood.

The radio also includes a rear-view camera input with automatic reverse triggering, and the Maestro will include factory parking lines and sensor data in some vehicles. Finally, Sony has designed the XAV-AX4000 to wake up quickly, so your music starts playing when you are ready to go.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Users can select from several background wallpaper colors or upload their own image to personalize their radio.

Experience the Sony XAV-AX4000 Today!

If it’s time to upgrade the technology in your car or truck, drop by an authorized Sony retailer today and ask for a demonstration of the new XAV-AX4000 multimedia receiver. We’re sure you’ll be impressed by its performance, features, appearance and intuitive interface. You can find a Sony retailer using the dealer locator on the Sony Car Audio website. Be sure to subscribe to Sony’s YouTube channel and follow them on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to learn about their latest car audio product releases.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate P1650 and P1694

Rockford Fosgate Speakers

Would you think it was possible to pack a whole slew of technologies into a pair of car audio speakers? For the fanatics at Rockford Fosgate, that tech translates to more output and better sound in your vehicle. In this product spotlight, we’ll take a deep dive into the Punch Series P1650 6.5-inch and the P1694 6×9-inch sets.

Rockford Fosgate P1650 Speakers

Rockford Fosgate Speakers

Perhaps the most popular speaker size today is the 6.5-inch coaxial. This size fits into hundreds of models of cars and trucks. The Punch Series P1650 set includes a pair of coaxial speakers that feature mineral-filled, injection-molded polypropylene woofer cones and ¾-inch treated PEI dome tweeters. The addition of minerals like mica helps damp resonances to reduce distortion while improving the thermal stability of the cones.

The cone is attached to the basket with a Santoprene rubber surround that will outlast conventional foam designs. The P1650 drivers use the Vertical Attach Surround Method (VAST) to increase the effective radiating area of the driver for more efficiency and bass output. To ensure smooth frequency response, the P1650 set uses -12 dB/octave crossovers concealed within the basket. Rockford Fosgate calls this its Integrated Concealed Crossover (ICC) design. In addition to being neat and tidy, there are no extra modules (external crossover enclosures) for your installer to deal with, so the installation will be quick and efficient.

Choosing speakers that fit your vehicle is as important as selecting ones that sound great. The P1650 speakers feature the FlexFit2 stamped basket design. This design provides eight mounting holes and eight elongated slots to ensure that the speaker can fit a variety of vehicle OEM mounting points. The mounting depth is specified at 2.24 inches. A set of steel mesh grilles is also included.

Wrapping up the specs on these drivers, we have a continuous power handling rating of 55 watts and a max rating of 110 watts. Their nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and they have a sensitivity rating of 88 dB SPL at 1 watt at 1 meter. Sensitivity at this level typically indicates that the suspension design is optimized for sound quality.

Rockford Fosgate Speakers

Rockford Fosgate P1694

Rockford Fosgate Speakers

If you have a car or truck with 6×9 speaker locations in the doors or rear parcel shelf and you want to rock out, the four-way P1694 6×9 set is the perfect option. Once again, these speakers include the same mineral-doped polypropylene woofer material as their little brothers and use the VAST surround design for optimized efficiency. These drivers feature a pair of PEI dome tweeters that flank a compact titanium composite cone midrange driver that also includes a rubber surround.

The mounting depth on the P1694 speakers is 3.07 inches, and the drivers include steel mesh grilles and mounting hardware. They can handle 75 watts of power continuously and peaks of 150 watts. Their nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and they have an impressive 91 dB SPL 1W/1M efficiency rating.

It’s worth noting that all of Rockford Fosgate’s speaker and subwoofer specifications fully comply with the CTA-2031 standard for the Testing and Measurement of Mobile Loudspeaker Systems. What does this mean? The dimensions are accurate, and the specifications are entirely believable and uninflated. Not all car audio brands can make this statement.

 

Upgrade Your Vehicle with Rockford Fosgate Punch Speakers

If your car, truck or SUV needs new speakers, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask to audition the Punch Series P1650 and P1694. We’re confident that you’ll be impressed by what you hear. For more information on Rockford Fosgate audio upgrades for cars, boats, motorcycles and powersport applications, visit their website. You can learn about new product releases by following them on Facebook, Instagram and most definitely on YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Are Single or Dual Voice Coil Subwoofers Better?

Voice CoilWhen it comes to buying subwoofers, a lot of people have questions or make assumptions about the benefits and drawbacks of single voice coil and dual voice coil versions. Understanding the differences between them requires a slightly enhanced understanding of how an amplifier works. We cover both topics in this article.

How an Amplifier Works

An amplifier is a simple device that takes an audio signal (from your radio, for example) and increases the voltage. That’s it.

You may (logically) be asking yourself, “Why do we call it a power amplifier?” We get an increase in power because the speakers we connect to the outputs of the amplifier have a low impedance. In car audio, we typically see loads between 1 and 4 ohms. This low impedance, combined with the increased voltage of the audio signal in the amplifier, causes relatively large amounts of current to flow through the voice coil of the speaker. This current flow causes a magnetic field and, subsequently, the voice coil moves toward or away from the magnetic field created by the stationary magnet on the speaker.

(OK, maybe this didn’t stay as simple as originally planned.)

Amplifier Load Determines Amplifier Power

Voice Coil
Ohm’s Law Pie Chart
Let’s use an example of an amplifier that has a peak output voltage of 20 V. We don’t need to worry about the fact that this is an alternating current signal – we will examine this at a single point in time. With 20 V applied to our voice coil, let’s say we have a 4 ohm impedance on this coil. Ohm’s law states that a potential of 20 volts applied across a resistance of 4 ohms will result in 5 amp of current to flow. Using the equation P (Power) = Voltage x Current, we get 20 x 5, or 100 watts of power. If we change the impedance of the load to 2 ohms, we double the current to 10 amps, for a resulting power level of 200 watts.

If you look at the specifications for an amplifier, especially a subwoofer amplifier, you will see power ratings at different load impedances. In most cases, unless the voltage of the power supply in the amplifier is adjustable, amplifiers will make more power as the load impedance decreases.

What About These Subs?

Deciding which subwoofers to buy depends on the amp you are using and the number of subwoofers you are going to use. You want to choose a combination of subwoofers that will let you wire the voice coils together to an impedance that will allow the amp to make the power you want. Let’s look at several examples.

Example 1

Voice Coil
Images courtesy of JL Audio

We have the option of two different fictional subwoofers, each rated for 750 watts of continuous power handling. One subwoofer has a single 4 ohm voice coil. The other subwoofer has dual 4 ohm voice coils.

The dual voice coil subwoofer can have its coils wired in series to produce an 8 ohm load, or in parallel to produce a 2 ohm load. To complete this fictional example, we have an amplifier that will produce 400 watts into a 4 ohm load and 700 watts into a 2 ohm load. We have a small car and want to use a single 12 inch subwoofer in a large vented enclosure to get maximum low-frequency output. What sub should we use?

If we use the single voice coil subwoofer, the amplifier will not make full power in the 4 ohm load. We should use the dual voice coil subwoofer and wire the voice coils in parallel to present the amp with a 2 ohm load.

Example 2

Voice Coil
Images courtesy of JL Audio

In this example, we have the same electronic equipment, but the vehicle is a large SUV. There is a lot of room for subwoofers, and the owner wants to list to reggae, loudly. The owner has listened to a friend’s system and found out that a pair of subs matches his listening preferences perfectly. Which subs should we use?

If we use the dual voice coil subs, we have three options for wiring the four (two on each sub) voice coils together. We could wire all the coils in parallel. Parallel wiring will present the amp with a 1 ohm load. Most likely, the amp will go into protection because the load is too low. We could wire all the coils in series to present the amp with a 16 ohm load – but that’s not going to happen. We could wire the voice coils on each subwoofer in series, then parallel the pair of subwoofers to get a 4 ohm load. A 4 ohm load is not ideal.

If we use a pair of single voice coil subwoofers, however, and wire the subs in parallel, we get a 2 ohm load. Happy amp and happy customer!

Choosing and Wiring Subwoofers

  • Voice CoilYou can use as many subwoofers as you want on a single amplifier.
  • You must use all the voice coils on each sub. If you need a 4 ohm load but have a dual 4 ohm sub, using only one coil is going to cause issues. Bad issues.
  • Wire all the subwoofers you choose so the current going through each subwoofer is the same. In most cases, this means using pairs of subs. In the past, several companies offered dual 6 ohm voice coil subs that could be wired in groups of three to present amplifiers with standard load impedances of 1 or 4 ohms.

Do not wire one dual voice coil subs in series and one in parallel before connecting the subs together in parallel. You will get more current through the (parallel) low-impedance subwoofer. This imbalance will upset the performance of the enclosure and wreak havoc with the reliability and quality of your system. This is unrelated to the wiring of multiple subwoofers, but: Don’t mix and match different subwoofers. Each has its enclosure requirements and response characteristics. There is no way to guarantee that the output of two different subwoofers will sum positively at all frequencies.

So, Which Voice Coil Configuration Is Better?

The answer to the question “which is better” is neither. SVC and DVC subwoofers are simply two different options when buying. They are analogous to a tire manufacturer offering different-sized tires for different vehicles – there is an application for each.

Adding a subwoofer system should be one of the very first things you do to upgrade a factory audio system. When you are ready to make the leap into the realism, impact and dynamics that a great subwoofer can add, drop by your local car audio specialist retailer. They would be happy to work with you to design a system that meets your performance expectations.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate Prime R2D2-12 Car Audio Subwoofer

Prime Subwoofer

Adding a subwoofer to your car audio system is one of the best ways to improve the way your music sounds. If you are looking for a high-quality subwoofer at an affordable price, the Prime Series R2D2-12 from Rockford Fosgate is an excellent choice. This dual-voice coil 12-inch subwoofer is rated to continuously handle 250 watts of power with peaks at 500 watts. Best of all, you know you’re getting a subwoofer that will sound great and deliver clean, clear bass with minimal distortion.

Physical Features of the Rockford Fosgate R2D2-12

The R2D2-12 is based on Rockford Fosgate’s StampCast four-spoke, stamped-steel basket design. The basket design uses large, rolled edges on the windows to add significant structure and ensure that the motor assembly is secure and solid, giving you the benefits of a cast design without the expense.

The basket also features vents in the base where it’s mounted to the top plate. These vents improve power handling and driver linearity by allowing air under the spider to enter and escape around the voice coil as the cone moves forward and rearward. Features like spider venting are usually reserved for much more expensive drivers. There’s also a sizeable cooling vent in the pole piece to allow airflow from under the dust cap for an extra boost in power handling and performance.

Prime Subwoofer
The embossed and rolled edges of the R2D2-12 frame add significant structural rigidity to the driver.

The voice coil former is made of aluminum to help extract heat from the dual windings, while most woofers at this price point use plastic. The R2D2-12 has a pair of 2-ohm voice coils that can be wired in series or parallel or driven by separate amplifier channels. If you need a pair of 4-ohm coils on your sub, the R2D4-12 is the answer.

Speaker connections are made via a pair of spring-loaded terminals on each side of the motor assembly, with the voice coil’s tinsel leads sewn to the spider to keep them from slapping the cone or spider at high excursion levels. This is another feature that’s typical of much more expensive subwoofers.

Prime Subwoofer
Cooling vents integrated into the bottom of the StampCast chassis enhance power handling and high-excursion linearity.

The cone is constructed from injection-molded polypropylene with mica added for improved rigidity and thermal stability. An inverted dust cap in the center of the cone keeps dust and debris out of the voice coil gap. For compliance, the poly-cotton spider uses a linear design and a half-roll, poly-foam surround treated with a UV inhibitor to ensure longevity and reliability. A semi-rigid, injection-molded trim piece on the mounting flange provides a clean look. The connection between the spider, cone and surround has been reinforced with a multipoint high-temperature, high-strength neck joint bonding technique.

The Prime-Series R2D2-12 from Rockford Fosgate looks great and delivers fantastic sound from even moderately powerful amplifiers.

Prime-Series Subwoofer Applications

When looking at the Thiele/Small parameters, the first thing that stands out is the Xmax spec of 6.4 mm. Unlike most subwoofers that offer an Xmax calculation based on the height of the voice coil and the top plate, Rockford Fosgate’s specification is based on the measured excursion level that produces less than 10% distortion as measured by a laser-based Klippel transducer analysis system. This method considers compliance and motor strength changes for a much more realistic maximum excursion value. Very few companies are this honest and forthcoming with their specifications – quite impressive.

A second important observation is that the driver is impressively efficient. If you have 250 to 300 watts of power, there’s no sense running a giant subwoofer with a heavy voice coil and cone assembly. Rockford Fosgate has optimized this driver to deliver excellent output from minimal power. This is yet another sign that this company knows exactly what it is doing.

In terms of enclosure design, I modeled the suggested 1.02-cubic-foot sealed and 1.79-cubic-foot vented enclosures in BassBox Pro. These enclosures will deliver impressive output from modest power levels, making them perfect for systems with smaller amplifiers or where the electrical system current draw might be a concern in a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Prime Subwoofer
Predicted free-field response of the R2D2-12 in 1.02 cubic feet sealed (red) or 1.79 cubic feet vented (yellow) tuned to 45 Hz.

Upgrade Your Car Stereo with a Rockford Fosgate Subwoofer!

If you’re looking for a subwoofer system for your car or SUV, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the 12-inch Prime Series R2D2-12 subwoofers. We think you’ll be very impressed with their performance and value. To learn more about Rockford Fosgate’s automotive, powersport, marine and motorcycle products, visit their website. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate Punch P1000X5 Five-Channel Amplifier

Rockford Fosgate P1000X5

If the sound system in your car or truck doesn’t put a smile on your face, it’s time to visit your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the impressive P1000X5 five-channel amplifier. This single-channel amp can dish out an effortless 75 watts of power from the four main channels and up to 500 watts of power to a subwoofer. Best of all, it has all the features your installer needs to connect it to almost any factory-installed audio system. If you aren’t intrigued, you should be! Let’s dive deeper.

A Five-Channel Car Audio Amp Is the Perfect Upgrade

If you’ve ever tried to crank up the volume on your car stereo and it began distorting just as things were getting fun, then you need to upgrade your audio system with an amplifier. The P1000X5 is part of the Punch Series from Rockford Fosgate, so it has all the power, features and sound quality you’d ever want.

Let’s start with the power specifications. The P1000X5 is rated to produce 75 watts by four and 150 watts from the subwoofer channel into 4-ohm loads. When connected to 2-ohm speakers, the maximum power output jumps to 150 by four and 300 for the sub channel. If you want to go all out, your installer can design your subwoofer system to present a 1-ohm load to the mono channel so the amp can produce 500 watts of power. The amp can also be configured for three-channel operation where it can produce 250 watts into a pair of 4-ohm speakers and 500 watts into a 1-ohm subwoofer.

Rockford Fosgate P1000X5
All the controls and adjustments for the P1000X5 are on top of the amp to make it easy for your installer to configure.

The P1000X5 includes high-pass crossovers on the front and rear channels that are adjustable from 50 to 250 Hz with -12 dB/octave slopes. The subwoofer channel has a low-pass crossover that’s also adjustable from 50 to 250 Hz and a selectable infrasonic filter set to 28 Hz. The front, rear and subwoofer channels have dedicated sensitivity controls that will accept from 150 millivolts up to an impressive 12 volts. The inputs are differential, so they can handle direct connections to low-power source units without the need for an adapter. The amp has dedicated stereo inputs for the front, rear and sub channels, or it can be configured to feed the sub output from the front and rear, or the rear and sub from just the front.

All three sets of channels feature the on-board Punch EQ circuit, designed to correct for acoustical deficiencies in the cabin of the vehicle. Your installer can dial in up to 18 dB of boost at 45 Hz on the sub channel and up to 14 dB of boost at 12.5 kHz on the front channels. The amp also has a provision for the optional Remote Punch Level control to let the driver adjust the relative level of the sub to the rest of the speakers. In addition, the front, rear and subwoofer channels all feature the C.L.E.A.N. Set-Up feature that lets your installer match your source unit to the amplifier and know when the output signal is clipping.

Rockford Fosgate P1000X5
The famous Rockford Fosgate Punch EQ circuit adds impact and detail without boominess or harshness.

The P1000X5 is 15 inches wide, 7.8 inches long and only 2.4 inches tall. As with the other amps in the Punch series, this amp uses a high-mass cast aluminum heatsink that helps keep things cool while reducing distortion and extending reliability. The amp also features NOMAD protection circuitry that monitors voltages and temperatures to keep the amp safe.

In terms of output device topology, the front and rear channels feature a Class AB design that uses Rockford Fosgate’s proprietary TRANS•ANA configuration to minimize circuit complexity and maximize sound quality. The subwoofer channel is an efficient Class BD design that delivers big power without drawing significant amounts of current from the charging system.

Rockford Fosgate P1000X5
The P1000X5 features top-mounted controls with power, signal and speaker connections located on one side to ensure that the installation remains neat and tidy.

Rockford Fosgate’s Punch P1000X5 – The Perfect Car Audio System Amplifier

One of the most significant benefits of powering your audio system with a five-channel amp is the simplicity of installation. A single-chassis amp doesn’t require multiple power wires or distribution – which can save you a lot of money. Second, five-channel amplifiers typically take up less space than using an amp for the main speakers and a second for a subwoofer.

If you want more performance out of the speakers in your car or truck and are thinking about adding a subwoofer at the same time, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate car audio retailer and ask about the amazing Punch Series P1000X5 five-channel amplifier. You can learn more about this cool amplifier by visiting the Rockford Fosgate website. Be sure to follow their Facebook page, Instagram feed and YouTube channel to learn about the latest audio system solutions for your car, truck, motorcycle or boat.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.