I sure wish they would have incorporated a rotary dial for the volume with that 10" head unit. Otherwise looks pretty slick! The speakers look nice, surely the amps are coming too. Can't wait to see those. Thanks for the vid!
They could always even create a knob that attaches to the bottom edge of the screen, and has the right resistance for the radio to recognize it as volume commands. I imagine some kind of clip like a bluetooth mic that you can pop on the bottom edge of the screen. Just an idea..!
The HEIGH10 has one and I don't miss it at all with the steering wheel controls intact and volume buttons on top of the unit. I'm loving that clean look.
I had a 99 dodge neon . My brother worked at Sony and got me an amazing deal. I had ES door speakers that were awesome. I had the light purple ES amp. And 2 12" ES subs. I actually found an ES head unit in a store. I loved all of it. I wish I was still into car audio .
As someone that ran the original Sony XES and then various Mobile ES head units and amps in the late 90s, this is so exciting. If these perform at the level of Sony Mobile ES of the late 90s, they'll be hard to beat.
@@skateboardkid420 Ummm...they already have. The new Alpine F 1 Status line was announced a few months ago. But it will only be sold as a COMPLETE KIT for some crazy amount like $30k!
@@bbfoto7248 600 dollars in the 6x9s and 6.5 components plus 250 dollars for the Sony XM GS4 amplifier will still make me like the happiest kid in the world plus a Fi Neo 3.5 12 inch subwoofer plus 2 kenwood KAC 9106ds strapped with 1 per voice coil
I had a Sony ES head unit in my '98 Tacoma. It was a great piece of equipment. I also installed several ES head units in friends vehicles back in the '90s. It's good to see this line make a come-back.
This is super cool to see. I just pulled out a pair of 6.5" ES components from 1998. Tweeters blew but drivers held up. The 1998 6.5's also used composite. Cool to see them use a composite again in the line.
That 1.2 cu.ft. Sealed Enclosure requirement for a 10" Subwoofer is quite large! Usually 0.6cf-0.85cf is a more typical requirement for a 10" subwoofer. Unfortunately, it's going to be a bit difficult to get these installed in A LOT of pickups either behind or under the seats, which is a HUGE percentage of the market as evident by how many Ford F-150 series trucks roll into the install bay at @Five Star Car Stereo Installing just one of these 10" ES subs might be do-able, but installing 2 of them while retaining most of your usable seating and leg room in a pickup truck will be a challange without a fully custom enclosure. In addition, being that these are the *Mobile ES* line, all of the *Sony Mobile ES Enthusiasts* would greatly appreciate it if Sony would publish the full T/S Parameters and Electro-Mechanical properties, along with 0°/15°/30°/45° on- & off-axis Frequency Response charts and Impedance Plots for this new speaker & subwoofer line. For instance, Kris mentioned the *Aluminum Shorting Rings* in the ES speakers that were added to lower Inductance & reduce Distortion. Please publish the actual *Le* spec for each of these speakers and the subwoofer. If they are truly "Elevated Standard", why not show us the specs??? No, not ALL specs matter, but SOME DO! Also, what's that *500Hz HPF* on the 6.5" ES Component midwoofer all about??? And a 5kHz HPF for a Large tweeter??? Most 1.5" or larger tweeters can safely be High Passed at ~3kHz and even lower to help match the directivity/dispersion of the 6.5" midwoofer before it starts to beam significantly. :confused: #SonyMobileES
I have Sony Mobile ES speakers and the GS4 amplifier hooked up to a Pioneer AVH 1550NEX in my 2015 Toyota Camry and the sound quality literally puts a smile on my face. I could literally hear the lips of the singer, the clunk of piano keys, the sniff of the conductor, and more nuances that are missed by even bose premium systems.
3 things, that ess chip needs to be in a double din as well. They need a 6x9 component set with a 3" mid as well (dome for easy install), and a 12" version of that 10" subwoofer.
I wish they’d make these new screen units with hookups and controls for their CD changers. I have an original ES unit from the 90’s in my truck with the 10 disc changer and would love to update it to a new screen unit, but then I lose the CD changer.
My one feature I wish the car audio community would stop neglecting is cd drives maybe not built into the head unit but an optional add on maybe to go into the 2nd din slot or in the glove box or just support for generic usb cd drives
@Savage Pie One of my car audio installs doesn't have a head unit but uses an 8" Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE Phone/Tablet (model # SM-T715Y) as my Digital "head unit/source" into a Helix DSP PRO MK-II. HOWEVER, I also still wanted the option to play CD discs in my system. So I bought a small, thin, portable Sony CD Walkman player (Model # D-EJ715) which has a mini-TOSLINK Digital Optical Output. The small portable Sony CD player cost me about $25 on eBay and operates on 2 'AA' batteries. Don't buy any of these CD Walkmans that use the Sony's Rechargeable "gumstick" batteries. Stick to the 'AA' battery powered units. Also, only a few select models have the TOSLINK Digital Output...look for models starting with ''D-EJ7xx'' or ''D-EJ8xx''. I also added a Sony # RM-MC10L Wired Remote control. The main CD Walkman unit stays in my center console armrest storage cubby and is connected to my Helix DSP via an Optical TOSLINK cable. The remote is about the same diameter but half the length of a Sharpie marker pen and has a small LCD display. It's easy to control the CD playback just by tactile feel using the remote. With the Digital connection it sounds fantastic and works great for those rare times I need or want to play a CD disc. Very little investment as well. One of my other installs uses the Kenwood DDX9907XR head unit. Even though this head unit has a built-in CD/DVD drive, I tested the Sony CD Walkman connected to it via analog "Aux In" and it sounds great. Using the Sony CD Walkman's 3.5mm "Line Output" (it shares the same 3.5mm jack as the Optical mini-TOSLINK output), I connected the CD Walkman into the back of the DDX9907XR's 3.5mm analog AV/AUX Input using a standard 3.5mm stereo miniplug cable. :) No complaints!
I have this exact deck, the same 6.5 components (I left the back door speakers stock, which arent horrible in the WRX limited Harmon system) the 4 channel ES powering the components and bridged in the rear to power the new 10 inch ES sub in my 2020 WRX. Clarity and warmth is incredible. Too many tweeters today are so bright, these are smooth. I have everything perfectly crossed over and I am seriously impressed. I have had JL Audio, Hertz and Focal in my car and frankly, these sound as good for less money. The deck could use a firmware update/upgrade as there are some quirks. Background not visible during carplay, having to change screens to get to certain apps is tedious while driving, for the screen size you should be able to fit more apps on the carplay screen, and the XM radio should have more presets. But I think a firmware update could fix all of these. The sound quality of all these products is phenomenal. The components remind me of an old set of A/D/S set I had in my old prelude in the mid 90's.
Hopefully Sony actually brings it. I have an old Mobile ES deck from back in the day chillin in the original box because it's the one HU I just could never part with. I've been waiting for Sony to quit messing with the junk and get back to some quality HU. I'm happy with my Excelons, but it would be great to have more options. You listening Pioneer..... Cough..... Cough..... Premier!
Unfortunately, still not enough for a full 3-way front stage + Subwoofer setup even in advanced network mode, nevermind having rear speakers or rear fill. Sony, please correct me if I'm wrong!
@Sony The shallow mounting depth on the 6.5" components is nice. But I'm a bit disappointed with the choice of the large ferrite magnets and larger rear basket design that can make these difficult to mount and fit in many vehicles, regardless of their shallow depth. Take a look at the Neo magnets and tapered rear baskets on Alpine's flagship X-S65C 6.5" components. Despite them having a mounting depth that is 1/8" more than the Sony's 2-3/16" mounting depth, IME the Alpines will fit in more applicationsdue to the narrow rear baskets and Neo magnets...and they sound incredible as well. Yes, I realise that the Alpine X-S65C are double the price of the Sony components, but I'm comparing them from the viewpoint of them being each respective company's Flagship Component set.
product looks awesome! i would like to see toslink optical outputs though, dont understand why they dont put those on when majority of the DSPs support optical input.
Woohoo! Dual rca sub output! I nearly bought the super nice ax1000 for 120$, but it only has 1 rca for sub! Yeah yeah there's y cables, but I swear there is a difference in noise floor
@Sony I realize that the trend is towards these large screen "Floating" display head units, but not everyone wants or can fit this type of unit in their vehicles. I do have the 10.1" Kenwood DMX1057XR in ONE of my vehicles and love it (had to have a VOLUME KNOB!), but it still covers more of the vents and dash controls than I would like. But the large Sony XAV9500ES or Kenwood Floating Displays are not an option for me in my other vehicles due to their overall size and obstruction of the dash vents and controls. Even with your extensive screen positioning options, these large displays cover too much of the A/C vents and potentially important dash buttons or controls in MANY vehicles. If you were to simply *Minimize the Large Bezels* around the XAV-9500ES's display to be similar to a modern iPad or similar tablet, it would reduce the overall display's footprint SUBSTANTIALLY while keeping the actual screen real estate the same, and it would be usable (or at least much less of a compromise) in many more vehicles. #Bezelgate Will you be offering a standard in-dash 2-DIN Mobile ES head unit with similar features in the future??? And FFS, PLEASE bring back the TOSLINK OPTICAL OUTPUT that was STANDARD ON EVERY other SONY FLAGSHIP head unit! It's a matter of adding less than $5 to the cost. Even my Y2K era Pioneer Premier DEX-P9 had a Digital Output that sent ALL of the sources over the Digital output, including AM/FM/CD, and even the AUX input! And I can tell you from personal experience that you ARE LOSING SALES to the *Stinger Heigh10* due to its Toslink Digital Output. PLEASE just give us the OPTION to use it like on the RSX-GS9, CDX-C90, and CDX-C910! C'mon Sony, YOU CAN DO IT! ELEVATE YOUR STANDARD!
Looked the full specs of the headunit up. Sadly, no 3 way x over. So this unit aside from the super cool display, does nothing more than my Kenwood Dnx995s. I'm very glad to see dsd/dsf support is back though, Kenwood dropped it.
@Leandro Jack Agree 100%! Those GIANT BEZELS make this unit way larger than it needs to be! No matter what mounting/positioning options they have for the display, the extra overall size due to the large bezels will cause it to cover and/or block access to A/C vents and potentially important controls/buttons/switches/dials, etc. This unit could be CONSIDERABLY more installer-friendly and less obstructive/smaller overall by using thin, minimalistic "modern" bezels, while still having the same available Touchscreen size & area. This will keep it from being sold and installed in a large number of vehicles where it otherwise could have fit. And I still think it was a mistake to not include a volume knob, even if we do have SWC.
@@bbfoto7248 Exactly! Sony makes smartphones and TV's with reasonably sized bezels with all the components behind the screen, in these units, majority of the components are in the unit itself so I really wonder why they had to be so huge
12:15 Did he just say that they are using a 500hz high-pass for the 6.5" driver? If that's so, that's kinda dumb. That's a good 2-3 octaves higher than it should be.
I was thinking the same thing! Talk about clipping off the nuts 😒 I’m thinking a set of the coaxial in rear fill would make up for it but who knows without throwing an rta in the car. I’m debating these hard, components in front an coaxial rear full active not using their xover and relying on helix dsp to do the job. I do feel a 3 or 4” mid added to make it 3 way active would really make it competitive with the higher end stuff available since these aren’t cheap sets!
Anthony Barker I looked at the owners manual and it only shows 5,000 hz as the crossover frequency. Maybe the guy was nervous because he was being filmed and mixed up his numbers here. Really can’t imagine Sony would flub the crossover that bad.
@@hifiman4562 IMPO, a Rotary Knob that you can locate and access via tactile touch no matter what position the steering wheel is in are way more convenient...and safer. I use my steering wheel controls quite a bit, but they are still a bit of a PITA IMO. My favorite "Volume Control" is the original high grade aluminum Sony RM-X90 Rotary Commander Remote for the OG Sony Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit. With that remote you can control Volume, Mute, Source Switching, and all Track/Playback Controls via Tactile Touch alone, while never taking your eyes off the road, rather than trying to locate the SWC buttons while mid-turn when the steering wheel controls are in an odd or inaccessible position. I ended up getting a compatible wireless IR "candy bar" remote for my Kenwood DDX9907XR that has proven to be way more convenient and with more options than my steering wheel controls. But ideally, I think that ALL of these DD or larger Touchscreen head units should have a Large, Persistent Mute Icon on the touchscreen, AND a Persistent, full-height vertical "Volume Slider" on the far left of the screen (for left-hand drive vehicles). These should be placed at the far left-hand edge of the touchscreen so that they are more 'tactile" and don't require nearly any concerted visual effort to locate.
@Five Star Car Audio Thanks for the excellent video and info Dean & Nando! And AWESOME install in the Lexus, Jared! (Sp?) Okay, I hate to be the Negative Nancy in the comments, but here it goes (with a few positive points as well)... I've been a Sony Mobile ES enthusiast since the 1990's. I was very pleased to hear that Sony are employing aluminum "shorting rings" in the ES speakers' magnetic motor system to lower inductance and reduce distortion. THUMBS UP! Here are a few questions and comments regarding the new Mobile ES lineup. Please forward my questions to Kris Bulla @Sony / #Sony / #mobilees / #sonymobilees ... 1. XS-162ES Component Set: Why is there a 500Hz HPF on a 6.5" midwoofer via the Passive XO Network when the Frequency Response is rated down to 40Hz and should be excellent up to roughly 2.5kHz before beaming as well??? In addition, why is there such a high 5kHz HPF on a large 1.5" dome tweeter??? Even most 1" tweeters have a HPF in the 3kHz-4kHz region. Perhaps it is a 500Hz LPF on the 6.5" midwoofer and you are using shallow 1st order crossover slopes (6dB/octave) between the midwoofer and tweeter so that they "sum"" to a relatively flat frequency response within the XO region? Still, that seems like a HUGE gap between the midwoofer's 500Hz and tweeter's 5,000Hz XO points! Please elaborate. 2. XAV-9500ES Head Unit: A. Why are there such WIDE, BLANK BEZELS around this 10.1" Floating Screen??? This increases the OVERALL "footprint" of the floating display dramatically! These floating screens should use the minimum possible bezels (like current iPads and tablets) in order to provide for the greatest amount of unobstructed installation possibilities. Even with the excellent display positioning options, the significantly increased overall size due to the LARGE BEZELS means that the display is much more likely to cover A/C Vents and Block Access to potentially important dash controls (buttons/switches/knobs). :( B. Why is a *HD Tuner* not included at this price point??? C. NO VOLUME KNOB ??? WHY??? During the KnowledgeFest announcement, Kris stated that, "We didn't have room for a Volume Knob". That makes absolutely NO SENSE! This is a *Floating Screen* Display! Of course there is room for a Volume Knob!!! You obviously had room to put Giant Bezels, why not a Volume Knob? The 10.1" Kenwood XRs have them, and the Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 have Volume Knobs! And from my discussions that is one KEY REASON that people purchased those over other units, including your XAV-8000. In the recent DD & Larger Head Unit polls that I've conducted on the major car audio forums, ~80% said that they would prefer a nice Volume Knob. *GUYS, EVERYONE LOVED the VOLUME KNOB on the SONY RSX-GS9, and you took it away* ?!?! :( D. Since you did not provide a VOLUME KNOB, I would like Sony to offer a High Quality *Rotary Commander Remote* like Sony's *RM-X90* for the CDX-C90. With these large displays, driver distraction is a HUGE issue. Maybe I'm old school, but I could pretty much control ALL of the Playback and Source switching functions of the system, as well as Volume Level and Mute, without ever taking my eyes off the road by using the Tactile and well placed buttons and rotary knobs on the RM-X90 remote!!! Please Bring this Back!!! E. TOSLINK OPTICAL OUTPUT: I know you guys all think that the best way to use this Head Unit (just like the RSX-GS9) is with its Analog RCA Outputs to take advantage of the ESS Sabre DAC. HOWEVER, Considering its Retail Price, Sony's previous implementation of the ESS Sabre DAC in the RSX-GS9 was mediocre at best. You can peruse the test results from an industry-standard AudioPrecision Analyzer that were performed by Amir M on the *Audio Science Review* Internet Forums. Amir has tested Hundreds of DACs, and the RSX-GS9 was near the bottom of the rankings in performance. .(I'll be sending Amir one of these new head units to test as well.) At least we had the OPTION to use the TOSLINK Output with the RSX-GS9! Now you've taken this away. ALL of your previous Mobile "Elevated Standard" head units have had an available Digital Output! WHY is this important??? At Least Three Reasons: 1. It eliminates noise issues and ground loops when installing into vehicles that are known to have noise issues. 2. There is no reason to have multiple redundant A/D & D/A Conversions if I am going to connect my head unit to an outboard, standalone DSP unit. 90% of the available DSP units have a Toslink Digital Input and some have Digital Coaxial as well. 3. It costs you less than $5 to include a Digital Toslink Output (I've added them to head units in the past. It was not easy to do, but the necessary parts to do this were CHEAP!). Many car audio enthusiasts have chosen the *Stinger HEIGH10* & *ELEV8* head units for both the Volume Knob AND the TOSLINK Digital Outputs. You.(Sony) had the opportunity to ELIMINATE Stinger's advantage, AND you COULD HAVE had a clear advantage over the Kenwood XR head units as well. MISSED OPPORTUNITY, Sony!!! F. BUILT-IN AMPLIFIER?: None of your previous MOBILE ES head units have had a built-in amplifier! At this "Elevated Standard" level, people expect it to be a "Dead Head" to prevent internal noise and contamination of the digital circuitry. AND, when you are spending $1300 on a "High-End" head unit, enthusiast are naturally going to want to pair these with separate, higher power amplifiers. If a customer is willing to spend $1300 on a Head Unit, it's not a stretch for them to match it with a capable amplifier and spend another $250 for a Sony XM-GS4 amplifier (which was made to pair with the RSX-GS9) and/or the XM-GS100 mono amp. And by including a built-in amplifier, you've also missed another opportunity for both you AND Your Dealers to make additional sales by selling at least a XM-GS4 amplifier! If anything, I would have liked you to offer the amplifier as an OPTIONAL "Snap-In" Module, much like Alpine has done with their ILX-W series head units with the optional "PowerStack" add-on amplifier modules! G. CROSSOVER OPTIONS?: In the PowerPoint presentation slides, you show the TIME ALIGNMENT screen and the GEQ/PEQ screens. Can we see more of the CROSSOVER NETWORK screen??? What options are available in the Crossover Network? What are the possible HP, LP, and BandPass Filter Cut-Off Frequencies? What are the Available Crossover Types (Linkwitz-Riley, Bessel, Butterworth?), and what XO Orders (Slopes) are available???... 6/12/18/24/36/48 ? H. Kenwood's XR-series head units have 5V analog RCA preamp outputs as well. In my tests using an oscilloscope, the Kenwood XR's do not clip even at full 40/40 output volume. Does this Sony XAV-9500ES actually reach its full 5V on ALL of its RCA preamp outputs without clipping??? I. COMPOSITE Video Camera Inputs???: HELLO SONY, *Composite Video is from the 1980's* and has major resolution and quality limitations. You've got a LARGE, beautiful "HD" Display now! You need to ELEVATE your STANDARDS to *HD* Camera Inputs! It's frekkin' 2021, Mmkay!? J. I like the TWO programmable/assignable "custom buttons" along the bottom bezel. However, WHY did you place all of the other Tactile Push buttons along the Top Edge??? Kris touted that the Sony's corner bezel radii make it easy to do a custom "Flush Mount" install. HOWEVER, ALL of these top-mount buttons would be useless and inaccessible if we want to completely mold the display flush into our dash or center console. Makes No Sense! K. I would have loved a second USB-C input port on the bottom edge or back of the floating display! In the end, the XAV-9500ES does have a lot of great features. HOWEVER, Sony really had the perfect opportunity to SMASH The Competition, but IMO they unfortunately did not "Elevate their Standard" quite high enough. At least in my eyes this is a bit of a "watered-down" Mobile ES line, and not the Cost-No-Object/No-Holes-Barred Mobile ES line we previously knew and loved. I think at least a few of my points above make this clear. Maybe next time. (Yes, there will always be some people that you can never please!) :-P
Great points im mostly bummed about non HD, bezels, non dead-head, the strange xover gap¿, no detachable face, I can live without no cd I suppose and I’m not holding my breath on 3way crossover capability and different xover types.
Hey Sony guy, since you came out with a new radio how about a F'n firmware update for people like me who purchased the $1,500 Before tax Rsx-Gs9 since you haven't came out with one in 4 years so that they won't have anymore Bluetooth issues
@@DoeBoy999 True. But there are still situations where it is more beneficial to use a Digital Output. For instance, in vehicles or when using other particular electrical audio components/devices that are known to have bad EMI & RFI noise issues. In addition, *IF* Sony is/was going to release a high-end *Mobile ES DSP* to complete the new Mobile ES system lineup, it would be better to have that ESS Sabre DAC in the Actual DSP unit and send the signal from the Head Unit to the DSP with a Direct Digital link. Otherwise, as it is, the system will be doing redundant and unnecessary A/D and D/A conversions. There can be significant detrimental issues when two separate DAC units are connected via common ground connections, i.e. via analog RCA interconnects and a common power & ground source.. At the very least they would need to use Differential low-level RCA outputs and inputs. But there would still be potential for ground loops because both units would be powered via the same electrical ground plane. Using separate electrically isolated OPTICAL Digital Outputs and Inputs has been the case for ALL of Sony's previous Mobile ES Head Units and DSPs. I'm still using the original Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit and XDP-4000X DSP in one of my "old school" installs. And that old Sony Mobile ES system holds its own in regards to pure SQ extremely well, even compared to my other "modern" High-End systems that use both 5v analog RCA preouts and pure digital sources connected to the Helix DSP Ultra and miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL processors. I'll address this issue further in another post.
@@devnull182 But Kris Bulla from Sony also said that the Tweeter's HPF was at 5kHz. Without using a dedicated 3"-4" Midrange speaker, a HUGE GAP between 500Hz & 5,000Hz in a 2-way component set makes absolutely NO SENSE! A 6.5" midwoofer doesn't begin to significantly beam until the 2kHz + region, so limiting it to just 500Hz seems silly... unless it has horrible breakup modes/distortion products above 500Hz. But that is highly uncommon even in mediocre 6.5" midwoofers until at least 2kHz or higher. Perhaps Sony's 2-way Passive Crossover Networks are using extremely shallow 1st Order Crossover Slopes (6dB/octave) on both the midwoofer and tweeter so that they sum to a relatively flat response. BUT that is still a stretch and would cause serious frequency-dependent image "wandering" between the midwoofer and tweeter, especially when they are separated by any moderate distance (as is normal with placement in OEM speaker locations). If the midwoofers and tweeters were coaxial or very close together (like typical home audio speakers), this might work well. But that is generally not the case in most car audio installs. I would like to see Klippel or Clio verified On- & Off-Axis Frequency Response Graphs & full Impedance plots using the 2-way passive crossover networks with this 6.5" 2-way ES component set.
@@MyBlowncobra FYI, the Frequency Response specs for the Mobile ES 6.5" 2-way component set are listed as reaching down to 40Hz on the low end, so I doubt that is the case. Having any frequencies below about ~120Hz coming from a subwoofer that is behind you will be very detrimental to the "up-front" imaging and soundstage.
*SUBJECT: VOLUME KNOB* Attn. Kris Bulla @SONY I have a future solution for those that want an actual Volume Knob. Make it an OPTIONAL Snap-In Module. For instance, create a small, dual-concentric rotating Master & Subwoofer Volume control, plus push-button Mode & Preset Selector...i.e. a "Commander" type knob similar to the *JL Audio DRC-205* that is complete with different color LED illumination to indicate different modes or presets, or to match the OEM interior lighting. Design it as a small, modular unit that could simply be "snapped" into the Bottom Edge of the display's giant bezel using a narrow "PC motherboard Card Slot" PCB connector, like a PC motherboard's PCI-E Card Slot, but with fewer connections. Since the "port" for it would be underneath the display bezel, if you didn't have it installed, there would be no noticeable or visual indication that it was missing...no ugly gaps, blank space, etc. You could even provide 3 different "port" Locations for it on the bottom of the bezel to provide for both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles, or for personal preference, which would allow you to place it on the Bottom Left, Bottom Center, or Bottom Right. Keep it inexpensive...between $30-$75. $100 extra to add a Volume Knob is a big ask that many would not go for after already spending $1300 for the head unit itself. At the Sony Mobile ES announcement at Knowledgefest, Sony's Kris Bulla stated that, "there wasn't enough room to include a volume knob"...and I thought to myself, WTF?...this is a FLOATING SCREEN head unit...OF COURSE there is room for a volume knob! Just look at the other large floating screen head units such as the 10.1" Kenwood XR's and the Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10! Maybe if Sony didn't put Ginormous Bezels around the display on this Sony HU there would be more room for an actual volume knob! SMH I'm sure Sony will sell a lot of these despite this. But the Kenwood XR 10.1" and Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 are selling quite well...and the VOLUME KNOBS are one of the main reasons owners cite for their purchase of these over competing units. IN ADDITION, the VOLUME KNOB was another thing that SONY Enthusiasts absolutely LOVED about the *RSX-GS9* as well. And Sony just took it away. :/ I know that there is a big divide among people regarding having a Volume Knob or not, so that's why I think the modular/add-on approach would work well. Either that, or create an updated, high-quality version of the original *Sony Mobile ES RM-X90 Rotary Commander Remote* made for the original ToTL Sony Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit. It was made from top notch materials such as high-grade anodized & machined aluminum and when you had it in hand it was sexy AF and screamed "High-End". With the RM-X90 Rotary Remote, I can control Volume & Mute, Source Switching, and full Track Playback Control just by Tactile Feel without ever taking my eyes off the road! And IMO, it is way more convenient than the SWC in a lot of vehicles! I'm still using the CDX-C90 and XDP-4000X DSP in one of my "old school" installs, and I have to say that in terms of Pure SQ, they still hold their own against my other high-end car audio systems that use the Helix DSP Ultra and miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 processors with top-notch amplifiers and component systems.
@Natural Creature Did you ever own the Sony RSX-GS9? If you ask ANYBODY who owned and used one, the large centered Volume Knob was one of the main selling points. And I realize it's not as relatable to car audio, but traditionally, home audio enthusiasts LOVE amplifiers and integrated amplifiers that have a large, high-quality volume knob on the front panel. That ALONE drove the high sales numbers of many home audio amps compared to those that did not have one! And A LOT of home audio enthusiasts are also car audio enthusiasts, so those trends or desires naturally carry over. *An easily accessible volume knob is the absolute fastest and easiest way to control the stereo's volume in a vehicle* In a car it doesn't have to be large, but it should be prominent and easily accessible. As an installer, one of my absolute favorite Volume Knobs/Controllers is the JL Audio DRC-205 Remote Knob for the VXi series DSP Amplifiers. It's small and easy to mount, but has Two Concentric Rings or Knobs to control Master Volume Level AND Subwoofer Level. And the front knob is also a Push-Button to activate selection of the various DSP Tuning Presets & Source Selection. You can also assign a specific Color to the LED backlight to differentiate each each Tuning Preset or Source. The DRC-205 controller knob is GENIUS and is what I'd like to see (at least as an option) incorporated into this new Sony ES large floating screen display. Again, it could be an optional piece that snaps into the lower bezel of the display to satisfy both camps. Try using the Kenwood 10.1" DMX1057XR or DMX1037S. The included Volume Knob is not obtrusive and is very quick and easy to reach for and operate compared to most steering wheel controls, or the silly TINY volume buttons on most of these head units!...especially when driving on winding canyon roads (I have exotic/sports cars and get bored driving in a straight line, LOL). I don't want to fiddle with a separate wireless IR "candy bar" remote that may go flying anywhere in the cabin during spirited canyon driving. ;) On the Kenwood 1057, the simple Volume Knob is always there and accessible. If it was or is a fixed/mounted remote like the previous *Sony Mobile ES RM-X90 Rotary Commander* for the CDX-C90 head unit, I'm all in! It is incredibly ergonomic and you can EASILY memorize the knob and button functions without ever taking your eyes off the road.
It wasn't easy, but I've added a Digital Toslink Optical output to one of my old school Denon single-DIN head units years ago. The parts to do this cost me just a little over $5! It would probably cost pennies for the manufacturer to do this! SMH
Obviously not. :( And I think that was a big mistake. At the Sony Mobile ES announcement at Knowledgefest, Sony's Kris Bulla stated that, "there wasn't enough room to include a volume knob"...and I thought to myself, WTF?...this is a FLOATING SCREEN head unit...OF COURSE there is room for a volume knob! Look at the other floating screen units that I cited above! And maybe if they didn't put Giant Bezels around the display on this Sony HU there would be more room for an actual volume knob! SMH I'm sure they will sell a lot of these despite this. But the Kenwood XR 10.1" and Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 are selling quite well...and the VOLUME KNOB is one of the main reasons owners cite for their purchase of these over competing units. And the Volume Knob was another thing enthusiasts LOVED about the RSX-GS9 as well. And Sony just took it away. :/
@hifi trucker I agree that the Sony XM-GS4 amplifiers are really good, especially at their price point. However, (not bragging) but I've been fortunate enough to use some of the highest end Class A and A/B amplifiers in both car and home audio setups. And *Some* Class-D amps are just as good (and actually way better when it comes to SNR and THD/noise floor) compared to their Class A & A/B counterparts. Obviously Class-D is WAY more efficient, too. This will become more important as more and more vehicles become electric and do away with the ICE and an alternator. The Class-A & -A/B to Class-D amplifier debate is all but a myth at this point in time! Try the tiny Biketronics & Vivid Amps Hypex UcD and Hypex Ncore based Class-D amps. No joke, they are at least as good or better than any Class A or A/B amplifier that I've used. Also check out the small D'Amore Engineering Class-D amplifiers. In addition, JL Audio's newer VXi series DSP/Amplifiers sound fantastic, even if the specs might not seem to be the best. The ONLY instance where a Class-D amplifier *might not* sound as good as a Class-A or A/B amplifier is when it is pushed into Clipping. HOWEVER, you want to avoid Clipping Distortion when using ANY amplifier for SQ purposes, and with proper gain structure that is basically a moot point! And most modern Class-D amplifiers handle clipping just as well as A & A/B. So there's that. I'm NOT saying that ALL amplifiers sound the same. But you can no longer make a blanket statement that Class-A or A/B amplifiers will ALWAYS sound better than a Class-D amplifier! PERIOD!
@@bbfoto7248 I’ve heard a UA-cam demo of a gallium nitride class D amp and it sounds really nice and vibrant much better than all the other class D amps but, I still prefer that pleasant mild distortion that vintage class AB stereo receivers are known for.
No, this head unit does not have Auto-EQ. Choose a less expensive head unit that you like in terms of features and spend the balance on the Kicker KEY DSP/Amplifiers if you want Auto-EQ. They are inexpensive and do a very good job at auto-tuning. Supposedly Kicker will be releasing a new KEY DSP/Amplifier with more channels and more power in 2022. I'm hoping that it will be a "Q Class" product, but we'll have to wait and see. They also *might* release a standalone DSP with 8 or more channels, but I'm not gonna hold my breath on that due to certain complexities.
@@bbfoto7248 No offense but the Kicker stuff is teetering dangerously close to swap meet/punch stuff. I have auditioned alot of their stuff at the local car audio store and was not impressed at all.
you guys seemed to have thought of everything so where's video at and at least screen mirroring? a cheap $200 eBay radio has a screen mirroring feature, what's up with that? can I add a Roku , I need UA-cam , where's the obd2 Bluetooth port that plugs into my obd2 port so that I can check engine , and vehicle maintenance ?
I been a Sony guy since I was 4 or 5 years old and have owned plenty of Sony equipment over the years (Standard and ES) This is very cool stuff here but I'm not seeing anything revolutionary. ES gear has always been decent stuff but it's also always been a bit overpriced. Looks like the tradition will continue
@anonymous mc 👍 I'm still using a CDX-C90 with the XDP-4000X DSP in one of my old school installs as well. :) It still sounds absolutely fantastic and holds its own against my other high-end installs that use the modern Helix and miniDSP DL processors. The OG Sony gear is really old at this point, and I'll be extremely sad when it finally gives up the ghost. :( But I've got 3 backup C90's just for this reason. :-P
It hurts me this won't fit my f150, hard to believe how few places I have seen selling this lineup. They speakers look awesome but a fair bit more expensive than jl c2 lineup. Hard to buy an expensive pair of door speakers with no comparison reviews.
I watch the video quite interestingly ... for me the Sony until 1995 had the quality, sony mobile xes car audio system, Since then, I've only been collecting your amps. I love it, but until I hear I see a store-bought, audible piece in Europe, I wouldn't list the new series anywhere ... The video is great, the tablet display is awful to me.
I have this Sony 9500 es head unit and im trying to play videos and access UA-cam and Netflicks from the dash, in the dash utilizing a fire stick seamlessly like Siri & CarPlay, any helpful ideas, anybody...??? it really sucks that this doesn't have a screen mirroring option -like a 10 screen to display the Song Title and Artist, its like im hooked on Phonix and reading the Super-Duper JUMBO sized font and print-style, Like who needs all of that, I was rushing I guess but $1400 for a huge screen for backup cam1 , Cam2 & Cam3 doesn't cut it... please Sony listen to me, or send me the next headhunt to get my feedback, smh
How is possible this brand new digital media receiver don't have HD Radio built also another still receiver sleeve from a smart phone? everyone look the price for what you get it?? this isn't another insufficient expensive device. Everyone remember this, all digital media radios if don't have a smart phone close, you just to have peace or stereo same 1990 just FM/AM no CD no Cassettes. My point is 2022 all Stereos Digital media Streaming are coming must to be GPS Built, HD Radio Built at least for the price, why?? thinking about it, you are using a receiver just to fo plug to you car and play music, just are using bluetooth or usb and a stereo you paying $1000 or more. i dont know, if someone thinking im wrong please explain me what happen/. Tanks ands sorry for my gramma.
I sure wish they would have incorporated a rotary dial for the volume with that 10" head unit. Otherwise looks pretty slick! The speakers look nice, surely the amps are coming too. Can't wait to see those. Thanks for the vid!
They could always even create a knob that attaches to the bottom edge of the screen, and has the right resistance for the radio to recognize it as volume commands. I imagine some kind of clip like a bluetooth mic that you can pop on the bottom edge of the screen. Just an idea..!
The HEIGH10 has one and I don't miss it at all with the steering wheel controls intact and volume buttons on top of the unit. I'm loving that clean look.
I had a 99 dodge neon . My brother worked at Sony and got me an amazing deal. I had ES door speakers that were awesome. I had the light purple ES amp. And 2 12" ES subs. I actually found an ES head unit in a store. I loved all of it. I wish I was still into car audio .
As someone that ran the original Sony XES and then various Mobile ES head units and amps in the late 90s, this is so exciting. If these perform at the level of Sony Mobile ES of the late 90s, they'll be hard to beat.
Hopefully pioneer also brings back the premier line
alpine nedds to bring back the F1 status as well
@@skateboardkid420
Ummm...they already have. The new Alpine F 1 Status line was announced a few months ago. But it will only be sold as a COMPLETE KIT for some crazy amount like $30k!
@@bbfoto7248 600 dollars in the 6x9s and 6.5 components plus 250 dollars for the Sony XM GS4 amplifier will still make me like the happiest kid in the world plus a Fi Neo 3.5 12 inch subwoofer plus 2 kenwood KAC 9106ds strapped with 1 per voice coil
I had a Sony ES head unit in my '98 Tacoma. It was a great piece of equipment. I also installed several ES head units in friends vehicles back in the '90s. It's good to see this line make a come-back.
This is super cool to see. I just pulled out a pair of 6.5" ES components from 1998. Tweeters blew but drivers held up. The 1998 6.5's also used composite. Cool to see them use a composite again in the line.
That 1.2 cu.ft. Sealed Enclosure requirement for a 10" Subwoofer is quite large! Usually 0.6cf-0.85cf is a more typical requirement for a 10" subwoofer.
Unfortunately, it's going to be a bit difficult to get these installed in A LOT of pickups either behind or under the seats, which is a HUGE percentage of the market as evident by how many Ford F-150 series trucks roll into the install bay at @Five Star Car Stereo
Installing just one of these 10" ES subs might be do-able, but installing 2 of them while retaining most of your usable seating and leg room in a pickup truck will be a challange without a fully custom enclosure.
In addition, being that these are the *Mobile ES* line, all of the *Sony Mobile ES Enthusiasts* would greatly appreciate it if Sony would publish the full T/S Parameters and Electro-Mechanical properties, along with 0°/15°/30°/45° on- & off-axis Frequency Response charts and Impedance Plots for this new speaker & subwoofer line.
For instance, Kris mentioned the *Aluminum Shorting Rings* in the ES speakers that were added to lower Inductance & reduce Distortion. Please publish the actual *Le* spec for each of these speakers and the subwoofer.
If they are truly "Elevated Standard", why not show us the specs??? No, not ALL specs matter, but SOME DO!
Also, what's that *500Hz HPF* on the 6.5" ES Component midwoofer all about??? And a 5kHz HPF for a Large tweeter??? Most 1.5" or larger tweeters can safely be High Passed at ~3kHz and even lower to help match the directivity/dispersion of the 6.5" midwoofer before it starts to beam significantly. :confused:
#SonyMobileES
yea the 5kHz cross'd tweeter is very confusing to me
Time for Kenwood to revamp their Excelon line and Pioneer their Premier line! The game has changed. Nice looking Sony products.
Kenwood Excelon are still legit.
Awesome coverage but the
Edit cut was so intense on the video that it was making me feel uncomfortable
My favorite line is back baby!!
Sony XAV-9500ES needs to be able to turn of that analog clock plastered on the middle of the screen..
I have Sony Mobile ES speakers and the GS4 amplifier hooked up to a Pioneer AVH 1550NEX in my 2015 Toyota Camry and the sound quality literally puts a smile on my face. I could literally hear the lips of the singer, the clunk of piano keys, the sniff of the conductor, and more nuances that are missed by even bose premium systems.
3 things, that ess chip needs to be in a double din as well. They need a 6x9 component set with a 3" mid as well (dome for easy install), and a 12" version of that 10" subwoofer.
The new Sony products are pretty good. And that 3yr warranty is nice
I wish they’d make these new screen units with hookups and controls for their CD changers. I have an original ES unit from the 90’s in my truck with the 10 disc changer and would love to update it to a new screen unit, but then I lose the CD changer.
My one feature I wish the car audio community would stop neglecting is cd drives maybe not built into the head unit but an optional add on maybe to go into the 2nd din slot or in the glove box or just support for generic usb cd drives
@Savage Pie
One of my car audio installs doesn't have a head unit but uses an 8" Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 LTE Phone/Tablet (model # SM-T715Y) as my Digital "head unit/source" into a Helix DSP PRO MK-II.
HOWEVER, I also still wanted the option to play CD discs in my system. So I bought a small, thin, portable Sony CD Walkman player (Model # D-EJ715) which has a mini-TOSLINK Digital Optical Output.
The small portable Sony CD player cost me about $25 on eBay and operates on 2 'AA' batteries. Don't buy any of these CD Walkmans that use the Sony's Rechargeable "gumstick" batteries. Stick to the 'AA' battery powered units. Also, only a few select models have the TOSLINK Digital Output...look for models starting with ''D-EJ7xx'' or ''D-EJ8xx''.
I also added a Sony # RM-MC10L Wired Remote control. The main CD Walkman unit stays in my center console armrest storage cubby and is connected to my Helix DSP via an Optical TOSLINK cable.
The remote is about the same diameter but half the length of a Sharpie marker pen and has a small LCD display. It's easy to control the CD playback just by tactile feel using the remote.
With the Digital connection it sounds fantastic and works great for those rare times I need or want to play a CD disc. Very little investment as well.
One of my other installs uses the Kenwood DDX9907XR head unit. Even though this head unit has a built-in CD/DVD drive, I tested the Sony CD Walkman connected to it via analog "Aux In" and it sounds great.
Using the Sony CD Walkman's 3.5mm "Line Output" (it shares the same 3.5mm jack as the Optical mini-TOSLINK output), I connected the CD Walkman into the back of the DDX9907XR's 3.5mm analog AV/AUX Input using a standard 3.5mm stereo miniplug cable. :) No complaints!
I loved Sony ES . That head is amazing so far!
Great video. Thanks. I remember the sony Elevated Stardard from back in the day.
I have this exact deck, the same 6.5 components (I left the back door speakers stock, which arent horrible in the WRX limited Harmon system) the 4 channel ES powering the components and bridged in the rear to power the new 10 inch ES sub in my 2020 WRX. Clarity and warmth is incredible. Too many tweeters today are so bright, these are smooth. I have everything perfectly crossed over and I am seriously impressed. I have had JL Audio, Hertz and Focal in my car and frankly, these sound as good for less money. The deck could use a firmware update/upgrade as there are some quirks. Background not visible during carplay, having to change screens to get to certain apps is tedious while driving, for the screen size you should be able to fit more apps on the carplay screen, and the XM radio should have more presets. But I think a firmware update could fix all of these. The sound quality of all these products is phenomenal. The components remind me of an old set of A/D/S set I had in my old prelude in the mid 90's.
Holy cow indeed! That's a sweet install!
Hopefully Sony actually brings it. I have an old Mobile ES deck from back in the day chillin in the original box because it's the one HU I just could never part with. I've been waiting for Sony to quit messing with the junk and get back to some quality HU. I'm happy with my Excelons, but it would be great to have more options. You listening Pioneer..... Cough..... Cough..... Premier!
This is crazy it's like having a studio in your car🚀🚀🚀🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥
Never had ES MODEL BUT my cdx-gt805dx works great
I am a fan of Sony previously until I came across Altec Lansing audio products now it seems Sony has came back with this promising audio product
About time. Real crossover controls.
Unfortunately, still not enough for a full 3-way front stage + Subwoofer setup even in advanced network mode, nevermind having rear speakers or rear fill. Sony, please correct me if I'm wrong!
@Sony
The shallow mounting depth on the 6.5" components is nice. But I'm a bit disappointed with the choice of the large ferrite magnets and larger rear basket design that can make these difficult to mount and fit in many vehicles, regardless of their shallow depth.
Take a look at the Neo magnets and tapered rear baskets on Alpine's flagship X-S65C 6.5" components. Despite them having a mounting depth that is 1/8" more than the Sony's 2-3/16" mounting depth, IME the Alpines will fit in more applicationsdue to the narrow rear baskets and Neo magnets...and they sound incredible as well.
Yes, I realise that the Alpine X-S65C are double the price of the Sony components, but I'm comparing them from the viewpoint of them being each respective company's Flagship Component set.
product looks awesome! i would like to see toslink optical outputs though, dont understand why they dont put those on when majority of the DSPs support optical input.
Why didn't they add any kind of video playback what a joke
@@mattthegreat4389 I'm not 100% sure but with 3 camera inputs couldn't one of the inputs be an analog video input? That's all the camera is right?
I know 2 dins are the future and all, but id love a top of the line, suddle without flashy colors, single din cd and non cd Sony headunit
Sony RSX-GS9. Pricey though.
@@nixonhoover2 yeeeeah. It looks like it's the only way do get a full digital audison build
Woohoo! Dual rca sub output!
I nearly bought the super nice ax1000 for 120$, but it only has 1 rca for sub! Yeah yeah there's y cables, but I swear there is a difference in noise floor
What’s this for 2 sub amps ?
Good morning to Dean and Tattoo !
I just got head unit and put it in my Sunaru BRZ and it just fits...
I love Fernando man
can you make a video on Sony Xav 7000 with the built in amp feature with direct sub wooofer connection?
seeing as it has a 6 channel dsp built in would you need a separate one
Finally sony about time.
@Sony
I realize that the trend is towards these large screen "Floating" display head units, but not everyone wants or can fit this type of unit in their vehicles.
I do have the 10.1" Kenwood DMX1057XR in ONE of my vehicles and love it (had to have a VOLUME KNOB!), but it still covers more of the vents and dash controls than I would like.
But the large Sony XAV9500ES or Kenwood Floating Displays are not an option for me in my other vehicles due to their overall size and obstruction of the dash vents and controls.
Even with your extensive screen positioning options, these large displays cover too much of the A/C vents and potentially important dash buttons or controls in MANY vehicles.
If you were to simply *Minimize the Large Bezels* around the XAV-9500ES's display to be similar to a modern iPad or similar tablet, it would reduce the overall display's footprint SUBSTANTIALLY while keeping the actual screen real estate the same, and it would be usable (or at least much less of a compromise) in many more vehicles. #Bezelgate
Will you be offering a standard in-dash 2-DIN Mobile ES head unit with similar features in the future???
And FFS, PLEASE bring back the TOSLINK OPTICAL OUTPUT that was STANDARD ON EVERY other SONY FLAGSHIP head unit! It's a matter of adding less than $5 to the cost.
Even my Y2K era Pioneer Premier DEX-P9 had a Digital Output that sent ALL of the sources over the Digital output, including AM/FM/CD, and even the AUX input!
And I can tell you from personal experience that you ARE LOSING SALES to the *Stinger Heigh10* due to its Toslink Digital Output. PLEASE just give us the OPTION to use it like on the RSX-GS9, CDX-C90, and CDX-C910!
C'mon Sony, YOU CAN DO IT! ELEVATE YOUR STANDARD!
Can you have any gaming consuls hooked up to them and play DVDs?
How do the Sony es stack up to the morel virtus line of components?
Looked the full specs of the headunit up. Sadly, no 3 way x over. So this unit aside from the super cool display, does nothing more than my Kenwood Dnx995s. I'm very glad to see dsd/dsf support is back though, Kenwood dropped it.
Why did Sony put those huge bezels on those screens? I mean come on, make the thing more compact please
I gotta agree with you it looks like Tesla screen.
@Leandro Jack
Agree 100%! Those GIANT BEZELS make this unit way larger than it needs to be!
No matter what mounting/positioning options they have for the display, the extra overall size due to the large bezels will cause it to cover and/or block access to A/C vents and potentially important controls/buttons/switches/dials, etc.
This unit could be CONSIDERABLY more installer-friendly and less obstructive/smaller overall by using thin, minimalistic "modern" bezels, while still having the same available Touchscreen size & area.
This will keep it from being sold and installed in a large number of vehicles where it otherwise could have fit.
And I still think it was a mistake to not include a volume knob, even if we do have SWC.
@@bbfoto7248 Exactly! Sony makes smartphones and TV's with reasonably sized bezels with all the components behind the screen, in these units, majority of the components are in the unit itself so I really wonder why they had to be so huge
12:15 Did he just say that they are using a 500hz high-pass for the 6.5" driver? If that's so, that's kinda dumb. That's a good 2-3 octaves higher than it should be.
maybe they're pushing to get a second mid bass driver and that is midrange....lol
I like my speakers high passed at 85 Hz and let the subs do 85 Hz and under
I was thinking the same thing! Talk about clipping off the nuts 😒 I’m thinking a set of the coaxial in rear fill would make up for it but who knows without throwing an rta in the car. I’m debating these hard, components in front an coaxial rear full active not using their xover and relying on helix dsp to do the job. I do feel a 3 or 4” mid added to make it 3 way active would really make it competitive with the higher end stuff available since these aren’t cheap sets!
Anthony Barker I looked at the owners manual and it only shows 5,000 hz as the crossover frequency. Maybe the guy was nervous because he was being filmed and mixed up his numbers here. Really can’t imagine Sony would flub the crossover that bad.
He might have meant 50hz HP that would help protect them if there is not crossover set on the amp or head unit.
This head unit does not have a knob which is #1 priority.
Can you add a volume knob like a bass knob?
Most likely people will use steering wheel controls for volume adjust.
@@hifiman4562
IMPO, a Rotary Knob that you can locate and access via tactile touch no matter what position the steering wheel is in are way more convenient...and safer.
I use my steering wheel controls quite a bit, but they are still a bit of a PITA IMO.
My favorite "Volume Control" is the original high grade aluminum Sony RM-X90 Rotary Commander Remote for the OG Sony Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit.
With that remote you can control Volume, Mute, Source Switching, and all Track/Playback Controls via Tactile Touch alone, while never taking your eyes off the road, rather than trying to locate the SWC buttons while mid-turn when the steering wheel controls are in an odd or inaccessible position.
I ended up getting a compatible wireless IR "candy bar" remote for my Kenwood DDX9907XR that has proven to be way more convenient and with more options than my steering wheel controls.
But ideally, I think that ALL of these DD or larger Touchscreen head units should have a Large, Persistent Mute Icon on the touchscreen, AND a Persistent, full-height vertical "Volume Slider" on the far left of the screen (for left-hand drive vehicles).
These should be placed at the far left-hand edge of the touchscreen so that they are more 'tactile" and don't require nearly any concerted visual effort to locate.
How is the sound quality compared to the old pioneer stage 4 equipment? Does this have more audio settings than the Pioneer DEX P99rs?
@Five Star Car Audio
Thanks for the excellent video and info Dean & Nando! And AWESOME install in the Lexus, Jared! (Sp?)
Okay, I hate to be the Negative Nancy in the comments, but here it goes (with a few positive points as well)...
I've been a Sony Mobile ES enthusiast since the 1990's. I was very pleased to hear that Sony are employing aluminum "shorting rings" in the ES speakers' magnetic motor system to lower inductance and reduce distortion. THUMBS UP!
Here are a few questions and comments regarding the new Mobile ES lineup. Please forward my questions to Kris Bulla @Sony / #Sony / #mobilees / #sonymobilees ...
1. XS-162ES Component Set: Why is there a 500Hz HPF on a 6.5" midwoofer via the Passive XO Network when the Frequency Response is rated down to 40Hz and should be excellent up to roughly 2.5kHz before beaming as well??? In addition, why is there such a high 5kHz HPF on a large 1.5" dome tweeter??? Even most 1" tweeters have a HPF in the 3kHz-4kHz region. Perhaps it is a 500Hz LPF on the 6.5" midwoofer and you are using shallow 1st order crossover slopes (6dB/octave) between the midwoofer and tweeter so that they "sum"" to a relatively flat frequency response within the XO region? Still, that seems like a HUGE gap between the midwoofer's 500Hz and tweeter's 5,000Hz XO points! Please elaborate.
2. XAV-9500ES Head Unit:
A. Why are there such WIDE, BLANK BEZELS around this 10.1" Floating Screen??? This increases the OVERALL "footprint" of the floating display dramatically! These floating screens should use the minimum possible bezels (like current iPads and tablets) in order to provide for the greatest amount of unobstructed installation possibilities. Even with the excellent display positioning options, the significantly increased overall size due to the LARGE BEZELS means that the display is much more likely to cover A/C Vents and Block Access to potentially important dash controls (buttons/switches/knobs). :(
B. Why is a *HD Tuner* not included at this price point???
C. NO VOLUME KNOB ??? WHY??? During the KnowledgeFest announcement, Kris stated that, "We didn't have room for a Volume Knob". That makes absolutely NO SENSE! This is a *Floating Screen* Display! Of course there is room for a Volume Knob!!! You obviously had room to put Giant Bezels, why not a Volume Knob? The 10.1" Kenwood XRs have them, and the Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 have Volume Knobs! And from my discussions that is one KEY REASON that people purchased those over other units, including your XAV-8000. In the recent DD & Larger Head Unit polls that I've conducted on the major car audio forums, ~80% said that they would prefer a nice Volume Knob. *GUYS, EVERYONE LOVED the VOLUME KNOB on the SONY RSX-GS9, and you took it away* ?!?! :(
D. Since you did not provide a VOLUME KNOB, I would like Sony to offer a High Quality *Rotary Commander Remote* like Sony's *RM-X90* for the CDX-C90.
With these large displays, driver distraction is a HUGE issue. Maybe I'm old school, but I could pretty much control ALL of the Playback and Source switching functions of the system, as well as Volume Level and Mute, without ever taking my eyes off the road by using the Tactile and well placed buttons and rotary knobs on the RM-X90 remote!!! Please Bring this Back!!!
E. TOSLINK OPTICAL OUTPUT: I know you guys all think that the best way to use this Head Unit (just like the RSX-GS9) is with its Analog RCA Outputs to take advantage of the ESS Sabre DAC. HOWEVER, Considering its Retail Price, Sony's previous implementation of the ESS Sabre DAC in the RSX-GS9 was mediocre at best. You can peruse the test results from an industry-standard AudioPrecision Analyzer that were performed by Amir M on the *Audio Science Review* Internet Forums. Amir has tested Hundreds of DACs, and the RSX-GS9 was near the bottom of the rankings in performance. .(I'll be sending Amir one of these new head units to test as well.)
At least we had the OPTION to use the TOSLINK Output with the RSX-GS9! Now you've taken this away. ALL of your previous Mobile "Elevated Standard" head units have had an available Digital Output!
WHY is this important??? At Least Three Reasons:
1. It eliminates noise issues and ground loops when installing into vehicles that are known to have noise issues.
2. There is no reason to have multiple redundant A/D & D/A Conversions if I am going to connect my head unit to an outboard, standalone DSP unit. 90% of the available DSP units have a Toslink Digital Input and some have Digital Coaxial as well.
3. It costs you less than $5 to include a Digital Toslink Output (I've added them to head units in the past. It was not easy to do, but the necessary parts to do this were CHEAP!).
Many car audio enthusiasts have chosen the *Stinger HEIGH10* & *ELEV8* head units for both the Volume Knob AND the TOSLINK Digital Outputs. You.(Sony) had the opportunity to ELIMINATE Stinger's advantage, AND you COULD HAVE had a clear advantage over the Kenwood XR head units as well. MISSED OPPORTUNITY, Sony!!!
F. BUILT-IN AMPLIFIER?: None of your previous MOBILE ES head units have had a built-in amplifier! At this "Elevated Standard" level, people expect it to be a "Dead Head" to prevent internal noise and contamination of the digital circuitry.
AND, when you are spending $1300 on a "High-End" head unit, enthusiast are naturally going to want to pair these with separate, higher power amplifiers.
If a customer is willing to spend $1300 on a Head Unit, it's not a stretch for them to match it with a capable amplifier and spend another $250 for a Sony XM-GS4 amplifier (which was made to pair with the RSX-GS9) and/or the XM-GS100 mono amp.
And by including a built-in amplifier, you've also missed another opportunity for both you AND Your Dealers to make additional sales by selling at least a XM-GS4 amplifier!
If anything, I would have liked you to offer the amplifier as an OPTIONAL "Snap-In" Module, much like Alpine has done with their ILX-W series head units with the optional "PowerStack" add-on amplifier modules!
G. CROSSOVER OPTIONS?: In the PowerPoint presentation slides, you show the TIME ALIGNMENT screen and the GEQ/PEQ screens. Can we see more of the CROSSOVER NETWORK screen??? What options are available in the Crossover Network? What are the possible HP, LP, and BandPass Filter Cut-Off Frequencies? What are the Available Crossover Types (Linkwitz-Riley, Bessel, Butterworth?), and what XO Orders (Slopes) are available???... 6/12/18/24/36/48 ?
H. Kenwood's XR-series head units have 5V analog RCA preamp outputs as well. In my tests using an oscilloscope, the Kenwood XR's do not clip even at full 40/40 output volume. Does this Sony XAV-9500ES actually reach its full 5V on ALL of its RCA preamp outputs without clipping???
I. COMPOSITE Video Camera Inputs???: HELLO SONY, *Composite Video is from the 1980's* and has major resolution and quality limitations. You've got a LARGE, beautiful "HD" Display now! You need to ELEVATE your STANDARDS to *HD* Camera Inputs! It's frekkin' 2021, Mmkay!?
J. I like the TWO programmable/assignable "custom buttons" along the bottom bezel. However, WHY did you place all of the other Tactile Push buttons along the Top Edge??? Kris touted that the Sony's corner bezel radii make it easy to do a custom "Flush Mount" install. HOWEVER, ALL of these top-mount buttons would be useless and inaccessible if we want to completely mold the display flush into our dash or center console. Makes No Sense!
K. I would have loved a second USB-C input port on the bottom edge or back of the floating display!
In the end, the XAV-9500ES does have a lot of great features. HOWEVER, Sony really had the perfect opportunity to SMASH The Competition, but IMO they unfortunately did not "Elevate their Standard" quite high enough.
At least in my eyes this is a bit of a "watered-down" Mobile ES line, and not the Cost-No-Object/No-Holes-Barred Mobile ES line we previously knew and loved. I think at least a few of my points above make this clear.
Maybe next time. (Yes, there will always be some people that you can never please!) :-P
Great points im mostly bummed about non HD, bezels, non dead-head, the strange xover gap¿, no detachable face, I can live without no cd I suppose and I’m not holding my breath on 3way crossover capability and different xover types.
Can the huge analog clock be removed
Why so much bezel still?
Hey Sony guy, since you came out with a new radio how about a F'n firmware update for people like me who purchased the $1,500 Before tax Rsx-Gs9 since you haven't came out with one in 4 years so that they won't have anymore Bluetooth issues
Will a high resolution player work via usb? If it does will CarPlay still function for maps while your using the usb??
Does this screen work with the old Sony minidisc changers b TV any chance? It has the same changer socket on the back.
Cant be a "benchmark" with out a CD player. At least Alpine has a Hi Res Media Player
What are the tweeters crossed at?
If only it had Optical out like the RSX-GS9… it could have been the GOAT of head units.
I think the reason why that doesn't exist is so you can make use of the Sabre DAC via a low level preout.
@@DoeBoy999
True. But there are still situations where it is more beneficial to use a Digital Output.
For instance, in vehicles or when using other particular electrical audio components/devices that are known to have bad EMI & RFI noise issues.
In addition, *IF* Sony is/was going to release a high-end *Mobile ES DSP* to complete the new Mobile ES system lineup, it would be better to have that ESS Sabre DAC in the Actual DSP unit and send the signal from the Head Unit to the DSP with a Direct Digital link.
Otherwise, as it is, the system will be doing redundant and unnecessary A/D and D/A conversions. There can be significant detrimental issues when two separate DAC units are connected via common ground connections, i.e. via analog RCA interconnects and a common power & ground source..
At the very least they would need to use Differential low-level RCA outputs and inputs. But there would still be potential for ground loops because both units would be powered via the same electrical ground plane.
Using separate electrically isolated OPTICAL Digital Outputs and Inputs has been the case for ALL of Sony's previous Mobile ES Head Units and DSPs. I'm still using the original Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit and XDP-4000X DSP in one of my "old school" installs.
And that old Sony Mobile ES system holds its own in regards to pure SQ extremely well, even compared to my other "modern" High-End systems that use both 5v analog RCA preouts and pure digital sources connected to the Helix DSP Ultra and miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 DL processors.
I'll address this issue further in another post.
@Ben Hayes
AND a *Volume Knob* like the Kenwood 10.1" XR and Stinger ELEV8/HEIGH10 head units. That's just my preference.
Anything on the horizon for Harley Touring bikes? Mine needs some better speakers / amps.
where's the Xplode?
Sales: "Alot of bang for your buck."
Customer: "Too much."
No video playback so clearly not enough thats a key feature to a head unit of this size
@@mattthegreat4389 additional feature for $200
@@jamesmcmahonii8433 how so I am curious to know please and thank you
@@jamesmcmahonii8433 I can't find any info on that.
6.5 mid bass driver crossover @ 500 HZ ??
and tweeter crossed at 5kHz
Right.that means the sub is carring all the midbass
@@MyBlowncobra no. mid is low passed at 500hz, not high
@@devnull182
But Kris Bulla from Sony also said that the Tweeter's HPF was at 5kHz. Without using a dedicated 3"-4" Midrange speaker, a HUGE GAP between 500Hz & 5,000Hz in a 2-way component set makes absolutely NO SENSE!
A 6.5" midwoofer doesn't begin to significantly beam until the 2kHz + region, so limiting it to just 500Hz seems silly... unless it has horrible breakup modes/distortion products above 500Hz.
But that is highly uncommon even in mediocre 6.5" midwoofers until at least 2kHz or higher.
Perhaps Sony's 2-way Passive Crossover Networks are using extremely shallow 1st Order Crossover Slopes (6dB/octave) on both the midwoofer and tweeter so that they sum to a relatively flat response.
BUT that is still a stretch and would cause serious frequency-dependent image "wandering" between the midwoofer and tweeter, especially when they are separated by any moderate distance (as is normal with placement in OEM speaker locations).
If the midwoofers and tweeters were coaxial or very close together (like typical home audio speakers), this might work well. But that is generally not the case in most car audio installs.
I would like to see Klippel or Clio verified On- & Off-Axis Frequency Response Graphs & full Impedance plots using the 2-way passive crossover networks with this 6.5" 2-way ES component set.
@@MyBlowncobra
FYI, the Frequency Response specs for the Mobile ES 6.5" 2-way component set are listed as reaching down to 40Hz on the low end, so I doubt that is the case.
Having any frequencies below about ~120Hz coming from a subwoofer that is behind you will be very detrimental to the "up-front" imaging and soundstage.
Class ab amps pleeeaase? I run the original 260g- very impressive.
Can you install other apps?
It’s too bad that there is no band pass crossover. It would be nice to run an active two way with sub.
Do you think I need my Audio Control DQDX if I bought this unit, or with all of its built-in stuff would it just be a waste?
I dont think you would need it. This does basically everything the AC does, with more control directly from the deck.
I think the bezels should be bigger. Decks look like they came from the 80s.
Does it connect to a obd
"HiRes, 40khz" in a car. My dog looked at me sideways and shook his head
*SUBJECT: VOLUME KNOB*
Attn. Kris Bulla @SONY
I have a future solution for those that want an actual Volume Knob. Make it an OPTIONAL Snap-In Module.
For instance, create a small, dual-concentric rotating Master & Subwoofer Volume control, plus push-button Mode & Preset Selector...i.e. a "Commander" type knob similar to the *JL Audio DRC-205* that is complete with different color LED illumination to indicate different modes or presets, or to match the OEM interior lighting.
Design it as a small, modular unit that could simply be "snapped" into the Bottom Edge of the display's giant bezel using a narrow "PC motherboard Card Slot" PCB connector, like a PC motherboard's PCI-E Card Slot, but with fewer connections.
Since the "port" for it would be underneath the display bezel, if you didn't have it installed, there would be no noticeable or visual indication that it was missing...no ugly gaps, blank space, etc.
You could even provide 3 different "port" Locations for it on the bottom of the bezel to provide for both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicles, or for personal preference, which would allow you to place it on the Bottom Left, Bottom Center, or Bottom Right.
Keep it inexpensive...between $30-$75. $100 extra to add a Volume Knob is a big ask that many would not go for after already spending $1300 for the head unit itself.
At the Sony Mobile ES announcement at Knowledgefest, Sony's Kris Bulla stated that, "there wasn't enough room to include a volume knob"...and I thought to myself, WTF?...this is a FLOATING SCREEN head unit...OF COURSE there is room for a volume knob! Just look at the other large floating screen head units such as the 10.1" Kenwood XR's and the Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10!
Maybe if Sony didn't put Ginormous Bezels around the display on this Sony HU there would be more room for an actual volume knob! SMH
I'm sure Sony will sell a lot of these despite this. But the Kenwood XR 10.1" and Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 are selling quite well...and the VOLUME KNOBS are one of the main reasons owners cite for their purchase of these over competing units.
IN ADDITION, the VOLUME KNOB was another thing that SONY Enthusiasts absolutely LOVED about the *RSX-GS9* as well. And Sony just took it away. :/
I know that there is a big divide among people regarding having a Volume Knob or not, so that's why I think the modular/add-on approach would work well.
Either that, or create an updated, high-quality version of the original *Sony Mobile ES RM-X90 Rotary Commander Remote* made for the original ToTL Sony Mobile ES CDX-C90 head unit. It was made from top notch materials such as high-grade anodized & machined aluminum and when you had it in hand it was sexy AF and screamed "High-End".
With the RM-X90 Rotary Remote, I can control Volume & Mute, Source Switching, and full Track Playback Control just by Tactile Feel without ever taking my eyes off the road! And IMO, it is way more convenient than the SWC in a lot of vehicles!
I'm still using the CDX-C90 and XDP-4000X DSP in one of my "old school" installs, and I have to say that in terms of Pure SQ, they still hold their own against my other high-end car audio systems that use the Helix DSP Ultra and miniDSP C-DSP 8x12 processors with top-notch amplifiers and component systems.
I second the attachable volume knob! It would satisfy me if it operated the same as my CAR910W. Lighted would be nice as well.
@Natural Creature
Did you ever own the Sony RSX-GS9? If you ask ANYBODY who owned and used one, the large centered Volume Knob was one of the main selling points.
And I realize it's not as relatable to car audio, but traditionally, home audio enthusiasts LOVE amplifiers and integrated amplifiers that have a large, high-quality volume knob on the front panel.
That ALONE drove the high sales numbers of many home audio amps compared to those that did not have one! And A LOT of home audio enthusiasts are also car audio enthusiasts, so those trends or desires naturally carry over.
*An easily accessible volume knob is the absolute fastest and easiest way to control the stereo's volume in a vehicle*
In a car it doesn't have to be large, but it should be prominent and easily accessible. As an installer, one of my absolute favorite Volume Knobs/Controllers is the JL Audio DRC-205 Remote Knob for the VXi series DSP Amplifiers.
It's small and easy to mount, but has Two Concentric Rings or Knobs to control Master Volume Level AND Subwoofer Level.
And the front knob is also a Push-Button to activate selection of the various DSP Tuning Presets & Source Selection. You can also assign a specific Color to the LED backlight to differentiate each each Tuning Preset or Source.
The DRC-205 controller knob is GENIUS and is what I'd like to see (at least as an option) incorporated into this new Sony ES large floating screen display. Again, it could be an optional piece that snaps into the lower bezel of the display to satisfy both camps.
Try using the Kenwood 10.1" DMX1057XR or DMX1037S. The included Volume Knob is not obtrusive and is very quick and easy to reach for and operate compared to most steering wheel controls, or the silly TINY volume buttons on most of these head units!...especially when driving on winding canyon roads (I have exotic/sports cars and get bored driving in a straight line, LOL).
I don't want to fiddle with a separate wireless IR "candy bar" remote that may go flying anywhere in the cabin during spirited canyon driving. ;) On the Kenwood 1057, the simple Volume Knob is always there and accessible.
If it was or is a fixed/mounted remote like the previous *Sony Mobile ES RM-X90 Rotary Commander* for the CDX-C90 head unit, I'm all in! It is incredibly ergonomic and you can EASILY memorize the knob and button functions without ever taking your eyes off the road.
Seriously, what would it cost for a coaxial out on these head units?
It wasn't easy, but I've added a Digital Toslink Optical output to one of my old school Denon single-DIN head units years ago. The parts to do this cost me just a little over $5! It would probably cost pennies for the manufacturer to do this! SMH
Are they planning on releasing 3 way components?
A little birdie says, "Yes", but don't hold me to that, LOL.
Apparently a volume knob wasn't on that wish list.
Obviously not. :( And I think that was a big mistake.
At the Sony Mobile ES announcement at Knowledgefest, Sony's Kris Bulla stated that, "there wasn't enough room to include a volume knob"...and I thought to myself, WTF?...this is a FLOATING SCREEN head unit...OF COURSE there is room for a volume knob! Look at the other floating screen units that I cited above!
And maybe if they didn't put Giant Bezels around the display on this Sony HU there would be more room for an actual volume knob! SMH
I'm sure they will sell a lot of these despite this. But the Kenwood XR 10.1" and Stinger ELEV8 & HEIGH10 are selling quite well...and the VOLUME KNOB is one of the main reasons owners cite for their purchase of these over competing units.
And the Volume Knob was another thing enthusiasts LOVED about the RSX-GS9 as well. And Sony just took it away. :/
thats why they make steering wheel controls
You all REALLY need to hear the gs4 amps. Class a/b should be on your front stage. Not class D.
@hifi trucker
I agree that the Sony XM-GS4 amplifiers are really good, especially at their price point.
However, (not bragging) but I've been fortunate enough to use some of the highest end Class A and A/B amplifiers in both car and home audio setups. And *Some* Class-D amps are just as good (and actually way better when it comes to SNR and THD/noise floor) compared to their Class A & A/B counterparts.
Obviously Class-D is WAY more efficient, too. This will become more important as more and more vehicles become electric and do away with the ICE and an alternator.
The Class-A & -A/B to Class-D amplifier debate is all but a myth at this point in time!
Try the tiny Biketronics & Vivid Amps Hypex UcD and Hypex Ncore based Class-D amps. No joke, they are at least as good or better than any Class A or A/B amplifier that I've used.
Also check out the small D'Amore Engineering Class-D amplifiers. In addition, JL Audio's newer VXi series DSP/Amplifiers sound fantastic, even if the specs might not seem to be the best.
The ONLY instance where a Class-D amplifier *might not* sound as good as a Class-A or A/B amplifier is when it is pushed into Clipping.
HOWEVER, you want to avoid Clipping Distortion when using ANY amplifier for SQ purposes, and with proper gain structure that is basically a moot point!
And most modern Class-D amplifiers handle clipping just as well as A & A/B. So there's that.
I'm NOT saying that ALL amplifiers sound the same. But you can no longer make a blanket statement that Class-A or A/B amplifiers will ALWAYS sound better than a Class-D amplifier! PERIOD!
@@bbfoto7248 I’ve heard a UA-cam demo of a gallium nitride class D amp and it sounds really nice and vibrant much better than all the other class D amps but, I still prefer that pleasant mild distortion that vintage class AB stereo receivers are known for.
Unfortunately this unit does not play video media files from USB nor does it have hdmi input
why no volume knob???? there is no better volume control than a knob!
Are the chassis copper cased
No, I don't think so from the pictures that I've seen.
Does that head unit have auto EQ?
No, this head unit does not have Auto-EQ.
Choose a less expensive head unit that you like in terms of features and spend the balance on the Kicker KEY DSP/Amplifiers if you want Auto-EQ.
They are inexpensive and do a very good job at auto-tuning.
Supposedly Kicker will be releasing a new KEY DSP/Amplifier with more channels and more power in 2022. I'm hoping that it will be a "Q Class" product, but we'll have to wait and see.
They also *might* release a standalone DSP with 8 or more channels, but I'm not gonna hold my breath on that due to certain complexities.
@@bbfoto7248 No offense but the Kicker stuff is teetering dangerously close to swap meet/punch stuff. I have auditioned alot of their stuff at the local car audio store and was not impressed at all.
you guys seemed to have thought of everything so where's video at and at least screen mirroring? a cheap $200 eBay radio has a screen mirroring feature, what's up with that? can I add a Roku , I need UA-cam , where's the obd2 Bluetooth port that plugs into my obd2 port so that I can check engine , and vehicle maintenance ?
No video playback options I can't mirror my phone or use the usb to watch movies on a $1,300 unit ill pass
Kind of a mild DSP built in.
I been a Sony guy since I was 4 or 5 years old and have owned plenty of Sony equipment over the years (Standard and ES) This is very cool stuff here but I'm not seeing anything revolutionary. ES gear has always been decent stuff but it's also always been a bit overpriced. Looks like the tradition will continue
Hey hi 👋 can u help me regarding Sony SX 162 ES series component speakers plz ?
Yeah buddy
I got a c90
@anonymous mc
👍 I'm still using a CDX-C90 with the XDP-4000X DSP in one of my old school installs as well. :)
It still sounds absolutely fantastic and holds its own against my other high-end installs that use the modern Helix and miniDSP DL processors.
The OG Sony gear is really old at this point, and I'll be extremely sad when it finally gives up the ghost. :( But I've got 3 backup C90's just for this reason. :-P
Sony 👍👍
It hurts me this won't fit my f150, hard to believe how few places I have seen selling this lineup. They speakers look awesome but a fair bit more expensive than jl c2 lineup. Hard to buy an expensive pair of door speakers with no comparison reviews.
sound demo by apple CarPlay 😵💫😵💫😵💫
Sorry but I still like the pioneer units better
HDMI??? Yes or No
Sony!
720p in 2021/22,mehhhh!
I watch the video quite interestingly ... for me the Sony until 1995 had the quality, sony mobile xes car audio system,
Since then, I've only been collecting your amps.
I love it, but until I hear I see a store-bought, audible piece in Europe, I wouldn't list the new series anywhere ...
The video is great, the tablet display is awful to me.
The bezels🤮🤮
To bad it will not playback video from UA-cam and other apps like that
Saweet
Whoever designed the UI should be fired and I'm talking a 9mm between his eyes. BRING BACK THE UI FROM THE XAV-702BT!
The bass cracked the high too sharp
I have this Sony 9500 es head unit and im trying to play videos and access UA-cam and Netflicks from the dash, in the dash utilizing a fire stick seamlessly like Siri & CarPlay, any helpful ideas, anybody...??? it really sucks that this doesn't have a screen mirroring option -like a 10 screen to display the Song Title and Artist, its like im hooked on Phonix and reading the Super-Duper JUMBO sized font and print-style, Like who needs all of that, I was rushing I guess but $1400 for a huge screen for backup cam1 , Cam2 & Cam3 doesn't cut it... please Sony listen to me, or send me the next headhunt to get my feedback, smh
1280x720 is a joke. 480p backup cameras only supported I would suspect.
Lightweight good. Resonances bad.
1300 hard pass
News flash. Sony ES is obsolete.
Nice.
But sucks we did not get to hear them.
👎👎👎
720!! 😏🤔🤬🤭
How is possible this brand new digital media receiver don't have HD Radio built also another still receiver sleeve from a smart phone? everyone look the price for what you get it?? this isn't another insufficient expensive device.
Everyone remember this, all digital media radios if don't have a smart phone close, you just to have peace or stereo same 1990 just FM/AM no CD no Cassettes. My point is 2022 all Stereos Digital media Streaming are coming must to be GPS Built, HD Radio Built at least for the price, why?? thinking about it, you are using a receiver just to fo plug to you car and play music, just are using bluetooth or usb and a stereo you paying $1000 or more. i dont know, if someone thinking im wrong please explain me what happen/. Tanks ands sorry for my gramma.