Sony has lately launched a brand new automotive AV receiver, and to at least one’s shock, the machine additionally options Android Auto and CarPlay.
Photograph: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Sony
The adoption of cell phone projection programs is skyrocketing these gadgets, and whereas most carmakers set up them on their new fashions, aftermarket media upgrades are the one method to get these options in an older automotive.
Evidently, essentially the most premium merchandise available on the market are generally even higher than the factory-installed tools, and as such, upgrading to a third-party answer makes excellent sense.
Sony is among the corporations investing on this product class, and when you’ve been following its gadgets carefully, you most likely know already that Android Auto and CarPlay help have usually been amongst its priorities.
The brand-new XAV-9000ES makes no exception, as this media receiver additionally packs help for cell phone projection combined with all types of goodies to justify a somewhat excessive price ticket.
The help for wi-fi Android Auto and CarPlay is among the essential highlights, as customers can join their smartphones with out the necessity for cables. In the event you’ve been a part of the Android Auto world for over a day, you most likely know that cables have a tendency to interrupt down the connection for no clear cause. Switching to wi-fi has lengthy been the popular workaround, and gadgets like AAWireless and Motorola’s MA1 made the entire thing a lot simpler.
In fact, Sony’s media receiver doesn’t simply come right down to wi-fi cellphone projection. The machine packs a implausible display screen with a really fashionable design.
Photograph: Sony
The show measures 6.75 inches, and whereas it might appear small, the bezel-less and flush design makes it really feel like dwelling on any dashboard. With contact help, interacting with what’s on the display screen is fairly easy.
Sony says it construct this machine particularly to supply premium-quality audio and sound customization. As such, you get an ESS digital-to-analog converter that helps 32-bit processing. It additionally packs a 4-channel amplifier, in addition to help for high-resolution audio codes, together with 192 kHz / 24-bit WAV, FLAC, ALAC audio information, and DSD (22.4MHz) information by way of 192 kHz / 24-bit PCM conversion.
The media unit features a USB Kind-C connector that means that you can plug in and cost any machine. The 3A charging pace is nice sufficient to offer quick charging for almost all of smartphones, although have in mind you may want a Kind-C cable (and never a standard Kind-A wire). This shouldn’t be an issue given most new-generation telephones already help Kind-C connectors – the iPhone, as an example, makes use of a Lightning connector at one finish of the cable and USB-C on the different.
Evidently, Sony can also be providing all the opposite important options, together with 5V 3-pre out connectivity that enables clients to attach their audio programs. And talking of extra connectivity choices, the media receiver comes with three ports for exterior cameras, so you’ll be able to see dwell photographs whenever you park and pictures from different cameras (resembling a dashcam). A GPS antenna can also be out there for an improved sign when navigating.
On the finish of the day, it is laborious to search out one thing to complain about on this Sony media unit. The display screen is probably the function that may deserve an improve, because the 6.75-inch panel may really feel a bit too small for a 2023 head unit. My automotive sports activities a 7-inch show, and each time I attempt a bigger display screen, going again to my configuration looks like an enormous step backward. As such, the larger the display screen, the extra advance the expertise, particularly whenever you maintain Google Maps or Waze in focus whilst you drive.
Photograph: Sony
Sony’s essential promoting factors are the wi-fi Android Auto and CarPlay help combined with the flush floor HD show. Regardless of its small dimensions, the show appears lovely, so it blends into any dashboard neatly if a double-DIN chassis is supported.
Sadly, the worth tag is prone to be a serious shortcoming for potential patrons. Sony will promote its new media receiver for $899 in the US, so it is fairly clear it will not come for affordable. The worth suggests the machine joins Sony’s premium providing, and I completely perceive when you imagine this is not justified. A 6.75-inch media receiver must be extra inexpensive, however Sony believes all the opposite capabilities make an enormous distinction and set this new mannequin aside from the remainder of the competitors.
The machine will grow to be out there for buy in September 2023 in the US and Canada. Sony hasn’t but shared plans to convey the brand new media unit to different markets, however I anticipate it to additionally hit the cabinets in Europe later this 12 months. Within the meantime, when you’re searching for extra inexpensive media receivers with Android Auto and CarPlay help, Sony has loads of them, and when you’re not essentially concerned with wi-fi connections, the worth can drop to as little as $300 for a price range mannequin.
