Sony Electronics announced a new in-car High-Resolution Audio (Hi-Res Audio) line-up for the US market which includes the RSX-GS9 digital media player ($1,499), the XM-GS4 4-channel amplifier ($299), and the XS-GS1 Super tweeter ($199).
The head unit RSX-GS9 is natively compatible with DSD, an audio format that reproduces music with unprecedented accuracy. All components will be available in December from Sony authorized car audio specialists.
The RSX-GS9 is the latest car audio player that is natively compatible with DSD (5.6MHz/1bit, 2.8MHz/1bit), an audio format that reproduces music with unprecedented accuracy. For non-Hi-Res Audio files Sony’s DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales the audio to maximize enjoyment no matter which format your music is stored in.
Advanced connectivity features such as LDAC supported Bluetooth/ NFC in connection with Sony’s SongPal App, two USB (Type A) slots and a USB micro-B (USB DAC) ensure that you can play your music from a variety of media storage, including smartphones, USB flash drives, and MP3 players. (The SongPal App can be downloaded from Google’s Marketplace as well as Apple’s App Store.)
All of the RSX-GS9’s components – from the operational amplifiers to the clock generator – have been put together to maximize sound clarity and quality while minimizing electro-magnetic noise and vibration. They are enclosed by a super rigid dual-layer chassis resulting in an anti-resonance, low interference design. Most notably, Sony incorporated the ES9018S, the high performance 32-bit audio D/A converter by ESS Technology, Inc. The D/A converter translates your music files to analogue signals in an impressive dynamic range of up to 135dB and THD+N (total harmonic distortion and noise) of -120dB to deliver a clarity and presence that rivals live performances.
Sony’s RSX-GS9 in-car digital media player has a premium design and finish. The digital media players’ clean, single-shell front panel design is made from machine-cut, hairline-finished 14mm aluminum. This is complemented by an easily visible OLED display, backlit selection keys and a large aluminum-trimmed volume dial that fits seamlessly in the middle on the panel.
Sony’s new XM-GS4 4-channel amplifier transforms low-power audio signals into gigantic sonic waves. With its incredibly wide frequency response from 10 to 100KHz it consistently delivers powerful, voluminous tones that can be further adjusted thanks to variable low pass/high pass filters that allow for easy optimization of crossover frequencies to perfectly match with your system configuration.
No audio system is complete without speakers that bring music to life. The XS-GS1 super tweeter joins the previously released XS-GS6921 rear speakers, XS-GS1621 and XS-GS1621C front speakers, XS-GSW121 and XS-GSW121D subwoofers, and XM-GS100 mono amplifier, featuring Sony’s original MRC (Mica Reinforced Cellular) and MRC Honeycomb diaphragms for wide dynamic range, resolution, and smooth fluctuation of sound pressure through all frequency ranges.
When it comes to ultra-high frequency sound, Sony’s premium XS-GS1 25mm soft dome super tweeter is the ideal addition to realize the Hi-Res Audio experience in vehicles. Wide-open grill nets and smooth sloped front baffles maximize the speaker’s sound radiation properties. In addition, the XS-GS1’s can be installed to face the windshield rather than the listener, thereby increasing the dispersion and quality of high pitched notes to smoothly deliver delicate highs that accentuate a harmonic, soulful sound.