car audio

Pioneer Electronics is changing the way you listen to music. The company's new MIXTRAX technology works like a virtual DJ, creating a nonstop mix of your music library. MIXTRAX takes the music from your iPhone, iPod or USB/SD device and plays it back with added transitions and effects, similar to a live DJ in a club.

This is how it works: the MIXTRAX music management software analyzes your entire music collection, identifying tempo and beats per minute (BPM). The software then tags each song and creates playlists in different musical styles such as Beat, Chill, and Thump. The software identifies the best transition points of each song in the music library and mixes the tracks together. You can choose between three Mix Styles - Active, Standard and Simple – allowing you to adjust the intensity of the effects and transitions, along with the duration of each track in the mix.

Once created, the custom MIXTRAX playlists can be transferred to a USB/SD memory device and played through Pioneer in-car products, the AVH-P8400BH audio-video receiver and DEH-P7400HD and DEH-P8400BH CD receivers. MIXTRAX is also included in Pioneer's STEEZ products.

MIXTRAX Sound Demo Video:Read more

The First Car Radio Specially Built for the iPhone Now Available in the US

If you use your iPhone in the car as your music source like I do, but can't stand the sub-par Bluetooth connection or the entangled cables that pipes your music into your car stereo system, you should look at the Oxygen Audio O Car. This thing has been all over gadget news. Essentially, it turns your iPhone itself into your car stereo, and allows you to control all the regular car stereo functions -- like volume and tuning, your iTunes library, internet radio station apps, GPS navigation, Google maps -- and anything else you use your iPhone for. By clicking the iPhone into the dock/charger (for both landscape and portrait use), it becomes a slick part of your car's dashboard.

Star Rating:
Cost: $299.99
Where to Buy: Amazon

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The all-new Fender Premium Audio System will start appearing in select 2012 Volkswagen models in 2011, thanks to a recent partnership between the two companies. The 2012 Jetta GLI will be the first Volkswagen model featuring the Fender audio system, and will be hitting dealerships in the spring. It will be available in all other Jettas later, and will be available in the new 2012 midsize sedan and 2012 Beetle in the fall.

"The best seat in the house is now behind the wheel of a Volkswagen," said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "Our two iconic companies — one with a passion for driving, one with a passion for music — are joining forces to bring the raw emotion of live music to the driving experience."

Find out more information at www.vw.com or www.fender.com/features/premiumaudio.

Sony has teamed up with TomTom on its first in-dash car navigation systems. The new XNV-770BT and XNV-660BT A/V navigation systems come pre-loaded with TomTom's map database of both U.S. and Canada roads, with one free year of map upgrades. Additional TomTom features include IQ Routes, Advanced Lane Guidance, Quick GPSfix, MapShare and more than 6 million points of interest.

The XNV-770BT model features a 7-inch, fully capacitive touch motorized panel WVGA display and the XNV-660BT has a 6.1-inch capacitive touch WVGA display with several hard keys such as volume and key menu buttons. They both have rear USB-1 wire connectivity for hooking up your iPod (or other music player), and have Bluetooth capability. The music playback screen displays all song metadata and album artwork when connected to the device. Read more

Huge fans of Meridian Audio, when we heard that their sound systems were going to be included in 2012 Range Rovers, we were thrilled! After all, when you think Range Rover, you think luxury; what better fit than to include the high-end, premium sound that Meridian has to offer?

The first Range Rover to include a Meridian in-car sound system is the all-new Evoque model, launching at next week's Paris Motor Show. The Evoque will be available with an option of two Meridian sound systems; a 380W 13-speaker system and a top-of-the-range 825W 19-speaker unit. Read more

Introduced at CES in January, the AVIC-X920BT is Pioneer's latest in-dash entertainment system. Not just your typical car stereo, this system features an in-dash navigation A/V receiver with DVD playback, built-in Bluetooth, a 3D graphics accelerator, micro SD card slot and a 6.1" widescreen display. But what really makes this unit stand out is its ability to stream Pandora internet radio through a connected iPhone.

Other features include:

• MusicSphere – a progressive iTunes software platform which analyzes user's personal music library and creates playlists based on musical attributes (i.e. feelings, BPM, rhythm pattern, etc.)
• ECO Graph – Provides driving status reports and illustrates the driver's impact on the environment through on-screen images.

Parrot just announced a new car stereo with a dock for the iPod or iPhone, the Parrot RKi8400. The RKi8400 is an FM/AM RDS Bluetooth car stereo with a USB port, an SD Card reader, and offers hands-free phone functions. It has a cool little storage compartment located behind the removable front panel – perfect for hiding your iPhone or iPod when you leave the car (that is, if you don't take it with you).

"With the RKi8400, Parrot allows users to take advantage of the iPhone in car through a system that is easy to use and fully integrated in any vehicle," said Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. "All iPhone functions -- music, navigation of the music directory and playlists and Bluetooth phone capabilities -- have been adapted for in-car use. Parrot's application of its renowned acoustic quality and voice recognition capabilities to the iPhone is sure to please even the most discerning listeners."

The Parrot RKi8400 is available now for $399.99.

Alpine Electronics today announced the new DPR-RDS1 Factory Radio Interface for iPod and iPhone, a device that allows you to listen to music from your iPod or iPhone through any factory radio. I know what you're thinking…can't I do that anyway? Not if you're like me and own an older model vehicle with no auxiliary jack!

The DPR-RDS1 is a small hideaway box that connects to your iPod or iPhone via a supplied iPod cable. Unfortunately, this is not something you can install on your own. Alpine says that the DPR-RDS1 should be professionally installed using a direct connection to the vehicle's antenna. Once it's installed, you will be able to play music from your iPod or iPhone through the factory sound system, and Alpine says that the sound quality will be as strong as an FM radio station (unlike some FM transmitters). Music is controlled through your iPod/iPhone and if your radio has RDS (Radio Data System) functionality, the song, artist and album information will also be displayed on the factory radio's screen.Read more