INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW X-SERIES

X-SERIES SPEAKERS
HIGH-RESOLUTION PRECISION SPEAKERS

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X-S65 GRAPHITE DOME TWEETER

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X-SERIES 6X9 COMPONENT SPEAKERS NANO-FIBRE WOOFER CONE
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X-SERIES SUBWOOFERS
HIGH PERFORMANCE SUBWOOFERS

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X-SERIES DIGITAL AMPLIFIERS
DIGITAL AUDIOPHILE AMPLIFIERS

0U[YVK\JPUN[OLHSSUL^?:LYPLZ[OLZLZTHSSHTWSPLYZWYVK\JLHU\UILSPL]HISLHTV\U[VMWV^LYHUKPUJYLKPISLZV\UKX\HSP[`(SWPULZL[ZPUK\Z[Y`
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X-A90V X-A70F X-A90M

4 CHANNEL + MONO AMPLIFIER 4/3/2 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER MONO AMPLIFIER

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 Introducing a device of many talents
KIMBERLEY 941

www.blaupunkt.com

Internet
Phone Link

PHONELINK INTERNET BROWSING NAVIGATION

Facebook Twitter Spotify Accuweather Waze

6.75 Vehicle Entertainment System

Integration between your Android or iOS device on the Kim-
berley 941 is simple. With PhoneLink, mirror your iOS device
and mirror and control your Android smartphone via USB on
the large 6.75 crystal clear touchscreen. The built-in WAZE
Navigation APP, gets you to your destination quickly by
using your smartphone as a hotspot to get live information
from other users to avoid heavy trac, accidents and speed
traps. If you prefer to use satellite navigation, the Kimberley
941 is also iGo Primo NAV ready. Built-in Wi-Fi also enables
you to surf the internet to catch up with the latest sport, news,
weather and a wide range of entertainment.
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INCAR #04-2017

CONTENTS Contributors
Jez Ford, Scott Campbell, 30
Stephen Dawson, Shane Dixon,
Damon Greenwood, Ben Hoskins, Ed Kramer,
Marty Price, Tony Rabbitte, Jun Sawa

Artist Paul Saint

Group Art Director Kristian Hagen

Technical Editor Greg Borrowman

Advertising Trafc Diane Preece

dpreece@nextmedia.com.au Tel: (02) 9901 6100

National Advertising
Sales & Divisional Manager
Jim Preece jpreece@nextmedia.com.au

Advertising Sales Manager Lewis Preece

lpreece@nextmedia.com.au

Group/Acting Editor Jez Ford

Production Manager Peter Ryman

Circulation Director Carole Jones

Australian InCar Entertainment is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd ACN: 128 805
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reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part,
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INCAR ON THE INTERWEBS: AVHUB.COM.AU

Delightfully digital as this issue may be, weve long been posting our best bits at AVHub.com.au, so for the very
latest news in mobile entertainment, cars and features, visit AVHub and subcribe to the newsletter, which will alert
you to future digital issues direct to your inbox. Audio, AV, photography and guitary bits are also up there on AVHub.

06 #04_2017
CARS FEATURES AUDITIONS
62
CERWIN VEGA B51
Single-channel amplier
Its the monoblock from Cerwin Vegas
esteemed new Stealth Bomber series
smart-looking, compact, and a bargain.

EUROPEAN IMAGING AND

SOUND ASSOCIATION
64
CLARION VX807AUS
Multimedia head unit
Even come the day were all streaming
wirelessly via surgical implants, the Clarion
30 VX807AU will be remembered for the solidity
of its build and the quality of its sound.
DARK HORSE WORKHORSE
Exotic cars are one thing, but if you truly
want to show off your skills as installer and
system designer, you need to practise your 15
art on an Aussie workhorse. Callum Martins
2002 SV8 Holden Commodore presents just
EISA AWARDS 2017/8
Australian Incar is now a member of EISA,
such a showcase.
and were delighted to present all the
incar winners from the Expert Panel of
international judges!

INCAR HEAD UNIT 16

66
INCAR HD PLAYER 17
NAVDY NVD100-EN
INCAR SMART UPGRADE 18 Interactive display module
Something genuinely new a Head Up
INCAR SUBWOOFER 19 Display for far more than navigation, with
gesture and voice control. Its a wow moment.
INCAR ACTIVE SUBWOOFER 20
INCAR PROCESSOR 21
40 INCAR AMPLIFIER 22
EXHILRATION
The Golf R stirs memories of the old-school INCAR INTEGRATION 23
Hot Hatch Rabbit and their owners passion
for taking things to the extreme. So what to INCAR SPEAKER SYSTEM 24
do when you nd yourself the owner of such
a eet-footed and noble machine? AND THERES MORE... 26
68
ALPINE X-S69C
2-way component speakers
We review the top model in the companys
X Series range of speakers, with oval
nano-bre woofer cones, no less.

08
INFOCUS
Latest news including
Alpine and Pioneer
52 smart head units,
ITALIA 500
Kenwoods Japan- 70
sourced high-res
The Fiat 500 rather cosy for a whole heap speakers, plenty of PHILIPS CED1910BT
of audio kit? Not at all... nd out how this navigation and dash- multimedia head unit
compact but perfectly formed Italian ts in cam options, and Plenty of features and connectivity here
the fun while still allowing day-to-day driving Cygnetts neat portable jump starter... from Philips, but in particular a natural
in this issues drive from the archive... presentation which lets the music ood out.

www.avhub.com.au 07
PIONEERING
CONNECTIVITY
Pioneer has introduced its largest
and most affordable range of Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto solutions in Australia.
All ve new AVH-Z series Pioneer head units
are designed to complement the smartphone
with continuous connectivity and
access to a variety of
CAM WELCOMES POWERTEC
Car Audio Masters (CAM) has
announced it has signed a Preferred
Distributor agreement with Powertec
Telecommunications Pty Ltd (Powertec) for the
promotion and installation of the companys
telecommunication antennas and legal
repeaters for vehicles in Australia.
Based in Southport in Queensland,
Powertec is a leading supplier of mobile
signal repeaters, cellular antennas, broadband
routers, industrial modems and Wi-Fi access
points, as well as the associated cables and
connectors for these and other systems.
08 #04_2017
entertainment options. Apple CarPlay, Dual
Bluetooth connection and Spotify Connect
are featured in each new model, and Android
Auto is additionally supported on three of
the ve. This includes the rst fold-out, single
DIN solution to become available in Australia
with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the
$1000 AVH-Z7050BT (pictured left). There is also
DAB+ digital radio support on two of the new
models for the cities where it is available.
Apple CarPlay allows smart
and safe control of your iPhone in
the car. Its activated by pressing
the Pioneer touch-screen or voice
recognition button, and then
allows you to make calls, navigate
with Apple Maps, and listen to
music, along with sending and
receiving SMS messages. Android
Auto is similarly activated and
also enables the making of calls,
the sending or receiving of SMS
messages and listening to music
plus navigation with Google Maps.
The head units also enable
the simultaneous connection
and control of two smartphones
via Bluetooth. An auto connection
function automatically pairs the two
Car Audio Masters is delighted to partner
with Powertec, says Lucas de Lorme, CAMs
General Manager. Its recently launched in-
specied phones so that incoming calls can be
picked up from either.
Bluetooth Audio Streaming (A2DP, AVRCP
1.6) makes it possible to display information
embedded in songs. Its now also possible to
directly control and play music from the Spotify
app on your iPhone or Android smartphone.
Play, pause and skip tracks, or browse playlists,
albums and radio stations can be done using
the Pioneer controls. Spotify premium users
(this requires a monthly paid subscription) can
access ad-free music even when there is no
internet connection via prior syncing.
Pioneer continues to offer popular
smartphone and music services at a more
consumer-friendly price point, says Paul
Petrakis, the General Manager of sales and
marketing for Pioneer Electronics Australia.
Were fortunate to be in a market-leading
position, whereby our latest in-vehicle solutions
embrace Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as
well as Australias biggest music streaming
services, like Spotify and iTunes Music.
Pioneer AVH-Z2050BT/AVH-Z7050BT
Multi Media Head Units
Price: from AVH-Z2050BT $650
to AVH-Z7050BT $1000
Contact: Pioneer Australia Pty Ltd
Link: www.pioneer.com.au
vehicle repeaters designed to improve
mobile coverage along with their cellular
antenna offerings are a perfect complement
to the automotive specialist stores of Car
Audio Masters. Powertec is the Australian
leader in mobile communications enhancement
solutions and brings with it an expertise in
mobile phone signal improvement which
can successfully leverage CAMs nationwide
installation services backed by a lifetime
installation warranty.
Car Audio Masters (CAM)
www.cam.net.au
HOT FROM JAPAN
KENWOOD HIGH-RES XS
Australian car audio fans will now be
able to enjoy the pinnacle of Kenwoods
automotive speaker range, the XS Series, which
aims at Studio Master quality reproduction,
including reaching to the frequencies required
to deliver high-res audio.
These are conventionally only sold in the
Japanese domestic market, Jason Johnson from
JVCKenwood Australia tells Australian Incar.
But with the high-res support on the DMX7,
DDX9, DNX5 and DNX9 units, weve decided that
these would prove to be a perfect companion
for our Kenwood Android Auto and CarPlay
agship units.
Yet the incoming KFC-XS1703 package is
no bank breaker, going to retail here in Australia
at $549. This includes two tweeter pods using
25mm soft-dome tweeters, and the two bass
drivers with 17cm high-rigidity glass-bre cones
mounted in high rigidity aluminum frames.
The tweeter is an entirely new design, from
its magnetic circuit to the diaphragm material,
its signal fed via a high-pass lter using an
audiophile-level lm capacitor which has almost
zero electrical loss, connected directly to the
NEW NAVMAN DASH CAMS
DELIVER MORE DETAIL
Navmans new MiVue730 dash
cam and MiVue800 dual cam system
both feature built-in GPS tracking so theyre
able to provide you with specic details in the
unfortunate event of an accident, including
the location and direction in which the crash
occurred, as well as the speed you were
travelling at the time. This can be viewed
on your computer via the MiVue Manager
Navmans desktop software. Optimised day and
night recording also means that the footage
should remain bright and clear even when
driving at night or in bad weather conditions.
The MiVue800 Dual Cam system includes
a second HD camera for the rear of your
car to capture any incidents or crashes that
happen from behind. Both the cameras record
in 1080p video via all-glass lenses to provide
better quality footage in all lighting conditions,
including at night. A wide 130-degree angle-of-
view takes in surroundings including the lanes
on either side of the car. A 3-axis G sensor
indicates which direction the impact came
from, again via the MiVue Manager software.
tweeter. Its pod design
corresponds to many
existing vehicles, says
Kenwood, allowing
installation of the
tweeter to the original
position in many cases.
Its upper frequency
response extends to
48kHz at -10dB, so that
in combination with a
head unit capable of
high-res audio output, it
can deliver pretty much all that a 96kHz high-res
source le can deliver.
In addition to their light-weight high-strength
glass-bre cones and high-rigidity aluminium
baskets which minimise vibration even when
used at high volume, the woofers in the KFC-
XS1703 package include a dual-radiused prole
combining two curves with different diameters
at the edge, to achieve improved amplitude
linearity, while a patented AFC+Tornado damper
dispersing the stress applied to the damper,
again aiding linearity of response. The rear
There are useful additional safety features
on both models, such as a headlight reminder
which prompts you to turn on your lights when
the surroundings start to become darker, and a
driver fatigue alert which warns when you have
been driving for over two hours. Furthermore,
a Parking Mode is available in conjunction with
the MiVue Smartbox (which is an additional
purchase), enabling the recording of whats
going on around the car to continue when it is
left unattended.
As dash cams increase in popularity, its
more important than ever to own one, because
if an incident occurs, and you dont have one,
magnet cover and assembly has been optimised
for smooth ux ow to reduce unnecessary
distortions, while the magnet cover allows
optimum control of air ow and back pressure
from the diaphragm, and its 66.5mm depth
maintains easy installability. On top of all that,
its a looker too!
Kenwood KFC-XS1703
2-way 2-speaker system
Price: $549
Contact: JVCKenwood
Link: www.kenwood.com.au
another party may be able to present stronger
evidence about the event compared to you,
comments Wendy Hammond, Managing
Director of Navman Australia. Its also vital to
purchase a device that does more than just
record. Even though we dont like to think about
being involved in an accident, if one does occur
there is no point having a dash cam if it doesnt
provide as much quality footage as possible to
help you build a strong case for the police and
insurance companies.
The Navman MiVue730 has a 2.0-inch (5.1
cm) screen while the MiVue800 Dual Cam is
supplied with a 2.7-inch (6.8 cm) screen. Other
key features found on both devices include
The MiVue730 and MiVue 800 Dual Cam are
compatible with microSD cards up to 128 GB in
storage capacity and both devices are backed
by a one year warranty.
Navman Dash Cams
Price: MiVue730 $159,
MiVue800 Dual Cam for $269
Contact: Navman Australia
Link: www.navman.com.au
www.avhub.com.au 09
FRONT AXIS, REAR AXIS
You can record any incidents front
or rear or simply document the joy
of the journey with the latest Axis DVR1768K
kit. The DVR1768K comprises a large 6.8-inch
(17.2 cm) LCD display screen with a 1080p front
camera which gives an expansive 150-degrees
ALPINES ADVANCED
AUTO-MATION
Alpine has introduced its rst
premium AV head unit equipped with
both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The new
iLX-702D provides dash-displayed smartphone
apps such as navigation, phone calls, messages
and a near-innite choice of music, all
commanded with Siri and voice control.
With its smartphone-like user interface, the
iLX-702D allows you to play DAB+ digital radio
when within range of these urban broadcasts,
plus USB video and music, iPod or iPhone
sources, HDMI-connected devices and even
192kHz/24-bit high-resolution FLAC music.
Apple CarPlay enables the
display of iPhone functions
via the Alpine units 7.0-inch
(17.8cm) touchscreen display
which obviously include Apple
Maps. Android Auto provides
Google Maps, various apps
and voice control. The iLX-
702D includes a precision GPS
antenna which ensures accurate
navigation when using either
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Voice control enables you to
set your destination and start
driving via spoken commands.
Built-in Bluetooth enables
10 #04_2017
angle-of-view. The kit also includes a 480p rear
camera, so you can have equal peace of mind
with any unexpected rear action. The system
supports microSD memory cards up to 30GB in
capacity, and can even be set to stay recording
even when your vehicle is unattended.
wireless connection of a mobile phone for the
convenience and safety of hands-free phone
and audio streaming. Additionally, you can
use voice control through either the built-in
microphone or an external mic.
DAB+ provides access to the digitally-
broadcast radio stations and can be searched
by name. Where available, DAB+ offers noise-
free sound and potentially improved reception.
The Alpine iLX-702D also provides both
HDMI and USB connectivity, and theres the
option to add a reversing camera via its RCA
input or direct camera ports. CAN-UART
Axis DVR1768K dual DVR mirror/
camera kit
Price: Kit system $129
Contact: AudioXtra Australia
Link: www.axisaustralia.com.au
databus support provides connection to a
vehicle-specic interface for displays of climate
information, park assist and steering wheel
controls. Customisation of the opening screen
lets you set your own opening display such as a
car make or model logo.
In the audio department theres a 4 x
50W power amplier, nine-band parametric
equaliser/crossover, six-channel digital time
correction and advanced sound processing
features such as Bass Engine SQ and Media
Xpander HD.
Alpine iLX-702D
Premium AV Head Unit
Contact: Alpine Electronics Australia
Price $999
Link: www.alpine.com.au
JUMPING
CYGNETT Theres nothing worse than a at
car, motorbike or boat battery to spoil
your fun, but you can be always ready for this
eventuality with the ChargeUp Auto 12V Jump
Starter from Cygnett. This is a highly compact
unit suitable for vehicles with petrol engines
up to 5.0 litres in size or diesels up to 2.5 litres
capacity. It provides up to 20 jump starts per
charge and incorporates both dual USB ports
NAVMANS DRIVE DUO
2-IN-1 NAV+CAM
Less clutter on your car windscreen
is always a good thing, and for those
wanting to add a dash-cam but not yet having
the delights of built-in navigation, Navman
has created the Drive Duo. It combines both
GPS navigation and a dash cam in the one
compact device.
The Drive Duo has a 5.0-inch
(12.7 cm) touchscreen, with
Australian and New Zealand lifetime
maps, and also pre-loaded with a
selection of languages including
Greek, Turkish, Italian and Chinese.
There is also a mileage reporter
(especially handy for parents
teaching children to drive), while
multi-stop trip optimisation can
make it easier to plan side-trips
during a journey. In addition, the
and a built-in LED torch. The
USB ports mean the ChargeUp
can also be used to power up a wide
range of digital devices, including smartphones,
cameras and loudspeakers plus outdoor
equipment such as portables fridges, cookers,
tools and torches.
The Charge Up Auto 12V is provided in a
handy, portable protective carry case which
Zomato Restaurant Guide provides reviews and
recommendations of dining options, pubs and
bars around. Other GPS features include 3D
junction views with real signage imagery and
lane guidance, so youll never miss an important
turn-off. Bluetooth Hands-Free allows you to
alert and a front departure warning which warns
includes the
Jump-Start
12,000mAh
device, battery
clamps with solid
copper jaws and an Ultra Safe Relay, 12-volt
female socket, microUSB cable, wall charger and
car charger. The ChargeUp Auto also features
Cygnetts Spark Proof Protection technology.
Cygnett also offers an even smaller model,
the ChargeUp Auto 7.5V, which can be used
to jump start petrol engines up to 3.0 litres
in size or diesels up to 1.7 litres. It provides
up to ten jump starts per charge and also
incorporates the dual USB ports and built-in,
multi-functional LED torch.
Cygnett ChargeUp Auto 12V
Jump Starter
Price: Auto 12V is $199.95
and ChargeUp Auto 7.5V $129.95
Contact: Cygnett
Link: www.cygnett.com
answer your smartphone safely while driving,
as well as providing continued guidance even
when travelling through tunnels.
The Drive Duos dash cam delivers
140-degrees viewing, plus a 3-axis G sensor
which registers the direction of an impact
(using Navmans MiVue Manager software). The
Advanced Driver Systems (ADAS) safety features
include a lane departure alert, a front collision
if the car in front has moved off without you
noticing. Optimised day and night recording
aims for bright and clear footage regardless of
the weather conditions or when driving at night.
Navman Drive Duo GPS Unit
with Dash Cam
Price: $279
Contact: Navman Australia
Link:www.navman.com.au
www.avhub.com.au 11
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY QUEENSLAND CONT.
ROCKHAMPTON CAR SOUND
PROTUNES CAR AUDIO & ACCESSORIES NORTH ROCKHAMPTON 1/251 Ford St 07 4926 6256
D/d,>>,^  SOUND IN MOTION
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NEW SOUTH WALES EKK^s/>>s 
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CAM SPECIALISTS VENTURE
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 EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

EUROPEAN IMAGING AND

SOUND ASSOCIATION

A ustralian Incar was this year invited to join EISA, the European Imaging
and Sound Association, as part of its move to become a global
organisation. Were proud to have joined this unique collaboration of 50+
special interest magazines that cover all aspects of audio, video, home
theatre, in-car, photographic and mobile technologies.

Through its annual Awards, EISA has been celebrating the very best consumer
electronics products for over 30 years, selecting those new products that
combine the most advanced technology and desirable features with class-
leading performance. The EISA Awards extend from the most affordable, high
value products to the most aspirational expressions of modern consumer
electronics. Award categories change from year to year, reecting the evolution
of product design and connectivity, but every EISA Award winner remains the
very best in its class. The sheer strength-in-depth of EISAs members ensures
the EISA Awards logo carries tremendous weight with all informed consumers.

With the exception of products nominated purely for innovation or design, all
candidates for EISA Award nomination must have been tested by at least ve
member magazines from the appropriate Expert Group before the EISA AGM
and available for sale before 1st October 2017.

Now, Australian Incar cant claim to have had input into the awards this year,
given we joined when the process was nearly complete. So we credit our
European colleagues for their work in delivering the winners list that follows.
From here on, however, there will be Australian input into the process, as we
look forward to communing with our like-minded colleagues overseas.

Please enjoy, then, the in-car winners from the EISA Awards 2017-2018!

www.avhub.com.au 15
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

O ffering way more features than it has any right to at the price, this
head unit boasts Bluetooth connectivity for wireless audio streaming
and handsfree calls alongside Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for easy
smartphone operation. Your choice of music comes via either the DAB+
digital radio receiver or streaming using Spotify Connect. It can play your
own hi-res FLAC les too. Voice control ensures the driver can keep their
hands on the wheel while icking through their favourite tracks, and with
additional upgrade options including a compatible dashcam and rear camera,
the DMX7017DABS has all bases covered.

16 #04_2017
 EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

T aking pride of place at the top of Clarions range, this HD player is

streets ahead of the competition when it comes to in-car entertainment.
Compatibility with Apples CarPlay enables integration with your phone, so
you can make calls, get directions, send and receive messages and access
music. It boasts a 15-band graphic equaliser and provides a 96kHz/24-bit
optical digital output to feed an offboard digital audio processor of your choice.
You can also partner those sounds with pictures, thanks to the NX807Es
compatibility with an optional digital tuner for TV.

www.avhub.com.au 17
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

W hen it comes to being in control, few systems can compare to this

putting operation of your Mosconi GLADEN DSP with the original OEM
system controls at your ngertips. Thanks to its CAN-BUS integration, the
volume of different DSP sources is accessible via the original headunit knob
and steering wheel controls, while the original Aux button is also on hand for
switching sources. The result is that theres no need for any additional external
controls if the music needs to be reduced or muted before receiving incoming
calls, or if audible parking sensors need to be heard.

18 #04_2017
 EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

T he fact that its specially designed for compact cabinets does little to deter this
excellent subwoofer when it comes to delivering that all-important low-frequency
performance. The newly developed, high-tech composite cone comes with a special
coating to maintain high rigidity while keeping weight low. Combined with its
large-diameter long-throw voice coil, for high power handling, and powerful magnet
assembly, the result is a very pure, low distortion sound. The protection grille that
seamlessly ts through specially designed slots in the basket ange delivers a nal
touch of elegance.

www.avhub.com.au 19
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

I ts easy to produce a subwoofer that shakes a car to its core, but ensuring it
retains the purity of your music is an art, and one at which Pioneer excels. The
fact this active sub achieves such performance from an ultra-slim chassis (just
97mm high) is impressive, and it can be slotted in the car boot with minimal loss
of space. This is all possible thanks to its two 6.5in speakers and Class D amplier
with Digital Bass Control. Sound modes include the rich bass of Deep for modern
music and accurate, clear Dynamic bass for jazz and classical.

20 #04_2017
 EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

B eating at the heart of this processor, Helixs latest core boasts

a cutting-edge 32-bit audio DSP with breath-taking processing power.
The result is a beast thats capable of controlling an eight-channel system
without breaking into a sweat, while its wide input voltage range ensures
excellent exibility for integration into even the most complex of OEM systems.
But the fun doesnt stop there, for the DSP.2 also accommodates optional
extension cards supporting Bluetooth audio, hi-res music streaming via USB
and real-time frequency analysis with an external microphone.

www.avhub.com.au 21
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

T his debut amp from Mosconis new PRO series suggests more good things are
still to come from the brand. Boasting ve independent channels of power the
rst stereo pair provides 85W, the second pair 170W while the nal channel uses
a Class D amp to pipe a substantial 600W to the subwoofer. Maximum exibility
is ensured thanks to the inclusion of separate active crossovers in all channels or,
alternatively, all crossovers can be bypassed to adapt the input parameter for use
with Mosconis DSP.

22 #04_2017
 EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

T he DSP to beat all rivals, the H8 will automatically re-equalise any OEM system
to transform the in-car audio experience from the mundane to the fabulous,
creating the most highly-specd and exible entertainment system, with single
high-level inputs, that money can buy. The H8 DSP includes a logic-switched User
Control Set that allows for a highly personalised entertainment setup it can even
be automated using the seat belt sensors if desired. The processor accepts hi-res
audio les up to 96kHz/24-bit via its optical digital input and is also perfectly suited
for integration with OEM systems tted with high-level inputs.

www.avhub.com.au 23
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

I f the goal of a decent speaker system is to reproduce music with clarity and punch,
then Vibe Audio ticks every box, providing a coherent and clear performance that
comes into its own with vocals, pop and electronic music. The combination of
high-quality materials and smart engineering starts with the 165mm woofer that
includes a 90mm-diameter magnet, Conex spider and linear butyl rubber suspension.
This driver blends beautifully with the high excursion tweeter whose response
extends right down into the midrange. One further benet is that a complex,
power-sapping crossover is not required inside the CVEN62C-V4 which is supplied
with a single Mundorf capacitor.

24 #04_2017
EISA AWARDS 2017-2018

EUROPEAN IMAGING AND

SOUND ASSOCIATION

A
nd theres more... with EISAs Awards
covering all aspects of audio, video, home
theatre, photographic and mobile technologies,
as well as incar, two of our sister publications here in Australia have also
joined EISA, and will be carrying the sections of the Awards relevant to them.
Indeed you can read these in full online right now...

So, for the full listing and judges comments on the winners voted by EISAs
Hi-Fi Expert Group, visit Australian Hi-Fis EISA announcement here:
www.avhub.com.au/EISAhi

For the full listing and judges comments on the winners voted by EISAs Home
Theatre Audio and Home Theatre Display & Video Expert Groups, winners, visit
Sound+Images EISA announcement here: www.avhub.com.au/EISAsi

Theres plenty more too awards for photographic and mobile devices, and
indeed all the category winners are live at EISAs own website, offering perhaps
the most widely-voted awards in the world, and an ultimate buying guide for all
realms of consumer technology. Visit EISAs website at www.eisa.eu

26 #04_2017
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 4WD OFF-ROAD MAPS

The off-road and exploration

Be thrilled from the moment you
start your car with Alpines premium
solutions, seamlessly integrated
into your factory dashboard. The 9
premium infotainment system for the
all-new 200 Series LandCruiser lets
you experience a whole new level of
entertainment with premium sound
quality and a built-in state-of-the-art
navigation system. The massive 9
high-resolution display allows for
outstanding picture clarity, contrast
and resolution from DVD and HDMI,
while the touch-screen provides
seamless control of the system
and sources such as Bluetooth
and USB connected smartphones.
Additionally, the navigation features
3D off-road maps, 3D landmarks and
a comprehensive map database with
\IHGEQIVEEPIVXWPMZIXVEJGERH
years of free map updates.
capabilities of Alpines Navigation
Station admirably compliments your
Toyota 200 Series. Included is the
impressive 4WD off-road point-to-point
navigation with 3D terrain and turn-by-
turn guidance. This makes orientation
a breeze when exploring off-road or
trying to navigate to your favourite
camp ground; or alternatively utilize
the comprehensive points of interest
HEXEFEWIXSRHERI[SRIRIEVF]

ADVANCED 8 PRIMO NAVIGATION SYSTEM

The very latest and most advanced navigation
W]WXIQIZIVMWEX]SYVRKIVXMTW[MXL%PTMRIWRI[
TPEXJSVQ8LIPEVKIGETEGMXMZIHMWTPE]HIPMZIVW
YPXVEWLEVTMQEKIWERHEWQEVXTLSRIPMOIYWIV
MRXIVJEGIXSGSRXVSPWSYVGIWWYGLEW97&,(ZMHISW
(%&(MKMXEP6EHMS&PYIXSSXL,(1-ERHXLIEPPRI[
4VMQSREZMKEXMSR
When Alpine set out to study the
Hilux drivers car life, they had only
one goal in mind: to create a high-end
infotainment system that exceeds all
expectations a Hilux owner may have.
The result is a premium infotainment
system that perfectly integrates into
the all-new Toyota Hilux to bring the
latest media compatibility, cutting-edge
navigation technology and audiophile
sound quality to your vehicle.
With an unbreakable reputation,
Alpines huge 9 Multimedia Navigation
Station is as reliable and hard working
as your Toyota Hilux. Premium
navigation will guide you every step
of the way, while the built-in Bluetooth
provides hands free phone and audio
streaming. Whether youre driving
around town on a job or heading off-
road for the weekend, this advanced
navigation system has you covered
with an abundance of features to
ensure you travel safely.
STEERING WHEEL
CONTROL RETENTION
Seamless integration technology
ensures that all of the Hilux
solutions are compatible with the
factory equipped steering wheel
audio functions, as well as phone
answer and hang up with Alpines
built-in Bluetooth connectivity.

7 AND 6.1 INTEGRATION

Sporting high performance multimedia connectivi-
ty, Alpines range of 7 and 6.1 navigation systems
harmonise beautifully with your all-new 2016 Toyota
Hilux. Cutting edge technology allows your smartphone
to be integrated with superb sound quality, plus access
to a large array of the latest sources is provided via the
high-resolution touch-screen.
30 #04_2017
Exotic cars are one thing, but if you truly want to show off
your skills as installer and system designer, you need to
practise your art on an Aussie workhorse. Callum Martins
2002 SV8 Holden Commodore presents just such a showcase.

Story Damon Greenwood Images Shane Dixon

www.avhub.com.au 31
2002 HOLDEN COMMODORE SV8 FEATURE CAR

philosophy of antiquity extolls

a
the virtue of picking one thing
and then mastering that one
thing absolutely, before
attempting anything else.
This mindset shines through
in Callums Commodore.
Serious attention has been lavished on every part
of this car from the ground up, through some very
special tweeter treatment, all the way up to sound
deadening the roof.
As a style, it might be described as Subtle
Awesome. Because there is nothing pretentious
or look-at-me with this car. There is no one thing
that stands out and its meant to be that way.
Yet when one inspects the car and the system
closely, the hours of planning and dedication are
clear to see. Every facet of the car, system and
build are testament to getting that one thing
perfect before the next one thing is attempted.
And the audio system is where the Subtle
Awesome philosophy really shines through. In
terms of the structure, it doesnt get much simpler:
one pair of 6.5-inch components in the front
receiving big clean power, complemented by
two 10-inch subs also running huge power, in
a custom sealed enclosure decently large, so
promising a nicely even, flat bass response.

32 #04_2017
 TECH SPECS
owner: Callum Martin
vehicle: 2002 Holden Commodore SV8

engine: 5.7L LS1, textured satin black covers

induction: naturally aspirated
intake: alloy otr (over the radiator) air intake
internals: stock
controllers: stock, tuned
exhaust: Hurricane 4-1 extractors,
Redback twin 2.5 exhaust
transmission: 4l60e automatic, upgraded cooler
suspension: kyb shock absorbers, nolathane bushes,
factory optional strut brace tted
brakes: hsv c5 (clubsport) 330mm front, 315mm rear
body kit: factory option hbd (Holden by design) lip kit
wheels: 18x8 HBD j series alloys
tyres: 235x45x18 Kuhmo ecsta ku22

SYSTEM
source: Pioneer DEH-80prs (active crossovers,
equalisation, time alignment etc; high-Resolution music
playback)
front speakers: DLS RZ6.2; 6.5-inch midbass, 2-inch
breglass cone wideband driver; actively amplied
subwoofers: DLS Nordica 10i x 2; 1.8 cubic feet /
64 litre sealed breglass enclosure front
ampliers: DLS CC-4 x 2 (2 x 140W bridged each;
560W total)
sub ampliers: DLS CC-500 x 2 (1000W total)
wiring: Streetwires 0, 4 & 8 gauge; streetwires battery
terminals & main fuse; stinger fused distribution blocks
battery: Optima d35 Yellowtop Deep Cycle
lighting: complete dash lighting led conversion from
green to warm white & red; warm white led lighting in
cabin; warm white & red led edge lighting in boot install
sound deadening: Standartplast (stp) gold, Soundskins
total system power (12V/4ohms): 1560W
congured power (as wired): 1560W total
system component cost: $6600 at current RRP
sponsor: Designer Listening Solutions, South Australia
installed by: av-dc pty ltd
total build time: six months
overall highest score: expert class (105 /130 points)
credits: Designer Listening Solutions -
Davide Feltrin www.dlsaudio.com.au
R&N Motorbodies - Tore Rovere randnmotorbodies.com.au
Jarrow auto service - Steve Rowe (08) 8374 1014

34 #04_2017
2002 HOLDEN COMMODORE SV8 FEATURE CAR

www.avhub.com.au 35
2002 HOLDEN COMMODORE SV8 FEATURE CAR

THERE IS NOTHING PRETENTIOUS WITH THIS CAR NO ONE

THING THAT STANDS OUT. AND ITS MEANT TO BE THAT WAY.

AS A STYLE, The head unit is Pioneers DEH-80PRS, and

from there a high quality signal is fed to two DLS
speaker offering (the Ultimate series goes higher).
Theres no pretence at space-age materialism here
IT MIGHT BE CC-4 (4 70W RMS) amplifiers which are bridged
down to 2 140W RMS.
in the quest for faithful sound the materials are
more of the tried-and-tested variety. Again simple,
DESCRIBED Now this is where it gets interesting campers. yet done properly.
AS SUBTLE The speakers that are connected to said amps
are from the DLS Reference Series the RZ 6.2.
So the mid-bass driver cones are made from
pressed paper ,and controlled with a double roll
AWESOME. .. These are the mid-range of the Swedish companys rubber surround. Natural materials like this will

36 #04_2017
Get the most
out of your
car audio

CE235BT(Deckless) CEM2300BT
TUNER / USB / AUX CD / TUNER / USB /
/ BLUETOOTH AUX / BLUETOOTH

CED1910BTK
DOUBLE DIN 6.1" AM / FM / MP3
/ USB / CD / DVD/ TUNER / AUX /
BLUETOOTH / IGO NAVIGATION

CE600BT (Deckless) CED1500BT

DOUBLE DIN 6.8" WVGA DSP DOUBLE DIN 6.1" AM / FM /
WIRELESS BROWSE & PLAY/ USB MP3 / AUX / USB / CD / DVD
/ TUNER AUX / BLUETOOTH / TUNER / BLUETOOTH w w w . p h i l i p s c ar s o u n ds. com . a u

Distributed in NZ by DLG International | 1800 304 811 | sales@dlgint.com.au | www.dlgint.com.au

tend to yield a smooth, un-fussed natural sound;
their Tech Sheet even details how to install them on
a baffle properly so that they can breathe and repro-
duce maximum mid-bass.
The tweeters impress even more they can be
high-passed at 1500Hz with only a 12dB crossover!
This is almost unheard-of in-car audio and rare even
in home audio. The cone is two inches wide yes,
two inches! And theres more the Tech Sheet actu-
ally recommends an enclosure of up to a full litre for
a flat response all the way down to 1500Hz.
The only downside to such an awesome piece is
that since it covers so much of the musical spectrum,
38 #04_2017
correct alignment and installation
will be critical. Get it right, though,
and wow and this is an installa-
tion that hasnt put a step wrong.
Far down below, twin 10-inch
DLS Nordica subwoofers reside
in a custom symmetrical 64-litre
enclosure of layered MDF con-
struction, with the subs firing
upwards. The boot floor has only
been raised 70mm, while frosted
acrylic has been utilised to allow
for edge lighting. A three-piece
boot mat from Castle Trim allow the
bo0t install to be hidden away vital
considering the car is a daily driver.
Combine all of this with the
requisite body deadening, advanced
routing techniques, stylish LED
upgrades, elegant use of leather and
piano-gloss-black appointments, and
you end up with the embodiment of
our Subtle Awesome.
Time-consuming work, this,
frustrating even at times, we reckon.
But thoroughly rewarding.
2002 HOLDEN COMMODORE SV8 FEATURE CAR

DRIVER PROFILE
Name: Callum Martin
Car: 2002 Holden Commodore SV8

1. What got you into car electronics?

A lifelong love of music combined with the
freedom of a drivers licence.

2. Occupation?
Business owner/ automotive electronic
technician (ve years in business, ten years
installing).

3. Favourite music for testing audio gear?

London Grammar, Dire Straits, Rage Against
the Machine, Regina Spektor.

4. Dream car?
Aston Martin DBS!

5. Other hobbies/interests?
My 1973 Toyota Corolla.

6. Where to next?
My next car and next sound system,
and to continue to grow my business.

www.avhub.com.au 39
exhilRa
Story Damon Greenwood Images Ben Hoskins

40 #04_2017
 2015 VW GOLF R FEATURE CAR

ation

The Golf R stirs memories of the

old-school Hot Hatch Rabbit and their
owners passion for taking things to the extreme.
So what to do when you nd yourself the
owner of such a eet-footed and noble machine?

www.avhub.com.au 41
2015 VW GOLF R FEATURE CAR

hen I think of the term VW

I think of two cars the

W Thing (look it up people),

and the Rabbit, which I
remember from my youth.
Over the years I have grown
to revere and respect the Golf (through several
unfortunate meetings on the street if you, ahem,
get my drift).
In particular the Golf R stirs memories of the
old-school Hot Hatch Rabbit and the passion of
their owners for taking things to the extreme. So
what to do when you find yourself the owner of
such a fleet-footed and noble machine?
Im sure all our Incar readers will have the
answer to this question you fill it with the best
car audio gear possible and then install it so well
that even the cars designers themselves would be
impressed! Introducing: Alex Martins 2015 Golf R.
Where to begin? Lets go nuts and start at the
beginning, where every quality audio system
should start the bones. These consist of all of
the ancillary items necessary to get the most out
of the high-end goodies producing the tunes. And
dem bones be very good indeed in this vehicle
Optima Yellow Top battery, RF cable throughout,
Dynamat sound deadening throughout, and a
Rockford 10-farad capacitor to feed the hungry
Audison amps with clean, instant power.
Form and function are equally standout
qualities immediately apparent here from the
dash right through to the boot. The Alpine Perfect
Fit 9-inch kit (this was the first one installed in
Australia) looks like it was born there, along

42 #04_2017
 pact?
Q: Why the Focal 4.400 SQ Com
d
A: Simple, its a Class AB dedicate
azing
sound quality amplier at the am
low price of $599

DIMENSIONS
314mm x 175mm x 57mm

THE VERSATILE
TOP PERFORMER
THE COMPACT AMP FOR
Focal FPS 4.400 TOP MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
THE FPX 4.400 SQ is the compact 4-channel amplier with the power of
a 4 x 70 watts RMS at 4 Ohms. Offering a 4 or 2 channel mode, stable at
2 Ohms and equipped with an active crossover for each pair of channels,
makes the FPX 4.400 SQ very versatile and suitable for a range of system
designs. Thanks to its high power, this is the ideal amplier for powering
front and rear speaker drivers or for hi- installations with a 2-way kit in the
front plus a subwoofer. The 2/4-channel input modes ensure compatibility
with head units equipped with only a pair of input lines. The high power
and musicality of this amplifier will ensure you get the highest quality
performance from your high-end speakers.

CONTACT
www.focalaustralia.com.au
phone 02 9724 6070
 ITS NO SURPRISE TO FIND ALL-AUDISON AMPLIFIERS
IN THIS INSTALL; FROM SOURCE THROUGH TO THE
AMPLIFIER OUTPUT STAGES THE SIGNAL STAYS DIGITAL..

44 #04_2017
 2015 VW GOLF R FEATURE CAR

TECH SPECS
owner: Alex Martin
vehicle: 2015 VW Golf R

engine: 2L petrol turbo

intake: Apr carbon intake
controllers: Apr stage 2 tune
exhaust: Milltek downpipe and Milltek non-resonated
rear box
body kit: Osir carbon bre rear spoiler and wing
mirror covers
wheels: Black R type 19 wheels

SYSTEM
source: Alpine perfect t 9 kit, dve5300 and
Audison bit play hd
front ampliers: Audison av quattro
rear ampliers: Audison av quattro
sub ampliers: Audison av uno
front speakers: Focal 165w-rc active utopia 2-way
rear speakers: Focal 165w-rc active utopia 2-way
subwoofers: Focal 11kx 27kx 11 k2 subwoofer
capacitor: Rockford Fosgate 10 farad hybrid capicator
wiring: Rockford Fosgate 0ga power wire, Rockford
Fosgate 4ga power wire
battery: Yellowtop Optima 034
sound deadening: Dynamat inner and outer skin
other system components: Audison av bit in x3
total system power (12v/4ohms): 2300w rms
congured power (as wired): 2260w rms
installed by: Lifestyle Store
total build time: ve days
big-ups: The team at Life Style Store;
European autotec tor the tuning and exhaust system;
Rennenhaus for the spoiler and covers.
photography by Shane Dixon Ignition Images

www.avhub.com.au 45
2015 VW GOLF R FEATURE CAR
with the DVE5300 handsomely installed OEM-
style in the glovebox. From here the signal goes to
the Audison Bit Play HD, which allows for pretty
much any type of audio file known to man and
enhances connectivity.
From here the Audison Bit One takes over; and
a very impressive piece of kit it is. All incoming
digital signals are processed with precision and
timing that pushes sound quality to the utmost.
Sound adjustment is near to infinite, with all
possible crossover types possible: low pass, high
pass and band pass, even the configuration is
selectable between Linkwitz and Butterworth.
There are 70 crossover points from 10Hz to 20kHz,
46 #04_2017
and adjustable slopes between 6 and 48dB per
octave. Time alignment of each individual driver is
achievable in the fully active system very handy
when tweaking for perfect sound stage.
But the cats meow is the 31-band EQ not
just for the eight output channels but for each
individual input channel. This means that if your
iPhone tends to output music that is a little flat yet
your CDs emerge bass heavy, then no problem;
even it out with the EQ assigned to that specific
source input. Theres versatility for you.
Its no surprise to find all-Audison amplifiers
in this install; the only way to do it, really, so that
from source and right through to the amplifier
output stages the signal stays digital. Indeed the
whole music path is entirely digital crossovers,
time alignment and equalisation all in the digital
realm, thus avoiding the issues of analogue EQ in
terms of phase reeponse and noise. Only at the
very end of the path is the signal converted and
then amplified to drive the speakers. In addition,
there is the benefit of brand synergy products
designed to work with each other, maintaining
signal purity through the component chain.
The amplifiers have been chosen to swing
clean power in bulk virtually instantly the
keystone for dynamic sound. Most of the time, of
course, these amps will be idling on playback, but
48 #04_2017
 2015 VW GOLF R FEATURE CAR

INSTALLER PROFILE
Store: Life Style Store, Parramatta

1. What got you into car electronics?

My passion for music.

2. How long for?

Twenty years.

3. Occupation?
Workshop foreman.

4. Favourite music for testing audio gear?

RnB.

5. Dream car?
Porsche GT2 in silver.

5. Other hobbies/interests?
Modifying vehicles.

when the music becomes more complex and

demanding, these amps have the power to
produce eye-blinking transients with the utmost
precision, allowing the drivers to turn on a dime.
The front and rear Focal 165W-RC Utopia
drivers have impedance of only two ohms for this
very reason to maximise the available ampli-
fier power (700W RMS to each corner) while still
retaining enough resistance for the amplifier to
control cone movement. When mounted in the
doors solidly and with the tweeters directed
properly, their sound is impressive indeed.
Finally the subwoofer a Focal K2 Power 27
KX 11-inch subwoofer rounds out the sound with
the all-important bass. A further 700W RMS is fed
into the sub, in its custom enclosure and firing
rearward to maximise horn loading.
Finally, it would be remiss of me to neglect
the installation prowess of the lads at Life Style
Paramatta. Have a squizz through the images and
youll see what I mean attention to detail, qual-
ity materials throughout and many man-hours for
a car that has you saying to yourself Just one more
song... as you find yourself sitting in the car half
an hour after youve arrived home from work...

www.avhub.com.au 49
 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

KENWOOD VEHICLE
INTEGRATION SOLUTIONS
WORKING WITH STINGER AUSTRALIA

2IEVP]EPPXSHE]WRI[ BEFORE AFTER

ZILMGPIWEVIWYTTPMIH[MXL
EHIGIRXIRXIVXEMRQIRX
EYHMSW]WXIQFYXMW
HIGIRXIRSYKLJSV]SY#

9TKVEHMRK]SYVZILMGPIWJEGXSV]X-
ted audio/navigation system has
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car is brand spankers or a little long FORD RANGER
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Integration Solutions by KEN-
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You can choose from models that

incorporate Apple CarPlay and
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Garmin navigation system. And of
BEFORE AFTER
course each accessory kit comes
with a complete set of easy-to-read,
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;L]FIWEXMWIH[MXLERSVHMREV]
JEGXSV]XXIHW]WXIQ[LIRJSVEFMX
I\XVE]SYGERIRNS]XLIFIRIXWSJ BEFORE AFTER
PMWXIRMRKXS]SYVJEZSYVMXIQYWMG
XLI[E]MX[EWQIERXXSWSYRHF]
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VW GOLF
 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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Ford Ranger 2011 2015 Toyoto Kluger 2007 2013 VW Eos 2005 2013
Isuzu D-MAX 2012 2016 Toyoto Kluger 2014 2016 VW Golf/GTI 2005 2013
Subaru BR-Z 2012 2016 Toyoto Land Cruiser 2001 2008 VW Golf/ GTI 2014 2016
Toyota 86 2012 2016 Toyoto Land Cruiser 2008 2012 VW Jetta 2005 2015
Toyota Avensis Verso 2005 2010 Toyoto Prado 2011 2013 VW Multivan 2015 2016
Toyoto Camry 2002 2006 Toyoto Prius C 2012 2014 VW Passat 2005 2015
Toyoto Celica 2000 2005 Toyoto RAV4 2001 2005 VW Polo 2010 2014
Toyoto Corolla 2003 2009 Toyoto RAV4 2006 2011 VW Scirocco 2008 2014
Toyoto Corolla 2009 2012 Toyoto RAV4 2012 2013 VW Tiguan 2007 2016
Toyoto Echo 2000 2004 Toyoto Rukus 2010 2011 VW Transporter 2010 2015
Toyoto Echo 2005 2006 Toyoto Yaris 2005 2011 VW Transporter T5 2015 2016
Toyoto Hiace 2005 2016 Toyoto Yaris 2012 2014
Toyoto Hilux 1997 2004 Toyota Yaris 2014 2016 Camera CMOS-130
Toyoto Hilux 2005 2010 VW Amarok 2011 2014 CMOS-320
Toyoto Hilux 2011 2013 VW Amarok 2015 2016
Toyoto Hilux 2013 2014 VW Bora 2005 2011 Dash Camera KCA-DR300
Toyoto Hilux 2015 2016 VW Caddy 2005 2015 DRV-N520
Toyoto Kluger 2005 2006 VW Caravelle 2012 2014

7RQGRXWPRUHYLVLWhttp://www.kenwood.com/au/car/
 The Fiat 500 rather cosy for a whole heap of audio kit?
Not at all... nd out how this compact but perfectly formed
Italian ts in the fun while still allowing day-to-day driving in
this issues drive from the archive... Story Ed Kramer Images Jun Sawa

52 #04_2017
 2008 FIAT 500 FEATURE CAR

A 500!

www.avhub.com.au 53
2008 FIAT 500 FEATURE CAR

a
ny which way you look at it,
the Italians have given us
some thrilling cars. Ferrari,
Lamborghini, Maserati
hushed tones of admiration
and glances of envy they
inspire. But also at the other end of the scale,
where mere mortals live, there are interesting
options. Think Lancia, Alfa and the diminutive
yet eye-catching Fiat brand, with its colourful
and noteworthy history. Here we have Julian
Gligorovs Fiat 500 Julian approached us
asking us whether his pride-and-joy was feature-
worthy. Our answer? A resounding si! So here
were bringing it back for a second look-see.

54 #04_2017
56 #04_2017
 2008 FIAT 500 FEATURE CAR

TECH SPECS
owner: Julian Gligorov
vehicle: 2008 Fiat 500

engine: 1.4L Multi-Jet

induction: BMC Air
transmission: 6-speed manual
exhaust: Custom Exhaust with stainless tips
suspension: Eibach Pro-Kit
brakes: EBC Rotors, front slotted, EBC red
stuff pads
wheels: Factory optioned 16-inch
tyres: 195/45R16 Bridgestone Potenza

SYSTEM
source: Factory MP3, USB connectivity
front speakers: Audison AVX6.5 6.5-inch
front splits
rear speakers: Audison AVK6 splits
subwoofers: 2 x Audison Voce 12-inch subwoofers
front & rear ampliers: Audison SR4 4-channel
amplier
subwoofer ampliers: Audison SR1DKJ
stereo amplier
wiring: 0-gauge
lighting: Custom footwell and boot lighting
sound deadening: Throughout boot
installed by: Sound Obsession Seaford
total build time: Three days
credits: Sound Obsession for a top install,
Globeres Signs for the great decals, my parents
and mates who put up with the car install

www.avhub.com.au 57
2008 FIAT 500 FEATURE CAR
BIG SOUND, SMALL SPACES
Considering the size of the Fiat, the system Julian
specified is fit for any car and features powerful
subs and amplification. The story starts with
the competent-enough factory head unit which
accepts MP3s and offers a USB input. From
there things get a whole lot more serious with
amplification from Audison by way of its SR4
4-channel amplifier powering the front and rear
speakers. A further Audison amplifier, this time
the stereo SR 1DKJ handles the subwoofer duties.
Now the speakers are kept within the same
family and are Audisons AV X6.5 165mm splits in
the front while the rear speakers are Audison AV
K6 165mm component numbers. All the speakers
have been placed in factory positions in order to
keep the Fiats interior looking nice and factory-
clean while the amplifiers have been set out of
58 #04_2017
the way underneath the seats. The subwoofers
are, of course, nicely installed in custom
enclosures in the Fiats hatch or boot which and although he hasnt entered SQ competitions
has been extensively sound deadened. Here,
Julian used two Audison Voce AV 12 12-inch
subwoofers. The custom enclosures have been
lined with red vinyl in order to match the rest of
the colour scheme within the Fiats interior. All
is hooked up via 0-gauge cable and an Audison
Bass Controller has been installed to adjust
subwoofer level.
With the boots install of the subwoofers,
Julians mandate was that it would be a
removable feature in order to allow the car to be
practical in terms of every day usage. This can be
easily done by Julian in a matter of minutes while
still allowing good sound for his enjoyment via
the excellent Audison speakers in the cabin.
Oh, and by the way, Julian wanted to build a
system for sound quality, which he has achieved,
as yet, he has achieved an SPL maximum of
138dB. Well done!
Extensive use of LEDs has been applied to
highlight the boot install at shows and in the
footwells for interior ambience. Overall, the
installation is classy and the good people at
Sound Obsession are to be commended.
ITALIAN LEATHER
The Fiats interior is rather attractive too. Julian
specified the full leather treatment from Fiat at
the time of purchasing and this allowed a red
and cream theme to be applied throughout
the interior. So the dash is Fiat cream which is
carried across to the instrument cluster shade
 The ultimate experience all-new state-of-the-art Thomastown showroom.

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Ph: 9464 4373 Ph: 9336 0188 Ph: 9874 5678
www.streetsoundvision.com.au
60 #04_2017
 2008 FIAT 500 FEATURE CAR

DRIVER PROFILE
Name: Julian Gligorov
Car: 2008 Fiat 500

1.What got you into car electronics?

Always loved a decent quality system that
you can hear coming down the street.

2.How long have you been into it for?

Ive had the car for seven years, the install
for four years.

3.Occupation?
Owner of Juelz Plumbing.

4.Favourite music for testing audio

gear?
Pretty much anything. Remixes, R&B,
Techno, Bass. Songs wiith a combination
of lyrics & bass.

5.Dream car?
Nissan 370Z, BMW Z4.

6.Other hobbies/interests?
4WDriving, hunting, shing, wakeboarding,
motorbike riding, going to the beach
with mates.

7.Where to next?
Just started my own plumbing business,
Juelz Plumbing. New coilovers for the Fiat.
Other than that, Id love a Z4 with leather,
massive system, etc. And keep my Fiat
and maybe t it with an Albarth engine.

and the leather steering wheel while the seats are

red leather which is also used on the door trims
with cream leather headrests for accent. Red
leather is also used on the gear stick cowl.
So by installing the speakers the factory
locations, the interior has been kept beautifully
simple. The Italians, even when designing
with simplicity in mind, can still create an eye-
catching interior style.
Similarly, the Fiats exterior is elegantly
simple. So the cream colour scheme is carried to
the outside and the car is enhanced via custom
Italian stripes (Italian flag red, green and white
across the roof ) and decals. The 500 sports a
factory moonroof, a fully-optioned chrome kit,
red callipers and Abarth (the performance and
sporty branch of Fiat) rim centre capos on the
factory-optioned 16-inch alloys.

CONCLUSION
Simple elegance and classy style; thats what
the Italians are known for. Oh, and pretty
freaking awesome cars too. Here in Julians neat
Fiat 500 that Latin flavour is in plentiful supply.
This is an elegantly-appointed car with a fresh,
airy and gorgeous interior and equal style in its
exterior. And, of course, the choice of Audison
audio hardware ties it all back to the Italian
roots. Bellissimo!

www.avhub.com.au 61
 CERWIN VEGA
B51 AMPLIFIER
CLASS D ONE-CHANNEL AMPLIFIER
AUDITION
THE LITTLE AMPLIFIER
REVIEWER MARTY PRICE
THAT CAN. (AND DOES.)
One of the original pillars of car
audio worldwide, rising predominantly
to fame during the 1980s and 1990s, American-
born Cerwin Vega is a vastly experienced
company with an extensive heritage spanning
well over half a century. The company has
grown synonymous with good quality but
affordable equipment, and although its ampli-
er stable includes some of the mightiest
components the car audio arena has ever
seen, the Company also produces a range of
smaller ampliers,which cater for those of us
not wanting or able to set either the world or
their bank account on re.
Monoblocks dont always need to resemble
ofce blocks in order to achieve their goal. Of
62 #04_2017
course there will be reaers keen to retort that
smaller monoblocks inevitably yield smaller
power output and hence less control.
But consider this. Just as a Hayabusa
doesnt require the 7000hp motor of an open-
cut mining truck to get moving, if you inject a
little forethought into your subwoofer selection
you wont require quite so many thousands
of watts in order to have its motor structure
moving uidly. Ive learnt this from experience
and, clearly, so has Cerwin Vega.
And of course the ipside of the equation
is space. Not everyone wants to sacrice half
their boot in order to garner decent sub-bass.
And with the rise of Class D amplication, this
mindset has borne witness to the rise of a new
genre of compact digital ampliers, a genre
thats recently taken off like a veritable rocket.
NO HEAT OVERLOAD
So, this B51 is the monoblock from the es-
teemed new Stealth Bomber series from our
American friends. Its a high current digital
class-D design, with the output channel being
rated to produce over 175 watts continuously
when presented with a four-ohm load, or
300 watts when faced with a two-ohm load.
Loading it down further doesnt compromise
operations either; it just ups its power output
to 500 watts continuous to face the challenge
and continues right on its merry way. Com-
pared with some, that might not sound too
stratospheric, however just look at its merits
an insignicant footprint of 195mm x 100mm,
height of just 35mm, and weight of a mere
couple of kilograms. So given its size its power
output is quite simply astounding.
The secret lies within the topology. Class-D
ampliers utilise very powerful transistors
that are controlled digitally, switched between
either fully on or fully off, as opposed to an
analogue voltage tracking the input, as would
be the case with a class AB design. This system
yields high efciency leagues ahead of
analogue counterparts. When the switches
are open, all of the power supplied to them
is delivered to the load and none converted
into heat. On the other hand when theyre off
they have full supply voltage standing across
the B51 represents the epitome of what
new-age mini power ampliers should be
smart-looking, and smart-sounding.
them but no current owing, so again zero heat
is dissipated. The darned laws of physics do
get involved, sadly, so perfection remains an
unattainable state, but the Class-D design can
return an efciency hovering around the 90%
region, with the remaining energy converted
to heat (energy cannot be eradicated but
only converted). Distortion levels also remain
inherently a little higher within this class of
ampliers because the output waveform is
built using a square wave blocks. That said, the
E51 does return an impressive total harmonic
distortion of 0.5%.
Frequency response is a suitable 10Hz
350Hz, and the signal-to-noise ratio is 85dBA
at 1 watt, or 101.1 dBA at full tilt. Alongside the
distortion, of course, is the other spec critical
to subwoofers: damping facto in plain
English the ampliers ability to control the
subwoofers motor movement, both accelera-
tion and the perhaps more crucial deceleration
to the zero point before it begins the opposing
side of the sinusoidal wave. This is of utmost
importance if you desire sharp and accurate
sub-bass reproduction. Calculated nominally
by dividing the subwoofers impedance by the
output impedance of the amplier, the B51
boasts a damping factor of over 250.
BOLD, NOT BULKY
Appearance wise its fair to say Cerwin Vega
ampliers have always looked, well, typically
American. Theyre often large, bulky and
covered in heat-sinks (a look which Ill confess
I actually have no bones with). The Stealth
Bomber units, though, are the antonym of this
trend. Theyre small, anything but bulky, and
the designers have spruced up the outward
appearance a little by combining the overall
black case with some very stylish looking silver
end caps and side bars. This gives them the
ability to look right at home virtually anywhere,
although given their size theyre likely to be
unseen anyway!
The outer case is primarily aluminium
extrusion anodised in black, while the bottom
plate is stamped steel. The shock-resistant
plastic end caps serve to protect the controls
and connection blocks. Along one end reside
all the physical power connections, including
8AWG power and earth input terminals, and
dual speaker output terminals so you can run
multiple subwoofers if you so choose.
Along the other end are the remainding
connections, starting with high- or low-level
inputs. You simply plumb either your RCA or
speaker level into the plug provided. Also here
is a remote port for a bass level controller,
while located adjacent are the aural controls.
Aside from 10V0.2V sensitivity these include
a 10Hz55Hz subsonic lter, a 40Hz400Hz low
pass crossover and a 0dB12dB bass boost.
Theres no phase controller included.
Initially this appears to be quite an oversight
because the ability to change phase can be
critical to getting the subwoofer blending
neatly with your front stage. However Cerwin
Vega has method in its madness here, as swap-
ping phase is as simple as switching the wires
around youll only do it once, during set-up.
So to omit this is actually scally wise; it allows
for the manufacturing costs to come down just
that little bit more.
Dismantling the unit for inspection is as
straightforward as removing four cap screws
and sliding the bottom plate off. Revealed
thereby is a busy electronic landscape,
intelligently laid out, and quality components
too, appropriate for handling high current
demands, all robustly mounted upon a solid
red glass circuit board. A quadruplet of 1000uF
/25V Samwha stiffening capacitors smooth the
current before its transferred across to a large
air core transformer for voltage ascension.
From here the higher voltage is transported to
twelve 470uF/50V Samwha power capacitors
for storage until needed, at which point its
then distributed across to ten audiophile-
grade MOSFETS. These transistors deliver
power aplenty when called upon, and are lined
strategically along either side of the heatsink,
carefully placed to allow for maximum thermal
dissipation when things start getting a little
warm. Cerwin Vega has paid careful attention
to where the signal handling components
reside, for heat aside they must also be kept
well clear of the current handling areas lest
they induce whine. Not as easy task with a
physical design this small.
FITS JUST ABOUT
ANYWHERE
Included in the box are mounting screws, tools,
multilingual instructions, a bass-level remote
and an input plug with RCAs plumbed in.
Finding real estate for the unit is, of course,
a non-event, with it tting just about anywhere
larger than an ash tray. I had it installed within
15 minutes and began by setting the gains
against my oscilloscope. Despite its diminutive
proportions the output waveform doesnt
reveal signicant signs of deterioration until
well into the output range, which is a good sign
for those a little concerned that the small unit
might struggle.
As aforementioned, subwoofer choice is
an important decision when using an amplier
of this ilk; youre dont want to be hooking up
a row of Cerwin Vega Strokers here... I settled
on testing with a single highly efcient 12-inch
subwoofer running in a sealed 35-litre test en-
closure. Starting out with softer genres such as
acoustic, jazz and classical the amplier proved
clean and smooth, reproducing any and all
low-end notes, with consistency to boot. Taking
it from there I stepped up the genres to the
more dynamic electronic music before nally
landing at the hardest of genres for ampliers
to reproduce: rock and well-engineered heavy
metal. When handling these demands the B51
remained in impressively complete control,
even during the fast double-bass blast-beats
of thrash and industrial-style metal, and to
a surprisingly frightening volume! That said I
must also add the disclaimer that you shouldnt
go harbouring any unrealistic expectations
either. The B51 is not a titanic-sized amplier,
ergo there comes a point beyond which you
cannot push it. Nonetheless itll provide more
than enough bass to satisfy those not aiming to
bounce along the road in a wild SPL display.
In conclusion, then, the B51 represents
the epitome of what new-age mini power
ampliers should encompass. Its smart-looking,
smart-sounding and given its meagre price tag
of $449, its beyond a bargain.
CERWIN VEGA
TECH SPECS
B51
AMPLIFIER
TYPE: Class D one-channel amplier
FEATURES: Adjustable crossover and sub-
sonic lter, bass boost, subsonic lter, high
and low level inputs
CONTINUOUS POWER RATING: 1 x 175 /
300 / 500 @ 4 / 2 / 1 ohm
COST: $449
CONTACT: Cerwin Vega Australia
WEB: www.cerwinvega.com.au
Bold but not bulky
Smart and solid for its price
Big sub arrays will need more
www.avhub.com.au 63
 CLARION
VX807AU
MULTIMEDIA HEAD UNIT
AUDITION
FEEL THE DIFFERENCE.
REVIEWER SCOTT CAMPBELL
Im not kidding with this headline
you can actually feel, as well as
hear the quality, from the very rst time you
play this beauty.
As far as head units go, todays necessity
for a big touch-screen has meant that theyre
all starting to look the same, to a degree. They
all feature the latest and greatest functions,
multiple connections in and out, Apple Car Play
along with Android connectivity and app-style
operation. So whats left to separate one model
from the next, apart from cost?
In fact, thats a simple question to answer.
Quality. Quality of manufacture, quality of
operation. Most importantly, quality of sound.
CRYSTAL-CLEAR SCREEN
So from the fascia at least, the Clarion
VX807AU doesnt appear much different to
many another multimedia head unit. A large 7-
inch screen dominates the fascia; it ips down
at the touch of a button to reveal the CD sisc
slot. Theres a row of small buttons along the
64 #04_2017
lower front edge, below the screen and these
touch points, to borrow a phrase from the car
manufacturers, have received some attention.
They are smoothly tactile and very denite
in their operation. They dont rock from side
to side in their sockets like some examples.
They are clearly illuminated and you can easily
identify them by feel thats important while
driving, particularly at night. But of course, you
really dont even need to use the buttons a lot
of the time. The large screen is also touch-en-
abled and, even better, it has a Flick or swipe
function with much the same feel to it as on
your smartphone. Functionality (of which there
is plenty) is logical and clear, with no weird
menu layouts or options. It took me all of about
10 minutes to become familiar with it. The
graphics quality of this screen deserves a men-
tion here also, with colours rich and vibrant and
icons that are easy to recognise and clear even
in direct sunlight. The 800 x 480 pixel resolution
aside, video playback is as good as anything
youll get on your smartphone or tablet.
Connections brother, have we got some
connections here! All the usual suspects are
in place with three separate RCA outputs for
additional amplier/processor connections,
plus theres an optical output to go straight
to your DSP device, or to Clarions own Full
Digital Sound System. (This alleviates the need
for an external DAC and means the signal
stays completely in the digital domain.) USB
is equally well catered for, with 2 x rear USB
y leads (included) and HDMI for video inputs,
which will play H.264 video, while from USB
you can play MP4 and AVI video les and MP3,
WMA AAC, and FLAC audio. Theres a handy
option to split multiple sources between front
and rear passenger zones, which may save you
from hearing The Wiggles playing on the rear
screen video output!
The Clarion VX807AU features several
options for sound tailoring, with both Hi-Pass
and Low-Pass lter options, very useful for
adjusting additional sources to work with
external amplication and drivers. A built-in
15-band equaliser means you can
tune each individual source to your
liking, and then save the settings so
theyre applied automatically when
you switch to that source.
The navigation function does
require an additional cost option,
but this then allows 3D mapping,
which often seems easier to read
and comprehend when trying to
nd your way.
Given the sheer number of
options on offer here, along with
such a broad range of adjustments
and functionality, the VX807AU is a
champion in a crowded segment.
Even the most tech savvy of
users will be hard pressed to run
out of things to do with this one!
But conversely, it can be congured
to focus on the most often used
features for convenience and playback.
SOUNDS GREAT
Youd be forgiven for thinking the VX807AU
was all about the tech, but youd be wrong.
You can hear its a Clarion; indeed this is where
the VX807AU really shines. Installed in the test
vehicle, a 2002 Nissan Stagea wagon, it was
paired with the resident Alpine DLX-F17S splits,
which should need no introduction for regular
readers (reviewed right here in Australian
In-Car issue 3-2017). While the VX807AU was
only temporarily mounted for this review, the
Alpines are well and truly locked in, with 500+
hours of run time. No external ampliers or
subs were used in this review and all tracks
were played from CD or via Bluetooth from an
iPhone 5S. Bluetooth should be chosen only
for convenience in fact a wired input via
the USB resulted in superior quality of sound.
(Clarions Bluetooth spec notes only A2DP, so
presumably defaults to the SBC codec, which
would explain the superior wired results.)
First track up was from Bruce Cockburns
Slice of Life, his live solo album recorded in
2008. Now, this album was recorded for me
by a longterm friend in Tasmania, copied from
a master in his home studio, then digitally
cleaned and re-burned onto a specially-treated
blank disc. Ive found these recordings are
among the cleanest, most dynamic and purest
Ive ever come across. (Just exactly what he
does is a closely guarded secret; I have but the
barest idea of the process. And I should note
he only gives them away to a few friends.)
Anyway, the track in question, number 3,
is Lovers in a Dangerous Time. Cockburns
voice ranges from guttural to soaring, and is
a difcult one to capture accurately. Having
heard it numerous times on high-end domestic
systems, I had my doubts as to what to expect
from an in-car environment. Pleasantly
surprised, my notes say, along with dynamic
and realistic. The VX807AU captured the
main essence of the performance, including,
surprisingly, a lot of the spacial cues of the
recording venue. These are not something Ive
come to expect from in-car systems, being
hard to reproduce in a vehicle, especially a
wagon, and especially on the move. The track
had great rhythm and very, very little distortion
or compression I could hear, even at higher
volumes. Speaking of level, the VX807AU
seems to punch well above its rating, which
is variably quoted as 4 x 25W (website), 4 x
50W (maximum into 4 ohms, in the manual);
whatever the measurement standard, I never
felt that the Clarion came close to its limits in
my use with the Alpines. And of course the line
outputs allow amplication upgrading if you do
need more.
Ray Wylie Hubbards 1994 album Loco
Gringos Lament has one particular track on it
that gets regular play chez Campbell and thats
Number 4, Little Angel Comes a Walkin. Its
well recorded, well mixed and really gets along
with great pace and timing. Hubbards voice
can be both raw and soulful ,and while Im not
a huge fan of Progressive Country music, this is
a particularly enjoyable track. Driving with the
VX807AU, this song had me toe-tapping and
drumming ngers on the wheel.
Lifting things several notches, Ive long
been a fan of the Fooies and recently picked
up their One by One album, their 2002
fourth studio release and the rst to feature
new guitarist Chris Shiett. Come Back is a
dark and brooding lament, possibly reecting
the bands internal troubles of the period,
but a a satisfying song nonetheless, with real
balls in the recording. It needs to be played
loudly to sound its best! The VX807AU obliged
handsomely. All the growling angst of the track
was captured and pumped out nicely, proving
beyond doubt that this Clarion unit has what
it takes, across a wide range of genres and
musical tastes.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Has Clarion ever made a terrible sounding
head unit? I cant really think of one perhaps
some that didnt grab you quite as much as
others. But theyve all sounded good in most
ways. The Clarion VX807AU proves no excep-
tion to this rule, and in some areas is a different
beast to the other offerings currently vying
for your hard-earned pay check. Features and
functions to the nth degree, yet, but without
Clarion losing sight of whats really important
for a head unit quality of sound reproduc-
tion. Whether it be via Bluetooth, USB, CD or
any other format, the VX807 impressed with its
sound quality across a wide range of material.
Even playing AM talkback radio while work-
ing on the bench, I found myself impressed
with the vocal clarity on offer via my junky old
workshop speakers.
Its not a cheap device. But we reckon
itll last you. Even come the day were all
streaming wirelessly via surgical implants,
the Clarion VX807AU will be remembered for
the quality of its build and the quality of its
sound reproduction.
CLARION
TECH SPECS
VX8O7AU
MULTIMEDIA HEAD UNIT
TYPE: 2-din multimedia head unit
SCREEN: 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen
INPUTS: AM/FM tuner, Bluetooth, HDMI;
dual rear USB; rear composite AV; rear-
view camera; radio antanna, GPS antenna;
DAB404E module input (separate option);
remote control
OUTPUTS: speakers out; 6-channel preamp
outputs (2-volt front, rear, subwoofer);
composite a/v output; digital optical output
WARRANTY: 1 year
COST: $1099
CONTACT: Clarion Australia on 03 8558 1115
WEB: www.clarion.com.au
Great sound
Plenty of connections and EQ options
Nothing much to knock here
www.avhub.com.au 65
 NAVDY
NVD100-EN
INTERACTIVE DISPLAY MODULE
AUDITION
HEAD UP EVERYTHING.
THIS IS THE FUTURE.
REVIEWER MARTY PRICE
Not that I like talking about age,
but over my many years of reviewing
electronic equipment hitherto, the vast bulk of
it has been primarily straightforward audio-
visual gear the likes of receivers, ampliers
and speakers. But every so often fate sends
me something that departs from this norm.
Which is always interesting, though seldom
earth-shattering. It is a rarity indeed when a
new design lands on my desk which is not only
practical but borders on downright ingenious.
Well, friends, we have one such right here
Navdys NVD100-EN interactive display module.
It is engineering acumen personied.
In brief, then, the Navdy NVD100-EN is an
interactive information system which is centred
on a head-up display module i.e. the display
is projected onto the windscreen so you can
66 #04_2017
keep your head up, rather than peering down
at the dash. Youll most likely have seen this
in operation in upmarket (often very upmarket
vehicles, and for navigation in particular it
allows for safe and easy reading of the maps.
But the Navdy system goes much further,
branching out to encompass everything from
musical and telephonic duties through to
various elements of the host cars information.
indeed theres quite a bit to get ones head
around when rst tinkering with it; its after a
day or two of familiarisation that you begin to
appreciate this little gem. So much so that Im
going to boldly proclaim that devices of this ilk
will soon be mandatory in all new vehicles.
Open the smartly nish box and youre
presented with a whole host of neatly
packaged goodies, all of which are constructed
from robust UV and shock-resistant black poly-
plastics. Aside from the unit itself there are
three different fundamental mounting systems
for low, mid and high dash heights, a steering-
wheel-mounted controller, various cables
and cable management clips, OBD-II interface
plug, cleaning tools plus multiple quick start
guides. Im rarely enthusiastic about quick
start guides, and the remaining instructional
information resides on the Navdy website in
the guise of mini-paragraphs and short videos.
Save the trees though this may, Id rather have
a full instruction booklet right in front of me to
reference while in the car. [End moan.]
With the physical components installed
and plugged into your ODB-II port, you can
then pay a quick visit to either the App Store
or Google Play depending on your operating
system of choice. Just be aware that when
downloading and installing the Navdy app
that it requires the latest operating system
installed on your smartphone, so check this
in advance! L learnt the hard way. Then upon
opening the app it prompts you to answer
a few preliminary questions before running
through the installation process, including the
pairing of both the steering wheel controller
and your phone to the main command module.
From there you simply navigate the systems
menus with the steering-wheel controller, using
a logical combination of the dial and pressing
of the button for different lengths of time to
access and activate different features.
GOOGLE MAP SMARTS
The navigation uses Google Maps via your
phone, not only navigating hopefully seam-
lessly and safely to your destination but also
providing all the abilities intrinsic to Google
Maps, from the exhaustive points-of-interest
database through to offering current trafc
and weather-related information in addition
to the basics such as time, date and compass
direction. Much of this can be searched via
the steering wheel controller. The system
can reroute based on criteria such as trafc
congestion, and the longer you use it the more
it learns about you, meaning that it can antici-
pate your needs to make helpful time-saving
suggestions based on your habits and calendar
events. Incredible accuracy is maintained
thanks to the fact the GPS chip and antenna
have a clear line of communication with satel-
lites overhead as they reside within the main
body of the head-up display, which by now is
hopefully residing upon your dashtop. The
additional resource of your phones facilities,
advanced sensors, accelerometer and gyrom-
eter all work in harmony to provide the system
with pinpoint information pertaining to the
cars whereabouts. If the coverage drops out, in
a tunnel for example, the unit does a good job
of keeping you on course with ofine maps.
SWIPE THEM AWAY
Staying with the telephony-related functionality
for a moment, when a phone call comes in, the
unit displays (head up) all available informa-
tion about that individual, including a photo of
the caller if you have such information stored
on your device. You can then opt to accept or
decline the phone call simply by swiping your
hand in the air before the head-up display. The
unit is quite smart in this regard, too well
capable of recognising the difference between
a genuine hand swipe and the movements of
normal everyday driving.
Much of the overall functionality can be
interacted with via spoken instruction too. With
the radical improvements made in speech
recognition recently, there is little excuse for
not incorporating such a potential safety bonus
in quality kit these days..
The image projected by the head-up
display is deserving of a special mention
simply because its a poster child for what a
head-up display ought to be today. Head-up
displays (HUDs for short) evolved from the
pre-World War II reector sights, a parallax-
free optical system in military aircraft which,
in conjunction with the gyro gunsight, could
offer up additional information (such as
predictive movements of the intended target)
based on speed, turn rates and predicted
bullet trajectories thus allowing you to
point and shoot as the term became known.
Projecting information before the pilot in a
three-dimensional conguration gave a scope
of depth in addition to width and height.
And this is where the Navdy is superior
to much of the competition. While the HUD
concept is nothing new, most on the market
today (including many OEM ones) are simply
two-dimensional projectors displaying
information on the windscreen with a at
monochromatic appearance. This often suffers
from translucent ghosting where theres
an ever-present background tinge to the
information zone, making it difcult to read
in certain lights. The Navdy delivers a vivid,
full-colour three-dimensional image when
displaying navigation maps and other ancillary
information, even facial features, and all on a
virtually transparent background. Not only does
this generate a superior depth perception to
what might otherwise be bland information, its
also crystal clear, with zero anti-aliasing issues.
This is also conducive to fewer headaches,
as your eyes dont have to strain to recognise
information which might not sound overly
important short-term, but once youve spent a
day navigating around the complex back lanes
of Sydney in bright sunlight, arriving home
minus a migraine is a big bonus.
Speaking of bright sunlight, the display
adjusts brightness to match the environment
automatically, ranging from dimming down at
night to being approximately 40 times brighter
than your average smartphone during peak
brightness periods, like high noon.
MULTI-TASKER
Finally, there is the vehicle information link.
Besides obtaining power from the ODB-II
connection the Navdy can also communicate
with nearly all modern cars to offer up such
information as tachometer, speedometer, fuel
consumption and the like, in addition to alerting
to you when the car needs fuel. Basically, when
you initially set up the app on your phone, you
tell it what make, model and year your car is.
The Navdy will thenceforth congure itself to
communicate with your car, displaying all avail-
able information before you. Its a proactive
system too, whereby if theres an issue such
as being low on petrol, the Navdy will auto-
matically calculate the shortest route to your
preferred petrol station to ll up. Friendly!
If you drive your car once a month, this may
all be an unnecessary luxury. However, if youre
like me and spend more time in your car than
anywhere else, the Navdy rapidly becomes a
necessity. Even if you reckon you sdont spend
much time peering down at the binnacle, with
this unit installed, that distraction is entirely
removed. Its not only safer, its downright fun.
Even setting all that aside, the greatest
genius of this device is that its entirely
portable. If youre alighting from your daily
driver to head down the coast in your weekend
rocket ship, you simply unplug it from your
ODB-II port, move it across to the new vehicle
and let your app know. Tell me, is that not the
most practical piece of incar technology youve
witnessed in some time?
TECH SPECS
NAVDY
NVD100-EN
INTERACTIVE DISPLAY
MODULE
TYPE: Dash mounted head-up display
FEATURES: Interactivity with smartphone
and cars ODB-II port allowing for navigation,
Blue tooth and vehicular information to be
displayed
COST: $999
CONTACT: Directed (03) 8331 4800
WEB: www.directed.com.au
All manner of head up information provided
Excellent gesture and voice control
Full printed manual would be handy
www.avhub.com.au 67
 ALPINE
X-S69C
2-WAY COMPONENT SPEAKERS
AUDITION
X HITS THE SPOT.
REVIEWER STEPHEN DAWSON
Oval speakers, eh? They take me
way back. You dont see too many
of them around, but here is a set from Alpine.
Indeed, the X-S69C is the top model in the
companys X Series range of speakers.
So, why oval? Basically, its one way to make
a big speaker t in a small, oddly shaped space.
And cars are full of small, oddly shaped spaces.
If you want a bigger woofer in a home speaker,
you just make the box bigger. Not an option
with cars. In the auto world, the speakers have
to conform, not their enclosures.
EQUIPMENT
The speaker cone is rated at 9 inches by
6 inches (speaker drivers are traditionally
measured from their screw holes, not the size
of the cone itself) thus the X-S69C model
number. It features what Alpine describes as a
Nano-Fibre Woofer Cone and its engine uses
a neodymium magnet.
Interpreting more of the model number,
the C stands for component. Which is to say,
theres a tweeter, but instead of being sus-
pended in front of the cone of the larger driver,
68 #04_2017
its separate, and so can be placed somewhere
on the dashboard. As always, youre going to
get more treble if the tweeter is facing you, the
listener, than if its ring into your calf from the
door or under the dash.
The tweeter is a 25mm unit with a carbon
graphite dome and neodymium magnet. It
comes with its own enclosure, standing 34mm
tall and 58mm in diameter. Its designed for
surface mounting.
Theres also a separate crossover network,
which can be put anywhere it will t, within the
range permitted by the speaker cables. Lots of
mounting hardware is included.
You can open up the crossover network
boxes a little to change some settings, and
with little careful squeezing, remove the lid
completely. This discloses a PC board with
two largish components: a 0.4mH coil and a
100 volt, 3.9 microfarad, 5% tolerance Bennic
PMT capacitor. Alpine boasts of using high
grade network components for the crossover,
without going into details. Bennic capacitors
certainly have a reputation for high quality in
audio applications.
We also noted that the printed circuit board
is glued into the case, so its not likely to come
loose and start rattling around over time.
When you slide back the lid of the crossover,
two adjustments are available. by moving little
square jumpers from one set of two pins to
another set. One set of adjustments is to
change the level of the tweeter. As delivered it
is preset to a reference 0dB, but +3dB and -3dB
are available. Chances are youll adjust the
level with the EQ in your head unit, assuming
that most purchasers will have a head unit
worthy of speakers like these.
The other adjustment allows you to reverse
the phase of the tweeter compared to the
larger driver. This may help deal with cross-
over issues, potentially unpredictable given
that Alpine has no idea how far from the main
speaker youll be installing the tweeters. But its
going to take a ne ear indeed to detect any
such issues, so I doubt it will be widely used.
You know how manufacturers routinely, if
futilely, ask purchasers to retain the packaging
in case of return or having to move? Less
relevant with car audio of course, but theres
no hope of that here. The cutting template for
the main speakers is most of the back of the
carton, which has a perforated outline,
ready to push out. Unfortunately, the
instructions are also on the back of
the carton and you make a big
hole in them when the tem-
plate comes out. Keep the
bits. Or take a photo before
pushing out the template.
The wiring diagram,
which I managed to read
by carefully aligning the
templates Id removed
from the box, made it clear
that the amplier is wired to
the larger driver, with addi-
tional wires going from it to the
crossover and thence to the tweeter.
Clearly the crossover does not control
the range of sound delivered to the
larger speaker.
The necessary wires are already attached to
the crossover and tweeter, but you may need
to add more depending on the layout of the
speakers in your vehicle. The wiring included
allows up to 830mm between the woofer and
the crossover, and 1.04 metres between the
crossover and the tweeter.
If you like what you see about the Alpine X
Series, but dont have a place for these speak-
ers for whatever reason, there is also the X-S65
model ($649), with is a component system
like this one, but the larger speaker is a round
6.5 inch unit, and the X-S65 ($549), which is
somewhat like the X-S65C but with the tweeter
mounted as part of the main speaker system.
LISTENING
I started off my listening with some challeng-
ing material: Beyoncs album Lemonade. control. Later in the same track Pavarotti lets
With one omission, the sound was astonish-
ingly good. Really lovely, with great tonal
balance and precision, and pretty respectable
imaging. The omission was the deep bass on
the rst track, and there was a denite hole
there because there isnt a whole lot of mid or
upper bass on that track. Get rid of the really
deep stuff, and there isnt much left. But then
the next track Hold Up started and the
character changed. This track has plenty of mid
bass, and the speakers did a startlingly good
job of delivering it. There was a real authority
and punch, and even some respectable depth,
to the bottom end in this track.
Meanwhile, the vocals and some of the
instrumentation was reproduced with a real
sense of three dimensions. This was more high
delity home stuff than car equipment, but
there we are.
I pushed the volume hard, to the point of
producing some rattles in the right channel. I
think the main driver was bottoming out, so I
backed off a couple of decibels. Up until that
point, even though it was extremely loud, the
speakers remained clean and controlled, with-
out any sense of distortion.
Switching genres radically, I played
sections of the Sutherland/Pavarotti version of
La Traviata. This kind of music is challenging in
a car because of the dynamic range, leaving
too much of the content lost in a cars rela-
tively high noise oor. That means the level has
to be high, which means the speakers have to
cope with the peaks.
Unlike Beyonc, though, theres no really
deep bass, and consequently no danger of
bottoming out the large driver. And it didnt.
The speakers went loud, and the amazing
Sutherland aria near the end of the rst Act
was delivered at a thrillingly high volume,
without any sense of shriekiness, which is
what lower quality speakers can sometimes
produce, even when not overloaded. Instead,
this Alpine system was again in complete
loose, and the result is the same: controlled,
powerful music, and nothing untoward.
Perhaps splitting the difference between
those two kinds of music, I played Billy Joel.
On the opening of The Stranger the cymbals
danced cleanly and precisely in space over
Joels piano. The kick drum was hinted at by its
second and third harmonics rather than the
fundamentals, although the toms were fully
realised. The bass guitar line, rarely strong with
Joel, was discernible at around the right level.
And the whole thing was nicely boppy.
TESTING
I ran a few measurements of the two drivers,
chiey to see where the crossover kicked in.
That was relatively easy to do given the split
nature of the drivers. I just put the tweeter well
away from the main speaker, and the micro-
phone a few millimetres away from it. It was
clear that the -3dB point of its output at the
bottom end was at 1700 hertz, so you could
call that, or perhaps 1800 hertz, the crossover
point. At the top end it was still producing
plenty of output at 30,000 hertz, so if you
think you might get some advantage from
high-resolution audio in a car environment,
these tweeters are going to be the kind
of thing youll want to hear.
As expected, the larger driver
exhibited no hint of having a
low-pass lter applied in the
crossover. It just does the best
it can with the full range of
frequencies. Measuring up
close, they appeared to be
dropping away by 2000 hertz,
although it was hard to tell for
sure because the measurement
showed considerable variation
which, I suspect, was due to differ-
ing path lengths given the oval rather
than round cone. No matter really, I was
only interested in the end points.
At the other end, the output was very solid
to 130 hertz, then dropped by around 12dB
to a new plateau, which it maintained from
around 115 hertz down to 40 hertz. Again, all
that was with a close measurement.
Measuring the whole thing together at a
distance of a metre smoothed it all out a bit,
and put the end points of the response at
28,000 hertz at the top (maybe higher given
microphone limitations there), and around 100
hertz at the bottom. The roll-off below that was
fairly gentle, but the output was still something
like 18dB down at 45 hertz.
CONCLUSION
Depth lovers may wish to factor in a subwoofer,
but the Alpine X-S69C component two-way
speaker system certainly produces truly high
quality sound, and is well worth a listen at your
local car audio retailer.
ALPINE
TECH SPECS
X-S69C
2-WAY COMPONENT
SPEAKERS
IMPEDANCE: 4 ohms
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 45 to 50kHz
DRIVER: 1 x 24mm dome tweeter;
1 x 160 by 225mm cone bass/midrange
POWER RATING: 120 watts RMS, 330
watts Peak
WEIGHT: 669g for bass/midrange;
82 grams for tweeter
COST: $699
CONTACT: Alpine Electronics of Australia
WEB: www.alpine.com.au
Excellent sound
Oval shape may allow a larger cone t in a
difcult space
Installation exibility due to component
design
Woofer can bottom out if slightly overdriven
www.avhub.com.au 69
 PHILIPS
CED1910BT
MULTIMEDIA HEAD UNIT
AUDITION
REVIEWER SCOTT CAMPBELL
NATURAL ABILITY.
Given that Philips launched the
Compact Disc in partnership with
Sony, and the DVD alongside Sony, Panasonic
and Toshiba, you might consider the company
to have a good insight into what an in-vehicle
Multimedia Head Unit should be. Over the
years, of course, the Philips brand has become
spread across multiple owners its TVs today
come from TP Vision, for example, while the
Philips record label is part of Unversal Music.
The incar audio division is, with the rest
of Philips audio, part of Gibson Innovations
(formerly WOOX), and the level of quality
achieved is evident from the moment you
unpack the Philips CED1910BT. Its a nicely
70 #04_2017
simple design, with a clean and elegant fascia
dominated by a 6.2-inch WVGA-resolution
display (800 x 480 pixels), which doubles as a
touch panel. Theres no ip-down/ip-up action
on the fascia; Philips has chosen a xed fascia
with the CD slot located above the screen.
Given the common connections at the rear of
the unit, and slots either side of the fascia for
SD card and USB, theres no real need for the
screen to move; theres still plenty of space for
control buttons vertically on both sides. Like
we said, neat and clean. A comprehensive little
remote control is included, of the credit-card
type. It provides the most commonly used
functions and operates instantly and easily.
The complete package contains almost
everything needed for install, along with
comprehensive operating and installation
instructions which are, unusually, supplied in
a printed manual refreshing in these days
when we so often have to refer to a disc or a
download. A printed manual is a lot easy when
youre getting down and dirty behind the dash!
MULTIFORMAT
ENTERTAINMENT
In addition to standard CDs and DVDs, the disc
drive here can also handle discs of MP3s, and
can play DivX and DivXVOD formats too (dont
be playing video when your vehicle is moving,
 YOUR LOCAL CAR AUDIO SPECIALIST IS PASSIONATE ABOUT
SOUND. WHY RISK YOUR MUSIC WITH ANYONE ELSE?

THE SPECIALIST THE INTERNET

Talk to people with years or

decades of car audio knowledge 01 No people

Receive reliable personal advice 02 No advice

Expect to be asked about your
needs and music 03 No ltering questions

Actually listen to a number of

products before you buy 04 No listening

Have a nice coffee 05 No coffee

Purchase with pride 06 Purchase with fear

Get a full warranty with local Warranty possibly void

return point 07 in Australia

After-sales service 08 After-sales what?

Have an ongoing relationship 09 No contact with staff

Relax and enjoy ne music 10 Purchase and pray

CAR AUDIO SPECIALIST STORES.

The right place for the right sound.
of course!). You can load MP3s onto a USB
stick if you like, or plug in your smart device
to charge and play.
Many will prefer to use the Bluetooth
connectio, and the CED1910BT paired
quickly and easily with an iPhone 5 and
even with a moderately elderly iPod used
in these tests. Changing between the
Bluetooth sources was instant, along with
reconnection when returning from out of
range, something that many units dont
do so well. The Philips recognised when a
previously paired device came back into
range and immediately locked onto the
signal. Bluetooth range proved an excellent
eight metres, if not more.
Theres a rear lead for video camera
input, and video outputs for rear screens,
along with reversing camera, external
microphone and GPS antenna. A full set
of line-out connections means external
ampliers and active subs for system
extension are all catered for.
Smart-phone connections allow
integration with your phone book, along
with call answering and dialling via the
touch-screen. Incidentally, the touch-
screen itself is one of the more responsive
offerings Ive come across sensitive
without being overly so, plus the app icons
are large and legible and the operation is
denite. Where some brands seem to
have a very wide touch area for each app,
which can lead to hitting the wrong icon at
times from the driving position, not so the
CED1910BT, where the screen operations
weree a pleasure to use. Navigation is
available via a Map Data card that must
be purchased separately (see the price
differences) and inserted in a slot in the
front to initialise the Navigation feature.
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC
The Philips CED1910BT offers the user the
option of eight pre-set equaliser options for
tailoring the sound, or the playback can be
tuned by the user via on-screen adjust-
ments for Bass, Middle and Treble, as well
as level controls for individual sectors of the
vehicle. Philips Zone Technology means
listening levels can be adjusted to suit
driver or passenger areas as required.
At rst listen, the Philips seemed a little
at-sounding nothing drew particular
attention as decient, but the wow factor
was somewhat absent, so that Gorillaz
Feel Good Inc emerged nice enough, but
not as immediately inviting as some units
around this price. But this proved one of
those systems which, in fact, does it right
for longer-term listening. Once some time
had been spent with the system, it became
clear that the CED1910BT is one of those
rare audio devices that reproduces a
natural sound nothing over-emphasised,
and nothing missing either. For a reviewer
72 #04_2017
yourself for selecting such a sound balance
the case, playing tunes cleanly was, well,
codec, without the higher AAC or licensed
The Philips CED1910BT is clearly a mature
from the next. It has all the convenience
The touch-screen leads you through the CED1910BTs
many abilities with intuitive menus and prompts.
facing multiple sound systems, or for a consumer
auditioning several systems, it can be easy to
neglect the value of this kind of sound balance.
Dont skip over it. Longterm listening is rewarded
with the realisation that a lot of attention has
been paid to the quality of the sound here.
Naturalness is the order of the day. Rhythm and
pace are important in any musical event and
are often blurred or missing in the motor vehicle
environment. Not so here!
A great example to demonstrate this exactly
was Green Days 2017 album Revolution Radio.
Track 2, Bang Bang, features some heavy
drum work by Tre Cool, and many systems
reduce this to a one note rumble. The
CED1910BT had enough sheer punch and
denition to allow the listener to hear exactly
what was going on, retaining the pace and
timing to get the most out of this track. While
it might sound laid-back, nothing was dulled-
down, everything was in its correct place,
completely balanced and natural. Youll thank
over truly longterm, enjoyable listening.
Indeed I rarely found it necessary to
engage the various additional sound options
the Philips sports Max Sound Boost
and Dynamic Bass Boost, but as is often
cleaner. CD was a clear winner in terms
of clarity and articulation over iPhone and
iPod via Bluetooth its worth noting that
the Bluetooth is limited to Philips own SBC
aptX codecs, so a direct connection of your
device via USB may deliver the best sound,
along with all the convenience and speed of
digital storage media.
AND IN THE END
product in a market segment striving to offer
something new to differentiate each model
and connectivity, and most of the bells and
whistles to compete, including navigation
as an option (see pricing for the extra). But I
found these features were not what made it
stand out from the crowd after spending
time with the Philips, it was the units ability
to simply get out of the way and not draw
attention to itself, leaving the listener to enjoy
the music. Thats the thing we liked most
about the CED1910BT.
PHILIPS
TECH SPECS
CED1910BT
MULTIMEDIA HEAD UNIT
TYPE: 2-DIN multimedia head unit
DISPLAY: 6.2-inch WVGA touch panel
INPUTS: CD/DVD slot, USB, SD/SDHC card,
microSD for navigation; Bluetooth audio and
hands-free; external mike, antenna, GPS
antenna, rear-view camera, composite AV in,
remote in, Smart Connect
OUTPUTS: speakers out, preamp out, sub
out, 2 x video out
PRICE: $599 nav ready; $799 nav equipped
CONTACT: DLG International for your
nearest Australian dealer on +64 9571 3375
WEB: www.dlgint.co.nz
Gets out of the way & lets the music through
Plenty of connection options
Sounds laidback at rst but give it time!
EISA AWARD WINNING
VIBE AUDIO CVEN62C-V4

CVEN62C-V4
2 Way Component Speaker

...If the goal of a decent speaker system

is to reproduce music with clarity and
punch, then Vibe Audio ticks every box.
JUDGES COMMENT