Sony Autosound products rated No.1 in three consecutive car audio and electronics test reports

Business Wire, April 25, 1996

PARK RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 1996--As testimony to the company's commitment to providing consumers with the industry's best mobile electronics products, Sony Autosound has been awarded an unprecedented three consecutive top ratings by Car Audio And Electronics magazine.

Sony has received several top ratings from Car Audio And Electronics, but three in a row marks a precedent for the company. Winning products include Sony's CDX-C590 in-dash CD player/receiver with CD-changer control; the XS-3051D 5 1/4" coaxial speakers; and a three-source system that includes an XR-C520 head unit and the CDX-T60 six-disc CD changer.

"We are extremely proud that these three Sony Autosound products received a top rating from Car Audio And Electronics, one of the industry's most highly respected consumer publications," said Doug Wilsterman, vice president Mobile Electronics Marketing Division. "The fact that we received such a high rating for three consecutive mouths serves as affirmation of our efforts to introduce new and exciting mobile electronics products."

The first test, which appeared in the November issue, covered CD player/receivers with CD-changer control. The Sony CDX-C590 was compared to the Sherwood XCM-6870R and the Clarion DRX6175 and was ranked number one. Scoring best in both tuner and CD performance with a B and B respectively, the unit was touted as "especially easy to learn and use without looking." In addition, the unit's Rotary Commander remote control was described as "ingeniously endowed with the ability to control every major function with a simple, unambiguous push or twist."

The Sony CDX-C590 scored particularly well with its CD-section measurements. Frequency response, from 20-20,000 Hz, was the best of the group at 0.1/-0.4 and distortion at 1,000 Hz and max volume, was lowest at 0.015%. Overall, the Sony unit scored an 84 out of 100, the Clarion an 82 and the Sherwood an 80.

The article summed up the Sony CDX-C590 by calling it "a functional tour de force, that sounds good too, an unbeatable combination." The 1996 successor to the CDX-C590, the CDX-C710 is currently available for a suggested retail price of $500.

The December issue's test report covered 5 1/4" coaxial speakers. The Sony Mobile ES XS-3051D was compared with the Cerwin-Vega AI-52, the MTX 5212 and the Pioneer TS-A1395. All of the speakers employed post-mount tweeters, plastic woofer cones, foam or rubber surrounds, ferrite woofer magnets, single-capacitor high-pass filters and stamped steel frames. They were all tested in a 1990 Mazda Miata with a stock CD radio connected to a 250-watt-per-channel power amp driving the speakers.

The subjective evaluation rated the product's performance in the categories of Spectral Balance (natural loudness balance of all frequencies), Image Focus (vocal and instrumental images should be sharp and distinctly focused), Image Placement (the sound of all instruments should come from correct locations on the stage in front), Ambience (reproducing the sound of the space of the recording environment) Dynamics and Clarity (should play loudly with low distortion and softly with clarity) and Overall Quality.

The Sony speakers scored highest in nearly all categories, receiving "A" grades in Spectral Balance, Image Focus, Image Placement and Overall Quality. In fact, the sound quality of the Sony XS-3051D garnered the group's only "A" rating. This was the second such test in which the XS-3051 achieved the top ranking. In fact in a previous review, the reviewer, Peter Mitchell, said that the XS-3051 was the best coaxial speaker he had ever heard, better than most of the component speakers he had tested. The 1996 successor to the XS-3051D, the XS-3053 is available at a suggested retail price of $130.

To ring in the new year, Car Audio And Electronics' January issue featured a test report on three-source systems, which include a dash-mounted cassette radio and a CD changer, all for under $800. The systems tested were the Sony ES XR-C520 head unit and CDX-T60 CD changer, the Alpine TDM-7534S and CHM-S600; the Clarion ARX5170 and CDC1205, and the Pioneer KEH-P6200 and CDX-P610. The Sony system once again was given the highest rating of the group. Receiving top scores in tape-section sound, FM-section sound and CD-changer sound and finishing first or second in 10 of 11 categories, the Sony scored highest with a 128 out of 150.

Car Audio And Electronics called the sony system a "real winner," with "unexcelled CD performance, superb FM sound quality, and nearly perfect tape-section sound." Both the XR-C520 and the CDX-T60 are still available at suggested retail prices of $380 and $450 respectively.

Mobile audio products, such as in-dash CD players, are part of the Mobile Electronics Marketing Division of Sony's Consumer Products Group (CPG). CPG is the company's largest sales and marketing group. Sony Electronics has annual sales approaching $9 billion. Headquartered in Park Ridge, N.J., the company has nearly 20,000 North American employees, working in consumer and professional product sales, marketing, distribution, customer service, manufacturing and engineering. Sony developed the MiniDisc digital audio system and Trinitron(R) television technology. Sony is also the co-developer of compact disc and CD-ROM technology. Further, it leads the worldwide personal video market with its line of 8mm Handycam(R) camcorders. -0- Editors' Note: For information regarding the nearest Sony authorized dealer or service location, your readers can call 1-800-222-SONY. To receive copies of other Sony press releases, editors can call the Sony Access Fax-On-Demand System at 1-800-SONY-022. For photographs of Sony products editors can call 212-593-6349. On the Internet, you'll find Sony at http://www.sony.com.