Saturday, November 2, 2024

Gadgets + Tech

The simple gadget guide

Sony Wi-Fi car head units let you keep your phone in your pocket

Sony has introduced two new Wi-Fi car head units – the XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000 – that let you keep your phone in your pocket while using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While most in-car entertainment units have a Bluetooth connection that lets you play music and use the phone wirelessly, they require a USB cable connection to use more advanced features such as navigation and Spotify, and to use voice commands via Siri for iPhones and Google Assistant for Android phones. These two, however, use Wi-Fi instead.

The Sony XAV-AX6000 head unit has a 6.95-inch bezel-less, flush-mount capacitive touchscreen (one which doesn’t rely on finger pressure and is more responsive and generally brighter and clearer), while the Sony XAV-AX4000 has a 6.95-inch anti-glare Sleek Touch Screen.

If you’re installing a car stereo and are keen on high-quality audio while motoring, both media receivers feature Sony’s proprietary LDAC audio coding technology for high-resolution Bluetooth streaming. They are also compatible with the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) audio format which compresses audio signals without any loss in quality.

Other features of the multimedia systems include a 14-band equaliser and three-zone crossover for a high level of sound customisation and spatial alignment, a mixture of large physical and on-screen control buttons, and a quick wake-up feature (less than eight seconds after ignition) and customisable wallpaper.

The head units also have three preout terminals for adding extra components such as subwoofers, mono amplifiers and four-channel amps. They have gold-plated plugs to preserve the signal’s integrity and prevent ageing.

Finally, although the Sony XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000 are double-DIN units, the rear chassis has single-DIN dimensions to provide space for easier installation.

Sony XAV-AX6000 head unit
Sony XAV-AX6000 car head unit.

Sony XAV-AX4000 price

RRP $899

Available in Australia from August 2022

Sony XAV-AX6000 price

RRP $999

Available in Australia from September 2022

sony.com.au