Pioneer announced at KnowledgeFest it will ship a line of six single CD/receivers for 2013 at the end of August with improved Android connections and iPhone voice control.
All of the new CD radios now permit Android smartphone support through a USB connection so users can listen to music stored on the phone.
The two top line CD/radios also support the voice control that’s built into an iPhone. Via Bluetooth, users can call a contact or select a playlist, song, artist, or album directly from the car radio using voice commands. This feature is found on the DEH-X6500BT and FH-X700BT, which are the only two Bluetooth-enabled phones in the lineup, and carry suggested prices of $120 and $150 respectively.
Most of the new radios offer Pandora control and new larger displays. The full line ranges from $70 to $150 in suggested price.
MIXTRAX (which takes the music from a smartphone and plays it back with added effects like a virtual DJ) is on several models starting with the DEH-X3500UI at $100. HD Radio is built into the $120 DEH-X5500HD.
All but the leader radio also allows streaming of audio apps from an iPhone or iPod touch (that is USB-connected to the radio).
Here’s a chart showing the features of the full 2013 single CD line:
|
DEH-150MP |
DEH-2500UI |
DEH-X3500UI |
DEH-X5500HD |
DEH-X6500BT
|
FH-X700BT |
Supertuner IIID |
Yes / RDS |
Yes/RDS |
Yes/RDS |
Yes/RDS |
Yes/RDS |
Yes/RDS |
Power |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
MOSFET 50Wx4 |
RCA L/R Preouts |
Single |
Single |
Dual |
Dual |
Dual |
Dual |
Display |
12 char. Multi-segment LCD |
12 char. Multi-segment LCD |
Multi-line / Multi-segment LCD |
Multi-line / Multi-segment LCD |
Multi-line / Multi-segment LCD |
Multi-line / Multi-segment LCD |
Dual Zone Illumination |
– |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Remote Control |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Wired Remote Input |
– |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Smartphone Compatible |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
HD Radio Tuner |
– |
– |
– |
Yes |
– |
– |
MIXTRAX |
– |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
AppMode |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Pandora Ready |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Advanced Sound Retriever |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Compressed Audio playback |
MP3/WMA |
MP3/WMA |
MP3/WMA |
MP3/WMA |
MP3/WMA |
MP3/WMA |
Android Music Support |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
iPod / iPhone Ready |
– |
USB |
USB |
USB |
USB |
USB |
USB Control (1 amp) |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Bluetooth |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Built-in Auxiliary Input |
Front |
Front |
Front |
Front |
Front |
Front |
Suggested Price |
$70 |
$90 |
$100 |
$120 |
$130 |
$150 |
Availability |
August |
August |
August |
August |
August |
August |
Source: Pioneer Electronics