CES 2013 Best of In-Car Innovations Goes to Sony, Phoenix Gold

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Sony XAV-70

There are CES Innovations Awards and then there are but a few “Best of Innovations Awards” in Design and Engineering bestowed upon some deserving suppliers.  For 2013, the in-vehicle “Best of” winners were Sony for a MirrorLink car audio receiver and Phoenix Gold for an amplifier that can be fully-controlled by an app—the first to do so, says Phoenix Gold, an Aamp of America brand.

Sony XAV-70
Sony XAV-70

Sony took the “Best of” Award in the category of In-Vehicle Accessories, so we guess a car radio that links to a smartphone is now officially a smartphone accessory.  The XAV-701HD Smartphone Connected AV Receiver shipped in August as one of the first car radios in the U.S. to use the MirrorLink standard for an easy way to connect to smartphones.

With MirrorLink the smartphone’s music and apps are “mirrored” on the radio’s 7-inch screen, and you control them from the radio. The $699 radio also gives you GPS app control, Bluetooth, Pandora, SiriusXM compatibility, HD Radio and dual USB ports.

Phoenix Gold app-amp ACX600.5
Phoenix Gold ACX600.5 “App Amp”

Phoenix Gold took the top honor in the In-Vehicle Audio Video category.  Its ACX600.5 is a 5-channel amplifier that’s controlled via Bluetooth by a Phoenix Gold app on a smartphone.  The app can control just about every function of the amp including Gain, Balance, Fade, Subwoofer level, Phase, EQ, Listening position, X-over, DSP, Bass boost and it also displays feedback.

It works with both Android phones and the iPhone and will ship next year.

To see the other Best of Innovations Award winners click here.

Source: Consumer Electronics Association

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