Project GD STI, Updating the Telematics with Sony

When Project STI was sitting idle for a few months while we were assembling and installing the new motor our Pioneer double DIN audio system died.  When doing research to see if we could fix this issue, we found that this failure was common in these older Pioneer systems.  We also found that it was not worth it to try and repair our unit, it would cost more to fix it than to buy a high-end modern system!  In-car entertainment has come a long way since we started this project and we felt that one of the major improvements for car audio systems has been to improve the integration between the audio system and the user’s cell phone to take advantage of the tremendous gains in cell phone technology.  We replaced our Pioneer system with a Sony XAV AX8100. This system will bring our car’s Telematics to a level on par with late-model cars and really improve the convenience of our driving experience.

The XAV AX8100 is a pretty compact single DIN system, which is a big advantage as a single DIN is going to fit in way more cars.  The system has a huge, easy-to-see 9″ display and it can be adjusted for tilt, depth, and height to fit just about any center console.  The display is clear, bright, and easy to see even in bright sunlight. The head unit has a decent 4×55 watt output using Sony’s dynamic reality amp that removes interference noise and distortion at high volume levels.  It automatically adjusts the car’s sound stage so the sound is balanced to the middle of the interior. The system also comes with a remote control.  Being single DIN the new Sony system is a lot lighter than the old Pioneer, less than half the weight, so that could also help performance.

Since we were pretty busy, we had HB Autosound install our head unit, as our car was already wired for an aftermarket head unit, the new system went in really quickly, it only took about an hour to get things done.

Here everything is in place and tested to make sure all the functions were working correctly before reinstalling the finisher panels.

Although the screen looks big, it did not interfere with any of the controls of the car or block any of them from view.