by Jim Bray
Music storage is changing and the compact disc is dead.
Well, almost. after 20 years, the little digital disc is still wildly popular, but now that DVDs have come along their larger storage capability is being exploited not only for movies and television shows, but to up the musical quality ante from the already-terrific compact disc to new heights of fidelity.
Its DVD audio, of course, a format thats still young but which is showing signs of catching on--albeit slowly for now. But just as CDs couldnt be played in the cassette decks they were poised to replace, DVD-audio discs cant be played in a conventional CD player, which makes their ultra high quality sound useless if you want to take your tunes on the road with you--and your car doesnt have a DVD entertainment system built it.
and even if your vehicle is DVD-equipped, chances are it isnt true DVD-audio--just DVD Video--and so while the audio quality can still be terrific it aint the real thing.
Whats a self respecting audiophile to do?
Well, you could buy the new acura TL. This is a car that pushes the outside of the audio envelope.
and in our disposable age, where it almost seems as if built in obsolescence is the norm, it's worth mentioning when a company offers something so up to date that its customers will be able to grow into it over the next few years, instead of growing out of it. So it is with the upscale acura TL performance sedan. This car is not only a wonderful vehicle, it comes with accessories that no one should be without, but which most people are, so far.
My favorite innovation is DVD-audio, which meant that when I tested the car I could bring all my music discs, not just my CDs.
The TL's system plays every music format you can imagine, short of Super audio CDs (SaCD). It handles DVD-audio and the surround sound music discs from dts without breaking a sweat, it plays regular and home burned CD's and the cars in dash changer treats all the discs the same so you dont have to worry about what format is which and where it sits in the 6 disc changer. all you have to do is press play and crank it up as loud as itll go.
and it goes loud, though not quite loud enough for my tastes--but perhaps thats a safety feature to prevent head bangers from going deaf!
The system is a fully fledged 5.1 surround system, so while you get the normal complement of speakers mounted throughout the car, theyre set up in the familiar 5.1 configuration of left and right front, center front, left and right rear, and subwoofer rather than just having garden variety front and rear speakers (with balance and fade controls) and a subwoofer. You set the balance via the LCD screen that also doubles as navigation display in a quick and easy manner that doesnt require your eyes to leave the road for long (though of course you should set it while the cars stationary).
It works, and it works well. The audio quality is something Ive never heard before in a vehicle of any price (though of course Ive come nowhere near hearing them all). The system thunders through the DVD-a version of Led Zeppelins "How the West Was Won", yet the delicacy of a good Strauss waltz is also reproduced beautifully and faithfully. You also get the lovely "live" ambience made possible by the 5.1 surround system, something you cant really get with a CD regardless of how many speakers there are and where theyre mounted.
So I loved the sound, I loved the convenience and the seamlessness of its functionality, and I loved being able to bring my new, high resolution audio discs on the road with me.
Lets hope the competition of the free market means this is a trend thats about to explode in the marketplace.
and that isnt the end of the TLs technological trickery.
The car is also Bluetooth equipped. Bluetooth is a radio frequency standard for wireless devices that lets Bluetooth-equipped gadgets talk with each other.
In the case of the acura TL, Bluetooth works as both a safety and convenience feature, because it allows a cell phone to automatically become a hands free unit--even if you don't take it out of your pocket. It just has to be turned on.
Now, it wont do this with every cell phone. The cell phone has to be Bluetooth equipped as well, be equipped with what's called the hands free profile, and you have to go through a one time setup to train it and the car to recognize each other. But once thats done, you're off to the races - with both hands firmly on the steering wheel.
If a call comes in while you're driving, the caller's number shows up on the instrument panel, the ring comes over the cars speakers, and all the driver has to do to answer is press a button on the steering wheel. The audio system mutes automatically and algorithms built into the car help cancel out road and other background noise. There's a microphone built into the ceiling so you can talk hands free, and whoever's on the other end of the call is heard over the audio system.
This works for sending calls, too, and you can dial using voice commands. The system stores up to 50 phone numbers.
It'll probably take a couple of years before DVD audio and Bluetooth become mainstream at all, let alone in the automotive industry, but credit Honda for creating the acura TL and making it ready today.
How's that for obsolescence-fighting?