Review: Subaru XV 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth®* and i-Pod system: 1-CD and 6 speakers
Introduction
Just like the 2010 Impreza 2.0R Sports, the 2012 Subaru XV 2.0i Premium, features a 6-speaker system. High-mid range speakers on the instrument panel were added to the four speaker system. This system realizes a much more natural sound with wider frequencies. These are compatible with widely popular Bluetooth®*, iPod and USB connectable devices.
Sound quality
The head-unit is Type D, and does not have SRS Labs' Circle Surround found in the Impreza's audio system. The usual BASS, TREBLE, MID, BALANCE, and FADER settings are used to adapt to your listening preferences. It's not bad and sound quality is decent as long as you use quality recordings, i.e., CD Audio, MP3 320kbps, WMA 192kbps. Forget the radio, like the head-unit of my Impreza, it is nasally sounding.
Like most stock head-units, it does not offer Time Alignment, so you will be stuck with a sound not ideally positioned for the driver to present a proper sound-stage and imaging. The BALANCE control is not the solution.
Do note that at this time, METRA does not offer any in-dash panel or remote control adaptor for the XV. It may take a while. What this means is that if you will try to fit in another head-unit, i.e., Alpine or Pioneer, you're out of luck. Patch solutions, which I despise can be possible. Your installer must realize that the there are three new buttons- TALK, ON-HOOK, and OFF-HOOK, which controls the phone paired via bluetooth.
There is plenty of bass available from the stock speakers, which will be good for bass-heads. The rear-view mirror vibrates whenever I play Rihanna. I have proven in the past the the stock speakers do sound very good, and the proof is my Impreza. My gut feel is that the stock speakers of the XV is a little bit better. The highs are very good considering an argument that its placement, which is way forward, could reflect in all directions via the windshield. The mids are decent enough and is the main weakness of the headunit. The tonality of the entire system is subjectively acceptable for me but will not compare to what I have achieved with my Impreza equipped with Alpine gears for obvious reasons.
Operation
Operating the system is relatively easy from the steering wheel controls. One quick look and you'll be missing the MUTE button.
Don't worry, muting the audio can be done by press and hold action on the MODE button. The display will show MUTE when activated. The UP and DOWN buttons perform dual roles. By pressing the UP or DOWN arrow, it lets you go the the NEXT TRACK or PREVIOUS TRACK, respectively. By pressing and holding the UP or DOWN arrows, it lets you go to the NEXT FOLDER or PREVIOUS FOLDER of the supported media, such as CD or USB device.
Bluetooth support
This is one feature I welcome the most, with some grain of salt. Firstly, pairing my iPhone 4s was a breeze, no major hiccup there.
Now as to the phonebook concerned, this is where the integration disintigrated. The XV's headunit can store phone numbers, and like other headunits from other cars, can load up the phonebook via bluetooth, that is, if your phone can transfer contacts via bluetooth. The iPhone does not do that, nor does the vanilla Windows Phone 7 "Mango" like my HTC Mozart. However, if you have a Nokia Lumia (based on Windows Phone 7 "Mango" enhanced by Nokia) or even the older Symbian, like my E72, or even Sony Ericsson W705, or Android such as my Acer Ferrari, phonebook transfer is a breeze.
Voice Commands
Voice dialling is possible through the recording of voice tags for your contacts. After pressing the TALK button on the steering wheel control, you can say the voice tag and it will retrieve the paired phone number and display it on the headunit. To place the call, press the OFF-HOOK button.
In addition, the Microsoft Tellme found on the Windows Phone 7 works extremely well. Here are a few videos of the actual operation using my HTC Mozart running Windows Phone 7 "Mango"
1. Sending SMS (Microsoft Tellme)
https://vimeo.com/39241360
2. Incoming SMS (Microsoft Tellme)
https://vimeo.com/39241727
3. Voice dial (Subaru XV voice dial)
https://vimeo.com/39242341
USB Support
The built-in USB input is another plus, and is designed to support the iPod, iTouch and iPhone, as well as USB sticks. However, USB ATAPI (hard disk) and High Speed USB 2.0 devices are not supported.
The USB power is always on, which allows charging of iPod, iPhone, Windows Phone, and even my Sansa Fuze. I'm tempted to try my USB hard disk, although the manual specifically mentioned no support for ATAPI USB mode.
I actually did. I took my old and low-powered hard disk off the Impreza and plugged the USB cable into the XV's USB connector. It worked!
Conclusion
The stock audio system offers decent sound and flexible connectivity of different audio sources for the user. After further break-in of the audio system, it may still improve in terms of sound quality, but I won't expect anything significant. Operation is not difficult and access to basic functions via steering wheel controls is pleasant.
Just like the 2010 Impreza 2.0R Sports, the 2012 Subaru XV 2.0i Premium, features a 6-speaker system. High-mid range speakers on the instrument panel were added to the four speaker system. This system realizes a much more natural sound with wider frequencies. These are compatible with widely popular Bluetooth®*, iPod and USB connectable devices.
Sound quality
The head-unit is Type D, and does not have SRS Labs' Circle Surround found in the Impreza's audio system. The usual BASS, TREBLE, MID, BALANCE, and FADER settings are used to adapt to your listening preferences. It's not bad and sound quality is decent as long as you use quality recordings, i.e., CD Audio, MP3 320kbps, WMA 192kbps. Forget the radio, like the head-unit of my Impreza, it is nasally sounding.
Like most stock head-units, it does not offer Time Alignment, so you will be stuck with a sound not ideally positioned for the driver to present a proper sound-stage and imaging. The BALANCE control is not the solution.
Do note that at this time, METRA does not offer any in-dash panel or remote control adaptor for the XV. It may take a while. What this means is that if you will try to fit in another head-unit, i.e., Alpine or Pioneer, you're out of luck. Patch solutions, which I despise can be possible. Your installer must realize that the there are three new buttons- TALK, ON-HOOK, and OFF-HOOK, which controls the phone paired via bluetooth.
There is plenty of bass available from the stock speakers, which will be good for bass-heads. The rear-view mirror vibrates whenever I play Rihanna. I have proven in the past the the stock speakers do sound very good, and the proof is my Impreza. My gut feel is that the stock speakers of the XV is a little bit better. The highs are very good considering an argument that its placement, which is way forward, could reflect in all directions via the windshield. The mids are decent enough and is the main weakness of the headunit. The tonality of the entire system is subjectively acceptable for me but will not compare to what I have achieved with my Impreza equipped with Alpine gears for obvious reasons.
Operation
Operating the system is relatively easy from the steering wheel controls. One quick look and you'll be missing the MUTE button.
Don't worry, muting the audio can be done by press and hold action on the MODE button. The display will show MUTE when activated. The UP and DOWN buttons perform dual roles. By pressing the UP or DOWN arrow, it lets you go the the NEXT TRACK or PREVIOUS TRACK, respectively. By pressing and holding the UP or DOWN arrows, it lets you go to the NEXT FOLDER or PREVIOUS FOLDER of the supported media, such as CD or USB device.
Bluetooth support
This is one feature I welcome the most, with some grain of salt. Firstly, pairing my iPhone 4s was a breeze, no major hiccup there.
Now as to the phonebook concerned, this is where the integration disintigrated. The XV's headunit can store phone numbers, and like other headunits from other cars, can load up the phonebook via bluetooth, that is, if your phone can transfer contacts via bluetooth. The iPhone does not do that, nor does the vanilla Windows Phone 7 "Mango" like my HTC Mozart. However, if you have a Nokia Lumia (based on Windows Phone 7 "Mango" enhanced by Nokia) or even the older Symbian, like my E72, or even Sony Ericsson W705, or Android such as my Acer Ferrari, phonebook transfer is a breeze.
Voice Commands
Voice dialling is possible through the recording of voice tags for your contacts. After pressing the TALK button on the steering wheel control, you can say the voice tag and it will retrieve the paired phone number and display it on the headunit. To place the call, press the OFF-HOOK button.
In addition, the Microsoft Tellme found on the Windows Phone 7 works extremely well. Here are a few videos of the actual operation using my HTC Mozart running Windows Phone 7 "Mango"
1. Sending SMS (Microsoft Tellme)
https://vimeo.com/39241360
2. Incoming SMS (Microsoft Tellme)
https://vimeo.com/39241727
3. Voice dial (Subaru XV voice dial)
https://vimeo.com/39242341
USB Support
The built-in USB input is another plus, and is designed to support the iPod, iTouch and iPhone, as well as USB sticks. However, USB ATAPI (hard disk) and High Speed USB 2.0 devices are not supported.
The USB power is always on, which allows charging of iPod, iPhone, Windows Phone, and even my Sansa Fuze. I'm tempted to try my USB hard disk, although the manual specifically mentioned no support for ATAPI USB mode.
I actually did. I took my old and low-powered hard disk off the Impreza and plugged the USB cable into the XV's USB connector. It worked!
Conclusion
The stock audio system offers decent sound and flexible connectivity of different audio sources for the user. After further break-in of the audio system, it may still improve in terms of sound quality, but I won't expect anything significant. Operation is not difficult and access to basic functions via steering wheel controls is pleasant.
* Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. America.
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