If it only had a cd player, out the window for me!! It's still a sweet unit!!

 

That actually is not-so-secretly one of the things I like about it.. The entire guts of this thing is full of high-end goodness instead of a disk mech.

no optical input, headphone jack on the front so ugly! and no cd player for more than a pioneer p99 or clarion drz? yes it plays flac and alac which is nice but not for $500 difference

This unit is all about the guts. I'm going to place a bet not counting any DSP just left/right straight up audio this thing will better even the venerable 99RS.. Granted I'd be leaving the preamp alone running the digital output (which is a biggie).

Safe to say I'm a fanboi. Would I rather have it all behind a 2-din screen, hell yeahs, but it's do-able.

 

It would look so good with a proper screen! I'm looking forward to hearing from those who get this installed.

 

I know my biggest complaint is going to be browsing the tons of files and folders (500GB) I have on my hard drive from that tiny screen. To be honest, I hope Sony doesn't expect us to use that screen for browsing, there has to be something else to go with this unit to allow for that, like an external touch screen or something like that. Makes no sense.

 

no optical input, headphone jack on the front so ugly! and no cd player for more than a pioneer p99 or clarion drz? yes it plays flac and alac which is nice but not for $500 difference

 

I honestly have no idea wtf Sony was thinking with this headunit.

 

It seems like a poor choice if you want to get back into hi-fi car audio. Yes, most people are using an ipod, or hard drive, but many of us who would be interested in a high end piece like this still want a CD drive. For me, that's not a deal breaker, but if you make a deck exclusively around digital audio, you need to make the screen functional, how am I supposed to select albums/artists/songs on that screen?

I do like the overall theme, I like the faceplate and the large knob, I like that there isn't a bunch of extra labels and stickers, but the knob should be further to the right, and the screen should be a proper size. That screen is absolutely a deal breaker, regardless of how the thing performs.

 

This what I got from Sonic staff regarding the screen question:

"Sony says that the RSX-GS9 was designed with external sources in mind, to which the browsing takes place on - not so much on the headunit itself. Moreover, there isn't an external 'monitor' nor is there one being developed".

So this tells me that Sony expects me to run this unit as a companion to my phone or tablet. If that is the case I just get a device to go toslink directly to my processor. I am pretty sure such device will cost me a lot less than 1500 bucks. Still makes no sense.

 

This what I got from Sonic staff regarding the screen question:

"Sony says that the RSX-GS9 was designed with external sources in mind, to which the browsing takes place on - not so much on the headunit itself. Moreover, there isn't an external 'monitor' nor is there one being developed".

That's a terrible design. I know a lot of people do this (and some prefer it) but driving around with an ipod in your hand switching songs is a terrible way of controlling music in a car.

 

I still want one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Greetings!

This unit is not for everyone. I have had a Beta unit in my truck for over two months. I had to send that one back as the evaluation period was over and the launch of the unit was taking place. Am I putting another one back in my system? Bet your ass I am!

Agreed, its not for everyone. It is not designed for the masses. It is designed for the people who want the best possible playback of digital audio in their cars. In other words folks, its all about the music!

Having the ability to decode any file,( be it FLAC, AIFF, etc..). is huge for a lot of people. The unit can play standard rebook files up to the highest resolution (16/44.1; 96/24; 88.2/24; 172/24; 192/24; DSD). Since the home audiophiles have embraced computer audio and Sony has been doing a fantastic job creating pre amp/DAC's, it was only a matter of time for Sony to create one of these for the car.

That is the reason why this unit was created folks. The ultra high end in home audio is where the money is at. Its not what Sony is selling in Wal Mart for 399.00 that is driving Sony sales and profits. Sony is not the only one doing this. Most of the high end and upper mid fi companies are making these units. The future of high end audio is in this area and Sony has been leading the parade. When Sony decided to release their DSD catalog to everyone for download, it opened the door for any company to include and license DSD decoding from Sony. That has occurred and the format is doing well and growing. Recently, I had the opportunity to take to several recording engineers who work with mainstream artists. They told me that they are adopting DSD in the studio as one of the formats they will be using from here on. Way better resolution, closer to the original as they have heard!
Thats what DSD does and that is why this unit was built. Its the future in their minds.

I know its not coming out of my system! I think its the future and its the closest thing to vinyl in my truck i have heard!

My two cents!

Nick

 

Its not what Sony is selling in Wal Mart for 399.00 that is driving Sony sales and profits.

Ain't that the truth. Its not what Sony is selling in any form of electronics that is driving sales and profits.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/business/global/sonys-bread-and-butter-its-not-electronics.html?_r=0

Regardless of any other opinion I may have of the RSX-GS9, I'd be willing to bet my entire system that it is hands down the best head unit manufactured by any insurance company in the world.

 

I have heard from a few people that the sound is incredible on this thing. I couldn't care less about the display.

 

ditto.

 

I have been a fan of SACD/DSD for many years (since Sony released the format to the masses a long time ago). The SQ is amazing - I have wanted for so long to have DSD capability in the car. Unfortunately, while waiting for this DSD source unit, I came to realize there is a dearth of source material being released in DSD (unless someone can point me to a treasure trove of DSD music lying around somewhere).

As much as I would hope this unit (and DSD in general) to do well, it will be an uphill battle to gain mass market adoption. Perhaps being a niche market, high-end/low volume may keep it going for Sony. Maybe the vinyl resurgence may lend a hand; in any case - I wish this unit luck, and happy to see Sony still focusing on SQ.

I agree somewhat on the display - it should be more functional. Perhaps it was an engineering decision (not much space in a DIN unit to cram in discrete analog components)? Sony really should consider a companion DIN display device - or perhaps something similar mounted to the front of a DIN dash mounted processor? It looks like it was expected for this unit to be a preamp/source control device?

 

So the audio format is what makes this sound so good? If DSD takes off (unlikely, see SACD) I am sure even cheepo units will just adopt that format and make it available. Playing "formats" is usually a pretty easy feat.

 

And other units won't likely force you to navigate your music in an irresponsible and dangerous way.

 

For those of you who are suggesting its all about the DSD capability, let me clarify.

The unit will upsample any signal coming into the unit via the USBII input. So, if you have a rebook CD file in FLAC, if your iPad, phone, Android device, etc....has the ability to play back FLAC or AIFF or whatever, the unit will upsample to at least 24/192 resolution.

I demonstrated that capability at IASCA finals to a number of people going from standard 16/44.1 playback to up sampled playback and it wasn't even close. Pretty impressive in up sampling mode. Dynamic range was increased substantially, depth ,width, height was way better in up sampling mode.

Like I said, its not for everyone. I will comment on the "unsafe" driving aspect of the unit. I has no problem in using the unit changing tracks or changing inputs while driving. All you need to do is pick up the remote and change volume, track up or down, mute, go to tuner or bluetooth the unit. Its all very simple.

Granted, a bigger screen would make a lot of people happy, and I have no doubt that Sony is probably going to look into building one.

As to the lower priced units in the near future, I am not betting on that to happen anytime soon. The DAC chips in this unit that must be used for the up sampling ability are the famous SABRE DAC ES9018 chips along with using an Asynchronous USB input which is capable of transmission of up to 192 Khz. Looking into the unit, if I was looking at this correctly, I was looking at separate power transformers for digital and analog sections of the unit. The internals are designed for maximum signal transfer with the cleanest signal possible given the size constraints of the unit.

Again, this unit is not for everyone, nor was it intended to be!

 

Upsampling a file does not increase dynamic range, upsampling doesn’t add anything to a file except more storage space. Depth won’t change, heighth won’t change, and guess what .. If you phase invert the ulsampled file against the original they will null -> meaning they are the same file ... perception bias is so real, also nothing Apple outputs is higher than 16/44.1 analog via lightning connector..

The DAC chip is the ESS Sabre and for what this unit cost you could have 16 channels of Sabre DAC for conversion.. ( motu 16A interface ) Also this “ amazing “ DAC chip is a good standard in pro audio but paying this much for 2 channels is insanely expensive. Have a great day!

 

Will pitch in from the industrial designer point of view: thing looks great, I bet it feels as good as it looks, but man, couldn't they put input on the back? They ruin the look as is, let alone when cable(s) will be sticking out front.

 

Are all the input connectors on the front?

 

Standard redbook cd has been the norm for so long, folks kinda have to experience higher formats to understand it's not all unlike going from laserdisc to DVD or DVD to Bluray. Just the next evolution.


Sent from iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Standard Redbook can sound really good. As good as a Japanese sacd only layer (with its green color) played back on a sacd deck? Of course not, but, and its a big but, the better the dac/transport etc., it can be much better than most people imagine or believe is possible. JPS

 

With me, the screen is a major player in my decision, I can't stand single line displays that have to scroll for days to display the Artist/Ablum/Track/folder/etc etc. So unless they offer a larger multi-line display in the future, I'd never consider the HU, no matter how well it performs.

Granted I'm a poor broke fool who can't justify $1K+ HU's, but still. I'd have never bought an Alpine CDA-9815, CDA-9833, CDA-117, Sony DSX-S200X (I know, not as good as the previous HUs, but I actually like it MUCH better than the CDA-117 it replaced), or Pioneer DEH-80PRS if they had such lousy screens as this "high-end" Sony.

 

With me, the screen is a major player in my decision, I can't stand single line displays that have to scroll for days to display the Artist/Ablum/Track/folder/etc etc. So unless they offer a larger multi-line display in the future, I'd never consider the HU, no matter how well it performs.

This thing is designed for device UI.. So your screen can be 3, 4, 5, 6" touchscreen. Trick is some ingenuity in simply mounting the device.. Having this for my iPhone I'd rock an iPad mini (or similarly sized mini tablet) on two nite-ize steelie mounts in about any car, if I couldn't come up with something better.

But there's the paradox of this thing.. Antiquated.. If I'm already using a mini iPad or similar, hell might as well just do a tablet dash install direct to DSP digital, abandon "head units" altogether, and call it done. It's already the phone device. It's already a media source 'switch'.

Bam!

 

if it control a cd changer and had optical input to receive the signal from it, it'd be an amazing versital headunit.

 

There are still CD changers out there? Retro!

 

Now that's a nice install - sleek!

What processor are you feeding? And does it accept native DSD?

 

For that kind of money I'll stick with my p99rs.

 

I see Matt Roberts heavily modifying one of the in the future.

 

I don't know if this one needs mods... otherwise I would endorse and finance such an endeavor...

People are way too hung up on the display. Just fill a flash drive with high bitrate music, plug it in and press play. Seems like a simple enough concept.

 

I still don't get it. A mechless deck touting high fidelity but offers fairly primitive contour controls which anyone in the hobby & business knows is the backbone of a good car audio system. Then offers an amp in the series that offers no furthering in at least the xover capabilities. Ummm... yeah. This is all too reminiscent of past Sony proprietary fails.

 

I'm assuming they're just hinging on the high def audio format.

 

My question is: Any Apps for Expansion?

 

Sony doesn't need to make this appeal to the masses.. Not any more than the $1200 DSD Walkman, or the $8000 XES-Z50 HU from back in the day:

(my personal unit, took me about 15+ years to finally find a XES setup at a livealbe price point)

They're not making this to start a DSD revolution in car audio, but it's nice to see them step back into higher end car audio after 10+ years of xplod crap (compared to what they used to make).

 

The 99rs is a different beast altogether though. I'm often tempted to get one and use it as intended. Personally, I wouldn't dare add a dsp to it. The 80 just misses the mark on 4-way, but the low cost makes justification easier to swallow.. The Sony.... well.... LOL

 

I'll say this, it's a really expensive digital transport solution...