Dallas – Three new Dual-branded CD receivers
that will be unveiled here at this weekend’s MERA KnowledgeFest will include
the company’s first head unit to connect to the SiriusXM universal
satellite-radio tuner.
Dual’s $199-suggested XDMA6540
single-DIN CD receiver will join Alpine and Sony head units that also connect
to the $69 SiriusXM SXV100 tuner. Audiovox is also planning to offer compatible
head units.
SiriusXM’s new $69-suggested
universal tuner connects directly to any head unit, regardless of brand, if it
is equipped with a SiriusXM universal connector. The universal tuner connects
to the head unit via a single cable that also delivers power to the tuner. The
universal tuner and connector are designed to drive down the cost of buying and
installing satellite radio and simplify inventory management by eliminating
connections that vary by head-unit manufacturer.
Dual’s new $199 unit, like the new
$129 XDMA5280 and $139 XDMA6510 single-DIN CD receivers, feature front-panel
iPod/iPhone-compatible USB ports and front-panel 3.5mm input. All three also
feature the company’s new adjustable portable-device mount, which attaches to
the front of the receiver to hold a portable device such as an iPod or
smartphone.
The $199 unit adds stereo Bluetooth
and Bluetooth’s AVRC profile. Stereo Bluetooth let drivers stream stereo music
wirelessly from smartphones and other portable devices equipped with stereo
Bluetooth, and Bluetooth’s AVRC profile enables a head unit’s controls to
wirelessly control select functions of a smartphone’s Internet radio apps. On
smartphones equipped with Pandora Internet radio, users will be able to control
Pandora’s play/pause and skip functions by pressing the track-up control on the
Dual head unit’s front panel, a spokesperson said. Other Dual head units also
feature stereo Bluetooth and AVRC.
The $199 unit also adds an SD card
slot behind the faceplate and control of an outboard HD Radio tuner.
Both the $199 XDMA6540 and $139
XDMA6510 feature a revamped faceplate design with a red arrow Mode Indicator
for ease of use. These two models also add detachable face and steering wheel
interface input for use with an optional interface kit.
All three heads are MP3/WMA/CD-R/RW
compatible.
