Tempe, Ariz. –
will expand its selection of Panasonic-brand car audio head
units with the August shipment of two new models.
The company shipped
its first two Panasonic head units in March at $99 and $159. With the two new
models due in August, the company will replace the current opening-price $99
model and add a third model, said Theresa Hephner, the company’s newly
appointed senior director of product development and marketing.
By the 2012 International CES next January, the Panasonic lineup
will expand to no more than five SKUs priced up to $249, she said.
Early this year, Rockford re-launched the Panasonic brand in
car audio in conjunction with distributor Pana-Pacific. Panasonic left the car
audio aftermarket in early 2009. The launch was designed to provide a
limited-distribution line of head units to independent specialists in need of
protected lines with good margins, Hephner said. The line is designed “to keep
independent retailers healthy,” she said.
The Panasonic line’s price points fit in with the price
points of Renegade- and Lightning Audio-branded amps and speakers, she noted.
Rockford didn’t release full details on the new head units,
but the company’s web site lists three new head units as “coming soon” along
with a limited description of their specs and features. One of the new models
is the CQ-CP137. Its listed features are similar to those of the current $99
CQ-RX1200, but the new model adds
adjustable EQ and more power at 4×50 watts compared to 4×45 watts. In addition,
the current CQ-RX1200 features a detachable face, which is not listed as a
feature on the new CQ-CP137.
Features common to both models are WMA/MP3 CD playback,
front-panel aux-in, detachable face, rear-channel preamp outputs, and remote.
A second head unit listed as coming soon is the CR-LX470U,
whose features include detachable face, MP3/WMA playback, front-panel
iPod/iPhone USB input that accepts iPod audio as digital PCM, aux input,
built-in Bluetooth, Sirius/XM-ready connection, 5-volt preamp outputs, front
and rear preamp outputs, , and 4×45-watt amp.
The third head unit
listed as coming soon is the CQ-RX470U, whose listed features are the same as
those of the CR-LX470U.
The company’s other currently available head unit is the
CQ-RX400U, whose features include iPod/iPhone USB that accepts iPod audio in
digital PCM form, MP3/WMA CD playback, 4×50-watt amp, Sirius/XM input, front and rear preamp
outputs, detachable face, and remote.
