Aside from a tri-colored LED array at the front, there's no user interface, making volume levels and source selection a little difficult to detect.There's also no user - adjustable DSP or EQ control, and no HDMI connection, which limits
audio source options and makes the use of ARC (which can simplify connection and control of the system considerably) a non-option.
There's a dazzling array of
audio source options on offer here, with the biggest draws being Spotify Connect, DAB, Internet radio, Bluetooth and old faithful CD playback.
To get the killer ELS audio system, hard - drive - based navigation, and better digital
audio source options, you'll need the $ 46,255 MDX with Tech Package.
The Tech Package increases
your audio source options by creating a partition of the navigation system's hard drive for ripped audio CDs, the aforementioned Bluetooth audio streaming, and USB and iPod connectivity.
The LCD made it relatively easy to select music or radio stations, but
the audio source options were limited.
Not exact matches
Sources include AM, FM, cassette tape, in - dash six - disc CD changer, and
audio from the rear - seat entertainment system, but there's no
option for satellite radio or DVD -
audio surround sound.
The Mini Connected
option also adds Pandora integration as an
audio source, but there's a twist.
The main menu spreads its icons out across two home screens, requiring users to scroll to view all of the
audio sources, but IntelliLink allows you to reorganize, show or hide, and reorder the icons to put the most frequently used
options near the top of the list.
That
source quality was especially important here, as our test car had the Bang & Olufsen
audio option, with 19 speakers and 1,400 watts.
The system offered an array of
audio -
source options, including XM Satellite Radio, MP3 compatibility (both discs and portable players via an auxiliary input), a six - disc CD changer, and AM / FM radio.
There are navigation bars along the top and the bottom of the screen with so many levels and sublevels of
options and feature organization that even switching the currently playing
audio source becomes a touch - and eye - intensive process involving digging into at least two submenus of the
Audio screen.
In addition to the Bluetooth and USB / iPod connections, the X1's list of
audio sources includes AM / FM radio with HD Radio decoding, SiriusXM satellite radio (a ridiculously overpriced $ 350
option), a single - slot CD player that can rip
audio to the hard drive for disc-less playback, and an analog
audio input.
One is prominently displayed in the main Media menu and is used for changing Bluetooth
options, and another is hidden under the External Devices submenu and is used for selecting Bluetooth streaming as the currently playing
audio source.
Nwavguy was shooting for a minimalist design with nothing altering the
source audio, so in that sense JDS have stayed true to the original vision, but that didn't stop me from wanting some tweakage
options without having to resort to third - party methods.
There's also a USB Type - C port, which you can use with an Ethernet adapter for wired networking, plus a 3.5 mm input jack to hook it up to other
audio sources, giving plenty of
options - more than in other Home products.
There are a series of different
audio presets (including Movie and Music
options) to play with - though note that if the SJ9 detects a Dolby Atmos
source, that's the only
audio option you can use.
The network
options, in conjunction with Samsung's smartphone app, mean you can stream music into the K950 from a wide range of online
sources, including TIDAL, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Deezer, Napster and — since the system can play back high - resolution
audio formats — the» 7 digital» website.
The device also comes with a number of input
options (see images below) allowing you to connect camcorders, TVs, VCRs and more via the DV, S - Video, and composite video ins and outs, analogue and digital
audio in and out, plus a built - in 4 - port USB hub, allowing users to record from any
audio or video
source including a camcorder, TV or VCR.
That's a good indication of what allows the Festival (and its Arena sibling) to standout from competitors like the equally priced Sonos Play: 5, namely a plethora of wireless playback
options from an impressive array of
audio sources.
A second HDMI might have been nice in an ideal world, but you could always route multiple
audio sources to the soundbar via your TV's
audio output
options.
There's tons of headphone
options including virtual surround sound, and other
audio sources offer
options like an equalizer, dynamic normalizer and automatic optimization via what Sony calls ClearAudio +.