The XAV-A1 is also adaptable to Sony's XT-V70 unilink TV module. That's right; this sucker will pick up basic channels so you can catch the football game or sitcom if you're running late to the TV set. Just be sure to pull off the road, for safety reasons. Besides, every Sony DVD receiver has a safety feature that won't let it work unless the car is at a complete stop. The XT-V70 TV Tuner is exclusive to and controlled only by the Sony XAV-A1, and retails for a few hundred bucks. The XAV-A1 itself costs more-a mere $1,400 retail. But with a 7-inch LCD monitor and all those features, you definitely get what you pay for, and then some.
If that's still a little steep, Sony also offers the CDX-M9900, which retails for $650. Although it has a much smaller screen, its 32,000-color TFT display will play back DVDs, and very clearly at that. I've actually had one in my BMW M3 and love it.
It isn't absolutely necessary to have an amplifier with the XAV-A1 because the unit has a built-in 50 watt x 4-channel amp. If you want to maximize the quality and volume of sound, however, you're going to need some amplified power. When looking at speakers and amplifiers, you want to pay attention to the RMS (Root Mean Squared) rating versus peak power, which is a measure of the amp's ability to provide smooth power over a continuous period of time. It's the more realistic measurement, which should be ideally similar between the powering amp and the receiving speaker, if not a little more on the amp side.
The Supra's new 4-ohm speakers are amplified through a couple of Specialty Series amplifiers. First, the quad-channel Specialty Series XM-SD46X amp powers the XS-D130SI separate component system up front-featuring separate woofers and tweeters separated by a crossover-which is rated at 40 watts RMS. The same amp also powers the rear two-way, 6.5-inch XS-S160CX speakers rated at 55 watts RMS. The amp pumps out 60 watts x 4 RMS into 4 ohms so it's plenty for these smaller speakers.
No sound system is complete without a sub. In the Supra's case, the twin XS-LD125P5 subwoofers are Sony's Specialty Series 12-inch subs rated at 400 watts RMS. For power Sony's largest amplifier was called in for duty. With 300 watts continuous into 4 ohms, it does the job fine and will move your hair if you crank it up enough. The amp features a 50-300Hz low pass filter and has a remote subwoofer level control knob for easy low bass adjustments from the cockpit. For anyone that has to know the peak power, this single amp has a 1,400 watt peak rating.
XR Creations did a nice job installing the amplifiers and subs in the trunk. Monster 4-gauge power cables power the amps and the RCA cables are two-channel standard, extra low noise. In order to not have the headlights go dim or the battery quickly drained by the sound system, a Lightning Audio capacitor with 1.0 Farad capacity sits underneath the trunk carpeting. This capacitor acts as a separate battery for the sound system so you don't drain the car battery. XR Creations were able to get the capacitor and cables for us while they were installing the system.
In the end, the trunk space is virtually lost but this car isn't a daily driver either. This installation was kept clean and simple. If more bling is what you're looking for, XR can make a speaker enclosure out of fiberglass and paint it to match your vehicle's color if you're willing to shell out the extra dough.
With the sound system finished and the interior near completion (we've got gauges to talk about) we're ready to move onto what real Supra gear heads want to see-power. The SP71-GTS turbocharger will be tested with pump 91 octane at a safe ignition and air/fuel level so we know what to expect everyday with this setup at the bare minimum, and without worry. Then for those high-octane, weekend days we'll add a few degrees of timing and psi to spice up the evening. Stay tuned