A Stereo of Note

As a longtime audio freak as well as a car reviewer, I know that speaker counts, wattage claims and the term "premium stereo" mean nothing in the real world. I like to highlight when an automaker gets it right — as Suzuki did with its Rockford Fosgate upgrade system, standard in the GTS and SLS trims. Lesser known than stock stereo brands like Bose, Boston Acoustics and Harman Kardon, Rockford was a star of aftermarket car audio's heyday in the 1990s, and the Kizashi shows what Rockford can do when given enough money and early access in a car's development. The deck-mounted subwoofer delivers extended, well-controlled bass that sounds anchored to a front soundstage, not booming away in the backseat. The frequency response and clarity are excellent for anyone with the sense not to boost the tone controls, and even the spatial rendition is good, though the front door tweeters tend to call attention to themselves. A great effort overall — better than what you'll find in many high-priced luxury cars. It's a shame you can't get it as an option in the Kizashi's lower trim levels.

A standard USB port lets you control compatible iPods, which my old Mini apparently isn't, but I was able to play MP3 files from a simple flash drive. Through Bluetooth, the Rockford system can play streaming audio from a compatible phone, which impressed reviewer David Thomas.

See also:

Listening to the Radio
Listening to the Radio (1) Band switch button (FM/AM) (2) Seek up button (3) Seek down button (4) Manual tuning knob (5) Preset buttons (1 to 6) (6) Auto store button (AS)/Scan button (SCAN) ...

Foreword
Your SUZUKI multipurpose vehicle is designed and built to be capable of performing both on pavement and off road. You should therefore remember that your vehicle is distinctly different from ordin ...

Heating System
Description of Controls Temperature selector (1) This is used to select the temperature by turning the selector. Blower speed selector (2) This is used to turn on the blower and to select blow ...

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