Sony CDX-GT720 offers superior audio performance for all my tailgate parties!
Written: Sep 14 '09
Product Rating:
Sound Quality:
Ease of Use:
Durability:
Pros: 4x52Watts, Six RCA Outputs, HD Radio and Satellite Radio ready
Cons: No USB interface
The Bottom Line: With 6 RCA output jacks and 208 Watts of power built in, the Sony CDX-GT720 offers everything I need to rock it out with my friends on the weekends.
rgathright's Full Review: Sony CDX-GT720 Car CD/ MP3 Player
I enjoy the control that my Sony CDX-GT720 has given me over my tailgate party sound for the past two years. My fellow tailgaters all arrange their campsites around my sound system because they know that I can deliver trouble free sound 24 hours non-stop.
You see I worked as a DJ for a 1,000 person church service while I was in high school. I have become very picky about the quality of my sound systems. They must respond with crisp highs and smooth mid-tones.
The stereo acts a central control unit that then sends 10 channels of amplified audio signal to four powered 6"x9" speakers, two 12” Sony Xploid Subwoofers, two 5 1/4” Sony speakers and two 4” tweeters. The source feed of 6 RCA outputs from the Sony GT720 are amplified to over 750 watts RMS.
Front Panel Features To gather the most attention, the brilliant, bright, blue LCD faceplate steals the show on the Sony CDX-720. When not in use expect a show as the faceplate cycles through a set of animations ranging from a soccer player kicking a goal, two cars street racing and motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic.
As far as input an AUX jack is located on the front panel for connecting your IPOD or other MP3 players. For example, I found I was able to plug my Aiptek Digital Camcorder to play MP3 files over this stereo unit.
Rear Panel Features The most dominant feature on the rear panel has to be the long, black, blade style plug that both feeds the Sony CDX-720 with power and blasts out 52 Watts x 4 RMS to the speakers. You will also find other common car audio features like, an ignition power feed to put your stereo in stand by while you are away. Another feature on the blade plug is the car antenna remote cabling which takes up 3 wires.
Underneath the central power, output plug is the fuse. The fuse has raised edges to make quick removal easy and painless. Since most of you will have this in your dashboard, the low placement that is beneath all the wires means replacement is even easier. Sony recommends replacing with only a 10 amp fuse. I agree because I have yet to blow a fuse during any of my loud outdoor parties. If you need more power, there is something wrong with your wiring or stereo itself. The four most important features of the rear panel have to be the pre-amp RCA jacks. My sound system lives by these because it is the most cost effective way to feed the auxillary amplifiers. I do have the option to purchase a single four channel amplifier but it is costly compared to using two, twin RCA channel units that can pump out over 300 Watts x 2 of RMS power.
Of course there are other plugs on the back, most notably an antenna plug and twin RCA jacks on a length of wire about a foot long. The twin RCA plugs are destined for tortuous amplification to levels that no normal stereo signal can handle. Fortunately, the signal sent to these jacks is only intended for subwoofer use.
The Sony RM-X152 Remote Commander Sony provides the RM-X152 with this stereo to help keep you from fumbling around the dash in traffic or allow you to adjust the volume of your sound system at a tailgate party. I use my remote control to power to control the Sony CDX 720 at McNeese State University football tailgate parties. Since, I am away from the central stereo the Sony RM-X152 is carried with me at all times during a Saturday party. In full sunlight, I am only able to use the remote from at most 25' away. At night, I can be 40' away and still adjust the sound or advance the track on an MP3 cd.
The 21 buttons on this small remote pack quite a punch for the audiophile. Unbelievable, the remote provides more control over the Sony car stereo than the display itself. The sound button gives you instant access the built in equalizer. From the receiver you could expect this to take at least 30 seconds. My favorite button is the up down volume button at the bottom of the remote. I use this while walking around talking to my friends and stealing a bite of food to eat. The three piece black plastic remote measures 1.75" L x 4" H x 3/8" D.
EQ3 Tune, The Six Way Equalizer My tailgating sound system has one weakness, bass! My Sony Xploid 12” subwoofers drive the 5 1/4” speakers crazy once they start hitting. To control the overpowering bass, I use the EQ3 Tune feature.
To reach this option, I simply hit the SOUND button on my remote. From there I am given three sub menu options: LOW, MID and HI. The LOW option controls 60 Hz or 100 Hz in 1 dB steps from -10 db to +10 db. The MID option controls 500 Hz or 1.0 Khz in 1 dB steps from -10 db to +10 db. The HIGH option controls 10.0 kHz or 12.5 Khz in 1 dB steps from -10 db to + 10 db.
Using the feature is only practical with the remote commander so make sure you never lose this invaluable interfacing tool.
FM / AM Tuner The FM / AM tuners are selectable from the main menu faceplace by pressing the Source button. I found the channel manual channel selections and scan features to be well designed. The reception was clear and strong even with a homemade antenna attached to the stereo.
CD Player The CD Player is going to be the heart of your little sound machine.
AUX Input You are given the option in the main menu to select an exterior audio source as an AUX input.
Future Expansion Options Sony offers a number of expansion features for this product. You can add a HD radio module, remote controls, Satellite radio, a CD changer and of course multiple car stereo amplifiers to this head unit.
Technical Specifications Your Sony CDX-GT720 is going to come packed with features that will take awhile to fully utilize. Here is a brief run down of them: CD Player, Signal-to-noise ratio 120 db, Frequency Response 10 – 20,000 Hz Tuner, FM and AM, Frequency Response 30 – 15,000 Hz Power Amplier, Speaker Impedance: 4-8 ohms, Maximum power output 52 Watts x 4 (at 4 ohms) Physical Dimensions: 178 mm x 50 mm x 190 mm Weight: 3lb 9 oz Power requirements: 12 VDC
Summary I enjoyed using my Sony CDX-GT720 for its MP3 playing capabilities. CD and MP3 audio reproduction is top notch with this unit. When I need to highlight missing tones, the ability to adjust tone levels with EQ3 Tone was a great bonus that saved me the cost of an equalizer. The system does have its flaws like missing the ability to play from a USB flash drive like other models in this line up.
Overall, I am very impressed with the performance of my Sony product. I give the product a 4 star rating for its nearly complete feature set. The lack of USB support causes me a minor inconvenience in my digital life. You can purchase this now by clicking on the SEE IT buttons that surround this review.
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