Acura(R), Panasonic and Elliot Scheiner Advance Audio Performance to New High in the 2009 Acura TSX(R)

Acura(R), Panasonic and Elliot Scheiner Advance Audio Performance to New High in the 2009 Acura TSX(R)

10-Speaker Acura/ELS Surround(R) Premium Audio System delivers exceptional sound quality from all sources

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The highly anticipated, fully redesigned 2009 Acura TSX, entry-level 4-door sports sedan will be available with the critically acclaimed Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System when the vehicle goes on sale this April. The all-new TSX combines bold exterior styling, the latest technology, an upscale modern interior and track-tested performance to maximize the driver's experience.

Tuned specifically for the acoustics of the new TSX, the state-of-the-art system from Panasonic Automotive features the renowned ELS Surround studio- quality sound with an added punch from the all-new 20cm Super Low Distortion Driver (SLDD) subwoofer that delivers bass with exceptional clarity and energy. Featured as a key component of the optional TSX Technology Package, the Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System is also available in the Acura TL(R) sedan, the Acura MDX(R) performance luxury SUV and the Acura RDX(R) crossover SUV.

The Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System, which takes its name from system collaborator and multi-Grammy(R) Award winning producer/engineer Elliot "ELS" Scheiner, includes 10 speakers, 415 watts of amplification, six-disc in- dash CD/DVD-Audio player, MP3 and WMA playback, AM/FM and XM(R) Satellite radio as well as an auxiliary input for portable music players such as an iPod(R). Having been personally tuned by Elliot Scheiner, the sound is delivered through 10 optimally-placed speakers that surround the driver and passengers with "studio-quality" sound designed to please even the most discerning listeners.

Additionally, the Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System in the Acura TSX provides specific equalization settings to deliver an exceptional audio experience from all audio sources, including AM/FM and XM Satellite radio, CD and portable MP3 players such as an iPod.

Since its introduction in the 2004 Acura TL, the Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System has built a reputation as the "musician's choice" for its remarkable reproduction of studio quality audio. Scheiner comments, speaking from experience: "The goal of the ELS Surround system in the Acura TSX is to reproduce studio quality sound in the vehicle. It's easy for me to make that comparison. I listened to some of my recent projects, such as the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden and Nirvana's remixed Unplugged in New York, when we were tuning the system for the TSX. It's amazingly true to what I hear in the studio."

The Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System is designed to integrate perfectly into the TSX's performance-oriented driving environment.

"The performance of the Acura/ELS Surround Premium Audio System aligns perfectly with the TSX core themes of driving enthusiasm, intelligent functionality, technology and luxury. Working with Elliot and Panasonic, Acura has expanded upon the success of the systems in the TL, MDX and the RDX to deliver an audio experience in the TSX which is truly unique in the marketplace. Elliot's creative experience and technical achievements bring authenticity to our goal of achieving studio sound performance," said John Watts, Acura Product Planning Manager.

ELS Surround Premium Audio System Highlights
-- 10 speaker system configuration using Neodymium magnetic circuits
-- 4cm soft dome tweeters which reproduce a wide frequency range and
low distortion
-- 8cm center speaker with polypropylene cone with micro-cell foam edge
-- 17cm front and rear door speakers featuring extremely light-weight
designs
-- 17cm rear surround speakers with dual thickness cone with micro-cell
foam edge
-- 20cm Subwoofer with patented SLDD design

-- 415 Watts of system amplification
-- Multi-channel DSP power amplifier with 96kHz, 24-bit performance and
adjustable equalization to optimize each individual music source
-- Speed dependent volume control
-- PWM subwoofer amplifier

All of the 10 speakers use a high-energy Neodymium magnet for excellent sound quality and significantly reduced weight. For more information about the ELS Surround Premium Audio System, please visit online at elssurround.com.

About Elliot Scheiner

After nearly 40 years in the music industry, Elliot Scheiner continues to be a highly sought-after producer and engineer. His career includes work with such music legends as The Eagles, Steely Dan, REM, Foo Fighters, Beck, Queen, Sting, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. In addition to receiving his 23rd Grammy nomination for his work on the Deborah Cox release Destination Moon. Scheiner won his sixth Grammy Award for Donald Fagen's 2006 release of Morph The Cat. Scheiner's recent work includes mixing for the Eagles' multi-platinum release, Long Road Out of Eden and the remixed release of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged in New York performance. His extensive industry accolades include an Emmy(R) Award for his work with the Eagles on their farewell tour broadcast, and he holds four Emmy Award nominations. A TEC Hall of Fame inductee, Scheiner is the inaugural recipient of the Surround Pioneer Award, which was created to honor individuals who have made significant, groundbreaking contributions to the art of surround music production. He holds an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the legendary Berklee College of Music and is also the only American to be awarded the lauded Master of Sound honor from the Japan Audio Society.

About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 268 dealers within the United States. The 2008 Acura lineup features five distinctive models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbocharged RDX luxury crossover SUV and the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle. For additional information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For media inquiries, please visit www.acuranews.com.

About Panasonic Automotive Systems

Based in Peachtree City, Georgia, and with Detroit area operations located in Southfield, MI, Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America is a division of Secaucus, New Jersey-based Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC) of Osaka, Japan, one of the world's leading developers and producers of innovative digital and other electronic products for consumer, business and industrial use. Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America also acts as the North American operating company of Panasonic Automotive Systems Company, a division of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., which coordinates global automotive industry systems and components operations. For more information on Panasonic and Matsushita Electric, visit www.panasonic.com.

ELS Surround is the registered trademark of Panasonic Corporation of North America, all rights reserved; Acura, Acura TL, RDX MDX and TSX are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.; GRAMMY is the trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc.; and iPod is the registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Panasonic Automotive Systems

CONTACT: Jeff Samuels of Panasonic, +1-201-392-4571,
samuelsj@us.panasonic.com, or David Stoyka of Marx Layne & Co.,
+1-248-855-6777, dstoyka@marxlayne.com

Web site:

http://www.panasonic.com/
http://www.acura.com/
http://www.acuranews.com/
http://www.elssurround.com/

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