2019 Toyota Avalon: Redesigned & Ready to Rock
Toyota and JBL turn Detroit into Rock City to showcase game-changing surround sound audio system and a gorgeously redesigned Avalon.
It’s a gorgeous spring day in Detroit, and as I pull up and park in front of the 2019 Toyota Avalon set in front of Jack White‘s Third Man Records, I notice that it’s already effortlessly turning heads. The newly-redesigned Avalon’s eye-catching exterior gives it a sporty edge that melds well with its sophisticated, state-the-art features, including one particularly impressive JBL surround sound audio system.
A small, diverse group of millennials is gathered in front of a bicycle shop near Third Man. As they check out the Avalon, their long gazes seem to indicate that Toyota’s update of its flagship sedan is a hit in Cass Corridor, the exciting community hub where we’ve come to check out the star of the evening: The 2019 Toyota Avalon, and more specifically, its game-changing JBL audio system with Clari-Fi and QuantumLogic Surround.
As I make my way into Third Man Records, I pass the hipster crowd and wonder if the young cyclists are considering trading in their two wheels for four. After all, this sexy sedan certainly doesn’t look like something you’d see a soccer mom driving. Or if she did, she likely has a few tatts, a nose ring, and a Black Flag bumper sticker.
A beautifully-curated music emporium and multi-use space, Third Man Records is Grammy-winning rocker White’s contribution to the revitalization of the historic Cass Corridor neighborhood. The spacious venue houses a cozy club space with amazing acoustics, and tonight, JBL speakers will be powering a live music performance.
The JBL surround sound audio system perfectly replicates the clarity, fullness, and audio impact of the live music performance that we just watched inside Third Man.
If you’re going to introduce groundbreaking audio technology in Detroit, it makes sense to get the Motor City’s favorite son involved. And it doesn’t hurt that the former White Stripes and Raconteurs rocker is currently riding the charts with his new solo album, Boarding House Reach. But rocking the Third Man Records stage tonight will be Peter Raffoul, a talented singer-songwriter whose soft blues-rock music is tight and intoxicating, and his melodic, introspective original songs are thoroughly impressive.
The preshow music comes courtesy of JBL Pulse 3 portable Bluetooth speakers that are set in the center of each table. The sound quality is impressive, especially considering the fullness and volume coming from such a compact device that clocks in at nine inches tall.
When the band kicks off its set, the JBL equipment on stage begins amping up the adrenaline-pumping experience with a crystal-clear delivery and a fullness of sound that really allows you to hear the music the way the artists on stage are intending for it to be heard. You can almost feel the warm tones of the bass and electric piano, the scrape of guitar picks against strings, and the deep grooves of the solid rhythm section. Listening to a live band in this acoustically-perfect space helps you understand why JBL is used in 70% of professional recording studios and at 80% of major concerts. This experience has me really looking forward to hearing how this technology that is already state-of-the-art is going to be taken to the next level with the new audio system that is available exclusively in the 2019 Avalon. By the time the band rolls out a half-dozen original songs and a smokin’ cover of The Beatles‘ “Come Together,” it is clear that Raffoul and his crew have won over the room of visiting auto journalists.
After the show, we are wowed again when checking out the JBL surround sound system in the Avalon parked outside. As I sit in the sedan listening to a random jazz track, the difference in overall sound quality compared to that of other car audio systems I’ve heard is instantly apparent — and it’s spectacular. The JBL by Harman surround sound audio system perfectly replicates the clarity, fullness, and audio impact and scope of the live music performance that I just watched inside Third Man. To say that this JBL system and the related Clari-Fi technology and QuantumLogic Surround is impressive is the understatement of the year. When I crank up the system, it sounds as if I’m listening to a jazz band in a concert hall with impeccable acoustics. The simple touch of a button that controls the surround sound feature makes the cabin of this car feel like its been transformed into Madison Square Garden.
Continued: 2019 Toyota Avalon: Redesigned and Ready to Rock
