minothor

I found a couple of new features I didn't know existed on the 2013 RDX!

1. Folded coat hook next to the handle grips in the rear for dry cleaning etc.
2. Rear microphone so rear passengers can be heard equally over Bluetooth.

Nice video, this guy's done a good job with his walkthrough...


Also notice how quiet it gets when he closes the doors...

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

If that is a rear mic for the blue tooth system I haven't found one word about it in any of the books that came with the vehicle. When a picture is shown in our "books" to highlight the Bluetooth mic....they only show the one in the overhead console. Not saying the guy in the video is wrong, but, nothing in any Acura lit. talks about it.

Can anyone verify in any Acura literature that this is truly a "rear mic" for the blue tooth??

Thanks!

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

Sorry, but, I just finally found the answer to the "rear ceiling "mic." It is NOT a mic for the Bluetooth system. The guy in the video was wrong.
It is a "pickup mic" associated with the "Active Sound Control System." Part of the overheard console "mic" is used for the same purpose. Got this from info. put out by Acura.
They are basically sensors that monitor the noise level inside the cabin and adjust the music system as necessary to help over come the external/internal noises. It's done through the speakers.
Read this from Acura dated 3/26/12 as part of their "News Releases" on the Honda.com site which covers all Honda Corp. products.
ACTIVE SOUND CONTROL
In a first for the RDX, the 2013 model debuts the use of an Active Sound Control system that not only helps eliminate low decibel booming noise entering the cabin, but also helps decrease unwanted high frequency noise. In addition, Active Sound Control is linked to throttle position and engine rpm to provide a quieter cockpit during normal cruising while allowing the 3.5L V-6's muscular sound to be enjoyed during higher rpm, more spirited driving.
The Active Sound Control system operates whenever the car is running, regardless of whether the audio system is on or off. There are two microphones mounted in the headliner- one just behind the front overhead console and another just ahead of the overhead rear light module. The microphones capture low-end drivetrain frequencies entering the cabin, and send a signal to the Active Sound Control unit. The Active Sound Control unit then creates a precisely timed reverse phase audio signal that is sent to an amplifier, which powers the door speakers and the subwoofer positioned on the rear deck.
The Active Sound Control dramatically reduces the booming sound of the exhaust, front and rear. In the frequency range below 100 hertz, Active Sound Control results in an impressive 10 dB reduction in noise level. Moreover, the new Active Sound Control system dramatically reduces high frequency and middle-frequency noise attenuation during normal cruising. In addition, road noise attenuation is also improved over both smooth and rough roads.

minothor

Interesting... Does the mic serve a dual purpose for noise cancelation and for calls? Are there 2 separate mics in the front for both purposes? I don't think the guy would have identified it was a mic by looking at it and guessed its purpose... If you test this (ask folks in the back to speak in a normal voice and see if the other person can hear clearly), let me know. I will test too if I get a chance...

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

Only the front "mic" is a dual purpose. Part of that area up front, overhead, is a true mic for the Bluetooth. Part of it is to sample the noise. The rear is just to sample the noise. None of this is in any of the "manuals" that come with the RDX.

It is information that was released by Acura as one of their "news items" when describing what all a new vehicle has on it.

The "sales guy" looked at the rear one and assumed it was a Bluetooth mic. Anyone could make that mistake. I know for a fact that most all car salesmen do not know all the true facts about what they are selling. Many times I have taught them something about the vehicle they are selling.

I will say that the much higher end vehicles do require a sales person to truly know their product....but, even then they are stumped sometimes.

Take care!

rsx2rdx

RDX is a great hill-climber and seems optimized at 4th gear. Here's a trick when entering approaching an incline. Shift to Sport, use the paddle-shifter to drop to 4th and punch a little extra gas. The RDX just keeps pulling up that hill.

rsx2rdx

Other thing I found on my road trip was you can listen to your IPOD while burning a CD.

The only issue which is slightly annoying is if you insert a new CD, it will immediately start playing the CD, but at least you can switch to different material while the CD is burning to the hard drive.

dirvin

Do you mind if I ask a question about this process?

I understand that the CD will copy as you listen to another scource, but how long does it take in this mode? Does it still take just as long as when you're listening to it?


Thanks,
Dwayne

weather

^^^ No, copying to the HDD will actually be much faster than the time it takes to listen to the whole CD. The file is a bit compressed so the quality of the audio is not quite as high as the actual disc but to many, they will not hear the difference. We can thank the age of MP3, Satellite Radio and forms of compressed audio/video for that.

Acura604

quick question on CD TO HDD... can you select the tracks you want copied to the HDD? OR..burn the entire CD to HDD and then delete the ones you dont want?

weather

^^ You can skip the track as it starts and it will not record but if you miss it, then yes, you can go back and delete it afterwards.

rsx2rdx

I estimate it takes 10-15 min. to burn a 70 min. CD and it doesn't seem any faster or slower while your listening to other material.

Here are the steps I use:
1) pop the CD in...starts burning
2) say "IPOD SEARCH" which pops up the search menu
3) say "FIND ALBUM" which pops up list of albums on my IPOD/IPHONE
4) use the scroll wheel to select and play the IPOD album
5) say "DISPLAY MAP" which takes me back to map screen. This shows an icon of how far along the CD burn is going.

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

You don't have to shift to "Sport". Just use the "downshift paddle" and it will drop a gear and as long as you are on the gas it will stay in that gear until you don't need it any longer...and then it will do it's normal "auto shift" to the next gear.....or you can using the "upshift paddle." Yes, you can do all this when the shifter is in Drive.

rsx2rdx

That's true, but in Drive mode, the "auto shift" always kicks me back up to 5th or 6th. That works fine for a quick pass or small climb, but for a longer climb.."Sport" mode keeps you in the same gear..so like when I was driving up the Grapevine, I just kept it in 4th tand was able pull by most other vehicles without a problem.

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

I've driven the grapevine. Interesting. How quickly does your tranny kick back up the gear range when in "D" mode and you had used the paddle to drop down a gear? When I do mine on a hilly area...it seems to want to stay in the gear I drop it down to...as long as I'm still climbing and have not backed off the gas. Even then sometimes it wants to stay in that lower gear.

weather

I have noticed that when I use the paddle in D mode, it will hold the gear if I don't touch the accelerator....so for example, if I am going down a long slow grade hill, I will downshift and take my foot off the gas and it will hold in that gear. The moment I seem to touch the accelerator pedal again is when my "auto" mode seem to get back on again (unless of course I use the paddle again).

rsx2rdx

Yes, I think it stays in the same gear while the gas is down so maybe I'm lifting the pedal and it finds its way back to it's comfort zone. I think I just like driving in "Sport" since it keep the revs higher (4-5K) and I like the sound of that engine.