Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
The other day I saw an interesting question on social media where someone asked if they should match their car audio amplifier to their speakers. I know they were asking about power ratings, but I think that’s the wrong way to go about the process. I realized again that many enthusiasts don’t fully understand how to quantify audio component quality. So let’s dive into the Read more
Several years ago, iDatalink, the company known for its class-leading remote car starter interfaces, launched an amplifier integration solution called the Maestro AR. The AR (which is short for amplifier replacement) was designed to interpret the CAN bus commands intended for a factory amplifier into something a third-party digital signal processor can understand. While Read more
Adding an amplifier to your car stereo is a great way to improve its performance. If the amp is going to power speakers, you should be able to listen to your music at higher volume levels without worrying about clipping distortion. Of course, we all know that one of the best upgrades you can make to any car audio system is to add a subwoofer and a dedicated amplifier to drive Read more
Speakers are, by a long way, the most influential component in any audio system when defining performance or quality. Low-quality speakers, or those without specific technologies, can’t match the clarity levels of premium solutions. In addition, many music enthusiasts want their car audio systems to play louder than what’s possible with factory-installed equipment. After all, Read more
I often see people on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist or Kijiji (in Canada) selling the passive crossover networks that came with their car audio component speaker sets. In most cases, these people have likely opted for an active system installation that uses a DSP and four dedicated amplifier channels to power their speaker system. An issue that many do-it-yourself car Read more
Since I first reviewed an ARC Audio amplifier back in 2004, I knew there was something different about this company. It only took a few reviews to recognize the pattern, and frankly, I’ve been spoiled by every opportunity to audition one of their amps ever since. Call it clarity, transparency or neutrality; all of ARC Audio’s amps have offered as invisible a sonic signature as Read more
I am continuously baffled by the number of car audio enthusiasts and so-called professionals who think car audio amp power ratings have anything to do with quantifying their quality. I see people flocking to YouTube videos of amp dyno tests and rushing out to buy products that make lots of jam. If there’s a single factor that’s irrelevant in defining amplifier quality, power Read more
Picking an efficient speaker system that sounds good and can handle lots of power is no easy feat. The mobile audio experts at ARC Audio in Modesto, California, created the new CX69 6x9-inch speaker to fill this void. Whether you want great sound from the saddlebags of your Harley-Davidson, a door speaker that can keep up with a crazy subwoofer system or a solution for your Read more
Though best known for their amplifiers and signal processors, the transducer design team at ARC Audio in Modesto, California, doesn’t slouch. A few weeks back, they sent me one of their new X2 10D4v2 10-inch subwoofers to put through its paces in the BestCarAudio.com lab. So let’s see what this affordable 200-watt subwoofer can deliver! ARC Audio X2 10D4v2 Features The X2 Read more
A short while back, we published an article headlined “What Does it Mean When a Subwoofer Claims to Work in a Small Enclosure?” One of our readers, Eric T., asked some great questions on our Facebook page, and we told him we’d be happy to answer them. The original article explained the physics of what happens when you try to stuff a subwoofer in an enclosure that’s too Read more
There are two schools of thought when designing a custom car audio installation: The solutions can be designed to stand out and highlight the upgrades, or they can be designed to blend with the rest of the vehicle. While I appreciate both styles, installations that blend with the cosmetic cues already in the vehicle are my preference. It’s challenging to make something Read more
I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen enthusiasts and folks in the car audio industry claim that Class AB amplifiers are better for high-frequency (as opposed to subwoofer) duties than a Class D design. I recently had a chance to put a popular new Class AB amp through its paces on the BestCarAudio.com Test Bench, and the results were surprising. Let’s make a quality Read more
