Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
I purchased a pair of MTX 6.5-inch woofers around 1992 or 1993, and they were installed in my 1991 Mazda 323 hatchback as midbass and rear-fill drivers. Later, they migrated to a set of “home speakers” with an Audax tweeter, though I don’t think I spent much time listening to them after I finished building them. Unfortunately, those speaker enclosures were thrown out after they Read more
Efficiency is defined as the ratio of the power or work consumed by a system compared to the work done by that system. In the car audio industry, we typically talk about efficiency in the context of amplifiers. The best amplifiers consume only a little more power than they provide to a speaker or subwoofer. Low-quality solutions consume extra power and convert that into heat. I Read more
Car audio questions on social media blow my mind. Do these speakers sound good? Does this amp make enough power? What radio is the best? Where should I install my tweeters? I see these questions asked in Facebook groups and on Reddit dozens of times a day. In 99% of the cases, my instinct is to suggest that the person asking the question go to a car stereo shop to get an expert Read more
When it comes to ensuring that your car audio amplifier is making the most power possible, nothing is more important than properly sized, high-quality power wire. Can an amplifier produce 2,000 watts of power if fed with 4 AWG wire? What factors affect the size and quality of wire needed for an audio system? There’s a lot of confusion around wiring, so let’s look at some Read more
We’re on to our third article in our series of quantifying speakers’ performance in terms of their application and quality. We started with a factory Honda speaker, then looked at what an inexpensive aftermarket speaker offered. For this third article, we’ll look at another inexpensive aftermarket speaker, the Skar Audio FSX65-4. Skar Audio FSX65-4 Let me start by saying that Read more
Usually, browsing social media for article ideas results in frustration. The number of amateurs who think upgrading the stereo system in a modern vehicle is as easy as installing one in a 1993 Honda is downright baffling. I recently saw a great question and knew it was perfect fodder for an article: What defines quality in a car audio system? While the answer will vary slightly Read more
Car batteries have a tough life. We expect them to provide hundreds of amps of current to the starter motor. Most of us only run the vehicle for 20 or 30 minutes before the cycle repeats. It’s a wonder how they survive more than a year or two. Let’s talk about why proper maintenance can extend a battery’s life, improve its performance and save you some money. Vehicle Read more
If you want your car stereo to sound good and play loudly, purchasing good speakers to keep up with your subwoofers is very important. It’s easy to produce a lot of bass in a car or truck nowadays. Subwoofers with impressive output abilities are available from many brands, and high-power amplifiers are more affordable than ever. With that said, if you want to hear vocals and Read more
One phrase that is repeated time and time again during the installation troubleshooting process is that an amplifier ground is “good” because there’s only 1 ohm of resistance. If you’re a fan of the laws of physics, hearing this phrase should be met with an instant wince or cringe. Everything related to designing, installing and calibrating car audio systems has a foundation in Read more
