Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Quite a while back, I took a scientific look at the difference between a recording stored in a WAV format and what is thrown away with a lossy format like MP3. During some recent research in preparation for an upcoming Test Drive Review, I got to thinking about a different way to show how other audio formats compare. Let’s look at WAV, FLAC and MP3 file formats, then throw in a Read more
Not long ago, I wrote an article about fuses in car audio systems and some of the steps I took at a previous employer to test them. In part of that testing, I also dissected a few circuit breakers to learn how they worked and whether they were a good option as an overcurrent protection device in a car audio system. Immediately upon opening one, I was turned off. I remain so to Read more
So, as a longtime car audio guy, I have peers and friends who cover every conceivable genre of car audio enthusiasm. I have friends who are installers, own and run stores, work at distributors and at manufacturers. I have tweaky friends that think high-end interconnects and low-efficiency wideband drivers are the way to go for sound quality. I also have a ton of friends who are Read more
I remember being at a car audio trade show about a decade ago where I overheard a conversation between a manufacturer rep and a customer about why a set of tweeters didn’t sound good on a particular amplifier. A few weeks later, I did some research on that amp to begin learning about what might have produced the customer perception. The amp in question uses a Class D output Read more
Years ago, I was the product development manager for one of the big car audio wiring and accessory companies. This background provided me with a unique opportunity to test power distribution and overcurrent protection solutions in my lab before we brought a product to market. Though I’m not formally educated as an engineer, I did my best to apply logic and a genuinely Read more
Whether you’re a die-hard sound quality fanatic or want your stereo system to reproduce your music at concert-level volumes, custom door panels are a popular upgrade. So we reached out to some of the best fabricators in the car audio industry and asked them to share samples of their work. From subtle and beautifully integrated to loud, over-the-top creations, here are some of Read more
I vividly remember the day I walked into work at a local car stereo shop, and the owner had mounted a 3-foot long Coustic AMP-560 amplifier to the front of the sales counter. Back then, bigger was indeed better. I think, at the time, we referred to that amp as a surfboard or maybe a skateboard – hard to remember; it was more than 30 years ago. We also had one of the Read more
The editorial team here at BestCarAudio.com wants to provide you with as many tools as possible to ensure that you partner with the best retailer available to upgrade your vehicle. In this article, we’re going to take a close look at the process of purchasing a remote car starter and outline 12 questions that the product specialist at a reputable mobile enhancement retailer Read more
Ah, the oh-so-complex world of amplifier sensitivity control configuration. One would think that there would be a scientific process that would ensure that an amplifier could be set perfectly every time. But in reality, many criteria affect where a sensitivity control is adjusted. The topic of gain overlap pertains equally to source units as amplifiers. What is it? Why do we Read more
