Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
If you’ve been around the car audio or vehicle accessory industry for any amount of time, you’ve likely run across a 12-volt relay. A relay is a simple device designed to switch a typically high-current load with a low-current signal. Relays are used in everything from headlight and auxiliary lighting upgrades to power trunk and door lock solenoid installations. Relays can also Read more
When it to comes to value, five-channel car audio amplifiers are a great solution for upgrading the stereo system in your vehicle. Aside from reducing the time it takes to install, five-channel amplifiers minimize installation complexity and the cost associated with signal, power and ground connections compared to running multiple amplifiers. Sony’s Mobile ES Series XM-5ES Read more
When it’s time to discuss complicated car audio concepts, it’s common for people to glaze over the important small factors and considerations. In the context of car audio amplifier preamp signals, everyone seems to get hung up on how much voltage a radio can produce or an amplifier can accept. What matters in terms of optimizing the performance of a car audio system’s Read more
Unless you’ve never visited the BestCarAudio.com magazine site, you’re probably familiar with the need for a high-quality digital signal processor in any modern car audio system. Proper level setting, bandwidth limitations, arrival time adjustment and equalization are paramount to creating an audio system that sounds realistic in a car, truck or SUV. It’s also essential for Read more
Almost every car audio amplifier on the market has at least one thing in common: a remote turn-on connection. The purpose of this connection is to tell the amplifier to turn on when you turn the radio on. For decades, there have been statements that your installer needs to add a relay to the output of a radio to turn on multiple amplifiers. Let’s look at what the amp remote Read more
You may want to know these 10 car audio terms if you’re headed to a store to shop for audio equipment. You’ll likely get what you want using everyday slang and accepted terminology. So invest a few minutes in educating yourself to sound as though you know what you’re talking about. No? OK, then, at least have a laugh with us! 1. Subwoofer Enclosure Unless you’re having an Read more
Audison is well known in the car audio industry for its bit series of car audio signal processors. From the introduction of the fabled bit ONE back in 2008 to the impressive Prima series multichannel amps and the fantastic bit ONE HD Virtuoso, Audison has been at the forefront of these performance-improving technologies for as long as any brand and longer than most. If you’ve 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
If you’ve been paying attention to the car audio industry over the last two years, you know Sony has been steadily rolling out its new flagship-level Mobile ES equipment. I’ve already been blessed with the outstanding performance from the XAV-9500ES digital media receiver and the impressive XS-W104ES 10-inch subwoofer. Now it’s time to check out one of their new Mobile ES Read more
We get lots of great questions from our readers each month. Among the most popular is “How can I find a car audio installer near me?” As professionals in the mobile enhancement industry, we know this is one of the biggest challenges that consumers face. It’s easy to search for stores on the internet, but the results don’t tell you anything about the quality of the services Read more
If there’s a statement that makes experts in the car audio industry wince, it’s someone saying, “Every vehicle is different and needs a unique design.” Sure, you need to pick speakers that fit into the available locations, and some cars or trucks need more wire than others because of their size. Some clients may want a single 8-inch powered sub to add some warmth and impact, Read more
If it seems as though you’re seeing several Sony Mobile ES products crossing the BestCarAudio.com Test Drive Review bench, you aren’t mistaken. The Sony team is justifiably proud of what they have created, and we’re honored to get the chance to check out the fruits of their labor. We’ve reviewed their flagship source unit, subwoofers and monoblock amp, and now it’s time for a Read more
