Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
AOver the decades, a question that’s come up thousands of times asks about the source of engine noise or alternator whine in car stereo systems. From the 1970s through today, every professional amplifier or signal processor installation finished with a test for unwanted noises. The cause of this whining or buzzing was often simple; however, technicians might have to spend Read more
Never in a million years did we think that the internet would debate the appropriate amount of time that’s ideal for a remote starter to warm up a car. Some folks believe that even a minute is too much, and others want the interior to be toasty and warm and are willing to let the vehicle idle for 15, 20 or even 30 minutes. Let’s talk about the physics of cold engine starting Read more
We had the opportunity to check out Sony’s Mobile ES monoblock XM-1ES, four-channel XM-4ES and five-channel XM-5ES amplifiers in 2022. All three amps performed well on the test bench and in our listening room. For 2023, Sony has introduced two new amplifiers: the eight-channel XM-8ES and the six-channel XM-6ES. Let’s dive into the XM-8ES in this BestCarAudio.com Test Drive Read more
You’d think that the Sony product development team would deserve a break after releasing no less than nine new Mobile ES speakers and subwoofers over the past few years. While they might deserve it, they kept up the momentum by redesigning their popular GS-Series speakers. This Product Spotlight will examine Sony’s new XS-162GS component and XS-160GS coaxial 6.5-inch (16-cm) Read more
At least once a week, someone comments on social media or in a forum that you can’t hear low-frequency distortion from subwoofers or amplifiers. We have no idea where this myth came from. However, if you understand what distortion is and how it works, you’ll know this myth is utter and complete nonsense. Yes, we know we’ve challenged the status quo. Don’t worry; we can always Read more
In the minds of most car audio enthusiasts, the only thing that matters when it comes to subwoofer amplifiers is how much power they make. Subwoofer amplifier quality is essential for those who want the bass frequencies in their audio systems to sound accurate and musical. Our friends at Rockford Fosgate in Tempe, Arizona, sent up one of their T500-1bdCP 500-watt monoblock amps Read more
In most car audio applications, dual voice coil subwoofers are typically wired in series or parallel to optimize an amplifier’s power production capabilities. In some cases, especially when an installation is performed with existing equipment, installers must get creative with voice coil wiring. Let’s look at a few unique solutions for optimizing the available amplifier Read more
The single most crucial upgrade a person can make to their car audio system is to incorporate a properly configured equalizer. Whether you have a radio and two speakers or a high-end four-way system with active crossovers, ensuring that the system’s frequency response is accurate remains the most important consideration concerning quality. Let’s examine how a car audio Read more
Here are three sentences that make car audio experts cringe: “I set the gains halfway” is definitely at the top of the list. “Can I use a 60-watt amp with my 80-watt speakers?” demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the irrelevance of power ratings. Something like “I tried the remote bass control from my Sony amp in my Rockford Fosgate amp” couldn’t be scarier. Can you Read more
