Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
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
If you've been into high-end car audio for as long as I have, then you have fond memories of source car audio source units like the famed CDX-C90 from the late ’90s. While the RSX-GS9 media receiver is an amazing option, consumers have been craving a multimedia solution with CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Thankfully, the Sony product development team heard 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
In the fall of 2018, Focal introduced the latest generation of its Utopia speaker solutions at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Wayne Smedile from Paragon Sales & Marketing knew right away that their dealers needed to experience these new flagship drivers to appreciate their clarity and realism. So he ordered a 2018 Tesla Model X the next weekend and put a plan in motion to have Read more
Are you thinking of buying a new car or truck? Are you interested in a model with heated seats, a remote starter, blind-spot monitoring systems, backup sensors or a backup camera? In many cases, these upgrades are part of a premium option or technology package. Take a look at a popular vehicle like the Ford F-150. Sure, the XLT comes with alloy wheels and different trim Read more
While it’s fun to play with flagship products like Audison Thesis amplifiers and speakers, the reality is that there’s a lot more business done at the opposite end of the financial spectrum. The latest generation of the SR line from Audison gives car audio enthusiasts an affordable upgrade option that is laden with the features found in much more expensive solutions. For this Read more
We took a close look at the amazing Audison bit One HD Virtuoso early in 2020. Since then, the team at Audison in Italy has been hard at work adding features and integration solutions, and the fruits of their labor are now available in the Version 3.0 software update. So let’s dive into the new features that will allow your installer to make your car audio system upgrade sound Read more
It seems like everything to do with car audio installations has something to do with managing voltages. For starters, your electrical system needs to produce enough voltage to keep your radio and amplifier going. And amplifiers need to increase the voltage to drive speakers. When adding an amplifier to a factory-installed audio system, your installer will need to measure the Read more
Imagine a science experiment that calls for a chemical solution to be heated to precisely 130 degrees for five minutes. Would a scientist guess at the temperature or stick their finger in the beaker, or would they use a calibrated thermometer to measure exactly when to apply more heat? Likewise, would they use a clock or stopwatch or count to 300 Mississippi to know when the Read more
Day after day, I read posts on Facebook and Reddit about do-it-yourselfers trying to set their car audio subwoofer amplifiers so that they don’t make full power. The typical description goes something like: “I have a 700-watt amp and a 500-watt sub, so I set the gain so the amp so it will only produce 31.6 volts.” There’s usually something extra like “the radio was set to ¾" Read more
There’s no denying that pickup trucks are some of the most popular vehicles on the road. Not only are they typically more durable than a car, but they also can haul almost anything you want in the bed or on a trailer. The popularity of these vehicles makes them prime candidates for audio system upgrades. Specialty car stereo shops from across North America have shared their Read more
Every month or so, someone asks me for a recommendation for a car stereo shop. Sometimes the request is simple and involves replacing damaged or worn-out speakers. Other times, the project involves a remote car starter or an audio system upgrade. When these requests are simple, I have several resources at my disposal to make a solid recommendation. However, when things get more Read more
