Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Over the years, many car audio enthusiasts have complained that while new speakers made their car stereo systems sound better, the new speakers didn’t make the systems any louder. In fact, the more you work to upgrade your speakers, the more you often find that you have traded efficiency for smooth frequency, accuracy and clarity. This article explains a bit of the physics Read more
The number of times a consumer has asked for a set of speakers based on power ratings is incomprehensibly huge. They ask for 300-watt 6x9’s or a 1,000-watt subwoofer without understanding how the power ratings are created. Let’s quickly review what it takes to make a speaker that can handle a lot of power and explain why that may have nothing to do with sound quality and Read more
If you have taken part in any online discussions about radar detectors, then you know that manufacturers, retailers and so-called experts are extremely passionate about the brands they support. Countless tests, both scientific and anecdotal, extol the features, sensitivity and false-alarm rejection performance of a half-dozen key brands. Each test brings with it another heated Read more
If you’re on social media, then you’ve likely seen numerous discussions or links to videos about amplifier power ratings. If your goal is an audio system that only plays loudly, then the wattage measurements matter. It seems that many consumers are confused about the correlation between power ratings and quality. Let’s look at why car audio amplifier power ratings and their Read more
When it comes to good car audio speakers, it’s universally accepted that we’re talking about smooth frequency response and a lack of distortion. Buying a set of good car audio speakers can be a daunting task, with options that vary from well under $50 to over $5,000. Can a cheap speaker sound good? Let’s look at what makes speakers the most crucial component in an audio system Read more
We are at our second-to-last article in our car audio amplifier specification series and this time, we are going to talk about Class AB amplifier crossover distortion. This distortion has nothing to do with the high- or low-pass filters built into your amplifier; it’s a problem with the very concept of the Class B amplifier topology. Don’t fret — we’ll explain what causes it Read more
The car audio industry, just like any other technical field, is full of words and phrases that are specific to the equipment we use and the work we do. Because we are often communicating with our peers, suppliers and occasionally technical support staff, we get very used to using these terms. For a consumer walking in the front door, it’s unreasonable to expect them to know or Read more
As we slowly approach the end of our latest Understanding Specifications series, we want to take a look at car audio amplifier distortion ratings and explain what they mean. We should make it clear: No matter how or good or bad a piece of audio equipment is, every audio component adds some amount of distortion to the signal. The amount and type of distortion those audio Read more
Next, on our look through the common specifications included with modern car audio amplifiers, we want to take a look at amplifier efficiency. With the electrical systems in modern cars shrinking in capacity with every passing year, getting power from your amplifier without taxing the wiring, battery, and alternator in your car is a genuine challenge and concern. Modern Class-D Read more
As the next topic in our series explaining amplifier specifications, we will look at the frequency response information that manufacturers provide and explain how to interpret this information. In the simplest of statements, the frequency response spec will tell you about the low- and high-frequency limits of the amplifier based on its design. As with all the specs we have Read more
The next topic in our look at car audio amplifier specifications is input sensitivity. This specification is easy to understand but is important to choose an amp that will work with the system your local car stereo shop has designed. In the simplest of terms, the sensitivity specification determines how much voltage is required on the input of the amplifier for it to produce Read more
We’ve touched on the topic of signal-to-noise ratio in car audio amplifiers before. This specification is one of the most important in quantifying the quality of the amplifier you are going to choose for your audio system. While the power ratings are the only way we’ll know how loudly an amp can play, the noise specs give us a look at the design philosophy of the amp. Quite Read more
