Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
We’re back with the second Sound Check article. This time, we have a 2023 Nissan Rogue Platinum to audition with our suite of reference audio tracks. Once again, the purpose of the Sound Check articles is to help educate consumers about how to listen to music critically so they understand what’s considered good and what aspects of an audio system are weak. Introducing the 2023 Read more
In 2020, we looked at how laser engravers were changing how car audio systems were being built. The popularity of these solutions has grown at a stunning rate, making them a go-to tool for many shops around Canada and the United States. In this article, we’ll examine a few more examples of how expert fabrication specialists use lasers to cut and engrave plastics and other Read more
There are two schools of thought when designing a custom car audio installation: The solutions can be designed to stand out and highlight the upgrades, or they can be designed to blend with the rest of the vehicle. While I appreciate both styles, installations that blend with the cosmetic cues already in the vehicle are my preference. It’s challenging to make something Read more
In the spring of 2018, I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon hanging out with Bing Xu from Simplicity in Sound in Milpitas, California. Aside from talking shop about car audio stuff, he offered to let me listen to the sound system in his 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 S wagon. It was amazing! The imaging was detailed, the tonal balance was excellent, and the integration was Read more
When I looked at the list of vehicles I might be able to test out and it said PS2, I chuckled because I didn’t think I could drive an old PlayStation gaming console (aside from GranTurismo). Then it said Polestar and I did a double take.Polestar had traditionally been the high-end Volvo tuning arm that made their vehicles handle better and go faster. Now the Volvo company Read more
Although the Porsche tagline “There is no Substitute” certainly fits its fleet of vehicles, there is nothing like the new Mercedes S-Class for a full-sized luxury car experience. In the large luxury sedan game, there is no substitute for the S Class. There are other great competitors from BMW and Audi, but the new S-Class takes the cake when it comes to luxury and Read more
For those who love the idea of a “hot hatch,” the VW Golf iterations, such as the GTI, Rabbit or Golf R, come to mind. If you aren’t exactly enamored with German engineering yet still want something fun, but perhaps a step above a Civic, check out the 2021 Mazda3 hatchback. It has a cool look, a luxurious interior and some fun performance to boot. Torquey! And a Smooth Read more
It keeps going up. We knew gasoline couldn’t stay at a low price point forever, and now my family friends with three-row SUVs are asking, “Is there anything that has a third row that is also good on gas? I am sick of $60 fill-ups.” Well, if your Acadia, Explorer or Durango has you down, Toyota might just have your answer in the new Highlander Hybrid.I first had experience Read more
We recently had the opportunity to review the Genesis G80 sedan. It turned out to be a formidable competitor to its German luxury rivals. But it seems everyone is excited about the arrival of the GV80, the Genesis brand’s first SUV … and the same model Tiger Woods was driving in February 2021 when he was seriously injured in a single-car accident near Los Angeles. Even though Read more
