Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Once upon a time, Toyota sold the spacious Avalon sedan. Then sedans fell out of favor. You can still get a Camry or Corolla, but the Avalon fit the niche of a reliable sedan that appealed especially to the older demographic. It was discontinued (since it’s hard to sell an old man’s car to a young man) with its role now filled by the Toyota Crown. In Japan, the Crown nameplate Read more
The April Question of the Month is, “How should I set my car radio equalizer?” Interestingly, this question has popped up more times than expected recently, and there are two very different answers to it. Types of Car Radio Equalizers Before we get into the first of the answers, we should talk about the types of car radio equalizers on the market. The simplest equalizer is a Read more
We’ve talked about how speaker power handling is tested and the importance of delivering accurate test data. In the context of car audio speakers, we’ve explained that the physical size of the voice coil is a crucial element in determining how much power a speaker can handle. In this article, we’ve put together a simple, practical demonstration to show the thermal limits of a Read more
We recently saw someone ask how many subwoofers they should use in their car audio system. They qualified the question by adding that cost and space weren’t issues and that their goal was to get the best sound quality from the system. This is a great question, as it ties together many considerations. Let’s look at a few benefits and drawbacks of using a single versus multiple Read more
Car audio Amp power ratings are often the least important aspect in differentiating amplifier options. Sure, it matters whether you buy a 500- or 1,500-watt amplifier. Neither number tells you anything about either amplifier’s quality, performance or reliability. Surprisingly, many companies are still slapping inaccurate and often impossible power ratings on their products. We Read more
So far, we’ve demonstrated five easily measurable criteria that separate the performance of one amplifier from another. Some of these, like frequency response, can be compensated for using an equalizer. Others, like harmonic and intermodulation distortion, are permanently baked into the amplifier’s sonic signature. Does the amp sound clean and transparent, or does it color the Read more
Sometimes, it’s fun to poke at certain stereotypes in the audio community. Those who consider themselves audiophiles are often the easiest to harass as they frequently fall prey to crazy marketing stories sprinkled with just enough technical words to make them sound plausible. Do your speaker cables need acrylic spacers to keep them off the floor? Should you paint the edge of Read more
Some of the most common car audio questions on social media are about finding a good ground location for an amplifier. Thinking about the topic, using the term ground to describe the negative power connection to the amplifier might imply it’s not as important as the positive battery connection. Both connections must be equally capable of passing all the current the amplifier Read more
Social media conversations are often a great source of content ideas here at BestCarAudio.com. We were recently talking to someone about why loading down an amplifier isn’t an ideal solution. As we’ve demonstrated in our Test Drive Reviews, lower impedances result in more distortion in most cases. In all cases, lower impedance loads reduce amplifier efficiency. Let’s discuss Read more
