Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
When 99% of car audio enthusiasts think about a digital signal processor (DSP), they associate it with equalizers, crossovers, and signal delays. In more advanced solutions, a consumer-grade car audio DSP might add the ability to include all-pass filters, an upmixer for a center channel and signal summing. However, at an engineering level, much more is available. Let’s look at Read more
Recently, we were sent a link to a YouTube video in which someone was trying to make power measurements of a factory-installed amplifier on a motorcycle. We see videos like this all the time. Unfortunately, the numbers presented in these videos are not just inaccurate but often completely illogical. Let’s talk about how we make power measurements and what information some of 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
I vividly remember the day I walked into work at a local car stereo shop, and the owner had mounted a 3-foot long Coustic AMP-560 amplifier to the front of the sales counter. Back then, bigger was indeed better. I think, at the time, we referred to that amp as a surfboard or maybe a skateboard – hard to remember; it was more than 30 years ago. We also had one of the Read more
The owner of this 2020 Toyota Tundra contacted the team at Speed of Sound Technologies in Milford, Connecticut, to inquire about upgrading the stereo system in the vehicle. While it had the JBL sound system, the client wanted something that played louder and delivered better bass. Store owner Melinton Benavides discussed how to integrate the products the client had chosen into Read more
A while back, we took a quick look at how alternating current (AC) signals in our car audio systems work. While the amount of work done by an AC voltage source can be the same as that of a direct current (DC) source, the changes in current flow direction add complications. In this article, we’ll dive a little deeper into AC signals and explain why a fixed-value resistor can’t Read more
Having your local specialty car audio retailer install an amplifier in your car or truck is a great way to improve the performance of your audio system. The extra power will allow you to turn the volume up higher to extract more from your speakers. If you have a subwoofer installed, you’ll need to choose an amplifier that can produce lots of power. While there are some Read more
In a recent online discussion, someone stated that a car audio amplifier couldn’t be power-hungry. After the eye-twitching passed and our heart rates settled, we knew this was a perfect topic for our series on car audio myths. Let’s look at how amplifiers, specifically subwoofer amplifiers, make use of the power from your vehicle’s electrical system. What Is Amplifier Read more
For car audio enthusiasts, especially those interested in competing in SPL competitions, amplifier efficiency should be one of their primary concerns. In this first of three articles on efficiency, we take a close look at the Rockford Fosgate M5-1000X1 Class-D subwoofer amp and analyze how well it makes use of power at different output levels. What Is Car Audio Subwoofer Amp Read more
