Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Choosing new speakers for a late-model car or truck can be challenging. Most people want something that sounds good, fits their vehicle and doesn’t require a second mortgage. The folks at KICKER have heard this message loud and clear, and their KS-Series speakers check off all those boxes while leaving a trick or two up their sleeves. In this Test Drive Review, I’ll examine the Read more
It’s early April, and the CMA Expo has taken place at the Toronto Congress Center for the second year. Like other industry events, this show aims to bring together car audio manufacturers, distributors and retailers from across Canada. They learn about new products, expand their knowledge and network with like-minded professionals. If a manufacturer, distributor or retailer is Read more
Now and then, a good plan gets derailed by a lack of skill or knowledge. Do you remember the first time you took something apart, only to realize you didn’t know how to put it back together? The lesson is: Don’t take it apart in the first place. This brings us to the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X audio system upgrade shown here. The owner, Robert, wasn’t impressed with its Bose audio 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
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
As we continue our series on what makes one amplifier sound different from another, we will look at intermodulation distortion. As you should know by now, harmonic distortion creates higher frequency components that can make an audio device sound harsh or bright. Intermodulation distortion is typically responsible for unwanted warmth or sloppiness in lower frequencies. When Read more
Listening to a genuinely high-end home or car audio system can be amazing. For those who care about sound quality, several technical considerations separate a very good audio system from one that’s truly magnificent. These might be beyond what most strive for in their car audio upgrade. With that said, if your goal is a genuinely realistic music experience, these are Read more
The single most crucial upgrade a person can make to their car audio system is to incorporate a properly configured equalizer. Whether you have a radio and two speakers or a high-end four-way system with active crossovers, ensuring that the system’s frequency response is accurate remains the most important consideration concerning quality. Let’s examine how a car audio Read more
Here are three sentences that make car audio experts cringe: “I set the gains halfway” is definitely at the top of the list. “Can I use a 60-watt amp with my 80-watt speakers?” demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of the irrelevance of power ratings. Something like “I tried the remote bass control from my Sony amp in my Rockford Fosgate amp” couldn’t be scarier. Can you Read more
