Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
Decades ago, it took about $40 in parts, on top of the cost of a new car radio, to give yourself improved sound quality and more features. A simple wire harness adapter would let a single-DIN radio connect right to the factory radio harness behind your dash. Add an antenna adapter and you were likely on your way. Fast-forward to the 2020s and modern infotainment systems Read more
A few weeks ago, I was at Motron Automotive Electronics in London, Ontario, to return some vintage remote car starters I’d borrowed for an article. I was talking with Lee Campbell about the work the shop does. Aside from remote car starter installations and audio system upgrades, Motron specializes in finding solutions for vehicles where the factory-installed infotainment Read more
Holly Hill, Fla. – November 23, 2021 – iBEAM Vehicle Safety Systems® by Metra Electronics® is now shipping new cameras and accessories launched at the 2021 SEMA Show. Two new tailgate handle cameras designed to fit older model Dodge Dakota or Chevrolet C/K pickup trucks provide an OE-style replacement handle with a high-quality backup camera. iBEAM is also now shipping a new Read more
Looking at the specifications and features of an amplifier rarely tells the entire story. ARC Audio sent me one of their ARC 1000.4 amplifiers that’s equipped with an IPS8.8 Pro-Series eight-channel digital signal processor. Based on a 1,000-watt platform, this four-channel amp is rated to produce 250 watts per channel into 2- and 4-ohm loads. There’s a lot of ground to cover Read more
If you’ve asked your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer about upgrading your car stereo in recent years, they may have told you that they will need to add load resistors. While seemingly new in concept, the purpose of these resistors is simple. They’re often needed to ensure that the factory-installed amplifier in your car, truck or SUV continues to function the way it Read more
Reintroduced as 2006 models, the Dodge Charger sedan and Challenger coupe are some of the most popular vehicles to upgrade. Whether your car has a V-6, the popular 5.7-liter V-8 or the tire-smoking supercharged 707 horsepower Hellcat, these cars all look amazing and offer a style not available from anything else on the market. Of course, when it comes to audio system upgrades, Read more
If you’ve browsed any of the online car audio forums or Facebook groups, you’ve inevitably run across someone asking if you have to upgrade the speaker wire in a vehicle to support a new car audio system. Unlike a sure-fire upgrade like new speakers or adding an amplifier, the answers to the benefits and drawbacks of speaker wire upgrades are far more complicated. Please don’t Read more
When automotive enthusiasts think ST, they think of the two sport compact products that are legendary in the enthusiast world: the Ford Focus ST and the Fiesta ST. Both are wonderful compact sporting machines that help drivers bring out their inner Ken Block and rally car inclinations. With their built-in electronic driving aids, they can even help make mediocre drifters look Read more
Many new cars and trucks don’t come with a CD player. Music stored on our smartphones and the multitude of streaming audio services has, sadly, made compact disc technology almost obsolete. If you still have an extensive collection of discs, your local specialty mobile electronics retailer has a variety of add-on solutions to make it easy for you to enjoy your favorite Read more
Sony introduced their new XS-GS1631C 3-way component speaker system at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The system includes a pair of 6.5-inch woofers, a set of 3.5-inch midrange drivers, a pair of 1-inch soft-dome tweeters and a set of passive crossover networks. This system is designed as a premium upgrade for vehicles with door and dash speaker locations. The Read more
Proficient remote starter retailers are trained to not only sell products but to promote how they will integrate those solutions into their clients’ vehicles. Compustar, the world leader in remote car starter technology, has recently introduced a new system controller called the DC3 to give installers a new option for vehicle integration. Automotive Data Solutions, known to Read more
