Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
A short while back, we published an article headlined “What Does it Mean When a Subwoofer Claims to Work in a Small Enclosure?” One of our readers, Eric T., asked some great questions on our Facebook page, and we told him we’d be happy to answer them. The original article explained the physics of what happens when you try to stuff a subwoofer in an enclosure that’s too 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
When it comes to car audio subwoofer upgrades, infinite baffle installations have been around for as long as subwoofers have existed. The science behind a subwoofer installation that doesn’t use a compact enclosure is quite simple. As with any subwoofer system design, some benefits and drawbacks need to be considered. Strap on your thinking caps; we’re diving in! What Is an Read more
If you were into car audio in the ’90s, you’ve likely heard of amplifiers having mixed-mode or tri-mode capability. The implication was that these amps could power a pair of coaxial speakers and a subwoofer at the same time from a cost-effective and straightforward two-channel design. If you dig down into the nitty-gritty of how this works, you’ll see it’s pretty simple. With Read more
Conrad Leduc is the owner and head installer at Sudbury Car Audio in Val Caron, Ontario. Conrad opened the 1,200-square-foot shop in 2017 after many years working at other retailers in the area. With its suite of premium products and a commitment to customer satisfaction, the store has garnered a well-deserved reputation in Northern Ontario for delivering premium audio system Read more
There seems to be some misunderstanding about the relationship between subwoofer mounting depth requirements and performance relative to enclosure volume. We constantly see enthusiasts talk about having a 10-inch shallow sub mounted under a car or truck seat. Their expectation is full-size subwoofer performance without the need for a large enclosure. Let’s do a few simulations Read more
For years audiophiles claimed that signal processing was counterproductive and that they wanted the purest, most straightforward signal path from the source unit to their speakers. This philosophy applies as much to those interested in home audio as it does to those who enjoy music in their cars. However, the reality is, we don’t live, work or drive in an anechoic chamber. As Read more
We were recently at an event that was hosting a mobile audio system SPL competition. If you aren’t familiar with this sort of thing, it’s a contest to see who has the loudest stereo. We aren’t talking about cranking the dial on the factory radio. Instead, some of these folks build steel and concrete reinforced subwoofer enclosures and feed tens of thousands of watts to their Read more
If you’ve read any number of our articles here on BestCarAudio.com, then you know that we always suggest having your car audio upgrades installed by a professional. Unfortunately, finding an installer who has the training to execute your project efficiently is no easy feat. With that said, Mobile Solutions of Tempe, Arizona, has come up with a plan to elevate the skill level of Read more
It’s time to dispel another unsubstantiated car audio myth! This time, we’re talking about claiming that you can’t ground an amplifier directly to the battery in a vehicle. Perhaps it would add to the clarity of the statement to say that many inexperienced installers think the ground wire for the amp has to go to the chassis of the vehicle. Many of these statements also add, Read more
Shallow-mount car audio subwoofers were introduced more than a decade ago to allow installers to add great bass where space was limited. The first thin subwoofers were optimized for mounting depth, but many still required a large enclosure for good low-frequency output. The latest generation of low-profile subwoofers deliver bass that rivals some full-depth subwoofer options. Read more
We were cruising the internet a few weeks ago and noticed a comment from a self-proclaimed car audio expert that new speakers and subwoofers need to be broken in at low power levels. He made it particularly clear that the voice coil needed to be broken in gently. If you’ve ever considered how a speaker works from more than an “it makes sound” perspective or you have a grasp of Read more
