Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
If you’re old enough, you might remember that car radios, specifically CD receivers through the late ’80s and ’90s, were full of what seemed like crazy features. Double-DIN multimedia receivers, like we’re accustomed to today, barely existed back then, and we didn’t even have Bluetooth. Radio manufacturers like Sony, Alpine, Clarion, Kenwood, Pioneer, Panasonic, Eclipse, Read more
Though it only seems like last year, our 2019 article about the importance of test-driving a new car radio before buying is suddenly more important than ever. So let’s review some key factors and discuss a few new things you ought to test before purchasing a new radio for your car or truck. Test the Interface One of the most important reasons to try out a new car radio, Read more
When you see the same conversations about a product dozens of times, it becomes very easy to recognize a pattern. Unfortunately, one topic in the car audio industry that has cemented itself in stone is the quality and reliability of Android and other cheap car radios. Having worked for one of the Japanese head unit manufacturers, I can tell you that developing a radio platform Read more
Dozens of articles here on BestCarAudio.com explain the concept of audio component distortion. More specifically, harmonic and intermodulation distortion represent the addition of unwanted information to an audio signal because of non-linearities in an electronic circuit or mechanical system like a speaker. Ask anyone who’s heard a genuinely high-end sound system and they’ll Read more
I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve seen car audio speakers installed improperly in the doors, dash or rear deck of a car or truck. Many amateur car audio enthusiasts don’t understand that unlike home audio and Bluetooth speakers that come in an enclosure, the way that raw speakers are mounted in your vehicle plays a huge role in what they’ll sound like. Let’s Read more
We’ve talked about audio component and speaker distortion a great deal. The reason for this is that distortion is one of the critical factors in quantifying the quality of an audio system. Components that add a lot of distortion take away from the realism of the listening experience, making the music blurred, muddy and unnatural. This article will follow an audio signal through Read more
Buying a new car radio has been challenging for most of 2021 and so far in 2022. The scarcity of computer chips has made picking up a name-brand radio from Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Alpine or Pioneer difficult or impossible. If you have to have a new radio in your vehicle, you’ve had two choices: wait patiently or buy a less popular option. I’ve heard good things about the short-term Read more
If you’re upgrading the sound system in your car or truck, adding a subwoofer system is typically the first upgrade. From there, new speakers and an amplifier to power them are next. And most consumers should consider adding a digital signal processor to achieve the most realistic listening experience possible. Unfortunately, one item that is occasionally overlooked in creating 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
