Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
A while back, I published an article that compared a high-quality Class-D amplifier with a low-quality “internet-brand” Class AB amp to prove a point about topology not being the deciding factor in performance and accuracy. The contrast in their performance was shocking, with the Class-D amp besting the AB in every way. An amateur YouTuber made a video breaking down the 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've been into high-end car audio for as long as I have, then you have fond memories of source car audio source units like the famed CDX-C90 from the late ’90s. While the RSX-GS9 media receiver is an amazing option, consumers have been craving a multimedia solution with CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Thankfully, the Sony product development team heard Read more
If you follow any of the high-end home audio magazines or social media groups, you know that interconnect cables and the stories around them are an entire industry. You can choose from 3-foot coaxial cables at prices from under $5 to well over $20,000 for some of the most bespoke, story-laden offerings. Some of these creations even have batteries built into them to provide a DC Read more
I’ve listened to a LOT of car stereo equipment since I started in the car audio industry back in 1988. Since 2000, I’ve tested and formally reviewed hundreds of car audio products for publications across North America. I’ve even developed subwoofers, speakers and DSP-equipped amplifiers for one of the companies I worked for. I was a car audio sound quality competition judge for Read more
The topic of measuring amplifier power is perhaps the most often discussed specification in the car audio industry. There’s a clamor among enthusiasts over YouTube videos of amplifiers cranking out amazing amounts of current while connected to a bank of load resistors or an amp dyno. If your favorite brand of subwoofer amp makes even five more watts than a competitor’s, these Read more
When it comes to car audio product reviews, and specifically, BestCarAudio.com Test Drive Reviews, how I measure amplifier power is a topic that needs some consideration and contemplation. Who would have thought that measuring how much power an amplifier produces could be a controversial subject? The reality is, many factors come in to play as we quantify the capabilities of an Read more
