Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
If you’ve been around the car audio scene for a few decades, then you’ll recall a time when almost all amplifiers doubled their output power when the load impedance was halved. For example, an amplifier might have been rated to produce 75 watts per channel into a 4-ohm load and 150 watts into a 2-ohm load. It wasn’t unheard of to see low-power amplifiers like the infamous Orion Read more
Not long ago, we looked at how an increase in subwoofer voice coil temperature reduced the power delivered from your amplifier. With component temperatures easily exceeding the boiling point of water, the impedance of the voice coil can increase by more than 50%. Manufacturers that understand this go to great lengths to include technologies to help keep things cool so you can Read more
There’s a strange car audio myth that claims you can’t mix different brands of source units, speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers and signal processors in the same audio system. While it might be fun for a distributor, sales representative or employee at a car audio retailer to do a one-brand build, chances are you’ll want to pick and choose from the different brands at the store Read more
It’s the spring of 2021, and for those in the mobile enhancement industry, it’s a weird time. With COVID-19 having ransacked the entirety of the vacation industry, consumers have turned to investing in their homes and cars rather than a trip to the sunny south. Car stereo shops have been busier than ever and due to some unforeseen circumstances, are running out of their A-brand Read more
Did you know that a difference of 20 watts of power between one car audio amplifier and another might be completely inaudible? That same 20-watt difference might mean having to keep your windows rolled up on the highway to hear your music. Let’s look at the physics of reproducing sound with moving-coil loudspeakers and why choosing an amplifier with a few watts more than Read more
If you’ve been into car audio for any amount of time, then you’ll remember when magazines used to compare products head to head. Even if you didn’t read the specific multi-product reviews, the gigantic buyers guide issues listed all the pertinent specifications so you could see how one radio, speaker or amplifier stacked up against the competition. Now that all the print car Read more
No matter how hard he or she tries, the installer who’s calibrating your car audio system can’t use a digital signal processor to tune distortion out of your system. We aren’t talking about the harmonic distortion that happens when a signal overloads the processor or an amplifier’s input stage. Preventing clipping is a simple process and one that’s fundamental to completing an Read more
Look at any of the top car audio subwoofer amplifier models available from specialty retailers. You’ll find that most include an option for a remote level control or bass boost function. Being able to fine-tune the output of your subwoofer system is great for those times when you want to rock out to an amazing song or calm things down so you can talk to a passenger easily. This Read more
Located in Carroll County, Westminster Speed and Sound has been a staple in the car audio and aftermarket accessory business since 1969. The current owner of the company, Mark Miller, started working at the shop in 1987. At the young age of 23, he took over ownership of the business in 1990 and started the focus on mobile electronics. Over the decades, he and the team have Read more
