Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
No technologies have made a more significant impact on drivers’ productivity and safety while behind the wheel than Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unfortunately, not all cars, trucks or SUVs come with these smartphone integration solutions. RDV Automotive Technology offers solutions to add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to many Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Read more
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
Over the last few years, Sony’s multimedia receivers have become increasingly popular. As more units have sold, retailers have asked for iDatalink Maestro integration, USB-C support and powerful sound customization. With Sony’s new XAV-AX4000, those requests and more have been fulfilled. Let’s look at what this sleek and impressive car audio source unit offers. Clean Cosmetics Read more
For as long as I can remember, car radios have had their “maximum power” ratings all over their packaging and often right on the face of the radio. These numbers are not only useless in terms of an ability to reproduce music with any sense of quality, but I have always questioned whether they are even possible. Let’s measure how much power a conventional car audio head unit can Read more
The most popular car radio upgrades these days include a touchscreen. Multimedia receivers with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are a great way to make communicating safer while driving. When it comes time to clean your car or truck’s interior, here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the display on your car radio will look great for years. Cleaning Touchscreen Read more
When aftermarket retailers think of a car that can be customized and personalized, the Civic is at the top of the list. It has long been the platform of basic transportation that an owner can take to the next level of personalization. It can be anything from a reliable commuter to a full-on sport compact. One common denominator that keeps the Civic selling so well is its Read more
I bought my youngest son a small gardening trowel from the dollar store to use when he and I go metal detecting. The rod that connects the blade to the handle started to bend after being used six times. No, not six outings. Six attempts to dig small objects out of soft, damp dirt. As the lads on the Cleetus McFarland YouTube Channel say, "I’m an idiot!” Indeed, a stick would Read more
These days, it’s effectively impossible to replace the radio in many new cars and trucks. With display screens integrated into the dash and controls in the center console, there’s nowhere to mount a nice double-DIN multimedia receiver. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to upgrade the audio system. A line output converter is the starting point, whether you’re adding a Read more
Many years ago, I read an article that said the difference between a tube amp and a solid-state one was primarily in their distortion characteristics. Even though I thought about the statement repeatedly, I was mistakenly correlating the presence of distortion with what happens when we try to over-drive the output of a source unit or amplifier. As with any complex topic, it Read more
Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, having an amplifier or a radio with a built-in high- or low-pass crossover was rare. To filter the audio signals going to our speakers, installers and technicians would use inductors and capacitors on the speaker wires. We recently took a look at how capacitors work, so let’s dive into inductors to understand their function and application Read more
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have one of the most amazing jobs in the car audio industry. One aspect of being the editor in chief of BestCarAudio.com that I am particularly fond of is researching and performing experiments to create the content we publish. Unlike most of the hard-working folks who develop products, drive all over the countryside visiting retailers 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
