BestCarAudio.com

Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry

Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
  • Articles
    • Bluetooth
    • Car Audio
    • Motorcycle Audio
    • Navigation
    • Remote Starter
    • Satellite Radio
    • Smartphone Integration
    • Vehicle Insights
  • Industry Profiles
    • Installation Profiles
    • Installer Profiles
    • Retailer Profiles
    • Vendor Profiles
  • Products
  • Dealer Locator
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Arc Audio

The Importance Of Professional Mobile Electronics Installation

June 3, 2016 By 1sixty8 1 Comment

Installation
Photo courtesy of Prestige Car Audio And Marine

Several aspects of the automotive industry have always been embraced by hobbyists and do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Being able to say that you created something with your own bare hands would make anyone feel proud.  In the mobile electronics industry, carmakers have been rapidly advancing the technology used in new cars. From computer data networks and advanced vehicle construction materials to elaborate factory audio system tuning, all of these technologies present unique challenges that many people simply aren’t aware of. Failure to compensate for these can wreak havoc with your vehicle’s electrical system, damage the products you are installing or simply result in poor performance from your audio equipment.

Let’s look closely at why it’s best to put the reliability of your vehicle, and the performance of your audio equipment, in the hands of a a shop offering professional installation.

Computers

Installation
Photo courtesy of Cartronix.

Automobile manufacturers are always striving to make their vehicles as fuel-efficient as possible while offering the latest technologies and features. One way they save weight is by putting different devices and computers on a computer data network. Rather than running a myriad of control wires from component to component, they run power and ground, and a pair of data wires. Everything from door locks and trunk release modules to ABS brake and traction control systems can talk to each other on the data network.

Where these networks pose a challenge is when you want to add or remove something from the vehicle. Say you have a vehicle that has a secondary radio display in the dash, but you want to upgrade your audio system. The display may get very upset when you take the radio away. Likewise, you typically can’t add new devices to the data network to add new features.

Your car audio specialist retailers have the experience to work with these data networks. They know what interfaces are available for options like a remote starter or backup camera integration, and they have the manufacturer support to program and install them without causing Check Engine or MIL lights.

Reliability

When working on a vehicle, there are many different ways to run wires and make electrical connections. Automotive mechanics know that it’s hard to beat the knowledge and experience that a veteran car audio installer possesses when it comes to working on vehicle electrical systems. They make dozens, if not hundreds, of electrical connections each and every day.

InstallationThe connections are electrically sound, offering little to no resistance to current flow. Equally, the connections are mechanically sound, ensuring that they will be at least as reliable as the factory connections, if not much better.

Finally, many shops use materials like split loom, nylon sleeves or cloth tape to protect wires as they run through the vehicle. These protective coverings also make the wiring look as if it came from the factory.

Product Warranty

Many mobile electronics manufacturers offer extensions on their product warranties when the products are sold and installed by an authorized dealer. Authorized retailers have been trained on the features of the products they sell. In the case of high-end brands, this training often extends to techniques and methodologies that make the products sound better in your vehicle, and subsequently last longer. The proper installation and configuration of mobile electronic components is the key to their performance and reliability.

Audio Integration

Installation
Photo courtesy of Prestige Car Audio And Marine.

Factory audio systems are becoming more and more complicated. They still don’t rival what is available from the aftermarket, but they have improved. One big step automakers have made in the performance of their audio systems is in their tuning. More and more factory source units and amplifiers include advanced equalization and time correction to maximize the performance of the audio system. When it comes time to upgrade these systems, installers have the techniques and equipment required to test the signals going to the speakers to determine if signal correction is required. If you omit signal correction when installing a new speaker, the tuning that made a cheap factory speaker sound mediocre will work against you, and make a great speaker sound only so-so. Factory audio system signal measurement and correction is now a way of life for a car audio installer.

Modern Vehicle Chassis Design

Did you know that automakers are now using aluminum panels in the construction of their vehicles? In the ongoing battle to reduce weight, the use of aluminum will continue to increase year after year. The downside for the mobile electronics enthusiast is that aluminum is not as good a conductor of electrical current as steel is. In fact, pound for pound, it offers 30% more resistance to the flow of electrical current. This dramatically affects the amount of current we can deliver to high-power audio amplifiers.

Worse than the fact that they are using aluminum is that they have also started using structural adhesives to bond panels together. Spot welds are quick, but they only connect a small area. A good bead of 3M, Loctite or Proform structural adhesive between two aluminum panels connects the entire overlapping surface of the panel together. There is less chance of movement and less chance of corrosion. There’s a downside to this as well: These structural adhesives do not conduct electricity.

If you work with experienced installers, they know how to deal with vehicles that have aluminum chassis and/or adhesive construction. Failure to compensate for these modern construction methods could result in damaged equipment and poor performance.

Choose Professional Installation

For most people, their vehicle is their second-most expensive purchase after their homes. When it comes time to have work done, the knowledge and experience of a trained professional can help ensure that you get all the performance you want from your purchase without any of the headaches of nonprofessional installation. Contact your local car audio specialist retailer today.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email

Related

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, Resource Library

About 1sixty8

1sixty8 media is a content marketing, website development, and business solutions provider specializing in the mobile enhancement industry. The 1sixty8 media team includes many household names in the industry, from store owners and industry writers to award-winning installers and fabricators. To learn more about 1sixty8 media, visit www.1sixty8.com.

Comments

  1. Cody Kincaide says

    October 26, 2019 at 10:21 pm

    Looking for a job

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Audison Forza
Helix

Industry Profiles

1964 Chevrolet Impala

Mobile Enhancement Industry Profile: Shaquille O’Neal’s 1964 Chevrolet Impala

August 21, 2020 By Dave MacKinnon 

If you are a fan of the TV show “Overhaulin’,” then you know that their style is to pick a worthy recipient and … [Read More...]

Press Releases

NAV-TV® Announces ZEN-F for the Ferrari Portofino
New Wireless Camera Kits and Multi-Mount Cameras Now Shipping from iBEAM®
TE-DVR1080
New ADAS Products and Cameras Now Shipping from iBEAM®
Zen-25
NAV-TV Announces ZEN-25 for M.O.S.T. 25 Equipped BMW Vehicles
iData Maestro for ARC Audio Pro Series DSP Solutions Now Available

Product Reviews

Sony XM-GS6DSP

Sony XM-GS6DSP Amplifier Product Review

Vehicle Insights

2021 Infiniti Q50

2021 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD. Sporting Se-dammmmm.

2021 Lexus LC 500

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible. Topless Luxury Abounds.

Find Facility Near You

Subscribe to BestCarAudio via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to BestCarAudio.com and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Popular Categories

  • Car Audio
  • Window Tint
  • Remote Car Starters
  • Vehicle Insights
  • Radar Detectors

Supporting Manufacturers

  • Arc Audio
  • Compustar
  • Hertz
  • Momento
  • MSC America
  • Sony
  • SoundShield

Contact

  • Editorial
  • General
  • Advertise

Forms

  • Profile Request

Sign up for our newsletter today. Opt out at any time with 1 click.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

BestCarAudio.com is a product of 1sixty8 media · Copyright © 2021 1sixty8 media · Privacy Policy · Website by 1sixty8 media · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.