Day after day, we see clients who have purchased extraordinarily large car audio amplifiers and expect them to make their full rated power using the stock electrical system in their car or motorcycle. This article will look at amplifier efficiency, how vehicle charging systems work, and why it takes power to make power. Let’s Talk Read More…
The Evolution of Car Radio Though the Years
For decades, driving has been synonymous with listening to the radio in our cars. From the early days of AM radio, through advances in FM technology to the latest satellite and streaming services, we’ve been able to enjoy someone else’s music collection for about 100 years. Each advance in technology has improved sound quality and Read More…
DroneMobile Is the Best Car Sharing GPS Tracking Solution
Just as Uber and Lyft have changed the way we move around when we don’t have access to a vehicle, car sharing is changing how we rent vehicles. If you’re sharing your vehicle through Turo, Getaround, HyreCar or Outdoorsy and you’re looking for the best GPS tracking and control solutions, DroneMobile is an excellent choice. Read More…
Personalize and Enhance Your Jeep Wrangler with These Upgrades
Few vehicles on the road have a more recognizable profile than the Jeep Wrangler. The popularity of the Wrangler and the multitude of upgrades available for every aspect of its features and performance have created a dedicated segment in the aftermarket industry. It’s time to take a look at some of the most popular upgrades Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio MOTO CX6 Motorcycle Speakers
ARC Audio has offered class-leading amplifier and speaker upgrade solutions for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles for more than a decade. Their experience and obsession with sound quality have led them to create a new generation of high-performance speakers that balance output capability and efficiency, bass extension and accuracy. The latest evolution of their motorcycle and powersports Read More…
HD Radio Upgrades Give AM and FM Clearer Sound
HD Radio is a broadcast technology that adds digitally encoded information to an analog AM or FM station. Where once you were limited to listening to, say, 101.1 in New York City, the broadcaster has added a news and talk channel as well as a sports channel to the same 101.1 MHz frequency. The best Read More…
Don’t Get Bogged Down by Car Speaker Specifications
Though it seems contrary to what I’ve preached, sometimes it’s better to avoid purchasing car audio speaker upgrades based on specifications alone. The information most manufacturers provide does very little to describe the actual quality of the product. A prime example of this are speaker Xmax specification numbers. Does this linear measurement tell us how Read More…
Upgrade Your Boat with Light for Function and Style
If you’ve looked at a new boat recently, then you know that lighting has become an integral part of marine design. Aside from the standard red and green navigation lights and a white stern light, custom lighting solutions are a huge industry, and they can make your boat look amazing! Let’s look at some of Read More…
Product Spotlight: Compustar CSX7905-A Premium Car Alarm System
Protecting your car or truck from theft or vandalism requires constant monitoring. While sleeping in your vehicle all night might be one solution, it isn’t really an option. The Compustar CSX7905-A vehicle security system includes a long-range two-way RF remote control and the Drone X1-LTE with the DroneMobile App so that you know what’s going Read More…
Enclosures Help Car Audio Subwoofers Sound Their Best
Most of us have heard of many types of car audio subwoofer enclosures. Many enthusiasts have debated the benefits and drawbacks of acoustic suspension (sealed), bass-reflex (vented), bandpass and infinite baffle designs in hopes of choosing the best solution for their application and expectations. In all cases, the enclosure has two specific purposes that are Read More…
Easily Enhance Your Ford Mustang with Upgrades
When it comes to upgrades and accessories for your Ford Mustang, your local mobile enhancement dealer has a nearly endless supply of options. Whether you’re shopping for a new radio with CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, or you want new speakers, subwoofers and an amplifier to bring your music to life, there are thousands of Read More…
Car Radio Controls and Other Control Interface Options
When it comes to ways to control the volume and tracking or seeking on a car radio, the three most popular options are rotary volume controls, pushbuttons and touchscreen interfaces. While many buyers focus on features like Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and backup cameras when shopping, there’s more to consider. A key and often Read More…
How to Properly Audition New Car Audio Speakers
There are two reasons why we’d want to upgrade the speakers in our vehicle: the original speakers may be damaged, or we want to improve the clarity of the audio system. In either case, you’re going to need to visit a local mobile enhancement retailer and choose a speaker solution that fits your vehicle, works Read More…
DSP 101 – How Signal Delay Can Improve Car Stereo Realism
When it comes to upgrading a car audio system with a digital signal processor, you’ll typically hear about a discussion of signal delay. Maybe people refer to this as time alignment or setting the delays. No matter what term is used, understanding the benefits and drawbacks of this technology is crucial to creating a car Read More…
Product Spotlight: Compustar CS852-A Car Alarm System
A car alarm system like the Compustar CS852-A helps protect the contents of your car or truck and dramatically reduces the chances of vehicle theft. As a step-up solution from the CS697-A, this alarm system offers increased remote-control range and a high-output siren to ward off would-be criminals. Reliable Vehicle Theft Protection At the heart Read More…
DSP 101 – Proper Equalization Ensures Great Sound
As we roll forward with our look at the importance of digital signal processors in car audio systems, we’ll talk about the need for proper equalization. Even if you’ve purchased the best speakers available and invested in having them integrated into your vehicle with the utmost precision – compensating for the acoustic characteristics of the Read More…
DSP 101: The Importance of Crossover Adjustments
As we continue our deep-dive into the functions of car audio digital signal processors, we’ve reached the topic of crossovers. Many people overlook the importance of configuring crossovers properly to achieve a smooth frequency response. Let’s take a look at what a crossover does and why your technician must set them correctly to protect your Read More…
Enhance Vehicle Security with a DroneMobile Smartphone Interface
When it comes to protecting your vehicle from damage or theft, a Compustar security system with a DroneMobile interface ensures that you are always in constant communication. Whether you’re on the sofa watching TV or across the city at your desk, DroneMobile will let you know if someone is tampering with or trying to steal Read More…
Upgrading Car Audio Systems with Data Bus Interfaces
As vehicle manufacturers work to reduce the number of wires that need to be run in a vehicle, more and more have switched to using the vehicle data bus to control amplifiers. Using data commands in concert with digital or fixed-level audio signals also helps to ensure that these audio systems deliver noise-free performance. Finally, Read More…
OEM Audio 101: Does It Matter if My Factory Radio Has All-Pass Filters?
If you’re planning on having someone upgrade the stereo system in a late-model car or truck, you need to know about all-pass filters. Sometimes called phase EQ or phase rotator filters, this type of signal processing is used in multichannel audio systems to help deliver improved frequency response at the listening position. The concept can Read More…
DSP 101: Input Connections and Signal Mixing
When it comes to feeding a signal into a digital signal processor, most high-quality units provide your installer with a few options. While even the most basic include RCA inputs, some add the ability to accept speaker-level signals or digital signals in a variety of formats. Once an audio signal is inside the processor, the Read More…
Car Alarms Do More than Help Prevent Vehicle Theft
Whenever the media focus on vehicle theft statistics, it’s a clear reminder that there’s always the potential for someone to steal something from or vandalize or steal your vehicle. Let’s take a look at why an aftermarket vehicle security system is a wise investment. Preventing Vehicle Content Theft Most crimes are based on an easy Read More…
Not All Car Audio Sound Deadening Is the Same
When it comes to choosing sound deadening, not every option on the market is the same quality. Different materials, varying thicknesses of butyl and aluminum, and options for foam or lead mean that some research is required before you settle on a solution. In this article, we’ll explain what to look for and what to Read More…
DSP 101: Part 1 — What Is a Digital Signal Processor?
Having a digital signal processor in your car audio system is a necessity if you expect your music to sound accurate. We’ve told you many times that speakers are essential to getting great sound. While 100% true, so is the need to calibrate the output of those speakers to work with the acoustics of the Read More…
Product Spotlight: Compustar CS697-A Vehicle Security System
Though best known for its class-leading remote car starters, Compustar is rolling out a new line of vehicle security systems that includes the affordable CS697-A to protect your car or truck. While many vehicle owners believe the security system that comes with their vehicle is adequate, the reality is that those solutions are limited in Read More…
Does It Matter if My Factory Stereo Has Crossovers?
As we’ve mentioned before, upgrading the audio systems in new cars and trucks is becoming more and more complicated. Features like crossovers, all-pass filters, volume-dependent loudness control and equalization can make the stock system sound respectable with stock speakers, but they present a significant challenge to drivers when it’s time to upgrade. Let’s look at Read More…
UTV Subwoofers Make the Trails More Fun!
Surprising as it might be, subwoofers do a lot more than make the bass in your UTV sound system better. Having a speaker and amplifier dedicated to reproducing low-frequency sound means that the small speakers don’t need as much power and don’t have to work as hard. While most audio enthusiasts associate subwoofers with home Read More…
Car Audio Installation is a Combination of Science and Art
Over the years, we’ve highlighted car audio installations that look amazing and we’ve explained some of the science that goes into making those systems sound great. A professional car audio installation technician needs to possess a unique set of skills that includes a certain amount of creativity, as well as a detailed understanding of how Read More…
Speaker Q and How it Affects Sound Quality
When it comes to correlating how the parameters of a speaker translate into music reproduction, well, the details are often somewhat sparse. One speaker characteristic that’s often overlooked when searching for new subwoofers or woofers is Q. This unitless number is a key component in describing how the suspension and motor work to control and Read More…
Powersports Speaker Upgrades Improve Sound Quality and Quantity
Powersports speaker upgrades for UTVs and side-by-sides are all the rage these days. Car audio manufacturers offer pods, soundbars and enclosures to let your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer add or enhance the sound system on your Polaris, Can-Am, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki or Textron vehicle. Let’s look at some of the options available to make Read More…