If you’re on social media, then you’ve likely seen numerous discussions or links to videos about amplifier power ratings. If your goal is an audio system that only plays loudly, then the wattage measurements matter. It seems that many consumers are confused about the correlation between power ratings and quality. Let’s look at why car Read More…
Audio and Convenience Upgrades for Ford Super Duty Trucks
If you own or are considering purchasing or leasing a Ford F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty truck, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer has a seemingly unlimited list of audio, convenience and accessory upgrades available. Whether you want to add a subwoofer for better bass response, upgraded lighting for better visibility, or running boards Read More…
Why Do Marine Audio Installations Take Longer?
Upgrading the stereo system on your boat with new speakers, high-power amplifiers and subwoofers is a great way to make a day on the water a lot more fun. Just be aware that the behind-the-scenes work involved in these installations can take more time and is a lot more complicated than the equivalent work on Read More…
Control Your Vehicle with Google Assistant or Apple Siri
Drone from Firstech has made communicating with your vehicle more accessible than ever, thanks to integration with digital assistants like Google Assistant and Apple Siri. Remember when Michael Knight used to talk to KITT using a communicator on his watch? KITT could start the engine and be ready to go in a split-second once Michael Read More…
Let’s Talk About Car Audio Wire Size
Specialty mobile enhancement installation technicians couldn’t upgrade the audio systems in our cars and trucks if they didn’t have access to high-quality, correctly sized wiring. Whether they are connecting a pair of speakers to a radio or running large power and ground wires from a battery to an amplifier, wiring and its size is crucial. Read More…
A Close Look at the Four Drone Subscription Packages
Drone is a state-of-the-art vehicle control, monitoring and tracking solution from Firstech. Using lightning-fast LTE connectivity, the system will let you unlock the doors, pop the trunk, remote start and ensure that nobody is tampering with your vehicle — from almost anywhere on the planet. The Drone system requires a service package to let your Read More…
What Are Car Audio Preamp Interfaces?
If you’ve purchased a car or truck in the last five to 10 years, there’s a good chance that the stereo system is integrated with the climate control and vehicle configuration system. Without an interface to extract a high-quality pre-amp audio signal, upgrading these vehicles with new speakers, amplifiers or a subwoofer can be difficult Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX5500 Bluetooth Media Receiver
Sony’s new XAV-AX5500 media receiver not only covers all the ground, but it also raises the bar in terms of smartphone connectivity. Equipped with WebLink 2.0, you can see and control your compatible smartphone right from the 6.95-inch touchscreen on the radio. Of course, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, high-quality Bluetooth audio streaming and all the Read More…
Can Cheap Car Audio Speakers Sound Good?
When it comes to good car audio speakers, it’s universally accepted that we’re talking about smooth frequency response and a lack of distortion. Buying a set of good car audio speakers can be a daunting task, with options that vary from well under $50 to over $5,000. Can a cheap speaker sound good? Let’s look Read More…
Why Upgrading Your Car Audio System with DSP Is a Good Idea
For well more than a decade, respectable mobile enhancement retailers around the world have understood the need for a digital signal processor to be included in any car audio system upgrade. Even if you’ve chosen the lowest-distortion speakers on the planet and your installer has agonized over placement and integration, they still need a way Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio X2 600.4
When it comes to balancing fantastic sound quality with impressive power production, the X2 600.4 four-channel amplifier from ARC Audio checks all the boxes. This compact amplifier is rated to produce 150 watts per channel, and it includes all the signal routing and integration features your installer would need to complete your installation. ARC Audio Read More…
Buying Your First Car Audio Amplifier
One of the biggest upgrades you can make to a basic car audio system is to add a high-power amplifier. The most significant benefit of adding an amplifier is the ability for you to play your music at higher levels without running into distortion. Choosing the right amp for your car or truck is a Read More…
Automobile Thefts – What Is a Relay Attack?
Throughout the ’90s, factory-installed and aftermarket automotive security systems made it harder and harder to steal vehicles. Now, thieves have become more creative in their methods to take possession of your vehicle. What’s known as a relay attack can have someone into and driving your vehicle in less than a minute. While it seems complicated, Read More…
Why Drone Is the Perfect Choice for Fleet Management
Whether you are a small auto parts store with two delivery vehicles or run a local courier or moving company with dozens of trucks, Drone is the perfect fleet management tool. Drone uses high-performance telematics technology to monitor the location and behavior of the vehicle it’s installed in. DroneMobile – the powerful web and smartphone Read More…
When it Comes to Car Audio, It Can’t All Be The Best
When it comes to car audio, what does being the best mean? Is the best amplifier one that makes the most power, adds the least noise, has the most features or is housed in a compact chassis that fits into your center console? Do the so-called best speakers produce a lot of bass or feature Read More…
Enhancements and Upgrades for Hybrid Vehicles
If you own a Prius, Bolt, Volt, Clarity or Fusion hybrid vehicle, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer has a wide selection of upgrades available to personalize the car and improve your commute. Hybrid vehicles, as complicated as their drivetrain manufacturers would lead you to believe, are as simple as a Civic or Focus when Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio MOTO720
ARC Audio is known across the aftermarket motorcycle industry for having introduced some of the first audio upgrade packages specifically for Harley-Davidsons. The MOTO720 is the company’s second generation of extreme-power, motorcycle-specific amplifiers. With four channels of amplification and all the system configuration tools your installer will ever need, this amp should be at the Read More…
How Does the Drone Vehicle Smartphone Control System Work?
Drone is the world-class vehicle telematics system from Firstech – the manufacturer of Compustar security and remote start systems. Drone will let you remote start your vehicle, control the door locks and trunk release, pinpoint the GPS location, monitor driving behavior and much more using the DroneMobile app on your smartphone or their website. How Read More…
Upgraded Headlight Output and Beam Patterns
Upgrading the headlight bulbs or assemblies on your car or truck is a great way to improve your ability to see long distances while driving. Though many buyers focus on the amount of light produced by the bulb, ensuring that the new solution provides a proper beam pattern is crucial to your safety and that Read More…
The Look at DIY Installations from a Car Audio Professional’s Perspective
The core content creation team here at BestCarAudio.com has about 150 years’ worth of experience in the car audio industry. In that time, we’ve seen the best and the worst do-it-yourself installations to ever see the light of day. In many instances, examples of amazing craftsmanship have turned into employment opportunities in the industry. While Read More…
Are Remote Car Starters Safe and Secure?
Many consumers ask if a remote car starter affects the safety and security of their vehicle. A while back, we talked about warm-up thefts and how thieves prey on people who start their vehicles with the key to let them warm up in the morning. Leaving your key in your vehicle is, of course, begging Read More…
Stop Taking Car Audio Advice from the Internet
For more than 20 years, car audio enthusiasts have been asking their peers for advice on the internet. These discussions and debates started on forums like Carsound.com and Termpro.com then moved to social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit. As more and more people joined in these discussions, the clarity, focus and information accuracy has Read More…
Product Spotlight: DroneMobile X1-MAX
In the summer of 2019, Firstech introduced a new version of its Drone vehicle telematics module called the X1-MAX. This new module took everything great about Drone vehicle tracking and remote control and injected it with a healthy dose of new-feature steroids. The result is a smartphone control solution that is unparalleled in capabilities while Read More…
Can I Watch Movies in My Car While Driving?
Can I watch movies while driving? It’s a common question at specialty car audio retailers all around the world. Multimedia receivers capable of displaying video have been available since the mid-’90s, and while TV tuners, VCRs, DVD players and digital media playback have progressed over the years, so too have state and provincial laws. Let’s Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony DSX-M80 Marine Bluetooth Receiver
The introduction of the DSX-M80 Bluetooth receiver marks the newest version of Sony’s marine-grade High Power head unit in its current product line. It replaces the MEX-M100BT, which debuted Sony’s proprietary impressive High Power technology at 45-watts by four from its internal amplifier to a marine-grade radio. The fun doesn’t stop there – dual USB Read More…
Why Can’t Car Audio Amplifiers be Smaller?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a really small car audio amplifier that would make lots of power and fit in the palm of your hand? Based on experience, we’ve come to expect that consumer electronics increase in power and capability while shrinking in size as new generations are released every year or so. For Read More…
Add-On CD Players Restore Classic Technology
Many new cars and trucks don’t come with a CD player. Music stored on our smartphones and the multitude of streaming audio services has, sadly, made compact disc technology almost obsolete. If you still have an extensive collection of discs, your local specialty mobile electronics retailer has a variety of add-on solutions to make it Read More…
What Is a Floating-Face Car Radio?
If you’ve been following the changes in the mobile enhancement industry over the past few years, then you’re familiar with the steady progression of new floating-face radios. These radios feature an oversized touchscreen that mounts in front of a standard radio chassis to provide big-screen entertainment without the need for extensive and often expensive modifications Read More…
Your New Car or Truck Might Not Have a Radio
If you visit a new car dealership these days, you’ll notice more and more cars, trucks and SUVs with small touchscreen displays that are mounted in front of or above the dash. While these infotainment systems provide you with AM/FM terrestrial radio, SiriusXM Satellite radio and playback of all your favorite digital media files, these Read More…
Has Technology Made Car Audio More Complicated?
If you are a fan of upgraded car audio systems, then you might have noticed that technology has made things a lot more complicated. Years ago, it was easy to upgrade your stereo. A new radio, some new speakers and maybe a subwoofer like a Bazooka Tube were all you needed to improve on the Read More…