A regular client from Ashland, VA stopped by with his new 2006 Land Rover looking to upgrade the audio. We had done a virtually identical model for him before, and he wanted the same setup but this time, with a little bit more kick to it! We started with an Alpine navigation with a 7″ screen in Read More…
Wakeboarding Boat’s Audio System Is Top Notch!
A client from Williamsburg recently came back to us for some additional work on his Axis A22 Wakeboarding boat. We realized we had forgotten to take pictures last year when we originally did the install. As you can see from the pictures, this is a serious wake boarding boat. Naturally it needed some seriously nice wakeboarding Read More…
In-Car Video: A Moving Experience
While catching up on the latest season of The Walking Dead isn’t recommended on your commute to work, there are a lot of good reasons why you should consider video in your vehicle. In-car video systems are great for people who spend a lot of time sitting in their cars; overhead systems are great for large vehicles Read More…
Extremely Motivated!
(The following is reprinted with permission from the May, 2014 issue of Mobile Electronics Magazine. The article was written by Michelle Fisher) You might think Mike Bartells would bask in the triumphs of his shop, Extreme Audio, after winning a major industry award, completing a full garage remodel and revamping the store’s website, but then Read More…
Why You Should Always Buy From an Authorized Retailer
There are times when a deal can be too good to be true. It’s a great price and it is in stock so the temptation is strong. But then you discover that the retailer you are considering is not an authorized retailer for that product or brand. “What difference does that make” you might ask? When Read More…
What Is A Gain Control? (It’s NOT a Volume Control)
What’s your first move after getting a new amp installed? Find the gain knob, crank it to 11 and party! Otherwise you’re just wasting power, right? Here’s some news: setting your gains incorrectly doesn’t only hurt your sound quality, it will damage your gear as well. A great car audio system requires proper tuning and gain controls Read More…
Marine Lighting Project Sets This Malibu Apart
Clients bring us boats ALL the time, especially in the periods before Memorial Day and the 4th of July. This marine project, however, was a little different from most. The system was already installed, except for the factory subwoofer. The client was looking to have that, and a whole slew of marine lighting installed. Single Read More…
Marine Audio Upgrade Rocks This Concept
Did you know that we install a lot of marine audio upgrades at Extreme Audio? A Mechanicsville client recently came in ready to have a stereo and speakers installed into his 2004 Concept, just in time for Memorial Day weekend! After listening to the speakers, and going over the options with James, he decided on a Clarion Read More…
How Much Amplifier Power Do I Need?
We are asked this question all the time: “How much amplifier power do I need?” Simply put, the amount of amplifier power that you need will depend on what you are trying to do. Higher frequencies require less cone movement to reproduce, thus less power is required. A good amplifier for midrange and highs needs Read More…
Motorcycle Audio Upgrade Adds Features to Harley Tri Glide
A regular client of ours from Dunnvsille, VA, recently upgraded his factory Harley radio to the new Jensen HDBT1 plug and play Harley replacement radio. It keeps all the factory features like the handlebar controls, and is made to plug and mount directly into the factory location. We added SiriusXM radio, and re-tuned his ARC Read More…
Internet Radio: Opening Pandora On Your Music Box, And Other Streaming Options
If you’ve been shopping for a head unit (also called a deck, AV receiver, stereo or car radio) recently, you may have noticed that a lot of systems are offering internet radio connectivity — often Pandora, although some have apps for Spotify, Grooveshark and other services. How exactly does that work, you might ask yourself? Read More…
Mechanicsville Marine Audio Client Outfits 2002 Malibu Sunsetter
A Mechanicsville client recently came to us with his 2002 Malibu Sunsetter in search of an add-on Clarion remote and tower speakers. We have been offering marine audio solutions for years and, after looking over the options, we decided Wet Sounds and ARC Audio would fit the bill perfectly. We added a Wet Sounds 10″ Read More…
Ford F350 Audio Installation Repurposes Equipment
A client came to us with some equipment he had pulled from a prior vehicle looking to have it installed in his new 2014 F350! We hooked our real-time analyzer and our oscilloscope to his existing Ford Sony system. After some testing, we determined that the AudioControl LC7i would be a good choice to interface with Read More…
The Next Word in Navigation
Technology has evolved hugely in recent years and navigation is no exception. The days refolding oversized maps and pulling into gas stations to ask for directions are over. Or should be. At the basic level, most smart phones will have some kind of GPS and many systems do offer turn-by-turn navigation, and a wide variety Read More…
High Definition Audio: What You Need to Know!
In recent years we’ve seen video go one way, and audio another. HD televisions are more or less standard now, offering clearer, sharper pictures with smoother refresh rates. Ultra HD TVs — also called 4K — are also on the way with about four times as many pixels to look at. On the flipside, the Read More…
Mechanicsville Mobile Video Client Outfits Expedition For Family Fun
A Mechanicsville client came to us recently with a 2013 Ford Expedition, looking for something to make those long family trips with young children a little more bearable. We showed them multiple options from headrest monitors, to 10″ and 13″ overhead DVD players. They decided the large screen that allows the kids to see it Read More…
Honda Accord Backup Camera Solution Delights Richmond Client
In what is becoming a very common thing for us, a Richmond, VA client came in looking for a Honda Accord backup camera solution. After checking out all the options in camera’s and monitors, we decided on one of our most popular combinations: An Alpine camera and a Rydeen mirror replacement! The Alpine camera is one Read More…
Backup Cameras: Cheaper Than A New Bumper
Once upon a time, backup cameras were a minivan extra and that’s about it. But as the price of cameras and technology comes down, backup cameras are now a smart and affordable aftermarket purchase. The most obvious reason to invest in a backup camera system is to protect your vehicle from curbs, posts, fire hydrants, Read More…
Top 5 Ways to Make Your Car Audio System Sound Better
You’ve lived with the factory system for a while, and you’re ready for better sound. So where do you start? Here are five steps to get that live concert sound that you are looking for from your car audio system. 1. Upgrade Your Speakers The first step, and the most bang for the buck, is to upgrade Read More…
Camaro Gets 1100 Watts Of Alpine Bass
This client from Petersburg, VA recently emailed us about upgrading the audio in his Camaro. He had recently bought an enclosure for two 10″ subwoofers, and wanted to find the right match for subs and an amp to run them. Another shop had given him the cold shoulder since he had his own enclosure, so Read More…
Dodge Charger Interior Lighting Project Spices Up Already Hot Ride
A client recently came in with his 2013 Dodge Charger, looking to spice up the interior lighting a little. We fixed him right up with blue LED’s that shine down on the driver and passenger foot well. As you can see in the pictures, they definitely lit up the floors quite well, and that was Read More…
Why Choose a Specialty Retailer For Your Audio Enhancement
Specialty retailers typically offer the very best value available when you are making a purchase of a technical nature. But what is a specialty retailer? In most cases, a specialty retailer is a small, locally owned company that focuses on 1 or 2 things and does them extremely well. Extreme Audio is proud to be Read More…
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Audio Upgrade For Sandston Client
A Sandston client came to us recently with a beautiful 1968 Camaro looking to update the audio system. We had installed a radio with bluetooth in his van, and he wanted to update the Camaro to have the same types of features, before passing it down to his grandson (lucky guy!). We took out the Read More…
Prevent Distracted Driving with Bluetooth Technology
Not only is it considered safer to avoid holding a cell phone to your ear while driving, it’s also against the law in a growing number of places: In the U.S., 12 states now have blanket bans on driving using a handheld cell phone, while 37 states have bans for novice drivers. Text messaging while Read More…
“It’s a 2000 Watt Amplifier. It Says It Right There!”
Think again. As with almost every other shop in the country, we often have clients who come in with “big” amps and even bigger expectations. Stamped on the top of the amp is some outrageous claim of “2000 watts” and on the side are two 30 amp fuses. Of course the client wants to Read More…
Subaru Backup Camera Integration Thrills Mechanicsville Client
We had a couple come in recently with a 2014 Subaru Outback looking to improve their view behind them while backing up. After inspecting the vehicle, a backup camera system definitely fit the bill! The client was interested in having a wide view behind them, so we chose an Alpine 190 Degree camera. The Outback Read More…
Price vs. Value: Why Not Just Buy It From the Cheapest Place?
Any small local business hears this all the time: “I can get a better price online” or “The place across town has a better price.” We admit that we hear this from time to time ourselves. We have built our business on value, not on price. We believe that we offer the very best value Read More…
Installation: Your Most Important Consideration When Buying Car Audio
Today you have a lot of choices when buying electronics for your car. Online, warehouses, flea markets, and of course, specialty retailers like us. There is a lot of discussion about which brand is best. Truth is, there are a lot of quality brands available. We choose ours through a rigorous process of testing and, Read More…
Cadillac Window Tint Project Solves Legality Issue
A new client recently contacted us after moving here from Texas. It seems the window tint on his Cadillac CTS-V was legal in Texas, but not in Virginia! Our tint technician, Seth, broke out our commercial steamer and proceeded to remove all that old tint, and replace it with fresh, LEGAL, 3M Color Stable film. Read More…
Audibles: How To Make Sense Of Car Audio Terms
Don’t you hate when your read about a product and don’t know what some of the words and phrases mean? At the store, we work hard to make things easy for our clients. That means using plain language whenever we talk about the high-tech mobile audio products we sell. However, if you’re still curious what Read More…