One of the more popular topics that comes up at Extreme Audio when discussing remote car starters or security systems these days is “data modules.” A common question we hear is “what is a data module and why do I need one?” These are great questions. Let’s walk through the explanation together. Data Modules Connect To Read More…
Remote Start In A Diesel? Extreme Audio CAN Do That!
One of the most surprising things we experience at Extreme Audio is people thinking they can’t get a remote start in a diesel vehicle. This is simply not true. We have been reliably remote starting diesel powered vehicles for over a decade. And what makes this more interesting is that diesel powered vehicles see the Read More…
Can Just Anyone Install A Remote Start System?
Vehicles today are surely not like vehicles of old. They have gotten very complex, and one of the most complex parts of a modern vehicle is the electrical system. We get the question from time to time at Extreme Audio about how safe is it for a person to try and install a remote start Read More…
Apple CarPlay: What You Need To Know
Almost one out of every five Americans uses an iPhone these days, which means there’s a huge built-in audience out there for Apple CarPlay — an add-on to car audio receivers that syncs with your iPhone to bring Siri, hands-free calling, Maps, Music, Messages, and other features to your dashboard. If you’re an iPhone owner, Read More…
5 Ways To Justify A Car Audio Upgrade
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about car audio is that upgrades are expensive. The reality is that anyone can increase their sound quality hugely with even a small investment in aftermarket speakers – and even the most affordable aftermarket speakers are still a massive improvement over your factory system! It scales from there Read More…
Remote Starter Myths: 8 Misconceptions Dispelled
There are many misconceptions about remote car starter systems. Many of these myths are a result of a bad experience someone had or just plain bad information that they received. At Richmond based Extreme Audio, this is never the case. In this article we are going to look at eight common remote starter myths Read More…
Remote Car Starter Range Is More Important Than You Think
“I am only going to start my vehicle from home.” This is one of the most common things we hear when talking to a client about remote car starters. From our experience, this often comes from someone who has not owned a remote start. Here at Extreme Audio we pride ourselves on selling the best quality, Read More…
Transponder Keys and Remote Car Starters
Most modern vehicles now come equipped with a passive theft deterrent system that uses transponders embedded into your key. It is important to understand the basics of transponder key technology. Extreme Audio does not defeat the transponder key system when installing a remote car starter. Instead, we interface with them. Read along. What Does A Transponder Read More…
Manual Transmission Remote Car Starters? We Do That!
People will often tell us that they wish they owned an automatic transmission vehicle so they could get a remote start installed. You should see the look on their face when we tell them they can safely remote car start on their manual transmission vehicle. Follow along as we explain how we can do this Read More…
Remote Car Starters on Push To Start Vehicles
More and more vehicles these days are started with push to start buttons instead of a key. The advantage is that you can keep your fob in your pocket or push and just get in and go. Many of our customers have questioned the ability to install remote car starters on these types of vehicles. The Read More…
Why Do We Ask To Have Your Vehicle For The Entire Day?
One of the things about Extreme Audio that separates us from the competition is we will ask you to drop your vehicle off for the day. You may ask yourself “I thought the installation only took two hours.” You may be right, the actual working time on your vehicle may only be two hours. Here Read More…
Extreme Audio Announces 4th Annual Coats for Kids Drive!
Now through December 31st, we will be collecting gently used or new coats at our store location at 7451 Sujen Ct. in Mechanicsville. What a lot of us take for granted these days is a warm house and a warm coat when we venture outside into the cold, while 1 in 6 children in the Read More…
Remote Starters: For Comfort, Safety And Convenience
For people who live north of freezing several months a year, getting into a cold car is like stepping into a walk-in freezer and pulling up a chair. It’s cold, the kids are freezing, the steering wheel is like ice in your hands and you know you’ll have to wait at least a few minutes Read More…
Will Installing A Remote Car Starter Void My Vehicle Warranty
One of the most common questions we get here at Extreme Audio is “will installing a Remote Car Starter void my vehicle’s warranty?” The simple answer is NO! Years ago, this topic became such a hotbed that a federal law called the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act was created. In simple terms it prohibits a car Read More…
Already have a remote starter? Upgrade to smart start!
Once you’ve gotten into the habit of using remote start to warm/cool your car, there’s no going back to the old system of freezing/sweating until your car’s temperature approaches something habitable. But while you can’t, and won’t, go back, there’s always the option of moving forward to the next level in remote start, sometimes called Read More…
Apple CarPlay Now Available In The Richmond Market
Extreme Audio is pleased to announce the long awaited introduction of Apple’s CarPlay software for the automobile. This is revolutionary software that allows many of the most popular functions of an iPhone 5 or newer running iOS 7.1 or later to be voice controlled through Siri. The operation is incredibly easy. You plug your Lightning Read More…
Why Choose Extreme Audio For Your Remote Car Starter Install?
Here at Extreme Audio, we get asked a lot about what makes us different from all of the other shops in the Richmond market. When it comes to getting a remote car starter installed, the product you choose and the quality of the installation are very important. A properly designed and installed remote car starter Read More…
Remote Starters Offer Many Convenience Features
Most people these days know that you can add something to a vehicle to start it remotely, aka a remote start. But here at Extreme Audio we have many popular features that people may not be familiar with. So let’s explore some of the most popular options for remote starters. DroneMobile Unlimited Range and Convenience DroneMobile systems Read More…
Car Stereo Features You Need To Start Using
No two car stereos are exactly alike, but there are a number of common features that you may not be using to your full advantage. Here’s a look at some features you may be overlooking: The CD Player CD players may seem like a blast from the past, but most modern systems are capable of Read More…
HD Radio – It’s Out There, And It’s Awesome!
You’ve probably at least heard of HD Radio by now. Maybe you’ve been shopping for a new AV receiver for your home or car that includes HD Radio compatibility, or they’ve mentioned it on your local radio station. Still, for something that increases your listening experience so significantly, and has been around for years now, Read More…
The Best Smartphone Apps For Drivers
Thanks to MirrorLink and other technologies by vehicle and car audio manufacturers, it’s never been easier to incorporate smart phone-style apps into your driving experience – internet radio apps, navigation apps, voice control apps, remote start apps, and more. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with hundreds of incredible apps out there for Read More…
The Buzz Over Bluetooth In Your Vehicle
Most people already know that Bluetooth is a short-range, wireless communications standard and some might even have Bluetooth headphones, game controllers or mobile phone headsets. In the world of car audio and electronics, however, it’s been taken to a whole new level. Bluetooth is a secure, fast and high bandwith option, making it ideal for Read More…
Window Tinting: Privacy, Safety, Health and Comfort
When you think about it, most vehicles are glass boxes from the doors up. But while you need to see out for obvious reasons, does everybody really need to be able to see in? Professional window tinting gives drivers privacy while filtering sunlight to keep vehicles cooler. Rated tinting can also block up to 99 Read More…
Motorcycle Audio: Upgrades For The Bike Set
Creating the same audio and electronics experience for your motorcycle as you enjoy for your car isn’t as hard as it sounds. Motorcycles have a lot less available space to work with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade your bike’s electronics to include everything from enhanced speaker systems to mounts for your phones and Read More…
Marine Audio: Rugged Audio For Boats, Buggies, Bikes And More
Summer is here, and that means it’s time to get back outside – and take your music with you. The only problem is that most audio gear, like amps and speakers, doesn’t get along too well with water, and the technology isn’t a big fan of sand and dust, either. Luckily, there are solutions. We offer 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…
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…