If you’re considering having the windows of your car, truck, SUV or van tinted, there’s definitely a variety of films available. We aren’t talking about different brands like 3M, Llumar, Suntek and Tint World. We’re also not referring to the different shades or light transmission properties of film. There are four types of film available Read More…
Speaker Distortion Increases with Cone Excursion
Few people in the car audio industry seem to grasp that speakers are typically the weakest link in audio systems, in terms of adding distortion to what we hear. Whether it’s a poor design with improper voice coil centering in the magnetic gap or poor magnetic or compliance linearity, speakers add significant amounts of unwanted Read More…
Get Deep Bass from the Least Space in Your Pickup Truck
There’s no denying that pickup trucks are some of the most popular options for subwoofer system upgrades. Despite the creature comforts and luxury afforded by Lariat, Platinum, Longhorn and Denali trim levels, a high-performance subwoofer system can transform any of these vehicles from nice to all-out amazing. The issue is, there isn’t much space for Read More…
Sealed or Vented Car Audio Subwoofer Enclosures: What’s the Difference?
When it comes to car audio subwoofer enclosures, the two most popular options are sealed or vented. As far as which design is best for your vehicle, let’s see if we can clear up some misconceptions and stereotypes. As often happens, some trade-offs accompany each decision. Consider this article the master reference for choosing the Read More…
Gain Overlap, and Why It Matters in Configuring Car Audio Amplifiers
Ah, the oh-so-complex world of amplifier sensitivity control configuration. One would think that there would be a scientific process that would ensure that an amplifier could be set perfectly every time. But in reality, many criteria affect where a sensitivity control is adjusted. The topic of gain overlap pertains equally to source units as amplifiers. Read More…
Is Dash Camera Resolution the Defining Purchasing Decision Factor?
A while ago, we talked about why dashcam resolution is crucial to capturing details in the event of an accident or near-miss. The topic of dashcam image sensor resolution appears to have become a defining factor in the sales pitch from many brands. But is resolution the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to quality? Let’s Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-9500ES Mobile ES AV Receiver
Those seeking the ultimate performance from a car audio system know that the result will only be as good as what you start with. Decades ago, many companies offered high-end CD players. These days, your options are limited when it comes to genuinely high-performance car audio source units. If support for hi-res, an impressive 10.1-inch Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XS-163ES 3-Way Component Set
When it comes to speakers for the front of your car or truck, the flagship Sony XS-163ES three-way component set from the Mobile ES Series is an excellent choice. The set includes a pair of 6.5-inch woofers, a pair of 3.5-inch midrange drivers, two soft-dome 1-inch tweeters and matching passive crossovers. Sony has combined premium Read More…
Don’t Forget Aftermarket Options When Buying a New Car or Truck
Are you thinking of buying a new car or truck? Are you interested in a model with heated seats, a remote starter, blind-spot monitoring systems, backup sensors or a backup camera? In many cases, these upgrades are part of a premium option or technology package. Take a look at a popular vehicle like the Ford Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XS-692ES 6×9” Mobile ES Component Speakers
Looking for new speakers for your car or truck that will deliver detailed sound and impressive output? Look no further than the Sony XS-692ES 6×9-inch two-way component speaker set from the Mobile ES series. Let’s examine what Sony has done to make this speaker set unique. Modern Component 6×9-inch Speaker Solution The Sony XS-692ES speaker Read More…
A Look at Intelligent Car Audio Speaker-Level Integration Interfaces
Not too long ago, we took a look at how speaker-level line output converters worked. We discussed the difference between passive and active devices and explained what features to look for. If you have a vehicle with a premium factory-installed sound system, those interfaces might not be adequate to provide your amplifier with a signal Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XS-W104ES Mobile ES Car Audio Subwoofer
When Sony relaunched the Mobile ES Series line of premium car audio products in 2021, the first subwoofer they announced was the XS-W104ES. This 10-inch subwoofer includes the performance-enhancing cone design, surround technologies and cooling innovations common to all speakers and subwoofers in the Mobile ES series. Let’s take a close look at the design Read More…
A Close Look at Car Audio Line Output Converters
It seems like everything to do with car audio installations has something to do with managing voltages. For starters, your electrical system needs to produce enough voltage to keep your radio and amplifier going. And amplifiers need to increase the voltage to drive speakers. When adding an amplifier to a factory-installed audio system, your installer Read More…
Product Spotlight: RDV Automotive Solutions CP/AA Mirror for Smartphones
As simple as it would seem, most car radios aren’t capable of showing video from your smartphone on their color display. The smartphone integration solution experts at RDV Automotive Technology created their CP/AA Mirror interface to make watching a video in your vehicle a reality. Let’s look at how this elegantly simple solution makes smartphone Read More…
A Great Digital Signal Processor Configuration and Tuning Analogy
A digital signal processor, or at the very least some type of equalizer, is pretty much a requirement when it comes to creating a car audio system that will have realistic tonal balance. There are dozens of methods to configure and tune these processors, and each has benefits and drawbacks. What seems to be an Read More…
Why Coincident Coaxial Speakers Can Deliver Amazing Performance
A while back we published an article that looked at the issue of intermodulation distortion from coincident coaxial speakers. As the woofer cone moves forward and rearward from its rest position, it acts as moving waveguide for the tweeter. While the phenomenon is measurable, there are other considerations in a coincident speaker design that offer Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio CX69
Picking an efficient speaker system that sounds good and can handle lots of power is no easy feat. The mobile audio experts at ARC Audio in Modesto, California, created the new CX69 6×9-inch speaker to fill this void. Whether you want great sound from the saddlebags of your Harley-Davidson, a door speaker that can keep Read More…
Buying an Entry-Level Car Audio Subwoofer System? Read This First!
Whether it’s Black Friday, Christmas, Back to School or just a regular sale, many car stereo shops around the country offer subwoofer system upgrade packages that let you add bass to your stereo at an affordable price. These packages typically include a 200-300 watt amplifier, a single subwoofer, an enclosure and an installation kit. We’ve Read More…
Car Audio Speaker Installation Location Matters
A while back we published an article that discussed why aiming speakers in a properly designed car audio system was futile. As usual, we received a good deal of feedback about the piece. The comments ranged from the typical “that’s not how it works” to more scientific discussions about how even minor changes in placement Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XS-W124ES and XS-W122ES Mobile ES Subwoofers
It’s been over a year since Sony launched their first Mobile ES subwoofer – the XS-W104ES. The big brothers to this amazing driver are now available in the form of the 12-inch XS-W124ES and XS-W122ES drivers. Rated to handle 500 watts of power and designed to sound great in either sealed or vented enclosures, these Read More…
Product Spotlight: RDV Automotive Technology Streamer
Have you ever been waiting to pick someone up from work or school and wished you could watch a video on the screen in the dash of your car or truck? If the radio in the vehicle has Apple CarPlay with a USB connection, the RDV Automotive Technology Streamer is the perfect solution. This simple Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX6000 Automotive AV Receiver
Hundreds of audio-video receiver options are available to upgrade your car’s or truck’s entertainment system. Selecting one that’s easy to use, reliable and sounds great is no easy task. The car audio team at Sony has combined the most sought-after features with state-of-the-art technologies to create the XAV-AX6000 digital media receiver. This radio includes wireless Read More…
Understanding Light Color and Illumination
We took our first look at measuring light sources a while back as our first step toward understanding the differences in automotive headlight options. In this article, we’ll provide a practical demonstration of why it’s crucial for the lighting on your car, truck, motorcycle, ATV or side-by-side to emit light that covers the entire color Read More…
Single Amplifier Distortion Specs Make No Sense
Have you ever looked at something and thought you were only getting part of the story? Many previous articles have discussed amplifier distortion at length but haven’t delved into how power output levels and frequency affect distortion measurements. If you’re looking for the best amplifier for your car audio system, especially for midrange drivers and Read More…
A Close Look at the DroneMobile Car Starter Remote Control System
DroneMobile is undoubtedly one of the best solutions to control a remote car starter or security system in your car or truck. While the traditional key fob remote is a great backup, being able to send commands to your vehicle from almost anywhere using your smartphone is ultra-convenient. Better yet, your vehicle can use DroneMobile Read More…
Let’s Talk About Car Audio Midrange Speaker Aiming and Directivity
Not too long ago, we looked at the physics surrounding car audio tweeter directivity and why tweeters must be pointed toward the listening position. If you haven’t read that article, it established a foundation for understanding the need to aim midrange speakers. If you’ve seen people using towels, laser pointers or modelling clay to test Read More…
Do Shallow Subwoofers Work Better in Small Enclosures?
There seems to be some misunderstanding about the relationship between subwoofer mounting depth requirements and performance relative to enclosure volume. We constantly see enthusiasts talk about having a 10-inch shallow sub mounted under a car or truck seat. Their expectation is full-size subwoofer performance without the need for a large enclosure. Let’s do a few Read More…
Product Spotlight: iDatastart VWX Remote Starter for Volkswagen and Audi
Volkswagen, Audi and Bentley vehicle owners are in luck! The VWX remote car starter from iDatastart was specifically designed for your vehicle. Starting your car a few minutes before leaving for work or the drive home will let the engine warm up in the winter or allow the air conditioning to cool things off in Read More…
A First Look at Car Audio Speaker Distortion
If you’ve been a reader of BestCarAudio.com, you know we’ve published a lot of articles about distortion. We include detailed measurements of harmonic and intermodulation distortion in our Test Drive Reviews to help show you the quality and performance differences between products. In this article, we’ll make a series of speaker distortion measurements using our Read More…
Preparing Yourself and Your Vehicle for a Car Audio Installation
If you’ve scheduled an appointment with a local specialty mobile enhancement retailer to have your car or truck upgraded, there are a few things you’ll want to know to make the most of this opportunity. Whether the upgrade involves a new set of speakers, a multimedia receiver with a backup camera or a remote car Read More…