A client from Richmond recently returned to Extreme Audio to inquire about upgrading his 1994 Ford F-150 Lightning with a new stereo system. This client loves these hot rod trucks and has owned several of them. We upgraded his 2002 Lightning a while back with a full custom audio system installation. For this truck, he Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio SW Subwoofers
Producing great bass in a pickup truck requires a subwoofer with shallow mounting requirements and impressive excursion capabilities. The new SW-Series of subwoofers from ARC Audio includes 10- and 12-inch solutions that deliver class-leading performance from their front-magnet, shallow-basket design. ARC Audio SW12 Subwoofer Launched at KnowledgeFest in August 2019, the first SW-Series solution to Read More…
Will Start-Stop Technology Affect Aftermarket Electronic Upgrades?
Many new cars and trucks come with a feature called stop-start technology. This system senses when the car is stopped at a red light or stop sign and shuts down the engine to save fuel. As soon as you release the brake pedal, the engine starts up again, and you’re on your way. The question Read More…
Don’t Put All Your Songs in One Folder on Your USB Drive
With the rise in popularity of digital media files over the last decade, car audio enthusiasts find themselves being more likely to carry a USB memory stick than a stack of compact disks. When it comes to organizing all those MP3, WMA, AAC and FLAC files, most manufacturers suggest that you don’t put all the Read More…
Audio and Video Upgrade for Midlothian BMW 535i GT
A client from Midlothian recently visited Extreme Audio to talk about upgrading the audio system in his 2016 BMW 535i GT sedan. He wasn’t happy with the overall balance of the system and hoped we could give it a lot more bass. He also wanted us to install a video entertainment solution to entertain his Read More…
Can You Upgrade The Stereo in a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle?
Hybrid and all-electric vehicles are a great platform for stereo system upgrade. While your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer can’t tap into the main battery pack, the electrical system on these cars or trucks is more than adequate to power an amplifier to drive new speakers or a subwoofer. There are several options for upgrades Read More…
Is it Possible to Underpower a Speaker?
One common misconception about speakers is that underpowering them can cause damage. This fallacy is supported by minimum power ratings from several manufacturers, which adds to the confusion. Never fear, we’re here to explain why you simply can’t damage a speaker by providing it with only a little bit of power, and we’ll clarify how Read More…
Smartphone Versus Built-in Navigation – Which Is Best?
There’s no denying the convenience of having a navigation system in your vehicle, whether it’s smartphone-based or built into your radio. With the nearly instant popularity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, smartphone-connected radios are quickly replacing built-in navigation solutions as the upgrade of choice. The question is, which is the better navigation solution? Let’s Read More…
Tools of the Trade – The Digital Multimeter
Our continuing look at the tools a mobile enhancement technician should have at his or her disposal brings us to the ever-important digital multimeter. In the same way that an RTA or oscilloscope is needed to measure and quantify alternating-current signals, a high-quality multimeter is the only way to accurately quantify a DC or fixed-frequency Read More…
Ford Raptor Radio and Sub Upgrade for North Chesterfield Client
A client from North Chesterfield recently contacted Extreme Audio about upgrading the sound system in his 2018 Ford Raptor with a new radio and a subwoofer. After talking to the client about how he used the truck the features he wanted to add, we put together an upgrade package that would look great in the Read More…
How Does a Car Audio Amplifier Work – The Class AB Output Stage
As we continue our look at how car audio amplifiers work, let’s discuss how the classic Class AB amplifier output stage works and explain why it’s still the benchmark for high-end audio systems. How Does a Class AB Output Stage Work? We recently looked at the power supply, the input stage and how Class D Read More…
Tools of the Trade – The RTA
Our series on the tools that are important to test and configure car audio system upgrades moves to the topic of the real-time audio analyzer, also known as an RTA or spectrum analyzer. This important tool helps installers measure the acoustic response of your mobile audio system, and it can be a fundamental component in Read More…
Product Spotlight: Alpine iLX-F259
Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian have the new Alpine iLX-F259 digital media receiver in stock. This second-generation “hovering” display radio retains the highly sought-after 9-inch WVGA screen and adjustable mounting system. If you have always wanted a touchscreen radio in your car or truck but don’t have room for a double-DIN solution, the Halo Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio RS Series Speakers
The new RS Series speakers from ARC Audio combine amazing technologies and design to deliver crystal-clear sound to music lovers and audiophiles around the globe. The RS project began several years ago and is a collaboration between the transducer development teams in ARC’s US and Danish offices. The goal of the project was to develop Read More…
How Does a Car Audio Amplifier Work? – The Class D Output Stage
As we continue our look at how at how car audio amplifiers work, we need to discuss what has become the most popular design on the market today: amplifiers that use a Class D output stage. In audiophile realms, Class D designs often carry an unfavorable reputation. Do their drawbacks outweigh their benefits? Let’s have Read More…
Custom Stereo System for Land Rover LR4 from Rockville
A longtime customer from Rockville recently contacted the team at Extreme Audio about upgrading the stereo system in his 2011 Land Rover LR4 SUV. We’ve done a lot of work with this client in the past, including several unique jobs that have included custom home theater subwoofers. As you can see from the photos, the Read More…
Is Turning Up the Bass on Your Car Stereo a Good Idea?
If there’s one thing that can add emotion and excitement to your music, it’s adding a little more bass. Bass frequencies, especially those below 80 Hz, can be felt as much as heard at a higher volume level. The tingling in your amps and vibration in your back make a night at a club, your Read More…
Richmond Client Upgrades Ford F-250 Work Truck Audio System
A long-time client from Richmond recently returned to Extreme Audio to talk about upgrading the audio system in his 2019 Ford F-250 work truck. We recently added safety lighting to the truck. The client wanted a sound system with better bass and the ability to play louder without intruding on the functionality of the vehicle. We Read More…
Tools of the Trade – The Oscilloscope
Our series of articles on what tools are important to test and configure a car audio system upgrade moves on to the oscilloscope. Tools like digital voltmeters, real-time audio analyzers and, of course, hand tools such as screwdrivers, side cutters, wire strippers and a socket set each have their place and importance. When it comes Read More…
Understanding Specifications: Operating Voltage Tolerances and Protection Circuits
To close out our series of educational articles on amplifier specifications, we are going to talk about operating voltage limits and, by association, the protection circuits built into a car audio amplifier. In the good old days of electrical systems that were composed of an alternator, battery, switches and a couple of relays, delivering a Read More…
Car Audio Amplifier Remote Control Options
If you are thinking about having your local mobile enhancement retailer add a subwoofer amplifier to your car or truck, you may want to ask them about the remote level or bass boost control options that are available. Being able to adjust the amount of bass your system produces from the driver’s seat allows you Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio Pro-Series DSP Platform
The product development team at ARC Audio has been hard at work developing a new collection of digital signal processors called the Pro-Series. This new family of processors includes the flagship stand-alone PS8-PRO, the PS8-50 DSP-equipped eight-channel amplifier rated at 50 watts per channel and the IPS8.8 DSP upgrade module for the new two-, four- Read More…
Understanding Specifications: Class AB Car Audio Amplifier Crossover Distortion
We are at our second-to-last article in our car audio amplifier specification series and this time, we are going to talk about Class AB amplifier crossover distortion. This distortion has nothing to do with the high- or low-pass filters built into your amplifier; it’s a problem with the very concept of the Class B amplifier Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony MEX-N5300BT
Though single-DIN Bluetooth CD radios don’t get talked about as often as their multimedia receiver brethren, products like the Sony MEX-N5300BT remain in high demand. As the premium product just below the GS-Series source units, the MEX-N5300BT is equipped with all the source feature and connectivity requirements you’ll need to ensure that you will be Read More…
How Does a Car Audio Amplifier Work? – The Input Stage
It’s time to look at the input stage of how a modern car audio amplifier works. The input stage is responsible for interfacing with your radio and provides features like the gain control, crossovers, bass boost, remote level control and signal summing that your installer will use to make your stereo system sound great and Read More…
BMW Stereo System Upgrade for Midlothian Client
The owner of this 2015 BMW 328i recently contacted the team at Extreme Audio in Midlothian about improving the sound quality of the stereo in his car. He wasn’t happy with the dynamic range and overall tonal balance of the system. After inspecting the vehicle and talking to the client about his listening preferences and Read More…
Product Spotlight: ARC Audio X2-Series Amplifiers
The X2 series from ARC Audio includes eight amplifiers that offer the features installers need to create amazing car audio systems while delivering industry-reference performance. ARC has divided the X2 series into two sub-groups offering different cosmetic and performance characteristics. The Level 1 product group includes a monoblock along with a four- and five-channel amplifier Read More…
Why Can’t I Turn the Volume on My Factory Radio All the Way Up?
Whether the sound system in your car or truck is bone stock or upgraded with premium amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers, the system’s maximum volume may not directly coincide with turning the knob up all the way. The short and sweet of why this happens is something called gain overlap. This conscious and deliberate design decision Read More…
How Does a Car Audio Amplifier Work – The Power Supply
We’ve talked about car audio amplifier features and specifications at great length, but up to this point, we haven’t discussed how a car audio amplifier works. In this article, we’ll provide a simple overview of how the power supply in your mobile amplifier can take the 12 volts supplied by your electrical system and convert Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony MEX-M72BT
If you are looking for a marine radio to upgrade the stereo system in your boat, side-by-side or motorcycle, drop by your local car stereo shop and check out the Sony MEX-M72BT CD receiver with Bluetooth. Designed with an easy-to-use interface, this single-DIN radio has all the source and control options you need to make Read More…
