The new Alpine PXE-0850S wireless digital signal processor is now available at Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian. If you are looking for a way to improve the realism and accuracy of your factory or aftermarket audio system, you will want to drop by one of our stores to check out this new processor from Read More…
Great Sound From A Factory Radio
Did you know that you can get great sound in your car or truck using your factory radio as the source? Gone are the days when upgrading your audio system meant swapping in a new receiver. Today, climate controls, vehicle configuration and more are part of the original radio and display, so changes are nearly Read More…
JL Audio VXi Amplifiers Available at Extreme Audio
Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian are proud to announce that the new JL Audio VXi amplifiers are in stock. This series of amplifiers not only covers every conceivable system design possible, but their state-of-the-art design includes a premium digital signal processor to let us fine-tune your audio system for amazing realism. Let’s look at Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX5000
Sony has been steadily increasing its share of the head unit market with the introduction of feature-packed solutions that continue to give consumers the connectivity and source options they want. The latest addition to Sony’s source unit offerings is the XAV-AX5000, a 6.95-inch multimedia receiver with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth. The XAV-AX5000 is Read More…
Every Vehicle Can Benefit From Sound Deadener
One product that most car audio retailers offer that can benefit anyone with a car, truck or SUV is sound deadener. If your vehicle is noisy inside, gets hot quickly or people have trouble hearing you during hands-free phone calls, applying sound deadening can help dramatically. In this article, we’ll explain how sound deadening works Read More…
Product Spotlight: Alpine SBV-10-WRA
If you live in the Richmond area and are looking for a premium subwoofer upgrade for your 2007 through 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, drop by either Extreme Audio location and audition the Alpine SBV-10-WRA. This custom subwoofer enclosure is designed specifically for the JK-chassis Jeeps and mounts under the passenger seat to provide great bass Read More…
Richmond Client Gets Incredible Ford F-150 Lightning Audio System
A client from Richmond recently visited Extreme Audio to discuss his 2002 Ford F-150 Lightning audio system upgrade project. We had installed an audio system in a previous Lightning for this client, and he wanted something even better for this truck. Factory audio systems, especially those designed 15 to 20 years ago, simply don’t sound Read More…
Do I Need a Digital Signal Processor?
Signal processing is nothing new to car audio. In the ’80s we had stand-alone equalizers, crossovers and even phase-shifting devices — all designed to help your installer make your car audio system sound better. Lately, the focus in audio signal processing has shifted from analog to the digital domain. There are now dozens of stand-alone Read More…
Get Road Trip Ready With These Upgrades
With the cold winter behind us and school finished for the year, it’s time to start thinking about getting our cars, trucks and SUVs ready for our summer road trip or vacation. Whether you have toddlers or teens, keeping everyone in the vehicle entertained during the drive will make the entire adventure much more enjoyable. Read More…
Chevy Silverado Audio and Accessory Upgrades for Ohio-based Client
A client recently visited Extreme Audio to inquire about upgrading his 2018 Chevy Silverado audio system and adding a few accessories. We had a look at the truck to determine what he liked about the sound system and what he felt needed improvement. We also double-checked several dimensions on the vehicle to make sure the Read More…
Top 20 Automotive Enhancement Services Offered at Local Retailers
If you are like most people, you may think that your local car stereo shop specializes in custom audio systems, speaker replacements and, if they have marketed themselves well, remote car starter installations. The reality is, many mobile enhancement retailers offer a variety of automotive enhancement services that extend well beyond audio system sales and Read More…
Car Audio Technologies
Just as the invention of the transistor eliminated the need for vacuum tubes, advances in technology allow us to create new and unique entertainment solutions with more and more features. We thought it would be fun to take a quick look at a few important car audio technologies throughout history. Transistors The first car radios Read More…
Midlothian Client Upgrades Dodge Challenger Source Unit with Halo 9
A Midlothian client recently stopped in, looking to upgrade the stereo in his 2017 Dodge Challenger. The OEM stereo in his Challenger is the 4″ version, which, due to space constraints behind the radio, you can’t normally replace … until now. Earlier this year, Alpine released a new radio commonly referred to as the “Halo Read More…
Digital Signal Processor System Design
When it comes to creating an audio system that sounds amazing, incorporating a digital signal processor into the system gives your installer the tools required to compensate for the majority of the limitations that vehicles impose. To maximize the benefit, a digital signal processor system design needs to take the features and benefits of a Read More…
Mercedes SLK55 Audio and Lighting Upgrades for Midlothian Client
A client from Midlothian recently visited Extreme Audio to discuss upgrading his 2005 Mercedes SLK55 audio system. The client was interested in updating the technology in his luxury roadster and adding a few personal touches in the form of custom lighting. We talked to the client about the features he wanted and his goals for Read More…
Basshead Songs: Put Your Subwoofer System to the Test
When you think of the stereotypical car audio system, most people imagine compact cars with large subwoofers in the trunk being driven around late at night, rattling the china in the cupboard and being annoying. While many stereotypical bassheads are still out there giving the industry a bad reputation, a much larger group of enthusiasts Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XS-GS1631C
Sony introduced their new XS-GS1631C 3-way component speaker system at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The system includes a pair of 6.5-inch woofers, a set of 3.5-inch midrange drivers, a pair of 1-inch soft-dome tweeters and a set of passive crossover networks. This system is designed as a premium upgrade for vehicles Read More…
Bang For Your Buck: Car Audio Subwoofer Enclosures
Beyond the features and design of a subwoofer, no single factor affects the performance of a subwoofer system more than car audio subwoofer enclosures and their design. There are several popular enclosure design options available, each with their own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. The most popular enclosures are an acoustic suspension (sealed) and Read More…
Bang for Your Buck: Car Audio Subwoofer System Options
No single upgrade to an audio system offers a larger improvement in sound quality than the addition of a car audio subwoofer. Adding a subwoofer not only improves the low-frequency performance of your sound system, it can also improve the clarity of the entire system and enhance the volume level capabilities of the smaller speakers Read More…
Music Listening Preferences
When it comes to designing car audio systems, retailers need to take into account how their clients want their music to sound. Everyone seems to have different preferences for the amount of bass or high-frequency content. These tonal balance preferences can change based on the choice of music and the listener’s mood. In most cases, Read More…
Bang for Your Buck – What Separates One Amplifier from Another?
In our Bang for your Buck series, we talk about product features and component designs that offer increased value and performance. We’ve discussed source units and speakers, and now it’s time to take a deep look into amplifiers and what separates one amplifier from another. Years ago, a prominent mobile audio enthusiast claimed that all Read More…
Bang For Your Buck: Car Audio Amplifier Features
Shopping for a new car audio amplifier is tricky. There are thousands of amplifiers available from at least a hundred car audio companies. Picking the right amp for your system requires balancing an expectation of performance with the cost and features of the amp in question. In this issue of Bang for Your Buck, we Read More…
Chesterfield Client Gets Mercedes-Benz SL500 Apple CarPlay Radio
A client from Chesterfield recently contacted Extreme Audio about a 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Apple CarPlay upgrade. The client’s wife really likes the CarPlay interface and wanted it in her sport coupe. We had a look at the vehicle, then proposed the Alpine iLX-107 wireless CarPlay solution. The client loved the plan and gave us Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XM-GS6DSP
Sony introduced its new six-channel XM-GS6DSP amplifier at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show. This amplifier is targeted at OEM integration and upgrade solutions. It delivers up to 45 watts of power from its four main channels and up to 600 watts from the pair of subwoofer channels. This amp combines easy-to-use analog crossovers and integrated Read More…
Bang For Your Buck: Car Audio Speaker Technologies
We recently talked about the difference between good and great speakers. In a nutshell, when you choose great speakers, you get more power handling, the potential for more output and dramatically improved clarity, thanks to a reduction in distortion. In this issue of Bang for Your Buck, we are going to look at two car Read More…
Bang For Your Buck: Car Audio Speaker Upgrades
It should be no surprise that your choice of speakers has the biggest impact on the sound quality of your car audio system. With that said, many consumers simply don’t understand what separates one speaker from another in terms of performance and value. In this installment of Bang for Your Buck, we are going to Read More…
Bang for Your Buck: Car Audio Source Unit Specifications
In a recent article, we discussed the features to look for when choosing a new source unit for your vehicle. In this article, we delve deeper into the source unit specifications manufacturers provide and explain what they mean, in hopes of helping you weed out a solution that performs the way you want. Charge up Read More…
Mercedes GL350 Radio with Apple CarPlay for Midlothian Client
A client from Midlothian recently visited Extreme Audio about a 2012 Mercedes GL350 radio upgrade. The client wanted a better way to use his smartphone while driving. We showed him the Sony XAV-AX100 and offered to let him connect his phone to it so he could see how easy it is to use. The client Read More…
Chester Client Adds 2008 Mercedes E350 Apple CarPlay
A client with a 2008 Mercedes E350 recently stopped by our Midlothian location, looking to upgrade his factory car stereo system. It was equipped with the Mercedes Harmon Kardon system. He was happy with the sound, but not with the user interface and lack of modern technology. After checking out the various car stereo options, Read More…
Bang for Your Buck: Car Audio Source Unit Features
A long time ago, a friend of mine told me always to ask a salesperson what I would get if I spent 10 percent to 15 percent more on an item I wanted to purchase. At the time, the discussion was related to a large tube-style television. Let’s say the TV I was looking at Read More…