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…
Advanced Source Unit Integration
If you ask someone in the mobile electronics industry what “source unit integration” means, they’ll probably tell you about making an aftermarket radio fit into the dash of a vehicle and allowing it to send audio to the speakers. For decades, this has been the extent of the task. Physical Source Unit Integration Mounting a Read More…
Product Spotlight: Alpine iLX-F309
Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian are excited to introduce the amazing Alpine iLX-F309. The F309, which is also known as HALO9, is a single-DIN multimedia receiver with a unique 9-inch, full-color touchscreen LCD screen. How did Alpine fit a 9-inch display into a single-DIN chassis? Keep reading to find out. HALO9: Alpine iLX-F309 Universal Read More…
Product Spotlight: AudioControl ACM Amplifiers
AudioControl has been very busy over the past few years developing new processors and amplifiers. At the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, AudioControl launched an entirely new series of micro-sized amplifiers designed to give enthusiasts amazing amplification performance from a compact package. While the amplifiers are small, they have the features and performance Read More…
Car Audio System Design Considerations
When you go shopping for a computer, it’s important that all the pieces work together to provide maximum performance and reliability. When you head out to upgrade your car audio system, your salesperson should ask you a series of questions that will help them identify the perfect solution for your needs and application. When it Read More…
Product Spotlight: Arc Audio XDi1100.5 and XDi1200.6 Amplifiers
When it comes to choosing an amplifier to make our clients’ audio systems sound great, the ARC Audio XDi1100.5 and XDi1200.6 are our No. 1 choices at Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian. These amplifiers feature state-of-the-art designs that allow them to produce amazing power from an extremely compact chassis. Flexible system configuration features make Read More…
Important Tips for Car Battery Maintenance
It’s early 2018, and North America is still contending with a deep freeze and some nasty winter weather. Erie, Pennsylvania, got more than 50 inches of snow over the holidays, and several northeastern US cities set records for cold weather. Montreal, Canada, spent six consecutive days with the temperature below 1 degree F. Amid all Read More…
Product Spotlight: Audiofrog GB Speakers
When it comes to premium sound system upgrades, Audiofrog GB speakers are our go-to here at Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville and Midlothian. Clients love the way GB speakers sound! They offer amazing clarity and detail, along with the ability to enjoy their music at concert-like volume levels. Let’s look at what separates these speakers from Read More…
Installing an Amplifier Is More Complicated than Just Hooking Up Wires
If you look around the Internet, it won’t take long before you see someone say that hooking up an amplifier is as easy as connecting a few wires. Are they right? Well, yes. You most certainly do need to hook up some wires. You also need to know how to connect those wires, disassemble your Read More…
Upgrading Your Classic Car Technology For Safety and Convenience
While modern vehicle features such as lane departure warning systems and adaptive cruise control aren’t available for your classic car or hot rod, there are modern technologies available for your pride and joy. These will make your next cruise or car show much safer and more enjoyable. Let’s take a look at how classic car Read More…
Are Classic Car Audio Amplifiers Better?
If you’ve been in the audio industry for a while, then you’ve likely heard that old-school or classic car audio amplifiers are better than the new stuff. How someone quantifies “better” is somewhat of personal preference. They could be talking about aesthetics or the sound of the product. Whatever it is people like about classic Read More…
Apple CarPlay Entertainment Options Expanded
iPhone users are excited by the news that Tidal and SiriusXM are now part-compatible with Apple CarPlay. These subscription-based music services add to the extensive entertainment selections already available for control by using your voice. Let’s take a close look at these new Apple CarPlay entertainment options. What is Tidal? In similar fashion to Google Read More…
JL Audio Stealthboxes Offer Incredible Bass from Minimal Space
If you live in the Richmond area and are looking for a great way to add bass to your stereo system, drop by Extreme Audio and ask about JL Audio Stealthboxes. The subwoofer experts at JL Audio design each application for maximum performance with minimal intrusion into cargo and storage space. With 80 models to Read More…
The OEM Audio Upgrade Path
Years ago, when someone wanted to make their car stereo system sound better, they bought a new radio. With the complexity of modern infotainment systems, upgrading your radio isn’t always possible. So, what’s a music enthusiast to do? As it turns out, the radio is the least of your worries – unless, of course, it Read More…
Chesterfield Mercedes Client Gets CLK350 Radio Upgrade
A client from Chesterfield contacted Extreme Audio to inquire about replacing his 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 radio with a navigation system. We inspected the clients’ car to confirm our understanding that it uses the MOST fiber optic system to connect the factory head unit to the factory amp. Once we knew this for sure, we designed Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony HI-Power Source Units
The power ratings on car audio source units have been over-rated for years. Claims of 40, 50 and even 55 watts per channel are emblazoned across the front of radios in an effort to one-up competing products for the title of “most powerful” source unit. Sony recognized the need for a true high-power solution to Read More…
But the Box Power Ratings Say This Subwoofer Will Handle 1,000 Watts!
There is no car audio topic more confusing and inconsistent than speaker power ratings. The fact is, the methods developed to test speakers are quite simple and reliable. If the speaker passes the test, print the number. A long time ago, some unknown manufacturer felt it was important to tell consumers that their speaker would Read More…
Fully Active Subaru Outback Audio Upgrade for Star City Client
A client from Star City, West Virginia, contacted Extreme Audio near Richmond about a 2011 Subaru Outback audio system installation. The client had been researching options to create an audiophile-grade system in his car and needed someone to perform the installation. His plan was to tune the system himself, and he had researched the proper Read More…
Midlothian Chevy Client Gets Silverado Audio Upgrade
A client from Midlothian contacted Extreme Audio about upgrading his 2015 Chevy Silverado audio system. The Z71 package certainly makes this black truck look amazing, but without the Bose option, the factory stereo is quite anemic. Alpine Electronics has been working hard on its bundled upgrade solutions. The PSS-31GM Direct Fit Sound System turned out Read More…
Product Spotlight: AudioControl LC-1.800
It should be evident to anyone who has been paying attention that AudioControl has been on a tear lately with the introduction of new car audio products and solutions. The latest addition to the company’s impressive arsenal of mobile electronic wizardry is the AudioControl LC-1.800 subwoofer amplifier. This compact amplifier has all the features required Read More…
Everything You Need To Know About SiriusXM Satellite Radio
It seems you can’t go anywhere these days without hearing or seeing evidence of SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Satellite radio is touted as a commercial-free entertainment solution that can be accessed almost anywhere in North America. With more than 175 channels of music, comedy, sports and talk radio available 24 hours a day, there is always Read More…