You’d think that something as simple as operating an on/off button or switch would deliver predictable results. These days, many electronic devices remain on and continue to draw small amounts of current, even when you think they’re off. Let’s look at how car radios work regarding their on/off status and how much current they draw. Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony Mobile ES XAV-9000ES Car AV Receiver
If you’ve visited the BestCarAudio.com website, you’ll know we’re big fans of Sony’s Mobile ES product line. Not only have the products we’ve reviewed performed exceptionally well in the lab, but our team members who also work on the retail side of the mobile enhancement industry love their value and reliability. It’s been a few Read More…
Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Dashcam Parking Mode
Given the proliferation of fraud, accidents and sheer craziness on the roads today, having a dashcam in your vehicle is, at the very least, a wise investment. These compact camera systems capture video of everything that happens while you drive, in the event you need to share information with the authorities or on social media. Read More…
Want More Power? Get More Power Wire!
Once again, we approach a discussion of the laws of physics and how they affect the electrical systems in our cars and trucks. The enemy of all power transmission systems, be it the battery and alternator to the amplifier in your vehicle or the nuclear power station or hydroelectric dam across the state to your Read More…
Product Spotlight: iDatalink Maestro AR Multi-Amp Upgrades
Several years ago, iDatalink, the company known for its class-leading remote car starter interfaces, launched an amplifier integration solution called the Maestro AR. The AR (which is short for amplifier replacement) was designed to interpret the CAN bus commands intended for a factory amplifier into something a third-party digital signal processor can understand. While DSP-equipped Read More…
How Digital Audio Works – The Stairstep Analogy
In the fall of 1982, Billy Joel’s 52nd Street was among the first 50 albums released as consumer-available compact discs. It had been only about four years since digital recording equipment was introduced to studios. This marked a revolutionary change in how consumers would buy their music. It was the dawn of an all-digital era, Read More…
Will a Car Audio Speaker Upgrade Make My Stereo Louder?
Speakers are, by a long way, the most influential component in any audio system when defining performance or quality. Low-quality speakers, or those without specific technologies, can’t match the clarity levels of premium solutions. In addition, many music enthusiasts want their car audio systems to play louder than what’s possible with factory-installed equipment. After all, Read More…
Modern Vehicle Electronics and Water Damage
Water and road salt are known to wreak havoc on the body and underpinnings of our cars and trucks in the winter. Even living near the ocean, where salt levels are high, can accelerate the rusting process. In this article, with some help from the automotive electronic experts at Motron Automotive Electronics in London, Ontario, Read More…
What Is a Car Audio Stiffening Capacitor?
Since the 1980s, car audio enthusiasts have been using large-value capacitors to improve the performance of their car audio systems. Aside from people believing that distortion damages speakers, few topics are as misunderstood as the benefit of adding a high-quality capacitor to your car stereo. So, let’s take a look at what a capacitor is, Read More…
Is Your Car Stereo Really Loud at Low Radio Volume Levels?
Two factors limit how loudly a car stereo system can play: how much power you have to drive the speakers in the system, and the maximum output capabilities of those speakers. We see a lot of amateur and poorly executed audio system installations that play good and loud when the volume on the radio is Read More…
The Science Behind Infinite Baffle Car Audio Subwoofer Installations
When it comes to car audio subwoofer upgrades, infinite baffle installations have been around for as long as subwoofers have existed. The science behind a subwoofer installation that doesn’t use a compact enclosure is quite simple. As with any subwoofer system design, some benefits and drawbacks need to be considered. Strap on your thinking caps; Read More…
The Science Behind Car Audio Speaker Efficiency Specifications
Who wouldn’t want to buy the loudest, most efficient speaker possible to upgrade their car audio system? A speaker that does a better job converting electrical energy into sound reduces the load on the vehicle’s electrical system, right? Well, efficiency is just a single parameter in the myriad values that describe how a speaker works. Read More…
Upgrading Your Car Radio Just Got More Complicated
Decades ago, it took about $40 in parts, on top of the cost of a new car radio, to give yourself improved sound quality and more features. A simple wire harness adapter would let a single-DIN radio connect right to the factory radio harness behind your dash. Add an antenna adapter and you were likely Read More…
What Does it Mean When a Subwoofer Claims to Work in a Small Enclosure?
If there’s a single marketing statement that makes my eye twitch, it’s one that claims a specific subwoofer will “work” in a small enclosure. Contrary to many marketing claims, enclosure volume is directly proportional to low-frequency extension and sound quality. Let’s look at the math and how these tiny enclosures ruin the performance of your Read More…
Car Audio Speakers Should Be Installed Properly
I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve seen car audio speakers installed improperly in the doors, dash or rear deck of a car or truck. Many amateur car audio enthusiasts don’t understand that unlike home audio and Bluetooth speakers that come in an enclosure, the way that raw speakers are mounted Read More…
What Kind of Amp Should I Use with My 500-Watt Car Audio Subwoofer?
You’d think it’d be easy to choose an amplifier of a specific power rating to work with a 500-watt subwoofer. In reality, we need to consider several factors, particularly performance and reliability. Let’s take a detailed look at the complexity of choosing the perfect amplifier for your car audio subwoofer system. The Myth and Mystery Read More…
How Much Power Does a Car Radio Really Make?
For as long as I can remember, car radios have had their “maximum power” ratings all over their packaging and often right on the face of the radio. These numbers are not only useless in terms of an ability to reproduce music with any sense of quality, but I have always questioned whether they are Read More…
Caring for Your Car Audio Touchscreen
The most popular car radio upgrades these days include a touchscreen. Multimedia receivers with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are a great way to make communicating safer while driving. When it comes time to clean your car or truck’s interior, here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the display on Read More…
Amazing Stereo Upgrade for Moseley Ford Bronco Raptor
A client from Moseley recently contacted the Extreme Audio team to ask about upgrading the stereo system in his 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor. This heavy-duty SUV came with a B&O-branded sound system but it didn’t deliver the clarity, low-frequency extension or volume levels the client wanted. So after talking with him about some of the Read More…
Car Audio Equipment Distortion Harmonics Add Unwanted Information
We’ve talked about audio component and speaker distortion a great deal. The reason for this is that distortion is one of the critical factors in quantifying the quality of an audio system. Components that add a lot of distortion take away from the realism of the listening experience, making the music blurred, muddy and unnatural. Read More…
Product Spotlight: Sony XM-5ES Five-Channel Power Amplifier
Five-channel car audio amplifiers like the Sony XM-5ES are a great way to upgrade your car stereo system to deliver great sound. Sony has created an amp that produces up to 165 watts of power per channel to the front and rear speakers and 750 watts to the system’s subwoofers. They’ve also crammed this beauty Read More…
Why Do All Car Audio Speakers Need To Be Auditioned Before Buying?
Picking new speakers for your home, a new set of headphones or upgrades for your car audio system should all involve the same auditioning process. Take two or three of your favorite songs on a memory stick to a local mobile enhancement retailer and audition the speakers under controlled conditions. We can’t count the number Read More…
Understanding Speaker Quality: OEM Speakers
Up to this point, we’ve explained the difference in performance between entry level, poorly designed and premium car audio amplifiers. We hope you’ve found this informative, and now it’s time we took a close look at car audio speakers. No car audio component is more crucial than speakers for reproducing music with accuracy and clarity. Read More…
What Do Car Audio Subwoofer Frequency Response Specs Tell Us?
Subwoofers. Yay for subwoofers! No upgrade to a car audio system will deliver a more noticeable improvement in performance and realism. Adding a properly designed subwoofer system to your car stereo is often one of the first upgrades we recommend. The challenge is finding a solution that will look and sound great while you make Read More…
Client Requests 2022 Ford Bronco Amplifier, Speaker and Subwoofer Upgrade
The owner of this 2022 Ford Bronco Big Bend visited Extreme Audio’s Midlothian location to ask about upgrading the sound system. We’ve worked on several Broncos over the last few years, putting together solutions to suit different performance levels. Based on the feedback from the client, we knew this Bronco would need new speakers, a 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…
Audio and Video Upgrade for Richmond Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
A client from Richmond contacted the Extreme Audio team for some help upgrading the audio and video options for his 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The owner is transforming the van into an off-road adventure vehicle and wanted some help upgrading the radio to something with more features and a larger screen. He also wanted the system Read More…