Understanding how to recreate music in our vehicles is a complicated science. Balancing speaker sizes and locations with the goal of recreating what the recording engineer heard in the mastering studio or, at the very least, making your system enjoyable isn’t always easy. We want to take a look at the physics behind sound and […]
Behind the Scenes of Speaker Power Handling
We’ve written several articles about speaker power ratings over the years, but the topic seems to be one that very few people understand fully. This article will serve as the reference guide for how premium and reputable manufacturers rate the power handling capabilities of their speakers. We’ll start by looking at the physics of speaker […]
Ultra-Compact Amplifiers, Big Power from a Small Package
It’s hard not to notice that almost every reputable car audio manufacturer now offers several ultra-compact amplifier solutions. These amplifiers are small enough to fit in the pocket of your jeans and help make installations easier when space is tight. While diminutive, they can deliver an impressive amount of power to upgrade the signal to […]
Why You Shouldn’t Use Home Audio Speakers in Your Car
If you look at some amateur car audio forums and Facebook groups, you’ll see a disturbing trend of people using speakers that are intended for home applications in their cars. While these speakers initially seem to offer impressive performance for their price, they simply aren’t designed to withstand the challenges associated with a mobile audio […]
Touchscreen Radio Buyers Guide
Years ago, upgrading your car stereo meant buying a new radio that would play MP3 files or that included Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming. As automobile manufacturers have increased their interest in providing advanced infotainment features, the aftermarket head unit industry has evolved away from conventional single- and double-DIN radios with segmented displays to […]
All About Apple Product Certification
Nobody will deny that the Apple iPod is single-handedly responsible for a massive shift in the portability of music. Sure, the Walkman and Discman were important components in the history of portable media players, but those technologies supported existing music formats in the form of cassettes and compact discs. The iPod embraced digital media file […]
Ten Steps To Better Car Audio
Let’s face it, most of us aren’t really happy with the stereo system that comes in our car. Sure, if you bought a Lexus with a top-of-the-line Mark Levinson system, you’re more than likely content. For the rest of us, the good news is that for a very reasonable investment, you can upgrade the performance […]
Upgrading Your Car Stereo System
In the ’80s, ’90s and early part of the 2000s, upgrading the car stereo system in your vehicle was a relatively simple process. You’d start by picking out a new radio that offered the features you wanted and add a set of speakers to improve the sound of the system. Pretty much anyone with a […]
Safely Using Your Smartphone in Your Car
In 1982, Michael Knight was able to talk to his 1982 Pontiac Firebird and ask it for navigation directions. Of course, watching “Knight Rider” meant that we understood that KITT was make-believe. Fast-forward 35 years, and talking to our vehicles is now a reality, thanks to our smartphone. The modern smartphone, be it an iPhone […]
Be Wary of Top 10 Lists
Not too long ago, we saw a discussion about an article called “The 12 Best Tweeters (Reviews & Ultimate Buying Guide 2018).” Being curious, we decided to check the article out to see what criteria they used to choose the products and how they tested them. Much to our dismay, there were no criteria, nor […]