With summer coming to an end and frost in the forecast, there’s no better time to add a remote starter to your car, truck or SUV. Most of us know that our remote starter systems can also control the power locks in our vehicles, but many systems are full of additional advanced features that add […]
Why Does My Car Have Surround Sound?
If you have ever been to a movie theatre, you have probably experienced what is known as surround sound. There are at least five discreet audio tracks encoded into the film you are watching, and most also include a Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel. The purpose of these audio channels is to allow the source of […]
Is Replacing My Radio the Best Way to Increase Sound Quality?
Since the late ’80s, the car audio industry has experienced incredible levels of growth. New technology and features have expanded our opportunities to increase sound quality and enhance entertainment. What hasn’t changed are the core building blocks of how sound systems are designed. Every system starts with a source. We call this the head unit, […]
Car Audio System Setup
It may seem as if they should be similar processes, but installing a new source unit, amplifiers and speakers in a car is unlike installing most home audio systems. It is not as simple as plugging things in and hoping they work. Proper integration of your new electronics into modern vehicles and their wiring is […]
It’s Smart to Purchase Your Audio Gear From the Shop Installing It
In the “old days” if you wanted to buy something, you went to a store. Now, with the increasing popularity of online shopping, mobile electronics enthusiasts have a seemingly unlimited number of options where they buy the audio gear they want. In this article, we will discuss some of the benefits of purchasing your equipment […]
Custom Installations – Past and Present
Custom car audio installations have changed a great deal over the years. More often than not, custom installations from years ago often looked like ‘bolted-on’ additions to a vehicle. Modern systems blend seamlessly with your interior. Advances in construction techniques allow your installer to create complex multi-dimensional shapes that look like they came from the […]
How Radar Detectors Have Changed Over the Years
If, like us, you have been a car enthusiast for any significant amount of time, you are sure to remember the magazine ads for the windshield-mount Escort radar detectors in the 1980s. They were, relatively speaking, gigantic. The front panel had a large analog signal strength meter and that ubiquitous orange incandescent warning light bulb […]
OEM Sound System Measurements for Audio System Upgrades
Upgrading a factory audio system is not as easy as it used to be. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, connecting an amplifier and a new set of speakers to a factory source unit would yield impressive, if not amazing, results. As automobile manufacturers put more focus on the performance of factory-installed sound systems, […]
Definitions: Speaker Parameters
The adage that someone could write a book about a subject certainly holds true when it comes to a discussion of loudspeakers and their parameters. In fact, there are dozens of great books already available about the subject. This article provides an overview of some of the most commonly discussed speaker parameters. What are Speaker […]
The Benefits of Custom-installed Radar Detectors
If you are looking for the best defense against police laser and radar guns, speed cameras, and radar-based work zone speed detection systems, then a custom-installed radar detector and laser countermeasure system is the only choice. This article compares the features and performance benefits of a portable radar detection system to one that we integrate […]
