Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
After a recent vehicle introduction, discussions about vehicles with 48-volt electrical systems are at an all-time high. Changing standards in vehicles is nothing new. Most cars manufactured before the mid-1950s came with 6-volt batteries. As the need for power and speed from various automobile components has increased, we’re about to witness a change to 48-volt systems. Let’s Read more
Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to review the T4652-S and T3652-S Power Series component sets from Rockford Fosgate. The company’s thorough understanding of how speakers work led them to include technologies that allowed these speakers to outperform so-called audiophile products from some of the top boutique brands. I have a set of the more affordable Power Series Read more
Welcome to our third Question of the Month article. This time, let’s look at the answer to “What speakers should I use for a specific music type?” The theory that speaker selection is related to a specific kind of music is nothing new. While there are some considerations in system calibration, a good speaker is a good speaker. Allow us to explain. The Mechanics of Music Music Read more
In our never-ending efforts to create great content, we devised a plan a while back to share listening tips for specific tracks with our readers. Our plan at the time was to explain what to listen for in different songs to evaluate the performance and capabilities of an audio system. After some research and experiments, we’ve come up with a twist on this plan that we think Read more
Every genre of car audio enthusiast looks at amplifier performance differently. The SQ guys worry about distortion and noise. The bass heads focus on power. The keyboard commandos and know-it-alls talk about slew rate or something equally irrelevant. Despite all this, an audio system's frequency response matters the most regarding the perception of quality. The folks at KICKER Read more
We’ve recently seen a resurfacing of keyboard commandos who claim that the ability to hear the differences between the amplifiers is hogwash. Those who have been around the car audio scene for a while often bring up Richard Clark’s famous $10,000 Amplifier Challenge to support their hypothesis that all amplifiers sound the same. If true, why do companies offer different Read more
If you’ve been a long-time BestCarAudio.com reader, you know we prioritize performance and reliability when choosing audio system components. With that said, an installation that looks good does matter. You don’t want a bunch of amplifiers in your vehicle that are all different shapes, designs or colors. This is your car or truck, and it should look clean and classy, not like a Read more
The Genesis GV70 is a very good luxury SUV at a reasonable price point. With its 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, it’s been well received by both the press and public. But the really cool part is Genesis’ ability to remove the gasoline powerplant altogether and replace it with a fully electric setup. This versatility in the platform shows the engineering involved in the design. Read more
There isn’t a category in the mobile enhancement industry not plagued by myths and misunderstandings. There’s nonsense about subwoofer cone materials improving sound quality, claims that Class D can’t sound better than Class AB, or that remote car starters are bad for your vehicle. This article will be the first in a series that addresses and explains the most common myths Read more
Speaker power ratings are among the most confusing and misleading specifications in the car audio industry. Once you understand the process used to test speaker power handling, you’ll quickly realize that the information doesn’t always translate to information that’s helpful in choosing an amplifier. Let’s dive into the science behind choosing the best amplifier for your car Read more
We’re kicking off a monthly column called the BestCarAudio Question of the Month. Many basic car audio-related questions are answered incorrectly or incompletely on social media and in online forums. In our ongoing efforts to educate consumers about the products and solutions available to upgrade their vehicles, we will pick a random question each month and provide a detailed Read more
If we could send just one message to car audio enthusiasts, it would be to stop talking about wattage ratings. These numbers are irrelevant and often misleading in the context of quality, performance and value. Leave the reference to watts out if you want to sound intelligent when discussing car audio upgrades. What Are Watts? The SI Unit watt is used to measure power. One Read more
