Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
The most important part of creating a high-end car audio system is having a high-quality, properly calibrated digital signal processor as part of the system. Of course, you could choose the best or most expensive speakers and have them installed in extravagant panels or pods. Still, the factory stereo in an entry-level SUV might sound more realistic without proper system Read more
Since I first reviewed an ARC Audio amplifier back in 2004, I knew there was something different about this company. It only took a few reviews to recognize the pattern, and frankly, I’ve been spoiled by every opportunity to audition one of their amps ever since. Call it clarity, transparency or neutrality; all of ARC Audio’s amps have offered as invisible a sonic signature as Read more
Unless you’ve never visited the BestCarAudio.com magazine site, you’re probably familiar with the need for a high-quality digital signal processor in any modern car audio system. Proper level setting, bandwidth limitations, arrival time adjustment and equalization are paramount to creating an audio system that sounds realistic in a car, truck or SUV. It’s also essential for Read more
Audison is well known in the car audio industry for its bit series of car audio signal processors. From the introduction of the fabled bit ONE back in 2008 to the impressive Prima series multichannel amps and the fantastic bit ONE HD Virtuoso, Audison has been at the forefront of these performance-improving technologies for as long as any brand and longer than most. If you’ve Read more
When it comes to car audio bass upgrades, two options are popular: sealed and ported subwoofer enclosures. The proper names for these enclosures are acoustic suspension and bass reflex, respectively. Each has its benefits and drawbacks in reproducing low-frequency audio information in your vehicle. In this article, we’ll explain how a bass reflex enclosure works and share a few Read more
If you grew up with car audio systems in the ’80s and early ’90s, you know how rare it was to see an amplifier with more than four channels. In the last decade, amplifiers with more than four channels have become popular solutions to simplify the installation of elaborate active audio systems. The car audio fanatics at Rockford Fosgate created the five-channel Punch-Series Read more
I recently had a discussion with several industry peers on Facebook about the correlation between audio component measurements and how that translates into subjective listening evaluations. Respectfully, I’m always astonished by the number of people who think distortion measurements don’t directly correlate to perceived product quality. The Science of Car Audio Component Read more
Rockford Fosgate has cemented itself as the undisputed leader in Harley-Davidson motorcycle audio system upgrades in the past few years. They offer dozens of direct bolt-in speaker and amplifier kits for all the popular touring bike models. In this spotlight, we will look at the HD14RGST-STAGE3 aftermarket audio system for 2014 and newer Street Glide and 2015 and up Road Glide Read more
I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen enthusiasts and folks in the car audio industry claim that Class AB amplifiers are better for high-frequency (as opposed to subwoofer) duties than a Class D design. I recently had a chance to put a popular new Class AB amp through its paces on the BestCarAudio.com Test Bench, and the results were surprising. Let’s make a quality Read more
