Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
It’s been more than a year since we first got our hands on the amazing Sony Mobile ES XAV-9500ES multimedia receiver for a detailed Test Drive Review. Our takeaway from that testing experience was that Sony had pulled out all the stops when developing this radio: It sounds stunning, measures superbly on the test bench, and, as we would confirm after an extended period of Read more
Before about 2000, upgrading a factory-installed car audio system was pretty easy. You could start with a new set of speakers and a subwoofer and have something quite enjoyable. In the last few decades, automakers, or more specifically, the companies that supply their audio system components, have learned how to maximize the performance of the inexpensive speakers they use. Read more
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 months since anything new has joined the line. In Read more
We recently published an article that explains how differential inputs on car audio amplifiers and signal processors work. Just after that was published, we were talking with Brad Ott, executive vice president of operations at ARC Audio. He has an extensive background in circuit design and was the company’s product development manager for many years. Brad offered to send us Read more
The other day I saw an interesting question on social media where someone asked if they should match their car audio amplifier to their speakers. I know they were asking about power ratings, but I think that’s the wrong way to go about the process. I realized again that many enthusiasts don’t fully understand how to quantify audio component quality. So let’s dive into the Read more
In December 2022, BestCarAudio.com and Sony launched a giveaway contest called the Sony 12 Days of Christmas. For 12 days in a row, we randomly selected one of our readers (who entered the contest) to win a Sony Mobile ES car audio product. The prizes varied from a set of speakers or an amplifier to a subwoofer system, with the grand prize being a complete Sony Mobile ES car Read more
SAN DIEGO, May 19, 2023 -- Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the newest additions to its Mobile ES™ lineup,1 including car AV receiver XAV-9000ES and power amplifiers XM-8ES and XM-6ES. Like all the previous Mobile ES™ products, the new models feature high-resolution audio with pure detail that brings studio-quality sound right to your car. The XAV-9000ES offers a sleek, Read more
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
Though it only seems like last year, our 2019 article about the importance of test-driving a new car radio before buying is suddenly more important than ever. So let’s review some key factors and discuss a few new things you ought to test before purchasing a new radio for your car or truck. Test the Interface One of the most important reasons to try out a new car radio, Read more
