Showcasing the Best in the Mobile Enhancement Industry
While it’s fun to talk about the more complex car audio systems that include digital signal processors and have an amplifier channel dedicated to each speaker, the reality is that most car audio systems use speaker systems that include passive crossovers. We’ve repeatedly discussed the importance of having your car audio system calibrated after the installation is complete to Read more
You may not know it, but many wires and cables have information markings along their length. Many companies include length markings at 12-inch intervals. If you’ve ever purchased a spool or box of CAT5 network cable, you may even find that the markings include individual lengths so network technicians and installers can measure the start and end of an installation to bill their Read more
The midsize SUV space is crowded. Volvo wants to separate itself from the pack by not only offering a vehicle with its usual safety features, but also one that’s a technology workhorse. You want a hybrid that you can drive electric-only so you only need to worry about filling up with gas on long trips? Check. You want a large center touchscreen with built-in Google integration Read more
Home and car audio speakers are surprisingly simple devices in concept, but their quality and performance hold complex considerations. If you’ve been a longtime reader of our articles here at BestCarAudio.com, you know we strive to educate consumers about how car audio upgrades like speakers work and what separates one from another. In this article, we will once again dive into Read more
A while back, we took a look at tweeter and midrange directivity in the context of audio system design. Unfortunately, we neglected to talk about woofer directivity, so let’s dive into that immediately to cover all the bases. We’ll also explain why this information is vital in creating a car audio system that sounds great no matter where you’re sitting. Testing Speaker Read more
A while back, I published an article that compared a high-quality Class-D amplifier with a low-quality “internet-brand” Class AB amp to prove a point about topology not being the deciding factor in performance and accuracy. The contrast in their performance was shocking, with the Class-D amp besting the AB in every way. An amateur YouTuber made a video breaking down the Read more
Many new cars, trucks and SUVs come with small speakers in the dash that accompany a larger woofer in the door. These small speakers, often called “middlers,” are tasked with handling frequencies from a few hundred hertz to the upper limits of human hearing. For over a decade, we’ve seen car audio system upgrades replacing the door and dash speakers with a component set that Read more
We’re now into our fourth speaker in our series about understanding speaker quality. For this article, we will analyze the performance of an old-school premium speaker, the MB Quart PWE-160. If you were into car audio in the ’80s and ’90s, then the MB Quart brand was a name you’d know well. This brand was famous for its performance in car audio competitions. So let’s see how Read more
As you may know, the product development team at Sony has been busy over the last few years creating an entirely new line of premium car audio products. Their efforts have rewarded the industry with the amazing XAV-9500ES multimedia receiver, as well as six speaker solutions, three amplifiers and three subwoofer offerings. In this Test Drive Review, we’ll inspect and evaluate Read more
