I can’t think of many name-brand car audio manufacturers offering more subwoofers than Rockford Fosgate. They have everything from affordable entry-level drivers with the Prime R2 series to competition-ready monsters in the Power series T3 Superwoofer. Near the middle of the pack are the impressive Punch P3 drivers that serve as the flagship of that […]
Car Audio Myth: Larger or More Subwoofers Are Always Louder
There’s a common belief that an audio system with more subwoofers will produce more bass. This statement can be 100% true or completely false. Why might it be false? A subwoofer’s output depends heavily on enclosure design. Let’s look at two examples where the output of one subwoofer is more than two. The Most Bass […]
Revisiting Sealed Subwoofer Enclosure Stuffing with SPL Measurements
A while back, we looked at how adding stuffing to a sealed enclosure affects its performance. It was clear from our measurements that the addition of Dacron lowered the system’s Qtc (Total Q). The original theory was that adding stuffing made the enclosure seem larger and let the driver play louder at low frequencies. Let’s […]
Automotive Headlight Upgrades – Part 2: Terminology
We talked about headlight bulb styles in the first part of our series on understanding headlight upgrades. In this article, we will briefly explain relevant light terminology to help you understand what lumens, lux, candela and watts mean. Knowing what these terms mean will help you make better bulb upgrade choices – and you’ll be […]
How Do I Know if My Car Audio DSP Is Adjusted Properly?
It should go without saying that a car stereo system designed around multiple amplifier channels and a DSP is the easiest way to get great sound in your vehicle. The technician working on your vehicle has complete control over the output level, sound arrival time and the frequency response of each speaker in the system. […]
Do I Need a Line Output Converter To Add a Car Amplifier?
We’ve talked at length about how car audio line output converters work and have even compared a few to see which sound best. We skipped over a discussion on whether a car audio amplifier upgrade needs a line-output converter. Let’s dive in! What Does a Line Output Converter Do? A high-quality line output converter serves […]
Automotive Headlight Upgrades – Part 1: Technologies
If you pay attention, you’ll see cars and trucks on the road with white, yellow, blue and even purple headlight bulbs. Whether chosen for style or performance, hundreds, if not thousands, of options are available to upgrade the lighting on your car, truck or motorcycle. Some replacement bulbs look neat, some are brighter, some have […]
How Is the Power from My Amp Divided Between My Subwoofers?
We see a lot of questions like “My car audio amp can produce 800 watts; how much power does each of my subs get?” If you aren’t versed in the calculation basics of Ohm’s law, the answer might not be intuitive. Let’s dive into the math and logic that will let us calculate how the […]
My Car Stereo System Sounds Worse After a Speaker Upgrade. Why?
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 […]
Is Your Radio Turned Off or Killing Your Battery?
You’d think that something as simple as operating an on/off button or switch would deliver predictable results. These days, many electronic devices remain on and continue to draw small amounts of current, even when you think they’re off. Let’s look at how car radios work regarding their on/off status and how much current they draw. […]
