In a recent online discussion, someone stated that a car audio amplifier couldn’t be power-hungry. After the eye-twitching passed and our heart rates settled, we knew this was a perfect topic for our series on car audio myths. Let’s look at how amplifiers, specifically subwoofer amplifiers, make use of the power from your vehicle’s electrical […]
Can I Swap the Factory Subwoofer in My Car for Better Performance?
Every so often, someone asks if it’s a good idea to upgrade their factory-installed stereo system by swapping out the original subwoofer with a new one. We aren’t talking about building a new enclosure and adding a dedicated amplifier. They want to put a different 6-, 8- or 10-inch in the factory location and connect […]
What Are Speaker Power Compression and Subwoofer Box Rise?
In the car audio world, terms like subwoofer box rise and power compression are relatively familiar to those who push their sound systems to the limit. So, after extensive research (three minutes) and a detailed planning session (another two minutes), we decided that it would be worth doing an experiment to explain and quantify these […]
Do You Need to Break Car Audio Speakers In Slowly?
We were cruising the internet a few weeks ago and noticed a comment from a self-proclaimed car audio expert that new speakers and subwoofers need to be broken in at low power levels. He made it particularly clear that the voice coil needed to be broken in gently. If you’ve ever considered how a speaker […]
Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate Punch P1000X5 Five-Channel Amplifier
If the sound system in your car or truck doesn’t put a smile on your face, it’s time to visit your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the impressive P1000X5 five-channel amplifier. This single-channel amp can dish out an effortless 75 watts of power from the four main channels and up to 500 […]
Car Audio Myths: Tweeters Need To Be Installed Near Midrange Speakers
Decades ago, car audio professionals were adamant about the statement that tweeters needed to be installed right beside the midrange speakers in your car audio system. Is this accurate? The answer is that it depends on a few variables. Keeping them close can’t hurt, but it might come at the expense of improving the soundstage […]
A Look at How Car Audio Amplifier Designs Have Changed
Car audio amplifier designs have changed a great deal over the last few decades. Modern amplifiers have more features along with improved efficiency, and they offer consumers better value than their predecessors. This article will examine the key components in the construction of mobile audio amplifiers, their evolution and their benefits. Amplifier Design Balances Power […]
Car Audio Myths: You Can’t Mix and Match Different Brands
There’s a strange car audio myth that claims you can’t mix different brands of source units, speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers and signal processors in the same audio system. While it might be fun for a distributor, sales representative or employee at a car audio retailer to do a one-brand build, chances are you’ll want to pick […]
Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate M2WL-8 Wakeboard Tower Speakers
Whether you’re waterskiing, wakeboarding or towing friends on a tube, having great music to accompany your time on the water makes a day of fun even better. When it comes to wakeboard tower speakers, the powersports audio fanatics at Rockford Fosgate have the perfect solution to ensure that everyone on the boat and at the […]
Do Car Audio Subwoofers Require Equalization for Smooth Response?
Not long ago, we saw a post where someone asked whether they needed to dedicate a channel of their digital signal processor to equalize the subwoofer in their car audio system. As usual, several amateurs chimed in with their opinions, but nobody presented any facts supporting a yes or no answer. As professionals, when we’re […]
