Car Audio Archives - Page 14 of 27

Everything You Need To Know About SiriusXM Satellite Radio

It seems you can’t go anywhere these days without hearing or seeing evidence of SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Satellite radio is touted as a commercial-free entertainment solution that can be accessed almost anywhere in North America. With more than 175 channels of music, comedy, sports and talk radio available 24 hours a day, there is always something to listen to. Let’s look at the how satellite radio began, how it works and why it has been so popular.

The Early Days of Satellite Radio

XM Satellite Radio evolved from the American Mobile Satellite Corp. AMSC was a consortium of companies that wanted to use satellite technology to broadcast telephone, data and fax information around the country. In 1992, AMSC formed the American Mobile Radio Corp. to develop a satellite-based digital radio service. AMRC was spun off from AMSC in 1998 as XM Satellite Radio. XM Radio was first to broadcast, launching on Sept. 25, 2001.

In 1990, Sirius Satellite Radio set out to attract customers and vehicle manufacturing partners to its proposed music service. After years of planning, development and licensing, Sirius launched three satellites in July 2000 and started broadcasting in January 2002.

Satellite radio was the hot ticket in the early the early 2000s, and partnerships with automakers were crucially important to each company. Sirius gained the support of Ford, BMW and Chrysler, while XM had General Motors, Honda and Toyota on board.

Satellite Radio Company Merger

In January 2005, the New York Post announced that Sirius and XM would merge into a single company on Feb. 19, 2007. The combined companies had about 14 million subscribers, but neither company had posted a profit. The result of the merger was SiriusXM – the brand we have now.

SiriusXM is now integrated into 75 percent of the new car market, with roughly 40 percent of those vehicle owners becoming subscribers. As of late 2017, there are about 32 million subscribers.

How Satellite Radio Works

Satellite radio is actually a very simple broadcasting system. The company has its main studios in Rockefeller Center in New York City and in Washington, D.C. Secondary facilities are in Los Angeles, Nashville and Memphis. The company plays music from its extensive catalog and has live performance spaces to host musicians and performers from all genres.

The information is broadcast to a set of satellites above the Earth that rebroadcast that information back to Earth. The broadcast covers most of North America. The satellite radio receiver in your vehicle (car, truck, boat or aircraft) uses a compact antenna to pick up the signal and extract the channel of audio you want to enjoy.

They Really Have Satellites?

Whether it’s a live performance, your favorite music or a great discussion about religion or politics, all of the information is combined into a complex digital signal that is transmitted to a set of five active satellites that cover North America. XM-2 and XM-5 are in a geostationary position above the Earth. That is to say, they stay in the same relative position all the time. Positioned about 22,370 miles above the Earth, the satellites relay broadcast information from the studio transmitters to all of North America, excluding the left half of Alaska. XM-2 covers the west side of the country while XM-3 covers the east.

The Sirius satellites also operate in geostationary orbits. Sirius FM-6 covers the West Coast while Sirius FM-5 is located south of New Orleans to cover the East. Early Sirius satellites (Sirius 1, Sirius 2 and Sirius 3) crossed the planet in a figure 8 pattern that had two of the three over North America at any time.

As you can see, there have been many satellites over the almost 20 years of satellite radio. In total, nine have been launched, with the most recent being Sirius FM-6 on Oct. 25, 2013. Sirius FM-6 was the first to broadcast both Sirius and XM transmission frequencies.

The Benefit of Satellite Radio

So, what’s the big deal? Why do people gravitate toward satellite radio? The answer comes from its coverage. You can make a road trip from Miami, up to Montreal, across to Vancouver then down to San Diego without having to change the station. If you want to listen to Howard Stern for the entire 90 hours of driving, you most certainly can.

Conventional terrestrial broadcasts (AM and FM radio) are limited in their coverage areas. In fact, the FCC regulates the strength of the signal (to 70 dBu, or decibels relative to one microvolt per meter of signal strength). That way, a station frequency can be re-used again in a relatively nearby location. The actual distance varies because of atmospheric conditions but usually covers 75 to 100 miles from the transmitter. Because each station is responsible for its own content, if spaced perfectly, you’d need to change stations between 60 and 80 times. In reality, you’d need likely a few thousand attempts to find a station that was playing the type of music you wanted.

More Than Just Cars and Trucks

SiriusXM satellite radio services have been synonymous with marine entertainment systems since they launched. Many people have cottages or camps in very remote areas that have few if any radio stations at all, so being able to enjoy their favorite genre of entertainment is fantastic. Likewise, receivers such as the SiriusXM Sound Station let you enjoy music in your home.

Things You Didn’t Know SiriusXM Could Do

Most of us are used to having satellite radio entertainment in the car, but there are several other applications for the system as well. Many aircraft, both small and large, can get weather and location information using a SiriusXM Aviation receiver. In fact, many Garmin aviation-specific products have the SXM receiver built in.

SiriusXM Marine provides weather information including lighting strike locations and radar, fishing information and more. Many Garmin, Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance, B&G and Furuno devices are compatible with SiriusXM Marine.

SiriusXM Music for Business offers entertainment solutions that are tailored to different business types. Serve Happy covers restaurants and bars, and Shop Happy is designed for retail stores. There are channels for waiting rooms, spa and fitness businesses, banks and even music dedicated to use when clients must be put on hold on the phone.

Currently only available on OEM source units, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link provide traffic flow information as well as local weather, fuel prices, sports scores and even movie listings. Traffic information mimics that of terrestrial RDS-TMC services in major urban areas.

The Cost of SiriusXM Satellite Radio

With the need to replace satellites roughly every 15 years, license music, pay hosts and celebrities, SiriusXM requires a subscription to access its services. In the U.S., prices start at $10.99 a month for 80 basic channels. If you want some of the artist-specific channels and MLB, NBA and NHL coverage, that rises to $15.99. To add Howard Stern, NFL and NASCAR coverage, the price is $19.99. Adding the ability to stream Sirius XM to your computer increases any of the above by $4 a month.

Enjoy the Entertainment You Want, Almost Anywhere

Whether you are in downtown New York or venturing to Supai, Arizona (the most remote community in the contiguous U.S.), enjoying your music is easy with SiriusXM satellite radio. If your vehicle doesn’t already have a satellite radio receiver, drop by your local mobile enhancement retailer and ask about your options to add SiriusXM.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

7 Reasons for Hiring A Mobile Electronics Specialist to Work on Your Car

Let’s face it, not all of us are experts at everything. Maybe you’re an electrician or engineer and love to work on projects around the house. You might even be savvy when it comes to cars. You change your own oil and do your own brake jobs. Hey, if you can, why not, right? So, when do we know we need to look at hiring a mobile electronics specialist to help with a project or repair?

Cars are simple right? Switches, relays, light bulbs and wires aren’t hard to figure out, are they? If you can operate a multimeter, you can figure these things out. The problem is, most new cars don’t work that way anymore. Let’s look at how cars have changed, how audio and remote starter integration has changed and why it might be best to let a pro dive under your dash.

1. Vehicle Data Network Integration

A few decades ago, the electrical systems in our vehicles were completely analog. Devices were turned on, or off. The blower motor for the heater had four speeds. The engine had really simple temperature switches that would turn on the radiator fan. As time progressed, automakers started adding more and more features to new vehicles. Do you remember the first time you had a car with a keyless entry system? What about a car with a push-button start? These technologies were the beginning of the digital age for cars. Different modules around the vehicle talk to each other on a data network. This technology reduces the need to run as many wires through a car. Needing fewer wires saves weight and reduces cost.

In the good old days, if we wanted to see if a door was open, we’d check to see if the door pin was grounded. Now, we need to ask the computer if it’s open. We can’t simply tap into wiring for information — we need to speak the same language and we need a computer to do the talking.

Here’s a simple example that gives you a good idea of how complicated new cars are becoming. Around 2005, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep decided to remove the analog accessory wire from their radios. To turn the radio on, a message from the vehicle computer would be sent to the radio. If you wanted to change the radio, you needed to buy an interface that could intercept that signal, then produce a conventional analog accessory wire output. A radio installation in these vehicles requires a module like the PAC Audio C2R-CHYNA or the Metra CHTO-01 for a new radio to work.

Properly trained and equipped mobile electronics installation technicians have access to the training and reference material to deal with vehicles that use data networks.

2. Equipped with the Proper Tools

As a car owner, did you know that the wiring for your air bag system is, in most instances, protected with yellow wire loom under the dash and in the door sills? Probing the wrong wire within those harnesses can set off an airbag, or the entire airbag system. If you were leaning on the seat when the bag went off, you could be seriously injured.

In the old days, technicians used test lights and analog multimeters to look for the presence of signals on wires. You can easily damage a modern computer using a test light. Technicians have the right tools to gather the information they need without damaging anything in the vehicle.

3. Responsible for Damage

Let’s say you just can’t resist the urge to install a new radio in your car. You take the dash apart, remove the radio and cut off the factory radio plug. You start testing each wire in the harness for voltage and ground, then try to figure out which of the 15 or 20 wires are for speakers. If your vehicle happens to be one with a data network and you let a wire touch the battery wire, you could damage the vehicle computer. Chances are, getting the problem fixed is going to cost you at least several hundred dollars.

By hiring a professional, you are protected from unexpected costs. If they make a mistake, they’ll pay to fix it. It’s just that simple.

4. Module Programming

Most remote car starter installations require some sort of vehicle data network interface. Companies like iDatalink, Fortin and Directed offer several solutions that allow specific remote starter functions to communicate directly with the car computer. Each of these modules needs to be programmed for the year, make, model and specific trim level of vehicle. They are NOT generic.

Only authorized retailers have access to the information and programming tools required to configure these modules. Consumers simply can’t perform these tasks.

5. Manufacturer Warranties

If you read the warranty card included with products like a radio or amplifier, many manufacturers require that the device be installed by an authorized dealer in order for the warranty to be valid. Different companies have different guidelines. Installing something yourself may be covered under a 90-day warranty, but the full year is only available with proof of purchase and installation.

Some companies word their warranty statements in a way that offers an extended warranty when the product is purchased from, and installed by, an authorized retailer. With the complexity of modern devices, having a warranty is important.

6. Tricks of the Trade

In most cases, we hire professionals to perform a task because they can do it faster and better than we can. In the mobile electronics industry, technicians develop processes to save them time and make the work they do more reliable. With that said, they are also trained to maximize the performance of the equipment they are installing.

Let’s look at the installation of a set of component speakers. In most cases, the woofer will be installed in the factory door speaker location. When it comes to the tweeter, there are many options. The three most popular tweeter locations are up high in the door, the sail panel and in the A-pillar. Each offers different benefits and drawbacks in terms of performance. Experienced installers know this information and can work with you to determine which will yield results that match your goals.

7. Saving Time by Hiring A Mobile Electronics Specialist

One of the most common and logical reasons to hire a professional to perform a task is to save time. Most of us work Monday to Friday and want to relax on the weekend. Yes, there are many people who enjoy working on their vehicles in their spare time. By hiring an professional, you can drop your car off at the shop on the way to work, then come back after work and your new radio, subwoofer system or remote starter will be installed and ready to use. Hiring a professional can be a simple matter of convenience.

Visit Your Local Mobile Electronics Specialist

You’d never go to your dentist to have your eyes checked, and you wouldn’t go to the convenience store to buy a new computer. Companies exist to offer their expertise to those that require it. When it comes to upgrading the electronics and convenience systems in your car, truck or SUV – take it to an expert. You’ll save time, get the results you wanted and have someone who can provide training and ongoing support for your purchase.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

7 things to Consider When Improving Your Classic Car Audio

You have worked long and hard to get your pride and joy rebuilt. The paint is buttery smooth, the engine purrs like a kitten, and the interior smells of fresh carpet and leather. You stand back, enjoying her beauty. It’s time to go for a cruise. Roll down the windows, pull out on the freeway and enjoy! A few miles down the road, you think, “Hey, a little music would make this even better. Some of the classics! That’s what I need.” You turn on the radio, only to hear static engulfing your favorite radio station and tinny sound from an old paper speaker of your classic car audio system, mounted in the center of the dash. And you were so close to perfection!

Don’t fret – there are hundreds of expert mobile enhancement retailers around the country who can add a little music to your ride without messing with the look of the interior or affecting the value of the car. From a numbers-matching restoration to a junktastic rat rod or the car you had back in high school – adding modern features and great sound isn’t as hard as you think.

1) Define Your Classic Car Audio Objective

Before you go shopping, do some research. Google what other people have done with similar vehicles. Go to a cruise night or car show and ask questions. What car guy doesn’t want to talk about the mods he’s made to his car? Decide whether you need everything to be invisible, or if a little custom work would result in better sound from your system.

While these are harder to quantify, determine your goals and expectations for the system. If you want to sit in the driver’s seat and be able to hear Bruce Springsteen’s voice coming from the middle of the windshield, with his band spread evenly to the left and right, like you were sitting center-stage at a concert, then let your installer know. If you just need some music for a short cruise, that’s entirely achievable. If rocking out to Def Leppard and concert-like volumes are your speed, let ’em know.

How an audio system is designed is based on the goals for the system. A single set of speakers on the rear deck is only going to work for one of these examples. If that is your choice for the other two, you will be disappointed.

2) You’re Going to Need a Source Unit

When it comes to source units, there are countless options. If keeping the vehicle looking absolutely 100% original is the name of the game, then there’s no way you are going to put a modern double-DIN multimedia receiver in the dash or a custom center console. That doesn’t mean you can’t still have great sound. One option is to mount a radio under the seat or in the glove box. Most radios can be controlled by a remote control, and some have smartphone control options. Launch an app on your phone, and that becomes the face of your radio. Pick a station, adjust the volume or select your favorite tunes from a USB memory stick.

If you don’t want anything visible anywhere, that’s not a problem. Your installer can mount a Bluetooth receiver in the dash with a tiny amplifier. The Bluetooth receiver becomes your source unit. You play music from your phone. The phone volume becomes the system volume. It’s pretty easy to use and completely invisible.

If you have headed down the path of a custom project, then working with your fabricator to integrate a modern head unit in the dash or center console is a great idea. You can go with something simple like a CD receiver, or step up to a multimedia receiver with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you are going to be hitting the road, these smartphone integration solutions let you listen to incoming text messages and dictate responses, make phone calls, choose the music you want to listen to and provide turn-by-turn navigation, all by simply talking to the radio.

For a slightly less-conspicuous look, many people choose a marine radio and marine remote control as their source unit. You can hide the radio in the trunk or under a seat, and then control the unit from a wired remote control. These remotes often have LCD displays to let you know what’s playing, and include controls for volume, source selection and track adjustments. Most are sized similarly to standard 3-inch gauges like a tachometer or speedo.

3) Speakers Matter

If you are a regular reader of BestCarAudio.com, then you will know that speakers are crucial to the overall performance and quality of any sound system. You can invest thousands of dollars in a head unit, amplifiers and signal processors, but if you don’t have great speakers, you won’t have great sound. Speakers are the only link between your equipment and your ears.

Just as with source units, the size of speakers you have installed and their location is going to depend on the style of your classic car. If you have a 32 Ford Model A Roadster, there aren’t going to be speaker locations in the dash to work with. Here are a few options to ensure your system sounds great.

If you do have factory speaker locations, use them. Buy the best speakers you can and have them installed in those locations. If you are worried about the look, have your installer add a piece of grille cloth under the factory grille to conceal any overly shiny attributes of the speaker. This is great for systems that are designed to “add a little music.”

Another option is to replace a factory panel with a custom piece. Let’s say you have a ’79 Corvette. Replace those factory kick panels with a set of custom panels and install a set of coaxial speakers in there. Your installer can finish the panels in a vinyl or leather that matches the factory pattern and ensure that the color looks just right with the rest of your interior. You can keep the factory panels in safekeeping in the event you need to return the car to stock condition.

4) You Can Never Have Too Much Power

No, a blown 500 cubic inch engine is not part of the stereo upgrade recipe (but please don’t let us stop you if that’s part of the plan). We are talking stereo system power. To reproduce music, you need to deliver power to your speakers. If you want to listen at higher volume levels, you need more power. Most radios on the market offer between 18 and 20 watts of real, usable power. If you have a big motor or loud exhaust, or happen to be in a convertible, the radio alone won’t be enough to make your music audible when you’re cruising the Interstate.

Adding a quality amplifier to your system doesn’t just let you turn the volume up; it makes your music sound better at low to moderate volumes. That little bit of extra control is like having the torque of a big block behind your speakers. Your music will have more impact and sound more dynamic.

High-quality amplifiers start in sizes around that of a small brick. That’s right: Something as small as 9 by 3 by 2 inches can provide 50 watts per channel to four speakers without even breaking a sweat. These modern amps will fit up in your dash, under a seat, in a center console or under the rear deck without altering the functionality of your vehicle by taking up all sorts of space.

5) Electrical Systems Requirements

Your audio system works the same way as your engine does: If you want to make more power, you need to deliver more fuel. This might mean larger fuel lines and an upgraded pump if you are the kind of person who likes to have “a little more than stock.” If you install an amplifier in your car, then you have to be sure it is wired correctly. High-quality copper power wire is a must. Forget that cheap aluminum stuff – you don’t want any hassles. All connections have be electrically and mechanically secure to ensure proper power delivery. If you decide to go with a large amp, or have added a subwoofer (we’ll get to that next), then proper power delivery is crucial to ensuring your amplifiers will perform.

Your battery and alternator have to be up to the task as well. If you have a ’74 Beetle with a 50 amp alternator, you won’t be installing a 1,000 watt stereo and listening to it at full volume. Likewise, make sure that battery is in tip-top shape. If you don’t drive the car during the week, invest in a high-quality battery maintenance solution. Keeping that battery topped up will make it last a lot longer and ensure your car is ready to go when you are.

6) If the Shoe Fits, Add a Subwoofer

We are back to the discussion of what works for your vehicle. If you are headed to Pebble Beach, you may be reading the wrong article. If you are headed to a cruise night, then warming up the sound of your stereo system with a subwoofer is a very good idea. Forget the stereotype of kids driving down the street with their rap music blaring and body panels vibrating. Adding a subwoofer accomplishes two important tasks in terms of improving the performance of your sound system.

Subwoofers are specifically designed to reproduce the bottom two octaves of the music we listen to – that’s 20 to 40 Hz and 40 to 80 Hz. To reproduce these frequencies accurately, a speaker has to move a lot of air. A small 6.5-inch coaxial mounted in your doors isn’t going to produce a 35 Hz sound with any authority or detail. Adding a sub will add these frequencies to your sound system. Drums, bass guitar, a stand-up bass or a kettle drum with have warmth and impact. A subwoofer doesn’t have to rattle your teeth.

The second task a subwoofer accomplishes is to relieve the rest of your speakers from trying to reproduce bass frequencies. If your sub can play up to 80 Hz, then your door or rear deck speakers only has to play down to 80 Hz. Your smaller speakers will sound much better and be able to play those sounds above 80 Hz with more output and detail. Your entire stereo will sound better.

7) Research Your Partner

When you look for someone to work on a classic car (or any car, for that matter), you are trusting them to use their skills and experience to accomplish a task for you. In the same way that it can be hard to find a great mechanic, it takes research to find a great installer. Read reviews, look at examples of their work and talk to other classic car owners. There are some truly amazing installers in the mobile enhancement industry. Once you find one who “gets it,” stick with them. Don’t grind and haggle over a few bucks. Ensure the job is done right, with quality materials, excellent workmanship and extraordinary attention to detail.

Music Makes Every Road Trip Better

Whether you are taking a drive across town to visit a friend or want to join the Hot Rod Power Tour next year, having music along with you can make the trip a lot more enjoyable. Do some research, ask some questions and listen to as many car audio systems as you can. There is a solution for your classic car audio; it’s just a matter of working with the right retailer to find one that fits.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

To Get Better Sound, Do I Need to Replace My Factory Source Unit?

Not all that long ago, upgrading the performance of your car audio system required that you replace the factory source unit. The industry had dozens of premium CD receivers with state-of-the-art signal processing and high-end digital-to-analog converters. The popularity of these source units and the audio systems that could be built around them was not lost on automakers.

Slowly, technologies like Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free calling, USB support for digital audio files, and direct smartphone control have become the norm when you purchase a new vehicle. On the audio side of things, automakers have partnered with companies like Panasonic, Bose and Harman to provide expertise in configuration and tuning to elevate the performance of factory-installed systems dramatically.

If you go shopping for a new vehicle, you may notice that the radio is no longer a single component in the vehicle. Some manufacturers spread audio control and information display across three locations in the vehicle. Replacing the radio simply isn’t an option in many applications.

For those of us who want to upgrade our sound systems, the philosophy and process have changed a great deal. If we can’t replace the radio, can we get great sound? Thanks to ongoing research and innovation, the answer to that question is a resounding “yes.” Let’s look at how this is accomplished.

Fix What’s Broken

Factory Source Unit — Factory speakers are a weak link in an automotive audio system.

The source unit in a modern vehicle usually has most of the features and functionality we need. Smartphone integration solutions like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, well-tuned Bluetooth hands-free, and a backup camera are very common. Where most audio systems suffer is in the amount of power they have available and the speakers.

Not having enough power means that when you turn the volume up past a certain point, the signal begins to distort. Not only does this sound bad, but it delivers additional energy to the speakers and can damage them. It has been said that you can never have too much power. In terms of ensuring the signal going to the speaker is clean and undistorted, this statement is perfectly true.

The second issue is the speakers that automakers use. Even in premium branded systems with names like Lexicon, Bose, Boston Acoustics or JBL, the speakers are, at best, mediocre. Sure, there are some exceptions, but on average, they lack the accuracy, detail, excursion capabilities and power handling of a quality aftermarket speaker.

If you want to improve the performance of your factory sound system, add more power and have better speakers installed. The recipe is really just that simple.

The Steps to Success

The first step your local mobile electronics retailer will take is to determine how best to integrate with the factory radio. In some cases, this is as simple as connecting the speaker wires from the back of the radio to speaker-level inputs on a new amplifier. If the factory stereo system includes an amplifier, then a line level converter may be required to reduce the voltage to something that the new amp can use properly.

If you have a more-advanced factory audio system that includes equalization, crossovers and signal delay, the integration process requires hardware between the factory amp and your new high-power amplifier. Several companies have developed processors that will undo much of the tuning built into these amps and provide a full-bandwidth signal that your installer can use to build the new system.

Another option is to use a factory amplifier replacement module. These devices accept the audio signal from the radio and, in most cases, capture volume control information from the vehicle’s CAN bus. The output of these replacement modules works just like an aftermarket radio – we have a full-bandwidth signal that can be used to drive new amplifiers.

Advanced System Integration

At the highest levels of factory audio system integration are systems that include upmixers. An upmixer is a device that takes the stereo audio signal from your radio, iPhone or CD and converts it to multiple channels. In most cases, this includes left, center, right, left rear, right rear and subwoofer signals. Why do automakers implement upmixers? When tuned properly, your music will sound great from every seat in the vehicle. Both the driver and passenger will hear a performer recorded at the center of the stage from the middle of the dash.

To integrate with these systems, it’s often best if we keep the factory signal processing in place, then add a digital signal processor (DSP) between the factory amp and the new high-power amplifiers. The DSP lets us fine-tune the frequency response of the system so the new speakers can produce an amazingly accurate and lifelike listening experience.

Speaker Upgrades

As we mentioned, it is important to upgrade the speakers in your vehicle to achieve an overall improvement in sound quality. Premium speakers provide smoother frequency response, extended bandwidth (they play lower and higher in the frequency spectrum), increased power handling and louder volume. If you are going to add amplifiers, then it only makes sense to ensure your speakers will be able to make use of that newfound power.

Speaker shopping can be somewhat difficult. Listening to speakers on display boards doesn’t always provide a sense of what those speakers will sound like in the vehicle. A close look at the speaker design, research into the brand’s reputation and a thorough understanding of speaker technologies may prove to be a better way to shop.

One problem with this approach is marketing. No matter the quality of a new speaker, every manufacturer wants people to think that their products are the best. Filtering the genuine features from the marketing fluff can be difficult. Work with your retailer to find a solution that sounds great, fits your budget and works with your application.

System Installation

If only installing mobile electronics equipment were as easy as setting up a new microwave. We can’t simply plug it in and turn it on. Wires have to be run, connections have to be made and equipment has to be mounted. Budget for these requirements before you go shopping. The performance of a new speaker in your vehicle depends as much as on how it is installed as on its design.

If you are changing speaker sizes, you will want plastic adapters instead of wood to eliminate the chance of damage due to water infiltration. You will want high-quality interconnects to ensure noise can’t creep into the system. You will need large-gauge power wire to deliver current to your new amplifiers efficiently. Talk to your retailer about the products and processes he uses.

It’s Not Over Yet

The last step of the installation process is to tune the system. Even the addition of a subwoofer requires proper tuning. The installer should confirm that the output of the sub is combining acoustically with the rest of the speakers in the vehicle. The sensitivity of the amplifier should be set so the systems have excellent overall balance and won’t distort when the volume is turned up.

At the top end of the spectrum, systems with new DSP units require that each channel of the sound system be tuned to provide smooth frequency response. Having the right channel a little brighter or more laid back than the left will cause the location of a performer or an instrument to seem to move around the vehicle as its frequency content changes. We want everything to be stable and naturally balanced. Budget for at least an hour or two of tuning to ensure you are getting everything you can from your upgrade.

Enjoy Better Sound

Upgrading your sound system with new amplifiers and speakers is a great way to increase maximum volume, reduce distortion, and improve imaging and staging. The process most certainly doesn’t require a new source unit, but it does take some planning. Work with your local mobile electronics retailer to design an upgrade for your sound system. The experience will truly let you enjoy your music in a way you have never heard before.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Google’s Waze offers the Best in Navigation

It’s not often that a piece of software creates a significant impact on our daily lives. Milestone social media apps like Facebook and Twitter most certainly remain in the limelight, but when it comes to actually being productive, Waze is a major step forward in navigation apps for our smartphones. In the summer of 2017, Waze announced that it would include compatibility with Android Auto to make it, quite possibly, the best navigation solution for Android phone users to date.

What is Waze?

When Waze launched in 2006 it was called FreeMap Israel. It was a turn-by-turn navigation application for smartphone users. Fast forward to 2013: Waze won the prestigious Best Overall App award at the Mobile World Congress conference. In the same year, Waze was purchased by Google for an impressive $1 billion. Google knows the value of information better than almost any other company in the world, so its choice to invest in Waze makes sense.

Waze Map Updates

Waze differs from other navigation solutions in two very important ways. Users of Waze have the ability to update map information. If there is new construction in your neighborhood or a reconfiguration of a freeway onramp, you can update the map information in real time on your smartphone. That information will be integrated into the map database, and all other Waze users can continue to enjoy the latest mapping and navigation information without the need to wait for updates or downloads.

Historically, changes to map information could take anywhere from months to years to become available. While map companies like TomTom (formerly TeleAtlas) and HERE (formerly Navteq) do update their databases quite frequently, that new information takes time to trickle through the update process for portable and vehicle navigation systems. Waze is up-to-date within hours.

Real-time Traffic Information

The second key feature of Waze is its ability to share traffic flow information with fellow users. Waze is often referred to as a crowdsourced navigation solution, as users can report traffic jams, accidents, road closures and the presence of police. Within seconds of reporting an accident or a traffic jam, all your fellow Waze users receive that information.

Waze will consider traffic jams as it creates new routing plans. If you live in a major urban area that is prone to congestion, this information can prevent significant delays and help get you to your destination much faster.

Using Waze with Android Auto

As voice control is the key benefit of Android Auto, using Waze to plan your drive is easy. Initiate the voice recognition command, then simply ask for the destination or address you want, and include the word Waze at the end of the address. Android Auto will launch Waze and calculate your route.

The Waze interface on Android Auto is very similar to what you would see while using it on your smartphone. The fonts on the screen are nice and large, and accessing route-planning options like avoiding toll roads or picking a different route are easy to get to. Many users report that Waze is, in fact, easier to configure than Google Maps.

Reporting Information

As we mentioned, a key feature of Waze is the ability to report information to other users. Tapping the Listen button will let you report traffic jams, accidents, bad weather, road closures, and more by talking to the system. You can say, “Report a traffic jam,” and Waze will ask you how bad it is. You can share the location of hidden or visible police or let your fellow Wazers know there is a pothole or ice on the road.

As users approach the location where you have provided information, they will see an alert on their screen. In the case of obstacles and police, your fellow users can also report that the obstacle has been cleared. It’s all simple, quick and easy – just like Android Auto itself.

The Navigation Experience

Of course, Waze includes full turn-by-turn navigation prompting and will read out street and freeway names. You get lots of warning to let you know what maneuver is coming up next to reduce the need for sudden lane changes that can endanger you and your fellow drivers.

When you plan a route with Waze, you have the option of choosing from three different routes. Waze displays obstacle icons along a bar and the associated travel time and distance for each route. Choosing the best path is quick, easy and efficient.

If Waze is alerted to a traffic jam along your route, it will provide you with a prompt that suggests a new route and the new travel time and estimated time of arrival. You can, of course, choose to ignore that advice, but we recommend you don’t.

Another cool feature of Waze is that it will notify you of obstacles, even without a route planned. If you are driving along and someone has reported a pothole or hidden police officer, the notification appears just the same.

Is There a Downside to Waze?

Do silver linings always have a dark cloud? Maybe, maybe not. There is one limitation to Waze that is a bit of an annoyance. You can only plan routes that are less than 1,000 miles. If you are in San Francisco and want to go to Niagara Falls, you can’t plan a single route. You need to choose a destination within 1,000 miles, then plan another 1,000 miles from that point. What’s more frustrating, Google Maps CAN plot that route. Waze provides a message that they are “working to increase that distance,” but that’s been a limitation for a long time.

The other thing about Waze is advertisements. We all know that Google loves to sell advertising. Companies like McDonald’s, Whole Foods and Taco Bell all pay for pop-up ads that are displayed when you are using Waze on your smartphone. Good news, though: These advertisements aren’t currently displayed when you are using Waze with Android Auto. That would be contradictory to the philosophy of reducing driver distractions.

Check out Android Auto and Waze Today

If your car, truck or SUV came with Android Auto, then check out Waze next time you are in the car. If you don’t have an Android Auto-equipped radio, drop into your local mobile enhancement retailer and ask if there is a solution for your vehicle. Android Auto and CarPlay are amazing products, and can not only make your time behind the wheel much safer but also more productive.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

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