When it comes to upgrading your vehicle’s lighting, a clear understanding of lumens, lux and candela is not just beneficial, it’s crucial. Just like some less scrupulous car audio amplifier, speaker and subwoofer manufacturers, automotive lighting manufacturers often manipulate specifications. This is evident when you browse through platforms like Amazon, AliExpress or Temu, where you’ll […]
ARTICLES
The Four Stages of High-End Car Audio – Part 3: Imaging
The third article in our series on understanding high-end car audio systems delves into the fascinating world of imaging. In essence, imaging is the ability of an audio system to recreate the precise location of a performer or instrument on a soundstage. While not all recordings excel in this aspect, some are genuinely awe-inspiring. Let’s […]
Product Spotlight: Wet Sounds REV 12 HD Tower Speaker
When it comes to entertainment on the water, a wakeboard boat equipped with Wet Sounds REV 12 HD tower speakers is hard to beat. Whether you’re on skis or a board, having great-sounding tunes to jam to makes an afternoon ten times better. Let’s check out what makes these amazing tower speakers from California Car […]
Speaker Sensitivity – Specifications and Explanation
Every speaker, be it a tweeter, midrange driver, woofer or subwoofer, will have a sensitivity rating. Sensitivity ratings attempt to describe how much sound a speaker will produce for a given amount of power from an amplifier. There’s a common misconception that more efficiency is better. Longtime readers of BestCarAudio.com won’t be surprised to learn […]
Product Spotlight: Alpine PSS-TSLA-223 Tesla Audio Upgrade Kit
While Tesla has done a good job on the radio and navigation side of their infotainment systems, it’s a stretch to say the amp and speakers are fantastic. California Car Sounds and Tint in Campbell, CA, has a perfect solution to make your music sound amazing. Let’s check out the Alpine PSS-TSLA-223 Tesla audio system […]
Wire Equivalency Using the AWG Standard: 16+16 Isn’t 8
We recently witnessed a discussion on social media in which someone said that two 16 AWG wires could do the same work as a single 8 AWG wire. Unfortunately, the American Wire Gauge standard for stranded conductors isn’t intuitive in helping determine how multiple conductors can pass current. So let’s get geeky and do the […]
The Four Stages of High-End Car Audio – Part 2: The Soundstage
We’re back with the second of four articles discussing the listening experience of truly high-end car audio systems. In our first article, we discussed the importance of accurate frequency response. This second article will discuss the soundstage, provide a definition for it and explain why it’s crucial to recreating a recording accurately. What Is a […]
A Look at Modern ADAS Technology and Terminology
Shopping for a new car, pickup truck or SUV is impossible without being bombarded with information about ADAS technology. Advanced driver assistance systems are designed to help prevent accidents. These can be as simple as backup cameras and parking sensors or as advanced as lane keep assist and forward collision prevention systems. The latter can […]
Deep Thoughts on Car Audio Power Wire Sizing
In the 1980s, most car stereo shops had charts in the install bays that showed what size power wire should be used with different amplifiers. Some charts were based on current and cable length, while others suggested amplifier power ratings and lengths. In all cases, an essential piece of information was missing. Today, we’ll sort […]
Thunderbolt Deadbolt Locks
When it comes to protecting your work van, box truck, or adventure van from content theft, the Thunderbolt Deadbolt system from California Car Sounds is the ultimate solution. Whether you are worried about tools, personal property, or valuable cargo, these high-quality anti-theft deadbolt solutions outperform all other options on the market. What is the Thunderbolt […]