Hifonics Release 09/10 range of Brutus Amps

Maxxsonics' new Hifonics Brutus amplifier line up offers the most versatile and comprehensive Super D-Class series than ever before.

For years, Brutus BXI amplifiers have been recognized the world over as some of the best subwoofer amplifiers in their class. The new Brutus amps are 1-Ohm stable, but also run at 4- or 2-Ohms for a much tighter bass response.

Simply put, watt for watt, a Brutus amplifier produces more output with less impact on a car’s battery and charging system, than many other amps available today. Translated into cost, that’s more wattage output with less battery current used, equaling more watts per dollar.

For SPL, nothing compares to the Super D-Class grade microprocessors developed exclusively by Hifonics. In relying on this super-speed enhanced chip-set, Brutus BXI amplifiers offer higher current capacities and more precise digital to analog conversion. The result is very low distortion, even at high listening levels. For high performance sound, Hifonics doesn’t miss a beat by also including a Brutus A/BClass amplifier in the line.

According to John Studley, Vice President Product Development, “Our Brutus amps not only sound great, but look great with an extruded aluminum chassis and an illuminated Hifonics logo. We spend just as much time and detail on the technology of our products as we do on the exterior.” Studley concluded by saying, “Even the Hifonics logo was designed so that it has a soft haloed illumination that is tasteful and not distracting.”

See the Brutus series and complete line up from Hifonics at the Maxxsonics booth, North Hall 1809 at CES.

MODEL/ RMS POWER /MSRP

A/B-Class

BXI610 1 x 150 W @ 4 Ω, 1 x 300 W @ 2 Ω, 1 x 600 W @ 1 Ω $449.95

D-Class

BXI1210D 1 x 450 W @ 4 Ω, 1 x 900 W @ 2 Ω, 1 x 1200 W @ 1 Ω $649.95

BXI1610D 1 x 550 W @ 4 Ω, 1 x 1100 W @ 2 Ω, 1 x 1600 W @ 1 Ω $799.95

BXI2010D 1 x 650 W @ 4 Ω, 1 x 1300 W @ 2 Ω, 1 x 2000 W @ 1 Ω $999.95

BXI2610D 1 x 850 W @ 4 Ω, 1 x 1700 W @ 2 Ω, 1 x 2600 W @ 1 Ω $1199.95

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Pioneer AVIC-F900BT - Navigation Review

The Latest Version Of The AVIC Is Loaded With Features At A Budget Price

MSRP: $1,100
A few months ago I had the opportunity to testdrive the new AVIC F-series of navigation/multimedia source units in one of the various demo vehicles that Pioneer arranged for the press preview. The F-series basically replaces the D line, which ended with the D3. Like the latter, the new products are priced low enough that, value-wise, it would be a much better deal for people who want navigation to buy an AVIC F than one of the PNDs from the big three nav makers. After all, the AVIC-F900BT is superior in many ways to the D-series and costs only a little over a grand, for which you get a lot of built-in media functionality, along with the navigation.

There were some glitches in the pre-production models at the preview- some of the same issues some users have experienced with the production models. But the new AVICs seemed very promising, and I looked forward to having the chance to use one of various source units in the line.

Affordable All-In-One

Ostensibly, the AVIC-F900BT that I received for review is the complete package. The double-DIN unit with a 5.8-inch touchscreen has map data (from TeleAtlas) completely contained on a flash drive. A lot of nav users will be glad to hear that DVD-ROMs are no longer necessary. So you have navigation, DVD playback, and music galore via disc, iPod, a thumb drive, or an SD card, not to mention HD Radio and satellite radio with adapters, which have to be purchased separately. Conveniently, there's also a mini-jack connection on the face of the source unit. The 3.5mm mini-jack aux input is a great feature, but that too requires Pioneer's CD-RM10 cable in order for you to connect an A/V device to the unit.

This AVIC also has you covered for Bluetooth. You can connect three phones and the F900BT will store 400 contacts; it allows you to be totally hands-free. That applies for accessing music from your iPod as well. The F900BT has voice recognition software (called the VoiceBox Conversational Voice Search Platform) that makes it possible for you to select music folders and tracks by voice command. As with a lot of voice command systems, it can have problems understanding your requests. Be it the Ford Sync, the AVIC-Z3, or a separate aftermarket Bluetooth kits-I've yet to find a product that works as advertised in terms of the voice recognition quality. In theory, you can make calls, select tracks off your iPod, and even make some navigation commands just by using your voice. It's not perfect, but it's better than not having the option. Caveats or not, the above features are a pretty amazing collection of options. They may be found on other pre-existing (and separate) products, but at $1,100, this seems to be a real steal.

Add the option for MSN Direct for traffic information, movie time listings, and a list of the gas stations with the best per gallon prices and more, and you can see why I say that the F900BT is the complete package. MSN Direct is a must-have. And the GOOG-411 service is a nice add-on feature. You can use it to search for and connect to local businesses via a toll-free number. The only thing that is important to me that the unit lacks is the ability for DVD-Audio or, say, SACD playback. But then when was the last time you actually bought a disc in one of those formats? OK, not big misses there. On the audio side, the F900BT takes care of business, and will probably be robust enough for most music fans. There are seven preset EQ curves; and you can make a couple of your own custom EQ settings. There's also a three-band parametric EQ that allows you to select the Q factor, a highpass filter, adjustable loudness, and SLA (source level adjustment) to keep your volume settings consistent over different sources.

Navigating Potential

The main selling point for most consumers, of course, is going to be the navigation. The map data covers the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii (and Canada) on a 2GB flash drive. That contains the usual list of POIs as well. The graphics are fine and the lane departure indicator is terrific, but the voice guidance could have provided faster alerts to turns on surface streets and exits off freeways, for example. But the bigger problem was that accessing data can test your patience. Searching for a POI "around the current GPS location" requires a wait of a few seconds to get to the next menu window. Also, I looked for Nixon's library locally as a tourist attraction, but it wasn't listed on the search result. When I typed it in on another search I finally got the address. So there are some things you might think should be more intuitive than it is; however, I should add that I find this kind of problem a lot with various nav devices. What compounds the issue of an already slow system is something more fundamental: I counted anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds for the system to load when I started the car. The only thing I could do during that time was insert a CD and adjust the volume. Whether or not this is a big deal will depend on your level of patience. I just don't happen to have a lot of it.

There are issues such as the above that make what was potentially an amazing product a decent product instead. The lesser-than-average visibility of the monitor, especially during the day, the average touchscreen responsiveness and the flat, difficult-to-use volume knob also detract from what was a great concept: a multimedia navigation unit priced for the masses. Early adopters of the AVIC F-series have encountered problems with the Bluetooth, iPod functionality, and the system loading time. On the F900BT, I experienced dropped calls as well. To address the different problems Pioneer released a firmware update. You can go to the company's website, www.pioneerelectronics.com and go to the navigation section. There are explicit directions for downloading the firmware and for loading it via SD card to your F900BT or other F-series unit (the F500BT is excluded). You'll find that it will improve the performance of a product, making it that much more worth the price. And ultimately, at this price point (and that is the point) there isn't another product with as much to offer and that is as easy to use while being so feature-rich. The question is: How much is too much for a product with great and various capabilities that are countered by some functionality issues? There are always value or quality trade-offs when you buy things. I would suggest you go for your own testdrive to determine if the new AVIC is worth it for you. I should note that the latest shipment of AVICs have the firmware included, which should make your decision to buy a little easier.

Key Features

5.8-inch touchscreenMap data on flash driveVoiceBox for voice control of iPod and BluetoothMSN Direct (with subscription)Satrad (Sirius or XM) and HD Radio readySteering wheel control compatibility (optional, requires separate interface)DVD playbackSix-channel preamp outputs (front, rear, subwoofer)May need firmware update Click Here to Read More..

Kicker WX10000.1 Warhorse

MSRP $9,999.99
With dimensions measuring 35 inches by 17 3/4 inches by 3 3/4 inches and a total weight of 66 pounds, the Warhorse is a monster of an amp. On the other hand, it's about the same size as amps with much lower power output, say, around 3,000 watts. That raises the question of whether it's efficient enough to actually make its claimed 10 kilowatts of power.

Before I get into it, let's look at what we're working with. Kicker has rated this beast at 10,000 watts into a 2-ohm load, or 5,000 watts into a 4-ohm load. As far as the class, it's not D, AB, or anything else you might be familiar with. In fact, the operation of this amp is so unique that Kicker has applied for a patent so they can classify it. I'll do my best to explain all that, but in the meantime study up on Class D operation and pulse width modulation as a reference point.

The amp has the usual features you'd expect to find in a big subwoofer amp like 24dB/octave highpass and lowpass crossovers, 0 to 18dB of bass boost at 40Hz, and the absence of fuses. In addition, the Warhorse sports three ought-gauge power and three ought-gauge ground cable connectors, and two pairs of 8-gauge Anderson connectors for the speaker outputs. No, it's not a stereo amp-strictly mono.

Eight indicator lights on the control panel reveal several conditions. PWR illuminates when the amp is on and working properly. NET shows that you're connected to the optional WXRC remote control, which offers expanded crossover slope selections in addition to being able to make adjustments from the driver seat. There are also LED indicators for over-voltage, under-voltage, overheated and short-circuit. The X-BNDW light tells you that you have set the lowpass crossover lower than the highpass crossover, while the Service light lets you know that you probably need to get the amp back to the Kicker service department or at least call the tech support line.

The unit looks like an oversized black briefcase with extruded fins running the length of each side. The top is an engraved black aluminum plate with a molded plastic hood over the entry for the power cables. The cast endcaps house the cooling fans and provide a very structural look to the whole unit. The power and ground-all six ought-gauge cables-come into the amp at almost the center of the top plate. All other connections and controls are hidden halfway along the nearside heat sink under a matching cover plate.

Circuitry
Looking under the cover, the first thing you'll notice is the four planar transformers and the huge buss bars that run across the topside of the main circuit board. The transformers are about the size of your hand and resemble a stack of pancakes. The primary and secondary windings are stacked on top of each other rather than being several strands of wire intertwined. The turn ratio is 19 to 1, meaning there are literally 19 turns of flat wound copper for each secondary and one turn for each primary. The primary looks more like a big horseshoe-shaped PCB trace. Each planar transformer is rated at 5,000 watts for a total capacity of 20,000 watts.

The positive and negative power cables feed the transformers directly by way of the plated copper buss bars. The B+ power supply is stabilized by a total of 50 3,300F/105 C capacitors. That makes for a lot of instant juice on tap.
The entire backside of the heat sink is occupied by 64 MOSFETs, 16 for each of the four transformers. Normally, I'd call these devices "switchers" to drive the transformers and create the positive and negative rails, but this is where we deviate substantially from every other amp. These MOSFETs do actually drive the transformers, but not at a steady rate to create a "reservoir" of output power. They actually drive the transformers directly to the speaker outputs in a pulse-width modulation fashion. This effectively eliminates the section of the amp that would normally be called the "output" section, and also eliminates the efficiency losses associated with output sections, whatever class they may be.

Let's look at the input section. The analog music signal from your head unit enters the amp by way of a pair of gold-plated RCA connectors, and goes pretty much straight to a Texas Instruments DSP chip. There's plenty of support circuitry around the DSP. In fact, the input board is about 6 inches by 8 inches, but all of the processing goes on inside the chip. The gain, crossover, bass boost, and limiter controls are all single element potentiometers that feed reference signals to the DSP chip. In other words, they have no direct effect on the analog signal; they just tell the processor what you want it to do. Once the analog signal enters the DSP, there's no more analog signal until you get to the output filter at the speaker outputs. Because the crossovers and bass boost are handled in the digital domain, the curves are picture perfect and very precise.

Here's where things get even stranger. In a typical amp you have an input stage, a power supply stage, and an output stage where the first two stages work together to kick out the tunes. The power supply runs at a constant rate, creating a "reservoir" of power (called "rails") that's fed to the speakers through the output transistors as the input section commands. In the Warhorse, there's an input stage as usual, but the output and power supply stages are combined. Instead of creating a reservoir of power for the output stage to use, the DSP causes the power supply to actually create the output signal directly. Instead of running at a constant level, the power supplies are constantly going up and down (signal modulated) in response to the DSP to create the output voltage. There are no output transistors.

That's the conceptual picture, pretty much devoid of the details. At this point you may be thinking, "That's too easy" or "Why hasn't this been done before?" While the concept is easy, the execution requires a fairly powerful DSP, as well as a fairly powerful brain trust to program the DSP. On this scale (remember this amp puts out 10,000 watts), it also requires the planar transformers with specific coupling and power characteristics.

The DSP is in complete control of the transformers, running a constant pulse of 24kHz. That doesn't mean the transformers are creating a large 24kHz output signal, but that's the clock speed for the pulse-width modulation. When a signal comes into the DSP, it sends off/on pulses to the transformer switchers of the appropriate duration to create both the frequency and the amplitude of the output. In a pulse width modulation format the length of the pulse will correspond to the output voltage level, and in this amp the length of the pulses will be limited to 1/24,000 of a second. A maximum pulse (100 percent) will result in maximum power output, while a half-length pulse (50 percent) results in half power. At idle, there's zero current going through the transformers, but it's still happening at 24kHz.

This is where the amp is like a Class D amp. If the transformer is completely accurate (not possible, by the way) the output will consist of really large squared waves. In reality, the transformer will round these square pulses considerably, plus there's an output filter consisting of a coil and capacitor(s) to finish converting the squared pulses to nice round sine waves. The output filter coils in the Warhorse actually look just like large transformers that would be used in the power supply of a big Class AB amp.

So you now have output signal to feed your speakers, and it should resemble the analog input signal that came into the DSP to start with. The DSP takes feedback from the speaker outputs and makes real-time adjustments to the pulses to create a more accurate reproduction of the original signal, only lots bigger.

There are two separate sets of speaker outputs on the Warhorse, but they're not parallel. You have to use both of them and you have to use them on a dual voice coil speaker, one output to each coil of the speaker. One set handles the positive side of the wave and the other handles the negative side. The + and - labels on the amp correspond to the labels on the speaker's voice coil terminals. At full power this amp is making around 141 volts between 20Hz and 200Hz. Household AC is 120 volts at 60Hz. If you fed the amp with a 60Hz signal, you could probably use it as a backup generator for your house, so don't mess around with the speaker outputs when this amp is on.

Performance
The amp tested as advertised in all respects. The frequency response is exactly 20Hz to 200Hz at the -3dB points, though we used +0/-1dB for the test results. The crossovers and bass boost are exact as well, which is a direct result of the signal being handled in the digital domain by the DSP chip. Power at 14.4-volt input exceeded 10 kilowatts by 350 watts-the equivalent of a decent subwoofer amp. While 10,000 watts is pretty impressive, the fact that the WX10000.1 can deliver it with almost 90 percent efficiency is amazing. Class AB amps hover around 50 percent, so this amp can deliver almost twice the output power for any given power input. You can feed two of these amps for the price of one.

There was no indication on the scope of any turn-on or turn-off noise. Who needs a 10,000-watt turn-on pop?

Slew rate and damping factor have been omitted from this test due to the way the amp works and the importance of such specs for an amp of this size. Testing was complicated by the fact that the DSP is instantly responding to the output feedback. The compensation by the DSP resulted in a negative ratio for the damping factor. The precision of the DSP also resulted in a very low slew rate at the output, which corresponded very closely to the actual slope of a wave at 200Hz. In other words, we were only able to measure what the DSP was causing the amp to do, rather than what it might be capable of.

Manual
The owner's manual is a pretty comprehensive affair. In fact, I suggest you read the manual before purchasing the amp, just to make sure you're equal to the commitment. The manual is where you learn about having to build an electrical substation to feed the beast. Yes, I'm exaggerating but seriously, Kicker recommends no less than eight batteries of 800cca plus two alternators putting out 200 amps each. That's in addition to the battery and alternator just to run the vehicle. As well, you have to run ought-gauge cable everywhere to boot.

Besides the electrical requirements, and the structural mounting bracket, the manual shows several wiring configurations, and explains the controls clearly. The warranty is three months (consumer installed) or two years when installed by an authorized dealer.

Conclusion
Kicker has managed to break new ground here, and do it in a big way. The Warhorse is expensive, but it's intended for use in decibel machines and show systems. The retail dollars-to-watts ratio is a pretty high 97 cents, but using this amp will reduce the overall cost of batteries and alternators due to its high efficiency. Check out the Kicker Warhorse van making appearances around the country if you want to experience what this kind of power is all about.

Test Results
Output power @ 1% THD, 50Hz, 14.4 volts
Mono @ 4 ohms 1 x 5,494 watts
Mono @ 2 ohms 1 x 10,350 watts
Output power @ 1% THD, 50Hz, 12.5 volts
Mono @ 4 ohms 1 x 4,050 watts
Mono @ 2 ohms 1 x 8,052 watts
Distortion at rated power, 50Hz, 14.4 volts 0.66% @ 2 ohms
Input sensitivity 165mV to 5.2 volts
Frequency response (+1dB) 25Hz - 170Hz
S/N ratio (A weighted, below clipping, min. gain) >82dB
Idle current 3.5 amps
Maximum current consumption, unclipped 801 amps @ 10,350 watts
Efficiency at one-third power, lowest impedance 88%
Efficiency at full power, 1%THD, lowest impedance 89.7%
Crossover slope 24dB/octave
Crossover range, lowpass 50Hz - 200Hz
Crossover range, highpass 20Hz - 60Hz
Low-frequency boost +18dB @ 40Hz
Dimensions 35"L x 17.75"W x 3.75"H
Weight 66.8 pounds

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Kicker ZX350.4 -- Clarity With Agressive Looks

Kicker's impressive ZX350.4 amplifier.

Stillwater Designs, now better known as Kicker, is an "All American" company that's been around a long time. Back in the day, they originated the "kicker" box before anyone else even thought about it - that's probably why people still refer to them as "kicker" boxes. In the early 1990s the company started building amplifiers and has since quietly grown into a large force in the market. This time we take a look at the latest stage in the evolution of the Kicker amplifier, the ZX350.4.

Description
Kicker rates the 4-channel ZX350.4 amplifier at 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms, 90 watts into 2 ohms and 2 x 175 watts bridged into 4 ohms. The amplifier is an unregulated Class A/B design with both RCA and speaker-level inputs, and crossover and bass boost for each pair of channels. Visually, the amplifier retains its family resemblance to Kicker amps from the past several years. It has predominantly a textured black finish with a trio of rubber-capped knobs for each channel on the top plate. Swooping "V" contours in the top sheet metal frame the Kicker badge, and a red strip of silicon rubber lines the top plate on both sides.

The ZX series is an "upside-down" style amplifier. The main chassis is an aluminum extrusion that forms the bottom and sides of the amp. A cover plate made of stamped steel with the design and vents embossed in it covers the top of the amplifier. Adorning this piece are two badges (one for the logo and the other for the model number) and the control knobs for the gain, crossover and bass boost. The cover plate fits into two red silicone-rubber extrusions along each side of the heatsink. The molded plastic endcaps hold it in place.

The power/ground/remote terminal, two 20-amp fuses and the power/protect indicator light are all found on the left endcap, while the speaker connectors, RCA and hi-level inputs, fader and crossover switches are on the right endcap. Crossover frequency, gain controls and bass boost level controls are located toward the right-hand side of the cover plate.

The circuit layout inside is pretty much what you'd expect from looking at the outside. The power supply and the amplification/output section each occupy half of the main board, with an empty 1" strip running right down the middle as a buffer between them. There are other ways of controlling noise from the power supply, but it looks like isolation is important to the engineers at Kicker. The preamp section is nicely contained on a daughter board suspended above the output end of the main board. Both circuit boards are double-sided, but the preamp board uses mostly surface-mount parts while the main board uses all through-hole parts.

Starting with the power supply, power and ground is accepted through two large brass blocks. These two blocks will accept up to 4-gauge cable, although the manual recommends 8-gauge for this one as it is the smallest 4-channel in the series. B+ runs through a pair of 20-amp fuses and a small inductor. It then goes past three 2,200F capacitors for primary filtering and on to two pairs of high-speed, 49-amp switching Mosfets. A TL494 pwm controller drives the switching through the toroidal transformer at about 36kHz, achieving rails of + and - 30VDC. Secondary filtering consists of four 3,300F capacitors to stabilize the rails.

Jumping over to the input section, the first thing I noticed is that the signal grounds are extremely well isolated from the chassis ground. With 40k ohms of isolation, this amplifier will never participate in any ground loops in your system - that's for sure. The signal and shield conductors from the RCA are all fed into low-noise op-amps, thus making this a differential input. This style of input will better reject noise radiated into your RCA cables. The owner's manual reinforces this format by recommending twisted-pair cables rather than big fat coaxial RCAs. Differential inputs are typically found on more expensive amplifiers and have the potential for much better sound quality than less expensive designs. The gain control is accomplished through additional op-amps, rather than the cheaper (and noisier) style of attenuating the signal to ground.

Lastly, the output section consists of four complementary pairs of TIP35C/TIP36C output transistors, each capable of dissipating 125 watts, or 250 watts per output channel, which is more than adequate for this unit.

Performance
The amp performed well on the bench, meeting or exceeding every specification as listed in the owner's manual. The S/N ratio was a very respectable >94dB and the frequency response measured 13Hz to an astonishing 66kHz. The crossovers drifted ever so slightly from the published spec, but the difference was small and the curves were textbook. While filters are spec'd at 50Hz to 200Hz, the lowpass range was measured 54Hz to 203Hz, and the highpass was 45Hz to 180Hz. The bass boost was right on with the published 18dB boost, but centered at 41Hz rather than 40Hz. Trust me, you're not going to hear the difference on any of this.

The protection circuits worked well, both short-circuit and thermal. I like that they're self-resetting so you don't have to turn the system off and back on. On the bench the amp fired up smoothly and there was no turn-on or turn-off noise in the car at all.

Manual
The owner's manual really cuts to the chase. On page 2 there's a place to write down the purchase details; then it tells you how to mount the amp. Wiring is next, still on page 2, and then it slows down a little to cover different system configurations and the setting of controls. Page 5 covers troubleshooting and specifications, while pages 6 and 7 are the warranty covered in four different languages. Speaking of warranty, Kicker provides a 2-year deal when purchased from an authorized dealer. As always, keep your receipt.

Listening
The ZX350.4 was installed in the trunk of my Buick and initially connected to the front separates and the rear 6 x 9s. The crossovers were set for fullrange and the subwoofer was not hooked up.

I started out as always with Donald Fagen's Kamakiriad, which is a very well-mastered recording. There is a lot going on in all of these tracks, so it can really reveal any shortcomings with the amps and speakers. Track 1, "Trans-Island Skyway" starts out with a guitar riff, adding bass, keys and percussion as the intro builds. The bass line is pretty busy and can sound muddy, but the Kicker came through. Not only was the bass clean and clear, but everything else sounded distinct and well-balanced. The center image was a little fuzzy and quite low. I checked out "Tomorrow's Girls" for the highs. The cymbals in the intro were clear and smooth. "Snowbound" revealed good low-end clarity on the Fender Rhodes keyboard and bass guitar.

Tracks from Dada's Puzzle and Mary Chapin Carpenter's Come On, Come On reinforced my initial impressions that the response and clarity were excellent, but the image remained low and somewhat indistinct.

I returned to the trunk and changed the configuration. I kept the front separates connected but set the highpass to 100Hz. The other 2-channels were bridged and connected to the subwoofer with the lowpass set to the 100Hz. I repeated some earlier tracks with good results, and then went to "Posters" on the Dada CD. This one starts out with a great drum solo, adding electric guitar along the way. It sounded great, but didn't get as loud as I really like it. No foul here, it's just a smaller amplifier than I have permanently installed. In this configuration it should put out 60 watts each to the front speakers, and 175 watts to the subwoofer, where I normally have 100 watts to each corner and over 300 on the subwoofer.

Conclusion
I like this amplifier a lot because it did what it said it would do. The Kicker ZX350.4 is a very straightforward unit that is usable in several configurations. When auditioning the amp in my car I didn't feel the imaging and staging were as good as my reference amps, but I realize that it's not an issue for most people. However, clarity and frequency response were very impressive and that's something every consumer should be concerned with.

The ZX350.4 is stylish, somewhat aggressively so. At a retail price of $349, and a max power of 387 watts, it comes in at 90 cents per watt. As a general rule, anything with a retail price under a dollar per watt is not bad (for an amp below 500 watts). Overall it's a good amp at a reasonable price.

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Car Stereo Equiptment Reviews

eCoustics.com
eCoustics is one of the most extensive sites for car stereo reviews. Reviews are compiled into two categories, expert and consumer. The expert reviews are from members of the media and the consumer reviews are from regular consumers. They also combine car stereo reviews from some of the other sites, including Epinions and CarReview. Use the link above to go directly to the car stereo reviews.

Epinions.com
Epinions is a general consumer review site, not specializing in car stereo reviews. They cover many topics that aren't related to car audio. The reviews are from people who have owned and used the products they are reviewing for an extended period of time. Use the link above to go to the Electronics section. Then you'll need to click on the car stereo link to get to the car stereo reviews.

CarReview.com
CarReview concentrates on all things automotive. They have reviews on cars, performance parts, car accessories and car audio. The reviews are consumer based, similar to Epinions. Use the link above to go to the section on car stereo reviews.

EliteCarAudio.com
EliteCarAudio strictly has reviews on car audio equipment. You can select by brand or by equipment category. Another good consumer review site. Very extensive and definitely worth visiting. Click on the link above to go directly to the section on car stereo reviews. Click Here to Read More..

All about pioneer car stereos

With all theproducts available today, it is no wonder that Pioneer is on of the leaders in the car stereo industry.

Tokyo-based Pioneer Corporation, founded in 1938 in Tokyo, began as a radio and speaker repair shop. Known as a world leader in digital entertainment products and technology advancements in the consumer electronics industry today, Pioneer North America emerged from this Tokyo-based Pioneer Corporation.

Pioneer introduced products from interactive cable TV, the Laser Disc player, developing the first Compact Disc player for the car and the first detachable face car stereo, DVD and DVD recording, plasma display, to the organic electroluminescent display. Today, the company relies on its optical disc and display technology, complimented by the state-of-art software products, and manufacturing capabilities, to be the strength of the company.

Pioneer North America, which began operations in 1972, employs almost 3,000 people. Headquarters for this company are located in Long Beach, California with Tom Haga as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Pioneer products available for vehicle installation are digital satellite radio, CD players, cassette players, equalizers, amplifiers, subwoofers and speakers. The digital satellite radio tuners offered by Pioneer are designed for Pioneer source units and feature display information such as channel name and number, artist and song name. Pioneer also offers satellite antennas to go with their satellite radio tuners. The Pioneer CD players offer a dynamic range of sounds that sound great in a car. Pioneer offers a full line of CD Receivers and CD changers, even models that will work with factory-installed stereos. These CD players are available in single and multi-disc players. Some Pioneer products feature OEL (Organic Electroluminescent) displays with customized color and motion. These OEL displays have the ability to put a screensaver with a personal digital movie right on the dash of the car. This technology was introduced to the world in 1999 and can do more than any regular display, including a screensaver, which begins when the deck is not active and have level indicators and spectrum analyzers as well as background videos. OEL displays can also be seen in bright sunlight, read from the side, which is convenient for passengers and is easier to control making it safer for the driver. Pioneer cassette players come complete with detachable face security and a supertuner. Pioneer equalizers are the tops in fine-tuning and are a powerful tool for customizing the music in the vehicle and features detachable face security as well as electronic dual-amp balancing, a multi-color display and a remote sensor for a remote controller. Amplifiers offered by Pioneer are all-powerful and deliver massive power with less heat and less distortion than a conventional amp all in a smaller chassis, which saves space during installation. Subwoofers made by Pioneer are designed specifically to return the tightest thundering bass possible in an enclosure that will fit most any size vehicle.

Pioneer’s speakers are developed using the most up-to-date technology with the widest selection to fit any installation requirement needed. Pioneer is also the largest car speaker manufacturer in the world, with speaker sizes of 6”x9”, 6”x8”, 6.5”, oversized 6.5”, 5”x7”, 5.25”, 4”x10”, 4”x6”, 4” and component speakers, component tweeters, nautical speakers, truck riders and surface mount speakers.

With all these products available today, it is no wonder that Pioneer is on of the leaders in the car stereo industry.
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All about Kenwood car audio

Kenwood products have repeatedly set the benchmark for performance, innovation and reliability for years.

Kenwood products have repeatedly set the benchmark for performance, innovation and reliability for years. Kenwood strives to produce products that will not be obsolete in the near future as well as products that the consumer will be proud to own. Kenwood is also always looking toward the future and keeping its products up-to-date with the latest technology without the consumer having to worry about their entertainment gear being up-to-date. This concept is what Kenwood calls ‘Future Ready/Already’.

Kenwood has always been Future Ready/Already even in the beginnings of the Kenwood Company. The Kenwood Company began by designing and manufacturing Japan’s first FM tuner and solid-state amplifier. After the FM tuner, the company built the most popular stereo receiver ever to sell in the United States. In 1981, Kenwood invented the world’s first audio/video amplifier and audio/video system, many years before other companies would come out with home theater products like them. Kenwood kept the invention streak rolling with the introduction of the first anti-theft car stereo in 1984. All these milestones in Kenwood’s history prove that they are Future Ready/Already.

20 years later, Kenwood is still proving that they are Future Ready/Already by introducing more products, such as the KTC-HR100 HD Radio™ tuner that is the first on the market or the Networked Home Theater Systems that play video and audio files from the home computer. Kenwood also has introduced the 3D MASK Pro™ 3-dimensional control and display system, A.M.S. ™ which is an amplifier management system, Typhoon woofer cones, K-STAT™ self-adjusting power transistors, and Image Enhancer™ tweeter technology. The 2004 Kenwood products bring entertainment of the future for the consumer to enjoy it today.

Staying Future Ready/Already keeps Kenwood examining and refining its products to keep ahead of the competition while pleasing the consumer that has come to depend on Kenwood. All emerging technologies are examined to determine how they can serve the entertainment needs of the consumer. Kenwood diligently searches for more improved ways to make them user friendly, accessible and invisible to the point where the consumer will not even think about the technology itself, the consumer will only know that they are enjoying the product. However, at

Kenwood, Future Ready/Already is more than just features and technologies. Kenwood believes that the future is now and when a consumer owns a Kenwood product, they are ready for tomorrow.

Kenwood offers the best sound and visuals available for the consumer to take on the road either across town or across the nation. The consumer can transform their vehicle into a movie theater, drown out the sound from competition, improve their navigation around town or just simply enjoy the music they enjoy. In addition, with Kenwood’s idea that the future is now, the entertainment gear offered by them is always future ready.

With all the focus that Kenwood puts on their products, they are always ready for yesterday, today and more importantly tomorrow. Kenwood strives to keep there consumers up-to-date which in turn makes for consumers who will become brand loyal to Kenwood. Click Here to Read More..

Q-Logic Car Audio Sub Enclosures

The advancements being made for getting the maximum output out of your speakers is to the peak. The subwoofers, the component or full-range systems and especially enclosure are here to bring out the most out of your stereo system fitted in the car.

The component speakers that have separate tweeters, crossovers etc giving each part of your speaker to play to its fullest while full-range speakers are easy to install and not all bad. The subwoofers that are responsible for the bass production while enclosures that play dually in the favor of your speakers. Firstly, to avoid any unwanted noise and secondly to keep your speakers away from dirt and dust.

All the equipment installed in your car to play tracks through your stereo system is individually important. Component speakers or full-range speakers are there in your car to play your favorite tracks while doing justice to all the tunes. Naturally, the more you spend the more you are going to get a great result while there are some tips and tricks that can boost up sound production of your speakers at the same time as subwoofers are there to emphasis on bass. Baffles and foam placed between your speakers has great importance as well as they make sure the body of the car and speakers to not bump into each other all the time and producing noises that will be irritating to the ears. Enclosures that are box shaped to place your speaker’s in. the main function of these enclosures is to produce sound that is accurate and tight while they keep your speakers safe from dirt, prolonging their life.

The two kinds of enclosures that can be found in the market are sealed and ported enclosures. Like the name suggests, sealed enclosures are air tight making sure no air leaves or enters the box while ported enclosures have holes in front of the box to equalize pressure within and outside the box. This enclosure may increase the efficiency but the sound production is less accurate and tight than the sealed enclosure. The only thing that matter is that the different manufacturing of these enclosures do really make a difference in the sound production. If you want an enclosure for your speakers then Qlogic car audio enclosures is the best. Their carpeting around the box makes sure it keeps your speakers away from dirt while the box itself maximizes the productivity level. Now keeping in mind the importance and role played by the enclosures, these things come with the speakers themselves although you can pick from one of the types mentioned above according to your own taste and requirement. Sealed enclosures are actually easier to make yourself and produce sound that it should while ported are way complicated and do not have more fans. Qlogic also offers every other car audio accessories to jazz up your stereo system.

The thing that attracts every customer to purchase Qlogic car audio equipment is as they are way much cheaper with warranty and result that will make you its fan. The shipping for this product is very cheap than the rest of the electronic devices. The carpeting of Qlogic looks like they are made not just to play but to look good as well. The stylish styles and boxes will dazzle up your car interior as well. You can purchase this product from the links listed below.

http://www.qlogicenclosures.com/

http://www.crutchfield.com/

http://www.carstereoworld.com/

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/

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