In the ’80s and ’90s, the target demographic at a car stereo shop was men ages 18 to 24. Guys would work to upgrade their cars with subwoofers, pull-out CD players and lots of speakers in hopes of having the loudest audio systems in their group of friends. Not coincidentally, during that time magazines ran […]
Subwoofers and Amplifiers – Let’s Talk About Ohms and Loads
A few weeks ago, we were browsing a few car audio related Facebook groups and Reddit subreddits. We saw the same question come up time after time: “I have two dual 2-ohm voice coil subs; how do I show the amp a 1-ohm load to make max power?” It wasn’t just once or twice that […]
Stereo System and Accessory Upgrade for Tallahassee Ford F-350
A client from Tallahassee recently contacted the team at Precision Audio to ask about upgrading the radio in his Ford F-350 and adding a bed cover. The truck came with a very basic AM/FM/CD receiver. The client wanted something that would work with his smartphone to make communication easier while driving. He also wanted a […]
A Detailed Look at the Speaker and Subwoofer Xmax Specification
For car audio enthusiasts who’ve invested time studying the Thiele/Small parameters of speakers and subwoofers, you’ll know there is a specification called Xmax. This variable, typically expressed in millimeters or inches, is intended to describe the one-way excursion capability of the driver. Put another way, it’s the distance the cone can move forward or rearward […]
A Close Look at Class-D Car Audio Amplifier Efficiency
For car audio enthusiasts, especially those interested in competing in SPL competitions, amplifier efficiency should be one of their primary concerns. In this first of three articles on efficiency, we take a close look at the Rockford Fosgate M5-1000X1 Class-D subwoofer amp and analyze how well it makes use of power at different output levels. […]