Mobile Sound

This is not just a natural along the road sound trip. As you can see, the vehicle is surrounded by huge sub woofer. Meaning, you can also hear the sound outside the vehicle. But what exactly is this truck? The truck is actually resembles something like a promotional vehicle for the mobile audio manufacturer Power Acoustik.

But the beefy sub woofers attached to its exterior parts are made by the California-based electronics manufacturer. The Mofo-10s is attached to the truck itself and the entire truck is equipped with it.

From its interior, you will see the decoration at appears like a silver lightning that actually give more power to the truck itself. When you see it running, you will definitely feel its strong appearance as enhanced by the electro-shocked graphics.  The motor structure us somewhat measured 270 ounces, and some of it are located at the trunk of an RWD car, with active crossovers, supporting cast of amps, stiffening capacitors as well as a battery with a good measure. You will definitely have e a lot of snow traction.   So if you wish to destroy your ear drums just get closer to these huge monstrous woofers and then finally hear silence after wards.

Sony has launched a new CD–based car audio and video system, the XAV-W1. Sony’s first double din-sized visual entertainment system, it boasts a Sony-designed 7-inch double WVGA TFT 800 x 480 touch monitor, Pocket-lint reported.

The report continued: “Playing DVDs, CDs and Sony’s high-quality SACDs it provides 5.1-Channel surround sound option that supports Dolby Digital surround sound and dts Digital Surround Processing playback, along with the JPEG video format, DivX video format, WMA and MP3 audio formats. MP3 players, PMPs, handheld games machines and camcorders can all be connected to the unit while a rear-monitor camera can be hooked up to display don’t-hit-the-curb video.”

Sound-wise, the “Zone by Zone” capability means separate audio zones for the front and rear seats can be set up, but if you wanted to share the same sound, the 52 watts across four channels can be “aligned” so that everyone gets the same experience wherever they are sat in the car, the report added.

According to the manufacturer, the XAV-W1 unit comes with personalization features that mean the display can be customized, even to the extent of wallpapers on the device’s screen. Other features of the XAV-W1 include the Sony DRIVE-S II that claims to make the head unit resistant to interference from road vibrations and - keep this one under your hat - “Karaoke-Mic” which enables your passengers to enjoy a sing-along of all their favorite songs. Complete with remote, the XAV-W1 is available throughout Europe this month, pricing not revealed.

Sony XAV-W1 (the ABC News review)
Editor’s Rating: 8.3 Excellent

The Sony XAV-W1 is a stylish new entrant into the aftermarket in-car audiovisual market. Its SACD-playback ability will interest serious audiophiles, while its stunning display and intuitive media-selection interface will attract anyone looking for a user-friendly in-car media player.

The good: The Sony XAV-W1 features a crisp, wide-screen display, a broad range of media-playback capabilities, and a user-friendly selection interface.

The bad: The absence of a front-mounted auxiliary input jack or USB port restricts the ability of drivers to take their generic MP3 players on the road.

Basic specs for Sony XAV-W1
Dual-zone capability
Rear-facing camera capability
LCD monitor
DVD player with LCD monitor and AM/FM tuner
DVD player
Remote control

Now you wonder, would the entertainment system complement your cheap Volvo parts? I told you, the system is especially designed to complement various car models. As a fact, I am looking forward to try it. Soon…

Having a great car will not be complete without a good audio system. Although stock car audio systems are good enough for some, music lovers like you and me would surely like to have that extra oomph. So in order to have a good car audio system, we save and buy a high-end car stereo. But what if, unfortunately, your car gets stolen or the windows broken and the car stereo taken? That would surely be a big blow.

So to avoid car audio theft, we should make sure that we take every precaution to protect it. We know that parking in a dark area is a no-no and keeping the doors locked is a priority to keep thieves away, there are things that we might not be aware of yet which can help us protect that spanking new car audio.

So I surfed the net and got these tips from this site. One of the comments read: “I’d recommend speaking to an in-car specialist about anti-theft devices first and foremost and see what is suitable for your budget. Secondly, pay more attention to where you’re parking if you aren’t already - consider the likelihood of a break-in. Also survey your car from the thieves’ perspective - is there anything on show that would be appealing to a thief? Make sure the car looks as bare as you can, and if there are vital things you need that you cannot have in the car try and conceal them as best you can.”

Here’s something that I wasn’t aware of before: “If you are bad at taking the faceplate, consider an Eclipse stereo. They use a key CD to lock the stereo if the power is cut, making the resale value very low. Plus the ones that are stolen have a high recovery rate because the have to be returned to the company to reset the locking feature after 10 tries.”

Another reads: “(Get) a factory stereo. No-one wants ‘em. Better yet, a factory stereo with a tape deck. For $15 you can buy one of those cassette-jack things and use it with an iPod.”

So there you are, just some tips to keep your car audio safe from thieves. For other tips, you can visit the site. There are things that you can do to protect your car’s audio system just by logical thinking. I know you also have an idea on how to protect a car’s audio system. So if you have one, or two maybe, you can share it here.

The Ford Motor Company will be making the HD Digital Radio available in almost all car models they will be doing starting 2008. The Detroit based company also revealed the HD Digital Radio can also be installed on the current Ford cars built from 2005 to present. This new technology was decided to be on the new car because Ford is making an effort to bring in the industry’s latest and most effective systems that deliver real time quality new automotive entertainment.

These new audio products will be available on Ford models these coming 2008. The Ford Motor Company is the very first auto maker in the US to make the HD Digital Radio installed on their cars. This new car installed audio system is offered in all the Ford brands including Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. The option will be available nationwide. And more information about the new audio system can be found on The Auto Channel like the VW barn doors which are now available online. The new product follows the popularity made by Ford to the SYNC technology.

The Vehicle Personalization and Accessories manager for Ford’s Customer Service Division, Kim Irwin, was quoted by theautochannel saying, “We believe HD Digital Radio will be an important part of Ford’s commitment to delivering innovations with mass appeal. We’re helping our customers stay connected by supporting the features and functions they want in their vehicles. The dramatically improved audio, text and data features of HD Digital Radio - along with its hundreds of new radio stations - create a compelling combination at the right price.”

The newest audio system which is going to be installed in Ford cars has an increase sound quality compared to its other audio system. It also has more than one radio channel so the customers will have the chance to get hold of a wide range of new HD2 multicast stations with all the favorite radio stations in a crystal clear digital sound without worrying much about the monthly subscription fee. The US has a huge number of more than 1000 radio stations nationwide and more than half of the radio stations can be heard on the new audio system.

The new system joins the other quality audio systems for Ford like the SYNC which is also offered to all the brands of Ford namely Lincoln and Mercury. This is to give the driver more time to drive their Ford cars while enjoying ot the sounds. The HD Digital Radio will begin as an option to the new vehicles and a pre-owned audio system for those currently owned cars as well. The price may depend on the dealer you will go into but the new system has no monthly charges.

Irwin, added on a statement, saying, “Drivers have always had a love affair with their car. HD Radio offers our dealers a triple threat: It differentiates their offerings from other brands; it lets them upgrade customer entertainment systems in a unique way; and it lets buyers of recent pre-owned vehicles as well as current vehicle owners share completely in the benefits. This is the kind of program that our dealers love to see.”

Ford will be doing all the efforts to support the launch of the new audio system to its brands and they allotted a 13-week preparation for the on-air radio campaign to boost its partnership with the radio provider HD Digital Radio Alliance. Beginning this September 26, 2007, almost all the 100 markets and 700 channels on radio will be starting to play the advertisement made for the new audio system.

Peter Ferrara, the president and CEO of the HD Digital Radio Alliance, was also noted saying, “In all of our discussions with auto makers, Ford has consistently demonstrated both the will and the resolve to be industry leaders in this arena. Now that HD Radio is broadcasting across hundreds of local stations nationwide, partners who move early will gain the biggest advantage.”

If you wish to know more about the new radio system of Ford, visit this link.

Check out it’s specs and features courtesy of www.onlinecarstereo.com:

Technical Specifications

• WMA Playback: Yes
• Satellite Radio Ready: No
• Subwoofer Preamp Outputs: No
• MP3 playback: Yes
• Maximum Power: 4×80 Watts
• HD Radio: No
• DIN: 1
• CD Text: Yes
• Bluetooth: No
• Aux input: No
• Built-in EQ: No
• CD-R/CD-RW Compatible: Yes
• Remote Control: Yes
• Detachable Face: Yes

Features

• ISO DIN mounting
• Motorized slide down full detachable panel
• DivX/WMA/DVD/MP3/MP4/CDR/CDRW and VCD compatible
• Built-in 2.5″ TFT monitor
• Resolution: 960 x 234 pixels
• Brightness: 400 NITS
• NTSC/PAL compatible
• PLL synthesized AM/FM tuner
• On screen display
• 30 Station presets
• Built-in TV tuner (NTSC/PAL BG/I/DK switchable)
• Illuminated controls
• Preset EQ response curves
• Separate bass and treble
• Balance and fader controls
• Loudness
• Stereo/mono switch
• Local/distance switch
• Mute function
• Last position memory
• Repeat/intro/random
• Subwoofer output
• 1-Bit D/A converter
• ESP (anti-skip mechanism)
• Dual (front and rear) RCA outputs
• Wireless remote control
• Output power: 80w x 4 channels

Now there’s no reason for you to get bored during long trips or when you’re plainly stuck in the middle of a huge traffic jam! The Boss Audio BV6850T, an In-dash AM/FM DVD/MP3/CD receiver with 2.5″ TFT monitor and built-in TV tuner, will comfort you with the best variety of amusement that will surely make your day right! So what are you waiting for? Do you need some fun along an exciting driving experience? Grab one of the Boss Audio BV6850T, an In-dash AM/FM DVD/MP3/CD receiver with 2.5″ TFT monitor and built-in TV tuner now!

You’re in the backseat waiting for hours until you reach your destination. It was your turn to take a rest from driving on a road trip with your friends. You still have to sit for a couple of hours until your next stopover in the gas station. All you have is your standard CD player with songs you’ve heard a lot of times during the trip! Pretty boring, huh? Why don’t you change the phase of car entertainment? You deserve to relax and be amused in a long trip, right? So what’s the best component to let you escape boredom in the backseat? Of course, Audiovox flip-down LCD will do!

The Audiovox VOD102 allows you to watch all your favorite films on a very sharp and super clear VOD102 10.2″ widescreen TFT monitor that makes you feel just like you’re sitting in your own living room! You can enjoy playing your personal collections of DVDs with the built-in slot-load DVD player, CDs and have a blast with 30 built-in classic video games! The fine shale-colored, high quality console also features built-in dome lights for a completely factory look, and a built-in IR transmitter to broadcast audio signals to wireless headphones. A 5-channel wireless FM modulator feeds the sound to any FM radio for easy installation! So how about that?

Check out the features and specs of the Audiovox VOD102 courtesy of www.cardomain.com:

Features

• 10.2″ Widescreen LCD Monitor
• 16:9/4:3 Selectable Display Modes
• Wide Viewing Angle Screen
• Slot-load DVD/CD/MP3 Player
• Wireless Game Controller with 30 Built-In Video Games
• NTSC/PAL Auto Detection
• Built-in 5-Band Wireless FM Modulator
• IR Transmitter for Optional Wireless Headphones
• 1/8″ (3.5mm) Wired Headphones Jack
• Integrated Dome Lights
• On-Screen Display (OSD)
• Dual Auxiliary A/V Inputs
• Composite Video Output
• Low Profile Universal Trim Ring Included
• Full-Function Remote Control
• Optional TV Tuner PODTVT2 (available separately)
• Includes Mounting Hardware

Specifications

• Screen Size: 10.2″
• Resolution: 2400 x 480
• PAL/NTSC Switchable: Yes
• Built-in DVD Player: Yes
• Pixels: 1,152,000
• Game Controller Included: Yes
• TV Tuner: Optional
• Satellite Radio Input: No
• Dome Light: Yes
• On-screen Display (OSD): Yes
• Built-in IR Transmitter: Yes
• Built-In FM Modulator: Yes, Wireless
• Remote Control: Yes
• Inputs: AUX1/AUX2
• Outputs: Composite Video, Wired Headphones
• Last Position Memory: Yes
• Headphones: Optional Wireless or Wired
• Dimensions: 11″ L x 9.5″ W x x 1.7″ H
• Shipping: 10 lbs
• Warranty: 1 year

As you may have noticed already, there are a lot of car audio systems out there. Some are so expensive that they cost more than new vehicles. There are also those which are quite affordable but they do not deliver the sound that we really like. If you are going to buy a new car audio system, you should not look for the loudest or for the most expensive but you should hunt for the ideal car audio system.

There are things you should consider to get to know the car audio system that will be ideal to you. If you’re current system works just fine for you, then leave it at that. If you want a new system just to impress others, I suggest you put the money to better use than spending it on something that you don’t need and will probably end up being ignored by others. But if you have the cash and you want a better sound system in your car for your enjoyment, then make a list of the things that your present car audio system which you think are subpar.

A car audio system has a number of components and you should check them out individually to get to the bottom of the trouble. Maybe your music player is working well but the speakers are not so good anymore. Subwoofers and tweeters may also be problematic. There are knobs and buttons on your car audio system - use them all to determine which component needs replacing.

And when you have a list of things that you don’t want in your car audio system, ask yourself if you really are willing to shell out money to have these gripes corrected. If you are, then it is time to go shopping. And when it comes to shopping for car audio components, beware of the price. How expensive a component is is not an indicator of how good it really is. Even if you buy the most expensive subwoofer and it does not match with the other components like the speaker, it will just be a waste of money or you will end up buying more expensive components to match your expensive subwoofer.

There is an art in combining different components to come up with an ideal car audio system. Just be patient and use your ears and you will soon have a car audio system that will have you singing along to the tunes playing in the system in no time at all.

We all know that Chinese are buying more and more vehicles every year. With the economy of the giant of a country becoming better and better, more and more consumers can afford vehicles manufactured by General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. Meanwhile, an individual who cannot afford vehicles made by large automakers still has choices. There are Chinese automakers that specialize in creating cheap cars. It is undisputable that the Chinese auto market is growing.

And with more cars on Chinese roads, more auto parts are also needed for repairs and for the replacement of auto parts. This creates a huge chance for companies to enter the Chinese auto parts market. The demand for automotive accessories is also increasing of course. And for those who want to cruise around on their BMW clones while listening to their favorite music, a car audio system is essential.

Research and Markets recently studied the Chinese car audio market and came up with these figures: “The output and sales volume of automobile in China in 2006 reached 7.2797 million units and 7.2160 million units respectively, each up by 27.32% and 25.13%, which indicated that China has become world second-largest automobile consumer market next to US, and the domestic automobile sales in 2007 is expected to grow at around 15%, exceeding 8 million units. The rapidly growing automobile market of China activates the whole automobile industry chain; car audio sector sees a good momentum, and its before-market penetration has reached 100%.”

According to the report, the car audio market is divided into two parts. The first one is the OEM market. In this market, automakers equip their vehicles with car audio systems from a certain OEM brand. The second one involves the retail market. In this market, car owners buy their car audio systems from independent manufacturers. According to the report, the Chinese car audio market is dominated by the first market. Last year, it is reported that 7.2 million sets have been ordered by automakers from OEM. It is expected that by the turn of the decade, the demand will reach 10 million.

The reports projected that the Chinese car audio market will grow by ten percent over the next four years. Although the OEM market is bigger than the retail market, it is expected that the latter will grow considerably in the near future. The reason for that is more and more consumers are looking to upgrade their stock car audio systems.

In the world of consumer electronics, everything is fast. New technology today may be obsolete by next month. That’s how fast the guys in the industry are changing things. And when it comes to car audio system, there are certain things that changes. New technologies always come. Commonly, if you want to have a good car audio system, you would probably thinking of buying an expensive system. But there are also a lot of alternatives.

Mac Minis are one of these alternatives. They are easy to install and they also provide a good quality of sound whether you’re cruising while listening to Jimi Hendrix’ riffs, or to the newest beat from Akon, or just chilling with Bob Marley. DVD players built into the dashboard are also in. Although this is not a good companion for a driver since it is very distracting.

Aside from these, satellite radios are also hot. These sat radios provide motorists with their daily dose of commercial-free music. It comes in subscription packages and it is kind of a disadvantage since other audio systems are low-maintenance. High-definition radios are also in.

Another craze among automakers is giving their cars iPod connectivity. The media player of course is so popular nowadays that almost everyone has it. With iPod connectivity, a consumer can just plug his or her iPod into the audio system, hit play and enjoy his or her choice of music.

When it comes to choices, Ted Cardenas, the product planning manager of the Long Beach, Calif.-based Pioneer Electronics, has this to say: “It’s pretty limitless.”

Another ‘in’ thing is putting ultra-modern audio systems on vintage cars. Classic Restorations is one company which prides itself on being able to fuse old-world cars with new-world gadgets. Melvin Benzaquen, the president of the company, said that their most outrageous work was installing a $25,000 system into a 1985 Chevrolet El Camino. “The car itself wasn’t worth anything,” he says, “but he wanted a complicated system put into a very small compartment, so we did it.”

Jaguar XF has yet another feature that would surely tickle the fetish of in-car audio buffs. Earlier, Bowers & Wilkins has unveiled the 14-speaker audio system fitted in the lavish XF of the European automaker.

The pool of engineers from Jaguar and B&W worked hand in hand to formulate the audio system’s concept. They conducted several extensive analysis as well as prototype testing to determine the most appropriate layout and locations for the speakers. The objective is to develop the cream-of-the-crop audio experience that a car could give.

Eventually, they come up with a fascinating product. B&W technologies included its patented woven-Kevlar diver material - the uniquely textured square-weave cones made from bulletproof material which eliminates standing waves in its midrange and bass drivers, and their metal-dome tweeter transducer, according to Tech Digest.

The speaker layout in the car features the Dolby’s latest Pro Logic II 7.1-channel surround technology. The 14 speakers consist of 4 metal-dome tweeters, 9 Kevlar-diaphragm woofer and mid/bass units, including a solo front-center and rear-surround pair, and a single, rear-mounted high-powered subwoofer delivering true deep bass.

The system is run by a 440W amplifier. To note, the entire system is designed to deliver precise, quality sound at all speeds, road conditions, and for the car occupants.

Bowers & Wilkins pave the way for a revolutionary Jaguar XF’s car audio. The company reports:

Bowers & Wilkins has brought its unrivalled reputation for excellence in sound reproduction to the very heart of car design, with the revolutionary premium in-car system for the new Jaguar XF.

Bowers & Wilkins engineers were involved in the earliest concept stages of the car’s design, working closely with Jaguar in an intensive, three-year development programme to design a truly bespoke car audio system that would be more than a match for the Jaguar XF’s advanced features.

Using ground-breaking Bowers & Wilkins innovations such as aluminium dome tweeters and Kevlar drive units, as well as advanced surround sound technology, the system was fine-tuned and calibrated by the same expert engineers who tuned Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 Series speakers at Abbey Road Studios. The result is a staggeringly rich, dynamic sound quality never before experienced in a mass-produced car.

The Jaguar XF debuts in spring or summer next year.