Mobile Electronics magazine presented its 2008-2009 Industry Awards at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and announced the winners of the Dealer Choice awards for best manufacturer programs and service in a range of categories, the Retailer of the Year awards in the single-store, 2-3 store and 4-plus store categories and the Installer of the Year award. Parrot presented its Certified Installer of the Year award.

Lastly, Mobile Electronics also announced the winner of the recent Upload Your Install contest where installers and DIYers were invited to submit their best installation work to Mobile Electronics’ Installercentral.com website.

At the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards reception, attendees ate, drank and networked before sitting down to honor their colleagues and find out who the winners were.

First up were the Dealer Choice Awards. These awards were given based on responses from retailers and installers nationwide (no manufacturers were surveyed) to a survey about the quality of manufacturer programs and services.

For the Dealer Choice Awards, Mobile Electronics awarded companies with first, second and third place in each category as well as gave an overall “Manufacturer of the Year” award.

The Retailer of the Year awards and Installer of the Year award were given based on an extensive process that involved industry nominations and voting to determine the retailer and installer finalists and then the judging of materials submitted by the retailer and installer finalists.

The Upload Your Install award was based on the selection and quality of images submitted to the Project Gallery forums on this site as well as the explanation of each installation provided by the individuals submitting installation photos.

The winners of the 2008-2009 awards include the following companies and individual for Installer of the Year:

Dealer Choice Awards for best manufacturer programs and services:

Best Dealer Programs: 1st – Memphis Car Audio, 2nd – Kenwood USA, JL Audio

Best Warranty Programs: 1st – Memphis Car Audio, 2nd – JL Audio, 3rd – Kenwood USA

Best Sales Support: 1st – Memphis Car Audio, 2nd – Kenwood USA, 3rd JL Audio

Best Technical Support – Security: 1st – Directed Electronics, 2nd – Auto Page, 3rd – Compustar

Best Technical Support: 1st – JL Audio, 2nd – Kenwood USA, 3rd – Memphis Car Audio

Manufacturer of the Year: Memphis Car Audio

Parrot Certified Installer of the Year, 2009: Rob Liebhaber, Muntz Audio Video

Upload Your Install Winner: Jeff Smith, Sound Sensations, Marietta Ga., for his submission of an extensive installation in a BMW 740iL to Installercentreal.com.

Retailer of the Year Finalists, Single Store: Car Toys, Tulsa Okla.; JC Audio, Jackson, Tenn.; Mobile Edge, Lehighton, Pa.; Sound Sensations, Marietta, Ga.; Sub Zero Sounds, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Retailer of the Year, Single Store Winner: JC Audio, Jackson, Tenn.

Retailer of the Year Finalists, 2-3 Stores: Columbus Car Audio, Columbus, Ohio; Ken’s Car Tunes, Mobile, Ala.; Sound of Tri-State, Claymont, Del.; Soundz Good Stereo, Oxnard, Calif.; Ultimate Audio, Orlando, Fla.

Retailer of the Year, 2-3 Stores Winner: Sound of Tri-State, Claymont, Del.

Retailer of the Year, 4+ Stores Finalists: Al & Ed’s Auto Sound, Van Nuys, Calif.; Car Toys, Seattle, Wash.; Creative Car Audio, Joplin, Mo.; Custom Sounds, Austin, Texas; Freeman’s Car Stereo Inc., Charlotte, N.C.;

Retailer of the Year, 4+ Stores Winner: Al & Ed’s Auto Sound, Van Nuys, Calif.

Installer of the Year, Finalists: Brad Eubank, Dickson, Tenn.; Brian Murphy, Best Buy, Mesquite, Texas; Chris Pate, Mobile Toys, College Station, Texas; Danny Britain, Stereo West Auto Toys, Omaha, Neb.; Dave Ellers, Sound FX, Lewes, Del.; Dustin Santeler, Conroe, Texas; Eric Lero, Sub Zero Sounds, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; James Stanton, Sound Sensations, Marietta, Ga.; Jeff Smith, Sound Sensations, Marietta, Ga.; Paul Kauffman, Sound FX, Lewes, Del.; Robert Davidoski, Mobile One Auto Sound, Houston, Texas; Steve Pello, 212 Motoring, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Installer of the Year Winner: Jeff Smith, Sound Sensations, Marietta, Ga.

Mobile Electronics would like to thank the Industry Awards sponsors for their generous support of the reception and the industry. The sponsors include the following:

Audio Control

Auto Page

Boss Audio

Clarion

Dynamat

Guidepoint

iSimple (AAMP of America)

JBL

JL Audio

K40 Electronics

Kicker

NAV-TV

Ohio Generator

Parrot

Scosche

Stinger (AAMP of America)

Xpresskit (Directed Electronics)

By Rob Elliott – Executive Director, In Car Experts (ICE)

Michael Harootunian of AudioMax shows us the tricks, the vehicle break down process and wire locations for a remote start install in a 2009 Corolla.

1. First, remove the lower dash cover. This panel pulls straight off with only clips holding in on.

2. Remove the lower steering column shroud. Two clips hold the lower and upper shroud together.

3. Locate all the appropriate ignition (positive) wiring. Be sure to test all the wires with a  digital multi-meter first.

4. Main power (positive) wire is located at the front of the fuse block on the left side. Heavy-gauge blue wire.

5. Pink and Blue door lock (negative pulse) wires are found behind the drivers kick panel.

6. The white plug to the left of the steering column contains the white (negative) parking light wire.

7. This helps see the foot brake (positive) wire. It is located in the big harness, second from the left in the front of the main fuse block.

8. In the OBDII plug, the gray (AC) tach wire is found.

Courtesy of Clarion Corp.

In the world of car audio installation, we are often asked to install an enclosure in a sound system to augment the lower frequency sound spectrum. This process may include designing and or building custom enclosures to fit a certain vehicle, or to accommodate a specific design due to its desired sound characteristics. As we may have experienced up to this point, mathematics can play a large role in sizing measurements, internal volume calculations, port design and areas, and speaker mounting cut outs.

We can install a well-designed loudspeaker but get poor results in playback because of a poorly designed enclosure for a specific application. Likewise, we can take a much less expensive driver and get great results from it when the designs are applied properly and within the design parameters of the woofers’ intended range of operation.

There are a few common terms used that are important to understand when building enclosures. This information is commonly referred to as Thiele-Small parameters; these are electromechanical parameters that define the specified low frequency performance of a loudspeaker driver. Driver manufacturers publish these parameters in specification sheets so that designers have a guide to selecting drivers for loudspeaker designs.

Below are most of the common electrical terms or references used in determining the proper enclosure design for optimal response.

1.) Free air resonance otherwise known as (Fs) – natural resonant frequency of a woofer.

2.) Compliance or Vas – volume of air having the same compliance of the woofer’s suspension.

3.) Q of the driver or (Qts) – indicates the total strength of the driver’s resonance.

Qts =Qes x Qms / (Qes +Qms)

4.) Qtc = strength of resonance for the speaker system.

5.) Ripple – Determined by the greatest deviation above or below the level at 90Hz, for example, before the driver rolls off.

6.) System cut off or F3 – (measured in Hz) The frequency at which the acoustic power output from a system has fallen to one half of its reference value. Also known as the 3db down point.

7.) Xmax:Xmag-Xmech – (can be measured in inches or millimeters) The measure of a speaker cone’s maximum excursion (one way) while maintaining a linear behavior.

8.) Power handling (thermal and excursion limited) – (measured in RMS) The continuous sine wave power that can be dissipated by the voice coil and magnet assembly without failure. Most speakers are not harmed by clipping. It is an over thermal issue that will cause the speaker to break down and cause the failure. Therefore, even overpowering a woofer will often not damage the motor assembly. However, it will certainly overheat much faster.

9.) Impedance – (measured in Ohms) total opposition to the flow of A/C current in an electrical circuit.

10.) Nominal Impedance – A simple measurement of a speaker’s voice coil while disconnected from the amplifier. It is important to note that ohm load constantly changes with the frequency of the music. The higher the frequency, the higher the ohm load and the lower the frequency, the lower the ohm load. That is why the reading is easily misunderstood; it is literally a “nominal” reading.

11.) Order – a term that explains the “type” of specific enclosure design that we are constructing or using. An infinite baffle enclosure is considered a “1st Order” design; a sealed enclosure is a 2nd order, and so forth.

Infinite Baffle Enclosures

Infinite baffle (1st order) is a common application when a baffle board separates the trunk (rear wave) from the vehicle’s cab (front wave). This typically requires more power to exhibit adequate control of the driver(s) at higher power levels. This design utilizes a minimum of space, resulting in slightly less accurate sound reproduction and added difficulty in sealing the vehicle to keep the front wave from the rear wave (cancellation). Aperiodic enclosures are a variation of this design.

Sealed Enclosures

Sealed enclosures (2nd order) are the simplest and most common type to design. They provide adequate separation of the front and back waves so that they do not cancel each other out. They exhibit great linearity and have more desirable power handling characteristics. Transient response is an advantage as well.

Vented or Ported Enclosures

Vented or ported enclosures (4th order) are similar to the sealed enclosures with the exception of an added port. The port is “tuned” to use the speaker’s rear wave to strengthen the front wave, thus exhibiting a greater tuned increase in sound (up to 3 db) at the tuned frequency. This can cause the speaker to exhibit greater efficiency when done properly. It can also drastically reduce cone control below the tuned frequency, thus increasing speaker failure potential if not controlled properly.

Isobaric Enclosures

Sealed isobaric (2nd order variation) is when two (alike) woofers are mounted to seal the movements between each other as a group (compound loaded). It is important to note that this is not really an enclosure type, but a variation of the sealed box arrangement. They must be as close together as physically possible, either back-to-back or face-to-face. This design can be used when space is an issue, allowing the use of half of the standard single woofer’s box requirements. This will also increase linearity and power handling.

Bandpass Enclosure

Bandpass enclosure (single/dual reflex) – once again this is the most complex design to use. It has limited frequency range, natural higher and lower frequency filtering, and greater efficiency. There is single reflex, indicating one port in one of the two chambers, and dual reflex, both chambers ported for a 6th order design. It is important to note that bandpass design can have the largest speaker failure rate due to the fact that they do not typically exhibit a distorted sound at higher volume levels, even though the woofer is being severely over driven. Once again, overheating becomes an issue and is the most common cause of failure.

The most common materials used when constructing enclosures are particleboard and medium density fiber board (MDF). Both can be easily obtained at your local hardware store. Plywood is not a recommended choice due to air leakage, lower density, which can cause resonance, and unwanted vibrations that can cause a loss of efficiency in the enclosure. It is important to note that there are several grades of plywood (laminated wood) available. Marine-grade plywood can be a great light wood alternative. Exotic materials are another choice for custom shaping enclosure designs, as long as we keep in mind that there are specific guidelines that must be adhered to when successfully designing speaker enclosures. When they are violated, we will hear the results.

Other common enclosure building materials would include fiberglass, Plexiglass, silicone, various types of sound dampening, flush mounting type screws, several varieties of builder’s glues, liquid nails, air nails (pneumatic air gun applied), yard sticks, measuring tape, circle drawing equipment (compass), drills (cordless and corded types), jig saws, and table saws. Routers may be used for flushing edges and/or shaping edges quickly.

An installer is going to encounter the terms listed above when measuring correct parameters for a specific enclosure design.  There are several companies that have software that will make the calculation job much easier when it comes time to quickly and accurately design any type of enclosure. However, it is important that an installer understand the terms and theory of loudspeaker design before he or she can be expected to excel in the complex world of enclosure design.

We want you to upload your best installation work to our Project Gallery here on this site for the chance to win the “Mother Lode” Grand Prize: $6,500-plus worth of products to help you build the ultimate mobile entertainment system. Mobile Electronics will announce the winner at our Industry Awards at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Starting Sept. 1, 2009 and running through October 15, 2009, we want you to upload photos of the best installation work you’ve done to the Project Gallery on this site.

To enter the contest, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Project Gallery tab on the navigation bar.
2. Read the “Upload Your Install Contest Rules and Guidelines” (click on the post title in the forums; it’s near the top).
3. Click the “Register” button in the Project Gallery forums and enter the required information
4. Start uploading photos of your install and add descriptions of what is in each picture

Mobile Electronics will have its panel of judges review the images and info about each install submitted and will choose the best based on the criteria we have listed in the Upload Your Install Contest Rules and Guidelines (listed in the Project Gallery section on this site) under the Judging Criteria section.

This contest is for retailers, installers and DIYers only. Employees of industry manufacturers and Mobile Electronics magazine are not eligible to win the “Mother Lode” Grand Prize.

You can post up to 10 photos for each install that you want us to judge, but you are welcome to post as many installations as you would like. We also want you to provide details about each install in the forum where you post the photos.

Good luck, and may the best installation win.

Automotive Data Solutions Inc. (ADS) has announced the immediate release of its iDatalink Omni Series products — the first preloaded ‘all-in-one’ immobilizer bypass and doorlock interface solutions on the market, according to the company.

Omni Series modules ship preloaded with iDatalink’s entire vehicle firmware library, making them ready to install in up to 2,300 supported vehicles, right out of the box.

Installers can choose from two preloaded SKUs: all-in-one transponder bypass (ADS-TBOM) and all-in-one transponder bypass and doorlock interface combo solution (ADS-ALOM CA).

Like all iDatalink products, Omni modules are flash-updateable, ensuring a retailer’s inventory is never obsolete as new vehicle coverage becomes available, ADS stated. The company said Omni modules are single-wire, 2-way data compatible with popular aftermarket remote starter and/or security devices.

Omni Series modules are available through local iDatalink distributors or via the company’s online store at www.idatalink.com. MSRP is set at $75 USD for the ADS-TBOM and $126 USD for the ADS-ALOM CA. Please contact your local distributor for dealer pricing. For more information about iDatalink Omni Series products, please contact ADS toll-free at (866) 427-2999 or visit www.idatalink.com.

Scosche has announced it will ship a new installation kit for all 2007-and-up Mitsubishi Outlander vehicles.  The “Custom Kit, Factory Fit” MI3015B dash kit can accommodate an ISO Double DIN mount or an ISO Single DIN mount with pocket. Scosche’s design features no required cutting or modification of the dash kit when installing a Double DIN aftermarket head-unit.

The kit is painted to match the factory radio, is made of high-strength ABS/PC material, matches factory contour and includes a pocket and mounting brackets. The MI3015B also includes all of the necessary hardware and detailed installation instructions. The MI3015B will be available at specialty retailers across the nation and will retail for $49.95 For a complete aftermarket installation, Scosche also manufactures matching harness, MI04B.

Directed Electronics announces the immediate availability of downloadable PKTI firmware, enabling remote start installation on encrypted Ford, Mazda, Lexus and Toyota vehicles including the 2009 Toyota Venza.
According to Derek Schumann, President of Directed’s OEM Integration division, “PKTI firmware gives installers more options, with a faster and easier install at the ignition switch, catching the RX & TX wires. PKTI now comes pre-loaded with the programmable XPRESSKIT XK05 Transponder Interface, which is now available at a reduced price, and PKTI can also be flashed to existing XK05 modules which might be in dealers’ inventory.”

The XK05 with preloaded PKTI firmware temporarily overrides the factory immobilizer only during remote start, maintaining the integrity of the manufacturer’s anti-theft system.

XK05 with preloaded PKTI firmware is now available with an MSRP of $99. For more information, please contact your Directed Sales Manager at (800) 876-0800 or visit www.xpresskit.com.

NAV-TV has released its the MOSTHUR-997 M.O.S.T. fiber optic head unit replacement module for 2004 to 2009 Porsche 997 vehicles with amplified sound systems.

The MOSTHUR-997 allows full integration into the stock amplified sound system, allowing the end-user to replace their factory radio with an aftermarket navigation/DVD head unit while retaining the factory amplifier and speakers. Installing into the vehicle with just four connections, the included antenna adapter and M.O.S.T. fiber optic extension, the MOSTHUR-997 supplies accessory power, illumination, reverse, VSS (vehicle speed pulse), vehicle brake and parking brake to the aftermarket radio. Retail pricing for the MOSTHUR is $649.00 USD. The company said to call NAV-TV at (866) 477-3336 for further details or visit www.navtv.com.

The view most people get of the Lotus Elise…the rear view.

By Rob Elliott, Executive Director, (ICE) In Car Experts

The Lotus Elise is a very cool car. Although it’s a little pricey, those who have driven it tell me that it is as close to a real racecar as it gets. One of the big keys is how its light weight contributes to its handling ability. In this case the customer wanted his stereo system to handle the music the way his Lotus handles the road.  So Robert Davidoski and Rene Medeguari of Mobile One Autosound in Houston, Texas shows us how this was accomplished.

Read more…

Clarion has provided Installer Central with a guide for retailers and their installers about key things to consider when upgrading a customer’s sound system. For more information about Clarion and its products, visit www.clarion.com.

Designing a System: Key Considerations

One of the most important considerations in upgrading a sound system is a system design and product selection. When attempting to select the proper components to add to a vehicle, a combination of things has to be taken in consideration. These suggestions or tips will help ensure a positive result and the best sound and performance possible.

First and foremost, a variety of questions should be asked of the end user. Most customers have a basic concept of what they want to achieve from their system design, but it’s usually more advanced than what their budget and vehicle will allow.

Common things that an installer  should considered when working with the consumer/salesperson are:

1.         Type of music the consumer listens to on a daily basis

2.         Type of vehicle: – This can adversely effect system design, as well as cause budget considerations based on how complex the integration needs to be. Many factory systems are difficult to tie into for such simple tasks as replacing the CD player or speakers. Vehicles with a factory system that is particularly difficult to integrate products into will require you to keep the factory CD player and replace nearly everything else (or add an amplifier).

3.         Financial limitations / budget

4.         Electrical capabilities of the vehicle

5.         Speaker location and size

6.         Limitations set by the consumer

The installer and retailer must consider each factor individually and together, as a whole, develop a system that will provide optimal performance and consumer satisfaction. Finding out what kind of music the individual listens to will help you determine the best products to suggest to the customer. The types of music can help determine the amount of power that is needed and what type of speakers to use to handle that power, as well as the type that sounds best with that music. Asking many questions and suggesting the right products before the install is the best way to meet your customer’s needs.

Always go out to the customer’s vehicle and look for things like factory amplified systems, factory speaker placement, and likely mounting locations for aftermarket equipment.

With younger individuals, it’s vital to establish whether they are the owner of the vehicle or not. If it’s in their parent’s name, or the parents are paying for it, they should be the ones who give the consent to alter the vehicle with upgrades. Skipping this step can cause you to have to remove all products and refund their money. As much as you may love installing or sales, having money taken back out of your pocket is never fun.

Never forget to look for any additional factory options that may come with the vehicle (such as remote start, navigation, MP3 input, rear seat entertainment, or factory amplified systems).  Many of these factory options can cause parts and labor costs to escalate quickly, and it’s important to determine these costs before working on the vehicle. Some factory systems have been designed with aftermarket limitations that can be difficult to integrate with at best and nearly impossible at worst.

It’s quite common to have the customer express interest in items that are outside their budget. When deciding on what items you will be installing in their system, you need to determine if all items can be acquired at the same time, or if the system will have to be built in small segments. If this is the case, together you can decide what should be done first, and decide on the most logical next step when their budget permits.

If you are designing a multiple-amplifier or multiple-speaker system for the vehicle, it’s important to analyze the design and condition of the electrical system in the car. Based on the CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and the reserve capacity rating of the factory battery, as well as the amperage output of the alternator, it may be necessary to upgrade power and ground cables for the aftermarket system. This includes the cable that runs between the battery and alternator, as well as the factory ground cables that attach the engine to the frame and the frame to the battery. Most vehicles will require these upgrades to get the most out of the systems you design.

Based on the high current demands of high-powered amplifiers, it may be necessary to add additional batteries and “stiffing” capacitors to help support the electrical strain applied to the vehicle. When do we add batteries? We add batteries when the customer wants to play their stereo with the engine off. Adding batteries will actually add strain to the charging system, so in most cases, you will have to upgrade the alternator at the same time. When do we add “stiffing” capacitors? We add those to help smooth out the current demand placed on the alternator during musical peaks. Capacitors have a very low internal resistance and can discharge very rapidly, supplying additional current for those musical peaks. When the peak demand is gone, the capacitor recharges quickly to be ready for the next demand.

Knowledge of the customer’s vehicle and speaker sizes is helpful when suggesting and developing the layout for the aftermarket system. It’s important when deciding on sizes and locations for installing aftermarket products. It will also determine whether alteration or fabrication is required. Having this knowledge also minimizes any unforeseen complications that can arise or product changes that may occur during the installation.

Limitations set by the customer can be the most difficult factors to deal with. Their requirements and requests can sometimes halt the purchase and installation completely. When discussing the layout of the vehicle, an important question the installer or salesperson should ask whether you, as the installer, are permitted to modify the vehicle? Another important question is whether you, as the installer or salesperson, permitted to modify the vehicle in any way? (Examples would include cutting panels, relocation of components, or redesigning or fabricating existing panels or locations).

Following your own course of action, and not discussing these alterations with the customer prior to doing the work, may result in a very disgruntled customer and potentially having to refund the customer’s money. In extreme circumstances, there’s even the potential for litigation. Try to stay on the same page as the owner of the vehicle throughout the sale/installation to eliminate any potential conflicts later.

Keeping all of these factors in mind during the initial consultation and estimation process can help you develop credibility, a positive reputation and possible referrals down the road. There is no better way to build your own customer base than by following these steps, and always over-delivering on your service and installation quality. Customers will seek you out for your services several years later if you do it right the first time, and many times they have far more money to spend than they did then.