Product Spotlight: Compustar PRO R5 Remote Start

Compustar, the world-leader in high-performance remote start and security systems, recently introduced the new PRO R5 remote. This one-button remote boasts up to 2 miles of range and includes a proximity unlocking feature that makes it easier than ever to use. If convenience and reliability are at the top of your vehicle convenience upgrade shopping list, then you’re looking at the perfect solution.

Long-Range RF Performance Improves Connectivity

The PRO R5 remote uses spread-spectrum technology to deliver up to 2 miles of range. If you live in an apartment or work in a large store, this impressive transmitting power helps ensure that you can remote start your vehicle a few minutes before it’s time to leave.

The R5 includes four LED-illuminated pictographic icons that let you know when the lock, unlock and remote start commands have been received and executed. Tapping the button once will send the lock command. Tapping the button twice sends the unlock command. Pressing and holding the button for about three seconds initiates the remote start sequence. If the vehicle has already been remote-started, you can shut it down by pressing and holding the button for three seconds.

Another cool feature of the PRO R5 is its ability to alert the owner if the security system is triggered. This type of notification is a new feature for a one-button remote.

Proximity Unlocking Adds Convenience

The new PRO R5, just like its big brother, the PRO T13, includes a feature called proximity unlocking. When you are within 3 to 6 feet of the Compustar antenna on the windshield of your vehicle, the system will automatically unlock the doors. If you’re carrying groceries, tools or perhaps a child, not having to dig through your pockets or purse to unlock the vehicle is incredibly handy. Once unlocked, pull the door handle to open the door, and you can load everything or everyone into the vehicle.

Compustar has included a customization option in the R5 programming to let you turn off the proximity feature remotely. You can also toggle silent arming/disarming through the same configuration process. Finally, you can turn the remote off completely to save the battery if you are going on vacation or will be away from the vehicle for an extended period of time.

Industry Reference Reliability

Compustar remote start and security systems are widely recognized as the benchmark for performance and reliability in the mobile enhancement industry. The R5 features the same robust construction and water-resistant design that have earned the company its much-lauded reputation. If you’re prone to dropping your keys when exiting your vehicle, this remote should be able to handle the abuse. Compustar backs their PRO-Series remotes with a three-year warranty.

The PRO R5 remote is powered by a lithium-ion battery, so you don’t have to worry about buying coin cells. A micro-USB port makes it as easy to recharge the remote as it is to charge a smartphone. You can even use a powered USB port in your vehicle to top up the battery on the way to or home from work.

Drone Telematics Ensures Unlimited Connectivity

When you purchase the RF-P2WR5-SF kit, you will get a pair of the PRO R5 remote controls and one of the Drone X1-LTE interfaces. When connected to your remote starter or security system, Drone allows you to control your vehicle from an app on your smartphone. All you have to do is tap an icon on your phone and you can lock, unlock or remote start your vehicle from anywhere you have access to an internet connection. You can choose from several Drone service plans that include GPS-based alerts to further enhance your ability to monitor your vehicle.

Compustar Is the Leader in Remote Start Technology

If you want to upgrade an existing Compustar, RTX, Arctic Start or iDatastart system, or are shopping for a new solution for your vehicle, drop by your local Compustar dealer and ask about the new PRO R5 remotes. You can find a dealer using the Compustar website. For updates on the latest product and feature introductions from Compustar, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages and their YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: ARC Audio X2-Series Car Audio Subwoofers

Known best for their world-class amplifier solutions, ARC Audio’s new X2-Series subwoofers deliver amazing output and low-frequency extension at surprisingly accessible price points. Available in 10- and 12-inch sizes with your choice of dual 2- or 4-ohm voice coil configurations, these impressive woofers can handle up to 400 watts of power to ensure that your music sounds fantastic, even with the volume cranked.

ARC Audio X2 Subwoofer Features

The X2-Series subwoofers are based on stamped-steel four-spoke baskets that feature double compound curves. This curved shape adds rigidity and strength to ensure adequate support for the double-stacked magnets. The basket includes cooling vents under the spider mounting plateau that work with the vented pole piece to allow hot air to escape from both sides of the voice coil. Speaking of the voice coil, these subwoofers feature high-temperature Kapton formers with a 2-inch diameter. Low-mass copper-clad aluminum windings are wrapped around the formers, then anodized with a black coating to increase heat dissipation and reduce the potential for power compression. The combination of these lightweight materials helps the subwoofers offer excellent upper bass response so their output blends seamlessly with the midbass drivers in your vehicle.

ARC X2 Subwoofer — The complex curves of the basket spokes add rigidity to the X2 subwoofers while cooling vents beneath the spider-mounting plateau allow heat to escape from the voice coil.

In terms of visible moving parts, the woofer cones are formed from fiber reinforced pulp paper for an excellent balance of mass, rigidity and damping. ARC Audio adds a moisture-resistant laminated coating so the cones won’t absorb water vapor in high-humidity environments. The top plate to voice coil gap is protected from debris by a large-diameter polypropylene dust cap that has the ARC Audio logo embossed into it.

Large-roll rubber surrounds enable the drivers to deliver more than an inch of excursion while providing longevity that foam surrounds simply can’t deliver. The base of the cone is centered by a large-roll treated Conex spider. Electrical connections to the voice coils are handled by heavy-duty spring terminals with oversized tinsel leads. The leads are sewn to the spider to ensure they remain reliable and operate silently at high excursion levels. As you can see, many of the features in these drivers are borrowed from the audiophile-grade Black Series subwoofers.

Subwoofer Application Flexibility

ARC Audio knows that different vehicles require different enclosures. For those who want the most efficiency and extension from their bass upgrade, a moderately sized bass-reflex (vented) enclosure is a great choice. When combined with proper tuning using a digital signal processor like the PS8 Pro, this enclosure style delivers an impressive balance of extension and low-distortion operation. The X2 12 woofers will work optimally in designs as small as 1.15 cubic foot (net), and for more low-frequency output, a 1.6 cubic foot enclosure will play below 25 Hz in your vehicle effortlessly. The X2 10 woofers need a minimum of 0.9 cubic feet and will sound amazing in 1.2 cubic feet.

If space is a premium, then your technician can construct a small sealed enclosure. You will sacrifice some low-frequency efficiency, but the design requires a lot less space. The X2 12’s need only 0.75 cubic feet, and the X2 10’s work fine in 0.5 to 0.7 cubic feet. Of course, your retailer can combine multiple subwoofers in a single enclosure to increase the output capabilities of the system.

Transform Your Car Audio System with ARC Audio Subwoofers

If you are an avid reader of BestCarAudio.com, then you already know that adding a subwoofer is one of the best upgrades you can make to your car stereo. Not only does it improve the system’s ability to reproduce low-frequency information, but it can also improve the clarity and detail of the system while allowing it to play louder. When the relatively small speakers in your car or truck don’t need to play bass frequencies, they won’t have to work as hard and will sound much more precise.

If you want a great subwoofer that won’t break the bank, drop by your local authorized ARC Audio dealer and ask about the X2-Series subwoofers today. You can keep up with the latest offerings from ARC Audio by visiting their website, their Facebook page, their Instagram feed or their YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Drone Telematics System Minimizes Worry about Vehicle Theft, Vandalism

A high-quality car alarm or security system is a great way to prevent vehicle theft. With that said, what if thieves decide to ignore the siren and drag your car away with a tow truck? Would you even know if your vehicle was gone before you tried to leave for work the next morning? Drone has two solutions to ensure you’ll receive instant notification if someone is tampering with or trying to steal your vehicle. If you’re curious about keeping your pride and joy safe, then keep reading.

X1-MAX Standalone Security Solution

The Drone X1-MAX is a stand-alone security and vehicle control interface. X1-MAX includes an integrated shock, tilt, motion and glass breakage sensor to provide instant warnings when someone is messing with your ride. A built-in lithium-Ion backup battery will keep the system operational even if someone disconnects the battery in your vehicle. Your authorized Drone retailer can integrate the system into your vehicle so that it will control your door locks and trunk release, and the system is capable of remote starting many cars and trucks. Currently, X1-MAX is only available in the United States.

Vehicle Theft — The X1-MAX can operate in a stand-alone mode that provides excellent vehicle protection features.

Drone X1R-LTE Add-On Communication Module

If you have a Compustar or Arctic Start security system in your vehicle and want to receive smartphone notifications, then you want the X1R-LTE add-on module. Just as with the X1-Max, alerts from the door, hood and trunk inputs will produce a notification on your smartphone in about a second. If your security system features the fantastic DAS or DAS-II sensor, the smartphone alerts will include warnings from the tilt, forward motion and, exclusively with the DAS-II, glass breakage sensors. If you’re worried about someone stealing a set of expensive wheels, this is the protection you need.

Because Drone uses cellular data communication, you don’t have to be near your vehicle to get this information. Your car could be parked at home, at the opposite end of a large shopping mall, or in a city lot a few blocks away from a theatre or stadium. LTE communication technology ensures that you know what’s going on in a matter of seconds.

Time-Based Security Warnings

When you subscribe to the Premium, Premium Plus or Ultimate service package, additional features can help protect your car or truck. Curfew Monitoring is an option that allows you to set a period of time where your vehicle shouldn’t be in operation. For most people, 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. would be an acceptable window. If your car or truck were started up during this time, you’d receive a notification on your phone right away.

If you’re a business owner, then you may want to set the Curfew notification start time to 6 p.m., so you’ll know that your assets are being used exclusively for work use. If your staff members know that the vehicle includes a locating system, they’ll be much less likely to make detours for personal use during the work day. This improved behavior will improve productivity and reduce vehicle-related expenses.

GPS Location-Based Notifications

You can configure your home or office with a geofence so the Drone system will send a notification any time the vehicle enters or exits that geographic area. Should someone try to tow your car or truck away in the middle of the night, not only will you receive an alert from the tilt sensor, but you’ll know when it moves. You can use the GPS Car Finder feature to track its location and notify the authorities. Best of all, you’ll receive the geofence alert even if the alarm is disarmed, so relay attacks won’t disable the system.

Protect Your Vehicle with Drone

If you’re interested in the vehicle theft and vandalism warning options available from Drone, drop by your local authorized retailer. You can find a shop in your area using the dealer finder on the Drone website. Be sure to follow the updates and new releases from the Drone team on their Facebook Page, Instagram page, Twitter feed or their YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Vehicle Lighting Upgrades Offer Many Options

When it comes to driving in the dark, the quality and quantity of lighting you have is paramount to your safety, and the safety of those around you. In recent years, automakers have begun to put significant effort into their lighting systems. From the days of incandescent lighting to upgrades with halogen gases, high-intensity discharge (HID), light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and – most recently – lasers, lighting has come a long way. The aftermarket is evolving quickly as well, so let’s look at some of the options that can make your nighttime drive safer.

Light Source Options

Factory headlight replacement options are the most popular upgrades available. There are three basic options: incandescent, LED and HID. Incandescent bulbs use a high-temperature filament that glows white-hot when current passes through it. Advances in materials and the selection of gases that are used in the construction of the light bulb have improved efficiency and longevity, as well as increased light output. A few years ago, tinted incandescent bulbs were popular – they gave the white/blue appearance of high-dollar HID kits. However, any time you put something between the light source and what you are trying to illuminate, you decrease the light output. Cool? Yes. Bright? Not so much.

The latest rage is LED lights. Vehicles like the Toyota Corolla, Acura MDX and new Honda Civic are available with LED headlights. These light sources are very bright. They produce full output very quickly when turned on. In the aftermarket, LED replacement headlight bulbs are becoming more and more popular. The quality of LEDs available is increasing in tandem with demand. However, the light output (measured in lumens) is still a little behind that of HID bulbs. LED lights often cost more, because not as many are being produced – a supply-and-demand issue. LED lights also require external cooling. Aluminum heat sinks, braided metal tabs and fans are common solutions for helping to dissipate the heat generated by LEDs. These can pose challenges regarding installation and available space.

The 1996 Lincoln Mark VIII is credited as being the first production vehicle with HID headlights. This system works by increasing the 12V vehicle electrical system voltage up to around 100 volts. This voltage goes to a pair of electrodes in a gas-filled chamber. A steady spark between the two electrodes is what produces the light. However, it takes around 25,000 volts to get the lights to start working. That’s why you get a small, bright flash when you first turn on an HID system. HID lights are among the brightest on the market. The color of the light they produce is closer to that of sunlight, with more blue content than with incandescent bulbs.

Light Color

We should talk about light color, or more accurately, light temperature is rated on the Kelvin scale. Lower numbers, around 3,500–4,500 K have significant yellow and orange content, and are similar to incandescent bulbs. Moving up the scale, 4,500–6,000 K is bluer and closer to sunlight. That said, as the blue content increases, so can the propensity for eye fatigue – blue light can be tiring to look at. You don’t want to go too high for daily use. Bulbs rated at 6,000–10,000 K are for appearance purposes only. The light becomes more purple toward the high-end of the spectrum. These are fine for a show car, but not practical or safe for daily use.

Light Intensity

Many people believe there is a direct correlation between color temperature and light output. That depends, of course, on the manufacturer of the bulb. The thinking is that lower temperatures produce more light output. Ultimately, the amount of light that is produced will determine how much and how far you can see.

Light output is measured in lumens. More lumens means more brightness, which, for a given beam pattern, means that the road will be illuminated better.

Beam Pattern

When upgrading your headlights, it is critically important that you are conscious of the resulting beam pattern. The light that is emitted from the front your vehicle is in a specific pattern – not round like a flashlight. The beam has a flat line through it, ever so slightly below horizontal. This allows the light to illuminate the road without blinding oncoming drivers. The light should also be brighter near the edge of this cutoff, putting more light down the road rather than in front of the vehicle. Too much light in the foreground will cause your pupils to close slightly, reducing how far down the road you can see.

Likewise – and this is a great night driving tip – the brightness of the vehicle interior can have the same effect. Keep the dash and radio illumination as dim as possible. That can help you see further down the road.

If the new light bulbs you install change the beam pattern, remove them. They are not compatible with your headlights, and they will blind oncoming drivers. This is extremely dangerous and can cause accidents.

Headlight Styles

There are two types of factory headlight assemblies in use today: reflector style and projector style.

The projectors are fairly easy to recognize – they have smallish, 2–3” round lenses. Reflectors have a large, molded, mirror-finish bowl behind the light. While one is not necessarily better than the other, you do need to know which you have when you go shopping for upgrades. Aftermarket HID kits don’t typically work properly in reflector-style headlight assemblies. The beam pattern becomes uncontrolled, pointing light into the eyes of oncoming drivers. In many cases, depending on the specific design of the kit you choose, you can use an LED upgrade in those applications.

In projector-style systems, the shape of the internal reflector is designed to work with either incandescent or HID style bulbs. The position and shape of the light source differs between these two bulb types. You can often get away with putting HID bulb kits in a projector designed for Incandescent bulbs without any detrimental effects, but they may not be quite as bright or focused as an HID bulb in a projector designed specifically for that application.

Retrofits

If you are looking for the ultimate lighting upgrade, you may want to contact your local mobile electronics specialist about a retrofit. A retrofit involves removing the headlights from the vehicle, taking them apart, and installing new projectors with OEM-quality bulbs and ballasts. Most of these solutions use what is known as a bi-xenon projector. These projector assemblies have motorized shutters that move to produce a “high beam” light pattern. The output of these systems is among the best there is – perfect beam pattern, excellent cutoff and great light output. Some headlights are easier to work on than others, so contact a local specialist for details about your lights.

You can also make some cosmetic changes while the lights are apart. The installation of LED halo rings, and painting some of the interior components can have a dramatic effect on the look of the vehicle.

Wiring

When you want to change headlights, wiring is often involved. Many new vehicles have systems in place to detect when a bulb is burnt out. They can also modulate the voltage to high-beam lighting circuits to operate them as daytime running lights.

When it comes to wiring, nobody is better than your local car audio specialist retailer. Work with them to ensure that your new light wiring can provide enough current and operates the way it should. Relays, capacitors and load resistors may be required to achieve the results you want. Don’t ever skimp on wiring – it affects the reliability of the lights you install, and your safety is at risk.

A Word of Caution About Vehicle Lighting Upgrades

We want to remind you that your headlights are a tool. They are not toys, and their performance and reliability are of the utmost importance to your safety and the safety of those you share the road with. Lighting upgrades are a great way to improve your safety at night. Drop by your local mobile electronics specialist and discuss your options.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Choosing Speakers For Your Car: Components Or Coaxials?

Developing a speaker requires that the designer and engineer balance many different aspects, such as the application, cost and desired performance level of the end product. For the consumer, navigating the thousands of different speaker offerings on the market can be difficult. Two speakers can measure similarly regarding efficiency, power handling and frequency response, but still perform completely differently because of different distortion characteristics. Cone, dust cap and suspension resonance, motor non-linearity, and enclosure/application requirements play a crucial role in determining how the end-product will sound once installed in the listening environment. This article scratches the surface of looking at the benefits and drawbacks of choosing speakers by comparing coaxial and component speaker designs.

When Choosing Speakers, Define the Design

Component (or separate) speakers are a set of speakers that includes a set of dedicated midrange drivers and dedicated tweeters. Each of those four speakers requires a dedicated mounting location. By contrast, a coaxial speaker features a midrange driver with a tweeter mounted in the center of it. In most cases, the tweeter is on top of an extension post connected to the pole piece. Other coaxial designs use a bridge or mesh grille to suspend the tweeter over the midrange. These are sometimes called coaxially mounted components by marketing departments.

Benefits of Coaxial Speakers

In most cases, coaxial speakers are the less-expensive options in a product lineup. This pricing is due to the chosen target customer and not because you can’t make a high-quality coaxial speaker. Less-expensive magnets, baskets, cone materials and suspension components, and wider tolerances that allow for faster production with fewer rejected assemblies, all help reduce cost. The benefit is, if you need an inexpensive speaker, coaxials are a good solution.

Coaxial speakers can be installed faster, so they are less expensive to install. The integrated tweeter saves a lot of time during the installation process. Most coaxial speakers have integrated crossovers of some sort that don’t require special wiring or mounting. The net result is that your installer can get them up and running in your vehicle in about half the time it takes to install a component set, which means your labor charges will be reduced.

Benefits of Component Speakers

Most component speakers are made from better materials and have higher performance goals. High-end components can cost more than $5,000 for a set and often include premium passive crossover networks, elaborate installation accessories and – of course – amazing speakers. The sound that component speakers produce, when installed and tuned properly, can be amazing!

When a good set of components is tuned properly, most of the sound can appear to come from the tweeters. Having a separate tweeter allows your installer to mount it high in the vehicle – at the top of the door, on the dash or in the A-pillar. The combination of proper tuning and placement puts the music out in front of you, essentially at eye level. This higher soundstage is similar to what you would experience at a concert, listening to the band performing in front of you.

Many factors contribute to where and how your installer mounts the tweeters – your budget, your performance goals, and how much modification you want or will allow to your vehicle. All locations have their benefits and drawbacks. For example, a tweeter mounted on the dash or A-pillar is very near the windshield. The hard surface of the windshield can cause significant reflections. Alternatively, a mounting location in the upper section of the door may reduce these reflections, but may not raise the soundstage as high, or could make it appear to come from somewhere closer to you than the dash or pillar location.

A component speaker doesn’t have any of its output blocked by the tweeter, which eliminates some minor reflections . Likewise, with a coaxial speaker that uses a tweeter post, a component speaker can have a full dust cap. The dust cap moves with the cone and increases the driver cone area. Additional cone area increases the driver’s efficiency.

The Huge Role of Crossovers

Whether you choose a coaxial or component speaker set, you are going to need a crossover to handle splitting up the frequencies. In the most basic of speakers, a capacitor is used on the wire going to the tweeter to block low and midrange information. The midrange driver is allowed to roll off naturally – ideally, there are no significant high frequencies resonances that will affect the sound.

As you progress up through the quality of a speaker set, you will see steeper filter networks on tweeters. These steeper networks allow the tweeter to play to a lower frequency and then be stopped to protect it from excursion damage. At the same time, filtering the high-frequency output of the midrange is common in mid- to high-end crossover networks. Speaker manufacturers construct the most elaborate of crossover networks with premium components for both the high- and low-pass portions of the network. Adjustability is often built into the crossover for tweeter level. Small components can be overdriven and saturated, reducing their effectiveness. Large amounts of distortion can cause the tweeter cap to overload and explode.

The Option of Coincident-mounted Coaxial Speakers

The radiation pattern of a speaker is a sphere in its standard operating range. As frequency increases, this output pattern becomes more directional. When a tweeter is mounted at the base of a midrange, a phenomenon occurs called Intermodulation Distortion. As the cone of the midrange moves up and down to reproduce music, this moving surface modulates the reflections of the tweeter.

It is worth noting that the same thing happens when a single speaker cone is asked to reproduce high frequencies: The source of the high-frequency sounds moves forward and rearward as the speaker cone attempts to reproduce lower frequencies. This modulating effect is known as Doppler Distortion. These distortions, combined with the narrowing of the radiation pattern as frequency increases, are some of the many reasons why we have to use different-sized speakers to reproduce music accurately.

When shopping for a coaxial speaker, you will want to choose one that has the tweeter mounted low enough not to interfere with the installation of a grille or trim panel over top of the speaker. You should also look for a tweeter that has a small waveguide that prevents the output from bouncing off the midrange cone.

Shopping for Speakers

We could spend years discussing the different aspects of speaker design and performance. Suffice it to say that you should seek out the assistance of a seasoned and reputable professional for purchase and installation. Be sure to quantify as much of the purchase process as possible – your financial limits, cosmetic preferences regarding installation and performance goals for the system. You will want to use music you have listened to many times when auditioning speakers.

You may want to listen to both a set of more- and less-expensive speakers to help quantify the price point you have chosen. Finally, talk with the salesperson and, if possible, the installer about how and where the speakers will be installed. Be sure to ask about sound deadening, spacers, wiring and anything else that can affect the performance of the installed speaker.

Speaker shopping is a lot of fun, and getting new speakers for your car, truck, boat or motorcycle can be very exciting. Be patient – take your time and be thorough. You will enjoy your new purchase all that much more when you choose a great-sounding speaker and a skilled installer.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Long-Range RF Performance Improves Connectivity

Proximity Unlocking Adds Convenience

Industry Reference Reliability

Drone Telematics Ensures Unlimited Connectivity

Compustar Is the Leader in Remote Start Technology

ARC Audio X2 Subwoofer Features

Subwoofer Application Flexibility

Transform Your Car Audio System with ARC Audio Subwoofers

X1-MAX Standalone Security Solution

Drone X1R-LTE Add-On Communication Module

Time-Based Security Warnings

GPS Location-Based Notifications

Protect Your Vehicle with Drone

Light Source Options

Light Color

Light Intensity

Beam Pattern

Headlight Styles

Retrofits

Wiring

A Word of Caution About Vehicle Lighting Upgrades

When Choosing Speakers, Define the Design

Benefits of Coaxial Speakers

Benefits of Component Speakers

The Huge Role of Crossovers

The Option of Coincident-mounted Coaxial Speakers

Shopping for Speakers

Testimonials

Very Friendly Staff

I recommend then to everyone!

Will be going back for sure!

Subscribe to Our Website

Location

Connect With Us

Services

Hours