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Mobile Enhancement Experts in Milford CT

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Product Spotlight: iDatalink Maestro AR Multi-Amp Upgrades

Maestro AR

Several years ago, iDatalink, the company known for its class-leading remote car starter interfaces, launched an amplifier integration solution called the Maestro AR. The AR (which is short for amplifier replacement) was designed to interpret the CAN bus commands intended for a factory amplifier into something a third-party digital signal processor can understand. While DSP-equipped products from several companies work with the Maestro AR, iDatalink took advantage of a feature in the ARC Audio PRO Series line of processors to develop a unique solution. Multiple AR units can be installed in a single vehicle to control multiple digital signal processors or DSP-equipped amplifiers at the same time. Let’s examine how these upgrades work and why you’d want this solution in your vehicle.

How Does the Maestro AR Work?

In most vehicles with CAN bus-controlled factory-installed amplifiers, the radio’s audio output is a fixed-amplitude (volume) stereo signal. To be clear, the analog audio signal from the source unit, be it the FM radio, Bluetooth streaming or playback of a digital audio file, does not change level with the volume control on the radio. This limitation means that if your installer connects an amp to this signal, it will always be at full volume, no matter where the volume on the radio is set. In some vehicles, there is also a digital audio signal connection between the source unit and the amplifier. The Maestro AR will convert these to an analog signal.

Along with the audio signal coming from the radio are commands that travel along the CAN bus. These commands include volume adjustments, signal routing changes for Bluetooth hands-free calling, warning chimes and tone controls and adjustments to features like bass, midrange and treble tone controls, surround sound modes or speed-compensated volume adjustment. In many vehicles, a second analog signal from the radio caries navigation prompts and hands-free Bluetooth call audio.

The digital signal processor in the factory-installed amplifier routes the stereo audio signal to the various speakers in the vehicle after applying whatever filtering, equalization or up-mixing the manufacturer requested. The Maestro AR interprets commands on the CAN bus network and feeds them to the third-party DSP to ensure that warning prompts and Bluetooth signals are mixed into the system and routed as needed. Finally, and most importantly, the digital messages on the CAN bus control the output level of the third-party DSP in the amplifier to act as the master volume control.

Maestro AR
The radio in the dash of many vehicles sends digital commands to a DSP-equipped amplifier to process the stereo audio signal.

In the above diagram, you can see three connections from the source unit to the amplifier. Those are the fixed-level audio, the analog Bluetooth/prompt signal and the CAN network connection.

In a vehicle that uses the Maestro AR, those control commands go to a third-party DSP from companies like ARC Audio, Audison or Rockford Fosgate. These processors can then replicate the majority of the functions of the DSP in the factory amplifier to give you complete control over your audio system.

In a typical upgrade, your installer would program the Maestro AR interface for your vehicle’s year, make, model and trim level, then connect it to the wiring in the car with a T-harness that’s also available from iDatalink. All third-party partner DSP companies require the technician working on your vehicle to install a brand-specific adapter harness to work with the Maestro T-harness.

For this article, we’ll talk about an upgrade that uses ARC Audio DSP-equipped amplifiers. This ARC Audio DSP installation requires an input adapter harness called the IDATA-OEM, which would be available from your ARC Audio retailer. The IDATA-OEM harness connects to the iDatalink T-harness and the analog RCA inputs on any ARC Audio amplifier or DSP that uses the PS8-Pro platform (PS8 Pro, IPS8.8, PS8-50, Blackbird or PSM Pro). The T-harness includes speaker wires that your installer would connect to the output of the new amplifier to make it easy to feed audio signals to the speakers. Finally, your installer would configure the DSP’s output channel assignments (front left, front right, rear left, rear right, center and subwoofer), crossovers, equalization and, if applicable, delays for each speaker to make the new system sound great.

Maestro AR
An example of an audio system that includes a Maestro-AR compatible DSP-equipped amplifier.

ARC Audio Multiple Amplifier Systems

Many years ago, ARC Audio added a feature to its PS8-Pro and newer digital signal processors that allows several processors to be connected simultaneously to a computer via unique and individualized electronic product IDs for every signal processor made. The installer can label each processor, and the technician setting up the system can select which processor (or DSP-equipped amplifier) they want to adjust from a pull-down menu. While the product development team at ARC Audio was working with iDatalink on Maestro compatibility, the two companies realized they could use this feature to allow multiple AR modules to work together simultaneously to control multiple stand-alone DSPs or DSP-equipped amplifiers.

Maestro AR
The PS8-Pro and new DNA software allow your installer to connect to multiple DSPs simultaneously.

Why would someone want multiple amplifiers in their car’s audio system? We’ll use the example of Fred Lynch’s Ford Flex. Fred works at ARC Audio, and one of his many duties is to oversee international sales. He recently drove his Flex from Modesto, California, to Toronto to be displayed and auditioned at the CMA Expo in March 2023. The audio system in the Ford Flex has three ARC Audio Blackbird 12-channel DSP amplifiers and an additional ARC 1000.2 amp that powers a trio of A-Series shallow-mount subwoofers. In addition, three Maestro AR processors in the vehicle individually control each of the system’s three DSPs.

Fred built the sound system in his Flex to demonstrate the capabilities of ARC Audio’s amplifiers, processors, speakers and subwoofers in an OEM application with all OEM controls and features retained. Most importantly to his family, no storage space was lost. As such, he optimized the system with as much power as possible. He’s also upgraded the vehicle with a three-way front stage with 8-inch woofers in the doors and RS-3.0 3-inch midrange speakers, and RS 1.0 tweeters in the A-pillars. He also bi-amped the rear ARC-Series, coaxial speakers in the mid doors and rear D-Pillar speakers! The center channel midrange and tweeter are also filtered actively. A pair of preamp DSP outputs on one of the Blackbird amplifiers provides the signal to the ARC 1000.2 subwoofer amplifier.

Bonus Features of Maestro Integration

We mentioned earlier that the AR interface sends more than just volume control commands from the factory radio to the amplifiers or signal processors. The ARC Audio DNA software allows your installer to set up a dedicated equalizer band that works with the midrange control and a high-shelf filter that responds to the treble tone controls on the radio. The bass EQ control on the radio can be configured to adjust a single-band EQ, a shelf filter or the remote level control for the subwoofer output.

Finally, the Surround Mode control on the factory radio allows for selecting from several DSP configuration presets. It’s worth noting that the number of presets is limited by the interface on each vehicle’s radio. In Fred’s Flex, he has a configuration with just the front-stage speakers only. The second preset adds the subwoofers. The third preset adds the side and rear speakers. This third preset configuration added space and size to the experience without degrading the tightly focused front stage. The fourth preset changes from a sound-quality-oriented configuration to something more popular with enthusiasts who like a lot of bass by raising several crossover points so the system can safely use the amplifiers’ prodigious power. Toggling the “speed-compensated volume” selection from off to Low to Medium or High switches the presets on all three amplifier DSPs simultaneously.

Another unique feature of the Maestro AR system when using the ARC Audio Pro-Series DSP-equipped product is that installers can reconfigure the volume structure and incremental step level on the factory volume knob. For example, many factory-installed audio systems have issues where the volume control’s first step results in sound that can be too loud to converse with the person in the seat next to you. Another common problem is that the system reaches its maximum output capabilities using half of the volume steps on the factory radio. With AR and an ARC Audio processor, your installer can redefine the volume steps so the volume control works like a factory system with the range and incremental steps you expect.

Maestro AR
Commands from the midrange and treble controls on the factory-installed radio adjust the midrange and treble tone controls as configured by the ARC Audio DNA software.
Maestro AR
ARC Audio’s DNA software allows your installer to set minimum and maximum volume levels to ensure that the system doesn’t distort.

Why Use the Maestro AR?

Any audio system upgrade ideally aims to deliver improved sound quality, extended frequency response and output capability while maintaining the system’s ease of use. Upgrading the system with better speakers, subwoofers, high-power amplifiers and client-specific system calibration while retaining the intuitive control and appearance of the factory radio using the iDatalink Maestro AR ensures that the results are going to be predictable and reliable. Furthermore, this solution eliminates the need for the installer to attempt to recombine filtered, equalized and delayed signals; worry about Bluetooth hands-free calling echoes; or add an external volume control. In short, everything works intuitively and sounds excellent.

So if you have a Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Volkswagen or Mitsubishi, or a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, visit a local authorized vehicle iDatalink Maestro Retailer and ask about an audio system upgrade that uses the iDatalink Maestro AR interface. As a bit of teaser, we have it on good authority that iDatalink is working on an interface solution for vehicles that use A2B communication, digital over the copper (as is found in many Hyundai and Kia vehicles), along with MOST 50- and MOST 125-equipped vehicles. With the Maestro AR solutions, owners of these vehicles will be able to upgrade the sound systems with premium signal processing, amplification and speakers, ensuring that music enthusiasts can continue to have audio systems that are enjoyable and easy to use.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: ARC Audio, iDatalink

Product Spotlight: ARC Audio CX69

ARC Audio CX69

Picking an efficient speaker system that sounds good and can handle lots of power is no easy feat. The mobile audio experts at ARC Audio in Modesto, California, created the new CX69 6×9-inch speaker to fill this void. Whether you want great sound from the saddlebags of your Harley-Davidson, a door speaker that can keep up with a crazy subwoofer system or a solution for your side-by-side or boat, the CX69 does it all. Let’s look at what makes these speakers a great choice when you want your music loud and clear!

ARC Audio CX69 Features and Design Elements

ARC Audio’s in-house design team designed the CX69 speakers around a heavy-gauge stamped-steel frame. The frame has four curved spokes with rolled edges for added rigidity. Large vents at the base of the basket allow hot air to escape from the voice coil and prevent pressurization at high drive levels. At the bottom of the frame is a powerful motor assembly that features a high-quality Y35A-grade ferrite magnet. Unlike neodymium, ferrite magnets maintain their magnetic field strength better in high-heat conditions. Furthermore, their size acts as a heatsink for the voice coil to help keep it cool. The result is louder playback with better power handling.

ARC Audio CX69
Vents under the spider improve power handling and reduce distortion at high drive levels.

The woofer cone is a carbon-doped polypropylene design that offers an outstanding balance of rigidity, mass and damping to prevent unwanted resonances and distortion. The carbon also improves thermal stability, so the cone doesn’t deform or flex after being driven for hours at high power levels when exposed to direct sunlight or operated in high-heat areas. The outer edge of the cone is attached to the mounting flange using an inverted rubber surround. The inverted design provides more clearance around the edges of the driver, keeping moving parts away from grilles and mounting hardware.

ARC Audio CX69
The inverted rubber surround keeps moving parts away from the tweeter bridged to deliver impressive excursion capabilities.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the ARC Audio CX69 uses a large dust cap in the center of the driver rather than a post for the tweeter. This design dramatically increases the cone area to improve the speaker’s efficiency. The added mass of the dust cap also enhances midbass performance compared with the typical motorcycle audio speaker.

ARC Audio CX69
The large dust cap and suspended tweeter design add significant efficiency to the CX69.

In terms of power handling, the ARC Audio CX69 features a monster 1.45-inch glass fiber and Kapton voice coil former and an oxygen-free copper voice coil winding. Compared with drivers using a 1-inch voice coil, the voice coil assembly in the CX69 has 45% more area from which heat can dissipate. This directly translates into improved power handling and reduced power compression – so your music will sound great at high volume levels for longer than competing products.

The woofer features a progressive-roll Nomex spider that prevents the cone assembly from bottoming out at extreme power levels. The spider, voice coil former and cone are stagger-step bonded together using an adhesive that is rated for 446 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). This temperature is much higher than that of typical adhesives to ensure that the speaker functions reliably.

ARC Audio tooled a rigid stamped steel frame to suspend the 1-inch Norseal PVC-damped PEI tweeter above the woofer cone. The tweeter features a 25 mm voice coil, enabling it to function just as reliably as the woofer assembly. Like the bond between the woofer’s voice coil former, spider and the cone, the tweeter uses high-temperature, step-cured adhesives so that the components remain solid when driven hard for long periods. A high-quality metallized polypropylene capacitor is used for filtering to ensure that the tweeter delivers smooth and detailed high-frequency sound.

ARC Audio CX69
The large tweeter delivers clear and detailed sound without being harsh, like some horn designs.

Speaker Specifications

By way of specifications, ARC Audio rates the CX69 as having an efficiency of 95 dB SPL, making it several times louder than the typical car audio speaker. Power handling is rated conservatively at 125 watts continuous and 300 watts peak, making this driver a perfect match for the Moto 720 amplifier or any of the X2 series. The required mounting depth is 3.25 inches.

ARC Audio knows speakers designed for outdoor applications must withstand dust, rain and debris. The woofer cone on the CX69 has been treated with a UV-resistant coating to ensure that it won’t crack, fade or dry out like other designs. With the tweeter suspended above the woofer, there’s no way for water to get into the speaker, making it virtually waterproof.

Upgrade Your Motorcycle Audio System with ARC Audio Moto Amplifiers and Speakers

ARC Audio put a lot of thought into the design of the CX69 and its little brother, the CX6 speaker. They wanted to give consumers a product that would sound great and stand the test of time. If you want an audio system upgrade for your Harley-Davidson or are looking for a high-performance 6×9 speaker solution for your automotive, marine or UTV application, drop by a local authorized ARC Audio retailer and ask about their Moto series of products. We think you’ll be impressed by their performance and value. You can find an authorized retailer using the Dealer Locator on their website. Also, be sure to follow ARC Audio on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to be the first to learn about their new solutions.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: ARC Audio

Product Spotlight: ARC Audio A-Series Shallow Car Audio Subwoofers

ARC Shallow Subwoofer

The team at ARC Audio in Modesto, California, has a solution for those who want big bass from compact enclosures. The ARC Audio A-Series shallow-mount subwoofers are available in both 10- and 12-inch sizes with your choice of dual 2- or 4-ohm voice coils. Most importantly, they can dish out impressively articulate and detailed bass from applications where conventional full-size subwoofers simply won’t fit. If you’ve been lucky enough to hear ARC Audio’s Ford Flex with three of the A10s in a 1.3-cubic-foot enclosure, we’re sure you’ll agree! Let’s check them out.

ARC Audio A-Series Subwoofer Features

The A-Series subwoofers are available in both 10- and 12-inch diameter in dual 2- and dual 4-ohm voice coil configurations. The subwoofers are based on heavy-gauge, deep-draw, stamped-steel chassis that are finished with a fine-textured Dark Charcoal Grey Powder Coat paint. The frame has four large open windows and four sets of twin spokes. All the opening edges are rolled over to add strength to the design and give it a cast-basket appearance. A custom-tooled, fiberglass-reinforced thermoplastic frame bolted to the rear of the basket provides a mounting surface for the twisted-pile polycotton and Nomex progressive spider. As this is a custom part, the driver can use a flat spider rather than a cupped design that might introduce unwanted linearity issues. This spacer also features the mounts for the pair of chrome-plated, spring-loaded terminals on opposing sides.

ARC Shallow Subwoofer
Spring-loaded chrome terminals recessed into the sides of the driver make speaker wire connections simple.

The bottom plate with its integrated T-yoke and massive cooling vent, along with a large-diameter ceramic magnet and the 9.8-mm-thick top plate, are bolted to the center of the assembly to form the motor structure. All of these components, along with the proprietary spider spacer, are secured with high-strength, high-temperature adhesives and mechanical fasteners, so there’s no concern over anything ever working loose.

ARC Shallow Subwoofer
The A-Series subwoofers feature a large cooling vent in the center of the T-yoke to ensure linear operation and reliable performance.

In terms of soft parts (a term given to those components that move forward and rearward to produce sound), the A-Series subwoofers start with a spun-laced Nomex former surrounded by a Totoku triple-insulated copper voice coil winding. The ARC Audio transducer design team is passionate about its products meeting (and exceeding) thermal power handling specifications, so they always overdo things in this department – hence the premium shielded copper conductors. It’s also worth noting that the A12 drivers use a 3-inch diameter voice coil, with the A10 having a 2.5-inch one. This explains the difference in power handling between the 10s and 12s.

The voice coil assembly drives a progressive-taper, poly-injected, pulp paper cone that’s impressively rigid and well-damped for its weight. A reinforced polypropylene dust cap with the ARC Audio and A-Series logos on the front serves as the visible face of the drivers. The surround is made from UV-treated polyether to provide a flexible connection that will resist drying out or being damaged by humidity. It’s worth noting that polyether’s compliance doesn’t vary with temperature changes as much as other materials. If you live somewhere where it gets cold in the winter, you’ll still be able to enjoy your music.

A factor that many companies overlook in developing and constructing subwoofers and speakers is the application of adhesives. ARC Audio cleans and laser-etches all surfaces onto which adhesives will be applied to ensure a solid bond. Further, the assembly facility is temperature- and, crucially, humidity-controlled so that the application and curing process will result in the best adhesion and reliability possible. Yes, a manufacturer can have speakers constructed for a lot less money in a hot, humid and dusty warehouse, but guaranteeing that the products assembled there will stay together is a risky proposition.

ARC Shallow Subwoofer
A rubber gasket around the mounting flange ensures that the A-Series subwoofers will seal to the face of the enclosure.

A-Series Shallow Subwoofer Specifications

The A-Series subwoofers offer impressive output and efficiency from minimal amounts of power. The 10-inch drivers are rated for 250 watts of continuous power and 500 watts maximum. The 12-inch drivers bump those numbers to 300 and 600 watts, respectively.

From a Thiele/Small parameter perspective, the A-Series subwoofers are designed with a very low resonant frequency (around 25 to 26 Hz, depending on the model) and a very compliant (soft) suspension. The Qts values are mid-pack between low and high, so the drivers produce a natural bump in their response when used in small, sealed enclosures. The drivers work amazingly well in moderately sized vented enclosures if you have the room and want more low-frequency output.

ARC Shallow Subwoofer
Predicted frequency response of the A12D2 in 0.85- (red), 1.0- (yellow) and 1.25- (green) cubic-foot enclosures with 250 watts of power.

What seems to matter most to those looking at shallow-mount subwoofer specifications are the driver’s cone excursion values. We were told that both the A10 and A12 subwoofers have an Xmax spec of 15.2 mm. The subwoofers are a little taller than some in their class, with a 3.77-inch mounting depth requirement for either size. As a side note, your installer will also want to leave some room behind the sizeable cooling vent in the center of the T-yoke to prevent pressure build-up under the dust cap.

ARC Shallow Subwoofer

If you’re shopping for a shallow-mount subwoofer system that will make listening to music exponentially more enjoyable, drop by your local authorized ARC Audio retailer and ask about the new A-Series subwoofers. You can find a retailer near you by using the Dealer Locator on the ARC Audio website. Be sure to keep up with the latest news from the lads and lasses from Modesto by liking their Facebook page, Instagram feed and the ARCtv 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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: ARC Audio

Product Spotlight: ARC Audio MOTO CX6 Motorcycle Speakers

Motorcycle Speaker

ARC Audio has offered class-leading amplifier and speaker upgrade solutions for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles for more than a decade. Their experience and obsession with sound quality have led them to create a new generation of high-performance speakers that balance output capability and efficiency, bass extension and accuracy. The latest evolution of their motorcycle and powersports speaker line is the new MOTO CX6 6.5-inch coaxial-style speaker set. Based on a totally reimagined design, these new speakers sound better, handle more power and shrug off water, dust and debris better than their predecessors. If that seems like too much to ask, you might be in for a surprise.

ARC Audio MOTO CX6 Basket and Motor Features

The MOTO CX6 is technically a component speaker set with the tweeter mounted on a bridge above the woofer. The benefit of this design is a significant increase in woofer cone area that improves efficiency and enhances low-frequency output capabilities. The elimination of the second weather-resistant surround around a coaxial pole piece provides an additional improvement in sound quality.

Motorcycle Speaker
The tweeter on the ARC Audio CX6 is suspended above the woofer to optimize midrange output efficiency.

The CX6 speakers are based on a custom-tooled, die-cast aluminum chassis design. The thick four-spoke basket features eight large cooling vents under the spider mounting plateau to help heat from the voice coil escape. The spider plateau was designed at the correct height above the top plate to eliminate the need for a cupped spider that would be detrimental to the speaker’s performance.

The speaker chassis includes four mounting holes, and thick foam gaskets are included on the rear of the basket to seal against the speaker pods found in newer Harley-Davidson Road Glide and Street Glide motorcycles. It’s worth noting, the significant excursion capability of the new woofer design, combined with the heavy-duty steel tweeter bridge, requires the use of Boom 2 bumped grilles or the forthcoming MOTO SG2014+ replacement grille kit.

The motor is based around a Y35A-grade ferrite magnet, and the top plate is CNC-cut hot rolled steel. The T-yoke features an integrated shorting ring. Most listeners will perceive this upgrade as delivering a smoother and more accurate midrange response. For those who are technically minded, the shorting ring helps prevent the current flowing through the voice coil from creating a secondary magnetic field in the motor that opposes the magnetic field created by the magnet. Did you follow that? Either way, it’s an important feature and one that offers audible performance benefits.

Motorcycle Speaker
The CX6 features a die-cast aluminum basket, and the tweeter is filtered with a high-performance crossover for great sound and high volume levels.

Cone and Suspension Components

The woofer cones are based on an injection-molded polypropylene doped with carbon to increase thermal stability and improve the damping characteristics. The upper edge of the cone is attached to the basket with an inverted low-shore rubber surround. A large dust cap covers the bond between the cone and the 1.25-inch glass fiber voice coil former. The large diameter of the voice coil helps to improve thermal power handling by increasing its total surface area. Likewise, the choice of a ferrite magnet allows it to act as a large-mass thermal heat sink to wick heat away from the voice coil assembly. The result is a speaker design that can easily handle eight hours at its full rated 110-watt power level.

The spider is made of Nomex and features a constant wave progressive design that prevents the assembly from bottoming out at extreme power levels. The spider, coil former and cone are bonded together with a high-temperature adhesive rated for over 230 degrees C (440+ F) to ensure reliability.

Motorcycle Speaker
Cooling and power handling are improved thanks to a large-diameter voice coil and venting under the spider mounting plateau.

High-Performance Tweeter Delivers Amazing Clarity

The tweeter suspended above the woofer is based around a polyetherimide (PEI) and mylar dome damped with Norseal PVC mesh. This unique composite dome design is popular in pro audio compression drivers as it combines strength and damping with heat- and weather-resistance. The tweeter uses a copper voice coil wrapped around a composite Kapton mesh former, and a neodymium slug in the center of the voice coil serves as the motor. The effective diameter of the tweeter is 1 inch, and a hexagonal mesh grille protects it. A high-performance mylar capacitor affixed to the rear of the woofer basket serves as the crossover for the tweeter.

Motorcycle Speaker
The CX6 features a bespoke tweeter diaphragm that balances efficiency with damping for smooth, detailed performance.

Upgrade Your Motorcycle or Powersports Vehicle with the ARC Audio MOTO CX6 Today!

As the first of their next-generation products, the MOTO CX6 replaces the current MOTO 602v2 product. While the 602s were great, the new technologies in the CX6 are worth the change. If you’re searching for a motorcycle speaker that sounds realistic and offers impressive midbass performance while still getting loud, drop by your local authorized ARC Audio retailer and ask about the new MOTO CX6. Be sure to keep up with the latest product releases from ARC Audio by visiting their website, Facebook page, Instagram page and 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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: ARC Audio

Product Spotlight: ARC Audio X2-Series Car Audio Subwoofers

ARC X2 Subwoofer

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.

ARC X2 Subwoofer
The large roll rubber surrounds not only ensure years of reliable operation, they allow the subwoofer to deliver more than an inch of excursion capability.

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.

ARC X2 Subwoofer
Heavy-duty spring-loaded terminals make it easy for your installer to secure large-gauge speaker wire to the X2-Series subwoofers.

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.

Filed Under: ARTICLES, Car Audio, PRODUCTS, RESOURCE LIBRARY Tagged With: ARC Audio

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Factory Source Unit

To Get Better Sound, Do I Need to Replace My Factory Source Unit?

May 4, 2025 

Not all that long ago, upgrading the performance of your car audio system required that you replace the factory source unit. The industry had dozens of premium CD receivers with … [Read More...]

Testimonials

Very Friendly Staff

Very friendly staff, knowledgeable group . Needed help on my remote starter, they got me back up and running in no time . They also do amazing tint jobs!!

I recommend then to everyone!

Super great place to get lots of custom things done. Very nice, very knowledgeable and very fare prices. I recommend to everyone I know.

Will be going back for sure!

Very happy with how the tint came out. Professional and friendly. Will be going back for sure.

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Location

55 Woodmont Road, Milford, CT 06460

Get Directions to Speed of Sound Technologies

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Services

  • Car Audio
  • Custom Installation
  • Driver Safety
  • Radar/Laser Detectors
  • Remote Starters
  • Truck Accessories
  • Vehicle Security
  • Window Tint

Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Closed
Sunday

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