WWW.ONLINECARSTEREO.COM is currently running a last minute promotion for JL Audio subwoofers with 10% OFF. Here are the different series of subwoofers and JL Audio.

EDITOR’S CHOICE TOP 5 AFFORDABLE HEAD UNITS

This weekend, we asked our editor for their TOP 5 affordable head units at Onlinecarstereo.com. Affordable doesn’t just mean cheap, we took into consideration the value of the product in terms of its reliability, features and durability.

PIONEER DEH-80PRS – At first glance, this unit might be seen as expensive which is priced at $249.95 but looking closer, will justify and make you want it too. It is a single DIN that has Bluetooth capability that enables you to stream your favorite music from Spotify, Pandora or iHeartRadio. It features audiophile-grade components and has a 16-band EQ for total control. The DEH-80PRS received 5 stars on our audio quality test. Three Burr-Brown digital to analog converters are used - one each for the high, mid, and low frequency ranges; providing exceptional linear sound reproduction with wide dynamic range and faithful reproduction of the original source.

Alpine iLX-W650 – For a premium brand and product, the iLX-W650 is worth it. For only $294.95, you have a whopping 7 inch screen that is Apple Carplay and Android Auto capable stereo that will surely entertain you while you are driving. Have a SiriusXM subscription? No problemo! The iLX-W650 is SXM ready. While at the same time, capable of streaming your favorinte songs from SPotify, Pandora, Google Music and iHeart Radio. Alpine has implemented gesture controls such as 2-finger swipe motions which makes the user interface easy. Lastly, Alpine has made their new releases with shallow chassis with only 2.4” deep that fits perfectly to any vehicle.

POWER ACOUSTIK PDN-621HB – This unit from Power Acoustik is affordable and reliable. It comes with a built-in navigation with turn-by-turn features for USA, Canada and Mexico. You won’t find a more affordable touch screen, 2-DIN stereo at this price range with this much features.  It has the usual smartphone connectivity such as Bluetooth for hands-free calling and playing music; and it accepts steering wheels control interfaces (sold separately) for newer vehicles.

POWER ACOUSTIK PDN-1060HB – Another Power Acoustik unit, the PDN-1060HB is slowly showing its popularity. Priced only at $178.11, it gives you a gigantic 10.6” screen with built-in navigation and turn-by-turn

PIONEER  DEH-S5120BT - Last on our list in another Pioneer head unit. It’s affordable…. It’s single DIN…. And it does the job! The DEH-S5120BT is a CD player with Bluetooth stereo that can stream your music. It has Smart Sync, a Pioneer technology that pairs certain buttons on the stereo to your smartphone so you won;t have to touch your phone if you want to launch an app. For intance, it has a dedicated navigation button wherein when pressed, opens whatever default map app on your smartphone. How cool is that? Lastly, it has a Bass Boost key used to activate and deactivate the Dynamic Bass Enhancer Effect.

All of these head units are available at WWW.ONLINECARSTEREO.COM and much more. Subscribe to our NEWSLETTER to receive weekly promotion and save tons of cash!

The heat is still giving us the vibe of summer and there is no perfect way to celebrate it than in a yacht sipping margarita and playing your favorite relaxing song in the middle of the sea. Today, we are compiling the top 5 best source units for your boat this summer.

In choosing the best, we took into consideration the following features for a great source unit for your second home during the summer. First, it has to withstand harsh weather condition such as heat and of course, water or moisture. Next is Bluetooth connectivity as nowadays, streaming your music is the most convenient way of playing music. Gone are the days of playing your songs using the CD and even USB. Another feature we included in the screen and UI design of the unit itself if it is easy-to-use. Some minor features are SiriusXM ready for your subscription. Lastly is the price. Everyone loves a feature-filled marine electronic without breaking the bank. Without further ado, here are your top 5 best marine source units in no particular order. 

1) JVC KD-X560BT – One of the newest iteration of JVC in the world of marine electronics. It is a digital media receiver that sports a 3” screen for those who only want the basics. You can hook up a rear camera on this baby and has key illumination perfect during parties in the dark. If you still save your music in high definition FLAC files, the KD-X560BT can still play it through USB and taylor your sound using the 13-Band EQ.

2) KENWOOD KMR-D772BT – In the world of audio electronics, nothing can beat Kenwood. This receiver still plays your old CDs and can connect thru Bluetooth as well to stream your music. This unit can connect 5 Bluetooth devices at the same time so you’ll have a variety of songs while hosting your boat party. It can stream your favorite apps such as Spotify, Pandora and iHeartRadioas well as connect your SiriusXM subscription.

3) SONY MEX-M100BT – Sony has been literally making waves in the marine electronics industry with this source unit. It has a detachable faceplate for security purposes and comes with a built-in class-D 40 watt amplifier which is CEA-2006 certified. One feature unique to Sony is the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine that improves file sound quality for your saved music. The LED on this unit also changes displays in-time with your music which is a cool add-on.

4) PIONEER MVH-MS310BT – This is one of Pioneer’s newest releases. One of the cool features of this unit is Pioneer’s Smart Sync. It enables your phone to sync with the radio and as a result, you can bring your smartphone’s maps, messages and music together in your boat. It has a dedicated button to launch the navigation app.

5) JL AUDIO MM100S-BE – Among the list, this unit is the most expensive and premium. It features a 2 DIN design with full-color LCD display that is engineered for marine and powersport applications. It’s weatherproof and equipped with an 8-channel preamp output that delivers crystal clear sound that you will enjoy. It also features the usual AM/FM as well the Weather Band tuner for the serious sailor. Lastly, this won’t be complete without smartphone integration such as Aux, USB and iPhone inputs with SiriusXM connectivity too!

There you go... Visit our website at WWW.ONLINECARSTEREO.COM and find any marine electronic that fits your needs and budget. Please do subscribe to our Newsletter and receive weekly promotions to save tons of cash!

There are thousands of car audio brands worldwide and only a few stand out. These are the brands that have stood the test of time in terms of quality, reliability and innovation. Today let’s focus on some of our top brands that have been a household name in the car audio industry.

KICKER

Steve Irby founded the company back in 1973 in a small garage in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Love of music drove him to invent the mobile-stereo enclosure market that was the first full-frequency range speaker box designed for cars and trucks. From this day, Kicker went on to produce their popular L7, CompQ, Solo-Baric L7S, CompVX, CompR, CompRT, CompVR, CompVT, CompC and Comp Subwoofers. At the same time, they have developed a number of sub-brands in mobile audio and lifestyle products. Some of them are: VSS which are Vehicle-Specific Solutions for Doge, GM and Ford vehicles. Klock Werks are Kicker products for motorcycles. Kicker has also diversified in lifestyle entertainment such as the wireless outdoor speaker, Bullfrog.

JL AUDIO

The company was started by Jim Birch and Lucio Proni hence the name “JL”. It all began in the mid-1970’s when these two started to tinker with component speakers and designed home-made loudspeakers. First, they started selling these to their friends and eventually, they found themselves selling at a local weekend flea-market.

JL’s first car subwoofer was the 8W2 which is an 8-inch woofer designed to work perfectly on a ported enclosure. It went on to produce the classic PowerWedge series using this 8-inch woofer and continued to use the 10” and 12” variants.

Throughout the years, JL has been a household name in the car audio industry and their name is synonymous to Stealthbox, W3, W7, TW3 and a whole lot more.

JVC-KENWOOD

JVCKenwood was formed with the merger of Japan Victor Company and Kenwood Corp in 2008. JVC was found back in 1927 and was best known for introducing the first TV in Japan and developing the VHS recorder. JVC also popularized radios in 1939 and in the midst of World War II, it parted ways with RCA-Victor in 1943, maintaining its name today as Victor Entertainment. JVC has established its name in the car audio industry by producing some of the most sought after stereos such as the KW-V950BW, KD-T905BTS and CS-J620 to name a few.

On the other hand, Kenwood was formed in Japan in 1946 also as a manufacturer of modern hi-fi products. In the late 70’s, they released a series of integrated amplifiers stereo-powered amplifiers. Presently, Kenwood is a leading manufacturer of Car Electronics, Professional Communications devices and home audio products. They are one of the most popular innovators for advanced stereo technology such as the DNX996R, DNR876D and the DNX576S.

JBL-INFINITY

JBL was founded by James B. Lansing in 1946. JBL produced the first commercially available 4” diaphragm driver in the 1950’s. As a result, the guitar manufacturer, Fender, incorporated the D130F into their famous amplifier, signaling JBL’s entry into the music industry. JBL also expanded their catalog to include car audio electronics. Their noteworthy products are Stage, Stadium and Club series speakers. In addition, JBL has diversified in marine and wireless car electronics as well.

Infinity on the other hand was founded back in 1968 and has produced some of the innovative home and mobile products that made us of neodymium magnets, mylar diaphragms and polypropylene cones. Infinity is responsible for the production of the EMIT (electromagnetic induction tweeter) which is a quasi-ribbon that worked on moving air based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Infinity is best known for their KAPPA, Perfect and Reference speakers and subwoofer. They have also outstanding marine products for your boats and yachts.

In 1969, JBL was sold and likewise, in 1983, Infinity officially became part of Harman International Industries.

All of these brands are available at WWW.ONLINECARSTEREO.COM. Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to receive awesome weekly promos and save tons of money.

Nothing beats a car or truck with an excellent sounding bass system. It is always a head-turner when a car passes by with a boomin’ bass. If you want to start and set up you own vehicle with a bass system, here are a few tips and recommendations to achieve the perfect sound.

First, you will need the proper gear and equipment to get started. Here are the basics:

• Component Subwoofer
• Subwoofer Box
• Amplifier Installation Kit
• Installation tools

SUBWOOFERS

To produce the best sound bass system, choose subwoofers based on its RMS power. RMS is the power in watts that can continuously be sent to the amplifier without blowing it. Do not run subwoofers at its peak power. Subwoofers can only utilize peak power for about a minute before it blows. Lastly, choose a subwoofer with matching impedance (Ohms) with the amplifier for best audio results (You can also choose different impedance but you have to wire them differently. Please check out the diagrams below).

Our subwoofer bestsellers are:

• JL Audio 12W3v3-4 W3v3 Series 12" 4-ohm 100-500 watts RMS
• Massive Audio HIPPOXL 122 HIPPO Series, 12 inch 2000 RMS
• Alpine R-W12D4 R-Series Dual 4-Ohm 750 Watts RMS
• Pioneer TS-SW2502S4 10" Shallow-Mount Subwoofer 100-300 RMS
• Memphis Audio 15-MOJO612D4 12” 4 Ohm 1500 Watts RMS

SUBWOOFER BOX

Subwoofers boxes are optional. If you want to install subwoofers as a standalone at the back of your truck or car trunk, then a subwoofer box is perfect to protect your subs. Otherwise, if you want it underneath or behind the car seats, you will need to customize them and seek professional installer’s help.

AMPLIFIERS

Same as subwoofers, you will have to select an amplifier that matches the RMS of your subwoofers as well as the impedance (Ohms) ideally. There are instances that exact matches are unavailable. In these cases, it is best to select an amplifier with a slightly higher RMS power than the subwoofers. Once installed, just lower the gain on the amplifier to avoid blowing the subwoofer. It is also good to note that if the amplifier has lower power than the subwoofer, you are risking damaging the amplifiers either by blowing the amplifier or going to “protection mode”. Subwoofers are also at risk of damage with low-power amplifier as the coil would rapidly vibrate and eventually will blow.

Some of the best amplifiers to consider are:

• JL Audio JX500/1D Mono Subwoofer Car Amplifier 500 watts RMS
• JL Audio HD600/4 4-Channel Car Amplifier 150 Watts RMS x 4
• Alpine PDX-V9 5-Channel PDX Series 100W RMS x 4 + 500W RMS x 1
• Kenwood KAC-5001PS 300 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms Monoblock Class D Performance Series
• Kicker 43CXA12001 600 x 1 RMS CX Series Monoblock Class D