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Bang For Your Buck: Car Audio Speaker Technologies

05/24/2020 By BestCarAudio.com

Car Audio Speaker TechnologiesWe recently talked about the difference between good and great speakers. In a nutshell, when you choose great speakers, you get more power handling, the potential for more output and dramatically improved clarity, thanks to a reduction in distortion. In this issue of Bang for Your Buck, we are going to look at two car audio speaker technologies that reduce distortion. This article will be a true behind-the-scenes look at how speakers work.

Current Flow and Magnetic Fields

According to Lenz’s law, when current flows through a conductor, a magnetic field is created around the conductor. At the same time, when we move a conductor through a magnetic field, a current is created in the conductor.

Bang For Your Buck – Car Audio Speaker Technologies

The diagram above shows a conductor (in grey) with a current flowing through it. The green lines show the direction of the magnetic field around the conductor.

In a speaker, the voice coil is a coil of wire wrapped around a bobbin or former. Current from our amplifier flows through this conductor and sets up a magnetic field around the voice coil. We use this property to move the speaker in and out of the basket. When the polarity of the magnetic field is the same as that of the fixed magnet, the similar magnetic fields repel each other, and the speaker moves forward. When the polarity of the magnetic field reverses, the speaker is attracted to the magnetic field and the speaker moves rearwards.

Unfortunately, when it comes to dealing with alternating current, the behavior of magnetic fields can work against you. When the polarity of the current reverses, it has to fight against the magnetic field it created. You can think of it as momentum. If marbles are rolling across the floor, it takes energy to make them change direction. This opposition to the change in the flow of current is called inductance. The electrical momentum resists the desire to set up a new magnetic field of the opposite polarity.

Managing Voice Coil Inductance

The amount of inductance in a speaker voice coil is determined by several factors. The size of the voice coil conductor, the geometry of the conductor, the number of layers in the voice coil and the proximity of the voice coil to the top plate and the pole piece – just to name a few.

Bang For Your Buck – Car Audio Speaker TechnologiesSo, how does inductance cause distortion in a speaker? As you can see in the diagram above when the voice coil winding (in red) is at rest, it is centered on the top plate (in green). As the cone moves down, more of the voice coil is beside the magnet (in blue) and the pole piece (in pink). Conversely, as the come moves outward, less of the cone is near the pole. In a conventional speaker design, the changes in proximity to the steel pole piece cause changes in inductance. As the inductance decreases, there is less opposition to the flow of high-frequency current and an increase in high-frequency performance. Changes in performance based on the position of the speaker cone result in distortion.

Car Audio Speaker Technologies

The image above shows the inductance of a voice coil relative to its position in the speaker. The red curve is the inductance graph of a conventional speaker. The blue curve is the inductance graph of a speaker that includes an aluminum shorting ring at the bottom of the T-yoke. As you can see in the image above, without the shorting ring, the speaker has dramatically different inductive characteristics depending on the position of the cone.Car Audio Speaker TechnologiesThe graph above shows the frequency response of a speaker without a shorting ring (in red) and that of a very similar speaker with a shorting ring (in blue). As is clearly evident, the inclusion of a shorting ring dramatically improves the high-frequency performance of a speaker. Further improvements in linearity can be achieved by including a copper cap on top of the T-yoke.

When you are shopping for great speakers, look for inductance-reducing caps on all speakers (subwoofers, midrange drivers and tweeters), and in larger speakers (subwoofers and midrange drivers) where the room is available in the motor assembly, look for the presence of a shorting ring.

Comparing Inductance Numbers

If we can’t determine whether a speaker has a design that mitigates changes in inductive characteristics, can we simply look at the specifications? They most certainly do provide a hint. A 6.5-inch woofer without a cap or shorting ring may have an inductance of 0.7 to 1.1 mH (millihenries), whereas a speaker with these technologies will be closer to 0.1 or 0.2mH. In terms of how they sound, all other design criteria being equal, the driver with the lower inductance will have better high-frequency performance and produce less distortion.

Speaker Suspension Nonlinearities

The purpose of the spider (also known as a damper) is to keep the voice coil laterally centered in the air gap between the top plate and the pole piece and to help return the cone to the resting position when the audio signal is removed.

Picking the perfect damper stiffness (compliance) for a given cone mass and desired resonant frequency is one of the biggest balancing acts involved in designing a speaker. If the spider is too stiff, the resonant frequency of the speaker may be too high for the desired application and its efficiency may suffer.

Car Audio Speaker Technologies
6.5-inch woofer with a cupped spider

A variety of materials are available, as well as different sizes and different geometries. A spider is a spring. Some spiders are designed for linear compliance and some are progressive. More importantly, because of variances in voice coil winding height and basket design, some spiders include an offset mounting lip. This is called a cupped spider. This cup or spacer allows the spider to attach to the voice coil former above the winding, then connect to the chassis while keeping the voice coil vertically centered in the magnetic gap.

Car Audio Speaker Technologies

The above graph shows the suspension compliance of two different 6.5-inch diameter speakers based on the position of the cone. The graph in red shows the compliance of a speaker that uses a cupped spider. You can see that at 6.5mm of inward travel, the suspension is 25 percent stiffer than at 6.5mm of outward travel. The blue graph shows a similarly sized speaker with a flat spider. Though the overall compliance is different, the behavior in the forward and rearward directions is nearly identical.

Car Audio Speaker Technologies
6.5-inch woofer with a flat spider

What To Look For in a Spider

Ultimately, we want the spider to exert the same amount of force on the cone and voice coil as it moves forward or backward from the rest position. The amount of force should not change based on the direction of cone travel. Imagine the distortion created by a speaker playing a sine wave where the cone doesn’t move as far rearward for a given amount of current as it moves forward. As such, try to avoid speakers that use cupped spiders.

Hear Different Car Audio Speaker Technologies In Person

The next time you head to your local mobile enhancement retailer to listen to new speakers, choose two wildly different price points and listen to the same portion of a song on each speaker. Listen to them at a reasonably loud volume level, and position yourself across the room. Switch back and forth until you determine the differences.

Then, add a third speaker option, priced and featured somewhere in the middle. Make the same comparison with this new speaker and the expensive speakers. Once you have listened to the speakers, ask to look at a sample of each and see if you can correlate some of the design characteristics we have discussed with their performance. It’s not only a great way to audition products but to learn about what makes one car audio speaker technology or design better than another.

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, RESOURCE LIBRARY, Uncategorized

A Quick Look at Apple and Android Smartphones

02/09/2020 By BestCarAudio.com

Apple and Android SmartphonesLooking back to the Palm Pilot and the original Blackberry, we have been on a constant path toward having full-blown computers with us at all times. Fast-forward a few decades and it’s rare that folks don’t have a smartphone in their pocket or purse. Apple and Android smartphones have changed the way we communicate and are entertained.

In the mobile electronics industry, we have been working hard to find ways to integrate your smartphone into your vehicle to help you safely communicate and listen to your music. Dive into any discussion about smartphones on Facebook, and you’ll quickly see it turn into a battle of which kind is better. As each device changes, seemingly by the hour, answering that question is nearly impossible. With that said, there are definitely benefits and drawbacks to each. Let’s look at some cold, hard facts about the Android and iOS operating systems and their associated hardware.

A Brief History of the iPhone

Launched in the summer of 2007 by Steve Jobs, the iPhone was touted as a game-changer in communication technology. Apple retains a unique advantage over Android-based smartphones in that it controls not only the hardware chosen for the device but the software as well. The iOS operating system is designed and tested to work together with the iPhone.

iPhone Complaints

Apple and Android SmartphonesWhat company doesn’t have haters? People either love the iPhone for iOS for its interface, associated software and approved hardware accessory devices or hate it for its monopolistic approach. Few people like having to use iTunes to load their music and the cost of MFI (Made for iPhone/iPod) approved cables and devices definitely raises their cost.

Is there a benefit? Definitely. When you buy an approved accessory, you know it will work. When you transfer music, you know it will play. You may lose some of the independence of doing what you want when you want, how you want, but the infrastructure exists to make owning and using an iPhone as trouble-free as possible.

Apple is often criticized by Android users for being late to the party with new features: “Oh, you added facial recognition to the iPhone X and wireless charging to the iPhone 8! That’s great, Android phones had that last year.” Maybe it takes longer for Apple to test these technologies. Maybe the development and testing time for each new phone takes a lot longer. We may never know, but it sure is nice when the features arrive and work flawlessly.

iPhone in the Car

Apple and Android SmartphonesApple led the automotive smartphone connectivity battle with CarPlay. CarPlay was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014 with Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo as its first automotive partners. CarPlay offers an interface that mimics the icon layout on the phone to make using the system intuitive.

CarPlay allows users to use the Siri voice recognition engine to perform tasks like listening to text messages, making phone calls, selecting music and choosing navigation destinations. You don’t have to look at the screen at all to initiate any of those tasks.

With Apple under control of the CarPlay software, both OEM and aftermarket infotainment system manufacturers need to send samples to Apple for testing and approval before they can be sold. Apple works at its own pace, and we know this can cause delays. Are they worth it? If the system works the way it should, then most definitely.

Android-Based Smartphones

Apple and Android SmartphonesDeveloped by Google, the Android mobile operating system started development in 2005 and was launched in 2007. At the same time, the Open Handset Alliance – a consortium of hardware, software and telecommunication companies – was launched to advance open standards for mobile devices. The goal of the Open Handset Alliance was to create an open competitor to Symbian, Blackberry OS and iOS-powered devices. The first Android-based device was the T-Mobile G1, developed by HTC and launched in September 2008.

A fun fact about Android is its naming convention for each major release. While this practice is not uncommon, the names are rarely shared with the public. In order, the code names have been Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat and, most recently, Oreo. Clearly, the Android development team has a snacking issue.

Is Free Good?

Apple and Android SmartphonesAs we stated, the Android mobile operating system is released by Google under an open source license. This means that phone manufacturers don’t need to buy or license the operating system. This can reduce development costs and accelerate the focus on new technology.

As with most things, for every silver lining, there is a dark storm cloud nearby. With phone manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei, LG, Sony and HTC each creating their own hardware and implementation of the Android operating system, updates for each device are at the mercy of the manufacturer and the wireless carriers. With Android about to roll out Version 8.1.0, not every device will get an upgrade.

In May 2017, coinciding with the launch of Android 8.0, Google announced Project Treble with a goal to streamline and simplify the update process for Android-powered devices. Only time will tell how successful they are.

Is Easy Good?

If you want to put a few songs on your Android phone, connect the USB cable to your computer, and drag the files to the Music folder. You can manage the files on your computer however you want, or not at all – if that’s your cup of tea. Similar folders exist for Pictures, Podcasts, Ringtones and Movies. You can treat them the same way you would a USB memory stick.

When Apple announced the iPod would move from Firewire to USB, radio manufacturers were quick to adopt interfaces that would allow control playback of the songs on the device in the car. This adoption took a lot longer for Android, and even up until last year, some source units could not play music stored on an Android phone by simply connecting the USB cable.

Bluetooth Problems

Apple and Android SmartphonesWith Apple and Android smartphones, Bluetooth connectivity is a big issue. Almost everyone has a Bluetooth hands-free solution in their car, so being able to use your phone with it is crucial to your productivity. Apple hasn’t been flawless in terms of backward compatibility to older source units, but for the most part, they seem to work well. Android, on the other hand, has been plagued with connectivity issues that vary by the phone manufacturer. Several aftermarket radio manufacturers cringe when dealers or consumers call about Bluetooth issues from specific brands.

Imagine if you update your smartphone and you can no longer connect to your vehicle’s hands-free system. With Apple, you can complain at the Apple Store or log into their support website. Though they won’t admit it outright, they pay attention to these issues and in many cases, fixes are released in updates.

If you own an Android-based phone, whom do you call when something doesn’t work? The store you bought the phone from? Your carrier? The manufacturer? Google? Simultaneously, each of them and none of them are singly responsible for the issue, nor can any one of them directly help you find a solution. Sure, there are exceptions, but with the open source philosophy of Android, connectivity with third-party devices is a lot more variable.

Android in the Car

Apple and Android Smartphones Android Auto was announced in 2014 as a joint effort between 28 automobile manufacturers. The actual Android Auto app was released on March 19, 2015; in May 2015, the Hyundai Sonata became the first vehicle to offer Android Auto support. Android Auto offers similar functionality to CarPlay, but eschews the menu-driven foundation and provides information about the function you are using on the screen. Voice commands and features work similarly to CarPlay.

Android Auto has an advantage over CarPlay with Google Maps and Waze. Both of these navigation solutions are considered superior to Apple Maps. You will find that many Apple users, unless they are using CarPlay, use the iOS versions of Waze and Google maps for their navigation needs.

Which Phone is Better?

Apple and Android SmartphonesOur goal isn’t to determine a winner in the battle of Apple and Android smartphones – that’s up to each individual user. If you use Macintosh-based computers at home, you may see no better option than to choose an iPhone. If you like the freedom of Android open architecture, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Integration for Apple and Android Smartphones

No matter which phone technology you use, your local mobile enhancement retailer can help you integrate your phone into your vehicle. CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless charging, audio streaming, hands-free calling solutions or even a custom mounting bracket are available for most vehicles. Drop by and see how they can make using your smartphone in your car safer and easier.

Steve Jobs photo by Ben Stanfield (https://www.flickr.com/photos/acaben/541326656/) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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, RESOURCE LIBRARY, Smartphone Integration, Uncategorized

Why Does My Car Have Surround Sound?

12/11/2019 By BestCarAudio.com

Surround SoundIf you have ever been to a movie theatre, you have probably experienced what is known as surround sound. There are at least five discreet audio tracks encoded into the film you are watching, and most also include a Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel. The purpose of these audio channels is to allow the source of each sound to be directed to a particular location in the theater so everyone can enjoy a realistic experience, no matter where they are sitting.

This is what has brought about the introduction of surround sound processing to the automotive world. It is relatively easy for an audio system designer to set up a realistic listening experience from a single listening position using equalization, precise output level adjustment and signal delay. Even when you sit much closer to one speaker, careful tuning can make the music appear to come from an imaginary speaker array all across the soundstage.

The Front Stage

For mobile audio enthusiasts, much of our efforts in system design and tuning go into the creation of the front stage. This term describes the speakers that are installed in front of us and their locations. We can use signal processing to adjust the output of each speaker so the music sounds as if it is coming from the center of the dash, even though you are sitting on the left side of the vehicle. The problem with these adjustments is that they only work for one seating location. The passenger often suffers with less-than-ideal frequency response and most of the music seems to emanate from the right side of the dash. For realism, this is less than ideal.

Sound-steering Technology

Surround SoundMost movie theaters have dedicated left, center and right speakers behind the main screen. Including the center channel allows the audio producer to fix the position of voices and effects in a specific location relative to the screen. If someone is being interviewed and is centered in the image, their voice will most likely be reproduced by the center speaker only. If they move across the picture, the level of their voice decreases in the center and increases in one of the left or right speakers relative to their position. Even if you are sitting on the far right side of the theatre, voices and sounds are steered for incredible realism.

Surround Sound in Cars and Trucks

Surround SoundThink about how well the ability to steer sound works in a theater when you are in a less-than-ideal seating position. Now think about your vehicle. You are sitting much closer to the left-side speakers. You will hear sound from them before anything from the right speakers, and those sounds will be louder. Your music will seem to come from the door or left side of the dash.

By including a center channel in the middle of the dash, the system designer can route audio signals that are equal in amplitude in both left and right channels to the center speaker. To improve the accuracy of the system a step further, those signals are also removed from the left and right speakers. The result is a system that reproduces music evenly across the dash from both the left and right seat. Music sounds great from the back seats as well.

Rear and Side Speakers

Surround SoundIn our movie theater, the rear or side speakers are primarily used for special effects. A helicopter or plane flying into the scene from behind us is a good example. In modern movie production, that information is hardcoded into the surround channels.

Because we are only listening to two-channel audio (left and right) in our vehicles, there is no opportunity for the music producers to direct specific sounds to rear channels. However, complex signal processors from companies like Bose and Harman do an excellent job of extracting audio information that is suitable for the rear speakers. Sophisticated algorithms can also produce an increased sense of soundstage width in systems with speakers in the rear doors. Rear deck speakers add a sense of ambiance and room size to the performance. How they analyze the relative phase and amplitude of signals within the stereo recording is simply amazing. So, too, are the results of their efforts. Your music can appear to come from spaces beyond the boundaries of your vehicle.

Mix it Up

OK, we admit that the title of this article is click bait. We are talking about upmixers here. An upmixer, by definition, takes a number of audio channels (in our case, two) and turns them into a greater number of channels (usually six). If we feed an upmixer left and right signals, it can generate left, center, right, left rear, right rear and subwoofer output signals. Some upmixers provide eight channels: left, center, right, left side, right side, left rear, right rear and subwoofer. Many OEM systems use these 7.1 systems with great success!

You sold me! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!

Surround SoundWhen it comes to the aftermarket, the options for upmixers are limited. Some people have mucked around with using computers or tablets with external sound cards, but the interface is clunky and frustrating. On top of that, you don’t get a radio tuner, there is no backup camera input and you can’t add SiriusXM. Tablets look cool, but they are not ideal for use in vehicles.

The Alpine PXA-H800 processor (and companion RUX-C800 controller) includes Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS Digital Surround decoding. This processor will generate a genuine center channel signal with audio information that is removed from the left and right channels.

Audiofrog hasn’t been shy about the fact that they are working on a new signal processor that is specifically designed to create a realistic center channel and surround channels. The solution is called Multiseat Stereo. Unlike most systems that use versions of DTS or Dolby Digital, Audiofrog has partnered with PerfectSurround to create a system that is free from phase artifacts.

Confused? Don’t be. In a nutshell, PerfectSurround does a better job of steering sound than other processing systems. The results are more realistic and provide better bass focus in the front of the vehicle. There is no firm release date as yet, due to patent applications and all that business stuff, but keep your eyes peeled.

The Future of Great Mobile Audio for Everyone

If you and your co-pilot both love great car audio, then a mobile sound system with a correctly processed center channel is an easy way for both of you to enjoy a realistic performance from any position in the vehicle. If your car or truck came with a surround sound system, visit your local mobile enhancement retailer to find out how they can upgrade it with better speakers, more power and tuning that matches your listening preferences.

If you are designing a new system, then keep an eye out for new processors to arrive on the market. The future of mobile entertainment that sounds realistic for everyone in the vehicle will be based on upmixers.

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, RESOURCE LIBRARY, Uncategorized

“Always Be Ready For The Unexpected”, Momento.

10/26/2018 By John Schwartz

Momento Dash Camera Systems

Why do you need a dash camera?

A dash camera installed in your vehicle is a great way to protect yourself from accidents, vandalism, and much more vehicle challenges. Momento Dash Camera Systems will record dangerous driving, fraudulent behavior or accidents. This footage can be of great value with a situation arises. Here are some circumstances dash cams can be of use:

  • Accidents
  • Hit and Run
  • Driver safety
  • Security / theft 
  • Transportation services: Uber, Lift, Taxi’s.

What is looping technology?

The Momento Dash Camera Systems both have loop technology. Which means it is constantly recording and will overwrite older footage. Although, if there was impact or motion while recording then the dash cam will record before, during and after the impact and that footage will be saved in a separate folder. The dash cam has the impact and motion sensors built-in to the unit itself.

What is low-light sensor?

The Momento M5 is not only HD, and has storage up to 32GB, but has a low-light sensor built-in. The low-light sensor is a Sony Exmor R Image Sensor. In other words, it improves stability and visibility when it is dark out. This is a great feature when the footage is recording during night, or dark areas.

Stop by, and get a quote! Momento M5

If you are looking for more safety, and to feel more secure while driving, and/or while your vehicle is parked then stop by and we can go over the differences between the M4, and the M5 dash cams.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Collision Avoidance, INSTALLATIONS, Uncategorized, Vehicle Security Tagged With: accidents, cam, camera, Dash Camera, driver safety, footage, recordings, security, theft

Anchorage Client Gets Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Remote Starter

08/17/2017 By John Schwartz

The owner of this 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-wagon contacted Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security to inquire about the installation of a remote starter and keyless start system for her truck. After a little research, we came up with a solution to change the factory key-start system to a keyless system. We also proposed a DroneMobile solution to give her unlimited remote start range. With her approval, we scheduled an appointment for the installation.

We started by removing the factory key-start system and installing a keyless push-to-start solution. We used a Mid-City Engineering SKSNG166D4 interface to remote start the truck. This interface handles all the data and security communication with the factory ECU. The new system came with two keys, one of which we had to sacrifice to the remote starter interface module. Once that hardware was installed, we had the local Mercedes-Benz dealer program the keys.

A DroneMobile DR3400 Telematics interface allows the client to use an app on her smartphone to remote start the truck from anywhere she has an Internet connection.

The client was thrilled with the upgrades. If you are interested in a remote starter system for your Mercedes-Benz, contact Alaska’s remote car starter experts at Perfectionist.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 2016, DroneMobile, G-Wagon, Mercedes-Benz, Mid City Engineering

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