the car audio industry
04-24-2004, 04:10 PM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
definitely the install being done these days are amazing, anything fish does, biggs, steve brown etc, crazy stuff. what gets appreiated more do you think, a killer stealth install that sounds amazing, or a flashy one that sound mediocre. i think it depends on the person looking at it i guess, but what do you think has been the single most important advancement in car audio in the lsat 5 years, and where did you learn to do your own installs properly, did the shop you frequent help you alot, i say that because you sound like the type of customer every store would like have, and would help out
04-24-2004, 05:44 PM
#12
1000 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,649
Myself, I dont like the flashy installs with all the neons and crap everywhere.. I prefer an install that doesn't really stick out. At the moment, i have no system.. had to sell it all off to pay for school. I'm going to be doing another once i get steady work again. I learned to do my own installs by looking at other people's installs online, and most importantly, asking questions. The shops i go to alot helped me quite a bit.. But i already had a firm understanding of electronics, and automotive electrical systems. The guys who own the shops seem glad to help me. [img]smile.gif[/img] The biggest advance in car audio in the past 5 years? i wouldnt know, I'm only 19 [img]tongue.gif[/img] Maybe the reduction in cost of amplification? or the increase of forums like theese?
04-24-2004, 06:52 PM
#13
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 923
I think the biggest difference is that it's no longer car AUDIO. It has evolved to car THEATRE. Mobile video has driven the costs of regular audio equipment down to the point that the average consumer can now afford to build themselves a system that is more elite. Ie... instead of a basic CD player (single pre-out, 3 band eq, detach face), slightly better than OEM speakers and a entry level sub in a basic prefab enclosure. Consumers can now get themselves into a triple preout, MP3, multiple DSP mode, animated HU with crisp 2/3way coaxials or components with a small but efficient amplifier pushing a name brand subwoofer with decent specs in a stealth enclosure.
In short....they are doing more with less now.
Salespeople are better trained (especially since consumers are more informed now more than ever) products have more features for a lower price tag and integration is much simpler.
Thats my 2 cents.
Good post BTW.
In short....they are doing more with less now.
Salespeople are better trained (especially since consumers are more informed now more than ever) products have more features for a lower price tag and integration is much simpler.
Thats my 2 cents.
Good post BTW.
04-24-2004, 07:42 PM
#14
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 143
The Golden Age for me was 3-4 years ago. But you're right, just like everything else in the world, the comsumer is doing more for less. The avearge system is cheaper in $$$ but I remeber 3 years ago getting a deck with built in crossovers was amazing. Now is't almost standard. Deck, amp, sub and 4 now today can almost sound like of the smaller full custom systems we did 4 years ago.
Personally, I like to thave the best of both, stealth and practicality mixed with some flash that gets driven every day and not wheeled around in a trailer. Amazing daily drivers are my kick.
The biggest improvment in the industry for me has been in decks. The features you can get built in now with no outboard units just amazes me. I mean com'on, Indash DVD fold out 7" screens with dolby dig & dts, 50x4, adjustable x-overs, multi-band eq's, time dealys and decks you can plug a microphone into that wil set ITSELF up. Now that is impressive.
Personally, I like to thave the best of both, stealth and practicality mixed with some flash that gets driven every day and not wheeled around in a trailer. Amazing daily drivers are my kick.
The biggest improvment in the industry for me has been in decks. The features you can get built in now with no outboard units just amazes me. I mean com'on, Indash DVD fold out 7" screens with dolby dig & dts, 50x4, adjustable x-overs, multi-band eq's, time dealys and decks you can plug a microphone into that wil set ITSELF up. Now that is impressive.
04-24-2004, 09:22 PM
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
lots of new install teqniques, but do you think that it has impoved car audio in general or just an image. i think the indusrty is healthy in gerernal, and that the profit/value ratio has increased substantially, like many here have said, more value per dollar. i find myself questioning wheather or not the internet has decreased prices, i agree that maybe it has helped to better inform people, wheather good or bad, but adding value. where are we now compared to 5 years ago, a healthy industry or one on life support, where do we go from here, whats on the horizon to look forward too, opinions
04-24-2004, 11:12 PM
#17
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Posts: n/a
I think that 10 years ago, a moron who could barely install a deck with a kit and harness, could open a shop and be profitable due to the lack of competition and extremely good margin. The difference today is that one must have as good or better business sense than in other industries in order to survive. The internet and big box stores are a great excuse for those who don't know how to run a business to blame for their inability to stay in business on something other than themselves.
As for equipment I think cheap power is the single biggest advancement, with better materials used in speaker production coming behind.
As for equipment I think cheap power is the single biggest advancement, with better materials used in speaker production coming behind.
04-24-2004, 11:12 PM
#18
car audio industry is a biitch and a half. i will tell u that from retailer, customer and competitor stand point. in general the more u get into it or the more u know the faster u come to realize how much politics and bull**** are involved in the car audio. I know of many, many car audio competitors who had quit competing or fully participating in car audio industry for reasons other than actual car audio or competition.
I will honestly tell u that as a customer of car audio products, the less u know the better off u are. ofcourse some basic knowledge of the product is required but i would not suggest for anyone who is simply looking for a daily beater system to dig too deep into the 'industry' of car audio b/c they will come to discover some nasty things.
I cant say much with respect to actual product or install quality b/c i belive that physical aspect of car audio obviously gets better with time, just like any other physical product.
The market itself is fine as it is. it just had expanded and developed many different segments (just like virtually any other market for any product) in the last few years at a VERY high rate which many people, especially retailers and manufacturer's were not ready for. I belive it has almost reached a point of becoming a fully developed market with it's own segments, neishes, marketing channels, demographics, environmental conditions, and broad demands. Now we are starting to see many car audio manufacturers and retailers that try to implement a very popular marketing/business technique of specializing in only a few segments of car audio. For example companies like DD, American Bass and Earthquake who mainly focus on SPL. Meanwhile there are some companies who try to satisfy many sectors of the market at onces and are seccessfull are it. For example Rockford Fostage who sells anything from cd players to wires, to power caps, to subs and amps that fall into many price ranges and meet the broad market demands of almost all market segments, wether u want a relativerly cheap daily beater or a 170 db spl monster car.
I will honestly tell u that as a customer of car audio products, the less u know the better off u are. ofcourse some basic knowledge of the product is required but i would not suggest for anyone who is simply looking for a daily beater system to dig too deep into the 'industry' of car audio b/c they will come to discover some nasty things.
I cant say much with respect to actual product or install quality b/c i belive that physical aspect of car audio obviously gets better with time, just like any other physical product.
The market itself is fine as it is. it just had expanded and developed many different segments (just like virtually any other market for any product) in the last few years at a VERY high rate which many people, especially retailers and manufacturer's were not ready for. I belive it has almost reached a point of becoming a fully developed market with it's own segments, neishes, marketing channels, demographics, environmental conditions, and broad demands. Now we are starting to see many car audio manufacturers and retailers that try to implement a very popular marketing/business technique of specializing in only a few segments of car audio. For example companies like DD, American Bass and Earthquake who mainly focus on SPL. Meanwhile there are some companies who try to satisfy many sectors of the market at onces and are seccessfull are it. For example Rockford Fostage who sells anything from cd players to wires, to power caps, to subs and amps that fall into many price ranges and meet the broad market demands of almost all market segments, wether u want a relativerly cheap daily beater or a 170 db spl monster car.
04-24-2004, 11:22 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
I think that the new dB Drag rules will definately make it harder for the "niche SPL" companies to make a go of it. I can't imagine building quad coil subs for competitors was that profitable to start with. On the SPL side of competition I think that you will see more JL, MTX, Rockford etc in the winners circle. On the SQ side I think that there could be a rise in manufacturer teams again. Team JBL and Image Dynamics are big leaders here. I don't think the glory days of huge shop teams will ever return, like Speakerworks, PJ's, Speakerwarehouse. Even the relativley newer teams such as No Limits, Soundwerks etc. are a thing of the past, just to costly for independant shops.
04-24-2004, 11:27 PM
#20
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Another thing is the image of success in car audio is way out of whack in car audio business compared to other industries. For example, ten years ago a shop would buy a car few people could afford and trick it out, people thought, "wow, those guys must be really good at what they do, I want them to do my car" It seems that I hear alot of negative comments though about the same thing, instead they say "wow, those guys must really rip people off, if they can afford that for a demo vehicle"
