3/30/17 Elgin, IL – K40 Electronics announced that it will offer two training sessions to mobile electronics professionals on how to increase K40 radar/laser system sales and profits during Mobile Electronics’ KnowledgeFest Spring Training event being held April 9-11, 2017, at the Indiana Convention Center.

Presented in conjunction with Jason Kranitz, owner of Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, K40 is offering two training sessions:

•         Monday, April 10, 2017 – 5:45pm – 6:45pm – Hall D Lobby RESERVE NOW

Custom Installation Focus: Stand out from the crowd while boosting your bottom line! Get hands-on experience performing two installation techniques that offer a unique touch and additional labor dollars.

•         Tuesday, April 11, 2017 - 9:00am - 10:00am – Room 110 RESERVE NOW

The What, Why, and Who of Radar/Laser: In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to engage every customer with “one simple question”, why the product category makes sense for your business, and how K40’s modular product line offers you the flexibility to design and quote systems to meet price points while still earning up to 60% profit plus labor.

In addition to providing training sessions, K40 will also be exhibiting its full product line and meeting with dealers in exhibit hall booth #422.

“We visited dealers from coast to coast in the past year and saw the positive impact our hands-on sales and installation training had on their businesses," said Rachel Clark, National Sales Director for K40. “In the true spirit of ‘KFest’, we’re looking forward to sharing our knowledge with attending industry professionals as well as learning from their experiences. We believe when everyone learns, everyone grows.”

For information on K40’s entire product line, which offers the industry’s first ticket-free guarantee, visit http://www.k40.com/products

March 30, 2017, EDMOND, Okla. — Petra Industries, the consumer technology industry’s accessory authority, has expanded its product offerings by partnering with Cyber Power Systems.

CyberPower manufactures Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems, Power Distribution Units (PDUs), rack enclosures, surge protectors and other power solutions for IT professionals and consumers alike. These products have data center, network and office applications and are utilized by numerous entities in both the public and private sectors. Also included in the company’s selection are rack-mount accessories, wall taps, extension cords, USB chargers and power adapters.

“Petra’s lineup of power protection products is stronger than ever thanks to CyberPower,” said Tate Morgan, Petra President. “Their commitment to providing the highest-quality solutions has given them a well-deserved reputation for excellence in the industry.”

For more information about Petra’s more than 20,000 products, visit www.petra.com.

Rostra introduced a replacement for its popular 250-8423 General Motors OE screen video interface system.

Now available for sale, part number 250-8425 iterates on the design of the previous system by continuing to allow for a reverse-triggered backup camera addition while adding a separate video input for forward-facing, cargo or blindspot cameras that can be powered on manually using the included push-button control switch, or automatically when the vehicle is shifted into Drive.

For vehicles equipped with OE backup cameras, the 250-8425 interface allows for the addition of a forward-facing or blindspot cameras giving drivers more visibility of the area in front of or beside their vehicle while retaining backup camera functionality. For base model vehicles without an OE-installed camera, the 250-8425 interface allows for the addition of both front and rear cameras including any from our RearSight® product line.

March 28, 2017 - Daytona Beach, Florida - The auto sound event in Daytona Beach that kicks off the Soundoff competition season every year was held in new “digs”. For the first time in 31 years, the annual Spring Break Nationals changed venues from the 200,000 sq. ft. Ocean Center to the DIS (Daytona International Speedway).

Having outgrown the former venue and for the several years that the competitors of IASCA, MECA, ISPLL and dB Drag Racing were clamoring for a venue that they can play and spread out in, the DIS was the perfect venue so, this year, the move was made. 

There were several experiences that made this event special. First was that it was held in conjunction with the Spring Turkey Run, a 28-year car show that takes place at the Speedway twice a year. STR draws a huge audience and provided a bevy of very cool cars and trucks to look at.

The vastness of the Speedway venue in itself saw no police dispatched for noise complaints nor were there any citations written. The show hours were easy, beginning a bit early but finishing the day at 4pm. All competitions ran smoothly with SPL spread out from the base of Turn 1 all the way to Turn 2 of the Racetrack.

The SQ competitions were held in the NASCAR garages, a distance away from SPL so there was no interference during the judging. Tuner Jam car show contestants had their own area to show and shine as well. Soundoff awards were handed out to the winners who were able to drive their competition cars into DIS Victory Lane. Competitors and even some of the factory guys were thrilled to have a police escort for a couple of laps around the Daytona Speedway.

SBN founder Paul Papadeas said “in keeping with our commitment to consumer awareness, participating manufacturers helped support this venture that was attached to a show which caters to the demographics that are now a great part of our industry’s consumers. Among them were Kenwood, Arc Audio, Metra Electronics, Orion and several others. As anyone might expect in a new venue, there were very few issues that arose and were quickly overcome. We had to make some corrections on the fly to ensure all participant’s satisfaction”.

“During the event” Papadeas said, “I canvased the grounds making notes on how both factions of the event could improve including better exhibit placement, dedicated shuttles for the ‘South 40’ where the DEMOs cranked; many improvements are on the agenda. As always, we look forward to all forms of feedback from those that participated so we can address any concerns that were not visible during the event.” The suggestion box is open and can be send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

EDMOND, Okla. — Petra Industries, the consumer electronic industry’s accessory authority, has partnered with the multiple award-winning, connected car accessory company Nonda®.

As a leader in app-enabled, connected car accessories, Nonda is focused on creating products that solve a problem and can be easily installed by consumers in under 10 minutes. Their products include a ZUS smart charger that includes 2 USB Ports and more importantly keeps track of where a car is parked so users will never lose their car again. Plus, brand new to their lineup for 2017 is the iHere 3.0 Smart Key Finder that is the only rechargeable item locator in the world and finds users keys in one click. In addition to these Smart Accessories, Petra also brought on board super-duty cables with nylon braiding for a strong, splinter and tangle free charge and the world’s smallest USB-C Adapter.

“Petra’s vision, leadership, and experience in mobile accessories make them a strong partner in building the consumer connected car category,” said Ivan Chong, Nonda Vice President of Sales. “We look forward to working together to transform the market with Nonda’s expanding portfolio of innovative products.”

Although relatively new to the Consumer Technology realm, Nonda is already racking up awards with a IoT Award for Connected Car accessory of the Year for their flagship product the Zus. They also received a 2016 Red Dot Award and at CES 2017 they were awarded a ShowStoppers LaunchIt Competition winner and a SVIEF Cross Border Innovation Award.

“Nonda’s products are a welcome expansion to our PowerTrip™ product segment,” said Tate Morgan, Petra President. “They are quickly making a name for themselves in the CT world and we are thrilled to distribute their innovative products to our retail dealers across the country.”

For more information about Nonda®, connected car accessories or Petra’s other 20,000 products visit www.petra.com.

3-29-2017, ELKHART, IN. – ASA Electronics sponsored an in-house project with the IN-MaC Technology Adoption Program along with Purdue University to increase the efficiency of their fabrication department.

Beginning in May of 2016, the program worked in cooperation with ASA Electronics to lay out a specified improvement plan. The program is at a close, but the process is ongoing.

“They were able to guide us to finding weaknesses within our fabrication department. In order to change the way of thinking in production we needed to identify our strengths and weaknesses. With IPFW’s help, we were able to do this and come up with an action plan on how to better manage production scheduling and assembly. Many of these changes will take place gradually but we have already started implementing new ideas and process changes,” Joe Caban, Operations Supervisor at ASA Electronics said.

Utilizing the consultation and support from the IN-MaC program, the fabrication department at ASA Electronics has been able to identify inefficiencies and develop alternatives to run more smoothly. This process of ongoing, continuous improvement will help the entire organization continue their 40 year legacy of being a technology leader. 

ASA Electronics® has been designing and manufacturing mobile electronic products for the Marine, RV, PowerSports, Agricultural, Construction, Commercial Vehicle, and Bus industries since 1977. Their proprietary brands are JENSEN®, JENSEN Marine®, JENSEN Heavy Duty®, Marine Audio®, Voyager® and ADVENT® Air. ASA is also a distributor in specialty markets for SiriusXM® Satellite Radio and Polk Ultramarine® products. For more information, please visit www.ASAElectronics.com.

Seattle, WA, March 30th, 2017 – AudioControl (audiocontrol.com) has announced the unveiling of two new products—the LC-6.1200 6-channel amplifier and the DM-608 processor— making their debut at the 2017 Spring KnowledgeFest, booth 212 to be held in Indianapolis.   

Attendees will be see the new amplifier and processor, both shipping now, and be treated to a demo vehicle featuring two LC-6.1200’s mated to a DM-810 processor integrated with the factory head unit in a 2013 Subaru Legacy built by Mark Rubacha of Cartronix in Valparaiso, Indiana.

The LC-6.1200 amplifier features fully adjustable independent Linkwitz-Riley crossover networks for precise system configuration. Other key features of the LC-6.1200 include AudioControl’s proprietary patented AccuBASS® circuit, a unique smart technology that has been designed to seamlessly apply bass compensation only when required in order to restore low frequencies to their proper level within the recording. AccuBASS is an indispensable tool for OEM interface projects, according to the company.

The DM-608 processor enables dealers to optimize the performance of any audio system, regardless of whether they are using a factory or aftermarket source. Key features include active speaker level inputs as well as line-level and digital audio inputs, providing up to 8-channels of output. AudioControl’s smart user interface gives installers the power of AudioControl processing through a flexible, highly intuitive PC interface packed full of features. Configure signal summing, 30-bands of equalization, signal time-alignment, input delay and phase correction, plus proprietary features such as AccuBASS®, GTO™ Signal Sense, and MILC™ as well as integrated input and output RTA’s. The built-in option port on the DM-608 will allow hi-res streaming directly into the DSP, and the option port can also be used for future inputs, controllers and interface solutions.

"The AudioControl line has just made sense for us,” explained Eric Carter, President of Cartronix. “We work on many vehicles where our clients prefer to keep their factory radio. AudioControl has been a win-win lineup for us, the product is bulletproof, system tuning is easy and their tech support and customer service has always been amazing. I am very excited to be building this demo car for AudioControl and can't wait to hear it at KnowledgeFest."

See AudioControl at Spring KnowledgeFest booth 212

Seattle, WA, March 27th, 2017 – AudioControl (audiocontrol.com) has announced its training schedule for the 2017 Spring KnowledgeFest to be held in Indianapolis.

AudioControl is offering Knowledgefest attendees two training sessions focused on the opportunities that exist with OEM integration—to attract new customers and earn repeat business. “We are on a mission to help 12V specialists gain confidence when it comes to sound processing and OE Integration,” said Chris Bennett, National Sales Director, Mobile Audio for AudioControl. “At KnowledgeFest, we will show dealers what makes AccuBASS so unique and why hundreds of top specialists are having success using AudioControl processors and amplifiers in every installation that retains a factory source unit.”

AudioControl dealer training will address helping both sales and installation teams better understand the right way to integrate and tune systems using the new AudioControl smart user interface software. This powerful and intuitive software tool will become the gold standard for the 12v industry, enabling installers to optimize each system to see, hear, correct and learn about signal paths as it travels through AudioControl digital signal processors and amplifiers. Each KnowledgeFest seminar will also include a roadmap of new AudioControl products as well as an interactive Q&A session.

AudioControl training details follow:

• Course ID: MT-AudioControl Dealer Training
• Track: Manufacturer Training
• Title: Sound Processing and OEM Integration
• Sunday, April 9th 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm AudioControl Dealer Training
• Monday, April 10th 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm AudioControl Dealer Training
• Meeting Room: Sunday Room 106 / Monday Room 108

Miramar, FL—March 27, 2017‑— JL Audio has announced plans for its support and participation at the 2017 KnowledgeFest Spring Event to be held April 9-11 in Indianapolis, Indiana. JL Audio will host a series of educational product training sessions, and also showcase new products including the exciting new C7 and C1 speaker systems, in Booth 502.

As a Diamond Partner, JL Audio continues to share the vision of The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) whose mission is to educate, inform and empower the industry. “We feel it’s important for JL Audio to support the MEA organization and their commitment to the mobile electronics industry. We applaud their ongoing commitment to education as a method to advance our industry as a whole,” stated Bryatt Fischer, Marketing Director.

Manufacturer Trainings - Room 104

This year JL Audio is all-in with five training sessions. Steve Turrisi, Director of Training and Technical Services, will present a new hands-on training module covering OEM Integration with the FiX™ line of products. “This new hands-on approach has really helped demystify OEM integration and provides JL Audio’s partners with the simple, precise process to successfully produce a clean, flat audio signal with the FiX™ line of OEM Integration DSPs.” explained Turrisi.  Until now, this training, which utilizes simulation consoles, has only been available at JL Audio headquarters and manufacturing facility in Miramar, Florida. “Utilizing the MEA KnowledgeFest event only made logical sense to take this level of training on-the-road. Chris Cook and his entire organization have been instrumental in making this possible and we are excited to see how this level of training is received at this year’s event.” added Bryatt Fischer, Marketing Director.

• Sunday, April 9—12:45pm – 1:45pm

OEM Integration Made Easy with FiX™ and the All-New Functionality
with TüN™ Software*

• Sunday, April 9—2:00pm – 3:00pm

OEM Integration Made Easy with FiX™ and the All-New Functionality
with TüN™ Software*

• Monday, April 10—4:30pm – 5:30pm

OEM Integration Made Easy with FiX™ and the All-New Functionality
with TüN™ Software*

• Monday, April 10—5:45pm – 6:45pm

System Tuning in 10 Minutes or Less with TwK™ System Tuning DSP
and TüN™ Software

• Tuesday, April 11—9:00am – 10:00am

System Tuning in 10 Minutes or Less with TwK™ System Tuning DSP
and TüN™ Software

*Seating is limited for the hands-on OEM Integration trainings, reserve your seat today.

3-28-2017 -- Massive Audio SoCal USA a leader in 12V mobile audio is pleased to announce their appointment of “Manufacture of the Year” for 2016.

The award was given by P&E Distributing at their annual dealer show in Murfreesboro TN March 17 & 18. The award, a pearl white “Cheech & Chong” Les Paul guitar with engraved Massive Logo was presented to national Sales Manager Craig Bremner at the Saturday dealer dinner at the beautiful Hilton Embassy Suites.

The show with over 140 brands on display is the one of the largest show of its kind every year. “This year’s show blew the roof off last years. I wrote a lot of Massive orders and my booth was busy all afternoon. This show was a result of your 34% sales increase with P&E in 2016” Said Craig Bremner. “P&E reported a 28% increase in dealer attendance and it showed! Great Show, Great people.” 

Oklahoma City, OK, March 23, 2017 -- DD Audio will be attending Knowledge-Fest, Indianapolis, IN (April 9-11). The focus at this year’s show will be empowering DD dealers with the tools needed to properly market and install DD Audio products.

The DD Work Van will be on display at booth #230 showcasing its 20,000 watt 16 x 8” sub system. Customers will also be able to speak with members of the sales and tech teams while getting up close and personal with the baddest DD products out on the market.

During K-Fest, DD will be hosting two technical trainings both focused on subwoofer enclosure design using the tried and true DD Box system. There’s still time to sign up, just click here. The training sessions will be held Sunday the 9th, from 2:00-3:00 PM (training room 105) and Monday 5:45-6:45 PM (training room 105). Aaron Trimble, National Product Trainer, will provide an in depth look at The DD Box enclosure design system.

The DD Box is a no-nonsense approach to enclosure design that works in real world applications allowing installers to consistently and efficiently design great sounding subwoofer enclosures for DD Audio subs. He will also be expanding on the basic DD Box system to help designers tailor enclosures to their customer's specific needs. In addition to attending the show, the DD Audio team will once again be taking advantage of the drive to and from the event by visiting current and potential dealers along the way. 

CAMARILLO, CALIF., March 21, 2017 (MEDIAWIRE) – Orca Design and Manufacturing, North American distributor of upscale car audio brands, announced it has partnered with online reseller Crutchfield to offer the Illusion Audio brand, as well as components of the Mosconi brand, to visitors of crutchfield.com. The Charlottesville, Va.–based retailer known for its exemplary service and after-sale support now features the products on its website, which garners more than seven million visits per month.

"It's not an easy decision to take a line that was made by brick-and-mortar retailers into the online space," said Kimon Bellas, president and founder of Orca. "We have to take many things into consideration, most importantly that it does not negatively affect the retailers who proudly represent and sell our brands. Second is that any company we partner with must maintain the brand image we've cultivated. Crutchfield has shown that it is able to accomplish both requirements through strict pricing policy adherence as well as immersive customer service before and after the sale."

Crutchfield now lists the entire Illusion Audio line, a series of speakers and subwoofers engineered at Orca headquarters in Camarillo, Calif. Illusion Audio is designed to deliver "superior sound quality" in almost any vehicle application, without excessive emphasis on placement and space requirements. The line includes speaker sizes from 3 inches to 6-by-9 inches to fit most factory drop-in locations, as well as subwoofers with front-mounted magnets to decrease mounting depth requirements. MSRPs range from $170 for a pair of entry-level, 4-inch drivers to $1,150 for an 8-inch component set.

Mosconi is represented at crutchfield.com by two of its Gladen series premium power amplifiers. The D2 100.4 (MSRP $1,000.00) delivers 105 watts RMS into each of four channels. The companion D2 500.1 (MSRP $800) is a mono-block amplifier capable of 475 watts RMS through its single channel. Both amplifiers feature speaker-level inputs as well as high- and low-pass filtering.

"Overall, I think our dealers see our involvement with Crutchfield as a positive to their businesses,” said Orca Sales Director Nalaka Adikari. "The presence of products with a well-established and reputable online retailer works to expand brand awareness and improve customer confidence in the products. Crutchfield has done well with our Focal line alongside our brick-and-mortar retailers. We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with our in-house Illusion Audio brand and Mosconi." 

Executives from Audi, General Motors, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, and Time, Inc. Join Board of the Auto-Tech Industry’s Only Trade Show.

LOS ANGELES (March 21, 2017) – The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) announced the appointment of four new members to its AutoMobility LA Advisory Board.

Partha Goswami, Manager of Technology Insights at General Motors; Anupam “Pom” Malhorta, Director of Connected Vehicles at Audi of America; Seleta Reynolds, General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation; and Alex Roy, President of Europe By Car and Editor-at-Large for Time Inc.’s The Drive join key executives and thought leaders from top companies in both the automotive and technology industries. Board members of AutoMobility LA, the convergence of LA Auto Show’s Connected Car Expo® and its Press & Trade Days, will help shape the show’s overall programming, including speakers, panels and competitions.

Alongside four-year veteran conference director, Andy Gryc, the advisory board will set the strategic direction and conference agenda for AutoMobility LA, which will be held November 27-30, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Additionally, members of the board will be instrumental in guiding thought leadership presentations taking place throughout AutoMobility LA and ensuring the speakers and topics delve into the most pressing issues shaping the future of transportation today.

“As the new automotive industry continues its rapid evolution, we are excited to have some of the most prominent minds in the auto-tech space to help shape the 2017 show,” said Lisa Kaz, President and CEO of the LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA. “With guidance and input from these experts, we look forward to assembling this year’s lineup of speakers who will address new technologies transforming the automotive ecosystem and provide insight into its latest innovations.”

3-22-2017 -- NAV-TV announced the release of the BMW-EVO, a rear view camera interface for all 2016 and up BMW vehicles with the new super-high-resolution, non-touch screen, NBT EVO iDrive 5.0 infotainment system.

The BMW-EVO allows the integration and display of a rear view camera and additional video source into the factory iDrive 5.0 monitor. Dynamic parking lines that move in direct reference to the steering wheel position are standard and ensure trouble free parking assistance, even in the tightest of spots. For ease of installation, the unit is 100% plug-and-play, requiring no modification to the vehicle wiring. The included additional input can be user defined and setup for automatic activation, on demand activation or timed.

To ensure flexibility, the BMW-EVO can be used in vehicles with or without a factory rear view camera in order to expand video safety integration options. Coupled with the optional NAV-TV SVS6 smart digital switcher, the BMW-EVO can incorporate up to six additional safety camera inputs including, but not limited to, side view, front, night vision, baby camera, caravan camera, cargo camera or 360 degree camera systems.

Pre-orders are currently being accepted for the BMW-EVO (SKU# NTV-KIT804) which will begin shipping on March 23rd. 2017. For more information on the BMW-EVO, or our existing line of over 800 other integration and safety products, please contact your NAV-TV sales representative at  (866) 477-3336  (USA and Canada toll free) or (561) 955-9770 (International), or email our sales staff at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

3-20-2017 -- The Board of Directors of DEI Holdings, Inc., parent Company to Directed, has announced the appointment of Robert J. Struble as CEO of Directed, effective immediately.

Struble brings his extensive background and success in consumer electronics to Directed. Most recently the CEO and Founder of iBiquity Digital, Struble is a pioneering and respected consumer technology leader.

Jim Minarik, Chairman of DEI Holdings’ Board, said, “I have known Bob for nearly twenty years and am very excited to welcome him as Directed’s new CEO.  Bob’s success at building iBiquity and HD Radio technology from its infancy to mainstream adoption and an ultimate sale of the business speaks volumes about his tremendous talent and abilities. We look forward to having Bob lead and grow Directed’s industry-leading vehicle security and remote start business, our connected car business with Viper SmartStart and other products, our Usage Based Insurance (UBI) business, as well as develop other exciting new products and services for emerging mobile markets.” 

Struble's appointment was the culmination of an extensive national search by DEI. Struble will sit on and report directly to the DEI Board and will be based at the Company’s Vista, California, headquarters. He will lead a team of over two hundred associates in the United States and Canada. 

“I’m honored to take on the leadership of Directed and carry on the incredible legacy built by Jim Minarik and Darrell Issa before him,” said Struble. “Directed has some of the most respected brands and leading technology in automotive electronics. The opportunity to take these great businesses forward and add additional growth drivers was incredibly attractive. The broader connected car space is exploding, and Directed will be a major participant. I’m also thrilled to be working closely with Kevin Duffy and his great team at Sound United under the broader DEI umbrella.”

Prior to leading iBiquity, Bob managed several technology businesses at Westinghouse and was a strategy consultant at McKinsey and Company. He earned his BS in Engineering from MIT and his MBA at the Harvard Business School.

3-20-2017 -- Rostra’s newly-updated line of tailgate handle integrated color cameras provides a way of adding a backup camera system to many of the most popular light-duty trucks on the road today. Every RearSight® tailgate handle camera is custom molded to be a direct replacement to the factory handle and comes equipped with an advanced CMOS III camera that includes selectable parking grid lines that have been accurately measured to match the grid lines available from the OE component.

RearSight® tailgate cameras include a 32.8-foot extension harness, 4-pin weatherproof connector, convoluted tubing, and RCA video output to supply video to any RCA-equipped video monitor.
Distributor Note: The tailgate-handle cameras listed below will soon be available in our mirror/monitor kits. Chrome and CCD-equipped versions of these cameras are also still available using their previous part numbers. Visit rostra.com to view the complete line. 

Advanced CMOS III

RearSight® Tailgate Handle Camera Specifications (applies to all)
Image Sensor
Diagonal 187°/Horizontal 146°/Vertical 88°
640 x 480
Resolution
Viewing Angle
Matching OEM Design, Selectable On/Off
Parking Grid Lines
IR Filter with Scratch Protection Coating
Anti-Fog Coating
IR Protective Coating
3-Element Lens Construction
IP 67 Rated
Waterproofing
NTSC, Full Color Output
Video System
-20oC - +70oC / -40oC - +85oC
Working Temperature / Storage Temperature
6V-32V
Operating Voltage
0.1 LUX
Minimum Illumination

3-15-2017, Mobile Electronics Magazine -- After 45 years of service to the mobile electronics industry, having held positions at the retail and manufacturer level, Glenn Ihrke has officially retired. In 1972, Ihrke began working at a retail store as a salesman after attaining an anthropology degree in college. Working at several retail stores, Ihrke developed his skills in the business, enough to become a manager.

His next career move would take him from the retail level to manufacturer level when he joined Alpine Electronics in 1983. He would work for the company for 26 years, moving through the roles of regional manager, up to vice president of sales for North America. Ihrke then moved on to Harman, where he spent the next five years developing and refreshing the company's car audio division.

Today, Ihrke stands atop the hill of retirement, overlooking the valley that is his career, with the outlook of a man who has seen many changes in 12-volt during his tenure. He sat down recently with Mobile Electronics to discuss his perspective on the industry.

Q: What was the industry like when you got started?

A: The cassette was just being introduced in head units. Subwoofers didn't exist yet. Amplifiers were a rarity in itself. They were called EQ boosters back then. Then amps and subs came in and the transition to CD players took place. Back then, people didn't want to let go of their cassettes yet. So the transition became CD changers, controlled by in-dash cassettes. Then in-dash CDs came in, where changers became less important. Then iPod controllers came. I remembering we the first to introduce Alpine iPod controllers. It was called the CDA9827. You plugged the white cable into it and the controls showed up on the in-dash readout. You couldn't sell anything without it within a year.

From there, Alpine got to be a huge player, but like everyone else went through huge struggles as market crashed in 2008. At that point in time, Alpine had to make changes in the aftermarket management, which left me out looking for jobs. That brought me to Harman and I was left to run car audio in the Americas. I really was the car audio sales guy; setting strategy, working with product guys to develop product. Car audio had been ignored as they reworked the consumer division. I was brought into to do the same for car audio. So what we really had to do was lay out a strategy on where we wanted to go with the brand and how we wanted to go to market.

We were seeing double digit growth for at least three years. We completely redid the Infinity line, and a new high-end component line called Kappa Perfect. We came out with Bluetooth streaming amplifiers without having to replace the factory head unit. We also reinvested into the marine category, which is just starting to come to market now. If you look at the Infinity brand, our oldest product is a year old. It's the same with JBL. The objective with Infinity was to gear it to the specialist channel and gear JBL toward a broader-based market. We were very happy to come up with that kind of growth.

Q: Just like retail, you as a manufacturer have lived through the transition of leading the technology race to now having to cater to the whims of Smartphone developers quickly advancing OEM systems. Can you give us some insight on how these changes impact our industry at the manufacturer level? What are some of the tough decisions you've had to make?

A: If you take a look at what's going on starting at the head unit side of it, everything is in decline except for devices with Android Auto and CarPlay built into them. When I started in this industry, the sources were stationery. Whether it was albums or 8-tracks, whatever it was, you didn't take it with you. Now, everything has to be able to control what comes around with you in your pocket. That puts incredible opportunity out there for the aftermarket to interface with the dashboard. We've got to find a way to interface and continually update that dashboard. One of the problems the carmakers are going to run into is that it takes several years to develop a new product line, then it takes years to update. The opportunity of the aftermarket is to update the manufacturer's system on a continual basis and be able to upgrade that sound system with new technology. It requires a specialist to do. You can't buy it online or at big box stores. 

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Montebello, CA (March 15, 2017) – Epsilon Electronics Inc. has introduced its Soundstream Marine and Power Sport line-up for 2017.

“This marks our second year featuring the Marine and Power sports line-up for Soundstream,” said Paul Goldberg, vice-president, sales & marketing for Epsilon Electronics.  “This series is true to our company mission statement of offering consumers quality products at an exceptional value.”  

The 2017 Soundstream Marine and Power Sport products include: speakers, subwoofers, amps and, of course, head units. 

These Soundstream products have been fabricated with true marine grade engineering. For example, the circuit breakers for the head units are epoxy-coated to protect the components. To ensure the highest quality the Marine line is produced with no exposed metal or plastic components, making the products truly waterproof.    

Not content to simply label their products as “waterproof“, Soundstream went the additional step of having the Marine and Power Sports line certified by International Protection Marketing. All products are constructed with IP65 watertight enclosure construction. 

The MHU-325XM and MHU-32 head units are distinguished by their aerodynamic styling as well as a conformal coated printed circuit boards and components. The MHU-32 digital media player is equipped with 32GB USB playback with Bluetooth V4.0. The MHU-32SXM also includes a 3.2” color TFT LCD display with Graphic User Interface.  Both these units are now shipping and accepting orders.  

The Marine 10” subwoofers are constructed with an injection-molded frame and grill which utilize Centrex® 814 UV Resistant Polymer. To further protect your investment, they are sealed internally within the frame structure. 

The stylish and functional wake tower speakers are available in 6.5” or 8” models.  These coaxial speakers exclusively use waterproof materials such as polypropylene-mica cones and a titanium dome tweeter.  Additionally, rubber gaskets have been added around the tweeter bridge. They range from 300-600 watts.   

Maeda brings significant industry experience and an understanding of the trends in the integration of technology in automobiles with the goal of increasing driver safety.

TORRANCE, CALIF. – March 14, 2017 -- Rydeen Mobile Electronics, makers of a unique line of automotive aftermarket products that promote driver safety, announced that company president Phil Maeda has been elected to the Consumer Technology Association’s Vehicle Technology Division (VTD) board. Maeda is an automotive industry veteran and visionary, founding Rydeen after senior level marketing and management roles with leading automotive tech companies such as Clarion and Fujitsu Ten / Eclipse.

According to VTD board chair Bob Fields, “The mission of the VTD is to grow consumer awareness of in-vehicle technology, foster the expansion of the pool of qualified technicians and engage the makers of innovative technologies in the vehicle through advocacy and promotional activity. In order for the VTD to fulfill its mission, we must have a diverse membership that can provide the right balance of perspective and insight into the issues the industry faces. Phil's perspective as leader of Rydeen, a maker of vehicle safety products that provides the aftermarket with OEM solutions for the many cars already on the road today, is well needed, as the safety category is a growing opportunity for our retailers and these products prevent injuries and save lives.”

Rydeen’s unique line of automotive aftermarket products is focused on bringing safety and peace of mind to drivers. The company’s latest innovation is the BSS1 Radar Blind Spot Detection System. The BSS1 is an easy-to-install microwave radar-based system that alerts a driver of vehicles in the right or left blind spot before and during a lane change maneuver.
“It’s an honor to be elected to the Vehicle Technology Division board and have the chance to serve our industry with such an esteemed group of technology leaders,” said Maeda. “I’m very excited at the opportunity to bring my perspective to the board’s focus on the importance of vehicle safety with regards to technology, and to share my experience regarding trends in vehicle safety products based on the success of the Rydeen brand and products such as our BSS1 Radar Blind Spot Detection System.”

Click the following link to read a recent interview with Maeda regarding his appointment: http://www.thepodcasts.com/Rydeen/PhilMaedaInterview.pdf.