Missing Burmester We recently had a client reach out inquiring about what options were available to upgrade the audio system in his 2024 Mercedes E
For a short period in time, Porsche stopped offering Bose for the 992 due to supply chain issues. Unfortunately for some that ordered the Bose
This week in the shop we had a 2024 Mercedes G Wagon that was in need of a premium Escort radar detector. When I say
To upgrade or not to upgrade? This is often the dilemma of our clients that own a classic Porsche. You wait until the nice weather
Recently Sony released 2 new Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto models, the XAV-AX6000 and XAV-AX4000. I’ve always been a huge fan of Sony. John
Upgrading the PCM 3.1 Radio This week in the shop we had the pleasure of working on this mint 2014 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. Our
It’s been a few months since we received our first shipment of the Alpine iLX-507. Now that we’ve sold and installed a few, I feel
Is the Sony XAV-AX150 the best value Apple CarPlay and Android Auto radio for 2022? Now more than ever, consumers can appreciate the great value
New Alpine Jeep Stereo Models for 2022 Alpine recently announced two new Jeep Wrangler specific models for 2022: the i509-WRA-JL and the i509-WRA-JK. These two
How does the CMOS 740HD high definition camera compare to your typical reverse camera? This week in the shop we installed a Kenwood CMOS 740HD
This week in the shop When you have clients that are car collectors, you get to see and work on the occasional unicorn like this
Phone says connected, but there’s no audio streaming Are you having a hard time figuring out your Alpine UTE73BT Bluetooth pairing? Whether you’ve got the
When I was 17 years old I started working in this business and it was at that time I was introduced to the Kenwood eXcelon
This week in the shop It’s not every day a classic supercar arrives at our shop for a stereo upgrade, but it has definitely become
2015 Maserati GranTurismo Sport – Apple CarPlay Installation This week at the shop: Maserati Apple CarPlay installation. You might assume this Italian exotic would be
This week in the shop Our crew tackled a 2021 Porsche Taycan radar detector installation plus a front and rear dash camera. The Porsche Taycan
This week in the shop – 2016 Porsche Macan Apple CarPlay installation. Recently a client reached out to us about a problematic radio in his
Two cameras – one input This week in the shop we installed an Alpine iLX-F411 in a 2017 Toyota Tacoma. The client did have one
Beautiful truck with a sub par stock stereo This week in the shop we performed a complete stereo upgrade in a client’s 2021 Ford F-150.
Installing an LED third brake light behind the spare tire on your Wrangler is a super quick and easy upgrade. This LED third brake light
This week in the shop I received a couple of long awaited Alpine iLX-407’s. Actually, what I received were the i407-WRA Restyle kits for 2011
On nearly a weekly basis at the shop, I find myself assisting clients with their Android Auto connectivity issues. These hiccups usually occur long after
Most of my readers know that each year I usually post an in depth review and breakdown on the best Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
It seems like every other week at our shop, we have a Jeep in the garage getting a full stereo system upgrade. Recently, one of
The Alpine X409-WRA-JL may seem like a pricey head unit solution for Wrangler JL owners at first glance. However, once you give it chance and
Metra Electronics announces new shallow mount 107-CH3B for Jeep Wrangler JL and Gladiator. Here it is folks, the long awaited Wrangler JL dash kit. Many
Using JBL Basspro Hub and false floor technique Recently we had a client inquire about adding a stealth and secure subwoofer to their 2008 Audi
SEMA 2019 – Metra Electronics will be announcing the release of their new 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL/JLU 6.5″ speaker upgrade pods. I am super excited
2014 Lamborghini Performante Spyder gets a Kenwood Apple CarPlay DMX7706s installed This week in the shop we had the chance to do an Apple CarPlay
What is the best Apple CarPlay Stereo 2019? When Apple CarPlay first came out in October 2014, we only had two models available to choose
Ready to upgrade your 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL/JLU Stereo? Here at are our shop in Brookfield, CT, we upgrade Jeep Wranglers stereos all the time
Alpine iLX-W650 – Tremendous value in a tiny package Update 7-1-19 – I do think the Alpine iLX-W650 is the best value Apple CarPlay and
Best CarPlay Head Unit 2018 Review – More models than ever to choose from! Update – 4-25-2019 – be sure to check out my latest
Sony XAV-AX200 expected to ship soon – in depth review coming soon My regular readers probably already know this, but I am a huge fan
This week in the garage- Apple CarPlay for Porsche 991 featuring Alpine iLX-107 wireless CarPlay receiver. In the summer of 2016, a potential new customer contacted
Alpine i209-WRA installed with brake light reverse camera at Sounds Incredible Mobile At Sounds Incredible Mobile, in Brookfield, CT, we recently had a client bring
Best CarPlay Head Unit Review 2017 – Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer and Alpine – Where to start? Update – make sure to check out my Best
Meet the Alpine i209-WRA – combining the perfect mix of features and value Although I couldn’t make it to CES 2017, I was excited to
Meet the value packed Sony XAV-AX100 I’m so happy Sony finally made an Apple CarPlay and Android Compatible head unit. For at least the last couple
Looking for the Best Double Din Navigation for 2016? Car Stereo Chick reviews and compares the Kenwood DNX893s, Alpine INE-W967HD and Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX Double din
Kenwood DNX893S – Looks awesome on paper and in person I recently had the chance to go to a Kenwood product training where I got
Kenwood DDX9902s – What you buy when your factory 2012 F-150 navigation radio craps out A couple months ago, a long time customer of mine came
Alpine introduces 9″ Jeep Wrangler Apple CarPlay Head Unit – Alpine i109-WRA Although I did not get a chance to attend CES this year, I
Parrot RNB6 Cancelled – Technology Nabbed by Automotive Manufacturers After months of anticipation and waiting, many consumers will be disappointed to learn that the Parrot RNB6
2014 Jeep Wrangler – Another Full Audio System Upgrade This week in the shop we had another Jeep Wrangler here for an audio upgrade. For this
BavSound for BMWs – Better Sound Simply from Better Speakers? Recently our shop was presented with the opportunity to install and review the BavSound Stage
Apple CarPlay users want to go wireless When Alpine first announced the iLX-007 in September 2014, everyone seemed to notice the “Wifi Enabled” feature displayed
This week in the shop we installed an Alpine X008U with Alpine’s KTX-ESD8 dash kit in a 2010 Cadillac Escalade. The OEM 2007 – 2014 Cadillac Escalade
Meticlous Install for a Meticulous Driver This week in the shop we had the pleasure of working on a client’s 2014 Mercedes CLS AMG. For
This week in the shop – 2005 Porsche Cayenne, Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX and Murphy’s Law. Well, it was more like 2 weeks ago in the shop
From Love to Hate Let me just get it right out there in the open – I really don’t like SiriusXM for a number of
Sweet! Free set of JBL GX602 speakers to review – Wait, can I even sell these in my own shop? I really didn’t know what
Car Stereo Installation Accessories – Want to Know What the Pro’s use? Car stereo installers have a reputation for being somewhat finicky and, for lack
$800 to install an iPad mini in your car? Um, no – it’s a lot more than that. This week in the shop, I had
Parrot RNB6 – Award winning head unit supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay UPDATE – 8-4-15 – Parrot RNB6 Cancelled – Find out why
Kenwood reveals two new Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible models at CES 2015 – DDX9902s and DDX9702s My first stop at CES 2015 was
Alpine CES 2015 – Additional Direct Fit solutions for Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Ram, Ford F-150 and GM truck and SUV models. Alpine’s direct fit line of solutions
JL Audio reveals several new model amplifiers, powered subwoofers and hints at new processor at CES 2015 While attending CES 2015 I paid a visit to
Pioneer Android Auto models revealed at CES 2015 – AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVIC-4100NEX Android Auto was definitely the most exciting new feature I saw at
Alpine X009-WRA 9″ Navigation for 2012 + Jeep Wrangler is one of several new models revealed by Alpine at CES 2015 Alpine X009-WRA Alpine revealed several
Highlights from CES 2015 in Car Stereo CES is always fun, but it is always a lot of work. Yesterday was a long day of
Christmas is over and the new year is here – CES 2015 is next. When Christmas is over and the new year is here that
So who makes the best CarPlay stereo? Alpine or Pioneer? Update 5/10/15 – Be sure to check out my post on the Pioneer AVH-X4100NEX. This
It’s here – The Alpine iLX-007 CarPlay Stereo Check it out! Today I received a couple Alpine iLX-007’s and I have to say I’m quite
Alpine Headphones Review – Can you feel the music? Alpine’s PR department recently sent me a set of their new Alpine Headphones for review. After
Pioneer AppRadio 4 Hands On Review – SPH-DA120 – I present to you the good, the bad and the quirky When the UPS man arrived
Alpine Headphones Review Coming Soon! Car Stereo Chick convinced Alpine’s PR department to send over a sample specifically for review on this website and I’m
This week in the shop Mercedes SLS AMG installing: K40 RL360i K40 Defuser G5 and LTS Product Details In this Mercedes SLS AMG we installed
This week in the shop 2008 Porsche Cayenne installing: Remote car starter Mobridge Bluetooth kit using factory PCM 2.1 Porsche navigation radio Product Details The
Car Stereo Chick Hands on Review – Best Double Din Navigation for 2014 I write some pretty long posts. Not everyone feels like reading them.
Looking to immerse yourself in your own personal musical experience? Consider the new Alpine headphones. Alpine has announced a new product designed to do just
Pioneer – AppRadio 4 vs AVH-4000NEX Estimated read time: 2 minutes 30 seconds. Want to read later? Pioneer now has two double din head units
Pioneer AppRadio 4 vs Alpine iLX-007 I’m pretty psyched about both of these two new models from Pioneer and Alpine. It’s about time Pioneer ramped
Have a really cool iPad installed in your dash as your car stereo, but totally bummed out you can’t use your factory steering wheel controls
Whether you’re looking for sound quality, high output or budget friendly choices, I will break down the options and show you the best car amplifier
The Pioneer CarPlay update has been released. Estimated read time: 1 minute. Want to read later? Pioneer announced the release of their much anticipated CarPlay
AppRadio 4 aka SPH-DA120 ready to roll out UPDATE – 10/24/14 – Full length AppRadio 4 review here. Estimated read time: 1 minute 10 seconds.
Thinking about a Jeep Wrangler stereo upgrade, but not quite sure where to start? Be sure to check out my other Jeep Wrangler stereo upgrade articles which
Hello readers, Just a quick post to let you know I recently switched to Bluehost from Yahoo. The site speed was atrocious and customer service
Looking for a single din Bluetooth car stereo? Estimated read time: 3 minutes 21 seconds. Want to read later? Nearly every day in my own
Pioneer AVIC-5000NEX Review by Car Stereo Chick Estimated read time: 6 minutes 48 seconds. Want to read later? If you are shopping for a double
Pioneer Carplay – What’s the delay? Pioneer’s got some angry Carplay fans right now Estimated read time: 1 minute 48 seconds. Want to read later?
Alpine may beat Pioneer at being first to release a CarPlay compatible car stereo Check out Alpine’s new iLX-007 CarPlay capable car stereo. Estimated read
Looking for the Best Car Speakers for Bass? Estimated read time: 10 minutes 38 seconds. Want to read later? This is kind of a trick
Best Double Din Touch Screen Car Stereo 2014 – Hands on review by Car Stereo Chick Estimated read time: 12 minutes 21 seconds. Want to
Researching Double Din Touch Screen Car Navigation Systems? Estimated read time: 13 minutes 10 seconds. Want to read later? Don’t feel like reading? Check out
Pioneer AVH-X5600BHS Review Estimated read time: 5 minutes 21 seconds. Want to read later? If you are shopping for a double din touch screen stereo,
Best Single Din Head Unit for 2014 – Sound quality is what it’s all about here Estimated read time: 6 minutes 7 seconds. Want to
UPDATE – 2/8/2015 – Looking for the best cheap double din head unit for 2015? Consider the Pioneer AVH-X2700BHS. You can read more about this
Trying to figure out what Pioneer iPod cable I need nowadays….Seriously, have you seen this cross reference chart? What iPod cable do I need for
Car audio equalizers are great, if you know what they’re for and how to use them to your advantage. Estimated read time: 7 minutes 39
The Alpine INE-S920HD just arrived to our shop yesterday. We got it hooked up last night and honestly I haven’t had a ton of time
Update – Check out the 2014 review here Recently my sales staff and I had a chance to do an A, B, C listening comparison
UPDATE – Link to Car Stereo Chick’s 2014 Double Din Navigation Review Hello everyone! After a few weeks of selling and playing with the various
A recent corporate strategy meeting has experts predicting the end of Sony Electronics After Friday’s corporate strategy meeting, the media started churning out headlines like
Looking for the best double din car stereo head unit for your car? Every customer is unique and their needs are all very different. My
This year I attempted to make it to the New York auto show with press passes. I actually managed to acquire the press passes, but
Update – Looking for the best car stereo head units for 2014? Check out my latest review for best single din car stereo head units
What happens to a 2 channel amp when you bridge it? Does it change the impedance? Estimated read time: 6 minutes 42 seconds. Want to
UPDATE – 9/4/14 – The new Alpine INE-W957HD model does feature an optical output! It’s not really obvious as it doesn’t appear to be a
A reader recently wrote it to me with this dilemma. Tommy writes: Hello, I’ve been searching the internet for answers why my subwoofers problem. I have
Looking for a high quality aftermarket car audio sound system while maintaining the factory appearance in your vehicle? As car manufacturer’s design more and more
Find out what the better radar detector with laser shifting is. This post is for the consumer who is looking for the best performing installed
Looking for an easy OEM upgrade? Take a look at JL Audio’s all new Stealthmod. In my last JL Audio post, I briefly mentioned a
During CES 2012, the Car Stereo Chick had a chance to visit the Alpine booth. Amazingly, Alpine has redesigned and revamped almost everything they offer
During CES 2012, I had a chance to check out some of the great improvements and new additions JL Audio made to their car audio
Alpine has unveiled a fantastic new line of head units at CES 2012. Probably the most eye catching and unique of these new products would
The floors at CES today were filled with an incredible energy that I haven’t seen in years past. The crowds were overwhelming, but full of
For all you Android users out there, Kenwood has released the Kenwood Music Control App. The Kenwood Music Control APP will allow Android users to
Check out this innovative product from Scosche Industries. The CellCONTROL module makes it easy for parents to make sure their kids are driving safe and
Start with the head unit. I’ll teach you about what features you need to look for and why you need them. Read this before you
Stereo wire harness cut? Estimated read time: 5 minutes 45 seconds. Want to read later? Maybe you just bought a used car and it’s got
Hey guys! I decided to do another video for you to explain what crossovers are and how they should be set in your car audio
What do all these dials and switches on my amp do? This article discusses the various adjustments made when installing a car audio subwoofer amplifier.
Ohm. What is an ohm? How does a 2 ohm load effect an amp? How does a 1 ohm load effect an amp? Or a
Want to know how to hook up an amp and sub to a stock stereo? Wiring up an amplifier to a stock radio is something
I hear this all the time from customers. There’s a big misconception when it comes to understanding why speakers blow. Many people think that too
Hello there everyone. My name is Annie Amen and car audio is my life. I started in this business 10 years ago. I have had