The technology:

Radar is radar. It’s been pretty much the same for decades. The only difference has been the different (updated) bands being used by our friendly law enforcement agencies.
Originally, the radar detector (or fuzz buster) detected X and K band signals. Over the years, detectors changed to include Ka Band with Super Wideband detection capabilities as law enforcement improved its arsenal of radar guns.

Many of the “instant on” or “photo radar” technologies are still based on these latest bands.
Laser came into use more recently and provided a new set of challenges for radar detector manufacturers due to its more precise beam of detection.

While a radar beam signature is relatively wide- as much as 8 lanes of traffic- a laser signature can be focused from a few feet to inches, enabling the officer to aim at a specific vehicle- say, for instance, yours.

Laser generally targets the most reflective surfaces on a vehicle, such as the license plate area, grill area or bumper areas. This can be used to target either the front or rear of the vehicle as well. While radar and laser can be detected, they cannot be “jammed” legally. Laser is generally diffused or reflected back to the laser gun itself- rendering a “non” or “negative” reading to the officer. This can allow enough time to warn the driver before the laser gun can be re-aimed at the vehicle.

Despite these advances, remember that there is NO protection from “Instant On”, pacing or timing techniques, which are still used by authorities as well.

Keeping your eyes peeled and your foot off the gas are your best defense.

The Solutions:

Radar Detector manufacturers have made the jump with technology and offer a wide variety of solutions that incorporate the latest in radar and laser detection, along with the ability to be undetectable to radar detector-detectors also in use by law enforcement where using a radar detector is illegal. Models are available in portable (windshield or visor mounted) and remote (professionally installed into the vehicle) and offer full protection from radar and laser from all sides of the vehicle.

Portable or Remote?

When making your radar detector purchase, performance should be top priority with ease of use and ergonomics close behind. Make sure the detector offers solid performance and the manufacturer has a great reputation regarding radar detector technology. Portable units offer flexibility, are small in size and allow you to change vehicles easily, if needed. Some models also offer the option of adding laser detectors/ diffusers to increase protection. Remote models offer increased performance in most cases and provide you with complete stealth in some cases because the units are installed and hidden within your vehicle. Items such as LED indicators, radar and laser sensors are installed inside panels or the instrument cluster and are undetectable to law enforcement detection units.

K40′s Calibre DL Wireless Remote Control and Photos of LED’s Mounted in Instrument Panels

Benefits & Guidance:

When shopping for your radar detector, performance and reputation are key points to research.
While most of the better models available offer up to three-year warranties, one manufacturer even guarantees its product strongly enough that they will pay your speeding tickets within the first year.

In addition to shopping the features, if you plan on reading the reviews, be sure the articles you are reading are un-biased. Some websites touting professional radar detector reviews are actually paid by AND- sell competitors products. This is not un-biased by ANY means!!! In addition, the best advice for the forum jungle is this, NEVER believe most of what you read there. One such source for an accurate and un-biased review of radar detectors can be found at Speed Measurement Laboratories.

www.speedlabs.com or www.speedzones.com

In the end, enjoy your new radar detector and remember

“It’s not how fast you drive, but how you drive, fast.”

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You’ve just picked up that new album, loaded it into your CD player and hit the on-ramp to enjoy some killer tunes. As you roll the volume up to- oh about 20 or so, you notice that this great CD seems to be a bit light so you then proceed to turn the bass level up to plus 5- hoping that your ears will get what you paid for. (Yikes!)… Chuck

Instead of a nice well-rounded sound, you hear the abrupt popping and slapping of your door speakers as they fail miserably to reproduce the bass response you crave.

Bummer, right?

All is not lost, so let’s take a moment and look at an option you can take advantage of that will solve this common problem and give you the well-rounded sound you’re looking for.

Introducing the subwoofer:

The best way you can really improve your vehicle’s sound whether replacing the existing speakers or not is actually quite simple.

-Adding a subwoofer.

By introducing a subwoofer into your car’s audio system- or by upgrading the existing factory one- you gain added depth and range in your music.

But wait! You always thought a subwoofer was the cause of that annoying boom in traffic a few cars back- or the culprit making that ’87 Caprice rattle like crazy as it passed you on the street, right?

Hey, that’s only partially true, as a subwoofer can also serve a ‘tasteful’ purpose when selected and installed to match your specific needs.

A wide range of options:

In today’s market, car audio manufacturers offer a wide range of subwoofers that can fit almost anywhere in most vehicles- even models that can replace the existing (inadequate) factory woofer you may have.

Woofers can be purchased as ‘raw drivers’ and then installed into a custom built enclosure that generally resides in your vehicles’ trunk or behind the rear seat in some trucks.

*Example of a custom rear center console subwoofer in a Mercedes CLK

Taylor Made:

Over the past few years, companies such as JL Audio have developed their patented ‘Stealth box’ series of custom-molded enclosures which actually fit into and become ‘part’ of your vehicle- resulting in a stealth installation.

Selecting the right model is as easy as visiting www.jlaudio.com and clicking on the ‘Stealth box’ link to find an enclosure that may be available for your specific vehicle.

*Examples of a Stealth box in a Ford Explorer and BMW 5-Series

New Technology- Space no longer a factor:

Probably the coolest player to hit the market in recent months has been the thin woofer design. The advantages of this type of woofer now allow you to get a great amount of bass response in a space less than half of what it once took with a conventional driver.

Thin subwoofer models offer box volumes in the .80 cubic foot range while allowing for high power handling and superb accuracy, thanks to unique voice coil designs and heavy duty motor structures.

When selecting a thin woofer, be aware that some models out there are simply a ‘pan caked version’ of an existing woofer, where corners have been cut such as voice coil size, basket design and woofer durability.

One such woofer that tops the list is the 13TW5 by JL Audio. The company went back to the drawing board when designing this bad boy and brought a solid player to the table.

The final puzzle pieces:

Once you’ve decided on a woofer that suits your taste, you’ll want to make sure you select a power amplifier able to run it properly. If you already have an aftermarket radio in your car, you can take advantage of its ‘subwoofer’ control that will enable you to adjust the frequency and output level of your new woofer system. If you are adding a subwoofer system to a factory set-up, most amplifier manufacturers offer a subwoofer level control knob which installs up front and gives you separate level control so you can tailor your bass needs easily.

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I’ve spent my time working in the Car Audio Audio Industry for nearly the past 20 years

and have been able to try many flavors as the technology has morphed from one design to another. Despite one claim versus another, the car amplifier has for the most part, remained pretty much the same. The differences between cheap models and good performers lie in the construction and components being used. (And the fact that you no longer have to install a surfboard in your trunk) One such amplifier that seems to be doing well is the Class Design which solves just about every problem associated with installation space while providing pretty reliable operation and good sound quality.

What is class D?

Amplifier technology revolved around the traditional Class A, B or Class A/B design, which consists of a set of output devices that are either constantly on or two sets that switch. While both of these topologies had advantages, both were for the most part, inefficient (Class A 20 and Class AB about 50%) and required large power supplies/ heat sinks, thus making the physical chassis larger. Some of the popular amps in this category include Alpine, Kenwood, Clarion, MTX and many others.

In a Class D design, also known as a PWM or switching amplifier, the output devices are either fully on or off. This results in efficiency ratings in the 90-95% range. Add to that, the lack of a large power supply and reduction in heat sink capacity, and you now have a nice efficient amplifier in a small package that can still pack a good punch. (And won’t heat up your trunk an extra 100 degrees)

The Players:

Two such players in this new and good sounding car amplifier market are Alpine and JL Audio. Both companies bring a great tradition of car audio design and performance to the table and offer a wide range of these great amplifier choices. Alpine offers six models which provide configurations from 1 thru 5 channels complete with on-board variable crossover networks in sleek chassis designs. Alpine’s technology incorporates Direct FET a very efficient MOSFET design which enables these amps to run cooler than other designs. JL Audio brings it’s expertise in amplifier design to bear with its HD Amplifier line. The company offers three current models including a 1, 4 and 5 Channel that boast features including Single Cycle switching technology and similar regulated power supply technology found in the company’s solid Slash series car amps.

The Jury Speaks:

In today’s diluted car audio amplifier market, you’re sure to come across many lower-end manufacturers offering smaller, cheaper and better solutions, but don’t be fooled. Many of the ‘old school’ players are actually poor oriental offerings. Both Alpine and JL Audio designs offer the installer and consumer the ability to add a great sounding amplifier to their existing system or replace older technology with a great sounding component that takes up a fraction of the space- which in today’s cars is at a premium!

Summary of the Technology:

• Class D Amplifiers offer the following benefits:
• Reduction in size and weight of the amplifier
• Multi-channel configurations with on-board variable crossover networks
• Reduced power waste as heat dissipation and hence smaller (or no) heat-sinks
• Reduction in cost due to smaller heat sink and compact circuitry
• Very high power conversion efficiency, usually greater than 90%
• Stackable design for increased use of limited space during installation

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