Digital sound processors are an essential part of car audio systems. While most people invest in great speakers, subwoofers and head units, they often forget about sound processors. To help you understand the importance of sound processors, here is some helpful information for the team at GC Car Audio.

What do sound processors do?

Digital sound processors have several functions, but the most useful is their ability to correct issues with your head unit. Most factory car audio systems are designed to compensate for lower quality speakers. This is achieved by artificially manipulating the system’s frequency profile.
As soon as you replace your original speakers with higher quality products, this artificial manipulation will become extremely apparent and one you install a decent amp, you’ll notice it even more. Luckily, a digital sound processor can fix this.
A sound processor works to undo the artificial manipulation od the factory unit. Some digital processors have downloadable custom profiles that will automatically fix the issue and enhance your overall sound quality.

Installation process

The installation process for sound processors varies from model to model, but most are designed to be tucked away in the same place as your amplifier. A sound processor either sits between the head unit and the amplifier, or directly between the head unit and the speakers. In some cases, sound processors will plug seamlessly into your head unit and existing harness.
When it comes to choosing a sound processor for your stereo system, then you need the professionals. Based on the Gold Coast, our team can assess your current system and find the right processor to optimise your sound quality. Whatever your budget and whatever your vehicle, GC Car Audio will weed out any audio issues and improve your tuning and levelling.

So, you’re considering upgrading the subwoofer in your car to get some quality bass, but you’re not sure what you need. The team at GC Car Audio have you covered. To help you choose the best subwoofers for your car stereo system, here are some important things to consider:

Size

When it comes to subwoofers, size does matter. The bigger the subwoofer, the bigger the bass, so keep that in mind when looking at different models. If you’re looking for big sound, make sure you take measurements before you start shopping so you can find the biggest subwoofer that fits the available space.

Enclosure

While size is certainly important, the enclosure you choose will also have a big impact. The enclosure (or box) contains the subwoofer and comes in three main styles: sealed, ported and bandpass. For a deep sound (without the vibrations) a sealed enclosure is best. This type of enclosure gives a tight sounding bass that won’t rattle your teeth.
Ported and bandpass enclosures don’t have the same bass depth as sealed enclosures, but they provide louder sound. So, if you listen to tunes with loud bass and you aren’t bother about accuracy, then these enclosures are the go.
Alternatively, you can choose subwoofers that are designed to work without enclosures. These woofers are mounted to board and installed in your trunk which then acts as a makeshift enclosure. For this to be effective you need a trunk that is airtight and narrow.

Power, sensitivity and frequency

When it comes to subwoofer there are three stats that you should be aware of RMS value, SPL, frequency range, and ohms. A higher RMS value means more bass, but this will only shine through if you have a head unit or amplifier that matches (or exceeds) the RMS of the subwoofer.
The sensitivity is measured in sound pressure level (SPL) and refers to how much power the sub needs to produce a certain volume (the higher the SPL rating, the less power needed). If you have an underpowered amplifier or head unit, you should opt for a subwoofer with a high sensitivity. The frequency refers to the range of sounds that your subwoofer can produce, so to optimise your sound quality, you want something on the lower end of the scale.
If you need help deciding on the right subwoofer for your car stereo, then visit the team at GC Car Audio today. Based on the Gold Coast, we stock a huge range of subwoofers and other car audio products to completely transform your sound system.

One of the most ignored topics in a car music system is car speaker crossover. Because the concept of crossover is kind of complex. But before understanding crossover, I would welcome you to know about types of car speakers and how they work.

How Crossover Works:

Now if you know about car speakers then you probably know that there are different types of drivers used in different car speakers. For example, Tweeter is a type of speaker. This speaker can play sounds that are of high frequency. A low-frequency sound will be played in tweeters. On the other hand, a sub-woofer is a speaker that plays the lowest frequencies in comparison with other speakers. It can’t play a high-frequency tone. So they need something to identify and separate frequency ranges and then channel them to different speakers. That is what is done by a speaker crossover. It simply works like a traffic police and fixes lane for different frequency ranges of sound.

Types of Crossovers:

Now there are two types of speaker crossover. They are –

• Passive Crossover

This type of crossover sits between the speaker and the amp. It is really easy to install and cheap to buy. But this crossover doesn’t utilise the full efficiency of an amplifier. What it does is that it filters out frequencies to adjust the whole sound and as a result, users get less freedom to use the volume.

• Active Crossover

Active crossovers are hard to install and they are more expensive than a passive crossover. On top of it, this requires an extra power source to work. But the bright side is that it doesn’t filter out frequencies like a passive amplifier. So, you can change the volume of your treble, bass or mid-range individually. This keeps the experience of listening music the way it was intended for.

In order to keep the quality of your speakers well, you will need an active crossover. Or else, your sound quality will get affected. But do remember the limitation of the budget before buying an active crossover for your car music system. If you want quality setup for your car audio system or marine stereo system, GC Car Audio can provide you with solutions.

With the advancement of phones, they are so useful that many people don’t know when to stop.

One of the main times to stop is when driving, as it can cause serious accidents.

To keep everything safe, Google and Apple both came up with a way to keep their customers engaged with their phone while driving. Apple came up with Carplay and Google brought Android Auto.

Following you will find a beginners guide for using them. So let’s go!

1. What are these?

These are simply mobile apps. Android Auto is an android app that can be downloaded from Google Play. This app can be run by any android phone that has android version 5.0 or upgraded.

CarPlay is an IOS app that can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store. Any iPhone 5 or later phones can make CarPlay app run on them.

By using these apps, you can use your phone in the car’s system.

2. How to use them?

In most of the cars, you cannot use these apps unless you have a smartphone integration feature in your car stereo system. You can connect your phone to your car that has smartphone integration system by using a USB cable.

When you are connected with the app you will be able to use a lot of other apps that are in your phone. Like Phone calls, texts, music library, Navigation apps etc.

You will be using these apps through your car stereo system. They will run with your voice command and will read out many things that we read ourselves. You can control and command Google now (Android), Siri (ios) from your car if you connect your phone with your stereo system.

Whilst it is now legal to keep yourself connected with your phone even when you are driving, remember, you will need a smartphone integration feature on your car stereo. If you want a smartphone integration feature then GC Car Audio can help you with that.

There are so many additional features that you can add in your car stereo system. One of the best features is adding Bluetooth in the car. Why? Simply because there are so many benefits that you can’t ignore.

Here are a few benefits for having Bluetooth in your car

Safe phone calls

Did you know, you can legally speak on the phone while driving using a Bluetooth hands-free calling? Yes, having a Bluetooth feature, can allow you to receive a call and talk hands-free. This is a great tool so you never miss any important calls and keep your eyes on the road at the same times, while not breaking any laws.

Texting

The Bluetooth feature on your car stereo can allow you to text or receive messages without hassle. There are some phones that will even enable your car stereo to read out the text to you. You can easily hear them through your car speakers and respond without much effort.

 Unlimited music

When you can connect your phone with your car via Bluetooth, you don’t need to rely on any cd or DVD to listen to music. You can open your phone’s playlist and start listening to them in your car music system. You can even go to YouTube and play all the songs that you want to play using your car speakers.

Navigation Assist

By connecting your phone, you can get a lot of your phone’s features using the car stereo. You can connect your phone with the car and start taking help of the GPS navigation which is in your phone. With Bluetooth’s connection in your car, you can hear the next direction spoken through the car audio.

Having Bluetooth in your car opens up the opportunity to use your phone in the car. You will be able to integrate your car with your phone if you use Bluetooth in your car. If you want to add a Bluetooth feature in your car, then Gold Coast Car Audio can help you with that. You can add a wide range of features to your car stereo. Just get connected with us and we will be providing you with some awesome improvement that will change your car driving experience.

As the level of crime is increasing throughout the world, people are getting more concerned about safety. Moreover, no one wants to be a victim of car theft. So, here are a few tips to keep your car secure.

Dash Cam with Parking Mode

Today’s dash cam comes with many cool features, one of them is parking mode. Your car cam will keep on recording even when it is parked. So, your car cam can identify any damage that has been done when no one was looking.

Car Alarm

A car alarm might not stop a car from being stolen, but it will give a theif something they don’t really want – Attention! With bright flashing lights, and that annoying noise, it won’t be long before they are looking for an easier car to break in to.

GPS tracking

In order to secure your car, you can install a GPS tracking. Because you will be able to track the location of your car any time you want. Even if your car gets stolen, you can locate it using GPS tracking.

Car Immobilizer

By using a car immobilizer, you can stop your car manually and remotely. So, this car protection tool can be used to secure your car. Even if your car gets stolen and stays on the move, you can stop it using the car immobilizer.

Steering lock gearstick and handbrake locks

This is a cheap tool that doesn’t cost much but can be effective in securing your car. This lock can lock the steering, handbrake, and gearstick. Without picking these locks, it is impossible to steal a car. So these locks can buy you a lot of time to stop someone from stealing your car.

Marking/ Etching

Marking is a technique that can be done simply or using a complex process. This is simply marking your car. You can do that using invisible ultraviolet pen or dots encoded with information. This will help you identify your car in most situations.

Being Aware

This is the most important tip so far. Because being aware in handing keys to someone or keeping windows closed can make a lot of difference. You can park your car in a well-lit area to avoid car theft. Remove all valuable when you leave the car so there is nothing for an opportunistic thief to take.

Car insurance is also a great way to protect yourself if the worst does happen and your car is damaged or stolen. If you need any sort of car protection tool or driving assistance tools you can come to Gold Coast Car Audio. We not only provide high-quality Car stereo systems and car speakers but also other devices that can help you secure your car.

A Long car drive can be fun but sometimes it can get boring and tiresome if you don’t have anything to entertain yourself with.

Here are 5 ways how you can entertain yourself with on a long drive.

Good Music

Listening to music that you love during a long drive can really keep your mood lifted. But in order to enjoy good music, you need a good car audio system.. Nothing beats a long drive with your favorite music played on a good car stereo.

Podcast

Listening to a podcast while you are on a long drive gives you access to all manner of stories, documentaries and shows. No matter how long the trip is, if you have a good podcast on, you will not feel bored. Make sure you have good car speakers in your car, because without good quality car speakers, you might struggle with the sound quality. Find a car speaker that has a good middle-range driver in it and experience crystal clear sound quality.

Having a Great Navigation System

This one is quite unusual for many. Because many may not find any correlation between a good navigation system and an enjoyable car ride. But there is a strong correlation between being annoyed and a poor car navigation. A poor car navigation system not only can distract and annoy you by failing but also can make you lost. So, to avoiding uncomfortable rides, you need a better car navigation system to make your road trip smooth.

Taking a break

Taking a break can be a great way to enjoy your overall car drive. A break can take away tiredness and introduce you to a new place or a restaurant. Take time to step out of the car and enjoy the scenery.

Having snacks

When you are going for a long drive, make sure you pack lots of delicious snacks. Having snacks while driving is a guilty pleasure that makes every road trip.

Above are some cool ways of how you can enjoy your long drive. So, if you think you need to modify a thing about your car to enjoy in that long drive that you are planning, you can contact us. Gold Coast Car Audio will have a solution for you.

A lot of the newer model cars are not fitted with a rearview camera. A rearview camera can come in a variety of price ranges to suit most budgets.

If you want to buy a new car backup camera, then these are the things that you need to know-

1. The use of a Rearview Camera

This camera can help you see what’s going on behind your car, so it is a great aid in parking, providing a better view and some guidance.

A rearview camera can let you know what is behind and save you from bumps on the backside of your car. A rear camera is great when you are in a busy area and you want to ensure the safety of those around you.

A car backup camera can give you the rearview. By doing so, this driving assistance device can help reducing blind spot caused issues.

2. Features

A car backup camera comes with many different features, such as an infrared view which can help a driver even when they are parking at night.

3. Suitable for all weathers and places.

Most rearview cameras are waterproof and therefore can be used in wet conditions. A good quality rearview camera will also work in a variety of conditions, and will be able to absorb the shock and vibrations, so they would be suitable an off-road road trip too.

4. Easy installation

The installation of a car backup camera is very easy, you can mount it up on your car’s number plate. Mounting a car backup camera doesn’t require any sort of drilling or heavy process.

5. Integrated with car stereo

A backup camera can be integrated with your car stereo and it can show images of the rearview on the display of the car stereo.

From safety issues to performance, a rearview camera is a great driving assistance tool that you can enhance your vehicle.

If you are looking for answers to questions like, “do I need a car audio amplifier?” or “why don’t my upgraded car speakers don’t good?” or “how to make my car music system play louder and cleaner?”, then this article can help you out with answers.

A car amplifier is a device that amplifies a weak audio signal and makes it loud. But before I even go deeper, you should know that every car audio system has an amplifier. Most of the time the amplifier is built-in your car stereo, but they may not be of high quality. So, if you want a good quality amp that is built-in with a car stereo then you might have to pay a little more for your car stereo. So, the question lies, whether you need to add an extra amp or not. The answer is, it depends.

Here are a few reasons for buying a car audio amplifier-

Quality

Obviously, the sound quality is the main reason. If you want your car speakers to play with low distortion or crisp clear then you definitely need to buy a good car amplifier. Even before you buy new car speakers, you need good amplifiers.

Loud

If you are the type of person who loves to listen to their music out loud then a quality car amplifier is the most important thing that you need in your car audio system. An amplifier will amplify the sound and make it louder to hear.

For doing Justice to your speakers

A good set of speakers can do great things for your car audio system. But if you have upgraded your car speakers and didn’t get the expected quality of sound from them, then probably it is due to having a poor car audio amplifier. Buy a good quality amplifier for a good set of speakers.

Adding a Subwoofer

A subwoofer is a type of speaker that can play really low sounds. So, if you are a hip-hop fan and don’t want to miss a low beat and want to add a subwoofer then adding a car music amplifier is your solution.

Channels

For each car speaker, you will need one channel. But usually, your car stereo will have only a few numbers of channels. Thus, for adding a number of speakers you will need a car audio amplifier that has multiple numbers of channels to suit your needs.

Using amplifiers will enhance the quality of sound and will open the door for other car music system upgrades. If you want a complete car music system or marine audio system then GC car Audio can give you a solution.

Speakers are the electronic device that turns audio files into real sound for our ears to hear. We can’t hear an mp3 file, our ears only hear frequencies. So, the speakers turn an audio file (can be of any format like .mp3, .wav etc.) into frequencies so that we can listen to them.

There are three basic types of speakers:

1. Woofers
2. Tweeter
3. Mid-Range

Here we will be talking about 3 basic types of speakers and their uses.

1. Woofers: Woofers are responsible for producing the low frequency of sounds. They can produce sounds that are between 40 Hz to 500 Hz. So, all the bass notes are played by the woofers. It is because of the woofers we can hear bass sounds. So, if you are a fan of the bass drum or a bass guitar, you need a good woofer. For a hip-hop fan, a good woofer can help to listen to the low beats and augment the feel of a song.
2. Tweeters: Tweeters produce high-frequency audio. They can produce sounds that are in between 2000 Hz to 20000 Hz. All high notes from a guitar can be heard clearly if you have a good tweeter. It is a good idea to increase the tweeter sound for listening to songs that have high pitch vocal lines.
3. Mid-Range: This type of speakers produces the frequency that is in between the woofer and tweeters. A mid-range speaker can produce frequency from 500 Hz to 4000 Hz. In any typical song, the mid-range frequencies are used more. So, it’s important to have a good mid-range speaker. Most of the pop or rock songs require a mid-range speaker for good sound quality.

So, if you want to listen to music with good quality sound then you need all three of the basic speakers. But, even if you have all three speakers your music might not sound great if they aren’t good quality.

If you enjoy listening to music in the car then you need a better car music system, including a good car stereo and car speakers. If you own a boat and want a good marine stereo system or boat speakers then you can contact with Gold Coast Car Audio. We have all you need to make your journey in your vehicle an enjoyable one.