Mobile Edge Lehighton Mobile Electronics Experts » OEM Integration

Tools of the Trade: The Right Tools Make All the Difference

Mitch — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:03:23 +0000

When it comes to getting great sound out of your car audio system, selecting the right components is very important. Having it wired properly and neatly is also a top priority. Did you know that there is a final step that may very well be the most important of all? That step is setup and tuning. You can have the best installs and the best products, but if the system is not setup and tuned properly, it’s like flushing money right down the toilet. Mobile Edge has all of the tools and the know-how to make sure that you get the best sound possible from your aftermarket system.

Below is a list of some of the tools that we use regularly to make sure that our customers are getting the most out of their investment:

Digital Multimeter – Most shops have one. At least they better! Problem is that most shops use it for only finding ground and 12v when installing an alarm or checking the battery voltage in a remote starter’s remote. There are many additional uses for a DMM when tuning a system. A DMM is a must for setting gains and finding clipping voltage. It is also used when interfacing an aftermarket system to a factory head unit.
Speaker Polarity Testers – These devices check the output of each speaker and sub in the vehicle to make sure that they are all working in unison. One out of phase speaker can make an otherwise great install sound not so great!
Oscilloscope – We use this for many things, but primarily to check for the clipping points of head units and amplifiers. It is critical to know the point at which any device in the system will clip (distort). Without an oscilloscope, this would be a very difficult if not impossible task.
Real Time Analyzer – An RTA looks at the output of a system in individual frequencies. It displays these outputs on a graph. The idea is to get a smooth curve that sounds good. There is no magic behind this, but you need to have and know how to use an RTA to make this happen. The results of a properly tuned system can be nothing short of amazing.
Various Test CD’s and Software – In order to use much of the equipment above, we have several test CD’s that produce the calibrated outputs. Everything from speaker pops and individual speaker identification to pink noise, frequency sweeps and sine waves are found on these discs. They are critical to properly setting up a system.

There are other tools that we use in tuning a system, but the key is that at Mobile Edge, WE USE THEM. Every audio system (anything that included amplifiers) that we sell is tuned using most, if not all of the equipment listed above and then some. It’s all part of the installation. It’s not optional. If you want your system to sound great, it’s mandatory!

This post is not meant to discount the need for great products and great installations. Having both of these in place and then finalizing the process with a professional setup using the proper tools will leave your vehicle sounding like a high end home audio system.

I submit that there is a very important consideration that you should make when purchasing ANY car audio system: Does the shop that is doing the install have the tools and expertise to properly setup your new system? Mobile Edge does!

Customer Drives from Annapolis MD For a Hertz Audio System Installed By Mobile Edge

Mitch — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:39:19 +0000

Earlier in the year, I received a phone car from a gentleman from Annapolis, Maryland. He told me that he had found us through a Google search. He was looking for a shop that could do factory integration and we came up at the top of his search. He researched Mobile Edge and decided that we were worth contacting.

When we spoke, he said that he had a 2010 Ford F150 with the SYNC system and didn’t want to give up the factory radio. Since we specialize in aftermarket integration, this was not a problem. We spoke a little more and discussed the speakers and amps that we carried. He seemed very interested in Hertz products. He said he’d be in touch mid March.

Sure enough, I got a call in early March and we set up an appointment. The customer and his puppy, Nick, arrived right when we opened on the day of the appointment. He auditioned a bunch of Hertz components and decided that this was the brand for him. For the front speakers he went with the HSK130 5.25″ component speakers mounted on custom 5×7″ plates. The rear doors got HCX570 5×7″ coaxes in the factory locations. All doors were treated with a lot of Dynamat. The speakers themselves were were “sealed” to the doors with 1″ wide strips of Dynamat. This step improves the overall sound quality of the system by helping to keep the back wave from canceling the front.

For amplification he went with the Hertz EP5. This 5 channel amp provides 60 watts into each of the 4 doors and will eventually send 160 watts to a subwoofer. The customer did not have time on this visit to get the sub box constructed but plans on this for another time. We found that the amp would fit perfectly under the passenger’s seat. We built a small platform that fit over the air vent under the seat. The customer still has full range of motion of the seat and any rear seat passengers will have complete function of the AC or heat.

To interface into the factory sound system we used a special vehicle specific harness and interface. This interface did not require any splicing into the factory system. Not a single wire in the factory harness had to be cut! Removing this system when it’s time for a trade-in will be much simpler. Most vehicles today have interfaces like this.

At the end of the day, the customer and “Nick” returned to pick up the vehicle and hear the end result. He couldn’t have been happier. I knew he had a long ride home and I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for him. When I called the next morning to see how the trip went, he said that it was great! He didn’t crank it too much because of the puppy, but was looking forward to going for a ride by himself to jam out!

Having a customer drive this far to have us do work was an extremely proud event for myself and my staff. This was not a cheap system. To have someone who had never been in our store trust us based on our website and a few phone calls made this one of the best sales that I have ever made.

A few days later, this customer left a review on our Google Local Business page. Here is what he had to say:

I travelled from Annapolis, MD to Mobile Edge (over three hours) to have work done on my truck. I have a Ford F-150 with the Ford SYNC system. I wanted to keep the SYNC and Ford head unit, but I wanted to improve the sound coming out of the stock system. I first found Mobile Edge while doing a Google search on OEM integration. The Mobile Edge site was superior and contained more informative than any web site I found. Then I noticed they were located in Lehighton PA; near my hometown of Nesquehoning. So I decided to visit family and have my stereo upgraded. Three things stood out about my experience with Mobile Edge. First was the first rate quality of their workmanship. Second was the superior product and the resulting great sound now coming out of my “stock” stereo unit. Unbelievable! Third, was the customer follow-up. Mitch called me the following day to ensure that I got home without problem and to check on my satisfaction with their work. He has followed-up on two other occasions as well. Truly outstanding, professional customer service. It was well worth the drive to have such superior work done and I would recommend them to anyone.

Click on any of the pictures below to be transported to our Flickr site where you will find detailed descriptions of each.

Mobile Edge One of Top 3 Vote Getters for Retailer of the Year 2010

Mitch — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:53:56 +0000

About a month ago, we found out that we had once again been nominated for Retailer of the Year. We were nominated last year and finished in the Top 5 nationwide. Getting nominated 2 years in a row made us all extremely proud. It says that we are in a group of 100 retailers nationwide that are viewed as the best of the best.

Like last year, we immediately started campaigning. This was pretty straightforward. We contacted our friends and associates within the industry and asked for their vote. It looks like most of them voted because a few days ago we found out that we are currently in the top 3 nationwide! What an honor for a small shop in a town of 10K people in Eastern PA! Voting ends on April 15th and we are hoping to again be a finalist for the Retailer of the Year!

Thanks to all who voted and if you are in the industry and reading this, click HERE and vote for Mobile Edge!

NAV-TV Barracuda Unlocks the Full Potential of Your GM Radio

Mitch — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:14:03 +0000

1st to respond will save big on NAV-TV Barracuda

If you or someone you know owns a late model GM vehicle with indash DVD, you have to check out this device. The NAV-TV Barracuda unlocks the full potential of your vehicle’s AV/Nav system. Video in Motion, feature unlock for trailer/baby cam, On star dialing in motion, FLIR night vision camera input and control, and much… much more. Mobile Edge is proud to offer products from NAV-TV, the world’s foremost OEM integration company. Normally, this device costs between 400 and 500 installed. We have teamed with NAV-TV and will be featuring a new NAV-TV promotional product every two weeks over the next several months at a substantial savings to the first customer that makes an appointment to have the featured product installed. Call Mobile Edge or email us for details. Better yet, Stop in!

2004 Chevy Corvette Gets a New Radio and Sub Without Taking Up Much Room

Mitch — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:32:26 +0000

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to do an install on a mint condition 2004 Chevrolet Corvette. The factory system was a Bose and the customer mainly wanted a better in dash unit and some bass. Bob designed a system that did not require the replacement of the factory Bose speakers (at least not yet!).

We swapped out the deck for a sweet Eclipse CD5030 and used an OEM interface to connect properly to the factory Bose system. Not only does this deck give the customer A2DP Streaming Audio capability, but it is also a complete Bluetooth handsfree setup that works through the speakers.

The customer wanted to take up as little room as possible so Bob designed a sub box/amp rack that utilized the factory well that exists near the rear of the hatch. Very little of the usable space in the hatch was taken up.

The end result was a system that sound good, has a lot of “bump” and tons of capability and flexibility from the head unit. Next step will be to replace the factory Bose speaker with some true high end Hertz speakers!

It’s Your Vehicle – Why Trust it to the Lowest Bidder?

Mitch — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:05:56 +0000

They say that the 2 biggest purchases that most people make are their house and their vehicle. Because people are willing to part with large sums of their hard earned money for these things, they must be very important. So why do some people want to trust these items to the lowest bidder? Does that make any sense?

We hear it often: “I can get a remote starter installed for $50 bucks less.” Well of course you can. Shops charge what they are worth. They charge what the market will bear based on the quality and expertise that they bring to the table. Mobile Edge brings 15 years of experience and numerous industry awards based on our installation quality and customer service to the table. There is a value to that. Let me explain.

We have grown to achieve national recognition in a small town. As of the 2000 census, Lehighton had a population of 5537. Within a radius of 10 miles, the population is not likely more than 25,000. Obviously, we are in a somewhat rural area. We have not only survived, but thrived over the past 15 years. I guarantee you that we would not have been able to survive for even 2 years in this market if we did not do exceptional work. Word travels fast in a small town.

Are there shops that are cheaper than us… Short answer…. Yes. I started this business in 1994 with one goal: To run the very best mobile electronics shop possible. I’d like to think that I have succeeded. To do this, I have had to hire great people. I know that I have succeeded in doing that. My guys have talent and their talent makes them valuable. They are paid a wage that is well about average and worthy of their talents. I do this so that I can keep them working for me. My employees are my most valuable assets.

On top of this, we handle only top brands. Vendors look at Mobile Edge and want their products in our shop. We do not just accept what we can get. We are sought after by our vendors. We test everything that we sell. We don’t carry anything that we wouldn’t sell to our own family or friends. In short, we sell the best. The best costs more.

Mobile Edge sells the best stuff and employs the best installers . We do cost more. We don’t apologize for that and we don’t make excuses. You spent a lot of money on your vehicle. Do you really want to trust it to the lowest bidder?

I welcome all feedback and comments on this post.