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Product Spotlight: Compustar Q9 with LTE Remote Starter

Compustar Q9

Two-way remote car starters and security systems help to ensure that you always know what’s happening with your car or truck. Remote controls that include an LCD screen make it quick and easy to know whether the doors are locked or the engine is running. Compustar’s Q9 remote kit consists of a two-way LCD remote and their DroneMobile X1-LTE telematics interface to provide a complete control-from-anywhere remote starter or security solution for your vehicle.

What Is the Compustar Q9 with LTE Kit?

The Q9 remote and DroneMobile kit is known formally as the RFX-2WQ9-FM. It includes a two-way LCD remote and the DroneMobile X1-LTE interface. The remote features five control buttons to make locking, unlocking, remote start and trunk release functions instantly and intuitively accessible. The centrally located Engine Start/Stop button on the Q9 mimics the lock, unlock and remote start functions of a Compustar one-button remote. You can also access two auxiliary outputs to control power sliding doors on a minivan or hatch release on an SUV. The LCD screen has dedicated icons that display the door lock status and indicate whether the doors are open or the engine is running. If you opt for a temperature sensor when the Q9 is installed, you can also check the temperature in the vehicle.

Compustar sells its remote packages separate from its control modules, so the retailer you’re working with can pair the Q9 kit with a remote starter, security system or a hybrid unit that offers all the features you want. The Q9 remote is bundled in the CSX2WQ900-A security system with DroneMobile and the CS2WQ900-AS remote starter and security system.

 

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The RF transceiver in the Q9 remote provides up to 3,000 feet of range to let you control your vehicle from inside a small apartment or a medium-sized office building. This is enough communication range to let you keep tabs on your vehicle and remote start it without going outside. Factory-installed keyless entry systems don’t provide this much range.

Compustar Q9
The Compustar Q9 remote features a color display that lets you know the status of your vehicle.

Security System Alerts

The Q9 remote will notify you if a Compustar alarm system has been triggered. The remote will beep and buzz when this happens. If someone has bumped into your car or is trying to cut the catalytic converter off your truck or SUV, these alerts will let you know it’s time to call the authorities.

 

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Control from Anywhere with DroneMobile

The Q9 remote kit includes the DroneMobile X1-LTE telematics system. DroneMobile consists of a communication interface that connects to your vehicle’s Compustar remote starter or security controller. The interface uses cell phone communication towers to relay commands from your smartphone to the vehicle and back. If you want to remote start your car or truck, launch the app on your phone and press the start button for a few seconds. The starting message from the app will travel through the internet and the cellular provider to the vehicle in a few seconds. Best of all, once the vehicle is running, you’ll get confirmation on your phone. There are no range limitations with Drone. You can be at home, at work or on vacation in Mexico – as long as you have internet access, you have control. If you have the FT-DAS-II sensor in your vehicle, the DroneMobile system also relays security alerts to your smartphone.

With a DroneMobile Premium service plan, you can also use the X1-LTE’s built-in GPS receiver to pinpoint the location of your car or truck. You can set location-based geofence or time-based alerts to keep tabs on your vehicle.

Compustar Q9
The Q9 remote kit includes the DroneMobile smartphone control system that provides vehicle control from almost anywhere.

Add Convenience and Security with the Compustar Q9 Remote

If you’re shopping for a remote car starter or car alarm with a high-performance two-way remote that includes an LCD screen and the state-of-the-art DroneMobile telematics solution, drop by your local Compustar retailer and ask about the Q9 remote kit. You can find a retailer near you using their Dealer Locator. Be sure to follow Compustar on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to stay up to date with their latest product releases.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate P1/P2/P3-2X12 Loaded Subwoofer Enclosures

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures

Few upgrades make a more noticeable change or add more fun to your car audio system than adding a subwoofer system. The car audio fanatics at Rockford Fosgate have made it easy to choose a performance level with their P1, P2 and P3 dual 12-inch 2X12 Loaded Punch Series subwoofer enclosures. Let’s dig into what makes these bass upgrades deliver some of the best bang for the buck on the market.

Custom Enclosure Designed for Car Audio Systems

If you look back at our Test Drive Review of the P500-12P, you might remember that the folks at Rockford Fosgate have a unique approach to car audio subwoofer enclosure design. While most companies perform simulations exclusively in software, the product development team at Rockford Fosgate designs their enclosures to work with the acoustics of the vehicle. This results in physically smaller enclosure designs that offer impressive efficiency and extension without taking up vast amounts of space.

The footprint of the 2X12 series enclosures measures 33.875 by 15.75 inches. To optimize space, the angled rear panel fits up snugly against the rear seats in a coupe, hatchback or SUV. The enclosures are 15.125 inches tall, so they won’t block the view out of the back of your vehicle.

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures
Robust MDF construction with reinforced corner joints ensures reliable performance.

The cabinets are constructed from 5/8-inch MDF with inset side panels. They are finished in a durable high-density black carpet. The front panel features a large-surface-area vent optimized to prevent noise at high volume levels. A custom-tooled trim panel over the vent looks cool and keeps loose objects from entering the enclosure. A set of chromed spring-loaded binding posts on the left side end panel will accept 10-AWG wiring and make it easy to connect the subwoofer system to your amplifier.

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures
A terminal cup on the left-side end panel makes it easy for your installer to connect the enclosure to your amplifier.

Given that the Thiele/Small parameters of the P1, P2 and P3 Punch Series subwoofers are similar, the enclosure options offer similar overall tonal balance but with ever-increasing output capabilities.

Pick Your Poison: Mild to Wild Bass

Rockford Fosgate offers their 2X12-Series enclosures with your choice of Punch Series P1, P2 or P3 drivers. The P1-2X12 includes a pair of P1S4-12 subwoofers, each rated to handle 250 watts of power continuously and 500 watts maximum. Each driver has an Xmax spec of 9 mm, which is good for an affordable subwoofer solution. The system has a net load impedance of 2 ohms and weighs 70.9 pounds. Rockford Fosgate recommends the P300X1 as a great power solution for this enclosure.

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures
The P1-2X12 enclosure features a pair of 250-watt P1S4-12 12-inch subwoofers.

If you want more output, step up to the P2-2X12, with its pair of P2D4-12 subwoofers. These subs can handle 300 watts continuously or 600 watts each. The P2 subwoofers have a one-way Xmax spec of 13.3 mm, so this will play louder if you feed it more power. The pair of dual-voice-coil drivers is wired to a net 1-ohm load. The P2-2X12 enclosure weighs in at 77.35 pounds. The P500X1 is suggested as a perfect match for this enclosure. The Punch P2 subwoofers use Rockford Fosgate Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) to optimize cone area. The P2 and P3 12-inch subs have 4% more effective cone area than the P1 drivers.

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures
The P2-2X12 enclosure features a pair of 300-watt P2D4-12 12-inch subwoofers.

Rockford Fosgate offers the P3-2X12, which includes a pair of P3D4-12 12-inch subs for the most jam from this enclosure design. These drivers are rated to handle 600 watts continuously or 1,200 watts maximum power per driver. They have an Xmax specification of 15.9 millimeters and are wired to present a 1-ohm load. Paired with an amplifier like the P1000X1bd, this enclosure will shake your behind and rattle your fillings. The P3-2X13 weighs a hefty 89.65 pounds, so you’ll want to get some help if you have to remove it from your vehicle.

Rockford Fosgate Enclosures
The P3-2X12 enclosure features a pair of 600-watt P3D4-12 12-inch subwoofers.

You can pair these enclosures with Prime series amplifiers if you’re on a budget or Power series amplifiers if you want improved clarity and detail. Your local Rockford Fosgate retailer can help you create a package that will deliver the performance you want. Use the dealer locator on their website to find a shop near you. Of course, follow the Rockford Fosgate team on Facebook and Instagram to learn about their latest product releases. Also, check out the videos they post on YouTube; they are truly impressive!

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Sony XAV-AX4000 Digital Multimedia Receiver

Sony XAV-AX4000

Over the last few years, Sony’s multimedia receivers have become increasingly popular. As more units have sold, retailers have asked for iDatalink Maestro integration, USB-C support and powerful sound customization. With Sony’s new XAV-AX4000, those requests and more have been fulfilled. Let’s look at what this sleek and impressive car audio source unit offers.

Clean Cosmetics and Intuitive Technology

The first thing you’ll notice about the XAV-AX4000 is that it still looks great in the dash of your car or truck, and the user interface is as intuitive as it gets. Anyone can easily select source options or adjust settings without needing to read the owner’s manual. The icons on the screen can be expanded by selecting the “All Apps” icon on the screen and can be rearranged to create a layout that gives you quick access to the elements you choose on the home screen.

The 6.95-inch touchscreen display has a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels with a brightness of 600 Cd/m2. Four physical control buttons along the bottom of the screen make it easy to access the main menu, adjust the volume, change tracks or activate voice recognition features.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Sony multimedia receivers have one of the most intuitive menu systems on the market.

The radio includes wireless Apple CarPlay and wired and wireless Android Auto connectivity. Start your car, and the phone will connect automatically so you can make phone calls, send texts or get navigation directions from Google Maps or Waze. Of course, you can use your favorite streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio or Apple Music to be entertained while you drive. A USB-C port on the rear of the chassis can be used with a USB mass storage device to play MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSF or DSDIFF audio files.

You can also use the USB-C port to charge your phone with up to 3 amps of current. The XAV-AX4000 supports the LDAC codec with Android smartphones for those wanting excellent Bluetooth streaming audio quality. Of course, the radio includes an AM/FM receiver with RDS information display.

Sony XAV-AX4000
High-resolution Bluetooth audio streaming is supported by Android smartphones that use the LDAC audio codec.

Audio Features Add Realism to Your Music

The XAV-AX4000 includes a 14-band graphic equalizer, front, rear and subwoofer signal delay setting adjustments and adjustable three-zone high- and low-pass crossovers so your installer can fine-tune your system to deliver excellent sound and detail. The preamp outputs are rated to provide up to 2 volts of output, and the built-in four-channel amp is good for 20 watts of power in compliance with the CTA-2006 standard.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Premium system configuration and calibration included with the XAV-AX4000 will help your car stereo sound great

iDatalink Maestro Integration

One of the most sought-after upgrades to the XAV-AX4000 is the inclusion of support for the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 integration modules. These interfaces will allow the radio to communicate with certain vehicles to provide steering wheel control, backup camera and auxiliary input connectivity. You can display vehicle information such as engine speed, vehicle speed, battery voltage or engine load on the dashboard display and check tire pressures and battery voltage on another. Many vehicles allow the Maestro interface to provide access to climate control adjustments. Your Sony retailer can let you know about the features that are compatible with your make, model and year of car or truck.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Compatibility with the iDatalink Maestro RR and RR2 allows the Sony XAV-AX4000 to communicate digitally with your vehicle.

Installer- and User-Friendly Design

From an installation standpoint, the single-DIN chassis behind the double-DIN display dramatically simplifies installation. The radio includes an external Bluetooth microphone to deliver excellent outgoing audio quality. Another new feature is selectable and user-uploadable background wallpapers to match your vehicle interior or your mood.

The radio also includes a rear-view camera input with automatic reverse triggering, and the Maestro will include factory parking lines and sensor data in some vehicles. Finally, Sony has designed the XAV-AX4000 to wake up quickly, so your music starts playing when you are ready to go.

Sony XAV-AX4000
Users can select from several background wallpaper colors or upload their own image to personalize their radio.

Experience the Sony XAV-AX4000 Today!

If it’s time to upgrade the technology in your car or truck, drop by an authorized Sony retailer today and ask for a demonstration of the new XAV-AX4000 multimedia receiver. We’re sure you’ll be impressed by its performance, features, appearance and intuitive interface. You can find a Sony retailer using the dealer locator on the Sony Car Audio website. Be sure to subscribe to Sony’s YouTube channel and follow them on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to learn about their latest car audio product releases.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

DroneMobile Smartphone Vehicle Control Response Time vs OEM

Smartphone Control

Being able to lock, unlock or remote start your car or truck using an app on your smartphone is handy. In listening to what owners of these solutions have been saying over the last few years, we’ve noticed a disturbing pattern: Most factory-installed remote systems are agonizingly slow. Nobody wants to wait around for their vehicle to unlock. So let’s do some research and see how the DroneMobile system from Firstech stacks up in terms of responsiveness.

What Is a Telematics System?

In the context of cars and trucks, telematics is a way of remotely controlling basic vehicle functions using an app on your smartphone. In essence, these systems replicate the operation of a key fob to let you lock or unlock your vehicle, pop the trunk or hatch, or remote start the engine. In addition, many systems include a GPS receiver that can locate your vehicle on a map or configure location-based security alerts.

DroneMobile is the aftermarket telematics system offered by Firstech – the company behind Compustar remote car starter and security systems. DroneMobile can be integrated with a Compustar remote car starter to provide unlimited control range. So long as your vehicle is parked somewhere with cellular service and your smartphone has access to the internet, you can send commands quickly and easily.

Smartphone Control
DroneMobile does much more than just let you lock, unlock and remotely start your vehicle.

Smartphone Control Response Time

In addition to reliability and ease of use, impressive response time is one of the main reasons thousands of people have upgraded their cars and trucks with this system. Firstech moved its authentication services to AWS a few years ago to increase reliability and responsiveness. AWS is one of the world’s premier cloud computing platforms and is used by companies like Netflix, Amazon, Capital One, Coca-Cola, Expedia and thousands more to host their online platforms.

If you’re sitting at your desk at work and want to remote start your vehicle with your smartphone, it doesn’t matter significantly if the process takes 2, 20 or 120 seconds. However, if you’re walking up to your vehicle and want to use your phone to unlock it, response time matters. The last thing you want is to stand in front of your vehicle for 30, 40 or 60 seconds while data commands travel around the globe. You want the system to unlock as quickly as possible so you can be on your way.

We surveyed a group of friends to look at the response time of the telematics systems that came with their cars and trucks. The answers were surprising in all regards. Most response times were slower than we expected, with a surprisingly significant number of users completely giving up on these systems because they often didn’t respond.

Smartphone Control

If we average all the responses, it took just under 18 seconds from when an icon on the smartphone was pressed to when the vehicle responded on most factory-installed telematics systems. In most cases, this was a simple lock or unlock command. However, the time it took for these vehicles to remote start and then report their status back to the app was often more than twice that.

DroneMobile – The King of Vehicle Remote Control Speed

Most of the employees at BestCarAudio.com have Compustar remote starters installed in their vehicles. We also have DroneMobile telematics systems integrated with those starters. We surveyed our team and many of our peers and found that the average response time for a lock or unlock request was about 2 seconds. In some cases, it was less. Sending a lock command over LTE was often faster than using a one-button RF remote. This isn’t a failing of the remote – it waits a second before transmitting to see if you’re going to press the button again.

If you have remote started your car or truck from inside your home, work, a restaurant or movie theater and are approaching the vehicle, using the DroneMobile system to unlock the doors in about 2 seconds is, frankly, the way these systems should work.

Upgrade Your Vehicle with DroneMobile

Many friends we talked with for this article expressed an interest in replacing the factory system with a solution like DroneMobile. The slow response time or complete failure of the system to function had led many of them to abandon using the factory-installed solutions. If you’re shopping for a lightning-quick telematics system for your car or truck, drop by a local DroneMobile retailer today. You can learn more about this impressive smartphone control solution by visiting the DroneMobile website, their Facebook page, Instagram feed or YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate HD14RGST-STAGE3 Harley-Davidson Stereo Upgrade

Rockford Fosgate HD14RGST-STAGE3

Rockford Fosgate has cemented itself as the undisputed leader in Harley-Davidson motorcycle audio system upgrades in the past few years. They offer dozens of direct bolt-in speaker and amplifier kits for all the popular touring bike models. In this spotlight, we will look at the HD14RGST-STAGE3 aftermarket audio system for 2014 and newer Street Glide and 2015 and up Road Glide touring bikes. This kit also works with the Road Glide Special and Street Glide Special bikes from the same year.

Rockford Fosgate Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sound Systems

Rockford Fosgate HD14RGST-STAGE3

Harley-Davidson has done a good job engineering the Boom! Box infotainment system on the latest touring bikes. Although the source unit is amazing, the first-generation factory-installed sound system falls short in speaker output capability and power delivery. Rockford Fosgate’s HD14RGST-STAGE3 kit is the perfect upgrade to make the audio system crystal clear at 75 mph and even drown out that rowdy exhaust note.

The HD14RGST-STAGE3 includes a set of Power Series 6.5-inch speakers and grilles for the front fairing, a pair of 6×9-inch speakers and grilles for the saddlebags, a Power Series four-channel amplifier and all the wiring, connectors and mounting components your installer will need to complete the installation. Best of all, everything integrates into the wiring on the bike without any modifications so it won’t affect a brand-new motorcycle’s electrical system warranty.

The TMS65 and TMS69 speakers in the kit were designed specifically for motorcycle and powersports applications – meaning they are frequency-response tuned for open-air environments and protected to withstand the harsh outdoors. They include oversized voice coils on the woofers to handle extreme power levels for long periods. The Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) cone and surround design increases the effective radiating area of these drivers to deliver more output than conventional drivers. Grilles are included for both the Road Glide and Street Glide fairings.

The HD14RGST-STAGE3 system includes the TMS69BL14 saddlebag speaker installation kit. Your installer can mount the TMS69 speakers in the bag lid covers quickly and efficiently with these parts. There’s no need to spend money or waste time color-matching new lid covers to get great sound. Finally, these speakers are designed to meet Rockford Fosgate’s strict Element Ready requirements to withstand rain, dust and prolonged UV exposure without failing.

Rockford Fosgate HD14RGST-STAGE3
The TMS69BL14 Saddlebag Speaker Kit is a perfect solution to add big sound to your existing saddlebags.

The TM400X4ad four-channel amplifier is rated to simultaneously produce up to 100 watts of power to each of the four speakers. Knowing how Rockford Fosgate rates its amps, actual power is likely 10 to 15% higher. The system includes the RFK-HD14 amplifier mounting bracket with an integrated heatsink that works with Bat Wing and Shark Nose fairings. Power wiring, speaker connectors and signal input harness with OE-grade Harley-specific connectors are also included. The optional DSR1 digital signal processor can easily be added to upgrade the system using the included loop-through harness.

Speaking of the factory-installed Boom! Box radio, an authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer will need to flash the software in the radio to change its built-in equalizer settings before bringing the new amp and speakers to life. You can find a retailer with the tools and training to do this here.

Rockford Fosgate HD14RGST-STAGE3
Everything your installer needs to integrate the new speakers and amplifier into the wiring on your bike is included with the HD14RGST-STAGE3 kit.

Enjoy Your Favorite Music on the Road

If you’ve ever been frustrated that the audio system on your motorcycle starts to distort and become garbled just before it gets loud enough, the HD14RGST-STAGE3 is the cure. The new speakers are more efficient and sound better than what comes with most motorcycles. The amplifier can deliver clean and clear power to extract every ounce of performance from the new Power Series motorcycle speakers. In short, even if you’re cruising down the interstate with friends, Rockford Fosgate’s motorcycle speaker and amplifier kit will ensure that Clapton, Seger, Cash or Skynyrd will absolutely rock!

To learn more about upgrading the sound system on your Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Street Glide or any of their touring bikes, visit the Rockford Fosgate website. You can keep up with the latest new motorcycle audio system offerings by following our friends from Tempe, Arizona, on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.