TEMPE, AZ (02.18.26) – MasterTech Expo 2026 is shaping up to be its biggest and most impactful year yet, proudly announcing a completely sold-out show floor and expanded hotel partnerships to accommodate record attendance. MasterTech Expo 2026 is scheduled March 12-15, 2026 at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, AZ.
“With exhibit space officially sold out, attendees can expect an elevated show floor experience featuring a top-tier mix of technology innovators, fabrication leaders, and major audio manufacturers, creating one of the most diverse and hands-on learning environments in the industry,” said Bryan Schmitt, founder, CEO, and president of Mobile Solutions. “Selling out our exhibit space is a huge milestone. It allows us to curate a higher-quality experience for attendees — more brands, better education, and better connections across every segment of the industry.”
Due to overwhelming demand, the MasterTech Expo host hotel has officially sold out. To support the growing attendee base, new hotel partners and room blocks have been secured, offering convenient options close to the venue. Attendees are encouraged to book early as availability continues to move quickly.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (02.18.26) – The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is sponsoring legislation to provide more certainty in the process by which the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approves aftermarket emissions products seeking clearance to be sold in the state. Senate Bill 1069, authored by Sen. Tim Grayson, D-Concord, would provide specific timelines to which CARB must adhere when manufacturers navigate the board’s Executive Order (EO) process. EOs for aftermarket parts ensure companies are in compliance with CARB emissions standards and serve to greenlight the manufacturing, sale, or installation of an aftermarket product in California. Under the bill, companies would be refunded a portion of the application costs incurred if the time it takes to receive an EO becomes unreasonable.
The application to receive a CARB EO was once free, with fees later added to help speed the process and enable the hiring of staff who could facilitate the review of these applications. But despite this administrative support provided via the monetary investment of applicants, the process continues to lag and deprive well-meaning companies of their opportunity to reach the California market with their innovative, emissions-compliant products.
According to SEMA data, it currently can take CARB 12-18 months to approve EOs, and sometimes up to two years. Businesses cannot afford to wait that long to bring products to market.
“This is a necessary bill for lawmakers to prove to their constituents that they’re serious about clean air in California and providing small businesses with a pathway to thrive. SEMA has invested heavily to support aftermarket businesses that seek to serve the California marketplace with innovative products that adhere to state and federal emissions laws. We have known for a long time that the CARB EO process is in sore need of reform; it is slow, costly, and wrought with administrative delays that are a disservice to companies and consumers. We thank Senator Grayson for authoring this bill, which encourages companies to continue their good-faith efforts to adhere to California laws, while improving compliance and ensuring that California consumers have access to the cleanest aftermarket products available,” said SEMA CEO Mike Spagnola.
“California’s automotive enthusiasts deserve the opportunity to buy these products for their cars and trucks, and the path must be cleared for businesses that have committed to work to meet our state’s standards,” said Sen. Grayson. “When I attend the SEMA Show, I always marvel at the innovation brought forth by the automotive aftermarket, highlighted by advanced, clean-emissions products for consumers’ vehicles. Supporting car culture is not a zero-sum game with environmental stewardship and this bill reflects that – a tangible path toward cleaner air, business success, and consumer satisfaction.”
ABOUT THE BILL The legislation will provide the following reforms:
After companies submit their applications for an EO, CARB would have 30 days to state whether the application is in order, and then 60 more days to approve or deny the application.
If an application is denied, CARB is to provide the applicant a list of reasons for the denial; applicants will then have a 30-day “cure” period to keep an application on track.
If CARB fails to adhere to this reasonable timeline, applicants are entitled to a 50% refund of their fees.
Fees for CARB EOs can reach the thousands of dollars. Currently, those fees are:
$500 for companies with fewer than 100 employees, and
$1,000 for companies with 100 or more employees.
Analysis conducted for 2025 by the SEMA Garage shows that aftermarket companies pay $1,600-$3,200 per product for which they seek an EO, based on an average of 3.2 application breakouts, which result in three distinct charges for the same product.
In some examples, there are enough breakouts to cost companies well beyond $20,000 for a single product. Such cases force companies to make difficult decisions over whether to even apply for coverage on all their products.
BACKGROUND SEMA has invested over $30 million in the past ten years to help the aftermarket industry with emissions compliance. SEMA has two emissions compliance centers – Diamond Bar, Calif., and Plymouth, Mich. – with each offering a suite of aftermarket product testing optimized with state-of-the-art testing equipment. SEMA has made it its mission to hire experienced professional emissions staff to educate the industry and its members on emissions issues and the need for compliance.
In California, SEMA works with CARB to issue EOs.
SEMA’s Diamond Bar, Calif., Emissions Compliance Center, part of the SEMA Garage, is recognized by CARB as a Certification Ready Automotive Emissions Testing Laboratory. This facility is integral to SEMA’s work with CARB, offering SEMA members a complete product development resource, geared toward manufacturers and providing assistance in all aspects of securing CARB EOs and EPA emissions compliance to demonstrate that vehicles are emissions-compliant after a product is installed.
Over the last 10 years, SEMA has assisted with approximately 50% of all aftermarket EOs issued by CARB, and its compliance team has completed over 800 CARB EO applications for members. The SEMA Garage helps member companies and other aftermarket businesses to test and sell emissions-compliant products.
PITTSBURGH, PA (02.17.26) – The Pittsburgh International Auto Show was back at the David L Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh February 13th thru 16th. The 4-Day show brought exciting new vehicles, displays, products and fun for the whole family. In all the show featured over 40 makes and models of vehicles from around the world.
Team Nutz had several booths and all were busy throughout the event.
Team Nutz offered a free T-Shirt for attendees scanned the QR Code and engaged on social media.
Team Nutz, a proactive 12volt and automotive aftermarket retailer, was once again on site. This year, the Team Nutz occupied a 8,500 square foot booth in the Convention Center plus live demo and installations areas. Team Nutz has been exhibiting at the Pittsburg Auto Show for over 18 years. During the show there were 6-10 members of the Team Nutz crew engaged with show attendees in meaningful one-on-one conversations and demonstrations. The Team Nutz crew connected with many of the crowd of 40,000.
Body wrap installations took place live on the show floor.
Ben Bjerke showed seating upgrades.
For Team Nutz Ed Nuttall stated “We handed out Team Nutz bags, hundreds and hundreds of decals, pens lanyards, magnets and ran out of 2500 business cards. Our booth was packed with attendees to see demo vehicles, a big selection of wheels, OEM Display, a Marine display, a wide variety of product displays plus live installations of vehicle wraps, paint protection polishing, window tinting, leather seat installations and DSP audio demos.”
This attendee was blown away after listening to the Audison DSP audio demo.
The 2026 Pittsburgh Auto Show is a wrap!
Continuing “People that experienced the DSP demo were amazed. We had rock, country and rap music set for the demos. Also this year we continued our custom QR code focus to connect with attendees on social media. When attendees scanned the all the QR Code platforms they took home a custom T-Shirt. We added over 300 followers to our Facebook followers halfway through the event. Letting attendees see all the upgrades we can add to their rides will drive business in our store into the future.”
Screenshot
During the event Mike Gosnik posted multiple live social media posts that will be reposted in the coming days, weeks and months after the event.
The show was a great event, and the phones will be ringing all week at the store with social media action, too.
LAS VEGAS, NV (02.17.26) – Diamond Audio, the industry leader in high-performance motorcycle audio, proudly announced the debut of its groundbreaking 8×12″ Cut-In Lid Kit designed specifically for 2024 and newer Harley-Davidson touring models. Unveiled at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, this kit represents a massive leap forward in output and integration for the new generation of Harley saddlebags.
The largest cone area meets precision engineering for the Ultimate Bagger Audio Experience.
At the heart of this innovation is a Patent Pending design (US Provisional Patent Application No.: 63/951,910) that utilizes a massive 8″x12″ HMXFB Series speaker. By opting for this unique oval format, Diamond Audio provides riders with the largest possible cone area for maximum sound pressure levels while strategically retaining usable storage space within the saddlebag—a feat previously thought impossible with drivers of this scale.
The large Cerwin Vega/Diamond Audio booth was a stand out on the show floor.
“On Day 2 at KnowledgeFest Nathan Larson, Director of Powersports, gave an in depth presentation on the show floor in the Cerwin Vega/Diamond Audio booth. The presentation covered the huge commitment for new products for both the Cerwin Vega and Diamond Audio brands in the Side-x-Side Market with over 160 new products combined in just this category” John Catalano, Director Product Development and Controlled Chaos, related.
Contunuing “Following Nathan’s well attended and very informative presentation we spent over 20 minutes fielding questions including inquiries about the new stuff. We just wish it was already in stock. Beginning in March-May we will see all the new products in inventory.”
Nathan Larson opens the training Day 2.
The kit features the all-new HMXFB 2-way speakers, engineered for the harsh environment of the open road: Carbon Fiber Cone: Delivers intense impact and lightning-fast transient response.
1.5″ Compression Loaded Titanium Tweeter: Provides crisp, musical high-frequency detail and increased output to cut through wind and exhaust noise.
Neodymium Motor: A high-energy magnet structure that offers immense power handling while significantly reducing weight. Fiber-Reinforced Basket: Ensures rigid stiffness and durability without the bulk of traditional cast baskets. Rugged, Reliable Engineering
Following the presentation, Nathan Larson was taking questions for over 20 minutes.
The Diamond Audio demo bike was loaded with power.
The Lid Kit is built for the long haul, featuring brass inserts to ensure the inner gasket and outer housing maintain a perfect, reliable, and water-tight fit. For riders seeking the absolute maximum in low-end punch, Diamond Audio is also offering an optional tunable port kit to further enhance bass impact and overall output.
“With the 2024+ Harley platform, we didn’t just want to make another speaker kit; we wanted to dominate the space. By utilizing the 8″x12″ format and our patent-pending housing, we are giving riders more air movement and more volume than anything else on the market, all while keeping their bags functional” Catalano concluded.
Availability: The Diamond Audio 2024+ Harley Cut-In Lid Kit is scheduled to begin shipping in April 2026.
METAIRIE, LA (02.17.26) – ORACLE Lighting is proud to announce the launch of its latest innovation for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter owners: the all-new Dual In-Dash Switch Pod engineered specifically for the 2018+ W907/W910 Sprinter platform. This OEM-style solution seamlessly integrates dual accessory controls into the vehicle’s dashboard, delivering professional fit, refined aesthetics, and intuitive functionality designed for modern adventure van builds, professional fleets, and custom conversions.
With demand accelerating for clean, efficient accessory control systems that preserve factory interior quality, ORACLE Lighting’s Dual In-Dash Switch Pod answers the call. This precision-molded pod installs directly into the Sprinter’s original dash switch location without modification, offering a finished look that blends with the vehicle’s interior architecture.
“We designed this switch pod to deliver both form and functionality for Sprinter owners who want accessory control without compromising the dashboard’s factory look,” said an ORACLE Lighting spokesperson. “Whether you’re outfitting a campervan, overland rig, or work van, this solution provides intuitive access to your 12V accessories with OEM-quality styling.”
Key Features and Benefits
Factory-Integrated Design: Precision-engineered for the 2018+ Mercedes-Benz Sprinter W907/W910 to install seamlessly in the OEM dash location — no cutting or custom trimming required.
Dual Accessory Control: Two dedicated switches allow independent operation of 12V accessories such as LED lighting, compressors, fridges, and more.
Universal 12V Compatibility: Ideal for a range of aftermarket 12V accessories, providing flexible electrical control in a compact, integrated package.
Straightforward Installation: Snap-in mount with detachable wiring ensures serviceability and tidy wiring management.
This dual switch pod enables Sprinter owners to centralize electrical accessory controls in the most ergonomic and visually-cohesive way possible, preserving both the interior’s refined aesthetic and practical utility.
Availability: The ORACLE Lighting Dual In-Dash Switch Pod is currently available for pre-order exclusively through ORACLE Lighting’s online store.
For detailed product information, installation guidance, and high-resolution images, visit www.oraclelights.com.
LONG BEACH, CA (02.13.26) – JVC Mobile Electronics proudly announces its Rep Firm and Rep of the Year Award recipients, recognizing outstanding performance, dedication, and partnership across its regional sales network.
These awards honor representative firms and individuals who demonstrated exceptional commitment to territory management, customer support, and the continued growth of the JVC Mobile Electronics brand.
Eastern Region
Rep Firm of the Year Tech Marketing
Steve Paul proudly holds the Tech Marketing Rep Firm of the Year plaque. Steve Cote, Mark Dombrosky and John Lucas (LtoR) flank Steve Paul.
Tech Marketing earned Eastern Region Rep Firm of the Year honors for its consistent performance, strong market presence, and dedication to supporting JVC dealers and partners throughout the region.
Rep of the Year Matt Gonzales – Trent Partners and Associates
Matt Gonzales, Trent Partners & Associates, is all smiles holding the Rep of the Year Award. Matt is Frank by Mark Dombrosky, Steve Côte and John Lucas (LtoR)
Matt Gonzales was recognized for his individual contributions, strong customer focus, and commitment to driving sales growth and strengthening relationships across the Eastern Region.
Western Region
Rep Firm of the Year SMS TOLA
Dave Gill holds the Rep Firm of the Year Plaque with members of the SMS TOLA team and JVC staff. Pictured (LtoR) John Lucas, Yam Domino, Dave Gill, Steve Cote, Bob Connacher and Mark Dombrosky.
SMS TOLA was named Western Region Rep Firm of the Year for its active management of the territory, strong support staff, and successful onboarding during JVC’s transition to NetSuite. New to representing JVC, the team demonstrated a focused effort on learning JVC systems and processes while delivering consistent results.
Rep of the Year David Gill – SMS TOLA
Smiles from everyone as Dave Gill holds the Rep of the Year Award. John Lucas, Steve Côte, and Mark Dombrosky (LtoR) were are very happy also.
David Gill earned Western Region Rep of the Year recognition for his strong focus on generating sales and achieving goals. His collaborative approach, excellent team support, and strong working relationships with channel partners played a key role in driving success throughout the region.
“These award recipients exemplify the professionalism, commitment, and partnership that are essential to our success,” said Steve Cote Director of sales “We are proud to recognize their achievements and thank them for their continued dedication to the JVC Mobile Electronics brand.”
JVC Mobile Electronics congratulates all award winners and extends its appreciation to its representative partners nationwide for their ongoing support.
ORANGE CITY, FL (02.13.26) – On Tuesday, January 9th, PowerBass was on the road in Florida heading for a stop at LESCO Distributing in Orange City. Jeff Falk, National Sales Manager, and Territory rep Nelson Pierantoni, Tri-Srar Marketing were set for a day covering new products and a conduct a training session with the LESCO Team.
Jeff Falk (L) and Nelson Pierantoni at the Buc-cees stop.
Their first stop was for fuel at Buc-cees and this was Nelson‘s first experience at the well-known truck stop chain. ‘He said it was incredible and he has now become Buc-ceeatized and is hooked on the Beaver Nuggets,’’ Falk commented.
Once they got to the LESCO location Scott Austin -Sales Manager had everything set to go and the meeting got underway.
The training session underway with Scott Austin on the right.
New products were covered with individual images on the screen.
In the meeting room, Jeff Falk led the presentation for the 7 staff members and used a monitor to highlight the products covered. Scott Austin commented, “The 2026 new products for Teslas, Proaudio, new PowerBass Marine Amps and marine products will be hot sellers for LESCO to supply to our dealers in the territory.”
LESCO and PowerBass have been business partners for many years and has earned several PowerBass distributor awards through the years.
LESCO has branches in Sound Bend IN, Carrollton TX and Miami FL in addition to Orange City.
TAMPA, FL (02.13.26) – DOW Technologies was recently awarded Distributor of the Year 2026 at the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards. This is the eighth time that DOW has been honored with the award.
The Mobile Electronics association presents the awards annually to recognize and honor those in the mobile electronics industry. The Industry Awards are voted on by the retailers and vendors working in the 12Volt industry nationwide. The awards ceremony occurred Thursday night, February 5th, at the KnowledgeFest event in Las Vegas. The KnowledgeFest exposition, trainings and demo events were held at the Paris Las Vegas.
The DOW Technologies 12Volt team saw success over the past year with their focus on returning value to the independent dealer. DOW provides unique benefits and programs that support dealers to have healthy margins and sales practices.
Smart Services program members receive freight credits when returning a defective product- accommodating a dealer for the shipping cost and time spent on return authorizations.
New freight program with an option to ship all the sub boxes on an order for as low as a $45 charge – acknowledges a dealer pain point with a program that allows them to be competitively priced and still maintain healthy margins.
Black Friday and 12 Days of 12Volt Promotions- DOW exclusive promotions on high demand items that a dealer can advertise and sell through during the holiday sales season.
Stable pricing during turbulent tariff uncertainty- made dealers aware of profitable opportunities on inventory that was brought in prior to tariffs
Updated website for convenience and product awareness- better organization that highlights new product areas and makes it quicker to order installation solutions.
“We’re really proud of the effort the team puts into providing the best customer service in the industry,” said Dave Elkin, senior vice president of sales and product management. “We put together these programs to help customers, but it’s the team that translates DOW’s value everyday that makes doing business easier for customers.”
“This award is recognition for the whole team that supports our customers, including our operations, marketing, and accounting teams,” said John Yodzis, president & ceo of DOW Technologies. “We are dedicated to making the process smooth at every touch point and giving the dealer more than just the product they ordered.”
STILLWATER, OK (02.12.26) – KICKER is proud to announce its Dealer, Rep Firm of the Year and Rep of The Award recipients which honors outstanding performance, dedication and partnership across the US. These awards recognize KICKER business partnerships that demonstrated exceptional commitment in the marketplace which will lead to the continued growth of KICKER and enjoyment of music across the marketplace.
Chuck Ottati, Opus Marketing, holds his KICKER 2025 Rep of the Year Award.
KICKER REP FIRM-of-the-Year Tech Marketing, Canton, GA
Matt Kim is all smiles with his MAS Mobile Audio Systems KICKER Dealer of a Year Award in the Northeast. Chuck Ottati, Opus Marketing, delivered the award and snapped this image.
George Polillio, with his crew, holds his store’s Bumper To Bumper Brockton KICKER Dealer of the Year Award in the Northeast. Nick Lyons, with Trent Partners, delivered the Award and snapped this image.
KICKER DEALERS-of-the-Year (KICKER rep firms in parentheses)
NORTHEAST
Bumper to Bumper, Brockton, MA (Trent New England) Road Entertainment, Tallman, NY (Trent Partners) MAS Mobile Audio Systems, Woodbridge, VA (OPUS Marketing) Installations Unlimited, Syracuse, NY (Innovative Marketing) Big Papas, Cincinnati, OH (High Point Sales) Traffic Jams, Utica, MI (CJO Sales)
CENTRAL
Baldwin Electronics, Odessa, TX (Marketing Pros) 4N Motorsports, Poplar Bluff, MO (Santa Fe Sales) Xtreme Auto Soundz, Thornton, CO (Santa Fe Sales II) Powerplant Car Audio and Truck Accessory, Twin Falls, ID (Santa Fe Sales II) Sound Pro, Rapid City, SD (Select Sales)
SOUTHEAST
Xtreme Autosound, Louisville, KY (TR Sales and Marketing) Roberts Auto Stereo, Louisville, KY (TR Sales and Marketing) Pro Audio Center, Richland, MS (Tech Marketing) Gorilla Sound, Aurora, IL (Tree and Associates) Aftak Corp, Miami, FL (Dynamic Marketing)
WEST
Outrageous Audio, Portland, OR (Crossover) LA Stereo, Victorville, CA (Murfco)
In 1973 KICKER’s Livin Loud legacy began as a two man operation hand-building professional speaker systems in a narrow one car garage. With very few resources and an extensive love for a music, company founder and current President Steve Irby, invented the mobile stereo enclosure.
KICKER graces the Stillwater skyline today and has stayed true to the values from which the company was built. KICKER products are designed and shipped from a 280,000 ft.² facility that houses nearly 200 energetic individuals who constantly push the limits of audio design, technology and performance.
As audio continues to evolve, KICKER will continue to be on the industry’s cutting-edge pushing the limits of audio design, technology, performance and integration in the quest for ultimate sounds.
BONIFAY, FL (02.12.26) – Prodigy Audio is proud to announce the recent appointment of its new National Sales Manager, Brett Barnes. Bringing over 30 years of elite experience in the technology and music reproduction sectors, he is leading the brand’s aggressive push to expand its dealer and distribution networks across the United States.
A Legacy of Excellence Prodigy Audio was founded by audio enthusiast Jonathan Demuth, whose journey in the industry began in 1988. From his early days as an installer to his success in retail, distribution, and manufacturing, Demuth’s vision has always been rooted in providing top-quality products for users seeking loud, reliable daily-use equipment. His previous venture, T3 Audio, was a dominant force in SPL competition from 2005 to 2011, and that same competitive DNA is now foundational to the Prodigy Audio brand.
Brett Barnes (R) hit the yesterday with a stop to meet with Ricky Gibson at N&H Electronics in Hattiesburg MS.
Industry Veteran Joins the Mission Brett, the newly appointed National Sales Manager, brings a diverse background that perfectly complements this heritage. His career began in the car audio scene of the 1990s and evolved into custom installations for home entertainment and security. He has served as a manufacturer’s representative for prestigious brands, including Bryston, PMC, Proceed, Revel, Niles Audio, Canton, and Straightwire.
Beyond acoustics, he brings sophisticated technical expertise in IT and automation, with deep experience in systems from Ultimate, Cisco, AMX, and Crestron. This rare combination of high-fidelity audio knowledge and technical integration ensures Prodigy Audio’s partners receive unparalleled support.
“Prodigy Audio is aiming to offer amazing products and solutions in the car audio space,” said Brett Barnes. “Our focus is specializing in high-quality subwoofers and amplifiers at a competitive price structure. We aren’t just selling hardware; we are providing a sustainable business model for our partners.”
Building a Robust Dealer Network Prodigy Audio is committed to dealer success through aggressive incentives and a market-leading warranty program, including a 3-year dealer-installed woofer warranty. The brand’s expansion is already underway:
Current Representation: Represented in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina by Vickers Distribution.
Expansion Pipeline: Potential partnerships are developing in Kentucky, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. Future Growth: The company is executing a methodical expansion nationwide, prioritizing face-to-face evaluations to ensure dealers align with the brand’s high standards.
About Prodigy Audio Founded by Jonathan Demuth, Prodigy Audio delivers high-performance automotive audio solutions. With products optimized through computer simulations and rigorous field testing by renowned experts like Eric Stevens, the brand sets a new standard for value and quality in the mobile electronics industry.
12VoltNews.com 