GARDENA, CA (01.06.2020) –Alphasonik Inc., the original developer of such ground-breaking technologies such as high voltage transfer and amplifier cooling fans, which remain a benchmark in high-end audio to this day, has returned.
Since our inception in 1976, Alphasonik remains unsurpassed and has remained loyal to our dealers by making sure that all our products offer the absolute best in quality, value and reliability.
Rick Andersen, SVP, pictured in the Alphasonik HQ in Gardena, CA.
“Alphasonik is back and stronger than ever” stated Rick Andersen-Senior Vice President. “We have relaunched with a full lineup of products that perform above and beyond our satisfactions and will hold the badge to the highest level of quality and performance.
The lineup will consist of Amplifiers, Subwoofers, Speakers, Signal Processors, Pro Audio for car audio applications, Professional DJ Speakers, and a full selection of Personal audio products (Bluetooth speakers, sport workout headphones, headphones and earbuds).
Alphasonik will go to the market with a straightforward-no nonsense plan notes Enrique Avalos-Director of Sales & Marketing: to offer high quality reliable products and service with profitable margins. We will have a limited distribution network with partners that can see the value in maintaining margins and profits and not eroding the market. Our products online will be fully monitored and controlled, and we will make sure that any and all online accounts maintain our MAP Policies and Procedures to the highest regard.
SANTA FE SPRINGS CA (01.06.2020) – Accele is welcoming Bob Goodman as the company’s Channel Sales Director. Bob will be responsible for driving new sales and increasing revenue streams in specific sales channels and specialty markets.
Bob Goodman, Channel Sales Director, Accele Electronics.
Bob comes with an extensive history within the 12-volt industry. He has led successful sales efforts for many companies, most recently Rydeen Mobile Electronics. Prior to Rydeen, Bob managed sales efforts at Rostra Precision Controls, Myron and Davis, Sherwood America, AuraSound and JBL Mobile to name a few. During the past 10 years, Bob has focused on the ADAS and vehicle Integration category where he managed Rydeen Mobile and Rostra Precision Controls sales teams.
“We are excited to have Bob onboard. His experience and achievements speak for themselves. The ability to cultivate long term relationships seems to have become a lost art. I’m personally excited to have Bob bring that skill set as well as many others to our organization”. (Christian Way, VP Accele) “I’m excited to join this great organization, I’ve competed against Accele for most of my career and welcome the opportunity to augment their sales team and present this broad and quality lineup of solutions to my customers. Accele offers a true One Stop Shopping experience for any reseller in the 12 volt category,” said Bob Goodman.
SEATTLE, WA (01.05.2020) – AudioControl has announced that Rick Harrison from the World-Famous Gold and Silver Pawn and reality TV fame will be showing off his 1947 Dodge Power Wagon, with a new sound system featuring AudioControl amplifiers, at AudioControl’s CES Booth, 3921. Harrison will be in the booth to meet with show attendees and sign autographs on Wednesday, January 8th at 1PM. The Power Wagon audio system features the 6-channel AudioControl D-6.1200 DSP-enabled amplifier powering an active 3-way front speaker system. AudioControl’s DM Smart DSP was utilized to fine-tune the full stage and attain the highest levels of clarity and detail. The subwoofer is driven by AudioControl’s mighty 1500 Watt LC-1.1500 mono amplifier.
Rick Harrison from the World-Famous Gold and Silver Pawn
Many New AudioControl Products at CES The AudioControl CES booth will feature many new products that deliver performance for car audio enthusiasts and create unique opportunities for 12-volt specialists. Show attendees will see two new 5-channel amplifiers from AudioControl that both offer 200 Watts RMS X4 @ 2-Ohm (125 Watts X4-channels RMS @ 4-Ohm) and 500 Watts X1-channel @ 2-Ohm along with eight speaker level inputs with selectable summing capability. The D-5.1300 delivers onboard DSP control of all amplified outputs and a pair of low-level outputs as well. The DSP interface is managed by the highly intuitive DM Smart App designed for all of AudioControl’s DSP amplifiers. The LC-5.1300 offers the same outstanding specs and performance without the DSP features. Additionally, AudioControl will proudly unveil the company’s first ever marine/motorsports amplifiers, designed to deliver outstanding audio performance with the rugged durability required for high-humidity applications. AudioControl will also be showing many new OEM interface solutions to enhance their LC and LGD series solutions that offer unparalleled performance, are more flexible and easier to use. All new products on display at CES Booth 3921.
DM-RTA Also on display in booth 3921 will be the groundbreaking DM-RTA, a one-of-a-kind sophisticated yet compact audio analyzer containing powerful analysis software designed to provide installers with the features of a fully functioning Oscilloscope, Voltage Meter, Real Time Audio Analyzer (RTA), SPL Meter and Polarity Checker. Because installers are often on-the-go and in cramped spaces when building a car audio system, the AudioControl DM-RTA was designed to be light weight, compact and durable. Input/output options are staggering, including balanced XLR inputs, phono and RCA style unbalanced inputs as well as speaker level inputs designed to make OEM audio system interface a snap. Digital audio output options include Optical, COAX and USB. The DM-RTA is powered by a 5-hour rechargeable battery so that it can be effortlessly deployed anywhere.
VISIT AUDIOCONTROL AUTOMOTIVE AUDIO SOLUTIONS AT CES 2020, BOOTH 3921 NORTH HALL
LAS VEGAS, NV (01.03.20) – Friday January 3rd, the DS18 Team is traveling to Las Vegas, NV for CES 2020. Led by CEO Sasha Susterman, Team members Event Promoter Rob Ferro, Engineer Diego Navarro, Sales Manager Jonathan Garber, Marine Sales Consultant Luis Delgado, and Alex Cortex E-commerce specialist will set up in the Central Hall. Team members will show off all the new, and forthcoming, gear that DS18 will be offering for the year 2020.
Diego Navarro pictured with his 2015 Mustang outside Las Vegas. The RED MUS will rock in the DS18 Central Hall Booth.
DS18’s new Zumba Loud will be center stage with Diego’s world-famous Red Mus (2015 Mustang) on the show floor surrounded by loads of very cool DS18 gear that will be sure to have at CES talking! CES 2020 will once again be an amazing experience for all the DS18 Team and everyone who attends this very exciting yearly event. The strong DS18 Team, that consists of some of the company’s most experienced staff, will be in the booth to help the large crowd with info about all the new DS18 tech and upcoming products.
CEO Susterman stated “We would like to encourage our dealers and fans to drop by and hang out while we update them on all the awesome things just released and what will be arriving throughout the year. The large booth will be a spectacle to behold with Diego Navarro’s Red Mus taking center stage plus a plethora of all our newest and best-selling products”.
Large 4K TV’s will be spanned throughout the booth showing videos, music, and DS18 gatherings to bring perspective to all the attendees that wanted to see why DS18’s motto is ‘WE LIKE IT LOUD’!
Check out DS18 in the Central Hall Booth 18029 to see why all at DS18 say ‘WE LIKE IT LOUD!’
HOLLY HILL, FL (01.03.2019) – Metra Marine by Metra Electronics is introducing new transom LED lights and drain plug LED lights for boats at CES 2020. These products are designed for the back of the boat to light up the water and are constructed of stainless steel 316 housing and are IP68 certified to withstand the harsh marine environment. These high-output underwater lights come in a variety of sizes and range from 15 watts all the way up to 72 watts of light, designed for a surface mount. The transom lights are available in white, blue, RGB or RGBW (RGB LEDs with a pure white light option).
Metra Marine will also feature new drain plug LED lights for the transom, allowing the installer to add lighting using the existing drain plug holes to avoid drilling new holes into the boat. The drain plug lights are constructed with high quality materials and are IP68 certified. These underwater lights are available in two sizes. The small 9W drain plug is available in white, blue, green or RGB with a brass housing and the large 27W drain plug is available in RGB with stainless steel housing.
All of Metra Marine’s RGB and RGBW lights are designed for a hard-wired installation and work with Metra’s new RGB controller (sold separately) and smartphone app.
Metra’s marine product line is designed to help 12volt installers tap into the growing boating and powersports market with their reliable aftermarket marine accessories for audio, lighting, AV and more. Metra Marine’s high-quality solutions deliver both performance and value to installers who want the best for their customers with products that are built, tested and proven to withstand the harsh marine environment. They are designed in the USA and manufactured by Metra Electronics, The Installer’s Choice, for more than 70 years.
Product Specifications:
Blue Rectangular 90W Underwater Transom Light with (30) 3-watt LEDs ML-BLU90W
9W Small Drain Plug LED Light ML-DLWHT9W – White ML-DLBLU9W – Blue ML-DLGRN9W – Green ML-DLRGB9W – RGB (4-wire RGB) ● (3) 3-watt LEDs ● Brass housing
27W Large Drain Plug RGB LED Light ML-DLRGB27W ● (9) 3-watt LEDs ● 4-wire RGB ● Stainless steel housing
These new products will be shipping soon and can be seen on display at CES from January 7-10, 2020, at booth 5211 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center with Metra Electronics.
To see the new 2020 catalog available on the opening day of the show, visit MetraMarine.com
HOLLY HILL, FL (01.03.2019) – The Municipality Lighting Series from Heise by Metra Electronics will introduce a wide range of new automotive lighting solutions for government and commercial heavy equipment vehicles at CES. These 12 and 24 volt solutions are designed for larger fleets such as garbage trucks, snowplows, tow trucks, emergency vehicles, construction trucks and more. “Many 12volt installers are expanding services to include upfitting commercial fleets and Heise’s new Municipality Series provides them with a reliable source for long-lasting and durable safety LED lighting products,” says Jason Anderson, VP of Product Development at Metra Electronics. These new lights and accessories will be available soon and on display at CES booth 5211 with Metra Electronics.
Interior Flashing Lightbars Heise’s two new interior lightbars mount inside of a commercial vehicle and have a combination of white and amber LEDs with 16 different alternative flash patterns. Each lightbar comes complete with brackets, hardware and a 10-foot cable. The HE-MULB-WA is a 38.2” rear window lightbar with 32 LEDs designed for higher voltage applications that work with both 12 and 24 volt systems. The HE-MUWL-WA is a 9.84” windshield lightbar that has 8 LEDs and works with a 12volt system.
LED Work Light Camera Lighting up a work area is essential for efficiency and safety on or off the road and being able to record the lit area helps protect drivers and companies against liability issues. Heise’s new HE-WLCAM is a 60-degree flood beam work light with a built-in camera that can record at 700 TVL resolution. Rated IP69, this durable work light camera also features infrared LED lights for night time recording, 1,154 lumens of illumination and a 140-degree field of view. This product is in stock now and shipping.
LED Marker Lights in New Colors New marker lights in red and blue emergency colors add to Heise’s existing line of vehicle safety lighting along with new hidden strobe marker lights in a 1-inch size. These universal lights are designed for higher voltage applications, working with both 12 and 24 volt systems. With aluminum housing and a polycarbonate lens, Heise’s municipality marker lights are durable and built to withstand all weather conditions, year after year. Available in multiple styles and colors: 1” Hidden Strobe LED Marker Lights Featuring (9) 3-watt LEDs with 10 alternative flash patterns HE-MUHSR-W: White Strobe HE-MUHSR-A: Amber Strobe HE-MUHSR-B: Blue Strobe HE-MUHSR-R: Red Strobe
3.8” Single Color Marker Lights Featuring (4) 3-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MUMRK-4B: Blue Marker HE-MUMRK-4R: Red Marker
4.9” Single Color Marker Lights Featuring (6) 3-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MUMRK-6B: Blue Marker HE-MUMRK-6R: Red Marker
4.4” Single Color Marker Lights Featuring (6) 1.5-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MULTE-6B: Blue Marker HE-MULTE-6R: Red Marker
4.6” Single Color Light Head Featuring (4) 3-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MULH-4B: Blue Marker HE-MULH-4R: Red Marker
4.1” Single Color Grille Marker Lights Featuring (6) 1-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MUGRL-6B: Blue Grille Marker HE-MUGRL-6R: Red Grille Marker
4.9” Bi-Color Marker Lights Featuring (6) 1-watt LEDs with 19 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MUMRK-6BA: ½ Blue ½ Amber Markers HE-MUMRK-6BR: ½ Blue ½ Red Markers
4.4” Bi-Color Marker Lights Featuring (6) 1-watt LEDs with19 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MULTE-6BA: ½ Blue ½ Amber Markers HE-MULTE-6BR: ½ Blue ½ Red Markers
4.1” Bi-Color Marker Lights Featuring (6) 1-watt LEDs with 16 self-controlled patterns with memory HE-MUGRL-6BA: ½ Blue ½ Amber Markers HE-MUGRL-6B: ½ Blue ½ Red Markers
Installation Light Accessories Heise’s Municipality Series also includes essential installation accessories, ranging from switch panels to tubing, heat shrink accessories and more, for convenient ordering to complete any project. Heise’s latest additions include new wire loom install tools; the SLT-08 for 0.25” to 0.4375” tubes and the SLT-15 for 0.5” to 0.125” tubes. Heise has also added new heat shrink with solder accessories in blue, red, white and yellow.
Metra Electronics will have the new Heise Municipality products on display at the CES Show in Las Vegas from January 7-10, 2020 at booth 5211 in the North Hall.
A new catalog for Heise Municipality products will also be available on opening day of the show at HeiseLED.com
LAS VEGAS, NV (01.02.2019) – Nakamichi Car Audio is in full show mode as it readies for CES 2020 in Las Vegas next week. The numerous CES booth crates have arrived and booth construction is already under way!
Robin McNeal, National Sales Manager, pictured with crates in the North Hall booth as setup is under way.
Kiyokazu Igarashi, President of Nakamichi Japan and Sheamson Yeo, World Wide Sales Manager for Nakamichi Car Audio, are flying in to attend the show and the Nakamichi National Sales meeting taking place on Monday, January 6. The meeting will focus on the new products that Nakamichi will bring to market in 2020.
Nakamichi will be unveiling a host of new products January 7-10 in the North Hall during CES. Among them is a single DIN DSP USB receiver with built-in 25-band EQ that features Nakamichi’s wireless APP Control that allows the radio to be controlled by your smartphone via Bluetooth. APP Control is compatible with Apple and Android phones. Some of the other new products include single DIN 9-inch and 10.1-inch floating screen media receivers. Both models work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
For CES Nakamichi has partnered with Moke America to provide a couple of unique demo vehicles. The Moke’s are a 21st century green-friendly electric vehicle based on the British classic originally manufactured in the 1960’s.
Be sure to visit the Nakamichi booth #3621 LVCC North Hall for full details and to see all the exciting new products.
SHREVEPORT, LA (01.01.2020) – January 1st 2020 marks the beginning of a New Year, and decade, filled with opportunities. Happy New Year!
The New Year presents an opportunity to start with a clean slate and implement a fresh set of goals for the year ahead. The upcoming CES 2020, and activities across Las Vegas, will provide a springboard for 2020.
Click to view on Instagram
There is an old saying “Nothing is more constant than change.” The fact that online commerce continues to capture sales from brick and mortar retailers has become a constant that won’t change – unless brick and mortar retailers change their approach to the marketplace. E-commerce sales during the 2019 holiday season were up nearly 20% over 2018. Between Black Friday and Christmas eve FedEx, UPS along with the US Postal Service combined to deliver nearly 2 billion packages. To be sure, not all of those packages were Christmas gifts. However, as online ordering surged, the majority were Christmas gifts.
US retailers are reported to have closed 9302 stores in 2019. That is an increase of 59% over 2018 according to Coresight Research.
In the evermore digital marketplace, all brick and mortar retailers must change their mindset and marketing approach to engage the consumer marketplace. To be successful retailers must create an overall experience consumers can not get from an online retailer. Hearing crisp highs, and feeling bass in the chest, just can not be experienced online. Seeing in-vehicle lighting plus power sports and marine installations first-hand will drive sales. Safety and convenience products, along with in-vehicle connectivity, are also categories where an exciting in-store experience can capture business for brick and mortar retailers.
Social media outreach is an extremely powerful vehicle through which 12volt retailers can develop a legion of loyal followers and engage consumers. Mobile devices are in the hands of virtually all consumers today. The smartphone is such a valuable tool for 12volt retailers to showcase their respective message to their followers and consumers. Visit instagram.com/12voltnews
New product arrivals, hot installations, new in-store displays and proactive staff members represent ideal content to highlight through planned social media posts. By the time the morning coffee is brewed a far sighted 12volt retailer could have made an engaging Instagram post for his followers to checkout. That post could feature a new product with an invitation to come into the store for an exciting demonstration. As the Instagram post was made that content could have been shared to Facebook and Twitter accounts also.
The Instagram Business Profile, which is free, features a contact tab. A follower can tap the contact tab and call the store from their smartphone as they view the post. Also, a follower can send an email to the store as well as get a map to the store. Making a post, with the opportunity to get an immediate response from a follower, is an amazing outreach 12volt retailers can’t pass up in today’s marketplace.
For the good of our 12volt industry, the community of suppliers must endeavor to inform the world of the benefits mobile electronics products offer consumers. It’s is well known the price driven “Race to Zero” has stripped marketing budgets. Recent emphasis on high end in-vehicle audio, along with power sports for UTV and marine plus lighting, is a terrific way to kick off the New Year.
“Again, Happy New Year and best wishes for a very prosperous 2020 and new decade ahead.”
SHREVEPORT, LA (01.02.20) – It’s a New Year and a New Decade. The 12volt Central Studios is using new technology and vehicles to deliver fresh industry news to the 12volt industry.
Click to view on Instagram
Utilizing Green Screen technology, the 12volt Central Studios is already posting booth setup videos from the LVCC North Hall. Coverage of prep activities for CES 2020, from venues across Las Vegas, will continue through this week. The curtain will rise for CES 2020 on Tuesday January 7th and the 12volt Central Studios has exciting plans for continuing coverage from Vegas throughout the run.
Word on the street is that overall CES 2020 attendance across the 12volt industry will, unfortunately, not meet past years. Let’s work to highlight positives from CES 2020 to extend the ROI on the huge 12volt industry investment in Vegas.
With a smartphone, Snap…Text…and Presto. A positive image of industry activities can be delivered to members of the 12volt industry.
“In reality ‘Marketing’ is a team sport. Manufacturers, representatives, distributors and retailers must work as a team to excite consumers about the wide range of products the 12volt industry offers consumers. In today’s marketplace the 12volt industry, working as a team, needs to adjust the game plan” I strongly feel.
The 12volt News delivers fresh industry news each business day with posts to 12voltnews.com and via social media posts of a feature article as well as 2 additional news articles. Additional posts are through the day on social media, Instagram and Facebook, highlighting positive industry activities.
The 12volt Spin-To-Win rolls each Friday morning at 10AM in Studio C. Spin caption
Surely everyone in the 12volt industry has a smartphone. That smartphone works with STP worldwide. STP is another tool in the 12volt Central Studios tool chest. Snap and Text an image this way. Presto! A staff member can post that positive activity to the 12voltnews followers on Instagram and Facebook. The 10,000+ social media followers on each platform are overwhelming industry members.
There are 4 studios in the 12volt Central Studios facility which is located in Shreveport LA under the intersection of I-20 and I-49 interstates. Most industry news activity originates in Studio A. Studio B is setup for industry members traveling in the area. Their visits are invited.
Studio C is the main studio for green screen and other video production. The weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolls in Studio C each Friday morning at 10AM.
The 12volt Chevy Studio had been prepped for 2020 and ready to hit the road for industry members.
As a New Year and New Decade begin we wish all a very fun-filled and prosperous 2020, and beyond, from the 12volt Central Studios.
ATLANTA, GA (12.31.2019) – Effective December 31, Aurigin Inc., the master distributor for Hybrid Audio Technologies in the USA, will step down as the domestic distributor of the Zapco brand of car audio products. ARPA (formerly ARPA of America), established in California in 1993, has previously held responsibility for the distribution of Zapco products and will bear that torch once again.
As the two companies go their separate ways, ARPA will be focusing on the Zapco brand and its dealers, and Aurigin will, according to Scott Buwalda, Founder and CEO, “focus on its core competency building exceptional speaker systems from entry-level to reference-level, while expanding its dealer sales network.”
Any currently authorized Zapco reseller will continue as a Zapco dealer with ARPA, and ARPA will immediately assume all responsibilities of sales, warranty, technical support, and other services. Enzo Biasella of ARPA stated “first we would like to thank the Aurigin team for supporting the US market while carrying the Zapco brand, and at the same time we would like to announce our distribution of Zapco and ESB brands in the domestic market by ARPA starting January 1, 2020. ARPA will intend to sell only high-end products to highly qualified retailers tailored for a demanding public.” Biasella continues “please join us and be a part of a new era; our most exciting days are ahead of us.”
Likewise, in the coming weeks, all former and current Hybrid Audio dealers will be contacted personally to discuss exciting new products for 2020, and aggressive sales programs.
ARPA will be hosting a meet-and-greet and product demonstration at Kingpin University on January 8-9, 2020, coinciding with the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) the same week. For more information about the ARPA event to be held at Kingpin University, contact John Borges (john@zapco.com), or Elad Ben Shlush (elad@zapco.com).
Scott Buwalda of Aurigin / Hybrid Audio Technologies will be present at Kingpin University as well, and will be greeting Hybrid Audio Technologies dealers, domestic sales representatives, and international distributors, and those interested in becoming the same. To RSVP a spot to speak one-on-one with Scott Buwalda, RSVP to sbuwalda@hybrid-audio.com. To learn more about Hybrid Audio Technologies, now celebrating its fifteenth full year of operation, contact 1.833.AURIGIN or info@aurigin.us.
12VoltNews.com 