Author: 12VoltNews

CRUX Features Its OnStar Radio Replacement Interface with SWC Retention & Video Switcher

Posted on by in Industry.

CHATSWORTH, CA (12.18.2019) – The CRUX SOOGM-15V is designed to allow for the installation of after-market radios while retaining functionality of OnStar in Bose Amplified and Non-Amplified Systems, Chime and Accessory features in select General Motors Class II vehicles. 

Key Features:
Retains factory features in select GM Class II Vehicles while functioning with an aftermarket radio
Pre-programmed t retain factory Steering Wheel Controls
Retains OnStar, factory rear-view camera and chime functions
Adds Forced Front-View camera while in motion
Navigate via SOURCE DOWN or AM/FM button on steering wheel controls on select vehicles
Supppports Bose, non-Bose, and Y-91 audio systems
For Amplified and Non-Amplified Systems

Click here to visit the product page.

Visit cruxinterfacing.com for more.

SEMA Creates State Sales Tax Webpage to Answer Questions and Provide Resources

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DIAMOND BAR, CA (12.17.2019) – Many SEMA-member manufacturers, distributors and retailers have been impacted by the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court Wayfair decision that allows states to require sales tax collections based solely on the volume of sales into that state (economic nexus).

The Court overturned its 1992 Quill decision, which previously required a company to have a physical presence before it could be compelled to collect sales tax.

SEMA has compiled resources to help companies understand whether Wayfair impacts their business and provide additional information to help them respond if necessary.

Many SEMA-member manufacturers, distributors and retailers have been impacted by the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court Wayfair decision.

Cash-strapped states have quickly implemented their new authority to require tax collection. Nearly all 45 states that collect sales tax have updated their regulations accordingly. There is no one national standard. Rather, each state is setting minimum dollar thresholds that trigger collection. In some states, that threshold may also be tied to the number of sales transactions—for example, $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions annually into that state.

Visit sema.org for more.

SiriusXM Announces Exclusive Radio Broadcast Agreement With Rolling Loud

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NEW YORK, NY (12.17.2019) – SiriusXM was the exclusive radio broadcast platform for premier hip-hop festival, Rolling Loud, in Los Angeles, Miami, the Bay Area, and New York City. Each broadcast played on SiriusXM’s Hip Hop Nation (ch. 44), which was rebranded as Rolling Loud Radio starting on Friday, December 13.

The exclusive radio broadcast of Rolling Loud Los Angeles included backstage interviews and live performances from artists such as DaBaby, Future, Wale, Young Thug, YG, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Lil Skies, Lil Tecca, Polo G, Smokepurpp, and more. Full festival line up can be viewed HERE.

“My team and I have been working with Rolling Loud co-founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler on many levels for a long time to help make this partnership happen,” said SiriusXM Host, Sway Calloway. “They’ve helped to enhance and put a spotlight on the live performance aspect of hip-hop music in a huge way with their festival, the biggest of its kind, and we are excited to work with them to bring what they’ve create to our SiriusXM subscribers.”

“After our success, earlier this year, broadcasting Rolling Loud in Miami, we are thrilled to join forces on a larger scale and in multiple markets,” said Steve Blatter, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Music Programming, SiriusXM. “Rolling Loud’s co-founders, Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler are proven pioneers on the hip-hop festival circuit and have created a unique festival culture for attendees. We look forward to providing our subscribers access to performances from the incredible artist line-ups and overall Rolling Loud experience.”

“We’re excited to partner with SiriusXM to bring the Rolling Loud auditory experience to homes, cars, and headphones worldwide,” added Rolling Loud co-founder Tariq Cherif.

In 2020, SiriusXM’s Hip Hop Nation (ch. 44) will also welcome Cherif and Zingler with their own weekly two-hour mix show, which will reflect the culture of Rolling Loud with songs, artist interviews and special commentary.

Rolling Loud, called by Billboard “…the be-all of hip-hop festivals,” has established itself as the largest hip-hop festival in the world after launching five years ago in Miami by Cherif and Zingler. Recently, The New York Times stated, “In the four and a half years—beginning small in Miami, and now promoting Coachella-sized events around the country—Rolling Loud has established itself as a playground for the young.” Rolling Loud is one of the premier destinations for hip-hop and music fans in the United States and abroad.

SiriusXM subscribers are able to listen to Rolling Loud Radio (ch. 44) on SiriusXM radios, and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, devices with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more.

Visit SiriusXM.com/streaming and rollingloud.com for more.

CES 2020: Where Tech Changes Business

Posted on by in Industry.

ARLINGTON, VA (12.17.2019) – As the world’s largest and most influential tech event, CES 2020 represents the entire scope of the global technology market – from AI to 5G, vehicle technology, AR/VR, robotics and beyond. With 61% of all Fortune Global Brands participating, CES 2020 will transform industries beyond the traditional tech space, reinforcing that every company is now a tech company. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES 2020 will run January 7-10 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Companies across every major industry are using technology to transform their businesses, and CES 2020 will be the global stage for the latest innovation across all sectors,” said Karen Chupka, EVP, CES. “The show will represent all facets of global business where attendees can expect the unexpected.”

With more than 170,000 attendees, 4,500 exhibitors and over 1,100 industry thought-leaders on the CES stage, what was once a traditional technology tradeshow has evolved into a global event for all industries.

Product Categories

CES began in 1967 with 110 exhibitors featuring pocket radios and televisions with integrated circuits.

CES 2020 will showcase the full breadth of innovation from more than more than 4,500 companies across 30 product categories, including non-traditional tech companies such as Bell, BMW, Bosch, Doosan, Daimler, Ford, John Deere, Impossible Foods, Toyota, Turner and WWE, as well as top consumer product companies, such as Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson.

Dedicated CES Marketplaces will highlight technology’s impact on specific industries, including the new Travel and Tourism area, as well as expanded exhibits focused on Digital Health, Sports Technology, Smart Cities and Resilience.

Attendees
CES is where global business happens. Attendees at the show conduct an average of 33 meetings, saving executives an estimated 3.4 billion miles of business travel.

Attendance by senior level executives has increased by more than 100% since 2008, with more than 79,000 senior executives at CES 2019.
CES is the place where B2B and B2B2C brands go to make decisions, build relationships and form partnerships. About 48% of attendees intend to make a purchase or form a strategic partnership at CES.

Speakers
The CES stage has been a high-profile speaking opportunity for top executives spanning decades.

CES 2020 will feature keynotes from leaders representing all industries, including Delta Air Lines’ Ed Bastain; Daimler’s Ola Källenius; Quibi’s Meg Whitman and Jeffery Katzenberg; NBCUniversal’s Linda Yaccarino and Samsung’s Hyun-Suk Kim.

The CES Conference Program will host more than 300 sessions featuring top executives from AARP, American Express Travel, Avis, Pinterest, NFL, Discovery, Lenovo Research, Samsung, SoftBank Robotics, TCL and United Healthcare.

Owned and produced by CTA, CES 2020, the global stage for innovation, will run Jan. 7-10 in Las Vegas, Nevada and provide access to the most transformative tech across various marketplaces, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart home, smart cities, vehicles, digital health and more. Industry leaders and rising stars will come together to pioneer future innovation driving the ever-evolving tech industry.

Visit CES.tech for all CES updates and register for CES 2020.

Exotic Sounds Instagram Post Tells a Story

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WEST PALM BEACH, FL (12.16.2019) – The lead graphic on the Exotic Sounds’ 3-panel Friday the 13th Instagram post was an attention grabber. The shiny Porsche 911 front quarter panel, highlighting the extra clean wheel, invited a look from the company’s followers. In the background was the company’s signage on the building reading “Car Stereo & Custom Automotive by Exotic Sounds & Wheel Company. A follower would certainly associate Exotic Sounds as a top quality shop for Car Stereo and Custom Automotive products along with Wheels.

Panel 2 of the 3-panel Instagram post spotlighted a Pioneer In-Dash receiver the company installed in the extra clean Porsche ’06 convertible. On the screen of the Pioneer AVN-2500NEX was the image from the backup camera. German Mastrodomenico, Exotic Sounds owner, stated “Our customer knew what we wanted to upgrade his prize ride…top quality sound with a backup camera. The Pioneer AVN-2500NEX fit the bill perfectly with the large screen, impressive audio specs, Bluetooth connectivity and input for a backup camera. We added a Rydeen backup camera system”.

Panel 3 of the 3-panel Instagram post showed the small Rydeen camera mounted just above the rear license plate. The camera delivered a high quality image, with trajectory lines, to the Pioneer receiver screen.

Exotic Sounds Instagram followers could easily see the company is a quality automotive shop. The Pioneer in-dash receiver highlighted car stereo for followers. The backup camera panel let followers know about the option to add a backup camera for safety.

This Exotic Sounds post is really a very understated ad for the company’s products. No PRICE, PRICE, PRICE… but a strong visibility statement.

Great job German…Keep up the great work you started at Exotic Sounds in 2006.

Exotic Sounds was the winner of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel Number 3 almost a year ago. German is enjoying his Kicker CushBT Headphones he won when the wheel landed on the Kicker space. “I listen to cool tunes on the Kicker CushBT headphones around the shop and office all the time. They rock” German told 12volt News.

Multiple posts can be made on Instagram. Followers will see a graphic in the upper right corner and blue dots below the post image.

Visit instagram.com/exoticsounds and instagram.com/12voltnews for more.

T-SPEC Launches Premium Brass Core Accessories and Improved RCA Cables at CES 2020

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HOLLY HILL, FL (12.16.2019) – Metra Electronics has announced an improved and expanded T-SPEC car audio accessory line with new products launching at CES 2020. T-SPEC, which offers competition-rated audio cables, amp kits, power wire, capacitors and more, is introducing new premium brass core accessories for distribution blocks, a battery terminal and fuse holders. Fourteen new brass core components will be added to the product line, designed to simplify and streamline any installation. Maximizing functionality while maintaining the smallest profile was the focus of these new and improved designs. T-SPEC’s existing v12 Series of RCA cables has also been improved with a new braided outer jacket to provide strength and stability. T-SPEC’s products will be on display at CES with Metra Electronics and available soon.

Distribution Blocks
Seven new distribution blocks have been designed with Gate-Lock technology, which allows for a secure connection without the need for reducer rings. The new black nickel finish protects the brass core and is highly conductive for maximum current transfer. The new blocks use T20 Torx for all screws, making them an easy one-tool installation, and feature TPE wrapped soft-touch material. The VANL, VMANL and VAGU have a 360-degree rotatable base mount for an even easier installation. These products will be available soon in different sizes.

Battery Terminal
T-SPEC is also introducing the VBTPN, an eight-position battery terminal that can accept up to (4) 4/8/10 AWG output set screws and (4) 1/0/10 AWG output ring terminals while still maintaining a small footprint. This new battery terminal can be used on the positive post or the negative post and the sleeve adaptor is included. The terminal also has the add-a-post feature, which allows you to retain your OE battery terminal by attaching it directly to the VBTPN. This product also features T20 Torx screws, Gate-Lock technology and solid brass construction with a black nickel finish.

Fuse Holders
Completing the brass accessories are six new fuse holders. Each new fuse holder is designed with Gate-Lock technology and available in options for ANL, MANL, or AGU fuses. All new fuses have dual size gaskets and use T20 Torx screws. All of these components are constructed of 100% brass for optimal conductivity and have the new black nickel finish for durability and longevity.

Improved T-Spec v12 Series RCA Cables
T-Spec’s v12 Series RCA cables feature high levels of noise rejection resulting from meticulous build quality and have full oxygen-free copper construction. For years, these cables have been the go-to standard for competition-rated car audio performance. Now, the improved v12 Series is upgrading the clear jacket to a braided jacket that enhances its durability as well as its aesthetics. The braided jacket adds an extra layer of protection against physical damage to the conductors.

These new and improved products will be shipping soon and can be seen on display at CES. Additional specifications and part numbers are available in the new 2020 T-SPEC catalog and T-SPEC-Online.com, which will be released on January 7, 2020. Metra Electronics will be at CES from January 7-10, 2020, at booth 5211 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, showcasing their new products from their 12volt brands and at booth 11435 in the Central Hall with Metra Home Theater Group.

Visit tspeconline.com and metraonline.com for more.

MB QUART Shipping Reference Series Speakers

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LAS VEGAS, NV (12.16.2019) – MB Quart’s new Reference Series speakers just had the most successful new speaker launch in 10 years at SEMA. This new MB Quart series offering limited distribution with a full MAP policy across both Reference and Premium lines of speakers assure successful profitability.

*Showing at the Westgate, Suite 360, during CES

Included in the new line is a 200 Watt, 2-Way component system, the RS1-216. This system includes 6.5” Reference, 2-Way component speakers, with .75” Titanium Widesphere technology tweeters, with lightweight craft pulp paper with bamboo fiber cones, and high-end external crossover. The Reference speakers are engineered across all models with the same shared technology as the RS1-216.

Brian Sherman, Vice President of Product & Marketing for Maxxsonics USA said, “The Reference Series represents a huge evolution for MB Quart. By using world class materials, we hope to bridge the gap between ultra-high-end and entry-level products with an extremely high value speaker line with outstanding sound quality characteristics.”

FEATURES ACROSS THE LINE INCLUDE:

Titanium Dome Tweeters:
0.75” Titanium dome tweeters for musical reproduction of high frequencies

WideSphere Technology:
Unique tweeter off-axis dispersion design creates a larger-than-life soundstage

Curvilinear Cone:
Lightweight craft pulp with bamboo fiber cone for strength and superior bass frequency reproduction

Low Resonant Frame:
Aerospace grade PA66 composite with 30% glass fiber speaker frame to assure that no harmonic distortions affect the tone of the speaker

Audiophile Crossover
The crossover network, which guides the frequencies to each driver, is designed with tight tolerance components for superb sound quality
“The goal is to provide our loyal customers with outstanding performance and increased applications without breaking the bank,” concluded Sherman.

PRICING AND MODELS AVAILABLE:

*Pricing, specifications and performance subject to improvement without notice

For additional photography, check out “The Quarter Note Blog” by clicking here.

Alpine Connected with Jeepers at Holiday Bazaar in Atlantic City

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ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (12.13.19) – Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. attended the 2019 Jeepers Holiday Bazaar at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December 8th. This new, Holiday-themed Jeep event featured a large selection of vendors, kid-friendly activities and a Holiday-themed Jeep decorating contest that got all attendees into the Holiday spirit.

Alpine sponsored the 2019 “Photos with Santa” station. Event attendees could snap a free kid’s photo with Santa that was located next to Alpine’s Booth on the Showboat Hotel event floor. Alpine offered free giveaways in their booth after a photo with Santa.

The Alpine Jeep was an attention grabber for all who attended the Holiday Bazaar.

The Alpine booth was stocked with the latest vehicle-specific Audio and Video technology, as well as premium sound system upgrades with easy Plug-and-Play installations built to directly fit select Jeep models.

Alpine dealers Proline Car Stereo and Brooklyn Car Audio, from the Metro New York City market, were on site with members of their sales teams. The stock in the booth area was inventory from the dealer’s stock. Will Sullivan, for Proline Car Stereo and Brooklyn Car Audio, stated “This was a terrific event for us. We were able to show the latest Alpine products to a large number of Jeep owners and enthusiasts. The Jeep is such a hot vehicle and Alpine has done such a great job of developing the latest in-vehicle technology designed to be Jeep specific. Jeepers travel and we saw quite a number from the New York City area.”

This Alpine area was set up with a display to demo products.

Making its first Jeep event debut was Alpine’s solution for the new 2018 – Up Jeep Wrangler and 2019 – Up Jeep Gladiator: The 9-inch Weather-Resistant X409-WRA-JL Navigation System with Off-Road Mode. This solution, built for easy, Plug-and-Play installation, enhances the lifestyle of any Jeep driver, from the adventurous Off-Roader to the day-to-day commuter.

The new 9-inch Weather-Resistant X409-WRA-JK Navigation System with Off-Road Mode for the 2011 – 2018 Jeep Wrangler was also on display, where visitors could witness faster screen performance and a new interface that’s designed to deliver an entertaining in-vehicle experience in any driving condition.

Members of the Alpine Team in the Alpine store with Santa. (R to L) Colette Beaudoin, Roy Meyer, Santa, Allie Argenio, & Colin Vargo. Beaudoin is a Sales Rep in the NE. Meyer is the NE Regional Sales Manager. Allie is a Brand Ambassador for Alpine in the Jeep world. Vargo is an Alpine Brand Specialist for New York and New Jersey. Santa is visiting from the North Pole.

All Alpine booth products were showcased in a store-front display that allowed visitors to demo products with an on-site Alpine staff member and find the perfect solution for their Jeep. All products were available for purchase with special, event-only pricing available throughout the duration of the event – perfect for fulfilling a Holiday wish list.

Alpine’s Jeep Wrangler was on-site, loaded with the new X409-WRA-JL, a PSS-22WRA Weather-Resistant Sound System Upgrade, an HCE-TCAM1-WRA Spare Tire Mount Rear-View Camera, and an HCE-C2600FD4 Front View Camera.

Roy Meyer, Alpine Northeast Regional Sales Manager, stated “We interacted with customers and showcased the new Jeep JL platform radio. It was two days of Christmas music and Santa.”

Visit alpine-usa.com for more.

MB Quart Shipping Premium Series Speakers

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LAS VEGAS, NV (12.13.2019) – Coming off the most successful new speaker launch in 10 years at SEMA, MB Quart is showcasing the new, top of the line, Premium Series speakers at CES. This new MB Quart series offering limited distribution with a full MAP policy across both Premium and Reference lines of speakers assure successful profitability.

MB Quart is showing at the Westgate, Suite 360, during CES.

Included in the new line is a reintroduction of a classic MB Quart configuration that we have not offered for several years, the PS1-316 400 Watt, 3-Way component system. This Premium audiophile system is a 3-Way component package complete with a pair of newly designed 1” Magnesium dome Widesphere technology tweeters that deliver exceptional musical reproduction of high frequencies (with a large sweet spot or off-axis listening area) plus two pairs of mid-range and mid-bass drivers.

The larger drivers start with a pair of 4” mid-range speakers (to handle higher midrange tones) and a pair of 6.5” mid-bass drivers for drums and high sub frequencies. These drivers utilize the curvilinear cone shape that MB Quart made famous and are constructed from a lightweight aerated pop paper with Mica blend. The mids and mid-bass speakers are housed in an innovative frame which is engineered with PA66 composite with 30% glass fiber added. This material renders the frame inert, eliminating harmonic distortion from vibration.

The entire package is controlled by an external three-way crossover network that will be appreciated by any audiophile for its ability to guide the proper frequencies from the amplifier into the appropriate drivers without coloring the sound. This is accomplished through the use of high tolerance, private label parts. Every model in the Premium line is engineered with the same meticulous care that we put into the PS1-316.
Brian Sherman, Vice President of Product & Marketing for Maxxsonics USA said, “At MB Quart, we put sound quality above everything else and our new Premium Series speakers are just the latest example of this approach. The use of exotic materials, like lightweight aerated pop paper cones with Mica blend and real magnesium tweeter domes, is yet another big step in performance for the MB Quart brand.”

FEATURES ACROSS THE LINE INCLUDE:

Magnesium Dome Tweeters:
1” Magnesium dome tweeter for musical reproduction of high frequencies

WideSphere Technology:
Tunable waveguide tweeter housing with removable phase lens to create a larger-than-life soundstage

Curvilinear Cone:
Lightweight aerated pop paper cone with Mica blend for strength and superior bass frequency reproduction

Low Resonant Frame
Aerospace grade PA66 composite with 30% glass fiber speaker frame to assure that no harmonic distortions affect the tone of the speaker

Audiophile Crossover
The crossover network, which guides the frequencies to each driver, is designed with tight tolerance components for superb sound quality

“These are some of the best sounding speakers MB Quart has ever offered. We’re excited to offer these speakers in new sizes and configurations in an effort to make life easier for installers,” concluded Sherman.

PRICING AND MODELS AVAILABLE:

*Pricing, specifications and performance subject to improvement without notice

For additional photography, check out “The Quarter Note Blog” by clicking here.

DOW Electronics Hires New Account Manager for New York Metro Area

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TAMPA, FL (12.13.2019) – DOW Electronics has announced that Matt Miller has joined the company to support and grow the Custom Integration channel. Miller brings 20 years of experience in custom integration, system design, networking support and an extensive product knowledge.

Miller brings valuable experience from his time working with Sonos, supporting the custom integration channel. Providing consultative design assistance and technical support, Miller helped his customers grow their business by designing the right system for their clients. Miller, holds numerous CEDIA and IT certifications, and has extensive experience designing and installing network solutions, experience that will help DOW’s customers build robust high performance networks for projects of any size.

“I’m thrilled to have joined DOW’s team and feel honored to be part of its growth. I’m very happy to stay in the custom integration industry where my background will be very valuable to DOW’s customers.” -Matt Miller

“Matt’s past experience and extensive knowledge are valuable to our customers, I’m very excited to add him to the team,” added strategic sales manager Eric Friedman.

“Matt is a great addition to help us grow in the metro NY market, we are very happy to have him on the team,” stated Drew Fischer, director of sales.

To learn more about DOW Electronics, visit www.DOWElectronics.com or call 1.800.627.2900.