BIRMINGHAM, AL (09.28.26) – For 50 years AED USA has helped Southeast dealers build stronger line cards… not one-off SKUs. This past week’s 12volt Brand spotlighted the ZAPCO’s innovative, high-performance amplifiers, analog processors and DSP options for shops that take 12volt HiFi seriously.
Blake Potts spotlights ZAPCO in the remodeled AED showroom.
“ZAPCO and AED have been in business the same amount of time since 1974. Today over 50 years later, we both remain focused and eager to help dealers grow by offering products that are thoughtfully designed, sound amazing and solve today’s audio problems” Blake Potts stated for AED.
ZAPCO has a lineup that can bring any system forward in sound. We love the Harmony DSP/Amp series. AED is seeing more dealers learning about DSP and growing their integration opportunities every day. Get in gear and add ZAPC to your store for the fall season. The best Sound and affordability is easy! Five easy letters… Z.A.P. C. O. “ Potts concluded.
OCEAN CITY, MD (09.28.26) – The E-Volution Expo and TEDx events were held at the Roland E Powell Convention Center in Ocean City MD September 19th and 20th. The events showcased electric vehicles, AI, robotics, smart homes, sustainability, health and wellness along with future focused solutions.
Jamie White and TEDx partners aligned the two groups for the dynamic event that concluded with a huge TESLA Light Show in the Convention Center parking lot Saturday night.
“We used the TEDx Butterfish Cove event to bring on the demographic we wanted at the E-Volution Expo event. The idea was to bring “like minded” people together. We had 19 speakers from around the world, the furthest speaker came from India. Speakers spoke about wellness, sustainability, smart home, EV lifestyle and AI robotics. The demographic TEDx brings to the table is the exact demographic that ALL businesses want…52% female, college educated with an income 100K plus per year. TEDx is the number one storytelling platform in the world” White related.
The white Alpine TESLA along with Chuck Ottati‘s OPUS Marketing’s TESLA.
With the EV focus of the event there was a booth setup with 2 Tesla vehicles present to spotlight Alpine’s position with TESLA specific products at the event. Alpine was one of the sponsors in the EV lifestyle pillar. Alpine’s Dan Sparks, Roy Meyer and Colin Vargo were managing the Alpine booth. One of the TESLA demos was Chuck Ottati’s OPUS Marketing TESLA. Opus Marketing’ Team members Ottati, Todd Ess and Greg Boylan were on the front line.
Darren Thomas checks out the AudioWorks booth as it’s coming together.
White also enlisted the support of Audioworks of Delaware. Darren Thomas assembled a great selection Alpine Tesla products and other accessories under a large tent booth with the help of the OPUS Team members.
Darren Thomas commented “There was a lot of traffic at our booth and we showed people the Alpine TESLA specific products plus accessories and more. It was very positive for me to get a better idea of what upgrades TESLA owners are interested in for their rides.”
Olivia White, Jamie’s daughter/curator and Jamie event organizer.
The 2-Day event wrapped with the TESLA Light Show that had a huge turn out in the convention center parking lot. They created the shape of a light bulb to look like the E-Volution Expo logo that was spotlighted in the amazing light show.
The TESLA Light Show, shaped like a light bulb, Saturday night in the convention center parking lot with hundreds of people behind the TESLAs.
Seeing organizations along with vendors, reps and retailers working to connect with enthusiasts and consumers is very positive and encouraging for the 12volt industry.
CAMDENTON, MO (09.25.26) – Cicada Audio hit the Lake of the Ozarks Bike Rally for five full days. The event featured hands-on Cicada Audio training from Carlos from NVS Audio giving audience members an instant opportunity to sharpen tuning and system design skills while experiencing the latest Cicada products firsthand.
The training sessions from Carlos at NVS Audio filled all the seats.
This fully loaded Cicada Audio bike grabbed attention when it was in the booth.
Full Cicada Audio installations took place every day during the five day run.
The weekend also brought plenty of sales professional installations and real world demonstrations from the Creative Audio team.
After the sun went down, the Cicada Audio team kept the energy going, connecting with riders showcasing systems throughout the night and putting the brand directly in front of the rally crowd.
Cicada Audio kept the energy going throughout the evening connecting on the strip.
From a serious audio competition to classic parking lot pimping, The Lake of the Ozarks Bike Rally was a blast, delivering everything motorcycle audio enthusiasts came for at the Rally.
Justin Miller, Cicada Audio, supplied this article.
ROSENBERG, TX (09.25.26) – Wet Sounds is proud to announce it is the official sponsor of the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) 2026’s Opening Night event, held Oct. 6 at 5:00pm at the Tampa Convention Center’s Sail Pavilion. IBEX 2026 will be held Oct. 6-8 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla.
During the show, Wet Sounds will also exhibit in booth 3-1539, outside in booths 9121 and 9122, and at dock space D-8.
“Our team is building a custom audio system utilizing Wet Sounds products for the event, which will prove to be an amazing live sound experience.,” said Mark Gerick, Wet Sounds Chief Operating Officer. “Every year, IBEX is the marine industry’s leading B2B platform, and we are proud to sponsor its opening night’s festivities. It is also the ideal show to display our recently launched SCOUT 6 Series six-inch coaxial speakers and new ICON Series subwoofers. We are also excited to present new 2027 product lines during the show.”
During the Opening Night event, Wet Sounds will be featuring:
Two custom rhino lined towers featuring eight REV 12 HD Tower speakers
Three custom rhino lined subwoofer enclosures featuring two ICON 12 S4 Subwoofers per enclosure
Custom Rack Mount that will include a WS BB-10 (Audio Black Box) and WS-ZX-CTR (System Controller Display)
IBEX connects professionals to the technical knowledge, products, innovation, and community shaping the future of boatbuilding and marine technology.
LIBERTYVILLE, IL (09.25.26) – Built for clean audio reproduction and efficient power delivery, the MB Quart DA2 amplifier series packs proven Discus performance into a sleek, space-saving chassis. Top-mounted controls make system adjustments quick and convenient, while the compact footprint makes these amplifiers an ideal fit for installations with tight space. Compact footprint. Powerful power.
Built to perform where the action takes you, the MB Quart Discus DA2 amplifier series combines efficient Class-D power with the durability needed for Marine and Powersports applications. Every DA2 model delivers clean, efficient output in a compact size. Efficient power meets easy tuning.
MONTICHIARI, ITALY (09.24.26) – The 2026 dB Drag Racing Euro Finals brought two days of intense car audio competition to Montichiari, Italy. Some of the loudest and largest builds were in the lanes at Centro Fiera del Garda, in conjunction with Festival dei Motori car show. For those unfamiliar with dB Drag Racing, it is a competition where competitors compete against one another with their car stereo systems.
Attendees traveled from across Europe to push their systems to the ultimate test in pursuit of being becoming the 2026 Euro Finals champion. With 78 entries across five formats of competition, the exhibit hall was jam packed with activity all weekend long.
Wayne Harris on site at the Euro Finals.
And the scores were impressive. Team GZ Pezi Frank of Germany recorded the highest score of the weekend with an incredible 184.3 dB in the Extreme division of competition. Several World Records were also set during the event, making this year’s Euro Finals a memorable weekend for competitors, spectators and car audio enthusiasts.
2026 EURO FINALS CHAMPIONS
dB DRAG RACING
Street Stock 1K Nemanja Veselinovic — North Macedonia
Pro Stock 2K Team LW Audio Nymans — Sweden
Pro Stock 5K Team Livin Loud – Pavel — Czech Republic
Pro Stock Wall 5K Team Legend — Italy
Pro Stock NL Team Raf — Italy
Super Street NW dB Team Praskaton Rozy — Slovenia
Super Street 1-2 Team Koukakis Terra — Greece
Super Street 3-4 Team Ground Zero – Chris — Germany
Super Street 5+ Team Nikolaidis — Greece
Super Street X Team Ground Zero Gregory — France
Extreme NL Team GZ Pezi Frank — Germany
BASS RACE
120.0–129.9 dB Riddler Autoshow Dvc — Italy
130.0–139.9 dB Alessio Barrovecchio — Italy
140.0–149.9 dB Team Performance – Gavras — Greece
150.0–159.9 dB Team Ground Zero – Gregory — France
TOP DOG
Gabriele Boccolucci Hifi Car — Italy
PSYCHLONE
Demo No Wall Squalo Autoshow Dvc — Italy
Demo Wall Team Takers – Kingpin — USA
Demo Extreme Team Ivo Pennacchi — Italy
FREESTYLE
1K NW Nemanja Veselinovic — North Macedonia
5K NW Team LW Audio Nymans — Sweden
5K Wall Team Baudio Gasper — Slovenia
NL Team Powermusic – Junior — Greece
NW Giorgio Martelli — Italy
Wall Cristian Gradassi
INTERNATIONAL JUDGES & STAFF
The Euro Finals brought together an international team of judges and staff representing several countries, adding experience from across the global dB Drag Racing community.
Yiannis Lekkas — Greece Bine Zupan — Slovenia Maxx Grassi — Italy Ray Choy — Canada Vlad Vana — Romania Lorena — Italy Alessandro Murabito — Italy Feiyunn Choy — Canada Wayne Harris — USA Celise Harris — USA
A huge thank you to everyone who traveled to Montichiari and put in the time and effort required to run a Finals event. From judging to event operations and everything happening behind the scenes, the staff played a critical role in making the weekend happen.
THANK YOU TO THE 2026 EURO FINALS SPONSORS
The 2026 Euro Finals would not be possible without the companies that continue to support the competitors and the sport.
FOR-X Ground Zero B² Audio GS Audio Term-LAB TRF Audio DSZ Sound of Emotion
Thank you for supporting dB Drag Racing and the competitors who put their time, money and countless hours into their builds.
A special thank you also goes to Festival dei Motori and Centro Fiera del Garda for providing an outstanding facility and giving us the opportunity to bring the Euro Finals to Montichiari, Italy.
CERRITOS, CA (09.24.26) – SoundSkins Global, a leading innovator in high-performance sound dampening and insulation solutions for the 12V and automotive industries, is proud to announce ABT Electronics as an authorized SoundSkins dealer. The full SoundSkins product line is now available to purchase and have professionally installed at ABT, both at its Glenview, Illinois showroom and online at abt.com.
Family owned and operated since 1936, ABT Electronics is the largest independent single-store retailer of electronics and appliances in the United States. Its Vehicle Technology Department performs every installation in house, working on everything from daily drivers to exotics, RVs, boats, and powersports vehicles.
The partnership covers the complete SoundSkins catalog: vehicle-specific pre-cut sound deadening kits, universal sound deadening and insulation materials like SoundSkins Pro, Classic, Heat Shield, Wavy Foam and more, and vehicle-specific and universal SoundSkins enclosures. Every SoundSkins kit is cut to fit an exact vehicle, which removes the measuring, trimming, and guesswork from a sound deadening install and delivers consistent, repeatable coverage.
“ABT has spent nearly 90 years earning its customers’ trust by doing things the right way, including keeping installation in house,” said Dennis Garcia, COO at SoundSkins Global. “That is exactly the kind of retailer we want representing SoundSkins. Their team can now offer a cleaner, faster sound deadening solution backed by real fitment.”
For more information about SoundSkins Global and its product lineup, visit www.soundskinsglobal.com.
LOS ANGELES, CA (09.24.2026) – Pioneer introduces the VREC-Z410DC, a 3K dual-channel dash cam engineered to give drivers sharper footage and greater confidence behind the wheel. Alongside 3K WDR front and Full HD rear recording, the Dual-Channel Dash Cam (VREC-Z410DC) introduces a dedicated “Send Location” button, allowing drivers to instantly share their GPS location with trusted contacts in the event of an accident or emergency.
“Drivers already trust Pioneer dash cams to capture what happens on the road; the VREC-Z410DC takes that a step further,” said Larry Rougas, EVP & Chief Revenue Officer at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “With the ‘Send Location’ button, we’re giving drivers a fast, simple way to reach the people who matter most in an emergency, without adding another subscription to their lives. Paired with sharp dual-channel recording and seamless smartphone integration, the VREC-Z410DC reflects the same engineering discipline we bring to every product we build.”
EASY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT THE PRESS OF A BUTTON
Pioneer’s Dual-Channel Dash Cam’s (VREC-Z410DC) signature “Send Location” button does more than share a location. Pressing it locks and protects the current footage while drafting a text message with the driver’s GPS coordinates to a preset emergency contact through the free Pioneer ai-sense™ app. Once a phone is paired over Bluetooth and an emergency contact is set, the feature works right out of the box, with no subscription required.
If an impact occurs before the button can be pressed, the built-in G-sensor automatically locks the current recording to prevent important footage from being overwritten.
SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION MEETS PREMIUM VIDEO CAPTURE
Among the few dash cams in its class to support Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, the Dual-Channel Dash Cam (VREC-Z410DC) lets drivers adjust settings and start recordings directly from their vehicle’s touchscreen. Camera controls are also available through Pioneer’s free ai-sense™ app, making setup and ongoing management simple from a smartphone.
Its 5MP front sensor records crisp 3K WDR video through a 144-degree wide-angle lens, capturing details like license plates and road signs in both bright daylight and low-light conditions. The Full HD rear camera provides continuous rear coverage, while built-in GPS logs speed, route, and location data with every recording for a complete record of each drive.
DESIGNED TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY
Designed to mount discreetly behind the rearview mirror, the Dual-Channel Dash Cam (VREC-Z410DC) maintains a clean, low-profile appearance without obstructing the driver’s view. Its compact design blends into the vehicle interior, quietly recording every trip without distraction.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The Pioneer Dual-Channel Dash Cam (VREC-Z410DC) is available beginning September 22, 2026, exclusively through Best Buy, both in-store and online, for $219.99.
High-res imagery and video of the Dual-Channel Dash Cam are available here, and for more information, visit usa.pioneer.com.
COSTA MESA, CA (09.23.26) – The Sand Sport Super Show 2026 by all accounts was a record setter with a wide range of products showcased in vendor booths and nonstop activity from enthusiast. KICKER had a very large presence at the SSSS and the Elite Car Stereo CHUG BUS was spotlighted in the large KICKER booth area.
The CHUG BUS set next to the KICKER Booth.
The Elite Car Stereo CHUG BUS in reality was a traditional yellow school bus now with so many upgrades from body wrap to aftermarket upgrades in the interior and exterior that made the CHUG BUS and experience to remember. A large array of KICKER Car Audio products were placed inside, outside and underneath the CHUG BUS.
Elite CarStereo owner JT Pina has been working on the school bus project for 10 years. In the beginning, the school bus was a project of a friend who attended a lot of the events around the area and utilized it to take friends to concerts and events. Through the years that friend wanted to do all kinds of upgrades from sound to lighting and much more. Each year JT would be making upgrades that his friend was looking to make… more speakers, more amplifiers, more batteries and battery chargers that would allow the CHUG BUS rock for a full day.
The full body wrap on the CHUG BUS highlights the product categories ELITE offers with an American flag in the background.
Attendees lined up to enter the CHUG BUS.
A few years ago, JT actually acquired the bus from his friend and then the upgrades went into high gear and the school bus became the CHUG BUS that is utilized for store promotions including community parades and events along with store events.
Recently, KICKER’s Steve Irby was in the territory for meetings and making dealer stops. When Steve saw the CHUG BUS it was an instant decision to invite the CHUG BUS to be a part of the KICKER set up at the Sand Sport Super Show. The plan was set for that to happen.
Inside all is Livin’Loud with KICKER gear.
Once events are over it’s time for the CHUG BUS to come home.
JT related, “Once we set up on one side of the KICKER booth and when the gates opened the CHUG BUS was an instant magnet. People stopping at the KICKER booth to check out demos and the XRV migrated to the CHUG BUS. When families were walking through the area, their children all of a sudden started running to the CHUG BUS and were followed by their parents. Traffic inside the CHUG BUS was non-stop!”
The first two days of this week, following the SSSS event, our phones have been ringing off the hook and customers stopping at our store to make arrangements for system conversations we had at the event” JT concluded.
KICKER participates in many consumer events across the country that engage with enthusiast for car, bike, powersports and marine enthusiast. Over the next 10 years young people at this year‘s SSSS will be running into Elite Car Stereo in Redlands CA.
DIAMOND BAR, CA (09.23.26) – SEMA Data, the automotive aftermarket industry’s largest product data repository, has honored 88 brands with SEMA Data Excellence Awards, marking the highest number of honorees in the program’s history.
Each year, the SEMA Data Excellence Awards Program recognizes brands that go above and beyond to provide retailers and resellers with the complete, accurate, and timely product information they need to sell with confidence. The awards are based on each company’s SEMA Data Scorecard, which recognizes manufacturers across Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers, with Gold and Platinum denoting Data Excellence.
“Great product data turns a part number into a product that can be found, understood, and sold,” said SEMA Vice President of Technology, Data and Strategic Initiatives Gigi Ho. “We are proud to honor the brands that are doing the work to provide resellers with the accurate, comprehensive information they need to power their systems, point of sale, and eCommerce stores.”
Last year, SEMA Data raised the bar for Data Excellence by significantly updating its Data Scorecard. Requirements across all award levels were strengthened to better reflect what resellers need to successfully onboard, merchandise, and sell products across today’s distribution and eCommerce channels.
Bronze establishes the foundational data needed to set up and identify products. Silver builds on that foundation with richer information to support selling and distribution. Gold requires 100% completion of key product data fields, while Platinum recognizes brands that meet additional qualitative standards for the quality and usability of their content.
Maintaining high-quality product data requires ongoing attention and continuous improvement. Manufacturers work closely with the SEMA Data team to identify errors, fill content gaps, and enhance the overall quality of their data.
One company that exemplifies this commitment at the Platinum level is Eibach, whose data management efforts are led by Business Analytics Specialist Jared Reyes.
“Product data is the foundation behind everything we do,” said Reyes. “It doesn’t matter how good your product is if you can’t get the information to your customers in a useable format. While product data may not be the glamorous side of the business, it creates a foundation for long-term consistency and makes you look at your brand from a new perspective. The initial feedback from customers has been positive, and we are seeing an increase in downloads each week.”
This year more than half of SEMA Data Excellence honorees achieved Platinum status, a milestone worth celebrating.
“High-quality product data is becoming part of how brands operate every day, not simply something they work toward for an award,” Ho said. “Ultimately, that means better data flowing throughout the industry to the retailers, resellers, and consumers who rely on it.”
Award winners will be celebrated during the SEMA Data Users Meetup on Monday afternoon, Nov. 2, the day before the official start of the 2026 SEMA Show. To learn more about SEMA Data, visit www.semadata.org.
The 2026 SEMA Data Excellence Award honorees are listed below by tier.
