Metra Electronics to Host Six Manufacturer Training Sessions at KnowledgeFest in Dallas, TX

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Holly Hill, Fla. – August 5, 2021 – Metra Electronics® is heading to Dallas, Texas to host six training sessions at KnowledgeFest™ and showcase their latest aftermarket installation products. At the booth will also be a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD built by Extreme Offroad and Performance and customized from the front to the back with Metra’s Heise LED lights and more.

Metra’s training sessions will outline new integration products, lighting and audio upgrades for Harley-Davidson®, aftermarket accessories for Jeep® Wrangler and Gladiator, and new products for upgrading vehicle safety systems. Installer Institute® will also host a session to show shops how to connect with trained, certified graduates through their online career portal and explain the future of mobile electronics education. As a Diamond Ultra sponsor, Metra is proud to support the industry by providing in-depth training sessions for installers. Training sessions include:

“Simplify your Install with Axxess DSPs” on Friday, August 27 at 1:45 PM

This training will cover the entire Axxess DSP product line, highlight new vehicle coverage, and showcase the newest app features. Metra will show installers how these solutions can increase sales in the showroom and decrease time in the bay. Attendees will learn how to use and set up Axxess DSPs through the app for complete tuning control and when to use the DSP “Lite” versus “X” solutions. This training will also explain how to use the different types of applications offered within the AXDSP line, including CAN-based systems, new A2B systems, MOST25, and MOST50 vehicle technology.

“New Accessories for Jeep® Wrangler/Gladiator from Metra” on Friday, August 27 at 3 PM

Metra has focused an entire product line on the growing market of Jeep® owners who want to customize their rides to be louder and reflect their own personal style. This session will help them learn about the new speaker adapter plates, backup camera options, complete integration solutions, and LED lighting solutions designed to fit Jeep® Wrangler JL and Gladiator models. Attendees will hear valuable tips for selling and installing these new products that will give them additional opportunities to sell a full range of upgrades to loyal Jeep® customers.

“New Lighting and Audio Upgrades for Harley-Davidson® Motorcycles” on Saturday, August 28 at 4:45 PM

How can shops cut down installation time on audio and lighting upgrades? Metra’s Saddle Tramp brand is here to help with even more new products launching this season. Attendees will be the first to learn about new Axxess DSPs that fit Harley-Davidson® with a built-in re-flashing feature and Saddle Tramp’s newest replacement inner fairing. Attendees will learn how to offer upgrades to make their customer’s motorcycles louder and more stylish, without the need for labor-intensive custom fabrication and wiring.

“Upgrading Vehicle Safety Systems with iBEAM” on Saturday, August 28 at 6:00 PM

As more consumers upgrade their vehicles, safety and convenience features should not be left out of the selling strategy. Attendees will learn about the aftermarket safety features they should be selling and how to install iBEAM’s newest products. This session will go over the hot-button selling points and features that consumers are asking for plus installation tips to give installers a better understanding of what is involved in an upgrade.

“The Future of Mobile Electronics Education with Installer Institute” on Sunday, August 29 at 9:15 AM

There are some things best learned with hands-on training. Mobile electronics education is one of them. Attendees of this session will learn how Installer Institute has adapted its curriculum to include courses designed to give students practical training for car audio installations plus additional skills for home theater integration, marine audio, upholstery, security, remote start installation, window tinting and more. For shops looking for trained, MECP and MESA certified installers, this session will show them how to connect with ii graduates through the online career portal and also explain what they can expect an ii graduate to have learned.

“Advanced Integration Made Easy with Axxess and Metra” on Sunday, August 29 at 10:30 AM

Attendees will learn about the newest solutions from Axxess and Metra that make vehicle integration easy, even with some of the notoriously complex vehicle systems. This training session gives in-depth installation information for Metra’s new AXPIO-JL1 integration kit for Jeep® Wrangler, Metra’s latest TurboTouch® dash kits, and new Axxess interfaces hitting the market.

Metra’s customers can register for the KnowledgeFest event at no cost using Metra’s VIP code, available by request from their sales representative. Once registered for the event, attendees will also need to register online at KnowledgeFest.org for each training session they will attend. Metra will be at booth #615 from August 27th-29th at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Additional information about the show, produced by the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), is available at KnowledgeFest.org.

Amna Shahzadi Newest Member of Eleven Engineering R&D Design Team

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EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada, Aug. 6, 2021 – Eleven Engineering, Inc. (www.elevenengineering.com), a market leader in semiconductor products for wireless audio for home theater, multi-room, portable, professional, 12 Volt (car, truck, motorcycle, power sports, marine) and gaming applications, is proud to announce that Amna Shahzadi is now the newest member of the company’s growing Research & Development Design Team.

“It’s an exciting time at Eleven Engineering as worldwide demand of our SKAA technologies and product offerings continues to grow,” said Rex Whitehead, Eleven Engineering executive vice president, sales & marketing. “We are headquartered in a technology hub, and so we are fortunate to have access to a number of young and driven electrical engineers here in Edmonton. Amna is one such professional and we are excited to have her join our team.”

Shahzadi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta.

“Eleven Engineering has a number of impressive products on the market and I am excited to be working towards making SKAA a wireless audio standard,” said Shahzadi. “I have only been here a short time but I see that the design team is composed of highly dedicated engineers and I look forward to working with them.”

SKAA wireless lets the integrator easily create a dedicated multi-room home audio superhighway with a long range up to 150 feet with a robust, interference-free low-latency signal eliminating lip-sync issues with TV and gaming. SKAA-enabled products can stream music between them, up to four sets simultaneously – one transmitter to four devices. In environments laden with heavy Wi-Fi and Bluetooth traffic, SKAA navigates through these hostile environments with best-in-class reliability. SKAA also allows for uninterrupted audio signals that are delivered with the highest sound quality to all speakers without the latency that is inherent in other wireless solutions.

SKAA is available as a built-in technology not requiring an external transmitter in purpose-designed partner products. SKAA transmitters work with iOS & Android mobile devices, Mac & Windows computers, televisions, and just about any product with a line output or a headphone jack.

Eleven Engineering breaks down the Seven Deadly Sins of WiFi Audio on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw2iSCuT0x8). For more on SKAA and the Seven Deadly Sins of WiFi Audio, please subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/user/SKAAwireless and visit SKAA.com.

Brad’s Car Tunes and KICKER Were Living’Loud at DuneFest 2021

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WINCHESTER BAY, OR (08.05.2021) – Brad’s Car Tunes rolled onto Vendor Row at DuneFest 2021 on Thursday, July 26th. The RAM pickup pulled a trailer loaded with the demo RZR, inventory and booth supplies on the 90+ mile trip from Brad’s Car Tunes in Eugene OR. DuneFest 2021 filled the Winchester Bay dunes from July 27th through August 1st.

Set up beginning for the Brad’s Car Tunes booth at DuneFest.

KICKER was on hand supporting longtime DuneFest sponsor and authorized KICKER dealer Brad’s Car Tunes. DuneFest is packed with family fun experiences. Lorin Morrell, Maddog_Media, rolled into DuneFest with a trailer, second KICKER RZR plus tent and supplies. The official show program stated ‘DuneFest is the most fun a family can have in the sand’. Activities at DuneFest 2021 proved that to be true.

By mid-afternoon on setup day all was coming together.

Brad’s Car Tunes was set up in a large area on vendor row with multiple tents, KICKER Marine display plus demo vehicles for sales presentations and onsite installations. The Brad’s Car Tunes Jeep Gladiator and Polaris RZR were joined with the KICKER RZR. Demo vehicles were Livin’ Loud loaded with KICKER gear. Brad’s Car Tunes staff members included 2 sales and 2 installation techs. In addition 3 factory representatives worked the booth during DuneFest.

The Brad’s Car Tunes RZR (L) and KICKER RZR were both Livin’Loud on the dunes.

Brad Scott, Brad’s Car Tunes owner, stated “DuneFest 2021 was amazing. We did 2.5 times as much in sales and installations as last year. On many occasions we would have 6 or 7 UTV’s getting installations in our area at one time. We definitely look forward to DuneFest 2022 next August.”

There was sales and installation action in the Brad’s Car Tunes both throughout Dunefest 2021.

Tracy Focht-Western Regional and Jeremy Wynn-Events and Promotions manager, traveled from KICKER HQ to be onsite supporting the Brad’s Car Tunes staff. In addition, Lorin Morrell, Maddog_Media, was working with the DuneFest announcers to highlight activities as KICKER was the Official Audio Sponsor and Presenting Sponsor of the Freestyle Show in Winchester Bay.

There were many exhibitions at DuneFest 2021 like the Freestyle Show.

“This was my second time to be onsite at DuneFest working with Brad’s Car Tunes. This year was an outstanding event, great attendance and I was able to spend time with the team from Brad’s Car Tunes and the extended family members. It’s such a great partnership we have, and most of all, friendships. In addition I was able to spend time with Ryan Christie from N&S that is KICKER’s rep firm in the Great Northwest. What an amazing 5 days. Brad always goes the extra mile” Focht related.

Morrell stated “DuneFest was such an exciting event. Must have been over 20,000 attendance and thousands of UTVs. Working with the event announcers, good friends, we could all feel the excitement and enthusiasm from all on site.”

Lorin Morrell-Maddog_Media and Clay Millican with KICKER’s Tracy Fotch and Jeremy Wynn (L to R). Millican, 6-time Top Fuel Champion, was a special DuneFest guest.

A poker run, long-jump contests, treasure hunt and multiple races across the dunes offered riders plenty to try from sunup until sundown.When the evening set in there were night rides plus live music on Friday and Saturday nights. On the sold out campgrounds there were acres and acres of RV’s and campers.

DuneFest 2022 is set for August 2nd-7th 2022.

Visit kicker.com, dunefest.com, and bradscartunes.com for more.

Infinity Kappa Perfect Series Expands Portfolio to Include Premium Speakers for Harley Davidson Motorcycles

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STAMFORD, CT (08.05.2021) – HARMAN has announced an addition to its Infinity Kappa Perfect Series with premium speakers for Harley Davidson touring series motorcycles.

Engineered with a IPX5 waterproof rating, the Infinity Kappa Perfect 600x and 900x speakers deliver the ultimate listening experience for two-wheel vehicles made to last for miles and miles. Constructed with Patented Plus One Basalt Fiber Woofer Cones and Edge-driven Polyphenylene Sulfide-Dome Tweeters, this system was designed to provide great music performance and legendary bass for every curve in the road.

The removable tweeter design offers coaxial and component system installation options based on riders’ listening preferences, while the grills included provide protection and unmatched fitment with a touch of elegance.

“The new additions to the Kappa Perfect line showcase Infinity’s latest technology, performance, design and dedication to the aftermarket space including two-wheel vehicles. Combining our legendary sound and industrial design, the Kappa Perfect 600x and 900x speakers are engineered to elevate the audio listening experience for riders,” said Shawn Spedding, Director of Sales, Mobile Audio Aftermarket at HARMAN.

Extended Features and Benefits:
• Basalt Fiber Woofer with Plus One Technology for Deeper and Bigger Bass: Lightweight Basalt fiber combined with Harman’s Patented Plus One technology, which not only bring the sound accuracy, but also increase the loudness.
• 1″ Edge-driven Polyphenylene Sulfide-Dome Tweeter to Reproduce Perfect Sound: Engineered for motorcycle applications, the 1″ Sulfide-Dome in an Edge-driven design is used for perfect sound.
• Removable Tweeter Design offer the Coaxial and Component System Installation Options: The Kappa Perfect coaxial model’s tweeter is smart removable design, which will offer riders the component upgrade based their listening preference by using the included tweeter installation kits.
• IPX5 for the Speaker Front, Weather Resistance for Speaker Back Side: The speakers are specially designed with IPX5 materials for the front side and weather resistance for the back, which provides the freedom to use both in car and motorcycle.
• Neodymium Magnet for Light Weight: Neodymium magnets provide higher efficiency power in small size while reducing its weight, making them ideal for motorcycle applications.

Technical Specifications and Pricing:

Kappa Perfect 600X – Premium 6-1/2″ (165mm) Two-way Speakers for Motorcycle
Power Handling: 80Wrms, 240W peak
Sensitivity (@ 2.83V): 95dB
Frequency Response: 60Hz – 20kHz
Impedance: 3.0 ohms
Gross weight: 2.9 kg
Pricing: $549
Available: August 2021

Kappa Perfect 900X – Premium 6″ x 9″ (168mm x 240mm) Two-way Speakers for Motorcycle
Power Handling: 100Wrms, 300W peak
Sensitivity (@ 2.83V): 95dB
Frequency Response: 50Hz – 20kHz
Impedance: 3.0 ohms
Gross weight: 4.14kg
Pricing: $599
Available: August 2021

In each box, users will find the following:
600X – 2 Speakers, 2 in-line crossovers, 2 tweeter kits, 2 grills for StreetGlide, RoadGlide and Tour Pak Models, Mounting supplies.

900X – 2 Speakers, 2 in-line crossovers, 2 tweeter kits, Left and right cut-out template, 2 Spacers, 2 grills for 2014 – up Harley Davidson saddle bags and mounting supplies.

Visit www.infinityspeakers.com for more.

PowerBass’ New GM Direct Fit Coaxial’s in Stock Now

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ONTARIO, CA (08.05.2021) – Making any stock factory sound system sound fantastic is now a simple task with our OEM drop in replacement speakers for many Nissan and Infinity cars, trucks and SUV’s.

PowerBass OEM coaxials feature an Injection molded PP cone with a 1” silk dome tweeter, to deliver the music experience you have always wanted from your factory sound system.

The PowerBass OE-GM series 6.5″ coaxial features dual input terminal options made to work perfectly with early or late model Gm vehicles taking the worry out of which model fits your specific vehicle year.

With the PowerBass OE Series there is no need to drill holes, or cut wires thanks to our simple plug and play design that matches the factory bolt locations and plug styles for one of the fastest upgrades ever.

Upgraded OEM Replacement Co-Axial Speakers
OE652-GM – 60 Watts RMS/120 Watts Max
OE692-GM – 80 Watts RMS/160 Watts Max
Injection Molded PP Cone
Nylon OEM Speaker Adapter
1” Silk Dome Tweeter
OE652-GM – 20 oz. Magnet
OE692-GM – 35 oz. Magnet
Factory Plug and Play Wiring
OE652-GM dual input plugs
4-ohm System Impedance

Visit powerbassusa.com for more

Stereo King at DuneFest 2021

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WINCHESTER BAY, OR (08.04.2021) – DuneFest is billed as ‘The most fun a family can have in the sand’ by the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce. With activities including Drag Strip, Show & Shine, Treasure Hunts, Night Rides, Live Concerts and time on the dunes there was a lot of fun at DuneFest 2021. Over 50 exhibitors were on vendor row to show there latest products in the DuneFest program.

DuneFest is ‘The most fun a family can have in the Sand!’

‘Nobody Beats The King’ and Stereo King had plenty of fun set up at DuneFest 2021with multiple tents, demo vehicles and a big crew that made onsite sales and installations of gear for UTV enthusiasts at the event. Several area enthusiasts brought their UTV’s to Stereo King locations for installs in late July so they would be rockin’ tunes on the dunes.

Stereo King had multiple tents and demos set up for sales and installs.
The installation tents were busy throughout DuneFest 2021.

“Throughout the week we were busy nonstop. Often we had up to 10 vehicles in our bays at one time. We were installing Rockford Fosgate Stage Kits, LED whips, Rugged Radios and more” Scotty Miles, who supplied a series of image, stated.

Demos in the Stereo King booth drew crowds.
Smokey The Bear stopped by the booth and checked out the SK Jeep… which he liked!

The Stereo King Flagship Rockford Fosgate CanAm X3 Kit included 2 under seat subwoofers, two 8” RGB rear can speakers, two 6.5” RGB custom fit dash mounted speakers, a 1500 watt 5-Channel amplifier and a digital Bluetooth receiver to control the rider’s music. Stereo King also offered Sector Seven LED mirrors Metra overhead dome lights and Rugged Radio 696 with push to talk.

A highlight one day was when a family created a break dance circle behind the Stereo King Jeep. A video was shot that went live on Instagram. Another highlight was a visit from Smokey the Bear when he checked out the action in the Stereo King booth area.

Raffle winner Richard Cumming picked up his JBL prize from Stereo King GM Kevin Cornutt (R).
The Stereo King raffle was included in the DuneFest event program.

Stereo King had a raffle in the event program for a JBL weather-resistant 4-channel multi-application Bluetooth audio system which is ideal for UTV enthusiasts. The winner was announced on Friday and Richard Cumming was onsite and went to the Stereo King booth and picked up his JBL prize from Stereo King GM Kevin Cornutt.

“It was a great DuneFest. We are all very happy with the outcome and look forward to next year,” Cornutt related.

Stereo King has stores in Clackamas, Gresham, Aloha and Salem OR.

DuneFest 2022 is set for August 2nd-7th.

Visit stereoking.com and dunefest.com for more.

KICKER Celebrates Employee Service in Awards Ceremony

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STILLWATER, OK (08.04.2021) – KICKER celebrated the anniversaries of 55 employees on Tuesday, culminating with recognition of KICKER department heads Kim Wright and Lance Noble, both of whom are starting their fourth decade with the company.

Steve Irby

“I’m really honored,” said KICKER founder Steve Irby. “It’s rewarding to me to know somebody wants to stay here, and great to see people that are team players. I really value that.” KICKER has been celebrating work anniversaries since the early 1980s.

Held during a company-wide meeting, Irby presented the awards to each honoree. A pin with the KICKER logo was awarded for one year of service, a watch was given for three years and a ring for five years. Awards were also given to employees with 10-to-30-year anniversaries this year.

Visit kicker.com for more.

HKI USA Introduces New EVOX2 Line of Amplifiers

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DANIA BEACH,FL (08.04.2021) – As technology changes, markets grow, and people make requests, HKI USA is proud to announce SounDigital’s new EVOX2 series of monoblock amplifiers.

Taking advantage of the patented designs that allowed us to make the EVOX Multichannel amps so small and the theories behind what makes the EVOPS so robust, our world as we know it has changed. We have combined these amplifier families to release a new series of full range mono amplifiers to help solve the need for massive power, small footprints, and great sound quality.

The all new 1600.1 and 3000.1 EVOX2 amplifiers, now available for pre-order, have been a long time in the making while the technology used in them has finally caught up to the demand of our retailers and their clients.

These amplifiers are just the beginning of this new series that will combine the small size and efficiency that we expect from the EVOX line of amplifiers, while offering solutions for the full range power requirements of many high output installations.

The amazing control these amplifiers have are perfect for the traditional application of mono amplifiers pulling subwoofer duty, while their design lends a hand to making sure it is one of the best sounding amplifiers in its category.

Visit hki-usa.com and soundigitalusa.com for more.

Cummins Inc. Enters Licensing Agreement with DAS Companies, Inc. to Sell Cummins-Branded Products

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PALMYRA, PA (08.03.2021) – Cummins Inc. and DAS Companies, Inc. have entered into a licensing agreement to sell Cummins branded DAS products in retail marketplaces throughout the United States and Canada. The companies are combining the Cummins promise of innovation and dependability and DAS’ extensive portfolio of more than 12,000 products serving the on-the-go lifestyle to reach a broad retail audience. The companies expect to begin selling the Cummins-branded products in the first quarter of 2022.

This long-term agreement will cover many DAS products, including apparel, power equipment (inverters and jump starts), communications gear, safety apparel, tools and travel accessories.

According to Michael Abel, President and CEO of DAS, this will provide both companies, who have a shared focus when it comes to quality and brand building, the opportunity to leverage the wide assortment of licenses to reach broader audiences together.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for DAS,” stated Abel, “especially with a trusted global brand such as Cummins. This agreement will enable even more on-the-go consumers to try our travel products and mobile electronics – products that add safety, convenience, comfort and leisure to life on the road.”

This agreement covers both exclusive and non-exclusive categories. The DAS products in the exclusive category gives DAS exclusive rights to display the Cummins name on Cummins branded products.

“We’re thrilled about our partnership with DAS and the opportunities it provides us to expand the brand and build brand loyalty to a larger public audience,” said Carole Casto, Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “DAS’ unique distribution channels enable us to more easily provide customers, fans and enthusiasts across North America with access to Cummins-branded products.”

Sales channels will include eCommerce sites in the U.S. and Canada, many of which are affiliated with truck stops/travel centers and gas stations. Additional sales channels will include home centers, automotive retailers, U.S. Military exchanges, marine suppliers and distributors, marinas and other major retailers.

Visit dasinc.com and cummins.com/technology for more.

CE GUYS Headed to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2021

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CHICAGO, IL (08.03.2021) – CE GUYS is heading to Sturgis SD and The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 2021. The company’s booth is once again set up at the Ride N Rest Campground between Buffalo Chip and Full Throttle Saloon.

The CE GUYS rig is loaded and set for the 900+ mile journey from Chicagoland to Sturgis, SD.

“We increased our booth to a 10′ x 60′ this year and increased our install staff to six very talented bike audio installers. The onsite team includes Gus Rigas, Daniel Mount, Rene Enriquez, Nick Bishop, Mario Romero and myself. We anticipate doing 150 bikes this year,” Michael Foundation, CE GUYS Principle, stated.

The GE GUYS SounDigital bike was one of the first items in the trailer.

Continuing, “We will be fully stocked with SounDigital EVOX, EVOPS amps of every size plus Ground Zero speakers, 8″ and 10” mid drivers, and 10” subs. Also Nagy Rings, Diamond Audio, and Metra/Saddle Tramp lids plus lowers and accessories.”

Michael Foundation (L) and Gus Rigas pictured at the CE GUYS HQ before heading to Sturgis.

This year CE GUYS is excited to partner up with the very talented Bike Audio Specialists, Throttle Out Audio! The owner of Throttle Out is Gus Rigas who has been working rallies with the CE GUYS team for two years now. “Having Gus and his team as partners has taken our rally business to the next level in what we can do, and how many bikes we can turn out” Foundation concluded.

The CE GUYS Team, that will be in Sturgis Tuesday August 3rd thru Sunday August 15th, says “Come see us in Sturgis!”

Visit ceguys.com for more.