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Ricky Smith’s Audio Hosts Very Successful Toys For Tots

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LAFAYETTE, LA (12.07.2020) – The Ricky Smith’s Audio location in Lafayette hosted a tremendously successful Toys For Tots event on Saturday, December 5th. Shortly after the store opened at 9AM people began entering the store with toys to add Christmas joy for many youngsters in the area.

The Ricky Smith’s Audio store front in Lafayette Louisiana.

Chad Neveu related, “People started bringing toys right after we opened and a steady flow of people with presents for area youngsters continued until the actual event ended at 2PM. The area LA Jeepers Club participated with us in the event and one of their members was dressed as Santa and another as an Elf. At the end of the day we had collected well over 100 toys that filled several of the large Toys For Tots Marine Corps Reserve boxes.”

Areas inside the store were set up for the Holidays and the Toys for Tots event.

In past years the South College Shopping Center businesses joined together for a Santa Sleigh Christmas event in the center’s parking lot. In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic that event was cancelled this year.

An area in the showroom was set up for people to see Santa who actually was a member of the LA Jeepers Club. This image was taken early in the event when only a small portion of the toys had arrived.

Continuing, Neveu offered, “Without the traditional Santa Sleigh event in the center we wanted to provide some cheer for area youngsters and holding a Toys For Tots event seemed like a great opportunity. In the past we have co-hosted events with the community minded area LA Jeepers Club. With their help the Toys For Tots event came together. They had several members helping in the store along with Santa and his Elf.”

When the event was over at 2 PM well over 100 toys had been donated at the Toys For Tots event.

Following the devastation from Hurricane Laura in Lake Charles the LA Jeepers Club hosted a drive for supplies to provide aid for residents in early September. That drive for supplies and tools was held in the parking lot in front of Ricky Smith’s Audio. Other Jeep focused events have also been held in the parking lot at Ricky Smith’s Audio.

Members of the LA Jeepers Club gathered for a photo during the Toys for Tots event.

“Aftermarket upgrades for Jeep vehicles are a very bright spot across the 12volt industry. We have added a variety of products to the rides of several members of the LA Jeepers Club and other Jeep owners in the area at our 3 locations in Southern Louisiana. Jeepers are very passionate about their rides and we at Ricky Smith’s Audio share their passion for upgrades on vehicles of all types including marine and powersports,” Neveu concluded.

Byron Jensen, a member of the Ricky Smith’s Audio Team, is pictured with Santa and his lovely Elf.

In 1977 Ricky Smith opened his doors in Lafayette, LA in the South College Shopping Center where the flagship store remains today. In the forty-plus years since the business has expanded throughout Southern Louisiana and now boasts locations in Abbeville and New Iberia as well as an in-house service department.

Visit rickysmithsaudio.com for more.

Cars 843 Wins ODX Lighting Prize on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel Spin 105

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SHREVEPORT LA (12.05.20)  WTF…Win This Friday. Cars 843 won a ODX Lighting Prize on Friday December 4th.

The 12volt Spin-to-Win Wheel was created to bring an element of fun to the 12volt industry. Two weeks ago we celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of the weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel.

Click to view.

On Friday morning, December 4th, the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolled for 105th time and the Wheel landed on the ODX space. The Cars 843 slip was drawn from the jar and an Instagram post of the winning slip was posted. A video of the Wheel spin was also posted. We reached out and spoke with Tracy Ford at the Cars 843 store in Charleston SC with the good news that an ODX product will be headed their way.

Spinning out a new winner each Friday, a lucky 12volt retailer can win a cool prize and top brands receive visibility across the marketplace.

12volt brands with a space on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel include Kicker, NavAtlas, SiriusXM, Accele, PowerBass, CRUX, DS18, SoundStream, AIS, JBL, Power Acoustik, JVC, ODX and ZZ-2. 12volt News $100. cash awards have spaces on the 12volt Spin-To-Wheel for a winning 12volt retailer.

Past winners of the 12volt Spin-To-Win include…Stereo & Video Center-Tyler TX, The Outlaw Garage-Franklin TN, Exotic Sounds-West Palm Beach FL, Endless Possibilities-Aurora IL., Go Auto Sound in Union City NJ, Al&Ed’s South Bay CA, No Limitz Car Audio in Upland CA, Neil’s Specialty-Eureka CA, Sturgess Customs-Lexington SC, Audio By Art-San Antonio TX, SMS Car Audio in Marreo LA and Sweet Wheelz in Mississauga Ontario Canada, Cartronics in Biscayne FL, The CarAudio Shop in St Louis MO, Exotic Sounds in West Palm Beach FL, High North Customs in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada and AMS Audio in Bakersfield CA, Team QRT in Abbeyville LA and California Sound in Fontana CA and Jackie Cooper Electronics, Oklahoma City OK, MARS Audio-Orlando FL, All American Audio in Nutley NJ, Proline Car Stereo in Brooklyn NY, Custom Shop Miami, Tunes and Tint in Lakeland FL, Mobile Concepts Inc in Mokena IL, Seismic Auto Sound in Concord CA, Brooklyn Car Audio in Brooklyn NY, Audio Solutions in Florence MS, Enhanced Customs in Largo FL, Rayco Auto Clinic, Audio Design in San Jose CA, Go Bass Mode in Florida, Avenue Sound in Freeport NY, Audio Plus in Riverview FL, Stereo Zone in Whittier CA, In-Phase Car Audio in Omaha NE, AutoLife Group, N&H Electronics, SK Customs, Land & Sea, The Audio One, NC Custom Shop,Tint World Orlando, Ricky Smith’s Audio, VIP Custom Woks, Mobile Audio Concepts, Audio Lad, Sound Sensations, Dave’s Stereo, Stereo Design, Badlands Customs, Custom Audio-Erie PA, Voltz Autosports-Bridgeport CT, Infinity Sound and Security-Kissimmee, Autosport Plus-Canton OH, Stereo City Pros in Carmichael CA, Devine Concepts in Naples FL, The Sound Shop in Indian Trail NC, Extreme Performance Audio in Fresno CA, Audio Depot in Arlington TX, Audio Security in Houston TX, Earmark Car Audio and Marine in Lewisville TX, Audio Jam in Bear DE, Stereo City Ontario, Ontario CA, Audio By Art, San Antonio TX, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, Ken’s Car Tunes in Mobile AL, Soundz Plus in Naperville IL, Markland Designs in Lithonia GA, Electronics Plus in Salinas CA, Xtreme Autosports in Santa Clarita CA, Superior Audio Sounds in San Angelo TX and Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Texas Dreamz Customs in Spring TX, Wired Electronics in Linden NJ and Intense Car Audio in OKC, OK, Underground Auto in Sarasota FL, Car Toys Tulsa in Tulsa OK,  Real Audio in Erie PA, Go Autosound in Union NJ, DFM Stereo in Ukiah CA, Impact Tint and Audio in Tyler TX, Mobile Sound Systems in Arlington TX, Redline Audio and Performance In Spindale NC, Car Audio Land in San Diego CA, Audio X Custom Car Audio in Florence AL, River Oaks Car Stereo in Houston TX, American Radio Orlando in Sanford FL, Illustrious Customs in Woodbridge VA, Remote Start Pros in Lawrence MA, HiPro Audio in Victoria TX, AudioPlanetNY in Huntington Station NY, Endless Possibilities in Aurora IL, Audio Finesse in Santa Monica, Drive Customs in San Luis Obispo CA, Custom Works, Noblesville IN, and AtoZ Detail in West Haven CT. Congratulations to all.

WTF… Where’s the Fun. On the next spin of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel Friday, December 11th.

DS18 Releases New Double DIN Multimedia Receiver with 6.9-inch Touch Screen

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL (12.04.2020) – Bigger and bolder than ever, the DDX6.9AD is DS18’s new revision of our long line of amazing head units.

This receiver shares a lot of the characteristics that its little brothers share except one HUGE difference. We have upgraded the screen size from 6.2 inches to a whopping 6.9 inches with this huge screen. Now you and everyone in the vehicle can enjoy the crisp visuals along with goose bump worthy sound quality. Maneuvering through the options is quite easy with the touch screen controls and will give you flawless and absolute control over all the media you are wanting to hear.

This receiver will include everything you need to bring your multimedia dreams into full fruition with the Android operating system including Mirror Link, Wi-Fi, Blue Tooth, GPS, AUX, USB, SD, phone controls, and all your AM / FM stations. Apps are also easily downloadable when you hook your head unit up to your cellular hot spot. The SD reader can use memory cards up to 64GB.

Your music can be set easily to your preferences with the easy to use and detailed manual and the DDXRC app equalizer can get you the sound that is specific to your tastes with easy access and settings. Mirror link is also easily set up in just a few steps so you can mirror all media from your phone to your device. A mobile hotspot is required for GPS functions if you are not using mirror link. (PLEASE REMEMBER DO NOT WATCH MOVIES IN MOTION – WAIT UNTIL THE CAR IS PARKED.)

There is plenty of power behind this versatile receiver. At 4 ohms this unit offers 4×15 watts RMS and 40×4 max power which is generally enough to power all entry level speakers, but to get the maximum output from this amp, you will need amplifiers and higher quality speakers to handle the power. The PRE-AMP outputs will deliver a maximum of 4.5 volts so you can be reassured that you will have enough output voltage for your amplifiers to get the clearest and distortion free sound available. Also 3 sets of preamp outputs (SUB, Front, and Rear) will be there for you to configure to your specific setup.

Visit ds18.com for more.

Alpine Shipping Weather-Resistant Soundbar Upgrade Kit for Select Jeep Applications

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AUBURN HILLS, MI (12.03.2020) – Alpine Electronics of America, Inc. is now shipping the SPV-65-JLT Weather-Resistant UpgradeKit for the new 2018 – Up Jeep Wrangler and 2020 – Up Jeep Gladiator (without the Alpine OEM Premium Amplified System).

Raise Your Expectations
For five years, Alpine has curated premium solutions that elevate the Jeep lifestyle. From off-roading to commuting, these solutions are built for discerning audio enthusiasts looking for an uninterrupted music experience that can keep up with their lifestyle.

Now Alpine is “raising the bar” with a Weather-Resistant Soundbar Upgrade Kit for the new 2018 – Up Jeep Wrangler and 2020 – Up Jeep Gladiator (without the Alpine OEM Premium Amplified System). This kit includes two 6.5-inch speakers and 1-inch teteron dome tweeters that replaces the factory 3-inch and 4-inch drivers. An installation kit includes a cutting template for the rear soundbar and vehicle-specific connectors for plug-and-play installation.

Top-Off Performance
Jeep drivers should be able to listen to their music while enjoying the experience of top-and-doors-off driving, however, wind and traffic noise can overpower their music. The SPV-65-JLT is designed to deliver powerful music performance that won’t get lost in the wind.

The weather-resistant kit includes tweeters that capture the higher-end frequencies and improve the range of sound reproduction over the factory 3-inch mid-tweeter. The speakers are enclosed in rugged, premium grills that match the Jeep interior.

System Compatibility
The SPV-65-JLT is compatible with the new 2018 – Up Jeep Wrangler and 2020 – Up Jeep Gladiator (without the Alpine OEM Premium Amplified System) and works with the Jeep factory head unit, an aftermarket dash system, and the Alpine X409-WRA-JL 9-inch Weather-Resistant Navigation Receiver with Off-Road Mode.

The SPV-65-JLT is now shipping for $449.95 and will be available at Alpine Authorized retailers or online at www.alpine-usa.com through Crutchfield. Installation options can be found on the Alpine-USA website through the store locator.

Las Vegas Car Audio Shop Hosts Celebrity Grand Opening Amidst Pandemic

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LAS VEGAS, NV (12.02.2020) – Two car audio veterans that had relocated to Las Vegas, Mike Manneh and Harry Draneas had been planning the grand opening for their new store for nearly a year. They were not about to let COVID-19 spoil their plans for The Beat Clinic’s major grand opening event.

(L-R) Mike Manneh, Robin McNeal and Harry Draneas with the Nakamichi N4 Competition amplifier.

Last month they hosted a Grand Opening and Car Show complete with a celebrity guest appearance from Steve Darnell star of the Discovery Channels Vegas Rat Rods. Throughout the day vehicles of all types poured in to participate in the car show. A DJ helped keep the celebration going well into the night.

Star of Vegas Rat Rods Steve Darnell (L) and Mike Manneh (C ) along with the Manneh family.

The new location at 3565 E Post Road in Las Vegas has features an install bay, showroom, fabrication room and waiting area.

“The team at the Beat Clinic has many great relationships throughout Las Vegas in both the auto and audio community that will no doubt help to support their success” stated Robin McNeal National Sales Manager for Nakamichi Car Audio who was there for the big event.

New displays in The Beat Clinic showroom.

Reps were also on hand from Discovery On-Mark Group and Paragon Sales & Marketing

The Beat Clinic specializes in audio, custom fabrication and accessories.

For more information, visit facebook.com/beatclinic

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday

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12VOLT CENTRAL STUDIOS (12.01.2020) – Four days virtually back-to-back to close out the month of November. Many companies across the 12volt industry made social media posts to put their brands and messages in front of consumers and followers to compete with all of the online activity driven by Amazon.

A number of these posts caught our eye in the 12volt Central Studios. The SoundzPlus – Naperville, IL post drove home the COVID-19 Mask-up America theme with a PPE mask placed on a pumpkin.

559 Car Stereo in Fresno, CA got things started with a Thanksgiving night event from 8 PM til Midnight.

The Stereo King-Happy Valley, OR post was an informative multi-panel that detailed several top brands and promo priced products. Jack at Sanford Sound’s Small Business Saturday post stressed ‘Think Big, Shop Small.”

The team_iu Installations Unlimited-North Syracuse, NY post definitely caught eyeballs with the company’s Cyber Monday message. Now, as an industry, we are off to December. We wish all strong sales in December to finish the crazy 2020 year on a high note.

Student-Led Nonprofit Wins Workforce Award at California Economic Summit

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OXNARD, CA (11.30.2020) – Scosche is very pleased to share this news story of local (to them) Ventura County award-winning STEM students, who in 2017 formed a nonprofit. This year in the midst of a pandemic, they designed, manufactured and supplied more than 20,000 PPE face shields for frontline healthcare workers in Ventura County hospitals, and to healthcare facilities worldwide.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

As the COVID-19 pandemic first began to spread earlier this year, there was a desperate need across the country for personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.

“We didn’t know where we were going to get our supplies,” said Dr. Richard Rutherford, director of quality and safety for the Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospitals.

In stepped 17 high school students who make up the STEMbassadors team, a student-led non profit founded in 2017 with the primary objective of filling the need for applied STEM education in K-12 schools.

Photo Credit: STEMbassadors/Ventura Unified School District

Two of their students, Patrick Waechter and Anshul Bajaj conceived the idea of manufacturing face shields needed at five local hospitals in Ventura County. For Waechter, it was personal. His mom is a nurse at the Ventura County Medical Center.

They took the idea of using 3D printers to make face shields to Alex Wulff, a middle school teacher who has mentored students from his position at DATA Middle School and is also CEO of the nonprofit.

They tried out a few prototypes and took them to Dr. Robertson. The goal was to make 4,000 face shields.

They manufactured over 20,000 by the middle of summer and not only have supplied all the hospitals in Ventura County but have also shipped their product to Bolivia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, India and Mozambique.

As a result, STEMbassadors will be honored at the California Economic Summit on December 3rd as a winner in the 2020 Partnerships for Industry and Education (PIE) contest.

Click here to read the full article

“Scosche was proud to play a small part in this valuable project and we are so impressed by the ingenuity, determination and hard work of this remarkable group of students and their instructor. This level of STEM education, engagement and care for others makes us thankful and truly gives us hope for the future.”

In addition to supporting local efforts to slow the tide of the rising pandemic, Scosche has implemented regular anti-microbial spraying, in addition to all other required safety and work from home requirements to keep their staff safe. They are very thankful to have been able to retain 100% of their staff.

Visit scosche.com for more.

AtoZ Detail Wins Power Acoustik Prize on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel Spin 104

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SHREVEPORT LA (11.28.20)  WTF…Win This Friday. AtoZ Detail won a Power Acoustik Prize on Friday November 27th.

Click to view.

It was Black Friday and also the 2nd Anniversary of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel.

The 12volt Spin-to-Win Wheel was created to bring an element of fun to the 12volt industry. With this spin we celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of the weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel.

On Friday morning, November 27th, the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolled for 104th time and the Wheel landed on the Power Acoustik space. The AtoZ Detail slip was drawn from the jar and an Instagram post of the winning slip was posted. A video of the Wheel spin was also posted. We will out to the West Haven CT retailer with the good news. A Power Acoustik product will be headed their way.

Spinning out a new winner each Friday, a lucky 12volt retailer can win a cool prize and top brands receive visibility across the marketplace.

12volt brands with a space on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel include Kicker, NavAtlas, SiriusXM, Cadence, PowerBass, CRUX, DS18, SoundStream, AIS, Precision Power, JBL, Power Acoustik, JVC and ZZ-2. 12volt News $100. cash awards have spaces on the 12volt Spin-To-Wheel for a winning 12volt retailer.

Past winners of the 12volt Spin-To-Win include…Stereo & Video Center-Tyler TX, The Outlaw Garage-Franklin TN, Exotic Sounds-West Palm Beach FL, Endless Possibilities-Aurora IL., Go Auto Sound in Union City NJ, Al&Ed’s South Bay CA, No Limitz Car Audio in Upland CA, Neil’s Specialty-Eureka CA, Sturgess Customs-Lexington SC, Audio By Art-San Antonio TX, SMS Car Audio in Marreo LA and Sweet Wheelz in Mississauga Ontario Canada, Cartronics in Biscayne FL, The CarAudio Shop in St Louis MO, Exotic Sounds in West Palm Beach FL, High North Customs in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada and AMS Audio in Bakersfield CA, Team QRT in Abbeyville LA and California Sound in Fontana CA and Jackie Cooper Electronics, Oklahoma City OK, MARS Audio-Orlando FL, All American Audio in Nutley NJ, Proline Car Stereo in Brooklyn NY, Custom Shop Miami, Tunes and Tint in Lakeland FL, Mobile Concepts Inc in Mokena IL, Seismic Auto Sound in Concord CA, Brooklyn Car Audio in Brooklyn NY, Audio Solutions in Florence MS, Enhanced Customs in Largo FL, Rayco Auto Clinic, Audio Design in San Jose CA, Go Bass Mode in Florida, Avenue Sound in Freeport NY, Audio Plus in Riverview FL, Stereo Zone in Whittier CA, In-Phase Car Audio in Omaha NE, AutoLife Group, N&H Electronics, SK Customs, Land & Sea, The Audio One, NC Custom Shop,Tint World Orlando, Ricky Smith’s Audio, VIP Custom Woks, Mobile Audio Concepts, Audio Lad, Sound Sensations, Dave’s Stereo, Stereo Design, Badlands Customs, Custom Audio-Erie PA, Voltz Autosports-Bridgeport CT, Infinity Sound and Security-Kissimmee, Autosport Plus-Canton OH, Stereo City Pros in Carmichael CA, Devine Concepts in Naples FL, The Sound Shop in Indian Trail NC, Extreme Performance Audio in Fresno CA, Audio Depot in Arlington TX, Audio Security in Houston TX, Earmark Car Audio and Marine in Lewisville TX, Audio Jam in Bear DE, Stereo City Ontario, Ontario CA, Audio By Art, San Antonio TX, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, Ken’s Car Tunes in Mobile AL, Soundz Plus in Naperville IL, Markland Designs in Lithonia GA, Electronics Plus in Salinas CA, Xtreme Autosports in Santa Clarita CA, Superior Audio Sounds in San Angelo TX and Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Texas Dreamz Customs in Spring TX, Wired Electronics in Linden NJ and Intense Car Audio in OKC, OK, Underground Auto in Sarasota FL, Car Toys Tulsa in Tulsa OK,  Real Audio in Erie PA, Go Autosound in Union NJ, DFM Stereo in Ukiah CA, Impact Tint and Audio in Tyler TX, Mobile Sound Systems in Arlington TX, Redline Audio and Performance In Spindale NC, Car Audio Land in San Diego CA, Audio X Custom Car Audio in Florence AL, River Oaks Car Stereo in Houston TX, American Radio Orlando in Sanford FL, Illustrious Customs in Woodbridge VA, Remote Start Pros in Lawrence MA, HiPro Audio in Victoria TX, AudioPlanetNY in Huntington Station NY, Endless Possibilities in Aurora IL, Audio Finesse in Santa Monica, Drive Customs in San Luis Obispo CA and Custom Works 317 in Noblesville IN. Congratulations to all.

WTF… Where’s the Fun. On the next spin of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel Friday, December 4th.

Happy Thanksgiving 2020 to All Across the 12volt Industry

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SHREVEPORT, LA (11.26.2020) – It goes without saying that 2020 has been one of the craziest years since the Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving Festival meal in 1621.

Overall, we in the 12volt industry have fared much better that most industries and businesses.

Let’s all remain positive for successful Black Friday events and Small Business Saturday as we work to finish November 2020 on a high note.

A very Happy Holiday season to all from the 12volt Central Studios.

The 100 Turkeys for 100 Families Community Event in Aurora, IL

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AURORA, IL (11.25.2020) – On Sunday, November 22nd 100 boxes of turkeys were on a pallet under the Endless Possibilities tent on Galena Blvd in downtown Aurora IL. Endless Possibilities Auto, The Reyna Family Project, Headliners Barbershop, B1Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Self Defense-Naperville came together for the community event to provide a Thanksgiving Turkey for 100 families.

100 boxed turkeys under the Endless Possibilities Auto tent in Downtown Aurora IL on Sunday, November 22nd.

Ceasar Marungo, Endless Possibilities Auto owner, related “As a group we all wanted to give back to our community where many are having hard times. We reached out to City Hall and they were very supportive of our plan and suggested the best place to do this was in downtown Aurora. We set up our tent tent in the designated area and people picked up their box with the turkey in the drive thru lane.”

The invitation post for the Holiday Turkey community offering.
Detailed instructions for getting to the community event.

Social media posts provided detailed information on how to get to the site for people to pick up a turkey for their family. The day started at 10 AM and by mid afternoon all of the turkeys were in the hands of a family in need of something special for Thanksgiving dinner.

Endless Possibilities Auto owner Ceasar Marungo.

Click to view the video above on Endless Possibilities Auto’s Instagram.

“During and after the event we had people come up to members of our group to tell us how appreciative they were of our efforts to help people in need during the Holiday season. As a group, knowing we brought some happiness to 100 families for 100 families was a terrific feeling” Marungo concluded.

Visit instagram.com/endlesspossibilitiesauto and endlesspossibilitiesauto.com for more.