Industry

Metra Electronics to Host Six Manufacturer Training Sessions at KnowledgeFest in Indianapolis

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HOLLY HILL, FL (10.01.2021) – Metra Electronics is heading to Indianapolis, Indiana, to host six training sessions at KnowledgeFest and showcase their latest aftermarket installation products. At the booth will also be a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport S built by Vincent Murray of Team Nutz. The Kevlar coated Jeep is customized from the front to the back with Metra’s Heise LED RGB lights and accessories, RGB underglow kit, Metra PowerSports whip 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, October 8 at 1:30 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, October 8 at 2:45 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, October 9 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, October 9 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, October 10 at 9:30 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, October 10 at 10:45 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 #302 from October 8th-10th at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Additional information about the show, produced by the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), is available at KnowledgeFest.org.

Oracle Lighting Launches New Flush Mount LED Tail Lights for Jeep Gladiator JT; Featured During 2021 SEMA Expo

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METAIRIE, LA (10.01.2021) – Oracle Lighting has announced the launch of the new patent pending Flush Mount LED Tail Lights for Jeep Gladiator JT (p/n 5882-504). Featured during the 2021 SEMA Show, held in Las Vegas, Nev. from Nov. 2-5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, booth #C20547, the new flush mount tail lights are now available for pre-order and are scheduled to ship in October. With an MSRP of $399.95, they are also available for Jeep Wrangler JL.

“Designed to fit flush with the truck bed of the Jeep Gladiator, our new JT Flush Tail Lights offer improved features and OEM factory styling,” explained Justin Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting director of development. “This innovative design has a sleek tail light for Jeep Gladiators that wraps tightly around the truck.”

Protruding out significantly less than the factory tail lights, this low-profile design avoids damage while trail riding. Because of the nearly flush wrap-around design, the lighting can be visible from any rear angle, making it a unique solution for the Jeep Gladiator.

“These lights provide improved LED lighting features including high-powered reverse lights and signature perimeter lighting,” Hartenstein continued. “In addition to standard features, the plug-and-play design features an enhanced reverse function and caters to the Jeep’s optional cross-traffic sensor. The reverse light features 12 high-powered LEDs for optimal rear illumination. The cross-traffic sensor can be swapped directly over from the factory assembly and easily installs into the Oracle Lighting tail lights for Jeep Gladiator.”

Gain sleek styling that compliments the original body lines and tons of innovative features. With the superior quality and durability that Oracle Lighting is known for, these tail lights are the perfect upgrade for your Jeep Gladiator.

Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.

For more information on Oracle Lighting and its full product line, visit www.oraclelights.com, call (800) 407-5776, or email info@oraclelights.com.

Sony Exhibiting and Training at KnowledgeFest in Indianapolis

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The Sony Car Audio team will be exhibiting and training at KnowledgeFest from October 8-10 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

The team will have their new 2021 Toyota CH-R Sony mobile ES demo car in booth #402, giving live demos. Products will be displayed in their new mobile ES display and retailers will have the ability to interact with team members to learn about mobile ES products and how Sony supports the independent specialist retailer.

“We’re excited about getting in front of our retailers at an event like this, as it gives us the ability to really show off the products and provide great education about our line and support,” said Kris Bulla, Sony National Product Trainer. “Our team is ready to get back to a normal pace of in-person activity and events.”

Sony will be hosting four trainings at the event:

  • Friday – 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM – Sony mobile ES Training
  • Saturday – 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM – Sony New Products and Retailer Support
  • Saturday – 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Sony mobile ES Training
  • Sunday – 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM – Sony mobile ES Training

For questions about training, events, or products, retailers can reach the Sony team via the Sony Tech Line at 855-SONY-12V.

Visit sony.com/lr/electronics/car-marine for more.

JL Audio Unveils Premium Audio System for New Sea-Doo Switch Pontoons

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MIRAMAR FL (09.30.2021) – JL Audio, in collaboration with BRP, has developed a premium audio upgrade for the all-new Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boats.

Engineered and fine-tuned by JL Audio, this powerful marine-grade audio solution is optimized to deliver rich, powerful sound when blasting through the water at full speed, without compromising the
modularityof the pontoon. JL Audio designed their audio solution to seamlessly integrate into the
movable corner tables that tie into the Sea-Doo Switch modular deck with LinQ quick-attach tiles. It
features four cup holders and four USB ports for charging all your devices.

“Our engineering team members are experts at working with boat builders to create balanced marine
audio systems that deliver the perfect sound stage in an open-air environment. By working closely with
BRP we created a system that delivers ideal performance for a pontoon without compromising the
innovative modular floor plan of the Sea-Doo Switch,” said Ora Freeman, Director OEM Sales, North
America, JL Audio. “Packing a powerful JL Audio sound system, accent lighting and USB ports into the
same space already occupied by side tables adds more functionality and enjoyment when on the water
without taking up any extra space.”

The solution packs four 6.5-inch JL Audio M3 coaxial speakers powered by a JL Audio 280-watt 4-
channel MX amplifier, and an enclosed 10-inch JL Audio TW3 subwoofer powered by a JL Audio 500-
watt mono MX amplifier. The Premium Audio System for the Sea-Doo Switch was fine-tuned to deliver
maximum open-air performance complete with rich, hard-hitting bass. Adding further cool factor to
the Sea-Doo Switch, the JL Audio M3 coaxial speakers housed within the system feature RGB
illumination that ties into the pontoon’s app-based RGB controller.

Click here to visit the product page.

As with all JL Audio marine audio systems, the Premium Audio System for the Sea-Doo Switch was
constructed of durable, high-quality materials that resist corrosion and can endure years of exposure to harsh marine elements. For full details on the JL Audio Premium Audio System for the Sea-Doo
Switch, visit Sea-Doo.com.

For more information about JL Audio, visit www.jlaudio.com..

The 2021 IBEX Show Is Underway in Tampa

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TAMPA, FL (09.29.2021) – The 2021 IBEX Show is making waves at the Tampa Convention Center and runs from September 28-30, Tuesday through Thursday respectively. Over 700 companies are exhibiting at this years 30th Anniversary event. For companies that build, design, service, sell boats or make marine related products this is a must attend marine industry event.

On the first day of IBEX 2021 we received on site info from KICKER Marine, Hertz Marine and Race Sport Lighting Marine.

Lorin Morrell is dockside with KICKER personality and fishing legend Scott Martin. Dockside, Martin’s 42’ Freeman is Livin’Loud with KICKER Marine products and drawing a steady stream of attendees to check out the system and get ideas for their boats or retail store displays.

Rob Wempe had the Hertz Marine booth ready at the opening bell Tuesday morning inside the convention center.

Rob Wempe has a great location inside for the Hertz Marine booth where he is showcasing the company’s latest custom OEM Marine speakers. No question that Hertz Marine products offer ‘Power for the Waves’ with multimedia and amplifier products along with marine speakers. Many of the Hertz Marine products will also be on display in the elettromedia USA booth at SEMA 2021.

Ignacio Ayala lit up the convention center when the Race Sport Lighting Marine display was set to show attendees the company’s wide line of marine products.

Ignacio Ayala set up the Race Sport Lighting Marine booth inside and spent show hours letting attendees know all the many options that Race Sport Lighting Marine offers. LED’s for safety on night runs along with cosmetic cockpit and underwater exterior lighting.

It’s super to see companies attending these in-person trade events whenever possible as we all battle the continuing Covid-19 Pandemic.

Visit www.ibexshow.com for more.

SiriusXM Names Three New Senior Executives to its Cross-Brand Marketing Organization

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NEW YORK, NY (09.29.2021) – SiriusXM Chief Marketing Officer Denise Karkos has named three new senior marketing executives as SiriusXM continues its growth as the leading in-vehicle audio entertainment service, expands its digital and streaming focus, and launches new national brand advertising that reaches larger audiences.

Reporting to Karkos and supporting the company’s SiriusXM and Pandora brands, the following new hires come to SiriusXM with deep backgrounds and experience supporting major media, streaming and consulting organizations:

Jasmin Chanana, Senior Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience
Anne Milan Alo, Executive Creative Director
Kimberly Wilson, Senior Vice President, Brand and Advertising

“We are very excited to add these accomplished leaders from top companies to our marketing team as we expand SiriusXM’s leadership position in audio,” said Denise Karkos, SiriusXM’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Their collective experience across major consumer and business-to-business brands will help accelerate our brand and business growth. The diversity of this set of leaders at my table is imperative in our pursuit to build SiriusXM to new heights.”

Chanana joins SiriusXM from EY, formerly known as Ernst & Young, where he was a Managing Director in their Digital Practice, leading the New York office. Prior to that, Chanana held various senior roles at SapientRazorfish, Frontier Communications, and Citi. Chanana is responsible for enhancing the digital and customer experience transformation with a focus on ways to deliver marketing organization efficiencies and a superior customer experience.

Milan Alo joins SiriusXM from Netflix, where she was the streaming services Head of Creative Studio, Title Promotions, leading a multi-disciplinary creative team responsible for fully executing the creative campaign for The Queen’s Gambit. Milan Alo has also led creative global campaigns for celebrated brands including Nordstrom, Pantone, Sephora, Disney, McDonalds, LEGO and Volvo. Milan Alo brings an undeniable passion for creative and will oversee SiriusXM’s marketing operations, creative services, and video marketing and production teams and is responsible for bringing the SXM brand vision to life.

Wilson joins SiriusXM after a 16-year tenure at The Walt Disney Company where she served as Vice President, Multiplatform Marketing and held several distribution marketing leadership positions. Wilson previously worked for iHeart Radio and BET Networks. She brings extensive experience driving customer acquisition, engagement and retention across a variety of entertainment brands and is a champion in building diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. Wilson will lead SiriusXM’s brand marketing and advertising, digital content and audience engagement teams.

Visit siriusxm.com for more.

Wall Street’s Finest and MECA Partner for Blue Devils Fundraiser

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LEBANON, TN (09.28.2021) – The Saturday fundraiser, September 25th raised $300.00 for the Lebanon High School Bowling Team. The fundraiser events for the Blue Devils Bowling team have taken place for the last 4years. All of the funds raised are used to fund all bowling practice sessions and other expenses as the team captures titles across the state. If fact the Bowling Team has won more State Championships than any other Blue Devil sport.

Members of the winning teams competing at the Blue Devils fund raiser in the Lebanon High School parking lot with their trophies.

Chris Gregory, who heads the Wall Street’s Finest Team stated, “At every MECA event we do at the High School we have a genre specific 4 way battle compromised of the winners of the 3 Official MECA classes and a beginners only class that has been dubbed the Broke Class. The genre for this event was Male/Female Duets. Jeremy Scoggin, a long time supporter of our events battled a Modified, Extreme, and Broke Class build to take home the custom award. Jeremy is previous champion as he won the 1st 4 way battle we ever had on the series.”

Eric and Melissa Halfacre with their trophies.

Street +
Jeremy Scoggin (Stoopidloud)
Caleb Gregory (WSF / XS Power)
Donald Winstead

Modified
Eric Halfacre (Stoopidloud)
Dave Alessio (SPS)
Ray Robinson
Omar Acre (Stoopidloud)

Extreme
TJ Ivey (SPS)
Leanna Scoggin (Stoopidloud)

A selection of trophies awarded at the Blue Devils Fund Raiser. Chris Gregory created the cool very memorable trophies.

Steve Stern, MECA Commish related, “Working with teams like Wall Street’s Finest is a terrific way for the MECA organization to give back to our club member teams and support their interests.”

Concluding, Gregory offered, “We would like to thank Commissioner Steve Stern and MECA for their generosity in allowing us to host these fundraisers using the format. MECA has always been onboard to step up and help out the community when needed.”

Visit mecacaraudio.com for more.

ORCA to Sponsor School of Fab Web Series Through 2021

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CAMARILLO, CA (09.28.2021) – Orca Design and Manufacturing announced announced a partnership with School of Fab, the new online collaboration featuring Mark from YouTube channel Car Audio Fabrication, and Bryan Schmitt, owner of Tempe, Ariz.,-based Mobile Solutions. Orca will be the exclusive sponsor of the show’s remaining episodes for 2021, showcasing its GLADEN brand of speakers and amplifiers.

School of Fab is the creation of Mark and Bryan Schmitt, arising from the series of fabrication courses of the same name that will be featured at the upcoming MasterTech Expo, scheduled March 6-9, 2022 at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Ariz. The show covers new tools, time-saving installation and fabrication techniques, and live build demonstrations from the Mobile Solutions tech center. It airs the first Thursday of each month on the School of Fab Facebook page.

Each of the upcoming episodes will highlight a selection of German-engineered Gladen car audio speakers and amplifiers. The full-featured Gladen amplifier line has a solution for every automotive audio enthusiast, with single, dual or four-channel options and power-saving Class D models, as well as highly accurate Class A/B architecture. The specialty amplifiers share prominence with separates, coaxials, subwoofers and vehicle-specific speaker options spread over five distinct lines.

“The Gladen brand has a proud history,” said Nalaka Adikari, ORCA sales director. “It was the brainchild of Henning Gladen, an audio visionary who unfortunately passed away almost five years ago. His unique designs are the bedrock of the company’s precision-engineered products, built by a small but dedicated team in Germany. We are honored to represent Gladen here in the United States and look forward to featuring the brand as part of School of Fab.”

For more information on School of Fab, visit facebook.com/schooloffab. To find out more about Gladen products, visit gladenaudio-america.com.

Remembering Steven Bach

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CHINO, CA (09.27.2021) – Aunex is sad to announce the passing of our company President Steven Bach who passed away suddenly on Thursday, September 2nd 2021.

Steven’s passion for the industry started in the late eighties when he was first bit by the Car Audio bug back in high school. “If you wanted to get noticed back then, having a loud system was one of the best ways to achieve that. Back then it was audio first and then rims, tint, lowering and exhaust.”

Steven always dreamed of having his own car audio brand where he could create a product line and company with his own vision of how things should be. Steven’s career goes back over 25 years with time spent at Massive, Crossfire, and most recently as Vice President of Powerbass before starting his own company Aunex two years ago.

Steven was a visionary and force of nature in the 12v industry. He had a unique skill set. He could do it all. The car audio industry now has a huge hole in it and so many of us will struggle to fill the void of this amazing man with that crazy laugh of his.

In his absence, we believe that he would want us to carry on, eat some good food and go sell some great audio, and to honor him that’s exactly what we are going to do.

Rest in Peace Steven.

Metra PowerSports Ships New Power Distribution Kits for UTVs

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HOLLY HILL, FL (09.27.2021) – Metra Electronics is now shipping a new dual battery kit and battery busbar kit from its Metra PowerSports product line. These kits help installers adding a second battery on a UTV to manage the power distribution of additional equipment, lighting, or audio accessories, without draining the primary starting battery. These two new products complement Metra’s popular AGM powersports batteries from its Shuriken brand.

The MPS-DUALBTKIT is a dual battery kit compatible with multiple types of off-road vehicles, used to add a second battery to a UTV or ATV. Its 80-amp smart battery isolator will automatically charge the battery to protect it from being drained. It includes a dual battery voltage meter, LED indicator, and Carling-style knockout for the dashboard. To complete the installation, 2 feet of red and black 6 AWG power wire with 5/16-inch ring terminals are included, along with zip-ties, accessory wires, and mounting hardware. The powersports AGM battery is sold separately but also available through Metra’s Shuriken line.

MPS-DUALBTKIT Product Specifications

  • Complete kit for installing a second powersports battery
  • Compatible with multiple types of off-road vehicles
  • Smart battery isolator charges automatically to protect the battery
  • Includes:
    • 80-amp smart battery isolator
    • Dual battery voltage meter, LED indicator, Carling-style knockout
    • 24″ red and black 6 AWG power wire with 5/16″ ring terminals
    • Universal battery strap
    • Zip-ties, accessory wires, and mounting hardware

For power distribution, the MPS-BUSBARKIT is a 4-post mountable battery busbar kit designed for UTVs or ATVs. Power and ground wiring are included with protective sleeving, specialized zip-ties, terminal covers, a 200-amp 6 AWG inline circuit breaker, and 9 feet of red and black 6 AWG oxygen-free tinned copper wire. This system is used to distribute power to aftermarket equipment, lighting, or audio accessories from the battery, and is designed for the demands of harsh environments.

MPS-BUSBARKIT Product Specifications:

  • Power distribution busbar for UTVs or ATVs
  • 4-stud mountable busbar
  • Oxygen-free tinned copper power wire
  • Includes:
    • 200-amp 6 AWG inline circuit breaker
    • 9’ red and black 6 AWG UL1426 power and ground wiring
    • Protective wire sleeving, positive terminal cover, and specialized zip-ties

Visit MetraPowerSports.com and watch the product video overview at https://youtu.be/noHuc39eNCo to learn more.