Iconic SEMA Celebration Set for Las Vegas in July

DIAMOND BAR, CA (04.23.2021) – SEMA leadership, volunteers, and industry icons will gather in Las Vegas for the 2021 SEMA Installation & Gala on Friday, July 30.

The SEMA Installation & Gala is a long-established tradition where individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the industry are recognized and celebrated. Since 1976, the SEMA Gala has served as a formal gathering where new SEMA Hall of Fame inductees are introduced, incoming Board of Directors are sworn in, and outgoing Board of Directors are honored.

Individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the industry will be recognized and celebrated on July 30 during the SEMA Installation & Gala. The annual event will be held in the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year’s event will take place for the first time in Las Vegas, Nevada. Specifically, the event will be held in the new West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the same facility where thousands of industry professionals will gather for the 2021 SEMA Show in November.

“SEMA has a deep history and connection with the city of Las Vegas,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We could not be more excited about celebrating the industry in Las Vegas, and christening the West Hall with such a noteworthy event.”

The SEMA Installation & Gala will be one of the first events held in the West Hall since construction of the 1.4 million-square-foot facility was completed in January. The event, which is expected to include about 400 individuals, will also mark SEMA’s first mass gathering to take place in more than a year.

“I look forward to the SEMA Gala each year – even more so this year than any other year since it will be a reunion for our industry’s friends and family,” said Kersting. “The SEMA Installation Gala is important to the association, the members, and the industry, and it’s about much more than just introducing new Hall of Fame members or recognizing our Board of Directors. The event is about community, family and celebration, with people who share a common passion and love for the industry.”

Tickets to the 2021 SEMA Installation & Gala are available to all SEMA members and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-sema-installation-and-gala-tickets-92403153319.

Details about the honorees (new Hall of Fame members and incoming Board of Directors) will be announced in May.

SoundSkins Introduces 4 Piece Speaker Kit

CERRITOS, CA (04.23.2021) – The SoundSkins 4 Piece Speaker Kit is is the best sound dampening material for your car audio system, designed to enhance your car stereo system and reduce road noise all in one material.

Comprised of 4 10″x12″ sheets of our premiere sound deadening product, SoundSkins Pro, this kit will help to decrease road noise and improve the performance of your car audio system by sealing your speakers to your doors and preventing lost sound, directing sound back into your cabin.

Click here to visit the product page.

This item is out for pre-order NOW and begins shipping June 1, 2021.

Visit soundskinsglobal.com for more.

SEMA and Major OHV Groups File Lawsuit to Protect Off-Roading at Oceano Dunes

DIAMOND BAR, CA (04.22.2021) – The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and other organizations representing the off-highway vehicle (OHV) industry and enthusiast community are seeking to overturn a March 18, 2021, decision by the California Coastal Commission to terminate OHV access at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA). SEMA joined with Ecologic Partners, Inc., comprised of the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), American Sand Association (ASA), and American Motorcyclist Association District 37 (AMA District 37), in filing a lawsuit in California State Superior Court for San Luis Obispo County.

Since 1974, Oceano Dunes SVRA has been a state-designated OHV park managed and operated by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (“State Parks”). The SVRA comprises 3,500 acres of which less than 1,350 acres of dunes and 3.5 miles of beach provides open riding access for OHVs. In March, the Commission voted to eliminate OHV access within three years.

The lawsuit states that the Commission does not have substantive evidence to support the closure and has failed to conduct an environmental impact review required under the California Environmental Quality Act or consider alternatives.

“The Commission’s decision was unjustified since State Parks has undertaken a three-year public process to develop a long-range management plan,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “It renders meaningless the State Parks’ ongoing effort to adopt a plan consistent with the Coastal Act that will include OHV access to this unique resource.”

“It is important that government agencies follow their own rules,” said Fred Wiley, ORBA president and CEO. “The Commission is acting in a unilateral fashion that exceeds its own authority under the California Coastal Act. It is imperative that the courts step in to protect OHV access.”

Oceano Dunes SVRA provides the only opportunity for motorized recreation at a state park along California’s Pacific coast. OHV recreation is an important contributor to the local economy. While bringing pleasure to thousands of enthusiasts, the monies spent at area stores, motels, restaurants, and gas stations support jobs and generate tax revenues.

For decades, SEMA has supported reasonable land-use policies that include motorized recreation. SEMA remains committed to this mission on behalf of the off-road industry and the enthusiasts who enjoy outdoor recreation. This includes protecting Oceano Dunes SVRA.

The lawsuit asks the court to issue an injunction and vacate the Commission’s March 18 decision to eliminate OHV access to Oceano Dunes.

Visit sema.org for more.

Bowers and Wilkins Has Unveiled Two New State-of-the-Art True Wireless Headphones

WORTHING, ENGLAND (04.22.2021) – British audio brand Bowers & Wilkins has unveiled two new state- of-the-art True Wireless headphones – PI7 and PI5 – that bring the brand’s acclaimed ‘True Sound’ promise and acoustic excellence to the True Wireless category.

Both PI7 and PI5 models deliver the unrivalled high-resolution sound quality that audiophiles and music lovers have come to expect from Bowers & Wilkins. Now, that same signature sound quality is offered for the first time in True Wireless form, incorporating innovative and intuitive smart features designed to fit seamlessly into an on-the-go lifestyle.

Drawing on over fifty years of industry-leading audio excellence and innovation, Bowers & Wilkins reveals another best-in-class portfolio of products that deliver your favorite music the way it is meant to be heard – as the artist intended it.

PI7 – The new industry-defining True Wireless headphones from Bowers & Wilkins.
Every element of the flagship PI7 model has been crafted to deliver the very highest level of audio performance, redefining expectation in True Wireless. PI7 features unrivalled sound quality, driven by
high-resolution 24-bit audio processing in each earbud and Dual Hybrid Drive units that work just like high- performance speakers to create a rich and immersive listening experience.

In addition, PI7 features Adaptive Noise Cancellation that automatically adapts in real-time to its surroundings to produce the best possible listening experience – so you can block out the world and focus on the music you love. It’s driven by six microphones – three in each earbud – for crystal-clear sound quality with every call, all activated though an intuitive, one-touch user interface.

Even the Smartcase is designed for an intuitive and seamless user experience. As you would expect, it can conveniently charge your device wirelessly while you are on-the-go. But, and in an industry first, PI7 raises the bar by offering a unique wireless audio retransmission feature via its Smartcase. That means you can continue to use your PI7s even when on a plane: just connect your case directly to an audio source – such as an in-flight entertainment system – and it will retransmit sound directly to your earbuds.

PI5 – The class-leading, Bowers & Wilkins True Wireless sound that’s with you all day.
PI5 is the class-leading True Wireless headphone with all of the high quality, audio-enhancing features expected from a Bowers & Wilkins product – the perfect accompaniment to an on-the-go lifestyle.

Alongside the exceptional audio performance and call quality, the PI5 offers over 24 hours of battery life, ensuring you stay connected throughout the day. This is accompanied by advanced Active Noise Cancellation, allowing you to easily adapt to your listening environment, whether you’re working from home or on a busy street, and a fast-charging case that provides a boost of up to two hours of battery life from just a 15-minute charge.

Bold design and Smart technology.
Both models embody the Bowers & Wilkins bold design to stand out from the crowd, with accents of color to highlight the beautifully precise detailing.

Smart technology makes living with PI7 and PI5 more convenient. Both models can be configured via the Bowers & Wilkins companion App and feature a simple one-button user interface, coupled with voice assistant support via either Siri or Google Assistant. Multiple source devices can be wirelessly paired to either model allowing the user to easily and conveniently reconnect to each source as and when needed.

Developed by the same team behind the Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers found in Abbey Road Studios, PI7 and PI5 both embody the same industry-leading engineering and design philosophy that has led to the creation of some of the world’s finest audio products.

Geoff Edwards, Brand President, Bowers & Wilkins, said: “We are excited to be venturing into the True Wireless category with our new headphones. It’s long been our philosophy, established by our founder John Bowers, that we would only enter a new category if we believed that we could set a new standard for audio performance in that space. With PI7 and PI5, we truly believe we have achieved that.”

The PI7 True Wireless and PI5 True Wireless headphones are available now from www.bowerswilkins.com for $399 and $249 respectively.

Audio Meets Adventure at Jeep Beach 2021 with Jeep Tuned Audio Kits

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (04.21.2021) – MB Quart is very excited to announce another vehicle to the incredible lineup of MB Quart vehicle-specific audio kits at Jeep Beach 2021. Jeep has stood as an exploration beacon for the open road, off-road, and everything in between that adventure calls upon. ALL-NEW for 2021, and debuting at Daytona Beach, FL for Jeep Beach 2021, Purposely Engineered Jeep Tuned Audio Kits unleash exploration with a concert right in your Jeep Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT vehicle. Take on the journey ahead with a sound that produces concert levels of loud while remaining completely undistorted on every upwards hill or sharp turn on the trail. 

Brian Sherman, Vice President of Product and Marketing, said, “The team at MB Quart and Maxxsonics spent months pouring over vehicle data before putting our plan together. All of this effort on the front-end helps to ensure that the resulting audio products handily outperform, not just the factory audio options, but also the aftermarket.”

MBQJ-STG6A-1 — STAGE 6, 6 speaker, 800-watt upgrade kit (shown above)

ABOUT THE JEEP TUNED AUDIO KITS

Every Purposely Engineered Jeep Tuned Audio Kit is a direct replacement for all OEM speakers and features Plug & Play OEM fitment. Exclusively available for Jeep Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT, there will be 11 different audio kits to choose from, including a Stage 6, 6 speaker, 800-watt stereo speaker upgrade kit that integrates with the OEM source unit. Exclusively for the Gladiator JT, there is an add-on subwoofer kit that includes 2, 8-inch subwoofers and a 400-watt mono amplifier. The subwoofer enclosure is under the rear passenger seats and will truly make it feel like the concert is happening right there in the back seat. 

MBQJ-SUBA-1 — Dual 8” underseat, 400-watt subwoofer upgrade kit (shown above)

FEATURES INCLUDE:

  • SOURCE UNIT
    Uses OEM source unit
  • SPEAKERS
    0.75″ titanium dome tweeters (dash speaker) / 1″ magnesium dome tweeters (rear speaker)
  • AMPLIFIER
    400-watt high efficiency, Class-D, compact NA2 amplifiers with onboard equalization for total control of sound
  • MOUNT / HARNESS
    Vehicle specific wiring and harness features “no mistakes” Plug & Play OEM style fitment and installation
  • TIME / TOOLS
    Basic hand tools

“The goal isn’t just to create a great sounding audio kit but to do it at price points everyone can afford and with simplicity so anyone can install. I know I love my Jeep, and I want to do as much of the work on it myself; therefore, the audio products were designed for like-minded individuals. If you’re an audio dealer or off-road shop already well versed in dismantling a Jeep, these kits will only make your lives easier!” concluded Sherman.Your Jeep can handle any condition that Mother Nature throws at it, but now you’ll be able to hear everything that your audio has to offer with every epic journey ahead. 

Discover what fitment option will be best for your Jeep.

See complete line details on the MB Quart website at mbquart.com/mobile-audio/vehicle-kits/ and debuting at Jeep Beach 2021. Visit www.jeepbeach.com for more.

CMA Live… The Motorcycle Audio Episode

TORONTO, CANADA (04.21.2021) – Motorcycle enthusiasts love nothing more than to be seen and heard and its all about enhancing the riding experience.

On this Episode 4 of CMA LIVE Season 2, tonight Wednesday April 21st presented by SiriusXM, host Ben Woo welcomes some of the biggest motorcycle audio manufacturers as they showcase their new products for the coming season.

Discover some of the latest products on the market today such as direct-fit speakers, amplifier options, integration accessories and much more! Experts this week include Eric Russell of Rockford Fosgate, Joe Gross of KICKER USA, Fred Lynch of ARC AUDIO, Justin Bond of FOCAL and Tim Shell of METRA Electronics.

Tune in tonight Wednesday, April 21st @ 8pm ET.

https://canadianmobileaudio.com/cma-live-the-motorcycle-audio-episode/

Eton Car Audio Awarded ‘Product of Year Award’

LAS VEGAS, NV (04.20.2021) – Eton Car Audio has announced they have recently been awarded another ‘Product of the Year’ from the leading audio publication Car & Hifi.  This very prestigious award comes on heels of recent similar awards, from both the EISA and other 12V magazines, for their ‘CORE’ speaker systems and unique, Stealth 7.1 DSP system amplifier. 

The new ONYX series is comprised of three, component drivers, all featuring advanced, neo motor home driver technologies, developed for the CORE series of’ systems. These include the ONYX 16, a 165 mm driver, featuring custom-tooled, vented, cast frame and powerful, 32 mm neo motor, from CORE 16, technology not found on drivers at similar prices.

The companion ONYX 80 neo midrange, is an evolved version of super-premium CORE 80mm (3.2”) mid, but uses a composite cone (compared to exotic CORE Magnesium sandwich cone), and features low-profile (1.6” depth), flow-optimized cast Aluminum frame, ideal for typical dash and upper-door drop-in, factory 3-way, cutout locations. These include the popular Dodge Ram and Jeep dash applications, among others.

Similarly, the ONYX 28 is a large, 28 mm, reverse-damped silk dome tweeter, offering extremely low resonant frequency, in unique, CNC machined alloy housing (both flush and surface mounts), with unique rear isolation chamber, and features Eton’s patented ‘RCSF technology, to deliver amazing sound quality, without having to spend a fortune.

Eton has been recognized as one of the premier, Hi-Fi driver manufacturers for over 30 years and has received numerous stellar reviews from leading European hi-fi magazines for many years.

The ONYX component driver series complements both their array of ‘World- Class Component speaker systems and their superb ‘Upgrade’ OEM systems and Coaxial systems, for BMW, Mini. Rover, VW and Mercedes Neo motor, ‘FrontBass’ platforms, all of which are designed, engineered and manufactured in their State-of-the-Art factory Neu Ulm Germany.

Eton is now shipping products from three (3), strategically located, US regional warehouses, to provide upscale 12V Retailers ideal ‘JIT’ delivery to the majority of domestic major markets.

Retailers who plan on attending K-Fest Orlando and or who are interested in simply learning more about this exciting opportunity to profit from this unique brand, are invited to visit Eton-gmbh.com, or contact AMG at (702) 829-4155, or an send email to Eton AMG at; Matt@Audiomobile.net for additional information.

Light Trucks and CUVs Secure Prominence in the Shifting Vehicle Landscape

DIAMOND CAR, CA (04.20.2021) – Sales of light trucks continue to skyrocket and are expected to reach more than 82% of all new light vehicles purchased by 2028, according to a new 92-page market research report from the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).

SEMA’s new “2021 Vehicle Landscape Report” provides a comprehensive overview of vehicle sales and industry opportunities that will help business owners make informed decisions.

The new “2021 Vehicle Landscape Report” from SEMA Market Research provides a comprehensive overview of vehicle sales and opportunities for the aftermarket. Designed to help SEMA members make informed business decisions, the report is filled with data on driving metrics, detailed analyses of different vehicle segments, and forecasts for future sales by powertrain and segment.

“There are over 281 million passenger vehicles on the road in the United States; that’s a lot of opportunity to install aftermarket parts,” said SEMA Director of Market Research Gavin Knapp. “The newest SEMA Market Research report includes data to help businesses understand the current vehicle climate, where it’s going, and where the greatest opportunities are across different vehicle segments.”

Key findings from the report include:

  • The U.S. vehicle landscape is shifting away from passenger cars to light trucks. By 2028, light trucks are expected to make up 82% of all new light vehicles sold (up from 53% in 2014)
  • The growth in light truck sales is driven primarily by the popularity and growth of CUVs; by 2028 CUVs are expected to make up about half of all new light vehicles sold
  • Even with the shift in sales, passenger cars aren’t going away; There are still 114.8 million passenger cars in operation and it will take a while for these vehicles to cycle out of operation
  • Electric vehicles are expected to make up 7% of new light vehicle sales by 2025
  • New vehicle sales dipped in 2020, but are expected to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels within the next 2-3 years

To learn more about the current vehicle landscape and what trends are on the horizon, download the “2021 Vehicle Landscape Report” for free today at www.sema.org/market-research.

PowerBass Releases New Digital Media Receiver for the Water or Trails

ONTARIO, CA (04.19.2021) – Take control of your sound while enjoying the summer on the water or riding the trails with our new MC-100 Digital Media Receiver.

The MC100 is designed to fit in the same space as your vessel’s tachometer to integrate clean and easy into your control center while giving you the power to control your sound with large easy to push illuminated buttons.

Connection to your music library is simple with the built in Bluetooth mode, AUX or USB inputs, and for users that want to hear their favorite AM / FM Station use the built in tuner that also keeps you safe on the water with preset Weather Band stations.

Built to Marine Grade specs the sealed face panel and 2.75” LCD screen allows you to control not only your music but also the sound with preset equalization and tone control while providing 25W x 4 RMS from its built in amplifier to run your cabin or lower deck speaker system. With PowerBass Extreme Marine and Powersports products the sound track for your adventures comes alive.

Features:

  • Bluetooth, Aux & USB Inputs
  • AM/FM & Weather Band
  • RDS Compatible
  • RCA Output
  • 4 BAND Equalizer
  • 2 3/4″ LCD Screen
  • 20W RMS x 4
  • Marine Rated Water Tight Face
  • Fits Standard Tachometer Opening

Visit powerbassusa.com for more.

Bryce Hinton Joins the Southwest Sales and Marketing Team

FT. WORTH, TX (04.16.2021) – Southwest Sales and Marketing, a manufacturers representative firm for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri is proud to announce the addition of Bryce Hinton to the company’s sales force. Hinton comes from an installation background and is well regarded in the car audio industry. Hinton has worked in technician and management roles for Best Buy and Car Toys. Most recently he owned and operated his own custom stereo shop as a Top 50 installer.

Scott Ringo welcomes Bryce Hinton (R) to the Southwest Sales and Marketing team. They are pictured outside of the rep firm’s offices in Fort Worth, TX.

“I felt it was time for me to take the next step in my 12volt career and to make an even greater positive impact on our industry.” Hinton stated, “Once I made the decision, there was no better fit than Southwest Sales. I have worked with many of the vendors that they represent, so hopefully it will be a short learning curve.”

Southwest Sales’ Scott Ringo added, “We are very fortunate add a new member to our team with Bryce’s talent in 12volt.”

Hinton will be managing the sales for the states of Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Bryce can be reached at 817-983-6998.

Southwest Sales currently represents Epsilon, Maxxsonics, HKI, Audiofrog, Beyma America, and Soundskins. Contact Phone number is 214-212-9049.

Visit swsalesmarketing.com for more.