June 2018
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Tech Today shows how water & elements impact your install technique
PLUS: Remote Start Season: Good for Most New Start: Muntz Passes the Torch Industry Awards: What it takes to Win
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Volume 36 // Issue 6
Ad Index
14 FEATURED STORIES 14// What’s Happening: The DSP Trend and How it’s Changing the Industry, Part 1 Industry experts, including Andy Wehmeyer of Audiofrog and Rob Wempe of elettromedia, share their experiences with DSP and discuss how the industry has struggled with adapting, and how they might improve for the future.
30// Real World Retail: Driven Mobile Electronics Chris McNulty of Driven learned that if one person takes on too much, it’s a recipe for burnout. Now, the company has a dedicated staff and strives to create a self-sustaining business model that relies on solid policies and procedures.
Accele Electronics...................................... p. 2 & 3 Audison ..................................................................p. 28 Firstech: Compustar........................................p. 59 Harman: JBL............................................................p.11 InstallerNet.......................................................... p. 45 Kenwood ..................................................................p. 7 Kicker..........................................................................p. 9 MEA: CE Week....................................................p. 27 MEA: Knowledge Fest ................................... p. 47 Orca: Mosconi.......................................................p. 13 Race Sport.............................................................p. 18 Rockford Fosgate ............................................... p. 5 Scosche ................................................................. p.29 SiriusXM...................................................................p.12 Sony .........................................................................p.23 VAIS Technology..................................................p.19 Voxx Electronics............................................... p. 60
Contents
38// The Support Team: Orca Design and Manufacturing Two shop owners turned tech support gurus give Orca Design & Manufacturing timely attention and personalized service for dealers, installers and consumers.
42// Strategy & Tactics, Peer Series:The Business of Stereo The principal trainer for Educar Training, Ken Ward, takes a closer look at the differences between car stereo and audio, and how mobile electronics businesses can become more confident in their tuning abilities to make more money.
48// Tech Today: Summer Fun: Marine Audio Installations David MacKinnon discusses how shops can get involved in marine audio installations, touching on topics such as mounting locations, weight distribution and proper marine-grade wiring. On the Cover
COVER DESIGN: ANA RAMIREZ
Marine audio installation can prove to be profitable during the summer months if a shop is located near water. However, there are a number of factors to consider when installing marine equipment. In this issue, David MacKinnon shares tips and strategies for shops that are considering getting started in this category.
4 Mobile Electronics June 2018
54 6 Editor’s Forum 8 Feedback 10 Statistic 12 Helpful Stuff 14 What’s Happening
20 Retail News/ Who’s Who 24 Hot Sellers 30 Real World Retail
38 The Support Team 42 Strategy and Tactics 48 Tech Today 54 Installs 58 From the President
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facebook.com/MobileElectronics 5
editor’s forum
The Trip to the Top Change marks the 2018 Industry Awards race, but knowing your own change will get you to the finish line. Unless you live under a rock (or you’ve been stuck under a dash for the past month), you probably have heard that it’s awards season. The
that that reap these benefits. There are more changes. Nominations for the Vendor and Retail
Mobile Electronics 2018 Industry Awards will once again celebrate the careers and accomplishments of select companies, stores and individuals. It’s a twofold award. Of course, it recognizes our industry’s best. But possibly more important, it puts the spotlight on people, practices and policies that other industry professionals can look to and try to emulate for better career or business performance. As it has every year, the awards have changed to a degree for 2018. There are always two drivers for this. First is the world around us (and by ‘us’ I mean the industry), with outside-the-vehicle innovations still wanting to be enjoyed on the larger stage of the car audio system, or safely accessed through the carefully thought-out ergonomics of the factory control interface. And second is the resulting emergence of new tools, processes and expertise to make the magic happen. A good example: in response to sales professionals having a more significant, dedicated role in the retail transaction, we started the Salesperson of the Year awards last year, although with a simple process of self-nomination and top-vote-getter-wins-it. This year, the award has “matured” to now require nomination videos to create a pool of the first-ever Top 20 Sales Professionals. The industry will vote to narrow the list to the Top 5 Sales Professionals, and these five will submit additional videos—just like the Top 12 Retailers and Top 12 Installers—to be judged by our editors and our expert panel to determine the winner. The same goes for Trusted Tech, an award intended to recognize non-fabricators who are the glue that holds their shops together, as well as frequently-called-upon experts within the installation community. A Top 5 Techs award will be to the highest vote-getters, and these finalists will compete via video submission for the final award. Similarly, reps and rep firms have become true resources for education, advice and instruction throughout the year for retail owners. And that emerging role deserves a higher level of recognition to single out those who invest their time and expertise to help their retail clients prosper. So reps will also submit videos and after voting, a select few will be given “Top 5” awards en route to announcing the winner. In light of the difficulty in finding qualified applicants, a strong store culture results in longer-term, better-trained, more fulfilled staff members, which in turn produced a better-performing business. “Best Store Culture is a new Retail Performance award that recognizes the stores
Performance categories were started earlier to give these categories a spotlight prior to the overwhelming attention paid to the traditional Top 50 and Top 12. Consumer voting was phased out of industry voting and into its own “Customer’s Choice” award, to still allow customers to be part of the process while preserving the integrity of the industry award. And the Vendor award categories were changed to reflect the companies that have put marketing muscle and development behind hot categories like marine, off-road and safety products. They also recognize the growing separation of “everything audio” into source technology and sound technology, with separate categories for each. I think that’s the way it should be. The awards of an industry should be dynamically molded based on the industry today, rather than a set of rules that remain stagnant under the auspices of tradition. For those of you who make the Top 12, you can also expect to see an updated requirements sheet for your submission video, as well
“Focus on what’s new: what you’ve learned, how you’ve responded to change, and the new opportunities you’ve reached for. Let your submissions tell a story of mistakes and growth rather than an ideal, unrealistic experience.”
6 Mobile Electronics June 2018
as a revamped questionnaire. I’ve tasked several past winners and respected industry volunteers to update the criteria and judging sheets to reflect the knowledge, tools and insights that should be part of a modern retail experience and install environment. And of course, there will be a brand new criterion for sales professionals. You can find all the new changes as well as award updates at meindustryawards.com. My advice during the process? Focus on what’s new: what you’ve learned, how you’ve responded to change, and the new opportunities you’ve reached for. Let your submissions tell a story of mistakes and growth rather than an ideal,
unrealistic experience. At the finalist level, everybody is world class. Those who show a better grasp of their businesses and careers—as well as insight on what’s next—will be the ones on stage in August.
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feedback
STRIVE TO PROVIDE THE BEST EXPERIENCE
ADVERTISING SALES Kerry Moyer 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com
EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Creative Layout and Design: Ana Ramirez Contributing Editors: Jamie Sorcher, Joey Knapp, Laura Kemmerer and Rosa Sophia.
Published by TM
mobile electronics association
When businesses invest in customer experience, they’ll provide better advertisement than paid ads ever could, according to Kimberly Trainer. Spencer Richardson advised shops to worry about income last—care for staff and customers first, and the money will follow. “I’ve learned from years of experience not to get into a price war with customers or other shops in the area. We are not the cheapest; that’s why we’ve been in business for over 23 years. Also, [we give] the customer knowledge that different places charge different amounts because they use different product and may not have the proper essentials to install product. [We explain] to a customer they do not have to sacrifice [a] $120 key so they can have a remote start.” Nathan Hoholek, Mobile Specialties LLC, Hammond, Ind. “My best advice is to worry about money last. If you’ve got a solid business plan and take care of your staff and your customers, the money will come.” Spencer Richardson, Distinctive Ride, Wasilla, Alaska ““Being in business since 1995 has taught me to constantly be willing to adapt and change. Don’t take failure as an ‘end all’ scenario. Smaller shops can easily survive (and thrive) in any economy; just provide a service that your clients can’t live without. You’ll never have to wonder where the next job will come from.” Scott McKinley, Sounds & Visions, Altoona, WI “Invest in your customer’s experience, giving them the best treatment every time. They will be better advertisement than anything you could ever pay for.” Kimberly Trainer, Car-Tunes Inc., Greenville, Miss.
8 Mobile Electronics June 2018
Chris Cook, President 978.645.6434 • chrisc@mobile-electronics.com Kerry Moyer, VP Strategic Partnerships 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com Solomon Daniels, Dir. Media and Communications 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
Richard Basler, Dir. Technology Solutions 978.645.6449 • richb@mobile-electronics.com
K
Tony Frangiosa, Chairman of the Board, MEA 1) Title of publication: Mobile Electronics. 2) Publication No.: 957-170 6. (ISSN# 1523-763X) 3) Copyright © 2017 by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Oct. 1, 2017. 5) Frequency of issue: Monthly. 6) No. of issues published annually: 12 7) Annual subscription price: $35.00. 8) Periodical postage paid at Lawrence MA and additional mailing offices. 9) Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 10) Complete mailing address of the headquarters or general business offices of the publisher: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 11) Full names and complete mailing address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher: Chris Cook, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845; Editor/Managing Editor: Solomon Daniels/Ted Goslin, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845 12) Owner: MERA, Mobile Electronics Retailers Association, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 13) Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 14) Tax Status: Not applicable. 15) Name of Publication: Mobile Electronics. 16) Issue date for circulation data below: October 2017. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 10,237 Single Issue; 12,826. b) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6,039, Single Issue: 7,346. c) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 435, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 6039. Single issue: 6024. e) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 3,860 Single issue: 4,973. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail; Average: 267. Single issue: 750. g) Total non-requested distribution; Average 3860, Single issue: 4,973. h) Total distribution; Average: 9,899. Single issue: 12,319. i) Copies not distributed; h1) Office use, leftovers; Average: 338. Single Issue; 507 j) Total; Average: 10,237. Single issue; 12,826 Percent paid and/or requested circulation; Average: 61.01%. Single issue 59.63%. 17) POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Mobile Electronics, 85 Flagship Drive Suite F, North Andover MA 01845-9998
©2018 STILLWATER DESIGNS Fiat is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.
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stats
DID REMOTE START SEASON HEAT UP OR COOL PROFITS? 40 35 30
RETAILERS SAID:
25 20 15 10 5 0
Somewhat Better
better
About the same
Somewhat Worse
Worse
“We had 50-degree weather until Christmas and overall a very mild winter for South Dakota.”
Very Earlier than expected
Later than expected
N/A
Very
So-So
“We started using T-harnesses and enjoyed our most profitable year to date.”
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
10 Mobile Electronics June 2018
“The company recently lowered its prices nationwide. We sold and installed way more remote starters but made the same amount of money.” “Lack of installers. I could not get them done fast enough. Lost sales due to scheduling out too far.”
On time
0 Installation Product Sales Bad Product Staff Access Staff Weather Features
“In the last two years, we have seen a 20 percent or more decrease in remote start volume. We believe the decline is due to factory remote starts becoming standard in most popular vehicles and telematics being available with just about every manufacturer.”
Good Weather
Training
Store Condition
Vendor / Rep Support
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105DB • WATERPROOF • WIRELESS REMOTE CAMERA MOUNT • BLUETOOTH • MAPLIGHT facebook.com/MobileElectronics 11
helpful stuff Book: The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World’s Most Successful People Launched Their Careers
Sites To See:
BY JONATHAN RAUCH
Most college freshman take their finals, get a summer job, and enjoy some downtime before fall. Not Alex Banayan. He “hacked” The Price Is Right (researched the casting producer’s name and took advice from an audience member), won a sailboat and sold it to fund his quest—to interview the world’s most successful people and write a tell-all book. What they have in common, he reports, is they all took the Third Door. Like in a nightclub, he said, there are three ways in. The First Door is the main entrance where 99 percent of people wait in line. The Second Door is the VIP entrance. There is one more door where Banayan says you “have to jump out of line, run down the alley, bang on the door a hundred times, crack open the window, sneak through the kitchen” for entrance. An entertaining read, it is a testament to always finding a way. Banayan has been named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list and Business Insider’s “Most Powerful People Under 30.”
MUSIC
SPORTS
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee During a recent road trip to Montauk, my husband and I caught an episode of this show from December 2014 that happened to be shot in the area we were staying. Jerry Seinfeld takes a top comedian for a caffeine-fueled adventure that features one of his vintage cars, quirky conversation, and of course, coffee. The episode we watched has Jimmy Fallon as the guest—and it actually inspired us to eat at John’s Pancake House where the two of them sat down for coffee. Having moved to Netflix for season 10, the show will have 24 new episodes available to stream. Past guests include Ricky Gervais, Michael Richards, Alec Baldwin and Sarah Jessica Parker. The cars have been everything from a 1958 Porsche Speedster to a 1963 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. Eye (car) candy and plenty of laughs, for sure!
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12 Mobile Electronics June 2018
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On any trip, there may be times when you don’t take your car and you walk instead. With Sidekix, touted as Waze for walkers, you’re able to see highly rated places around you courtesy of curated listings by local bloggers. This navigation and urban discovery app offers walking routes based on interest. You can personalize by saving your routes or sharing with friends and colleagues so they can “follow in your footsteps.”
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Founded in 1993 by Gordon Logan, the national Sport Clips chain (with more than 1,700 locations) was designed to cater to men and boys who need a quick hassle-free hair cut. Featuring a sportsthemed environment, there are TVs everywhere with all the important games on along with stylists who can give you the haircut you want and need. No appointments are necessary. Walk-ins are welcome. Perfect for those days when you’re not sure what time you’ll be out of work and don’t want to be locked into any schedule.
facebook.com/MobileElectronics 13
what’s happening
In part one of this two-part installment, industry experts— including Andy Wehmeyer of Audiofrog and Rob Wempe of elettromedia—share their experiences with DSP and discuss how the industry has struggled with adapting, and how they might improve for the future. WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
If store owners are uncertain where to begin when it comes to DSP, they should first examine their business and decide how they are going to use it for their own purposes. According to Andy Wehmeyer of Audiofrog, DSPs are becoming very accessible now, with models available under $200. “Everyone can afford to stock these products whether they know how to use them or not,” he said.
14 Mobile Electronics June 2018
But how does a business know where to begin with DSP, and how can technicians begin to educate themselves and problem-solve to integrate audio signals before they are passed to the factory amplifier? Wehmeyer recalled his first experience with DSP in 1992. “That DSP system was designed to make it easier and to help us do a better job of optimizing the acoustic performance in the car after installing speakers,” he said. “That was the beginning of our ability to delay a
signal from a speaker that is closer to us so it arrives at the same time as one farther away.” Such an advancement made it possible for the car to have a good center image, Wehmeyer explained. “That system in ’92 included a head unit and you had to install the whole system to have the DSP,” he added. “Once DSP was included in factory audio systems, then they were using the same tools we were using. At the beginning, the DSP was included in the factory amp but the
The DSP Trend And How It’s Changing the Industry
audio signal that went from the radio to the factory amp was an analog signal. It was easy for us to grab that analog signal before the factory amp and then we were almost back to what we were familiar with—a pair of wires to which we could connect in order to install an EQ, crossover, DSP or an amp.” Some confusion remained, however, Wehmeyer added, because installers were accustomed to having an RCA plug. Now they had a pair of wires that resembled a speaker output, and “this meant we needed to learn how to identify signal types to determine if a line output convertor was necessary.”
Experts agree installers need certain tools in order to work with DSP. An RTA, oscilloscope and some computer programs are used to tune any DSP at Mobile Toys in College Station, Texas.
Falling Short of the Ideal: The Disconnect Between the Industry and the Client As the industry continues to make strides in integration, there are still difficulties when it comes to educating customers, salespeople and installers. Wehmeyer explained one of the most common integration issues that often causes difficulties when it comes to meeting customers’ expectations. “Not all recordings are the same. Some sound much louder than others. When we set the input sensitivity of an amplifier, we often include a little extra gain,” he said, adding this makes it possible for quieter recordings to sound louder. “We actually want the amplifier to clip a little bit. Factory installed systems are set up the same way. With the volume control all the way up, the amplifier clips a little. When we disconnect the speaker from the factory amp and connect it to the input of the new DSP or amplifier, we are able to send a slightly distorted signal to the input of our new gear.” This often causes confusion for customers. Wehmeyer said this is because they’re accustomed to turning the volume all the way up before they hear distortion. “With the new aftermarket system, that distortion often appears in the signal long before the volume control is at it’s maximum setting. It’s
common to hear customers complain, ‘It was much louder before.’” Eighteen watts on factory speakers wasn’t louder than 700 watts on new speakers, Wehmeyer added, but the customer isn’t comparing acoustic output before and after the upgrade. “He’s just used to being able to turn the volume all the way up.” To help prevent this issue, it should be explained at the beginning of the sale that when it’s completed, the system will play louder at the ¾ setting than it does when it’s all the way up, according to Wehmeyer. It’s harder to
explain this after the fact. “This is a 25-year-old problem we can’t fix in the installation bay if we have to use the outputs of the factory amplifier. We can’t eliminate that distortion because we have no way to adjust the input sensitivity in the factory amplifier,” Wehmeyer explained. “Our only hope is to explain to the customer how to use the new system and have the customer accept that explanation. That requires the customer has some understanding of how audio products work or to at least believe what we say.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics
15
what’s happening DSP is Required Because of the Need to Reconstruct Audio Signals In a modern factory system that includes a DSP amplifier, the stereo signal from the factory amplifier has to be reconstructed, Wehmeyer said, and this is what makes DSP a requirement if great performance is to be expected. “There are now some new products designed to intercept the digital audio signal and the other control signals that are passed from the head unit to the factory amplifier, but those aren’t available for every car make and model. Sometimes we have to integrate after the factory amp in those cases, and we really need a DSP that includes signal summing and the ability to counteract the equalization in the factory amp.” Christerfer Pate of Mobile Toys in College Station, Texas, agreed and expanded upon this concept. “More and more cars have become totally integrated. You can’t really slip out the radio and start over,” he said. “You have to have it, with everything that is going on now with integrated systems and digital data bus. You just can’t replace a radio in a car anymore. DSP is a necessity. It is not an accessory or an add-on. If you’re going to be upgrading stereo systems in a vehicle, it is a necessity.” It used to be possible to get around DSP by replacing the head unit, said Rob Wempe, Vice President of elettromedia USA. Technicians are no longer able to do this. “The only access is through DSP,” or through some products provided by PAC, Metra or others. “A lot of people have basically a DEQ system, which takes the EQ out and makes it flat. DSP allows you to equalize it after you make it flat,” Wempe said, adding that dealers are being forced into adapting, one way or another. No matter what make or model, every car is an ideal target for DSP. “If you’re going to keep the factory radio and you want a good sound system, you need DSP.” Pate prefers Mosconi products because of the number of units available with good features. “I work with what’s easier to work with. It doesn’t fail and sounds the best. In our application,
16 Mobile Electronics June 2018
Setting up a Mosconi 8-12 Aerospace processor in a 2018 GMC Denali Truck. DSP is a necessity when it comes to upgrading the stereo system in a vehicle.
Mosconi has the best feature set for the dollar,” Pate said. “They never come back, and we don’t have warranty issues. They have six different [processors] you can use for the right application. We sell all six models in our stores.”
DSP is a “Toolbox” With a Variety of Applications Christerfer Pate, who was also 2017 Installer of the Year, stated that the digital signal processor is anything that allows you to process the audio signal. “Changing crossover points, equalization, time alignment—anything that allows you to physically alter the audio signal before it goes to an amplifier,”
he explained. “In some cases, you have amps that have it built in, but the DSP is still in the front end of it. That’s what you call a DSP.” Audiofrog does not have DSP products yet, but Wehmeyer stated that they’re working on it. “A DSP is a toolbox for an installer,” he said. With the right tools, business owners and technicians can accomplish their goals—but they have to know what their goals are first. In other words, how will their business utilize the DSP toolbox? It begins with education and training. According to Wempe, most vendors have few DSP engineers on staff. Elettromedia, on the other hand,
The DSP Trend And How It’s Changing the Industry
does. “We design and build all our own DSP product in Italy,” he said. “DSP is something we’ve been doing for over a decade.” Training people how to use DSP requires knowing how to use a computer and keeping both the computer and product properly updated, he added. “When you have a smartphone, it always needs to be updated. This product is no different. Wempe has seen technicians swap a product, thinking it’s defective. “They just don’t have the right update,” he said. Elettromedia handles in-person trainings both at their facility and at KnowledgeFest. Pate carries out specific procedures when working with any DSP. “We’re using an RTA, oscilloscope, and a couple computer programs to tune any DSP we install. That’s the first thing we’ll do,” he said. “You have to have those things to tune a DSP. How we tune it, we sit down and we take a listen. It takes time and measurements.” Another available tool is the Audison bit Tune. Wempe agreed that any system will need to be tuned using an RTA, scope and tools found in any install bay. “What we’ve got is called a bit Tune,” Wempe said of elettromedia, whose top brands include Audison. “A bit Tune has all those pieces built into one so that after you basically DEQ the piece and put our DSP processor in place, you can tune it with our bit Tune. It has all the tools. These tools would be two to three thousand. We sell the bit tune for $1,100.99. It does everything automatically.” Learning to use a tool properly is a big part of growing as a technician, Wehmeyer added. Many installers have difficulty adapting to these new applications because they’re craftsmen. They enjoy making stuff, Wehmeyer said, and there’s nothing wrong with that. “I was a tech, too, and I liked to make stuff, but the job of making an enclosure on a table saw is very different than sitting in front of a computer and looking at signals to find out what they do.” For a store to be successful in the future, it needs great craftsmen, along with advanced audio technicians
Tools available for technicians include the Audison bit Tune, the Audiofrog UMI-1 Microphone Kit and others. Techs will need to understand math and electronic fundamentals in order to work with DSP,
and tools as well, Wehmeyer explained. Audiofrog provides tools for technicians which come with detailed information and instructions to make everything easier. One such tool is the Audiofrog UMI-1 Microphone Kit. More kits are on the way. During trainings, Wehmeyer added, it’s easy to see who is following the discussion and who isn’t. “I’m really encouraged by the sheer
number of people who travel to attend trainings and the growing membership in various online groups that provide advanced tech information. Passion and desire aren’t going to be enough to guarantee success, though. Techs need to understand math and electronic fundamentals. Shop owners and consumers are going to have to pay for this expertise.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics
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what’s happening
There are a number of DSPs available to choose from, each with their own set of features and price points. Deciding which one to use depends on what the customer is looking for..
Problem Solving: Learning Ways to Integrate Audio Signals Wehmeyer added that new devices which allow technicians to integrate with the signal before it’s modified by a factory-installed DSP will certainly be a big help. However, “they aren’t going to eliminate the need for real expertise. Things aren’t going to get easier, but they can get a lot better.”
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Some vehicles have specific issues to overcome, according to Pate. “Some have filters in them and it’s harder to see the issues. You have to really analyze your RTA curve. Some have phase issues built into the factory system. There are a ton of issues that can be inherently hidden, especially in factory,” he said. “You have to be really careful.”
For example, newer models of the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban use an allpass filter to create a center image for the passenger and driver side, Pate explained. “There are tons of other import cars that do that.” This creates a phase shift at a specific frequency to allow it to shift the image at that point, Pate said, adding, “It’s a really neat feature. We’ve used it in cars, but the OEM manufacturers are doing it more and more often on factory systems. It’s a clever way to create a center image from both sides of the car. You have to think harder and realize what you’re working on.” Another remedy to dealing with these difficulties, Wehmeyer said, is properly training salespeople and installers in audio fundamentals. “There’s so much hogwash in the industry that’s designed just to sell stuff that it’s really difficult for a beginning installer or even an experienced one to sort out what’s true and what isn’t true, what works and
The DSP Trend And How It’s Changing the Industry
Rob Wempe, Vice President of elettromedia USA.
what doesn’t work.” Wehmeyer named a few companies that are working on better integration devices that will make things easier, including “NAV-TV, ADS, PAC and Metra. [These products are] designed to provide a traditional audio signal we can work with more easily. Those devices are really useful.” Wehmeyer added that such products eliminate the problems that customers have with not being able to turn the
volume up to a desired level, as well as making it possible for installers to continue doing their job. There will be those who won’t want to adapt, though, according to Wehmeyer. “The longer someone has been successful in doing things the old way, the more resistant they often are to doing something new. New audio technology is similar,” he said, adding that “we still have people who insist that the old analog stuff sounds better.” People may be resistant to learning new things for a number of reasons. “If you’ve been making money and have a formula, then throwing in something new is risky and requires an adjustment. That adjustment may mean the difference between being in business and being in a different business altogether.” Wehmeyer’s career began as an installer in Texas. In the late eighties and early nineties, car audio was booming, he added, and there weren’t enough
salespeople. “Every store was busy. Inventory was a license to print money. I remember the day we saw our first Ford Taurus with the football-shaped radio. We were used to taking out radios and installing new ones that fit easily,” Wehmeyer said. “The guy I worked for went out to the parking lot, looked at it and came back in, shaking his head. That was the day he decided he was going to get out of the business. Two years later, there was a dash kit [for the Ford Taurus]. We adapted. People made new tools and we learned how to use them. Of course, that’s going to continue.” Wempe said there isn’t as much resistance to DSP anymore, but at first, training involved one small step at a time. “If you were an Audison dealer 10 years ago, you were far ahead of everyone else,” he said, adding that if technicians and business owners can’t or aren’t willing to adapt, “they probably aren’t going to last in this industry.”
facebook.com/MobileElectronics
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retail news WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER
Mobile Specialties LLC Expands Inventory With Viper 4806 Remote Start To stay competitive, changing inventory is sometimes necessary. For Hammond, Indiana-based Mobile Specialties LLC, this meant adding the Viper 4806 remote start system to the lineup. “The 4806 has the best range out of all the remote starters we’ve previously sold,” said shop owner Nathan Hoholek. “It gives you the two-way communication; it gives you confirmation the vehicle’s running; and it gives you maximum range— you could be up to a mile away.” Another appealing feature of the Viper 4806 is the fact that the remote is rechargeable. “You can simply plug it in. If you’ve got an Android charger for your phone, that’ll plug in. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to charge, and that charge will last about two to three months.” Hoholek added that the shop has sold more of this option this year than they ever have before. “Having that rechargeable two-way option has been very beneficial for us.”
80-Year-Old Muntz Audio & Video Bought By Employee Sometimes businesses last so long that they change hands, very often from family to an outside buyer. Sometimes, the outside buyer is effectively family. Jeremy Czech recently acquired Muntz Audio & Video, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The shop was originally opened in 1938. Czech himself has been in the mobile electronics industry since 1999, and started working for Muntz in 2001. “The reason I took over the business was because I love it so much,” Czech said. “The owners were reaching retirement age, and we needed to stay going, so we decided to take over as the owners so we can keep this thing rolling.” The previous owner still works in the shop, and Czech’s wife, Autumn Czech, takes care of the books. The shop is also facing its 80th anniversary, so Czech and his wife are looking at ways to celebrate both taking over the business and this significant anniversary. But taking over a business this old comes with its own unique set of challenges. Czech noted that the most unique challenges were upholding the shop’s reputation and what the owner had in mind. But their focus must remain on the future. “On the positive side, the work comes in as planned, like the way it did last year and the year before that,” Czech said. To prepare for the future, the shop is being remodeled.
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Mobile Tech Training Keeping up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies is imperative for the success of any business. Mobile Tech Training in Hackensack, New Jersey, offers a number of training courses for industry professionals, and has also added a more unique course offering—advance automotive upholstery. “One of the main reasons we expanded into automotive upholstery was basically a lot of our students, who took the mobile electronics installation and fabrication course, were demanding that they wanted to learn upholstery,” said Karina Marroquin, head of student services. “Most of the automotive upholstery schools are located on the West Coast. […] We also found that a lot of shops were offering automotive upholstery, but they couldn’t hire someone because there was a need for qualified upholsterers.” Marroquin also noted that the class is expanding into seats, door panels, convertible tops and carpeting, among others. The school has been in business since 2001, and offers training in, but not limited to: window-tinting, vinyl wrapping, remote starts and security. The school is accredited nationwide with the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, and is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to offer Federal Financial Aid to those who qualify. The school has also been approved by the U.S. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
Luxury Details Inc.
Upgrades Customer’s Vehicles With Radar Laser Protection
Sometimes a specific brand of work comes in groups, and for Southborough, Massachusetts-based Luxury Details Inc., this took the shape of a customer looking to add radar laser protection to a number of their vehicles. Overall, the shop installed radar laser protection on four vehicles: a Porsche Panamera Turbo, a Range Rover Sport, and a Cadillac Escalade, which belonged to one customer. The same customer chose to also cover
a Ford F-250 belonging to someone who took care of his property. “He decided he wanted to do full systems on all the cars, except the F-250,” said Luxury Details Inc. president Matt Kouyoumjian. “Each one got front and rear radar systems and front-end laser jammers. On the Porsche, we integrated the display into the dash vent on the left.” Kouyoumjian went on to note that the display integrated with the elements
of the Porsche seamlessly. “The colors are the same, and even the font is very identical.” The customer approved of the choice. The shop also recently switched to carrying the Radenso Radar System with the AL Priority Laser Defense Kit. “I find that it integrates together very well as a complete system, versus before, where there was no display to alert you whether it was front system or front radar or rear radar. Obviously, it’d talk to you, but a lot of people like directional arrows, whether it’s front or back.” Installing the system in the Porsche was the more challenging car out of the four, as the design didn’t allow for much wiggle room. In contrast, the F-250 was much easier to work with. “I would also like to give credit to my staff,” said Kouyoumjian in an email. “I made the decision [to] install the display in the factory vent. Our technician Jordan Gessner fabricated the custom bezel to house the display. Mark Newton and Anthony Antico assisted in disassembling the vehicle, installing the radar and laser sensors and having the wires in their final location. I completed the final assembly of the radar display trim and terminated all of the connections under the [driver’s] side for a stealth installation.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics 21
retail news
Who’s Who
Faces in the Industry Joel Gandulla
Solar Pro Tint N Tunes Refocuses Clientele to High-End Products Sometimes the best way to put a damper on a sale is to assume a customer’s budget. For CJ Barnhart, owner of Warrensburg, Missouri-based Solar Pro Tint N Tunes, this is an absolute no-no. Over time, Barnhart has re-geared his shop’s clientele toward higher end products, which connects back to a philosophy of never assuming, and treating customers equally. Barnhart has been selling mobile electronics in the area for 18 years, and according to him, “The big thing I realized was that in the beginning, I was always wrong. I had a predetermination about my clientele and what they wanted to spend.” After pressure from management to try to bring in new products, Barnhart found that when they did not assume what the customer wanted, and by educating themselves on how to make their equipment sound the best it could, their product and selling philosophy shifted somewhat. Rather than focusing on the 18 to 25 male demographic, Barnhart found himself looking toward the customers who would come in saying, “Just do what you would do. I just want it to sound good.” “We’ve done this slowly,” Barnhart said. “We’ve done it on both our 12-volt and our window-tinting sides. We’ve kind of slowly taken those steps to getting our clientele accustomed to spending a little more money on a quality product. I [used to be] obsessed with having something for everybody. […] The thing is, you’ll never, ever be able to.” Paired with re-gearing their clientele, the employees of Solar Pro Tint N Tunes are having more fun working on full builds, rather than prior work that might have been as simple as installing a radio. “We’re not doing any more of the simple, quick, in and out, cookie cutter jobs. We’re doing more of the bigger builds.”
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Immaculate Concepts Auto Sound and Speed Liberty, New York Years of industry experience: 19 Hobbies: Love to wrench on project vehicles.. What You’re Best At: Remote car starters and being a great dad.
Josh Mertzig RPM Speed & Custom Sheboygan, Wisconsin Years of industry experience:26 Hobbies: Drumming, Golden Tee Golf. What you’re best at: Remote start systems, GPS tracking/logbooks and ignition interlocks.
Josh White Car Toys Federal Way, Washington Years of industry experience: 17 Hobbies: Disc golf, hiking, bass guitar. What you’re best at: OEM integration, audio, fabrication, remote starts, troubleshooting.
NOW G! N I P P I SH XAV-AX5000 Bezel-less 7” touchscreen panel gives you a seamless display with simple touchscreen controls, so you can safely focus on driving.
www.sony.com ©2017 Sony Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony and the Sony logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Android Auto workswith devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones. Apple CarPlay and its logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
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hot sellers
EDUCATE + DEMONSTRATE
Currently, some of the hottest products are radar detectors and remote start systems, including brands like Radenso and Viper. Retailers agree that demonstrating and explaining product to customers helps to justify cost.
Wet Sounds Stealth 10 Ultra HD and Stealth 6 Ultra HD Bluetooth Sound Bars, Plug and Play for Small Vehicles, Powersports Submitted by: Joe Cassity, Tunes-N-Tint, Lakeland, Fla. Main Selling Features: “The Wet Sounds S10HD and S6HD are both great solutions for a premium Bluetooth sound bar. They are designed with the applications in mind. Versatile mounting options and rugged design have opened up new options where traditional amplifiers and speakers aren’t ideal. It’s an easy install or OTC piece.” Primary Objection: Price How to Overcome: “At a price considerably higher than some of the entry level audio options available, we have to discuss the product’s design elements, warranty and then of course we simply let them listen for themselves. We invested in a countertop display by Wet Sounds as well to ensure we were able to have an active demo at roadshows and events.”
24 Mobile Electronics June 2018
Viper 4806V 2-Way Remote Start, 1-Mile Range, Rechargeable Remote Submitted by: Nathan Hoholek, Mobile Specialties LLC, Hammond, Ind. Main Selling Features: “Giving the consumer the ability to remote start their car within a one-mile range and have confirmation in the palm of their hand.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “Explain to the customer the difference between a $99 remote start and a $400 remote start. (You get what you pay for.)”
Focal P25FS 10-Inch Flax Cone Shallow Subwoofer Submitted by: Kimberly Trainer, Car-Tunes Inc., Greenville, Miss. Main Selling Features: “The sound quality of this subwoofer is number one, then the warranty seals the deal!” Primary Objection: None. How to Overcome: “We go ahead and get the invoice paid up and begin installation.”
Viper 4115V One-Way Remote Start Submitted by: Anonymous Main Selling Features: “Distance and reliability.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “[Explain] quality and options [available].”
Radenso Radar RC M Radar System Submitted by: Matt Kouyoumjian, Luxury Details Inc., Southborough, Mass. Main Selling Features: “Custom integration of the system to match OEM fit and finish.” Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install. How to Overcome: “By providing a thorough presentation on the integration of the system into the vehicle.”
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hot sellers NAV-TV 650GM GM MOST Audio Integration Submitted by: Josh White, Car Toys, Tacoma, Wash. Main Selling Features: “I always hit it home when I’m able to help a client visualize how their life will be better with the product I’m selling. If they trust me and they see the value, it’s a home run.” Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install. How to Overcome: “I explain the outcomes of using different products and how that relates to what I think they’re looking for. I’ve asked several questions about their lifestyle before making my pitch, so I’m generally confident. My confidence and experience coupled with examples will usually compel the client to make the right choice.”
Kenwood Excelon X801.5 5-Channel Amp Submitted by: Jeff West, Benchmark Audio Inc., Springfield, Ill. Main Selling Features: “Raises performance of entire system with separate adjustability of all speakers for proper system balance.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “Starting with a 5-channel amp is actually less expensive than upgrading in a stage by stage process, and with less installation costs in the long run.”
26 Mobile Electronics June 2018
VOXX FLRSBA Remote Start Submitted by: Jeremy Czech, Muntz Audio Video, Green Bay, Wis. Main Selling Features: “Digital and analog remote start all in one.” Primary Objection: Price How to Overcome: “Explain the compatibility.”
at CE Week in New York City Jacob K. Javits Convention Center | 655 W 34th St, New York, NY | June 20-21
The Connected Car Show at CE Week will bring together large segments of the industry – from retailers, distributors, and entrepreneurs, to powerful media, key influencers, and passionate tech enthusiasts. Don’t miss your opportunity to showcasee your most innovative technology and connect to key decision makers through matchmaking, high quality content, and networking. Listen to a series of thought-provoking panels that will explore the future of automotive technology and outline how autonomous technology will change the driving experience. Featuring SAE’s Connect2Car(tm), dedicated to the future of connected vehicles.
Wednesday, June 20
Thursday, June 21
Session One - Personalization: Upgrading the Connected Car
Session Three - Understanding the Road to Zero Fatalities for the Autonomous Vehicle
Session Two - Connectivity to Support Vehicle Automation
Session Four - The Internet of Connected Vehicles
Conference Partner
Colocated with
Produced by
mobile electronics association
facebook.com/MobileElectronics 27
hot sellers Compustar Pro Series R3 Long Range Remote Start Submitted by: Sean Davis, Tip Top Customs, Morris, Ill. Main Selling Features: “Best value in our lineup. Longest range and warranty of any available single button remote start. Confirmation is always a bonus.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “By showing the value it has over other remote starts. Range, two-way, and warranty.”
www.audison.eu
APBX 10 AS ACTIVE SUBWOOFER BOX
THE OEM BASS INTEGRATOR Elettromedia USA Contact phone: 877-567-3030 www.elettromedia-usa.com
Annuncio ELETTR USA (Usa)_Audison_05-2018.indd 1
28 Mobile Electronics June 2018
APBX 10 AS combines a very compact box with an ultra- efficient 400 W amplifier thanks to HE-LI technology (high efficiency / low impedance), adding the thrill of real bass to your system.
17/05/18 16:59
Kenwood DDX9904S Double-DIN Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, DVD Receiver Submitted by: Anonymous Main Selling Features: “The ability to integrate their smartphone with their audio system.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “[We] explain how this will enhance their driving experience.”
Compustar FT-7200S Basic Remote Start Submitted by: Dave Clews, 12-Volt Dave’s Audio, Pottsville, Pa. Main Selling Features: “Distance of effectiveness compared to factory remote.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “Explain to customer the time it takes to properly install the system, sometimes show the wire harness and all the wires to give customer idea how much work there is.”
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real world RETAIL
30  Mobile Electronics June 2018
Evolving to Thrive
“Folks get worried about letting their secrets out. If I get to the point where the guy down the street is doing the same as I was, I just need to step it up and do better.”- Chris McNulty
When Driven Mobile Electronics first opened, the force behind it was Chris McNulty—who soon learned that if one person takes on too much, it’s a recipe for burnout. Now, the company has a dedicated staff with balanced duties and strives to create a self-sustaining business model that relies on solid policies and procedures. WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
F
or a while, Christopher McNulty was on his own. “It was [just] me for half of the last three years,” he said, adding that Mark Johnson was hired as installation coordinator about six months ago. They already knew each other and had worked together 15 years prior. When Driven first opened in September of 2012, it was McNulty and one other person. “Within three months, we were too busy for it to be a two-man operation. I reached out to another former co-worker of mine who was a salesman, Christian Dold.” After Dold joined him, within about nine months they had outgrown their space, and it took McNulty three to four months to find a new location that was almost twice as big.
Two months prior to the move, the installer who had been working with McNulty quit. It was the middle of remote start season when McNulty and Dold decided to continue together without any other help. “We’ve known each other over 20 years. January and February, in the old space, we did great just the two of us. In March, in the new space, I was the general contractor building out the new space,” McNulty said. “I was the owner, electrician, carpenter, installer—everything. Life got really chaotic.” Dold eventually burned out. “He took a job as a teacher, his dream job, which is what his degree was in, and moved closer to his parents.” It took time to adjust, and now McNulty feels that Driven is moving facebook.com/MobileElectronics 31
real world RETAIL
in the right direction. At their current location, without much signage, roughly 15,000 vehicles drive by daily. Because the business is located in a complex, there isn’t much walking traffic. Currently, Driven has two part-time technicians: Eddy Merino and Oscar Perla. McNulty said he also gets help from a client: Neil Orta. “Nothing changes hands [with Neil]. We help him out when he’s building his own stuff. He helps out pro bono, and we give him access to the facilities.” Orta is an IASCA and MECA competitor, electrician and hobbyist. Soon, they hope to bring in a parttime assistant—someone young who’s looking to learn. “We 100 percent want to bring people up from the bottom and teach them the right way. Getting rid of bad habits is harder.” “You can’t do it all on your own,” McNulty said, adding that when it was just him, a lot of deadlines were missed. Currently, paid staff accrue
32 Mobile Electronics June 2018
more vacation time and MECP certification means a pay raise. Every year, the entire staff attends KnowledgeFest Dallas together. McNulty has drawn inspiration from training facilities including Mobile Solutions and Kingpin University, and as a result, he said, he’s put together as complete a fabrication facility as possible. “We have a router bench with three working routers, an industrial table saw with additional working routers, the CNC—my favorite toy— and we work every day to create as much efficiency as we can from a fabrication perspective.” Driven also works with side-by-sides and vehicles such as the Polaris Slingshot, and McNulty said they’ve learned to do more with custom lighting. While a couple companies sell wheel light kits, he added, they’re expensive. “We sat down and reverse-engineered what they were doing and figured out […] how to make it better,” he
explained. “We jumped on a metal tooling website and found a bender where we can create loops that are perfectly circular in any diameter we need based on the wheel we’re putting in. We can build the piece we need. We just invested in another welder and supplies, so we’re growing in areas we’re unfamiliar with while making sure we still have all the capability on the wood shop side of things.” As the business grows, McNulty has seen a need to put more processes and procedures into writing. After such a difficult time, making everything easier to manage has become the focus.
Streamlining Processes and Recording Videos for Training New Staff Now that personnel is no longer an issue at Driven, things are moving at a quicker pace. “We’re getting vehicles in and out faster than in the past,” McNulty said, adding that he was
Evolving to Thrive
FAST FACTS
NO PLANNING, NO DIRECTION
Driven Mobile Electronics www.drivenmobile.com
LOCATION: Chantilly, Va.
NUMBER OF STORES: 1 ADDRESS: 4116 Walney Road, Unit E, Chantilly, Va. 20151
STORE TYPE: Boutique / Traditional Retail
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 4 KEY STAFF: Christopher McNulty, owner Mark Johnson, installation coordinator Eddy Merino, part-time technician Oscar Perla, part-time technician
spending two to six hours per week on the showroom, which was redone as of late May. “We have a couple more construction projects [going on],” he added. He hopes to have everything completed by the end of June, at which point they’ll upgrade displays as well. “We are looking to get processes and procedures on paper this year. We have a rudimentary employee handbook, but we want that to be the bible.” McNulty wants the employee handbook to cover every situation so they’ll always know how to proceed. “As it’s been me on my own for so long, I have it in my head. I [now] have people around me who are working toward the same goal, [and] if I can’t communicate that with them, they don’t know the direction I’m going,” McNulty said. “We want to break down most of our simple installation tasks— radio install, speaker, amp wiring,
“This past year, we hosted a sound quality competition. We took over the venue for another shop that decided they weren’t able to handle it at the last minute. We opened our doors for the event. Being that we were ill-prepared to run the event, we only had a week of planning time. We didn’t have trophies, plaques, any of that stuff available. It was July of last year. We ended up letting a bunch of folks down. “We had handwritten certificates for the winners. We were supposed to get [commemorative] coins out to those who won, but because we didn’t have the time to put it together, we let them down.There was no planning, forethought and no direction. It is one of those things that came up [at the] last minute. It was Virginia state championships, and they were going to cancel it, and I said if everyone
grounding—whatever it may be, and put together a series of four- to six-minute videos about how our process goes from start to finish.” He hopes these videos will be good training tools for new staff members in the future, and will detail other processes, as well, such as checking vehicles in and out of the bay. He plans to go over things like making speaker plates, sound deadening a door, mounting an amplifier and more. “Any time something is missed, we can say, ‘Watch the video and we’ll talk about it.’ I think the plan is to have them on our YouTube channel,” McNulty said, adding that he feels it’s important to be able to show people “why you’re different and why you’re worth it and why they should trust you to do the work. Folks get worried about letting their secrets out. If I get to the point where the guy down the street is doing the same as I was, I just need to step it up and do better.”
is coming to the DC area, you can use our place. I definitely dropped the ball and I committed to more than I could accomplish within that time frame.” “The biggest thing we committed to doing was the [commemorative] coins. We were going to build them gear on-site, on our CNC, and it was supposed to be different and exciting. We had machine issues and time constraint issues and failed to accomplish that task. “We had offered to host that event far earlier in the year. We reached out and said we would be willing to host the event. If we had said ‘we want to,’ instead of ‘we are willing,’ we would have been more assertive in our desire to host it far earlier in the season. Because we weren’t assertive enough, someone else stepped up, it fell through and we took it up too late to be successful.”
How Driven Uses Facebook as an Installation Log At this time, McNulty said, the staff at Driven are people he’s known within the industry for a long time. Through the processes and procedures manual the business is creating, McNulty hopes to be as consistent as possible from job to job. Another way they hope to do this is by utilizing a Facebook group as an installation log. Driven uses a private Facebook group in which the only members are employees. “When a car comes in, we do a post in the group, and in the text section of the post, we include the client’s name, invoice number, and we photograph the invoice, work order, vehicle, license plate, VIN, the gauge cluster, and mileage. We use that as check in and check out,” McNulty said. What makes the Facebook group so convenient is that it’s time and date stamped, and whoever makes the post is the one who did the work. McNulty said facebook.com/MobileElectronics 33
real world RETAIL
they’re able to do searches easily for a vehicle they’ve worked on. The idea is to make the process as easy as possible. They also photograph wiring, he added, so they can be sure everything was done properly. “It gives us the ability to pull up that client’s information a year later, and have a new tech who’s never seen the vehicle know where to go. You can go through the build photos and show the client how it will look. It gives us a collection of data we can use moving forward.” No sensitive information is included in the post, and Driven continues to stay on top of the recent news when it comes to Facebook’s privacy policies. “It’s a secure, hidden group. When we started playing with this a year ago, it wasn’t a big deal,” McNulty said. He acknowledged Facebook data breaches are a concern. “We probably do 25 to 30 cars a month, and that’s
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it, while I know shops that will do the same amount in a weekend. We don’t have anywhere near as much information out there, but we have looked into it,” he said. “Being in the DC area, we hear about all the congressional hearings. It looks as if Facebook has taken all the right steps to make sure data is not used in a nefarious way. I have talked about it on 12-volt Insider and the Mobile Electronics Syndicate in the past,” McNulty explained. “We’re just getting to the point where we are trying to implement it on each job. It’s something new, and as things move along, we fall back into our old habits because we don’t have it totally formalized. We want the formal process and procedure down so everyone agrees.” McNulty also likes that Johnson can leave notes on a group post for the parttime techs, detailing plans—just in case he leaves for the day before the others
arrive and they don’t get a chance to discuss it. “The next guy can have the game plan in front of him as well,” McNulty said. “The last thing you want is Facebook open all day long while you’re working on a car, but if you’re using it for the right things, it’s helpful.”
Uber as an Advertising Expense For much larger jobs—anything more than a couple thousand—Driven offers clients an Uber back home or wherever they’re headed when they drop off their vehicle. Furthermore, Driven often brings the vehicle back to the client’s location when the project is completed and does the demo onsite. McNulty feels this is important because traffic is often hard to navigate in the DC area, and the extra convenience is something clients enjoy. “My Uber bill monthly is pretty substantial. We itemize it
Evolving to Thrive Driven has a complete fabrication facility and recently remodeled their showroom. McNulty said he draws inspiration from training facilities like Mobile Solutions and Kingpin University.
SONY “Over the last six months, the top sellers were Sony XAVAX100 and AX200. Until those radios became available, we had shied away from being a radio replacement shop. We wanted to do bigger things. We were snobby at that point. Once those units became available and we had clients who went with those, we realized our desire for this nirvana of sound is not necessarily everyone else’s desire. “They are okay with mediocrity with sound performance, but we have been able to give them increased safety with hands-free communication, and added backup cameras. We have increased their capability within the vehicle for $1,000 to $1,500 instead of them having to buy a new vehicle with those features that people require now. “The goal is to make people happy when they leave here. All these technology features […] it changes their life. The Sony
in QuickBooks as an advertising expense.” The business spends around $200 to $300 per month on Uber, according to McNulty. “We looked at doing rental cars,” he said, but the hassle with insurance and deciding who to bill the vehicle to made Uber a much easier approach. “An Uber from here to anywhere within my client base is anywhere from $8 to $25, depending,” McNulty said. “On a $3,000 or $4,000 job, if they can’t find any other way, I’ll get them home or back to the office.” About 2.5 to three percent of total revenue is spent on marketing and advertising overall. Facebook ads and Yelp account for the majority. “We haven’t done it in the last year, but we had some leased vehicles that were decaled with our logo on them that we were using in our
marketing budget,” McNulty said. Facebook, however, is the primary tool. “Until we get processes, procedures and personnel in place, we’re not looking at being aggressive in trying to generate additional work.” They’re also able to be more friendly and open with clients simply because they have fewer of them. Many clients have McNulty’s personal cell phone number. “I communicate via text on a personal level,” he said. “It’s not automated. I’ll text a client directly.” More advertising dollars are spent during remote start season, mainly on Facebook boosted posts. “We increase our Facebook presence during remote start season. We go from $150 a month to $400 or $500 a month in Facebook boosted posts. We use geographical targeting. We stay relatively close to the shop and get people nearby.” McNulty has found that this type of
units have been fabulous as far as usability and reliability. They look like they belong. Sony has released a couple new units at a price point no one else is playing in—a 6-channel DSP amplifier and a three-way set of speakers, that we’ve done in a number of vehicles already. It’s more affordable and allows us to help people who may not have the same budget my Audison clients would. “I’ve been involved in the last three years with four different pre-release products with Sony. I put together two demo vehicles for them. Getting hold of the product early gets me excited. Their tech support line is as good as anyone else out there. They are available through social media as well. If it’s 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday, I have three guys I can message on Facebook and say, ‘Hey, I am working late, and this is the problem,’ and they’ll help. They enjoy educating their dealer base. That level of support with Sony has been fabulous.”
targeting works best for Driven, rather than interest-focused targeting. Recently, Driven partnered with a local ATV and motorcycle dealer, and they are doing work for them now on vehicles like the Polaris Slingshot and side-by-sides, according to McNulty. “They’ve invited us out to their next event to have a booth and show what we’re doing.” However, the shop doesn’t do many events. “We have a couple clients who are involved in Cars and Coffee events,” he said. “We allow our clients to help preach the gospel of Driven. We have a good presence even if it’s [in the form of ] a satisfied client who helps us out.” Creating a Self-Sustaining Company with Easy Access to Training Materials The goal at Driven is to create a business that easily sustains itself. “That’s part of the reason for facebook.com/MobileElectronics 35
real world RETAIL
REMOTE START FACEBOOK GIVEAWAYS “In the last couple winters, we’ve done a Facebook giveaway on remote starts. It’s a like and share [promotion] and it’s almost entirely organic. We’ll watch the weather, and if it says we’ll get five inches of snow, we will put out an ad on Facebook and Instagram announcing that if we get five inches of snow, we’ll give away a free remote start. That has worked effectively for us. “As it cools down, we’re not doing as much audio. Our focus changes to being more of a traditional retailer—get them in, get them out, on remote starts rather than working on a car for two or three days. We change gears October through January. Being that we’re not a big staff, we can only get a certain amount of cars done through the week. The rest of the year, we are booked a couple weeks out. “We currently have five cars we’re working on—a couple long-term projects, a couple shorter term. The goal was to keep the guys busy. We had some unit goals to hit the numbers with Firstech / Compustar, and in this past year we came out flat, but we had little snow. Without having an intense winter, I was satisfied with how it happened. People weren’t out thinking about remote starts, so we had to create the need and I think we did a good job. The last two years, we increased 15 to 20 percent each year for Firstech / Compustar. “It [involves] keeping track of weather events. We’re supposed to get XYZ, people are out, and I’m posting satellite images. Planning is using what’s out there and rolling with it and trying to jump on a storm coming through. “The goal is never 20 percent increase, or 50 percent increase, it’s just to show growth. Our growth is normally 10 percent growth, and we didn’t hit it, but we ended up flat for the year, based on the fact that we didn’t get a lot of snow. “Ten percent is the growth number we aim for. If we can do that every year, everything will be fine. “I don’t know anything I could have done differently.”
36 Mobile Electronics June 2018
documentation,” McNulty said. “The hope is to have a staff of five or six with Mark running installation and a sales manager up front, where I would still be involved as the general manager.” The idea, he said, is that the store would keep running for him if he didn’t show up for a few days. McNulty thinks Driven can accomplish this in five years’ time. He also hopes to get more involved in teaching. “I have been lucky enough to help out with Jason Kranitz and his trainings. I enjoy sharing knowledge,” he said. “I would love to be able to spend three or four days a month at someone else’s shop to teach, learn, grow, or help out. […] I would also love to reach out to friends of mine who don’t need help—people who do things better than I do—to be a fly on the wall and try to learn,” McNulty added. “I would love to travel and see
other shops.” Finishing the showroom is the number one priority, for now. McNulty said that instead of simply having various displays that show speakers, Driven is trying to demonstrate different levels. “I try to use terminology that makes sense in the industry, but also makes sense with the clients. Our entry level setup is very much straightforward factory radio, integrated DSP, a couple speakers and maybe a subwoofer,” McNulty said. “We’re calling that our Integrate level. Our secondary level is bigger amps, a little more expensive, some custom. [This is] our Excite level.” The much bigger projects—for example, four grand on speakers and four on an amp, McNulty suggested—defines what Driven will call their Exhilarate level. “This will help position different products and give people an idea of
Evolving to Thrive Due to increased efficiency and more staff, the shop is able to finish jobs much faster. They are now creating more detailed policies and procedures to build upon.
what the differences may be,” he said, adding that he asks more of his clients than they ask of him when they walk in. “It’s amazing how many times someone will come in looking for something and after ten or fifteen minutes of talking with them about common interests, musical tastes, the type of systems they’ve had, past experiences with audio, learning what they’re really looking for and leveraging the information against the 2.5 decades of experience I have, I often point them in a direction they didn’t expect,” McNulty said. He uses conversation to relate to the customer. “Most people who come in don’t know what they need to do to make the decision so I want to give them the information to help them make a decision. I try to give them as much knowledge as possible rather than just sell them gear.”
Everything Driven does is built upon six core principals that encapsulate their mission statement, which spells out the name of the company. “Desire: the desire to exceed our client’s expectations. Respect: the respect for our clients and our community. Integrity: the integrity to always find the right solution, not just the easiest. Vision: the vision to look forward for new and exciting products and techniques. Expertise: the expertise to make the client’s vision a reality.” And finally, McNulty said, “Novelty: the novelty of a fresh perspective, different from anything before.” As with many businesses, the most difficult hurdle was finding the right staff, which in turn would make things easier on McNulty. “When we brought Mark on, one of the big things was to make sure he has time off and doesn’t get burned out.” One
of the goals has been to create a business culture that keeps work in the workplace, McNulty added. “This is just your job, not your life.” Sharing, learning and growing are paramount. “The Mobile Electronics Syndicate group [on Facebook] has been a huge resource,” McNulty said. “It’s interesting how it’s grown so dramatically so quickly. Being probably the third or fourth member of the group, and one of the key admins, it’s neat to see people look up to me and ask, ‘How do you do this? What’s your thought on this brand, process or technique?’ “I like to be someone people can reach out to. It’s also been a great place for me to see what people are doing better than I am, and picking up their techniques, tools and processes. It’s neat that people don’t look at it as stealing,” he added. “We are trying to help make each other better.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics 37
The Support Team Jacob Brown, Sandra Flores and Alan Hulsebus provide comprehensive in-house sales and product support.
ORCA’S ANGELS
The in-house support team covers product, customer service and engineering, while a pair of shop owners and renowned trainer contribute real-world experience. WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER
38 Mobile Electronics June 2018
ORCA’S ANGELS
Ask anyone and you will hear the same thing. Audiophiles are a particular breed. Good-enough gear just won’t cut it. The only way for them to survive and thrive is with the handful of companies who can deliver the high-quality products that fuel their passion. For over 30 years, Orca has done just that with the latest in top-notch audio technology. Based in Camarillo, Calif., Orca acts as distributor, designer and manufacturer for a variety of notable brands. In addition to being the sole distributor for high-end French brand Focal’s mobile audio collection in the U.S., Orca also imports
speakers by Gladen Audio of Germany and Mosconi Amplifiers from Italy. Just a few years ago, Orca recharged the Illusion Audio brand with a new lineup of products. The company also offers Blackhole damping materials and Raven pure ribbon tweeters as well as handcrafted Raven Design Studio loudspeakers. For the last five and a half years, Jacob Brown, who previously was a shop owner in New Mexico, has been at the helm of mobile electronics tech support for Orca. “For the most part, I’m the guy,” he said. “For the size of our operation (15 people plus Brown’s dog), I do everything—Illusion, Mosconi, Focal, Gladen, Blackhole— when it comes to tech support. I came out of a one-man operation kind of deal and was an Orca dealer. Basically I was brought in to take over warranty tech support and to assist with what was happening due to the growth of processors. That was one of my fortes as a shop owner and installer. So when I was contacted by Orca, I wanted to give it a shot.” While Brown tackles basic tech support functions, he can’t do it all alone. He has solid back-up from two industry veterans: Chris Pate and Sage Weir. “ They are full-time shop owners who assist us during off-hours time frames,” Brown said. “Having Sage in Florida and Chris in Texas means we are able to handle tech issues that occur before eight a.m. Pacific Standard Time.“ With more than 22 years in car audio, Pate comes to the job with a wealth of professional experience. The owner and operator of Mobile Toys Inc., based in College Station, Texas since 2009, Pate is well-known for his customization skills. He has a slew of awards including 36 Car Audio World Championships with multiple Best of Show Awards from all over the country. In fact, while leading Mobile Toys, the team has been awarded Top 12 Installer of the year five times and Top 50 Installer of the year more than 10 times. Weir has an equally impressive record having been in the industry for 21
years—the last five of them at Sounds Good Stereo in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. A Mobile Electronics magazine Top 50 Installer, Weir brings dedication, passion and attention to the Orca post. His philosophy is simple: to stay ahead of the curve with new vehicles, integration techniques and using the proper materials. Inspired by his father who got him into the business, Weir has said he’s had a passion for it since he was 13—and it is the only profession he has had.
Perks—Not Quirks “When a phone call comes through (the tech support number is the same for everyone, 1-888-340-4403), it doesn’t really matter if you’re a consumer, end user or dealer,” Brown said. “We treat everyone the same way when it comes to tech support. The end-user who is running into a situation might be having a similar issue as an installer at a shop.” Brown also makes sure that regardless of the kind of call, the issue gets resolved same day. “For an installer, or someone who knows our systems fairly well, it is easy to get hold of one of the three of us, so there is no reason we can’t handle something in a timely manner. At the most, it may take us 24 hours.” The biggest issue for installers, according to Brown, is the differentiation in vehicles. “Every vehicle—and I mean just about every vehicle—is different from the other,” he said. “Each and every manufacturer has a specific way of doing things. Luckily, there are OEM interfacing devices that are coming to market that help generalize a brand, or car or package. It is also helpful being able say, ‘Hey, I remember having this conversation six months ago with a different guy. Here is what we did in that car and it seemed to work in that particular application, so let’s give that a shot in this vehicle and see where it puts you.’” For the do-it-yourself guys, Brown said they require a different approach. “The end- user/DIY consumer tends to be pretty well-versed in his one particular application, but may not have quite the understanding of our side of it,” Brown said. “The DIY person might facebook.com/MobileElectronics 39
The Support Team
have already put six or eight different things in his car over the past few years and knows the car like the back of his hand, but now this new cool processor hit the market and he wants to try that. Meanwhile, an installer in the shop could be doing 500 processors, and has a mainline understanding of the product, but then runs into a weird quirk with a particular type of car. It’s really two sides of the coin which certainly keeps us on our toes.” Brown fields an average of 25 to 50 calls a day. Some situations, he said, are easier to settle than others. “It could be an end-user calling in to find out which one is the positive wire on this tweeter,” Brown said. “It’s a 10-second call and it’s done. Those kinds of calls I don’t even really count. That is generally what it is between me, Chris and Sage. There are days where it might be just five or 10 calls and there are other days when I cannot leave my desk.” Emails come in, too, according to Brown. Most of those are handled quickly. “I can type out a response in 15 words, hit send and we’re good to go,” Brown said. “When it comes to a more elaborate issue, that’s when we get the phone call. It’s the way to go if someone needs an
40 Mobile Electronics June 2018
instant response. If someone needs an answer right away instead of having to wait the five or 10 minutes for an email response, we’re going to get a call.”
Hands-on Takes Off While many companies have opted to go with an FAQ or knowledge base on their websites—an easy way to offer quick answers to typical scenarios— Brown said that what works best for Orca is a hands-on approach. “While databases are great, and other than just a generic protocol situation, what we have noticed from answering our tech calls and emails is that every single one of them is different,” Brown said. “The things we can apply are reset procedures, but even a lot of those are situation-dependent when it comes to some of our products. So having a cloud-based solution, a place to go that answers all of your questions, is really a great starting point. Typically, installers calling us have already gotten past the kinds of things they would find in the database and are reaching out to us because they have a unique situation.” With the small size of the company, Brown is situated in one of Orca’s two warehouses, along with all of the core
operations staff—accounts receivable, the general manager, order entry and graphic design. Engineering and sales are in another building. In his role, Brown is also what he calls the feed to engineering. “If it is an in-house design issue, I reach out to our engineer or to our amp service tech,” Brown said. “With Focal, if we see a running concern, that is my department who would reach out to Focal in France to one of their product managers. We have that same kind of relationship with Mosconi Gladen. If we see a processor quirk pop up, we document everything and then contact them in Germany.” Working closely with dealers for training is another way to keep the tech support issues to a minimum. “Nick Wingate is our national trainer and our in-field guy,” Brown said. “He
ORCA’S ANGELS
Sage Weir will let us know that he is going to be in a particular territory and setting up product training.” It is also valuable to have a presence at trade shows. “We are at KnowledgeFest and other various trade shows,” Brown said. “We might bring in a signals trainer or have a processor training. It is basically an open forum for retailers and installers to listen to a specialist.” Social media, handled by another department, can’t be discounted. “When it comes to the tech side of it, if there is a question on social media, it is typically handled with a response that includes our tech support number: ‘Feel free to give them a call.’ We don’t want to be stretched so thin that it becomes hard to keep track of all the ways to get in touch with us. We try to keep it as streamlined as possible while still working with the people who reach out to us in different manners. If we just ignored Facebook messages, it would do us absolutely no good.”
Power in (Smaller) Numbers Even with its small size, Orca represents a vast majority of product lines. “It’s not just speakers, but amplifiers, sound dampening equipment and more. It is important that,
Nick Wingate
Chris Pate
with our internal communication, we can resolve things quickly among the three of us,” Brown said. “I have worked with Chris and Sage for the last five years as their tech support, so they’ve gained a lot of knowledge from me just from having asked a lot of questions. Having our installer-based tech support system in place helps to eliminate the need for things that other companies might require.” One of the advantages Orca has, Brown said, is he can look over at someone and simply ask: What do you think of this? “We each do our thing and it all comes together to get the job done,” he said. “In tech support, when someone calls and says, I don’t know if I spoke with you, pretty much the guaranteed answer is, ‘Yeah, man, you did. So let’s pick up where we left off,’ as opposed to, ‘Hold on, give me the recap.’ Even then, in my department alone, it is awesome to be able to say, ‘We spoke a couple of days ago about your F-150 and they say, ‘Yes, how did you know?’” Conversely, there are dealers Brown has never spoken to. “They have never needed the help,” he said. “But it is awesome when you have a dealer you know and when they call, the first thing you’re doing is catching up. There are multiple relationships
being built. That is the coolest thing about all the departments here. If you have an AR question—accounts receivable—it’s going to be Jordan. If you have a graphics question, it’s going to be Charlotte. If you have a sales question, it’s going to be Nalaka. A lot of the shops like that—knowing exactly who to call in a specific situation.” As for the future, Brown said the go-with-the-flow mentality that has worked will continue to be the plan. “I realize that may sound like the least technical support answer that could happen,” he said. “We adapt as a situation arises. When we brought in Chris and Sage for help, it was one of those things where at that point, we felt we needed to have some assistance. That is how my department works best—to go with the flow. If you notice something, you make the correction. We will at some point be launching a new RA database for the warranty side of the tech support department to be able to put more in the hands of the retailer. I won’t say automate, but they will be able to log in, launch or start a return authorization, filling out the details and not be so reliant on either a representative or on us or me being at my desk. It will give the retailer a little more hands-on.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics 41
strategy & tactics
THE BUSINESS OF STEREO The principal trainer for Educar Training takes a closer look at the differences between car stereo and audio, and how mobile electronics businesses can become more confident in their tuning abilities to make more money.
WORDS BY KEN WARD
I started in this field in 1986. Back then, most of our clients were people who cared about their cars—their Corvettes, BMWs, Porsches, Mustangs, Mercedes— and wanted good sound in them. Since then, we’ve seen the in-dash CD receiver revolution come and go. We’ve seen the rap-and-subwoofer revolution come and go. We are seeing the smartphone integration revolution start to fade, as new cars come with CarPlay and Android Auto at every price point. The tide has come in, the tide has gone out, and what we’re left with is people with cars they care about, who also care about great sound. Those clients never went away, but our industry just isn’t as skilled at helping these clients as we
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ought to be. The skills were developed during the eras of CD receiver installation and amp and subwoofer installation are not going to sustain us through the era of DSP-enabled audio tuning. We may not like the added complexity, we may resist change—but in the words of General Eric Shinseki, “If you don’t like change, you will like irrelevance even less.” Today, we have tools more powerful than any we dreamed of in the eighties. We can apply delay, many different types of crossover filtering, dozens of bands of definable parametric equalization, and even play in files with more information than a compact disc was intended to store. Now many products include all-pass filters so we can even equalize phase! More products have a
DSP chip inside than ever before. Well, with rare exceptions, anything with a DSP IC inside it needs a “tune” setup before the client gets their car back—and while we have at least four times as many DSP-enabled products as we did five years ago, I don’t think anyone would say that we have four times more DSP-competent technicians than we did five years ago. Our percentage of DSP-competent techs is barely creeping up, and it’s still a minority of the technicians in our industry.
Why is DSP Necessary? Why do we sell DSP? Simply put, we sell DSP to control the outcome. Us oldtimers remember installing great equipment and sometimes getting surprisingly mediocre results, and having few tools
The Business of Stereo to use to change things. Now, when we install speakers and an amplifier in a car, we can use DSP to correct for where passengers sit, for the acoustics of the cabin, the limits of the speakers we use, and for factory speaker locations. Now, when we are integrating an audio amp and speaker upgrade with an OEM receiver, a DSP helps us correct and compensate for OEM audio processing. I know some shops prefer to avoid DSP because they aren’t confident in their ability to execute properly. When I was a shop owner, I dreaded any sale without a DSP processor included, because it limited what we could do to give the client what they wanted.
Stereo Versus Audio I strongly recommend that shops be clear on what their business is—car audio, or car stereo—and be clear what a client is buying. Car audio can play loudly, it can play with a lot of bass impact, it can be fun to listen to. Marine audio is a great example of this. There are several requirements for a high-performance boat audio system, but “stereo performance” is rarely a concern. Car stereo doesn’t have to be loud, it doesn’t need a ton of power, and it doesn’t even have to have a subwoofer. It simply needs to create the illusion of a performance in front of the listener, with the performers convincingly arrayed across an invisible stage. If your client wants car stereo, and if you want to be in the business of car stereo, then you need to be able to deliver the stereo illusion. From a practical standpoint, DSP-enabled tuning is the only way deliver that result today. There are three fundamental problems with creating that stereo illusion in a car: • Since we sit off-center, one side is louder than the other. For the stereo illusion to be convincing, the left and right speakers need to be equally loud. • Since we sit off-center, the speakers on one side sound different than the speakers on the other side. This is due to their differing angles
Tuning the acoustic response on a Porsche 911, using a microphone in the car connected to a laptop. In this case, the RTA is an app on the laptop.
relative to the listener, and the fact that every piston speaker has narrowing dispersion above a certain frequency of sound. To create a convincing stereo illusion, the two speakers need to be able to play every note at the same loudness. • Since we sit off-center, the sound from the speakers on one side arrives before the sound from the speakers on the other side. This causes predictable cancellations at certain notes when those notes are being played by both left and right speakers, and that keeps some sounds from being placed in the center of the stage. Vocals are particularly affected by this. These fundamental problems are worse than the problems of reflection, or the limitations of factory speaker locations, or the problems presented by road noise. Those are real problems, but they affect car stereo and car audio equally. The problems listed above only affect car stereo. So, if you aren’t interested in selling car stereo as a product, you may not care about those issues.
Demonstrate the Product To sell stereo, you want to be able to convince your clients that you can deliver an emotionally rewarding experience. Not all clients care about stereo performance, and not all music has been recorded with the information needed to create that stereo illusion. The best way to convince a client that you can deliver that is by demonstration. In home stereo stores, playing the speakers and equipment you propose the customer purchase is expected. In car audio, it isn’t always required, but it certainly is convincing when done properly. If you want to sell stereo, you need to be able to deliver that stereo performance. That means you need to be able to take certain measurements, both electrically and acoustically.
Essential Measurement Tools for Tuning If you own a shop, and you expect your technicians to buy the tools to get you into the DSP era, you’re delaying your ability to navigate the future. You have facebook.com/MobileElectronics 43
strategy & tactics
Rather than wait on technicians to purchase their own tools, shops should invest in tooling in order to work with DSP. It is essential to have the proper tools and computer software, including a handheld oscilloscope, properly equipped laptop, USB microphone and a handheld RTA. On the left, Ken Ward measures the electrical signal out of an OEM amplifier in a 2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Sony Sound.
tape measures, and you have voltmeters. Here are some more of the tools you’ll need: • You need a handheld oscilloscope. This will show you when the system you’re working with starts to deform the signal, and how many volts the system is providing without distortion or deformation. Mobile Solutions has one for around $400. Get that one. • You need a handheld realtime analyzer and some XLR test cables. This will let you efficiently identify each channel you need to interface with from an OEM system. A handheld RTA is around $600 or less at Mobile Solutions, and the cable set adds less than $200 (full disclosure, Educar makes that cable set). I don’t find that handheld RTAs are
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the most efficient tuning tools, though. • You need a laptop running Windows 7 or 10. I prefer 7, but it’s technically discontinued and harder to find. If you don’t have one, you can get one refurbished off Amazon for around $300. I like Lenovo ThinkPads which have been refurbished after a few years of corporate use. • You need a USB microphone. This is for acoustic tuning. That’s a microphone with a USB sound card. Get the Audiofrog Test Gear microphone and test CD, and guard that CD with your life. That’s less than $200. • You need PC real-time analyzer software. Get Room EQ Wizard. It’s free. It has tons of functions in addition to the high-performance real-time analyzer, but
the RTA works great. Download it online. • You need a USB drive for test track use in vehicles without a CD slot. Transfer the test CD tracks to the USB drive, and hang it on a lanyard from KnowledgeFest. You don’t have any because you don’t go to KnowledgeFest? Hmm…. • You need a dedicated long extension cord with a power strip for the laptop, and you need two 20-foot powered USB extension cables. Do not skimp here. Your tuning system needs to work 100 percent of the time for you to be efficiently performing this critical task. Around $50 total. • You need a clean 12VDC power supply to keep the car’s electrical system topped up while it’s being tuned. I like 50
The Business of Stereo
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facebook.com/MobileElectronics 45 www.InstallerNet.com • 800-444-1644
strategy & tactics amps of capability. You should already have battery tending in your shop, so this might not be a new expense for you. So far, we are around $2,000—less than many shops have into their router-and-bit setups. Now, you need a cart to make this as efficient as possible. You may already have a cart. I like a cart without a bench top. I prefer the lip around the edge to keep my PC from being pulled off if someone trips on a cable. A Snap-On cart works, but a Harbor Freight cart works, too—although their cheapest cart really requires making a new top for it. (Pro tip: Get the Blue Point paper towel dispenser ends, which magnetize to your box, and use them to hang your extension power cord and USB extensions). Keep that cart neat. Organize it at the end of every day. Every morning, have it ready to deliver results. Keep it plugged in every night. Now you need to do two things: You need to get conversant with that gear, and you need to start charging for what you can do. To get conversant with it, you need to tune a car. Practice makes perfect. Does your shop tune the acoustic settings of every head unit you install? Many modern receivers have time-delay, EQ, crossover, and level adjustments. If you need to practice, make sure to spend five minutes tuning every head unit your shop installs.
Carefully organize all your tools on a designated cart. Keep it neat to increase efficiency.
Add a Standard Charge for Tuning, or a “Tuning SKU” I’ve heard so many people tell me about how they can’t charge more than they already do. Those same shop owners also tell me how they are booked two weeks out and can’t find installers to hire. Well, which is going to be easier— finding a way to increase the number of cars that come through, or finding a way to earn more per vehicle? I recommend that you have a tuning SKU. Charge at least your standard hourly rate, if not more. I recommend that you start at one hour, and that the one hour cover an active two-way fullrange system. In our business, that usually means a 6.5 and tweeter component
46 Mobile Electronics June 2018
set up front, and a subwoofer, with the sub on its own amplifier channel. Tuning that system for driver seat optimized stereo should be planned for one hour. Take that system to a three-way active tune, and add an hour. Now it’s two hours. A four-way active tune is another hour. Now it’s three hours. If you need to program various tunes—a driver and a two-seat tune, or one for the OEM receiver and one for a direct source— budget accordingly.
If you’re not confident about charging for it, that simply means you’re not confident about delivering valuable results. Once you’re confident about the results, you will have no problem charging for them (it’s just like fabrication). Get Started Selling Stereo It’s really simple to get started: Buy the tools. Learn how to use them. Start charging for your work! You’ll be amazed at the results you can deliver.
Achieve.
The Business of Stereo
TM
DALLAS AUGUST 17-19, 2018 produced by TM
Register Today at KnowledgeFest.comfacebook.com/MobileElectronics mobile electronics association
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tech today
WORDS BY DAVID MACKINNON
To get involved in marine audio installations, it’s important to be aware of a wide range of factors including mounting locations, weight distribution and proper marine-grade wiring. This installment of Tech Today explores these factors—and more—to help businesses who are expanding into a new category this summer. My friend and 1sixty8 media co-worker, Joey Knapp, is still traveling between Pinnacle Autosound (his mobile electronics store) in Lake City, Florida, and Simplicity in Sound in Milpitas, Calif., where he works with Bing Xu. I have been asked once again to bring you another Tech Today column. This time, we are going to delve into the
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behind-the-scenes world of marine audio installations. With springtime solidly upon us, even for our friends in Alaska, boat owners are in preparation for another season of fun on the local rivers, lakes and in the ocean. Part of the pre-season process is to ensure they have the latest technologies and a fully functional sound system.
Replacing old and damaged speakers, upgrading source units to include Bluetooth or multifunction display integration and adding new speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers is a great opportunity to make time on the water much more enjoyable. This article will not only cover some key installation practices and concepts,
Summer Fun: Marine Audio Installations
Marine Audio Installations but it will touch on some of the newer technologies and products available. Special thanks to Dustin Daigle and the team at Prestige Car Audio and Marine in Metairie, La. for generously supplying supporting product images.
A JL Audio MBT-CRX Bluetooth receiver flush-mounted in the cover of a Sea-Doo.
Environmental Ratings and Materials Products designed for marine applications have a very hard life. Not only will a radio or set of speakers get wet, but they have to endure exposure to Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, humid conditions, high heat and possible corrosion from salt-water environments. These conditions can cause plastics, paints, rubber and metal to deteriorate quickly.
ASTM B117 Salt Spray (Fog) Testing Procedure The ASTM B117 Salt Spray Testing procedure exposes products to accelerated failure due to use in salt-water conditions. The test involves placing the devices in a test chamber and exposing to a mixture of sodium chloride (five percent) and water (95 percent by
weight). The interior of the chamber is then heated to 35 degrees Celsius (95 F) and the solution is misted into the chamber at a rate that results in 1.0 to 2.0 ml of solution deposition every hour for every 80 square centimeters of surface area. To pass the test, materials cannot corrode during the test period.
ASTM D4328 Fluorescent Ultraviolet Exposure Testing Procedure Often called an Accelerated Weathering Test, the ASTM D4328 UV exposure test subjects products to extreme
UV and heat levels that simulate longterm outdoor use. The test chambers include fluorescent lighting designed to produce extreme amounts of UV energy. The environment is often heated to 70 degrees Celsius to accelerate the aging process further. To pass the test, the condition of the sample is compared to an untested sample for hazing, cracking, yellowing, fading, color change and changes in flexibility. Some plastics turn chalky, yellow or become very brittle after prolonged UV exposure.
Marine Audio Source Units The simplest of signal sources are stereo Bluetooth A2DP receivers with no controls on them. Products like the JL Audio MBT-RX, the Wet Sounds WW-BT-UR, the Wirez BTR-M and iSimple ISBT23 MusicStream are hideaway receiver modules that can be connected to the auxiliary input of an existing radio or directly to the preamp inputs of an amplifier. Your client has the option to play music stored on the phone or use a streaming service like Pandora, iHeartRadio, Tidal, Google Play Music or Apple Music. facebook.com/MobileElectronics   49
tech today TIP ON SPEAKER WIRING:
Here’s a great tip to use when installing speakers in a location where people will have access to the rear of the speakers. Mounting speakers on the face of under-seat storage lockers is a great example. Use a zip-tie to attach the speaker wire to the chassis of the speaker. When the boaters are pulling out a lifejacket, fishing rod or tow-rope, the zip tie will prevent them from accidentally pulling the speaker wire off one of the terminals.
A set of JL Audio coaxial marine speakers in custom-built fiberglass enclosures for a Sea-Doo.
A JL Audio MediaMaster radio mounted beneath a Lowrance Multi-Function Display, ready to entertain guests on their next nighttime bowfishing adventure.
If your client would prefer that the smartphone be hidden away, suggest a Bluetooth receiver with integrated controls. The MBT-CRX from JL Audio, the MXABTRX from Memphis, Wet Sounds’ WW-BT-RS, the Aquatic AV AQ-BC-6BT Bluecube and the Rockford Fosgate PMX-0 are all perfect solutions for this application. The Rockford and Aquatic AV units add auxiliary inputs and a USB port to the Bluetooth streaming source. These source unit solutions use the AVRCP Bluetooth protocol to send control commands to the smartphone. The next step up regarding features would be a compact AM/FM digital media Receiver with Bluetooth. Almost everyone on the market has something in this category. Many of these compact receivers are designed
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to fit into a three-inch round mounting hole. This convenient size makes them easy to install. Finally, you reach full-fledged DINsized marine source units. Depending on the design, these may or may not include a CD or DVD mechanism. Some systems forego the optical mech in lieu of a storage location for the client’s smartphone—a very good idea!
Multifunction Display Integration Once you are into a full-fledged receiver, many manufacturers provide an option to interface with multi-function displays from companies like Garmin, Lowrance, Simrad and Raymarine using the NMEA2000 Entertainment Standard protocol. Depending on the NMEA system, you may need to purchase additional adapters or an
interface. Do your research and if possible, mock things up on the test bench before you cut any holes and start installing equipment.
Marine Speakers Choosing mounting locations for speakers often comes down to finding available space around the cockpit of the boat. When you pick a location, consider the speaker height relative to the occupants and their seating positions. A speaker mounted low in the boat may provide more evenly distributed sound for the crew thanks to an increased average path length. Of course, this can’t always happen, and we have to work with the locations available. When installing speakers, make sure there is a gasket between the boat and the speaker basket. Most high-quality
Summer Fun: Marine Audio Installations marine speakers include a thin rubber gasket. If there isn’t one, consider adding something. The last thing you want to do is to introduce a way for water to get into the hull of the boat. Another consideration for marine speakers is how the magnet may affect navigation equipment. If the boat has a compass, mounting a speaker within a few feet could affect its accuracy. When you are designing a marine entertainment system, find out if they navigate using GPS or by via a compass and plan accordingly. If they have a compass onboard, that will serve as the backup device to the electronic systems. Mounting subwoofers and large-diameter speakers in marine applications take some extra consideration. While you may have the physical mounting surface available to mount the speaker, make sure that you have an appropriate amount of airspace available behind the driver so as not to negatively affect the compliance of the speaker cone and cause a big resonance in its response. In simpler terms: Don’t choke it by putting it in too small of an enclosure. Also, keep in mind that boats are designed to be as light as possible. You may need to reinforce your chosen speaker mounting location to maximize the performance of the drivers you are installing.
A reinforcement panel for a trio of subwoofers. The Prestige Car Audio and Marine staff added threaded brass inserts to maintain serviceability of the system.
Wakeboard Tower Speaker Systems There are some amazing wakeboard tower speaker systems available. From the high-efficiency drivers to precision-machine mounting hardware, tower speaker systems are often as artistic as they are sonically impressive. Here are a few tips for tower speaker installations.
1. RUN THEM IN MONO: There is no need for the tower speakers to operate in stereo. When someone is 40 feet behind the boat, stereo separation quickly becomes irrelevant.
2. WATCH THE WEIGHT: Adding a large quantity of tower speaker enclosure to a tower bar will dramatically affect the handling of a boat. Each speaker can weigh between five and 15 pounds. Consider using small speakers on the bar and adding multiple subwoofers to the cockpit area. 3. LED LIGHTING: If you choose tower speaker enclosures that include lighting, test them to make they won’t interfere
with audio and communications equipment on the boat before you install them. 4 .PLAN YOUR WIRING: Your client expects the installation to be neat and tidy. Plan how you will run wiring to keep it concealed. If the installation requires drilling holes in the tower bar, try to avoid the bar that connects to the tow rope (if possible). You don’t want to weaken it. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 51
tech today A trio of JL Audio MX-Series amplifiers with power distribution and terminal strips for speaker wire connections is ready for installation.
Series amplification almost ready for installation in an a new airboat for Bowfishing Unlimited in Port Sulphur, La.
The Blue Sea Systems SI-ACR Automatic Charging Relay can handle 120 Amps of continuous current to ensure your client can start his engine and get home at the end of a fun day.
Marine Amplifiers If your client has a power boat of any size, then it’s likely you will be installing an amplifier in the system so that they can drown out the noise from the engine. Marine amplifiers live a tough life. In most installations, they are concealed in small storage areas with minimal airflow. If your client owns a wakeboard or ski boat, then the chances are good that the audio system will be played for hours at its maximum capacity. Choosing an appropriate location for the system amplifiers is crucial. You want to protect them from water, heat and wherever possible, vibration. When it comes to installation, amplifiers are second only to speakers regarding planning an installation location. Put the amps in a dry location and keep them as far as possible from the bottom of the boat in case it gets swamped or noses into a big wave. The amplifiers must be secured
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extremely well. Boats can experience very high G-force loads. Hopping over the wake of an oncoming boat and landing firmly back on the water can generate impacts of 3 to 6 g’s. A hard hit from a miscalculated wave can result in an impact that exceeds 10 g’s. A compact four-channel amp may weight four to five pounds. These high G-force impacts can cause that amp to exert loads of as much as 50 pounds on your fastening system. Screwing into wood or plastic with conventional wood screws may not be adequate. The same goes for an amp rack. If you build a Sintra or Starboard panel with four amplifiers and power distribution on it, it could easily weigh more than 25 pounds. Some Class-D amplifiers produce a great deal of radio frequency interference. If you are planning on mounting an amplifier within five feet of antenna, test the system with music before you complete the
installation. Simply powering up the amplifier will not verify that the location and RF noise emissions are acceptable.
Marine Entertainment System Wiring Finally, we come to our discussion of marine wiring. Proper electrical system design and appropriate wiring practices can mean the difference between a happy customer and a nasty phone call first thing on a Monday morning. Let’s look at five key areas of wiring that are unique or important to marine entertainment system installations.
1. WATER CONTROL: When installing any electrical component in a boat, you should consider adding a drip loop before any electronic components, and on either side of terminal blocks. A drip loop is slack in
Summer Fun: Marine Audio Installations
Adding dielectric grease to electrical connections is a great way to prevent corrosion.
Proper power and ground distribution for six marine amplifiers.
the wiring that puts the wire at a level below that of the connection point. If water has splashed or dripped onto the harness, this loop will prevent that water from being fed directly into the electronic product. 2. POWER DISTRIBUTION: Unlike a car or truck, we don’t use the chassis of a boat as the electrical system ground. You will need to run equally-sized power and ground cables from the battery to the equipment you are adding. If there are multiple products, the use of terminal blocks is highly recommended. 3. MARINE-GRADE WIRING: While important on boats that will operate on fresh-water lakes and rivers, the need for tinned or otherwise appropriately corrosion resistant wiring in salt
water applications is paramount. Raw copper and that ever-mysterious copper-clad aluminum wiring can start to corrode in hours in salty environments. 4. PROTECT YOUR CONNECTIONS: In many marine installations, people will be working (or playing) around the equipment you are installing. If an amp is in a cupboard or mounted in the head of a small boat, all the wiring should be protected against short circuits. Make sure each device is fused properly and that all terminals are protected with heat-shrink tubing or an appropriate tape. Dual Battery System If your client will be listening to the audio system without running the engine (and don’t trust them if he or she swears it will never happen), then a means to ensure the boat can be started
Heat shrink tubing that includes glue is a great way to seal connections against water infiltration.
if the battery is completely depleted is crucial. The solution could involve an intelligent relay with a low-voltage cut-off or the installation of dual batteries and intelligent switching. While a manual A, B and A+B switch is great, it requires that the operator remember to isolate the bank of batteries connected to the audio system. Companies like Blue Sea Systems make excellent isolation solutions that will ensure your client and his friends get home from their adventure every time. We could go on and on about marine audio installations, and this is a topic we may revisit in the near future. In the meantime, plan ahead and take great care of your clients. Boat owners typically know more boat owners, and great craftsmanship and excellent system design can result in your store getting a lot more work.
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ďƒŽ installs
Funky 4Runner SUBMITTED BY JESSE LUCERO, SIMPLICITY IN SOUND, MILPITAS, CALIF.
The owner of this 2017 Toyota 4Runner previously had an audio upgrade performed by the team at Simplicity in Sound. While the ported dual 12-inch enclosure sounded and looked great, the client was wanting to restore some of his lost hatch space. While things were being changed, he wanted to add a little more bass and also add some extensive sound proofing.
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To handle the request of more bass and less space, Bing Xu called on the JL Audio 12TW3 subwoofer. After some measurements, it was determined that four of them could fit in the floor and only require just a slight increase in floor height. With the equipment chosen, the job was handed off to Jesse Lucero. Jesse started by installing three layers of sound proofing, with the top layer being MLV. This treatment was done
to the floors as well as the doors of the SUV. Now that the interior resonances and noise had been lowered, it was time to tackle the enclosure. Jesse used a combination of angles and shapes to layer a unique looking and great sounding enclosure. Painted silver grill mesh material serves to accent the cutout areas. As with all builds at Simplicity in Sound, a sturdy grille was fabricated to protect the equipment and allow full use of the storage space.
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ďƒŽ installs
Magnificent Maserati
SUBMITTED BY JUSTIN MARKS, TITAN MOTORING, NASHVILLE, TENN.
Recently one of the Nashville Predators reached out to the crew of Titan Motoring in search of a radical transformation for his 2016 Maserati Levante. On his list was a complete exterior restyle and a major audio upgrade. The Titan crew started by disassembling the vehicle to prepare it for the matte green vinyl wrap. Having all of the pieces removed ensures that the finish will be flawless. When the wrap
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was complete, the crew tackled the job of changing all of the chrome exterior pieces to glossy black. To complement the newly treated pieces, they also powder coated the wheels glossy black to match. With the exterior back together, the crew moved on to the audio upgrade. With the fabrication being led by Justin Marks, Moe Goodell handling the speakers and amp wiring, and Ray West on deck to tune it, the work began. The front and rear speakers were upgraded
with 3-way Audiofrog GB series speakers. Amplification duties were handled by ARC Audio amplifiers and the signal was controlled by a Helix Pro DSP. The real jewel of the vehicle is the subwoofer enclosure. Marks used layered fabrication to create a design with incredible depth. The highlight of the enclosure is the LED lit Maserati badge. Vinyl and ultrasuede were used to upholster it, while carbon fiber, acrylic and painted accent pieces really finished it off.
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from the President
CROSS THE FINISH LINE Focus on your mission to achieve your goals, and register for KnowledgeFest to help bring your business to the next level. It is of utmost importance to keep focus on your mission and goals. This is true in your personal life and in your business. To help you meet and exceed your goals, there is one great place to go: KnowledgeFest! KnowledgeFest is the premier education and networking event for our industry. Each year a theme is selected to represent the events and to support both the attendee and exhibitor in their quest for learning. This year, as we reflected on the current state of the industry, we fell upon the word “achieve.” When you really get down to business and focus on the value of hard work and the rewards produced when goals are reached, you will gain satisfaction knowing that your accomplishments will carry you to the next level. Achieve. One word. To successfully bring about or reach a desired objective, level, or result by effort, skill and courage.
The Desired Objective What must you learn to be proficient in your profession? Everything you can! Never stop learning. Each day make it your goal to learn something new that can and will grow your business. Read publications relevant to your business, such as Mobile Electronics magazine. Each month, this resource is filled with gold nuggets of knowledge from professionals in our industry who are living and breathing the road to their success while sharing what they are doing to achieve it.
Reaching the Next Level This is where goal setting makes the difference. Setting and attaining well thought-out goals will set you apart from those who go through life engrossed in the daily grind. Never let “just getting by” become your goal by default. Force yourself to be better than you were yesterday. Never look back. Focus on today and what is ahead. Your business and team deserve your very best.
Celebrating the Results When you achieve your goal(s), make it a point to celebrate. Do something special for yourself and your team. When you do, take a moment to review the goals you set,
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reflect and recognize the accomplishment(s) and what it took to achieve them. And don’t forget the reward! It is important to recognize those who contributed to the success of your business.
Great Effort Just working toward your goal will never be enough to reach it. You must apply great effort. Sweat and tears will be commonplace in difficult circumstances. They make the accomplishments all the better. Knowing your efforts produced the desired result makes it worthwhile.
Skill Sharpen your skills every chance you get. You will need more than great effort to forge your business into what you desire. Your dreams of success require building blocks of learning—lessons learned on your own, and accepting lessons learned by others who are willing to pass on their wisdom. Your skills separate you from others who may not want to learn what is needed to take their business to the next level.
Courage And finally, courage. Courage is fearing failure, yet still facing your giants. Not letting disappointment get the best of you or your team. Having the fortitude to risk it all and reap rewards attained only by those who are willing to follow the path to achieve greatness. If you are ready to achieve success and want to make sure you have done everything in your power to ensure it, take the next step and register for an upcoming KnowledgeFest. Come to Dallas this August, make plans for Long Beach, Calif. in February of 2019 and/or Indianapolis in March of 2019. These events are specifically designed to build your knowledge and bolster your business relationships. KnowledgeFest is the premier event for our industry. I challenge you to make the investment. I promise you will not go home the same as when you arrived. You will be ready to take your business to the next level!
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@voxxelectronics @voxxelectronics @voxxelectronics @voxxelectronics @voxxelectronics For more information or to become a dealer visit us at: www.voxxelectronics.com/become-dealer/
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