EDITORIAL
A Gift Guide?
By Rob Hephner
Posted on Jan 3, 2006

Could it be that time of year again? Here we are at the precept of the Holiday Season and I say, “Let the gift giving begin!” Gifts are great, and when they involve something for your automobile, how could they possibly get any better?

The only bad thing about this time of year is the fact that you cannot buy anything for yourself. My wife has taken all of my credit cards and locked them in a vault and surrounded them with venomous snakes and volatile explosives. She has also changed all of my Pay Pal and online passwords. I can’t remember how a bank works, so things should be safe until the gift-giving season is over. I guess I have an excuse if she doesn’t get anything... Time to hone up on my reptilian communication skills!

Spread The Word
Once again, we’re bringing you this Guide To Buying so that you may find what cool items you’ve been missing out on, but, additionally, so that you may spread the word to all of the people who turn to you for information. Within the pages of this issue, you’ll not only find the newest and coolest products, but you’ll also have a seasoned professional give you his spin on how to design a system from three different price points. While this may seem simple to some, it can be an invaluable guide to others.

I know that when I first started out, this type of guide really gave me an idea of how to build the system that I wanted and which items I should wait to add to my system when I had more money. While not everything in this issue may apply to you, pass it around to your friends and you may be surprised to find that they get a lot from the information contained within.

It’s About Sound!
Also in this issue you’ll get an in-depth look at a true Sound Quality vehicle and the guy who built it, Wayne McKenzie of Clinton, MA. While loud seems to attract a lot of attention, the real thrills and chills within a vehicle really happen when a sound stage comes together.

I’ll never forget the first time that I heard things come together in a car. I had heard plenty of loud systems and really dug the impact and intensity within a cabin, but the day that I heard a near accurate representation of a sound stage in a vehicle I was hooked. There’s nothing like the in-vehicle sound quality experience — it’s far more intimate than any home system could possibly hope to be and even more impactful than live. While home can offer a better sound stage and live is more accurate, the unique experience of a well-tuned vehicle transcends what you can imagine and can truly take you places.

Time To Buy?
A lot of people get excited around this time of year and want to wait to buy new gear because they know that in January new products will be introduced at CES. They think that by waiting, they’ll get the newest and coolest. Well, let me let you in on a little secret: the products that you see in January will almost certainly not be available until June of next year. Meanwhile, all of the hot and cool products that were just introduced at this year’s CES will be on sale and in clearance at you favorite local retailer or authorized Internet shop. NOW is the time to get great deals and even better sound. Take a look on www.carsound.com to see how some of these products faired in our reviews, and if you have further questions simply pop into the Forums and ask. There are a lot of opinions, and I’m sure that you’ll find one that matches up to your way of thinking, or is at least close. All in all, you should not wait — the only thing you will end up with by waiting too long is no sound, and trust me, no sound SUCKS!