When it comes to recreating music in our cars, the weakest link in the chain will be the downfall of the entire system. Knowing this, if we start with the best recordings possible, the chances of our music sounding more realistic and lifelike increase astronomically. The equipment required to record, master and distribute high-resolution music helps to ensure that our mobile entertainment systems sound amazing.

What Is High-Resolution Music?

By definition, any music that is recorded with a bit rate (sampling rate) and bit depth (resolution) higher than that of a compact disc is considered high-resolution. This means 48 kHz and higher sampling rates and 24-bit resolution are required. Higher sampling rates capture some harmonic information, but transmitting and reproducing those sounds is extremely difficult.

Where Can I Get High-Resolution Audio Files?

Perhaps the best-known source for high-resolution music is hdtracks.com. This website rightly boasts that it has the widest collection of high-resolution music available. You have a choice of purchasing and downloading albums in AIFF, ALAC, FLAC and WAV formats at resolutions up to 192 kHz/24-bit as well as 2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz DSD files. File formats vary by album.

Another popular source for buying high-resolution albums is Acoustic Sounds. Acoustic Sounds Super HiRez specializes in DSD format. The itrax.com website is another great source.

If you’re into streaming, you will definitely want to check out Tidal.com and Qobuz.com.

Why Should I Buy High-Resolution Music?

Some people will tell you that humans can’t hear audio above 20 kHz and that we don’t need more than 16 bits of resolution to accurately recreate a listening experience. Let’s say these statements are completely accurate. Why then would we want to buy high-resolution music? The answer is noise and accuracy.

The effort required to build a microphone that records to 40 or 50 kHz requires serious attention to detail. Capturing the upper end of the audible range is child’s play for products of this caliber.

The second benefit of high-resolution recording is a reduction in noise. This reduction comes from the fact that there’s an increased number of bits to work with (65,536 vs. 16,777,216) and the fact that the equipment used must be of a higher performance specification. Digital interfaces capable of working with high-resolution microphones from companies like RME, Presonus, Apogee and Focusrite deliver amazingly accurate digital conversions of the analog signal from the microphone. If you’re a numbers geek, as many of us are, here are some specs from the best studio-quality interfaces:

Frequency Response: 2 Hz to 92 kHz at -1 dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 113 dB unweighted
Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.00032%
Channel Separation: >110dB

How to Reproduce High-Resolution Audio in Your Car

Buying great music is one thing, reproducing it in a vehicle is another challenge. Companies like Audison, Sony, Brax, Zapco and Kenwood all make audio components that will output or process high-resolution audio file formats. Of course, to hear that level of detail, you’ll need amplifiers capable of playing to at least 40 kHz and speakers with similarly impressive specifications.

Finally, and most crucially, how these components are integrated into your vehicle is also very important. To make the best use of the high-frequency information audible from high-resolution recordings, your tweeters will need to be mounted on-axis with the listening position or bounced off the windshield from a dash-mount location. If not, the directivity characteristics that are inherent in every speaker will make those sounds inaudible.

A Great Source Helps Ensure a Great Performance

If you’re passionate about your mobile audio system, drop by your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer today and ask them about upgrading your car stereo to support high-resolution audio formats like FLAC, DSD, WAV, ALAC and AIFF. We know you’ll be blown away by the accuracy and detail.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

It was only with the adoption of 3G cellular service that streaming video from our phone systems became a reality. 4G cellular services offer a bump in data transfer speed with a theoretical maximum that is more than 50 times faster than 3G, making it easy and reliable to stream high-resolution video. Dashcam manufacturers like BlackVue have developed cloud-based solutions that allow you to use a Wi-Fi hotspot in your vehicle, smartphone internet access tethering or proximity to a hotspot in your home or office to keep tabs on your vehicle. Let’s look at how it works.

Dashcam Internet Connection

Once you’ve had your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer install your dashcam for you, all you need to do is use a smartphone app to connect your dashcam to an internet connection. Many General Motors vehicles include Wi-Fi hotspots, and Ford recently announced they’d be including 4G connectivity in upcoming models. You can also source a mobile hotspot solution from most key cellphone companies like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint in the US and Telus in Canada.

Once the connection is set up, you can connect to your dashcam anytime it’s powered to see what it sees. You can also configure notifications to be pushed to your smartphone should the motion sensor be triggered while your vehicle is parked or if someone or something comes into the camera’s field of vision. If you are worried about vandalism or theft or want to know which cat is walking across the hood of your vehicle, this is the way to go.

Several models of Thinkware cameras can send notifications about driving impacts or when the camera enters or exits a preselected zone.

Because these dashcams have an integrated GPS antenna, they can be used to provide an alert if someone tows your vehicle away. The difference between the solutions we’ve discussed is in the ability to see the camera image remotely.

Will We See Dashcams with Built-In LTE Connectivity?

Absolutely! In fact, many are already on the market. The Waylens Secure360 4G is one option. Waylens offers several data plans that vary in bandwidth and cost. There are some solutions from lesser-known brands out there. We haven’t tested them in terms of image quality and video compression nor have we determined how easy their interfaces are to use. Be sure you check those things out before purchasing.

The Importance of a Quality Dashcam

As we’ve discussed in detail, having an inexpensive dashcam is great if you want to know if a light was green or red when you entered an intersection or the direction a car was travelling when it hit someone. If you want to capture details like license plates, something that is crucial in identifying vehicles that have left the scene of an accident, then you need a camera with a high-resolution image sensor, high-quality video compression algorithms that preserve detail and excellent hardware that will ensure the system works when you need it. Expect to spend at least $300 on a good quality dashcam plus the cost of installation.

Protect Yourself with a Premium Dashcam

Undoubtedly, we’ll see more and more dashcams with Wi-Fi cloud solutions and LTE connectivity come onto the market over the next few years. Where a dashcam is like having a co-pilot keeping tabs on everything that happens in front and behind your vehicle as you drive, a connected dashcam is your personal night watchman, guarding your pride and joy all through the night. If you are interested in a video recording system for your car or truck, visit your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer today.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.