For the past two years, when CEoutlook asked dealers what they would like to see at CES, the answer was typically, “more or better integration products.”
Often dealers said they wanted training in OE integration more than any new bells and whistles in products.
But this year, most retailers in our short poll want to see higher end head units, even as head units in general are on the decline. They are seeking more expensive, better quality decks with Hi-Res Audio, CarPlay and Android Auto.
Some also want to see embedded WiFi and or 4G.
To many, there’s a renewed interest in sound quality among consumers and a need for better quality head units, and perhaps, more advanced amplifiers.
“Ten years ago we used to sell Nakamichi and man I just sold so much of it.”said John Schwartz of Perfectionist Autosound, Anchorage, AK. “I think Sony answered my prayers with the Hi-Res player. That’s pretty exciting for me… I’m tired of all this cheap stuff, I want something higher end.”
Dan Bowman of Sound Auto, Hamilton, NJ said, “I’m so pro Hi-Res Audio it’s not even funny. I’m super excited the Pioneer stuff does FLAC. I tell customers, anyone who will listen, to check out Hi-Res Audio sites,” he said adding that he includes Hi-Res Audio (HRA files) in his demos and had purchaed a Sony portable HRA player for $1200 to use in his demos.
Scott Patterson, Audition Audio, Cumming, GA said, “One thing I would love to see is definitely an approach more like Alpine is taking and Pioneer where you are making much more specialized product…Pioneer App Radio and Rockford VSS and iData Maestro specialized for individual cars that are tailored and also offer great margins. It makes the specialists look more like specialists. It allows us to be more profitable and raise our average tickets.”
William Sullivan of Proline Brooklyn NY wants to see more WiFi and built-in 4G in rear seat audio and head units. Sound of Tri-State, Claymont, DE wants to see CarPlay at different prices including mid-tier levels. And at the higher end, President Mehdi Narimanian is looking for CarPlay in units with faster processors. “There’s still a delay on these products,” he said, in reference to their processors.
Mark D’Elias of SoundFX, West Warwick, RI said he’d like to see upgrades in today’s amplifiers so that you can adjust amplifier settings from the front seat using Bluetooth or a cable with a master controller. He added, “We’re still using RCA cables in amplifiers in cars. It’s been around for 40 years and they induce noise. In home audio we use optical, HDMI. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Why do amplifier installers have to run a cable on both side of the car? Why can’t we have a single cable that does everything?”
