The best overall car audio subwoofer measured by exceptional sound, fitment and engineering in Europe, North America and Asia, is the Morel Ultimo Pro 104D, according to the latest awards by the renown EISA (Expert imaging and Sound Association).
The 10-inch subwoofer, “strikes a brilliant balance between an ability to reproduce earth-shaking low frequencies and the flexibility to work within compact enclosures, whether sealed or ported,” said EISA. (See a link below).
Also winning EISA awards this year are the following:
Best In-Car Head Unit: Pioneer SPH-EV0109DAB
This is a Dolby Atmos head unit with DAB for European audiences. “Even with 2-channel stereo sources, Pioneer’s proprietary spatial audio processing generates an immersive audio experience using the usual 4.1 setup in many cars. Automatic optimisation for the vehicle’s cabin eliminates the need for complex manual adjustments.” The unit includes a 10.1-inch screen, wireless and wired CarPlay and Android Auto. See the full citation here.
Best In-Car Speaker System: Ground Zero GZ Reference K-165/M-80/T-26
The component system is the first Ground Zero system to use an inverted titanium dome tweeter. It includes a Reference K-165 6.5-inch woofer with ferrite and neodymium magnets. “The same materials and many of the technical solutions used in the bass driver are carried over into the 3.15-inch Reference M-80 midrange.” EISA says the system “draws on the finest loudspeaker engineering and audio tuning technologies to create a class-leading system designed for modern three-way setups, free of any passive crossover.”
Best In-Car Micro Amplifier: Musway M4nano
A more compact version of the company’s earlier M4 model, it delivers 4 x 55 watts into 4 ohms with the option to bridge its output to 200 watts to drive an efficient subwoofer. It also has an 8-channel DSP processor “with six high-level and preamp inputs, four amplified outputs and four pre-outs, allowing configurations ranging from a four-speaker system to an active front-facing system with external subwoofer amplification. Add in Musway’s intuitive and comprehensive installation software, plus the amplifier’s plug-and-play wiring compatibility and compact size, and the M4nano becomes the ideal solution…” for enhancing an OEM system.
Best In-Car Sound Processor: Helix NEXT DSP ULTRA XT
The DSP creates a new top-line class of processors for Helix. It’s a high end 16-channel processor “for ambitious multi-channel systems, it combines extensive analog and digital connectivity with advanced routing and tuning flexibility. Its completely reworked hardware concept includes a dual 64-bit DSP platform and latest-generation A/D and D/A converters from ESS Technology with SABRE architecture, each supported by a dedicated power supply. The result is outstanding measured performance, including reduced harmonic distortion, a higher signal-to-noise ratio, 96kHz/32-bit internal processing, USB PerfectStream via USB-C and flexible digital integration options.”
Best High End Component: Brax MATRIX ML28 PRO/ML80 PRO/ML165 PRO
EISA said the system reflects Brax’s “no-effort-spared approach to hi-fi design and delivers a best-in-class performance. Comprising the ML28 PRO, ML80 PRO and ML165 PRO models, it builds upon years of development in premium materials, such as the multi-layer, lightweight carbon-fleece cones for the woofer and midrange drivers, and the coated 28mm silk dome of the ML28 PRO tweeter. In conjunction with ‘Made in Germany’ manufacturing quality…”
See also:
Best In-Car Subwoofer: Morel Ultimo Pro 104D
Best In-Car DSP Software: ETON DSP Control Center
Best In-Car DSP Amplifier: ESX VE1000.6DSP
Best In-Car Integration: Phoenix Gold ZD Series
EISA is a network of over 50 specialist consumer electronics magazines, websites, and journalists from nearly 30 countries. They nominate products after reviewing and testing them during the year.
With limited exceptions, an awarded product must generally be available for sale to the public in at least 10 markets by 1 October of the award year.
