What Happened to the Car Audio Scene?

A bustling industry and hobby seems to have dissappeared?

I still recall the day I got my driver’s license. Without a car of my own, my first steer was the family car; a white 1994 Mitsubishi Magna TS with the punchy 3l V6 mounted across the front wheels.

Knowing there was no way I was going to do any serious mods until I got my own, my focus turned to what was a pathetic factory sound system. A generic cassette deck (remember those!?) connected to a pair of puny 4-inch speakers at each end of the dash. It was the automotive audio equivalent of a wet rag.

For many years I collected Hot 4’s and Fast Fours magazine, where the stories included an overview of the sound system. I recall performance being judged based on a classical piece; Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture from memory. I often wondered what the owner was doing while this was happening, because there was no chance in hell a slammed Swift GTI with Auscars and a pair of 15-inch Rockford Fosgate’s in the boot was ever going to play that type of music. The point, however, was to gauge performance through the sound spectrum, and that was cool in my mind.

My curiosity grew with exposure to sound systems in family and friends’ vehicles. You see I’m not much of a dancer, but I love the way music can take you away without physically moving. This emotiveness was a perfect pairing for the driving experience, and I’m certain that I am partially deaf in the left ear as a result.

For this reason, there was no way the 5w 2-channel setup in the Magna was ever going to cut it. Soon thereafter, it was in with a pair of Pioneer 6x9’s and single-din CD deck. It made a world of difference, especially after I did some work sealing the boot and reinforcing the parcel tray.

Back then a custom sound system was a key part of builds – and they were nothing short of showpieces. Often found in the boot, but in some of the more lairy builds, you’d find door pods with custom painted fibreglass to match the exterior or overall theme. Think everything from fish tanks to airbrushing for owners who put output and aesthetics over pure sound quality.

I always preferred function over form, erring more on the audiophile side, but the ethos behind the setup isn’t the point. Car audio was a scene in itself, and it supported a burgeoning industry at the time. Various sound shops from your common Strathfield Car Radio’s to more bespoke high-end businesses fought for the modifying dollar and coveted spot atop show car windscreens.

But what happened? Nowadays builds still have audio setups, especially big dollar older vehicles. But the components are usually hidden, and I certainly don’t know of any sound-off’s or sound-quality reviews being conducted anymore.

One of reasons could be the fact that OEM setups are just so good now. Having reviewed dozens of vehicles over the last few years, I can state that even the least expensive entry-level vehicle comes with a decent enough audio system. The quality across the entire sound spectrum surpasses the days of old by colossal margins. Today, new vehicles come with multiple drivers in each door, with some systems being designed by audio houses such as Bang & Olufsen to optimise performance to the specific chassis.

More recently, the advent of CarPlay and integrated infotainment screens means changing your “head unit” simply isn’t as easy anymore. Speakers are important but the processors driving the music are critical. The days of a single or double din are long gone.

Finally, that entire modified car scene is gone, which is an article in itself. The audio space was often the arena of younger drivers. I know my parents used to know I was coming home blocks before they heard the car (and the car itself was never quiet either). I just don’t witness that anymore. I’m sure its not because kids don’t like music anymore. Could it be the police attention and the fact that one can be dobbed in anonymously these days for noise pollution?

Are younger enthusiasts more introverted? I’m not so sure given the frustrating proliferation of crackle maps. So, what is it then?