[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

funky_waves wrote:

I think one big reason is... the head units being molded into the dash making it a much bigger job to put an aftermarket head unit in.

Another reason for a decline in "boom cars" may be better enforcement of noise violations, so either fewer poeople aren't bothering to put huge subs in there cars and or they dont turn them up where they might get a ticket.

Well, I don’t know of any noise regulations where I live. The head units – I think you’re on to something there. Quite frankly, they are abysmal. It’s maddening to have to sift through some menu to get to basic functions like tone and balance, using tiny buttons with illegible labeling. I don’t want to push a button six times to turn the thing up – give me a knob! I honestly wonder if the people who design these things actually use them!

Julian Hirsh mentioned many years ago in a Stereo Review interview that with the advent of affordable digital processing, there was going to be the temptation to pile in all kinds of features and functions whether they were actually useful or not, merely “because we can.” The result was going to be equipment that was more difficult and complicated to operate. He was right.

Not to mention - late-model head units are just plain garish and make no attempt to visually integrate into a car. It’s to the point that the only head units I would consider would be from Nakamichi, and even then because they look like a piece of stereo equipment, not because they have knobs! But I expect that even the Nak’s days are numbered, as they are primarily a SQ brand, and one of the links I found in the “car stereo decline” search in my opening post noted a severe decline in the number of SQ competitors. One guy noted his trophy was a hollow victory, as he was the only competitor in the class!

Regards,
Wayne