The Best Is Yet To...
Another editorial year is over. This is my 7th year on the magazine and the last 12 issues in particular seem to have gone faster than ever before. Part of that may be due to the fact that we tried to do more with less in '05. Just a manner of speaking really. CA&E is still the 100-page mag it's been the last few years, but we maximize the edit page count, filling it with more product coverage, special features and a wide variety of articles on customized vehicles. Also we've been doing more online, such as the digital Directory. We don't have the kind of budget we'd like, but we still manage to get more of the content together that is most important to our readers. Thanks go out to all the contributors and especially the Car Audio crew: Casey Thorson, Brook Howell, new art director Chris Cruz, Bill Klein, Jen Wong and some other people whose names somehow elude me at moments like this.
You'll notice that we've focused the magazine to be significantly more product-centric. Not a lot of celebrity stories-although on the rare occasion when we get hatemail, a reader will say something about the hip-hop slant, an inexplicable complaint, especially considering we haven't run any features on any hip-hop act in over a year-or a bunch of high-end installs that most readers (and the staff) can't afford. We've tried to mix it up. But the constant has been the stories on product, whether it's third-party testing or the increased number of staff reviews and installer or other industry professional evaluations. Because we assigned or checked out for ourselves so many products this past year it was more difficult than in '04 to decide what was the best. We took the easy way out and selected more for the Best of... than we originally intended. That doesn't mean we compromised the choices. All were quite deserving. What it really means is that the industry is seriously dedicated to improving the quality of their wares. Now is not the time for mediocrity!
For those of you that read the magazine regularly it may seem almost redundant to do a "year in review" issue; but we do have some people that buy us on newsstand, and unfortunately we can't rely on them to purchase a copy every month-a total and utter mystery. In any case, it's our duty to put it all together for those people who've been lazy or just derelict about going out to that newsstand in a 30-mile radius that carries Car Audio and to spend a few dollars for a fortune in information. Beyond that, this issue is a great tool for consumers that are always looking for recommendations. Every third question to the magazine is, "What should I buy?" Rightly so, this is a consumer magazine. Well, this is our answer. Consider this the recommendation issue. (I'd run that on the cover if it didn't sound so awkward.) In fact, our contributors, some of whom happen to be top engineers in the industry, provide us with their own favorites from '05. Just read, you'll see. And trust us, there's no endorsement money involved. If there were, I'd be taking it out of their fees, believe me.
There are a lot of problems in the world: the economy has long shown signs of some shakiness, gas prices are ridiculous, Delphi has filed for bankruptcy, our country has so many things to pay for right now I wonder if I should get a second job to help pay down the federal debt... Consumers don't have the extra money to make a bad decision on a purchase. We know. So study this issue, we have it figured out for you. But if you still have questions, take the time to write to us. We'll get you an answer and maybe some freebies to boot. We especially like highly complimentary messages, even with some subtle false flattery. That practically guarantees you a sticker or t-shirt.
But seriously, we have a lot going on and therefore a lot to bring you in the next few issues. The Unified Finals for sound competition is a week away, followed by SEMA and CES. Already time to start thinking about upgrading your system with new gear. DB Drag Finals just ended this past weekend, so coverage of that will be in the next issue. And of course, as promised, we have everything you need to know about OEM interfaces in the February edition of Car Audio and Electronics, the magazine that's available on newsstands 12 times a year. Only 12 times, so certainly worth the drive. Just make sure you have a decent system to keep you entertained. See you next year.