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Did the 1980s Start the Decline of 12-volt Aftermarket Audio?
No, the 12-volt aftermarket audio industry won’t be leaving us any time soon. But it is in decline, and has been for many years. As a trade publication for the custom electronics industry recently suggested, last year might have seen a 50 percent reduction in jobs for 12-volt electronics installers. We don’t know if that prediction became reality, but major 12-volt electronics vendors now avoid the once-ubiquitous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Instead, they opt for the business-centric SEMA show, and a 12-volt trade specific show called KnowledgeFest.
So we are seeing smoke, which suggests there is a fire … somewhere. Perhaps we saw the genesis of this downward spiral in the late 1980s. This was the era of American automakers differentiating themselves from their imported competition with superior audio systems, installed from the factory. From digital tuners to high-wattage analog amplifiers with stunning mid-bass response, America clearly had something to prove.
And the automakers backed it up with the technology and partnerships to make it happen. As discussed previously, General Motors led the charge with a Bose partnership in the “Delco/Bose Symphony Sound”-equipped Cadillac Seville and Eldorado, Oldsmobile Toronado, and Buick Riviera for 1983. Ford had a revised (and similarly excellent) 80-watt Premium Sound system that same year, but it saw enough success in GM’s partnership to pair up with audio engineering firm JBL in 1986.
Chrysler also got the memo, adding Infinity audio to its portfolio in 1987. Most of the Detroit-based audio upgrades were intended for posh automobiles, but the trickle-down theory ensured things would get better in the coming years. The days of buying a car with an AM radio (or no radio at all) and upgrading to better hardware from places like Crutchfield or the local K-Mart as a rite of passage (for audiophiles and motorheads alike) were coming to an end.
A large number of factory stereos stopped emitting deplorable decibels by the time this MotorWeek feature story aired on public television in 1988. They go deeper, comparing the pros and cons of both factory and aftermarket stereos. As a fan of both factory (high-bias cassettes with Ford Premium Sound, please!) and aftermarket setups (Alpine’s green chicklet buttons FTW!) of the era, I was please to see the MotorWeek story rightly comparing the financing/warranty benefits of a factory audio system to the customization potential available in the aftermarket.
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Both accomplished the same mission, in completely different ways, ensuring there was no wrong answer for consumers. Some preferred a slightly elevated monthly payment to go with their audiophile intentions, while others fired up a credit card to get the finest aftermarket bits available. Things got better in the 1990s, and that might apply to both factory and aftermarket opportunities.
Factory-installed subwoofers, multiple amplifiers, and CD players were commonplace. Even the traditional Mercury Grand Marquis owner could be swayed to appreciate fine audio from JBL. Perhaps now they’d be willing to buy a CD player and amplifier for their teenage grandchildren?
Forget about seeing is believing, because ears are just as important as one’s eyes. And a rising tide lifts all boats, as better factory systems reminded all that audio upgrades weren’t just for a picky few. Anyone could do it, with little more than a visit to the nearest Radio Shack, Circuit City, or even a Service Merchandise catalog/store.
But there’s good reason why some readers have never been to the aforementioned retailers, and it’s not just because everything is on Amazon/eBay/TEMU these days. The factory systems were innovative, fed by bottomless pits of money relative to the aftermarket audio corporations’ modest cash flow. Take, for example, the dealer-installed mini-disc option in 1994 for Ford vehicles with a double-DIN stereo hole. Jac “The Knife” Nasser killed the fun in Detroit, but Ford experimented with many automotive enhancements while it could.
Ford was not alone in its innovations, either, because Oldsmobile put its Guidestar navigation system into production around 1995. These rare feats of in-car revolution portended a future where OEMs were gunning hard for all the money they could squeeze out of their customers before they left the dealership. And that future that was less than 20 years away.
The automobile’s relationship with in-car entertainment was forever changed by the 2013 Tesla Model S, as sound quality and in-car navigation weren’t the only things to pique a buyer’s interest. Huge screens, smartphone interfaces, and advanced telematics meant modern car buyers have a lot more than Bose speakers to pine for in a new vehicle.
But the “traditional” audio upgrade was still around, even for the forward-thinking Tesla Model S. Such upgrades might actually be alive and well, but owners are now balancing them with a larger universe of automotive technology. Features like navigation and HD radios are bundled with good amplification and great speaker placement. And on the retail side, this technology tortilla includes rolling automotive accessories into the proverbial meal.
Probably the best example of said automotive burrito comes from Tint World, which came to life in 1982 when Charles J. Bonfiglio opened a modest window tinting business in Tamarac, Florida. He soon realized the need to offer “auto security, car stereo systems, and wash & wax services,” and eventually opened the concept up to franchisees in 2006. Tint World now has over 150 locations globally. I visited one operation shortly after the pandemic, and it’s clear their hybrid business model offers something for anyone who loves their car. Even the vintage name aged well, when considering the meteoric rise in paint protection film sales.
So no, the rise of outstanding OEM electronics with a factory warranty and a singular monthly payment has not completely killed the aftermarket audio industry. It’s likely contracted significantly, and it took a good 40 years to happen. But audiophiles can rejoice, because if your factory audio offering disappoints, there are alternatives available both online and in person. Good tunes aren’t impossible to find—they are merely seeking refuge amongst the shelves of complementary goods and related services.
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This article made me go look to see if Crutchfield is still in business. Apparently they still are! Loved getting their catalogs in the mail back in the day.
I used to buy stuff from Service Mechandise too – weren’t they called LaBelle’s before that?
Still alive, providing great customer service and good prices!
I haven’t seen any mention of LaBelle’s online, and I don’t remember that name when I was a kid. Service Merchandise came to my city as a new retailer.
I installed many stereos in my cars over the years, but the last was probably a Pioneer Supertuner with cassette, in a 1977 Dodge Royal Monaco in 1993. As others have noted, factory stereos became much better, and it became much more difficult to swap stereos in newer cars. Plus, I got tired of standing on my head under the dashboard, as I got older.
My friends who installed stereos all did 8-tracks back in the early-1970’s, but I thought those cartridges were too big, and wore out too quickly (due to their endless loop construction, I have heard). So, with the advent of Dolby to help the sound, I went more modern, and installed my first cassette in 1974, in a 1969 Beetle. To date, I have never installed an 8-track in a car, but ironically, have an 8-track player/recorder at home – and about a dozen tapes to play!
Back in the mid ’70s the Pioneer SuperTuner with a JVC amp and a set of Jensen Coaxial/Triaxial speakers mounted on the rear package shelf was the hot ticket! I later replaced those with the Mind Blower 6x9s (remember those?). It seemed working around turbine-powered aircraft all day wasn’t enough to inflict damage to my hearing…