What Car Audio Tools Would You Suggest for An Installer? | Car Audio Q & A

[meade916]

thanks Sonic for recommending SMD products!!

[Swordlordboy1234]

Snap on, Matco, Mac, dd1, and a few random but extremely handy tools are in my tool box at work. Next on my list is the amm1 mostly for my personal use, and also to prove all the guys that roll up bangin their boss 4000 watt amps saying how it's better then a zero.1. I basically have 3 bags at work.

The

1) every damn install bag. Has a full 1/4 socket set, metric and standard deep and shallow with 2 extensions and a swivel. Snap on wire strippers. Matco 7" diagona cutters. Snap on wireless test light (cool as hell, uses your body as the ground), zip tie only snips, a metal pick, a few panel tools, electrical tape, power probe solder iron and micro torch, a Kline true rms multi meter with a few different lead attachments, my snap on red handle crimpers/cutters, my sky high cable cutters and an extendable magnet.

2) not so often tools. 1/2 socket set (12-22mm), shallow only. A few extensions. Needle nose pliers, a good amount of screw drivers, flat and Philips, Some micro screw drivers, 15' test leads, and a 90deg hex head driver (handy when screwing something in with close quarters). And then I have some off the wall tools but I keep them in with my nice bag.

3) is my catch all tool bag. Any not clean tool or tools that I don't use constantly. Along with a ton of random supplies.

Unfortunately since I run digital active and 99% of our customers are passive or have JL amps installed with a 80hz point clearly seen on the dial, the cc1 hasn't made it into my shop yet to justify the price. And the dd1+ is awesome but a bit too fancy for our needs and the regular dd1 does perfect, again 99% of our customers only need a -5 db or a -10db gain overlap, and we use common sense from there. If it looks like/sounds like too much. Back it down. Although when that 10-20,000$ job rolls up looking for a non digital active and some high end stuff that "just -5db" isn't good enough, you best believe we will snag them.

The imsg is fresking amazing, another tool I'd like to own just for my personal use but sadly I don't think this will ever make it into our shop with our customer base.

Sometimes I hate the professional audio industry, all the shop cares about is the bottom line (for good reason) but I will admit the overall lack of wanting everything to be like a build log with perfect wiring, construction, and set up really kills it for me.

Anyways. /rant. Great tools Steve. Hurry and get amm1's in stock so I can snag one!