Crutchfield: The Podcast

JR and Huffy are joined by Dylan Wold, Pioneer's vendor trainer, fresh off a day of training Crutchfield's sales advisors on the brand-new Pioneer SPHERA — the first aftermarket car stereo with built-in Dolby Atmos®. If you've heard "Dolby Atmos" and pictured helicopter sounds flying over your head in a movie theater, Dylan is here to reset those expectations. This is about m...

We are so excited to finally be able to talk about Sony's new True RGB TVs, the Bravia 7 Mark II and Bravia 9 Mark II. JR and Huffy have had both TVs set up in the studio, and they've been sitting on their reactions ever since. The big news: Sony's True RGB backlight technology puts individual red, green, and blue diodes inside each LED. The difference in color accuracy, contrast, and...

Matt Palumbo from Stinger and AudioControl returns to the studio fresh off a vendor training with Crutchfield's sales advisors — and he brought a lot of new stuff to talk about. JR and Huffy get the full update on the Stinger HORIZON12 multifunction displays (MFD), including new direct-fit kits for GM trucks (2014–2018 and 2019+) that bring the same clean, factory-look integration that made Je...

JR and Huffy are joined by Mulligan — Crutchfield advisor,AV design specialist, and all-around full-service operation — to talk about all the inexpensive (and sometimes free) things you can do to make your home speakers sound as good as they possibly can. The conversation covers where to put your speakers and why pulling them off the wall matters more than you might think, how to treat your room&#...

You bought new car speakers — now what? JR and Huffy welcome Peter, a Crutchfield merchandising veteran and former sales trainer, to talk about getting your speakers to live up to their potential. The guys tackle one of car audio's most misunderstood products — speaker baffles  — and set the record straight on what they actually do, when you need them, and when you might want to grab a knife t...

JR and Huffy go head-to-head in a debate to answer one of the biggest questions in home entertainment: should you buy an ultra-short throw projector or a large TV? Spoiler alert: there's no loser here, only the right choice for your room, your budget, and how big you want to go. They examine the 98-to-120-inch sweet spot where these two technologies collide, covering everything from installati...

JR and Huffy may not have been in Las Vegas for CES 2026, but that isn’t going to stop them from talking about all the new gear from many Crutchfield brands. We discuss Samsung's Micro RGB televisions, LG’s newest OLED screens, wireless TVs, Klipsch Reference Signature home theater speakers, and new powered speakers. SVS debuts asoundbar that’s sure to be loud and proud, and Samsung takes Q-sy...

JR and Huffy wrap up 2025 and the fifth season of Crutchfield: The Podcast by taking questions from our fans and providinghelpful answers. Things vary from simple compliments to deep inquiries about the quality of vintage home audio gear in comparison to newer products. One savvy fan asked about a new Pioneer retro-style car stereo that’s only available in Europe (for now).   As one final gift to...

This week Huffy and JR take turns sharing some amazing giftideas available at Crutchfield. Car stereos, subwoofers, cameras, record players, and some surprise picks! And remember: if you're buying something for yourself, we won't know the difference. Note: pricing and availability are subject to change. We’dlove to answer your questions in our December episode; please email podcast@crutchf...

Fender, the iconic brand of guitars, basses, and amps, isnow available at Crutchfield. To celebrate this momentous occasion JR and Huffy (not guitar players) invite some of Crutchfield’s most experienced guitarists to talk about the instruments they love so much. Ned and Charlie have beenvery busy writing about all the new Fender products but were able to take some time away from their keyboards t...

JR and Huffy share the online resources they use to stay upto date on the latest in audio, video, sound, car stereo installation, and more. The Crutchfield website is a great place to educate yourself about the gear so you can shop intelligently for TVs, home theater, car stereo, speakers, amps, subs, cameras, drones, and more!    We use these resources to do our jobs more effectively atCrutchfiel...

Emily, a Crutchfield editor and one of our TV writers, joins JR and Huffy to talk about her picks for the top TVs for 2025. She explains the reasoning behind her picks and provides some updates that weren’t in the original article.   If you are interested in televisions or are just wondering which one might be best for your TV watching situation, thisepisode is a must-listen! You can also check ou...

JR and Huffy/Eric invite Matt Palumbo to discuss the new Stinger HORIZON10 10" floating-screen infotainment center, along with where car stereo is headed. The HORIZON10 is a feature-packed digital multimedia receiver that integrates capably with Jeeps and other vehicles. It also plays well with AudioControl DSP devices and other peripherals. It’s another example of the future of car stereo. I...

Factory car stereos have become so much harder to replace in the last few years. The radio in the dash is so integrated with the vehicle systems and features that it can be almost impossible to replace. Now, JVC/Kenwood have teamed up with ADS (the makers of the iDatalink Maestro OEM interface), and the result is Direct Replacement. Finally, we can offer radio replacement solutions for millions of...

In this special bonus episode Eric and JR explore thequestion, “Do you need to go to the theater to enjoy movies, or can they be just as good on a home theater?” To get to the bottom of this, the guys brought in some experts and did some of their own research. First they talked with Bryan Loy from Alamo Drafthouse Cinema about why people go to movies, especially at his theaters, as well as how he...

JR’s mother is pretty cool. So cool that she recently boughtnew speakers and installed them in her 2008 Ford Escape. JR interviewed her after she finished the installation to see how it went, and to show the world how much he loves his mom.   If you are considering your own car audio installation, weare here to help. We offer plenty of insightful articles to get you going, tons of information on t...

JR and Eric invite Tech Support Supervisor Cris Baker intothe new podcast studio at Crutchfield HQ to discuss the latest developments in EVs and hybrids and what can be done to improve their sound systems. We know a lot more about these vehicles today than we did just a few years ago, as Cris explains. Cris is also working hard to fill in the information gaps so we can be even smarter about how yo...

We’ve been researching cars since the early days ofCrutchfield. It’s how we know what stereos, speakers, amps, subs, and more fit your vehicle. How do we do it? Who takes apart dashes and measures speaker locations? Where do we get the cars? And maybe most importantly: How can youhelp? This episode is a deep dive into the world of Crutchfield Vehicle Research. As you listen to this episode, you ca...

Bill Crutchfield opened our tech support department in 1979;before that, Bill was the tech support department. Now it’s a group of around 70 people helping our customer get their shiny new toys up and running. JR asked our technicians if they had any interesting stories from their experiences working with customers, and it turns out they do! This episode features several of our techs sharing their...

We put out a call for questions on Facebook and Instagram: Things you, our fans, would like us to discuss on the podcast. You gave us plenty to talk about, and talk about it we did! We couldn't think of a better way to start our fifth season of the show than interacting with our listeners. We discuss tweeter styles, amplifier power, and how to replace the radio in Chevy Suburbans.   Also: Vale...

We get a lot of people interested in using headphones with their TV. Some want to listen on just headphones, while others need the headphones to work at the same time as the TV sound is on for others. In this episode we dive in to how to use headphones with your TV the way that works for your household. This is also our season 4 finale, and we brought in a special guest. Eric and J.R. welcome Mull...

We are super excited to be talking about Home Theater in this third episode of our four-part series that examines the best ways to make your TV sound as good as it looks. JR and Eric go in to the speakers needed for surround sound, and the home theater receivers that power those speakers. If you are considering whether home theater is the thing for you, this episode should give you the guidance yo...

In part two of this four-part series on TV sound solutions, JR and Eric dive deep on the idea of just using a stereo, 2-channel speaker set up to enhance your TV’s sound. This can be done with powered stereo speakers, or with passive speakers and a receiver. The guys go in to the connections needed to make this work. Are you more in to music, but also want your TV to sound bigger and better than t...

J.R. and Eric dive into the world of TV sound. In this first episode of a four-part series, the guys focus on the easiest and most popular way of making your TV sound awesome, sound bars. They talk about the various types of sound bars, how to hook them up properly, and help you determine which soundbar is right for you. In addition to this podcast, we have several helpful articles to make picking...

It has arrived — the final episode of our series on how to build the perfect car audio system. Hosts J.R. and Eric have a powerful conversation about amplifiers , shedding light on industry jargon and offering shopping tips to find the best amp for your system. Choosing the right amp for your car stereo system can be crucial to achieving optimal sound quality and listening enjoyment. Your hosts ex...