Car Audio & Tech News, Guides & Advice
Expert buying advice, product launches and how-to guides from the CEN team in Nottingham.
Expert Advice, Straight From the CEN Team
Welcome to the CEN blog — your home for expert advice, product launches and buying guides from one of the UK's leading car audio, dash cam and tech specialists. Based in Nottingham and trading for over a decade, CEN is an authorised UK retailer for over 80 brands including Alpine, Pioneer, Focal, JL Audio, VIOFO and Thinkware.
Here you'll find in-depth product reviews, installation and setup guides, comparisons between the latest car stereos and dash cams, and news on Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, home AV, photography gear and off-grid power. Every post is written by our in-house team — the same people who answer your questions and hand-pick our range — so the advice you read here is the advice we'd give you in person.
Looking for something specific? Browse by category above, or get in touch — we're always happy to help before you buy.
Car Amplifier Buying Guide: Channels, Power and Matching Explained
The short version: choose a 4-channel amplifier to power your door speakers, a mono amplifier for a subwoofer, and match...
RetroSound Motor 4: DAB and Bluetooth for Classic Cars, Without the Modern Look
RetroSound's new Motor 4 stereos have arrived at CEN, and they solve the classic car owner's dilemma: modern sound and...
New at CEN: DJI Osmo Pocket 4 — 4K 240fps from Your Pocket
The DJI Osmo Pocket 4 has arrived at CEN: a pocket-sized gimbal camera that now shoots 4K at up to...
How to Hardwire a Dash Cam (And When to Use a Battery Pack Instead)
Hardwiring connects your dash cam directly to the vehicle's fusebox instead of the 12V socket. It does two things: hides...
Car Subwoofer Buying Guide: Size, Power and Enclosures Explained
The short version: for most cars, a 10" or 12" subwoofer in a sealed enclosure, driven by a properly matched...
Apple CarPlay Stereo Buying Guide: Single DIN, Double DIN, Wired vs Wireless
The short answer: almost any car with a standard stereo aperture can have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for...
Component vs Coaxial Speakers: Which Upgrade Is Right for Your Car?
The short answer: coaxial speakers are the straightforward, cost-effective upgrade — everything in one unit, drop-in fitting, an immediate improvement...
Car Sound Deadening: How Much Do You Need and Where to Put It
The quick answers: a pair of front doors takes around 1 to 1.5 square metres of deadening; a thorough full-car...
The Essential Read
Hand-picked by the CEN team — worth ten minutes of your time.
Best Dash Cam UK 2026: Which Should You Buy?
For most UK drivers in 2026, the best dash cam is the VIOFO A229 series — 2K recording front and rear, excellent night footage from Sony STARVIS 2 sensors, and...
