EOXGEAR was founded by Jim Palmer and Greg Fadul in 2008, with the launch of the world’s first waterproof portable Bluetooth speaker. In 2019, drawing on their roots as leaders in the waterproof audio space, they released the now wildly popular ECOXGEAR SE26 soundbar, which cemented ECOXGEAR’s role as the #1 solution in golf car audio. Bestselling features include the bar’s LED strip, party lights, hands-free calling, FM radio (with presets) and reliable rough and tough durability with an IP66 marine waterproof rating.
The success of the SE26 is based on Jim and Greg’s background in waterproof audio. In 2014, Greg and Jim were awarded their initial waterproof patent for creating the world’s first portable waterproof speaker that floated and was submersible. Fast forward to 2023, and in the portable audio and soundbar categories they now have 8 granted patents, and numerous pending, as they continue to reinvent the industry.
As the popularity of the SE26 grew, the ECOXGEAR team responded to their dealers’ requests for new products. Launching a slimmed-down 18” bar, double-sided 32” bar, and the industry’s first battery powered 26” bar, the ECOXGEAR brand has evolved into SoundExtreme by ECOXGEAR, further expanding their footprint with not only golf car dealers but also marine and UTV/powersports retailers.
In the fall of 2023, SoundExtreme by ECOXGEAR released their enhanced SE28 Elite bar, building upon their proven formula of quality audio at a value price while improving the bestselling bar by adding 3db of audio, improved vocal imaging, and improved THD (total harmonic distortion). The LED lighting system was completely redesigned from the ground up to support cascading and chasing light shows by upgrading to addressable RBIC LEDs (another industry first), and simplified wiring ports.
The Elite series also offers connectivity to the in-house designed SoundExtreme LED app that allows users customizable control over their illumination. The Elite soundbars can also actively connect two Bluetooth phones at a time, allowing for two people (phones) to switch back and forth as a DJ without having to reconnect their phones each time.
The user has three options to control the LEDs on the new SE28: the soundbar’s front panel buttons, the included RF remote control, and the free SoundExtreme app that allows users to adjust the speed, brightness, and colors of the pre-programmed settings.
“Unlike competitive options, our new SE28—and all of our new products—have more than one LED lighting zone, which are accessed by the RF remote or front panel and can be completely customized by our app,” explained SoundExtreme’s CEO, Greg Fadul.
“A zone can be defined in many ways, but for a golf car using our SE28 as one example, zone 1 is defined as the lights behind the speakers, zone 2 is the soundbar’s rear light bar, and then you can connect up to two additional zones of lights directly to the soundbar. So, canopy lights can be zone 3, and underglows zone 4. Then on the app, you can save up to five different scenes, defining what you want each of the four zones to do with the press of one button.”
Fadul continued, “As an example, at night you may want the canopy lights very dim blue for ambient light, so they don’t interfere with driving, while the underglows and speaker lights flash together in a party mode. You can save this scene and name it, for example, “Night Mode.” Since the app wirelessly programs the SE28 the front panel buttons and RF remote control will now access the scene without the need of the app.”
This novel, patent pending lighting solution is called LEDCast. Expect to see this technology and the new integrated LED controllers included on the Elite series, expanding to all soundbar models, including the popular battery soundbar, SEB28.
SoundExtreme also offers a stand-alone 4-zone controller that’s waterproof (IP66) which includes its own RF remote and uses the same SoundExtreme LED app for any users who may want to install lights without a soundbar, or for anyone who wants to add additional LED light zones. In the SoundExtreme app, you can group any SoundExtreme product with LEDCast to allow for one button on/off functionality of all the connected LED’s.
The new ExtremeStrips LED products offer yet another industry leading design to simplify installation. Instead of each strip wiring back to a controller, the LED strips are connected sequentially, allowing a daisy chain style installation to the controller or soundbar. With quicker installation time, dealers may find more customers interested in a more appealing value proposition of adding LEDs. Kits are currently available for underbody, wheel well, interior, and canopies.
SoundExtreme by ECOXGEAR also recently launched a new line of Marine grade radios and coaxial speakers for those who may want a more traditional audio set up, or for dealers who are installing both wired speakers and a soundbar, such as utilizing the marine radio with 2 LEDcast enabled 6.5” wired speakers in the dash, and a soundbar in the middle or back for an immersive audio experience.
“We have added LEDcast and ECOCAST into our patent pending new radios. This allows a customer to connect their phone to the radio then the radio sends (via ECOCAST) the audio wirelessly to the rear soundbar and optional wireless subwoofer, which is typically installed in the bag well or battery compartment on lithium car installs,” explained Fadul.
Palmer and Fadul and the engineering team at SoundExtreme continue to push industry-leading innovations, having also recently released the industry’s first battery powered tower speakers, as well as a full line of mounting solutions and accessories. Tower speakers are offered in both battery and wired, and in passive and active configurations, for a variety of install options to match any build. An upright/strut mount is forthcoming to integrate with the towers’ quick release functionality.
Another innovation in the product launch schedule will be a new line of amplifiers and the industry’s first amplifier that supports electric golf cars with no stepdown power converter required. Please stop by booth #3351 at the PGA show to demo the new amps and recently released products.
All of SoundExtreme’s new products are equipped with the latest ECOCAST and LEDCast technology that allows these cutting-edge products to function interconnectedly, which is another important value-add for any dealer’s customer, as they may want to enhance their audio or lighting systems at a later time.
With soundbar, mounts, subwoofers, wired speakers with addressable LED lights, head units with integrated LED controllers, whips, LED light strip kits, and the soon to be released touchpad keyless entry, it’s hard to imagine not including one or more of SoundExtreme’s industry-pioneering solutions on any golf car purchase or build.
Learn more at www.soundextreme.us or contact dealers@ecoxgear.com for more information.
