Musicar Northwest — Local services in Portland

TL;DR: Go here if you want the best possible sound quality in your car!

In 2016 I finally got my dream car: a brand new Honda Civic! The car was almost perfect except the sound was pretty terrible. I had an aftermarket head unit and some speakers from a previous car and I called around asking for estimates for installation. When I called Musicar Northwest, they politely explained how their approach to car stereos was different from other shops and that I should come in for a consultation.

The moment I pulled up, I almost “noped” right outta there. The place had a clean and minimalist vibe, very different from the divey hell holes I was used to. At the time, I think there was a Porsche Cayenne parked in the showroom and a garage full of rare luxury sports cars being worked on. I felt completely out of my element showing up with my humble little civic. Nick introduced himself and got right to the consultation complete with hand drawn graphs on a whiteboard explaining the science of sound and car audio. I was floored and quickly sold on getting a DSP amp installed with plans to add my subwoofer and some Honda stock tweeters to complete the setup. I mentioned I was on a budget and together we planned some modest upgrades in stages to fit my needs.

They treated me and my car with the utmost respect. My civic was handled with the same care and precision as the gag worthy Audi and BMW alongside it in their garage. Nick even designed a custom knob to control my sub. The end result was an invisible and seamless integration that made every song sound incredible, even songs I didn’t like. I enjoyed the hell out of listening to music in my car. Now that my lease is up, I had the equipment uninstalled and ready to be transplanted in my future next car. I can’t wait to get my new civic (surprise surprise lol) so I can have everything reinstalled. It was worth every cent and I’ll be coming back for...

After scouring reviews of audio shops in the Pacific Northwest I was happy to find out that one of the best operations in the country was located right here in my hometown. What's more, they had a sterling reputation for doing Porsche installs, which was exactly what I was looking for. I reached out to Nick Akin, their Porsche Audio specialist, for some options.

I would like to address the fact that these guys can be challenging at times to get ahold of. This is true. Sometimes that can be an indicator of a sloppy operation or one where they don't really care about the customer. That is anything but the case here. I would advise anyone who wants a top quality install to just be persistent. I had better luck calling than I did by email, which is usually my preferred means of communication.

Nick presented me with three standard tiers for upgrading my stock system, as well as ways to customize the system further. I was interested in the top tier with a few further modifications. Despite making a few plan changes close to my scheduled appointment the shop did everything in their power to accommodate me and make sure I was confident and happy with the direction the install was going.

And the finished product was nothing short of spectacular. The sound is truly phenomenal. It's rare for me to have a service experience where I feel like I got exactly what was planned and paid for, on time, without compromises. Nick and his staff were all extremely friendly and genuinely love cars and what they do with them.

These guys will be my go to shop for all future car audio purchases for the rest of the vehicles in...

My 2008 Porsche Cayman had a decent sound system for its time, but it was definitely showing its age. Streaming music? Not in ‘08. I wanted modern features like Apple CarPlay, but the Cayman's factory Bose system presented some unique challenges. After contacting several car audio shops in the Portland area, I found Musicar Northwest. From the start, they were in a different league.

Nick and the team were incredibly knowledgeable and patient. They presented me with various options, clearly explaining the pros and cons of each, and answered all my questions thoroughly. They even went above and beyond to accommodate my busy schedule.

The quality of work at Musicar Northwest is simply unparalleled. Everything, from the custom amp mounting system they fabricated to the seamlessly integrated USB-C port, looks like it was a factory option back in 2008. The attention to detail is astounding.

But the best part? The system sounds incredible. The audio quality is far beyond any car audio system I've ever had. It truly is an audiophile's dream.

The only downside? Musicar Northwest is in high demand (and for good reason!), so it took a few weeks to get an appointment. But let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

Kudos to Nick and the entire Musicar Northwest team. They are true professionals who deliver exceptional service and craftsmanship. I'm a thrilled customer and wholeheartedly recommend Musicar Northwest to anyone seeking a premium car audio experience. If you're looking for top-notch quality and aren't afraid to invest in it, look no further. You won't be...