The legend of Rockford Fosgate

Humble beginnings

Much like our founder, Bill Crutchfield, Jim Fosgate began in his garage — creating a solution to compensate for audio anomalies in the car environment. This solution — his Frequency Energizer, which later became Rockford’s patented Punch EQ — ushered in a new age of more impactful and controlled bass frequencies that improved the overall sound quality of a car’s audio system.

What’s in a name?

When Mr. Fosgate set up their headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, in 1980, he landed on the company name by combining his last name with the name of the street they were on — Rockford. And so a legend was born.

A legacy of advanced car audio tech

From the start, Rockford Fosgate’s goal has been to get the most power out of its car audio gear. By pairing their passion with technologies they’ve developed over the years, they’ve gotten really good at it.

They began with EQs, then pivoted to car amplifiers and subwoofers. Over the years, they dove into a broader range of gear, including stereos, but today remain faithful to their roots: car subs, amps, EQs, and signal processors. Here are a couple of solid examples of what they do best.

The 3" voice coil of this Power Series 10" subwoofer keeps the mounting depth thin, but the bass fat. (golf ball shown for scale to mounting depth)

Technology drives their car amplifiers, subwoofers, and speakers

A great example of Rockford's passion and tech prowess lies within their subwoofer design. The Power Series subs use a Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) design to maximize the cone area for more power handling while keeping the mounting depth slimmer — ensuring you get the massive thump you want from a sub that fits more applications.

Many Rockford amplifiers, like the 5-channel Punch P1000X5 amp, also employ many features Rockford Fosgate is known for, so they deliver the most amount of power they can squeeze into their speakers and subs. These include Punch EQ2 (refined from their original Punch EQ mentioned earlier), which lets you precisely boost the bass and treble as desired while still effectively setting the amp's crossovers. The C.L.E.A.N. feature provides a simple method to set this amp’s gain to perfectly match your stereo. And Dynamic Thermal Management system keeps the amp super cool for more efficient power — handy for vehicle environments where temperatures can quickly rise.

Vehicle-specific audio packages

Incorporating the features they use in their subs and amps, Rockford Fosgate has also created some vehicle-specific systems that seamlessly blend multiple components into select vehicles, like the Stage 3 system for Jeep Wrangler JL models.

Gear for boats and off-road vehicles

Using their 45 years of experience and in-depth technical research, Rockford Fosgate has met the demand for marine and powersports audio applications as well. They know this kind of sound has to overcome noisy settings. And Rockford Fosgate, being Rockford Fosgate, is all in.

Rockford Fosgate's mission

Here's how Eric Russell, Senior Digital Strategist for Rockford Fosgate explains why the company has grown to provide exciting gear outside the trunk of the car:

"Many of our customers have been long-time fanatics, having used Rockford Fosgate in their car audio systems in their younger years. As they’ve grown older and added new toys like a boat, motorcycle or Side-by-Side (SXS) to their collection, they want to recapture that same audio experience.

"Reminiscing about the performance of their Punch amplifiers, speakers, and subwoofers, they requested us to develop audio systems for their toys. Just because you grow older doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your enjoyment. Rockford Fosgate enables longtime fanatics to continue enjoying their favorite audio experiences with their families.

"One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is our commitment to performance. Rockford Fosgate still uses unregulated power supplies in their amplifiers to deliver higher dynamic power output in real-world conditions. Just like the early Punch 45 and later Punch 200 DSM models, the current line of Prime, Punch, and Power amplifiers exceed their specifications and produce more power than they’re rated for."

Marine-rated gear for boats

Beginning in 2008, they created marine gear that sounded great on the water. Today, Rockford's marine speakers include their Color Optix™ line of LED-lighted speakers for some visual appeal to meet the audio appeal. These speakers are IP67-certified, employ salt-, fog-, and UV-resistant surrounds, offer gold-plated terminals, and include stainless steel hardware to sound great and last in harsh wind and spray.

Don't forget the bass! Built-in LED lighting makes the M2 Series 10" marine subwoofer a looker, while its free-air design means it’s effective without the use of an enclosure. It handles up to 400 watts, while its UV-, moisture-, and corrosion-resistance defy the elements. And its dual 4-ohm voice coil design provides some wiring versatility to get the most out of your amplifier.

Off-road audio gear for Polaris and Can-Am

In 2016, Rockford Fosgate took their show off-road too. They designed audio products that sound fantastic, but also making things a little simpler for the installer. Their one-piece system for 2018-up Polaris Ranger models fits directly in place of the factory center console. It includes their durable PMX-1 digital media receiver and a pair of loud and strong Element-Ready™ 5-1/4" speakers. You can stream Bluetooth® or simply enjoy AM/FM radio on your way down the trails.

Using the same speakers and digital media receiver as the Ranger solution, the custom system for 2017-up Can-Am Defender models fits just under the front edge of the roof, without the need for cutting or drilling. Its great sound fills up the cabin, and the enclosure is tough enough to handle off-road uses.

Gear for your Harley-Davidson®

With the huge number of Harley-Davidson motorcycles on the road, Rockford Fosgate spotted a great opportunity to help riders upgrade their sound systems. They began creating motorcycle-oriented systems in 2014 that not only sound amazing in challenging open-air environments, but also directly fit into lots of Harley-Davidson models.

The PMX-HD14 digital media receiver, made for select 2014-up Harley-Davidson motorcycles, shows exactly why a vehicle-specific audio upgrade is such a great thing. Not only does it provide you a 7" touchscreen to access your music (even with gloves on), it also retains the factory handlebar controls, as well as CB and wireless headset capabilities for select models.

If you own an earlier Harley-Davidson model, the PMX-HD9813 digital media receiver, made for select 1998-2013 models, delivers modern tech in a chassis that fits. Wirelessly stream with Bluetooth, connect your iPhone®, or add a satellite radio tuner for SiriusXM goodness — all viewable on the bright 3" display. Made to fit factory mounting points, this tough stereo protects against moisture and dust while on the road.

And if you're looking to go big — really big — in your ’14-up Harley-Davidson, the Rockford Fosgate Stage 5 system boasts a pair of 6-1/2" speakers for the fairings, two 6" x 9" speakers and two 10" enclosed subwoofers for the saddlebags, and two compact 4-channel Rockford Fosgate amps to power the system. It also includes the wiring you need to work with the factory stereo. You’ll definitely be heard.

A lineup that keeps growing

With Rockford Fosgate, the innovations never stop. And with their ever-expanding roster of products, it’s sometimes tough to keep track. But you can find the latest and greatest Rockford Fosgate offerings we have in our Rockford Fosgate store.

Our knowledgeable Advisors are available online or by phone for any questions you might have when you're ready to set up your Rockford system. You'll also get lifetime Tech Support on all products you purchase from Crutchfield, so we won't leave you hanging. And don't forget to find what fits to ensure you get the proper installation information and gear.