All about Car Audio Systems

Living in stereos

Tweaking your car stereo may inadvertently subject you to some extreme one-upmanship - it can get competitive.  But it is a fun hobby with a rewarding payoff.  A smart buyer can affordably build a euphonious system that won't wake the neighbors, but could should the need arise. 

It would be best to first determine which car audio equipment will fit your car.  An anxious buyer could end up with several useless products and a lot of wasted labor without checking different standards. 

DIN German Institute for Standardization

EIAJ Electrical Industries Association of Japan

SAE Society of Automotive Engineers (US)

There are various different standards within each set, but simply being aware of these can save you a lot of time.  If you aren't sure, there are websites which tell you exactly what is compatible with your car.  For the very obstinate, there are "fit kits" that can rig your car for more options.

Speaker solutions

Happily, this is a sub-culture that thrives on modification.  Check your online commerce sites for discount car audio parts and ideas before you commit to the local mega-store or a specialty shop geared toward more seasoned players. 

Your centerpiece is the deck, or head unit.  A disc changer in the back will no longer suffice in competitive environs; many heads come equipped with USB ports and can handle all forms of compressed music.  Weighing specifications will cloud your decision-making, so just pick a few that really matter.  If you want a clear radio, the signal-to-noise ratio tells you how well the unit filters out background static.  For loud pulses or crescendos, you'll need a great peak output.

A new head spiffs up your car's interior and can broaden listening options, but more vital to sound are the amplifier and speakers.  Look for a four-channel amplifier with speaker-level inputs to boost sound to a complicated speaker array from just about any deck. 

Amps do require a lot of power and can cause electrical problems.  A stiffening capacitator or power cap can feed extra juice to the amp when the battery is strained.  Headlights will stay bright and windows will work.  If you are going to listen to the stereo without running the car, you'll need to upgrade the alternator or get a deep cycle battery. 

Resources abound and this market is brimming with quality products.  This makes it within anybody's grasp to be literate in car audio lingo, but a newcomer still risks being sold some unneeded extras.  Make sure you know what you want and cap your budget.

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