Duh, It’S A Car Stereo!
Pretty self-explanatory isn’t it? It’s a stereo system in a car, you say. Whoa, hold your horses, it’s not that simple. Although some people like to put home stereos in their cars and vans (out of dire need for some sounds), sometimes it just doesn’t work. Yeah, maybe before it could’ve worked just fine, all you needed was radio and a cassette player (or 8 tracks, for the inner dinosaur in you) so sure, lug those big box speakers into the back seat and you’ll be blaring down the highway. But nowadays there are things like cd players and mp3 players and your popup LCD panels and all that techie knickknack you’d think they’d like to build a home theater system right smack on the console of your van. If you don’t know anything about these things but would like to have some sounds in your car anyway, here are some things to know about a car stereo.
As mentioned above, at first units and speakers from home audio systems and professional markets were just simply installed into vehicles. However, they were not well suited to the extremes of temperature and vibration which are a normal part of the environment of an automobile. Car stereo enthusiasts were not satisfied with the sound quality of regular car sound systems, and with the advent of the CD player, they really had to start modifying some of these home stereos in order to work well in a car environment and voila!, now we have the modern car stereo.
If you have a new car, first hand bought, say from about 90 to present, chances are you already have a “factory” car stereo in your car. It means the car manufacturer already included a car stereo system in your car, unless specified in the car model but most often this is the case. Some car manufacturers make their own car stereos, like BMW which includes a pretty decent car stereo package head unit and speakers. It is a standard which comes with all their cars (which isn’t surprising considering that BMW is included in the league of “luxury car manufacturers”). Or like Mercedes Benz or Volkswagen, they use car stereo systems from a German audio manufacturer called Blaupunkt.
A standard car stereo (also called a head unit) usually includes an auto-reverse tape deck, a cd player and sometimes the optional changer – a device which automatically changes the cd in play. On newer car models, the car stereo can also play mp3s and other digital audo file types like WMA and AAC, whether on a cd or a memory device which can be hooked up to the head unit.
The car stereo head unit is connected to several speakers. Older car models usually just had one speaker mounted underneath the dashboard, pointing through perforations towards the front windshield. The standard for car stereo nowadays is a pair of “tweeters” (used to bring out high treble) on the driver side/front passenger side dashboard, a pair of normal “mid” speakers on both doors, sometimes even the backseat passeger doors if it’s a large car and larger speakers capable of bringing out low ends at the back protion of the backseats.
Your car stereo is probably ok as it is, as car manufacturers ensure that the audio products that come with their cars can handle most dirver’s listening demands. But if you think that what you have isn’t enough, you can always Customize.
Car Stereo Speaker: Let Your Car Stereo Speak For Itself
Even if you’re not a car audio connoisseur, it’s easy to be impressed with a car stereo speaker while looking around in an expo or convention. They’re the first thing you’ll probably notice, they come in different colors, shapes and sizes. Those big throbbing concaves blaring incredibly low bass lines or cool little tweeters whistling out seething treble sounds.
Car stereo speakers are interesting and very tempting to buy, especially the big loud ones. But big is not always the best. Each speaker has its own unique quality, intended use and price range. Some may also be better than others at certain things so it pays to investigate your type of car stereo amplifier or head unit before you finally decide on a car stereo speaker for your system. Here are some features to consider:
Car stereo speakers are not all the same size and wattage, and this can cause a problem once you try to hook it up in your car. Know the specs of your system. Sort this out ahead of time, it will save you a lot of hassle. You will be happier with your new acquisition if you can get to see it in action as soon as possible.
There are also a lot of car stereo amplifiers on the market, it pays to be aware of how the car stereo speaker you are considering compares to the others, and how compatible it is to your amplifier or the amplifier you’re planning to buy. Car stereo speakers and amplifiers go hand in hand. You’ll want the car stereo speakers you buy to be suitable for your automotive entertainment needs and not strain the system.
Style can be an important factor when choosing your special car stereo speakers. You’ll want the one you choose to fit in perfectly with your other all sorts of stereo speakers. If you’re planning to install something different, you have to take into consideration the modifications your going to have to make in order to accommodate your new car stereo speakers.
One of the biggest issues in buying a new type of car stereo speaker is suitability. How suitable your car stereo speakers are is probably the biggest issue. Don’t forget the reason you’re buying the type of car stereo amplifier in the first place, and ensure that the all sorts of stereo speakers you are looking at will do the job you need no matter what other fancy features they may offer.
Brand is an important consideration when you are shopping for a car stereo speaker. The fact is, one brand of type of car stereo amplifier may have a much better reputation than another, and for good reason. You be the judge. Do your research. Ask car audio enthusiasts. Read magazines and reviews. Do you want to take a chance on just any car stereo speakers, or go for the proven name brand?
Lastly, price is important even if you think it’s not. After all, would you want to pay more for your car stereo speakers only to find it cheaper the next day at a different store? Nobody likes that. When shopping for better car stereo speakers, it pays to check at least a couple of different stores, just to make sure you’re getting your car stereo speakers at the best price.
Tips For A Loud Car Audio System
Everyone has a dream when it comes to one’s car stereo. But a question that arises in everyone’s mind is how to build a loud car stereo. When it comes to car stereo car enthusiasts have been showing great interest and they also have a variety of taste in building their own loud car stereo system. For a highly entertaining experience one also thinks of installing all the multimedia components in the car stereo. This remains as a goal for each and every person. There exist other set of people who aims at playing any kind of music in their system. A loud car stereo system has always been a desire which is among the stereo junkies.
An audio professional can help you in building a loud car stereo of your choice. Or else you can cut down the cost of labor and instead build a stereo system on your own. There are several instructions on how to build your own loud car system.
Replacement of stereo unit in your vehicle is the very first you must do. The unit’s output is split among the speakers for almost all kinds of factory installed stereos. A system of 100 watts power will give an output that divides among the rear speakers and also the additional one’s like sub woofer. A multiple channel speaker in a after market stereo can be chose. A four channel speaker is generally preferred. This will enable one to give full power to all the available speakers. Reference to the user manual given by the manufacturer will be of great use.
Now the factory installed speakers are to be replaced. The multiple channel speakers should replace the door speakers. In the entire sonic spectrum the distinct interpretation of sound is very essential and this multiple speakers give the required signal for it. A wider range of sound can be produced with a multiple speaker having woofer, tweeter and mid range. But producing a variety of sounds in the output may cause distortions.
Install an amplifier along with your stereo system. This amplifier can boost the speakers by taking power from the stereo. Based on the stereo and speaker capacity the amplifiers must be properly chosen which comes in varying sizes. A competition system consists of more than one amplifier. Even a single amplifier will produce an enormous amount of volume and power.
Addition of sub woofer to the system is also highly beneficial. The best way of interpreting low tones and bass is by using a sub woofer. As a usual procedure the sub woofer is mounted in the rear end of the ca mostly in the trunk. Low profile subs are also available and these can be mounted underneath the seats so as to enhance the sound quality.
There will be a loss of power during transmit from the amplifier to speakers. These speakers to be rewired using speaker wire of very high quality.
The above mentioned steps are the easiest way to know how to build a loud car stereo on your own.