Having the audio system in your car or truck upgraded can be a lot of fun. A subwoofer can add warmth, impact and detail, upgraded amplifiers let you turn the volume up without fear of distortion, new speakers add amazing clarity, and a digital signal processor ensures smooth frequency response and realistic tonal balance. One issue we see come up often is that enthusiasts get sidetracked by parts of the installation process that don’t matter as much to the overall sound quality of their systems. Let’s look at some of these car audio red herrings and explain how they fit into the equation.

High-End Audio Interconnects

More so in home audio than in mobile audio systems, audiophiles get sidetracked in their desire for premium RCA interconnect cables. Yes, you want to use good quality interconnects, but not the for reasons most people think.

The signal coming out of your radio or an OEM audio system interface like the AmpPRO or ZEN-V is often in the millivolt range, unless you have the volume level near its maximum. This low-voltage signal is susceptible to interference from electromagnetic radiation from computers and high-current wiring in the car. As such, you’ll want to choose cables that offer excellent noise rejection.

If you’re using a signal processor or an amplifier with balanced differential inputs, then choose interconnects with a twisted-pair design. Twisted-pair conductors help ensure that any noise that does reach the cable is equal on both wires and will be filtered by the amplifier. If your amplifier uses what’s known as a single-ended design, then use coaxial interconnect cables to help prevent noise from entering the system.

Do Expensive RCA Cables Sound Better?

Many people will tell you that you need premium RCA cables for the best sound. We’ve measured the output of an amplifier fed by $5 coaxial interconnects and $100 twisted-pair cables. The difference was on the order of 0.01 dB at 20 kHz. Since we can’t hear those frequencies, it would stand to say there is no audible difference.

What matters most is that you keep noise out of the system. Buzzing, hums and white noise dramatically reduce the overall enjoyment of your audio system. So, choose interconnects with excellent shielding. If there is some perceivable difference in sound, it all becomes irrelevant once your installer starts tuning the system with your digital signal processor.

My Car Audio System Needs To Use TOSLINK

There’s no denying the convenience of transmitting signals using fiber-optic TOSLINK cables. They are completely impervious to radio-frequency and electromagnetic noise. With that said, some of the best-sounding mobile audio systems on the planet use conventional analog RCA interconnects to ferry signals from the source unit to the processor and, subsequently, to the amplifiers.

At this level of obsession (and we DO love people who are passionate about their music), the quality of the source material, the quality of the source unit, the quality of the signal processor, the amplifiers and, most importantly, the quality of the speakers all matter more in terms of making your stereo sound amazing. Choosing high-quality electronics and speakers is more important than worrying about digital connections. If it’s an option, go for it! Don’t go out of your way to make it happen.

What Matters Most to Getting Great Sound in Your Vehicle?

Imagine a scenario where you’ve searched high and low for the best source unit on the market. You’ve paired it with a premium digital signal processor and a set of great amplifiers. You’ve chosen to have an experienced fabricator build a custom installation that looks like it was designed by the vehicle manufacturer. After investing tens of thousands of dollars, you don’t have the money for great speakers. Sadly, we won’t say that the entire endeavor was a waste, but you definitely will be missing out on supreme performance.

Speakers are the most important component in any audio system. If the signal from your amplifiers can’t be converted into sound accurately, well, the system won’t sound accurate.

We saw a statement recently where someone claimed that different speaker designs exist for different listening preferences. When it comes to a home audio speaker, that might be true. The balance of bass to midbass, midrange and high-frequency reproduction is determined by the overall design.

In a car audio system, where the installation technicians we hire will determine mounting locations and tune the system, we want speakers that are as accurate as possible. The settings in the signal processor will determine the overall balance of the audio system. Remember, any distortion added by low-quality speakers cannot be removed from the system.

Choose Your Audio Upgrades Wisely

When it’s time to improve the performance of your mobile audio system, find a local specialty mobile enhancement retailer that has the tools and training to deliver world-class solutions. Start with great speakers, then work backward from there, choosing components and installation solutions that work within your budget. You’ll get years of enjoyment from your car stereo upgrade!

Lead-in image: Custom A-pillar pods by Nick at Apicella Auto Sound in Stony Point, New York.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

If you’ve been an avid reader of BestCarAudio.com, you may have noticed that we never refer to a live concert as being the reference for great sound from your car stereo system. We’ve alluded to concert-level output capabilities to determine how loudly your system will play. We’ve also talked about imaging and staging that describe the recreation of the position of the performers on a stage. If you’ve followed closely, our reference for great sound is for your mobile audio system to sound as if it were what a recording engineer and producer hear in a studio.

How The Recording Process Works

When a musician or band spends time in a studio, the engineer and assistant engineer will arrange microphones around the performers to capture their performance. The placement of these microphones determines the sound of an instrument. For example, a mic placed near the sound hole of a guitar will capture a very different sound than one placed beyond the body along the neck. Likewise, microphones on the head of each drum will sound different than a microphone placed a few feet away from the kit so that it can include room reflections.

Finally, one of the more dramatic examples would be the difference between recording the output of an electric guitar after it passes through whatever effect pedals the performer has chosen, and the option of recording the output of a guitar amp-and-speaker combination.

As the musicians perform, the recording engineer will blend the levels of each microphone using the mixing console or a digital audio workstation (DAW). He may also apply different signal processing to each signal through rack-mounted processors like equalizers, compressors, limiters, noise gates, delays, reverbs and distortion modules. If working in the digital domain, these modifications can be done through software plug-ins that mimic their physical brethren.

It’s important to note that the perception of the recording session depends on the quality of the speakers in the studio and the acoustics of the control room (where the engineer works). The sound also depends on how many instruments and performers were in the studio while recording. Imagine the process of recording a jazz trio, but only one performer was in the studio at a time as opposed to all three playing together. Minute to moderate amounts of sound from each instrument will be captured, after a short delay, by microphones on other instruments.

Why Doesn’t My Car Stereo Sound Like a Concert?

If you choose to crank up AC/DC or The Who to sound pressure levels above 120 dB, then you are indeed recreating a component of the concert experience. What you are lacking is the acoustics of the venue. As the performers play, what you hear is determined first and foremost by the audio system at the venue and the front of house (FOH) engineer who is blending all the instruments together on the mixing console. Next, if the venue is indoors, strong acoustic reflections will add energy to different parts of the audio spectrum. These reflections also wrap the performance around the audience, since sound reflected off the ceiling, side or back walls arrives a moment after the sound coming directly from the speakers.

How Do I Know if My Car Stereo Sounds Right?

We could go on and on describing the technical differences between a live performance and what you hear when you play a song in your car. Accurate sound reproduction is a concept that fraught with myths, misconceptions and misinformation. The perception of accurate sound is also tainted by people’s listening preferences in terms of bass levels and high-frequency output. What is universally agreed upon, yet rarely discussed, is the goal of choosing products that offer minimal amounts of unwanted distortion. This starts with the source of your music and extends through the radio, signal processor, amplifier and finally the speakers used in the system.

How can you make sure your stereo sounds good? Listen to as many audio systems as possible. When you hear something that impresses you, find out why. Was it the speakers or the way the system was tuned? Latch onto that as a key component of your system, then listen to more. Many retailers will say things like, “These are the best speakers I’ve ever heard.” While that statement may be true, it doesn’t make those the best speakers available. Do your research. Audition as much as you can. Ask questions. Once you have established a reference for great sound, choose a mobile enhancement retailer to help you achieve that goal in your car, truck or SUV. Your new car audio system may not sound exactly like a live concert — it may sound a lot better!

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Many car audio customers ask if it’s necessary to choose a specific size or type of speaker to play certain kinds of music. Do paper-cone midrange drivers handle classical music better? Do 15-inch subwoofers reproduce kick drums with more accuracy? Let’s take a look at how sound works and explain the benefits and drawbacks of different speaker sizes and designs.

Frequency Content in Music

Whether you’re listening to Nine Inch Nails, Neil Young, Taylor Swift or Metallica, all performers and musical instruments cover a surprisingly wide range of frequencies. The male voice typically covers frequencies from 125 Hz to over 3 kHz. For female singers, their voices typically fall between 200 Hz and 4 kHz.

When it comes to instruments, their frequency ranges are much wider. An upright piano extends from less than 30 Hz to more than 4 kHz with harmonics that extend even higher. A triangle has significant energy right up to 15 kHz. What most people don’t expect is that an instrument like a snare drum covers a surprisingly wide bandwidth. The fundamental is at 275 Hz, but harmonic content extends solidly up to 6.5 kHz before starting to roll off.

The Importance of Audio System Frequency Response

For a high-quality car stereo system to sound good, we need the system to cover as much of the audible frequency range as possible. For most of us, this means we need everything from deep bass at 30 Hz or lower up to the highest of highs between 15 and 20 kHz. To achieve this, we need at least two speaker sizes; in practicality, three sizes work better.

The next requirement is that the frequency response of our sound system needs to be relatively smooth with a pleasant balance. Some people like a little more bass while others like laid-back high-frequency reproduction or a little extra sizzle on top. In almost every blind test performed by speaker manufacturers, the midrange response (150 to 4,000 Hz) of the system should be as flat as possible for vocals to sound accurate.

The Three-Way Audio System

Most audio systems installed in vehicles use a three-way design. The term three-way describes the use of three differently sized speakers, each operating in different frequency ranges to recreate the recording. In a factory-installed sound system, you may have an 8- or 10-inch subwoofer in the rear parcel shelf or cargo area to reproduce bass frequencies below 80 Hz. A 5.25-inch or 6.5-inch woofer in each of the doors will play from 80 Hz up to the crossover point with a midrange driver on the dash or a tweeter in the sail panel. For a tweeter, the crossover is likely around 4 kHz; for a midrange, it could be between 250 and 450 Hz. Using multiple speakers reduces system distortion because small speakers aren’t being asked to work at high excursion levels to produce low-frequency information.

Does Speaker Size or Material Matter?

Does it matter what size speaker you use in your car audio system? To keep the answer short and sweet, larger speakers typically reproduce low-frequency information better. However, this doesn’t have to be directly associated with bass. A 2-inch midrange on the dash of a Jeep can play down to 400 Hz without any problem, whereas a 1-inch tweeter needs to be crossed over at 4,000 Hz.

The drawback of using larger speakers is that their output becomes directional at higher frequencies. An 8-inch woofer in the door of a sedan will need to be paired with a midrange in the dash to produce even sound throughout the listening environment. The phenomenon of speaker directivity is purely related to the cone diameter and not the speaker’s design or materials. Directivity is one of the reasons why some systems use a four-way design with dedicated midbass and midrange drivers.

So, back to our question about speaker sizes and music types. Does speaker size matter? In terms of the sounds the speaker is reproducing, speaker size does not correspond to a specific type of music, only to a specific range of frequencies.

Does Cone Material Affect Sound Quality?

Choosing a material for a speaker cone requires balancing three criteria: mass, damping and rigidity. For example, a metal speaker cone may be light and rigid but could run into problems with resonance at higher frequencies. Paper, plastic and composite cones all have their strengths and drawbacks. The speaker designer’s goal is to choose a cone material and design that will function without distortion within the desired frequency range. The speaker doesn’t know what kind of music is being played, nor does your source unit or amplifier.

How Do I Choose the Right Speakers for My Car Stereo?

When it’s time to upgrade the stereo system in your car or truck, visit a local specialty automotive enhancement retailer. They will inspect your vehicle to confirm speaker size and location, then suggest a combination of sizes to meet your needs. Your goal during the audition process is to choose a solution that sounds accurate and detailed, especially at high volume levels.

If you’re wondering how they’ll make sure the system sounds good with the music you enjoy, the answer comes in the form of tuning. If you include a digital signal processor (either as a stand-alone piece or one built into an amplifier), the installer can calibrate the system to ensure smooth response and the right amount of bass and high-frequency output to meet your needs.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

If you drive an Audi car or SUV, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer offers a variety of entertainment and safety upgrades. Whether you want to update the technology in an older vehicle, add heated seats to make a cold morning more comfortable or improve the sound system so your music sounds like you are at a concert instead of listening to a clock radio, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can help. Let’s look at a few popular upgrades common to Ingolstadt’s finest cars.

Audi Audio and Infotainment Upgrades

If you have an older Audi that will accept an aftermarket radio, upgrading to a solution that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a wise investment, especially if you spend a lot of time in your car. These voice recognition technologies let you ask your smartphone to send text messages, make phone calls or dial phone numbers without you having to take your eyes off the road. You can choose the song, artist or genre of music stored on your phone or pick from streaming services like Pandora, Tidal, Google Play Music or iHeartRadio to entertain you on the way to work.

Detailed and turn-by-turn navigation directions are available to the address or business of your asking. Navigation solutions like Waze and Google Maps work with Android and iOS-powered smartphones to ensure that real-time traffic information is used to optimize your route.

If you have a newer Audi, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can upgrade the factory-installed sound system to deliver reduced distortion, more output and, most importantly, dramatically better bass response.

Remote Car Starters and Convenience Accessories

Whether you live in the cold North or the balmy South, nobody wants to get into a car or truck that’s freezing cold or swelteringly hot. A remote car starter is a perfect solution in both cases. With the press of a button on a long-range remote or a quick tap on the screen of a smartphone application, the engine in your vehicle will start, and the climate control system can start making the vehicle more comfortable.

You may want to consider adding an alarm system to your starter to protect a nice set of wheels or to provide a warning if the car is jacked up. We mentioned smartphone control already. Did you know you can use an app on your phone to control your remote starter? These telematics systems also offer the ability to locate your vehicle and display that information on Google Maps, right on your phone. If you share the vehicle with family members or coworkers, you can check its location whenever you want.

Security and Accident-Avoidance Solutions

If your Audi didn’t come with a backup camera, adding one isn’t a problem. There are hundreds of camera options, and depending on your vehicle, we can integrate the camera with the factory color display in the dash, an aftermarket radio or a replacement rearview mirror with an integrated color LCD screen.

Another popular upgrade is parking sensors. These work like a backup camera, but warn you automatically when you are approaching an object.

Other safety options include blind-spot warning systems that use ultrasonic or radar sensors to let you know when a car, truck or motorcycle is in an adjacent lane. Many of these systems switch to a cross-traffic alert mode to provide warnings about oncoming vehicles when you’re backing out of a parking spot.

Rear-Seat Entertainment Systems

If you take road trips with your family, adding an overhead or replacement headrest entertainment system can turn that dreaded “Are we there yet?” into near silence for many hours. These video systems include wireless headphones that let your rear-seat passengers watch their programming in peace. Many systems can play DVDs or video files from a USB memory stick. Some even have built-in gaming systems to help pass the time.

Lighting Upgrades

If the headlights on your Audi just aren’t cutting it, many options are available to enhance what you can see once the sun sets. HID and LED headlight upgrades are very popular with older Audi vehicles that came with incandescent lighting systems. Many retailers can source and install replacement headlight assemblies if yours are looking a little ragged or faded.

Window Tint and Paint Protection Film

People choose to have the windows of their cars and trucks tinted to enhance the appearance of the vehicle, to improve its security or to make it more comfortable. A rich, dark tint can make a dramatic change to the way a car looks. If you are concerned about unscrupulous folk peering in your windows, window tint can help conceal the contents of your vehicle. Finally, choosing a ceramic or multilayer heat-rejecting tint film reduces the amount of IR heat energy from the sun that can enter your vehicle. These films are available in almost transparent shades for use on windshields, where legal, to block even more heat.

If you care about how your Audi looks, then you may want to inquire about paint protection film. This transparent film can be applied to any smooth surface to prevent impacts from rocks, gravel, sand or salt from scratching or chipping the paint. Originally developed to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades from damage during the Vietnam War, the urethane layer is amazingly durable yet can be easily replaced if damaged.

Upgrade Your Audi Today!

If there’s a feature or technology that you wish came with your Audi, drop by your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer and ask them what they have to offer.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Have you ever asked yourself how you can make your car stereo sound better? It’s not an uncommon question in the mobile enhancement industry. With that said, the answer can be somewhat complicated. In this article, we’ll outline a few key steps to take before heading to your local car stereo shop, and we’ll present a few commonly suggested audio upgrade solutions.

Identify the Deficiencies

Before a mobile enhancement retailer can make your car stereo sound better, you need to have an understanding of what needs to be improved. Defining the upgrade could be quite easy in a case where the system doesn’t play loudly enough or doesn’t have enough bass. If the overall tonal balance isn’t to your liking, it would be great if you had an example of what you want it to sound like. If you aren’t pleased with the staging and imaging, how we address the upgrade changes dramatically.

To define what you want to improve, choose a song or two that you know really well and listen to them on as many audio sources as possible. A friend’s car stereo, your home stereo or a set of headphones are all good reference listening options. Make notes about what you like about each and what you’d want to be improved, then bring that information to your local mobile enhancement retailer.

If your retailer has a demo vehicle (and they should!), ask to listen to your chosen songs on that system. Be vocal about your observations. Listen to the lyrics, listen to each instrument and listen to where the sound comes from. If you hear something you like, let the product specialist you are dealing with know.

Define Your Limits

If your friend has a GMC Astro van with four 18-inch subwoofers and 20,000 watts of power, and you are hoping to replicate that level of bass in your Nissan Versa without losing the use of the backseat, you aren’t going to be happy with the outcome. Though deliberately dramatic in our example, the way an audio system performs, especially in terms of bass reproduction, requires a certain amount of equipment and space.

New speakers will typically fit into factory speaker locations. A retailer may suggest that you can improve imaging and staging with a set of tweeters installed in the A-pillars. Are you willing to let them modify the vehicle? New A-pillars are usually quite inexpensive. If you want to return the vehicle to stock, the cost is minimal. New door panels, on the other hand, can easily cost more than $650 as compared to $70 for an A-pillar. Decide what your long-term goals are before agreeing to permanent modifications.

There is also the question of cargo space. In a pickup truck, space under the rear seat or against the back wall can be used for a subwoofer enclosure and an amp rack. In a car, there may be room in the corner of the trunk or in the center of the spare tire. Some enthusiasts are happy to sacrifice their spare tire completely in favor of what is known as a false floor installation.

Car Audio Upgrade Options

Let’s look at a few of the most common audio system upgrades for new vehicles. First and foremost, adding a high-quality subwoofer to even the most premium of factory-installed sound systems usually provides a dramatic improvement in audio system performance. Most vehicle manufacturers aren’t willing to invest in high-power amplifiers and quality subwoofers because they weigh too much and affect vehicle mileage and performance. As such, adding an aftermarket subwoofer enclosure will not only let the stereo reproduce more low-frequency information, but will let it play louder.

If you aren’t pleased with the tonal balance of your stereo, the solution is a bit trickier. One upgrade path that works quite well is to have your retailer install a high-power amplifier with a built-in digital signal processor. The amp can be connected to the factory stereo and the existing speakers in the car. The processor can adjust the frequency response of the sound system to meet your listening preferences.

If your audio system doesn’t play loudly enough, the subwoofer might help, but you are more likely in need of additional amplification. Even some premium sound systems run out of juice just as the music playback level is getting fun. High-power amplifiers can be added to almost any audio system.

You may have noticed that we are leaving the suggestion of a speaker upgrade to the very end. New speakers can make a huge difference in the performance of your sound system, but to maximize the benefit of the upgrade, you need some reasonable power from an amplifier and you should, ideally, have a digital signal processor in the system. Without a way to tune the new speakers for your vehicle, you may not get the most from your investment.

Better Sound Starts with a Plan

Getting better sound from the car stereo in your vehicle isn’t all that hard. If you have done some research and defined your goals, the upgrade process will be relatively easy. Arm yourself with a few great songs and take a drive over to your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer. Let them listen to your existing system and tell them what you want to be improved. They can handle it from there.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.