Kako napraviti savršeni stereo uređaj za automobil

Pronaći što vam treba

"Idealan" auto audio sustav nije nužno najglasniji ili najskuplji. To je onaj koji najbolje zadovoljava vaše potrebe. Dakle, prvi korak je shvatiti koje su vaše potrebe. Započnite tako da se zapitate:što je jedina stvar koju želite da vaš novi auto stereo učini za vas? Ako ne dođete do odgovora odmah, počnite tako što ćete pogledati svoj trenutni sustav.

Koju vrstu auto stereo sustava sada imate?

Kako se osjećate zbog zvuka vašeg trenutnog sustava? Uhvatite li se kako tapkate nogom ili bubnjate prstima po volanu? Izmami li vam osmijeh funky ritam sekcija? Prožimaju li vam se ledja od solo blues gitare?

Ne? Je li onda zvuk ravan, dosadan, tih ili slabašan? Vjerojatno slušate radio u automobilu koji se bori s radom slabašnih, starih tvorničkih zvučnika. Dobra vijest je da imate mnogo opcija koje možete izabrati prilikom zamjene različitih komponenti u vašem audio sustavu.

Ali što ako niste sigurni koja je točno komponenta problem?

Nije uvijek lako dijagnosticirati što uzrokuje probleme u audio/video sustavu vozila. Znate da zvuči jadno, ali ne znate nužno zašto. No, ne morate biti stručnjak za audio u automobilu da biste to shvatili. Evo nekoliko jednostavnih koraka koje možete poduzeti da suzite stvari:

Prvo, slušajte nekoliko minuta dok ste parkirani na prilazu.

Okrenite sve gumbe i pritisnite sve gumbe. Čini li se da sve funkcije rade dobro? Slušajte svakog zvučnika pojedinačno podešavanjem balansa i kontrola za slabljenje zvuka. Pojačajte glasnoću i kontrole tona. Rade li svi zvučnici ili čujete lagano zveckanje ili zujanje?

Zatim se vozi okolo i pažljivo slušaj.

Izađite na autocestu i pojačajte stereo u automobilu dovoljno glasno da ga čujete iznad buke s ceste. Što čuješ? Kako zvuči? Što osjećate kao da vam nedostaje?

Napokon pronađite mjesto za parkiranje automobila.

Ali nemojte još stišati glazbu. Održavajući glasnoću na "razini autoceste" (ali bez buke s ceste koja bi vam zbunila uho), čujete li mnogo izobličenja? Postavite balans, fader i kontrole tona točno u sredinu. Kakav je ukupni zvuk zvučnika? Što nedostaje? Bas? Soprano? Jasnoća?

Sada ocijenite svoju trenutnu opremu.

Napravite popis komponenti u vašem sustavu i ocijenite ih na ljestvici od 1-10. Dobit ćete najviše za svoj novac ako prvo zamijenite komponente s najnižom ocjenom. Ako je prijamnik automobila najniže rangiran, popravak je relativno očit. Instaliranje novog prijamnika često je jedan od prvih koraka za postizanje boljeg zvuka, budući da je audio signal koji se šalje ostatku vašeg sustava puno čišći i jači kada dolazi iz naknadnog izvora.

Što biste željeli da vaš radio radi, a sada neće?

Upućivati ​​pozive i strujati glazbu putem Bluetooth® veze?

Uključiti satelit ili HD Radio™?

Upravljati iPod®, iPhone®, Android™ ili drugim prijenosnim audio uređajem?

Reproducirati CD ili MP3 datoteke?

Reproducirati DVD-ove na uvlačivom ili ugrađenom zaslonu?

Svirati glasnije bez izobličenja?

Ako znate što želite da vaš prijamnik radi, lakše ćete odabrati onaj pravi za vas i vaš automobil. Ako znate da prijemnik nije problem ili se jednostavno ne želite odvojiti od trenutnog prijemnika, možete se usredotočiti na izgradnju ostalih komponenti u sustavu vašeg automobila. Ako vaši zvučnici zvuče dobro pri umjerenoj glasnoći, ali ne i pri visokoj glasnoći, možda biste trebali početi s povećanjem snage. Ako zvučnici stalno zvuče loše, vjerojatno biste ih prvo trebali zamijeniti.

Dakle, koje su vaše opcije za poboljšanje stereo uređaja u automobilu?

Sada kada ste procijenili svoj trenutni stereo sustav, vrijeme je da se pozabavite različitim potrebama koje ste identificirali.

Trebate zamijeniti svoje stare ili pokvarene zvučnike automobila?

Većina tvornički ugrađenih automobilskih zvučnika izrađena je od laganog papira ili drugih materijala koji su jeftini za proizvodnju. Čak i "premium" tvornički zvučnici imaju tendenciju da se istroše i izobliče mnogo brže nego naknadni zvučnici, pa čak i ako su zvučali dobro kada ste kupili automobil, vjerojatno su malo oslabili tijekom godina.

Novi set naknadnih zvučnika poboljšat će cijeli raspon vašeg zvuka, od dubljih basova do dobro definiranih visokih tonova. Najbolje od svega je što se lako postavljaju i obično su pristupačniji od prijamnika.

Aftermarket zvučnici izrađeni su od kvalitetnijih materijala, tako da će vam pružiti puno bolji zvuk i veću izdržljivost. Zvučnici punog raspona (neka kombinacija niskotonca, srednjetonca i/ili visokotonca) lako se uklapaju u tvorničke lokacije vašeg automobila i vjerojatno su najbolji izbor za poboljšani zvuk. If you want to hear everything your music has to offer, use a set of component speakers with separate woofers and tweeters to transform your dashboard into a concert soundstage.

Does your music need a little more "oomph?"

If your sound seems to lack that certain something, you need to give your speakers more power. An amplifier increases the volume of your system without distorting it, so you'll have no trouble hearing your tunes with the windows down and the sunroof open. Amplifiers also give your music new life by bringing out musical details and clarity, resulting in better sound quality at all volume levels.

Do you drive a noisy car?

Is your music getting serious competition from your car's exhaust note? You should look into sound deadening materials. A little Dynamat in your vehicle will help keep road noise, vibration, and exhaust rumblings from interfering with your musical enjoyment.

Do you want to feel the beat?

If you like your sound, but want some added depth, a subwoofer is a great addition to any system. Augmenting your setup with a subwoofer driven by an appropriate amplifier will fill in the low notes that small full-range speakers aren't designed to hit, giving you a richer overall sound. You can choose from component subs to customize your sound or preloaded enclosures for easy installation.

If you want a sub, but are concerned about how much space it might take up in your car, then you might want a powered subwoofer or a vehicle-specific subwoofer enclosure. These subs mount in your cargo area or under a seat, so you don't lose much storage space.

What kind of music do you like?

Think about what kind of music you listen to, and also how you listen to your music. If you like it loud and heavy, you're going to want outboard amplifiers and a subwoofer or two for sure. Is jazz or classical music more your style? A new receiver should provide plenty of RMS wattage to a set of full-range speakers — though you'd still benefit from the low-frequency output of a subwoofer.

Now, let's get to the source — the music source, that is

If the car receiver ranked the lowest on your list of priorities, then you have several options. Think about your driving and listening habits to decide which features you want. It's important to think about what your other primary sources of music are, and whether or not you can enjoy them in your car.

Do you rely on your phone for music and more?

If you use your phone for just about everything, including music, look for a receiver that features a USB port and Bluetooth®. You can play digital music files stored on your phone, and, if you have Bluetooth, stream internet radio. You can also play tunes stored on a thumb drive or plug in an MP3 player with a USB connection.

If you own a portable music player or iPod®, look for a receiver with an aux input or two. USB inputs will charge your iPod when it's connected, and offer direct audio connection for faster signal transfer. If you get a receiver with a large monitor, you'll get the added convenience of touchscreen control and easy viewing of songs and playlists, even album art and video.

If you don't use CDs anymore, we offer a number of "mechless" digital media receivers that don't even have CD players. If you still enjoy your discs (Which is totally cool!), most new CD receivers will play just about any format that fits on a disc.

Is your car your office?

Receivers that have Bluetooth® capability are really convenient if you make a lot of phone calls in your car. In most cases, you can hear callers over your speakers simply by pressing a button on your receiver. And if you have a display screen, you can see the Caller ID and dial via touchscreen. if you're a Pandora fan, you can stream your music wirelessly through the stereo.

Do you travel a lot?

If you spend a lot of time in your car, you should consider investing in a new receiver with multiple inputs and a wide list of features. USB and aux jacks are essential for iPods and other devices, and Bluetooth is a great thing to have for hands-free calling and music streaming. Many receivers are SiriusXM-ready, so all you need is a subscription to start enjoying the amazing variety of commercial-free music, live sports, and talk. Best of all, you get coast-to-coast coverage so you won't ever lose a station again.

Like to take the family on long road trips?

An in-dash video receiver can change your driving experience. Or better yet, go for back seat video. Your passengers can be quietly entertained in the back seat, so you can concentrate on getting everybody there safely. Replace your headrest with one that has a built-in screen, or purchase a model that simply slides over your existing headrest. Overhead monitors, which mount on your vehicle's ceiling and fold up when not in use, are also a convenient option. Keep in mind that some DVD players also let you connect with video game systems.

And for those, um, "directionally challenged" individuals amongst us?

End the "should we stop to ask for directions?" debate by installing a GPS navigation system in your car. Just enter your destination into the trip computer and follow the voice prompts and visual directions. You can also see points of interest and updated traffic information. Most in-dash display monitors are also compatible with easy-to-install rear view cameras, which will help the "spatially challenged" avoid backing into lampposts, garage walls, and other cars.

What if I can't change my stereo?

We also carry a wide variety of adapters and other solutions for adding most of these options to your factory stereo. Use our "Outfit My Car" tool to see what's available for your vehicle.

Finding the right receiver is easier than you think (Crutchfield Research Photo)

What kind of budget do you have in mind?

Think about how much you want to invest in your car A/V system. The goal, of course, is to get the system that you want without paying extra for features that you don't need.

Do you want to purchase everything at once, or would you rather build your system one or two pieces at a time? A gradual approach to system building can put even high-end systems within anyone's grasp.

Find what fits your vehicle.

You can do that right here, right now, online. Just use our vehicle selector to see which items will work for your vehicle. It's fast and totally easy.

Once you enter your vehicle information, you can search the car audio site for in-dash receivers, car speakers, and everything else that will fit your vehicle.

You can also get an idea of how easy it will be to install the gear you're considering. Keep in mind that you can stop by AutoSounds anytime to get a quote on equipment and installation and get it all done at one place.

Still, need help deciding?

By now, you're a lot closer to creating your ideal stereo system. You've listened carefully to your current system and pinpointed the ways you would like to improve it. And you probably also have a short list of your favorite components. Stop by to talk to one of our car stereo experts at SB Auto Sounds at 1024 De La Vina St or call (805) 962-6111

Article by Charlie Pastorfield, Cruchfield