Music is of great importance in the life of every person. Scientists have proven more than once that different music can change the emotional state of a person. Here and there in the press and on the Internet interesting facts about her appear. Many people love music, and therefore the audio system in the car is quite an important thing, maybe even the second after the comfort in the cabin. Today, there are many different systems on offer, from luxury and audiophile to budget and standard, but sound quality also depends on tuning and proper installation.
About stock audio
Unfortunately, the in-house audio is far from ideal, if not to talk about Lexus or BMW. Take the speakers in the doors. It is difficult to get even a little decent sound from them, and the reviews about them are often negative. Users report that the door and plastic sheathing will vibrate violently when the speaker is running. At home, the case is quite tough, so there are no vibrations. To avoid such problems, manufacturers remove frequencies that cause vibrations. This is done to keep the production of the car as cheap as possible. In this case, you do not have to make the door harder. But this happens even with self-respecting manufacturers.
For many others, things are different. For example, the speaker is not installed on metal in the door, but on flimsy upholstery. In addition, these speakers are not even from the budget segment, but frankly cheap and low-quality. Needless to say that such an audio system in the car is immediately replaced by some listening and tasteful car enthusiast?
Types of existing systems
Today, two types of equipment can be distinguished that are responsible for the sound in the car. So, there are component systems and coaxial ones. Audiophile drivers prefer component systems as they are considered to be more advanced. Coaxial equipment is a thing of the past because it fails to provide good, or at least normal, sound.
What is component
These acoustics are speakers placed separately. If you install them correctly, you can achieve a unique effect of presence. The driver will hear every instrument. Even an inexpensive car audio system can provide high quality sound. Among the common kits are two woofers, two tweeters and two tweeters. More expensive systems have additional subwoofers.
Coaxial equipment
In contrast to here, all the speakers are collected in one housing. The simplest speaker can consist of just one speaker. The advantage of this acoustics is that it is easier to install, in addition, the consumer likes the cost. This sound is still used today, but it is popular with those who do not care about sound quality. You can see this equipment in minibuses, trucks, cheap cars.
Speaker types and sizes
If you need a good audio system in the car, then purchasing one high-quality one will not work here. Sound is a set of equipment. When choosing, it is advised to pay attention not to the shape, but to the dimensions of the speakers in it. Often, most cars already have standard places for loudspeakers, the dimensions of which are 10, 13 and 16 cm. This is if the speaker has a round shape. There are also 15 x 23 cm spaces if the shape is oval.
Good sound is correct editing
Yes exactly. For example, vibrations are very harmful to mid-range speakers. They should be fastened as tightly as possible. Then you can count on good sound. If installation is carried out in doors, the vehicle must be prepared in advance. This will help you achieve normal sound quality. If the speakers will be installed in the rear, it is important to leave some free space between the speakers and the subwoofer. Ideally, the mid-range speakers will be placed on the rear doors, and the subwoofer will sit in the trunk.
The tweeters are best positioned in front. To ensure sound quality, just two front speakers and two tweeters mounted on the front pillars are enough.
Professionals recommend mounting the tweeters as close to the midrange as possible. However, for this you need to cut the skin. Then these speakers are connected near the mirrors. In general, the guarantee of high sound quality is the correct and competent installation of the audio system in the car.
The best of the best
But the best doesn't mean the loudest. Loud sound will never be of high quality and clear, and even loud sound can easily damage your hearing. Some systems may come standard on some brands, others will need to be purchased separately.
Bose audio system in the car
This company is a pioneer in the production of stereos. The products are still popular today. This technique at one time turned the idea of sound quality and design.
A full-fledged audio system from this manufacturer can be heard in the Maybach. There it is a standard system. The sound quality can be easily compared to a live concert. For many audiophiles, it is still a mystery how the company made sound of this quality, despite the many problems in the cabin. Bose Media System can be heard in Ferrari models. The system gives you perfect sound quality. The price is sky-high, but for true music lovers, nothing is impossible. Audio systems from this manufacturer use the most modern technologies that are changing the idea of \ u200b \ u200bmusic.
Boston acoustics
This acoustics can be found in the Crysler 300C. Thus, a system with a power of 360 W is capable of providing maximum sound quality. The set includes 7 speakers equipped with special filters and a subwoofer.
Rockford fostage
This system can be heard in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. This car audio system has a power of 650 watts. Package contents - 9 speakers and a subwoofer. Sound quality lies in good processing. The system is able to respond to changes in speed and can equalize the volume of sound.
How to assemble an audio system in a car: a budget solution
Inexpensive but sounding equipment is a reality. Let there be only 10 thousand rubles for all the components. At the same time, standard systems that are more expensive will sound worse. Installation and configuration are paid separately.
So, 10 thousand must be distributed as follows: 3.5 thousand - for the purchase of a radio tape recorder, 2.5 thousand - for the front acoustics and another 3.5 - for the rear. And 500 rubles. will remain for the purchase and other little things.
Budget head unit
There is a lot of competition among head units due to Chinese products. Reviews advise you to choose budget solutions from market leaders. Let them also be collected in the Middle Kingdom, but the sound quality is much higher here.
As for the functionality, this is sound reproduction from any media, power up to 50 W per channel, equalizer settings and other little things.
Front and rear acoustics
This is where the most difficult choice lies ahead. As a budget, but at the same time high-quality option, you can purchase models from Pioneer. Even three-band models can be found inexpensively on sale.
Not every car has space for the rear speakers, but you can embed them yourself. For 3000 rubles. there are good three-band options available. As an example, we recommend looking at Kenwoood products.
That's how easy and almost inexpensive it turned out to be a budget audio system in a car. Now it remains to learn about the installation and configuration.
Installing audio in a car
Even if the car is not equipped with a standard audio system, all the wiring is already installed by default. To mount the head unit, you need to remove the plug and insert the radio tape recorder into its original place. And of course, all connectors and cables should be connected.
To install the speakers, you need to prepare plywood podiums in advance. Reviews recommend pre-treating plywood with anti-rotting compounds. Acoustic preparation should be done before installation. Then the podiums are screwed to the doors, holes are drilled in them beforehand. It remains only to stretch the wires and connect them first to the crossovers, and then to the amplifier or radio. Nothing is difficult, but if difficulties arise, it is better to entrust the work to professionals. They know exactly how to install an audio system in a car so that the car enthusiast is surprised with the result.
Greetings!
This article is dedicated to car owners and motorists who are just starting to think about replacing the standard car acoustics.
There may be many reasons for this, you yourself understand, but the most common:
The speakers "wheezed" due to overload or mechanical damage, ingress of various kinds of contaminants, etc.
Another common reason, as you know, there is no limit to perfection and many, in search of "their" sound, have not yet found "that" sound that would be to their liking, but what they do not like, and then you start to think about purchasing something more serious and better quality.
Sooner or later, you will be faced with the question of choosing speakers for the car from all the variety that is on the market today.
Everyone who comes across for the first time, and especially beginners, just need to know and freely navigate the technical characteristics of the dynamic heads.
Anyone who has an amplifier or home theater at home is well aware that this equipment sounds much more powerful and better than any head unit in the car. Earlier, we considered that it is simply not possible to get power over 20 watts from 12 volts without any DC / DC converters according to the laws of physics and circuitry. The fact that 4 X 50 Watts is written on the radio tape recorder only indicates the maximum power, but not long-term with a low level of distortion. That is why the speakers have a very big responsibility to "stretch" the overall sound of the system at the expense of their own capabilities. If the speakers turn out to be weak in power to you, they will not give you the slightest pleasure from listening to your favorite music that you expected from them - it's a waste of money.
In order to make the right choice in the future, we suggest that you first find out what types of speakers are in the car. So, car acoustics are of 2 types:
COAXIAL AND COMPONENT
This photo shows an example of what coaxial acoustics looks like.
Coaxial acoustics- has in its composition several speakers, they reproduce the entire spectrum of sound frequencies audible to the human ear. All speakers in such a system are located on one common "basket".
This photo shows an example of what component acoustics looks like.
Component acoustics - it also consists of several speakers, but the main difference of such a system is that all the speakers are located throughout the vehicle interior, and not concentrated in one "basket". Each frequency range has its own speaker that reproduces only a certain frequency band. For example, the so-called "midbass" is used to reproduce the low and midrange frequencies, or it is also known as the middle bass (translated from English). A separate speaker serves to reproduce the high frequency, it is called a tweeter or tweeters as they call it in the people. Due to the separation throughout the car interior, it is the component speakers that allow you to get a chic and voluminous scene.
Coaxial speakers are more affordable in terms of price and sometimes cost several times cheaper in comparison with component systems. This does not mean at all that they are somehow bad in sound, it is just that each speakers are created for certain tasks for this acoustics, these very tasks are simpler than for other types. But there are advantages as well. Coaxial acoustics are easier to install and cost little money.
Speakers on the reproduced frequency spectrum are MULTIBAND AND BROADBAND.
Broadband speakers have only one diffuser, which reproduces a fairly wide range of frequencies.
Multi-way systems consist of multiple (2 to 5) built-in speakers.
The shape of the dynamic heads are round and oval; this does not affect the sound quality at all.
It is influenced by such characteristics as:
SENSITIVITY The minimum values are 84-86 dB, but it is better if it is about 92 dB. The higher the sensitivity of the speaker, the less power you need to supply to it, in other words, for example, a speaker with a high sensitivity will be enough and 30 watts to swing it, and another and 100 watts will not be enough. That is why the larger this parameter, the better!
RESONANCE FREQUENCY (Fs). The lower this value, the deeper low frequencies the given speaker will be able to produce. The optimal indicator is preferable - from 50 to 80.
TOTAL KINNESS (Qts). The minimum value should be in the range - 0.4-0.6. If you want high-quality sound, choose a model where this indicator is higher than the minimum values.
POWER: There are nominal (long-term) and maximum (peak). The nominal is the power that the speaker can withstand at least for hours without damage, and the maximum is the power that the speaker can digest, usually in a few seconds without the risk of damage and release of magic smoke :)
Car speaker size classification:
Most car speakers come in standard sizes. Circular speakers are generally available in diameters: 10 cm (4 "), 13 cm (5.25") and 16 cm (6.5 "). Oval speakers are generally available in 15x23 cm (6x9 ") sizes, but oval sizes of 18x25 cm (7x10") and 13x18 cm (5x7 ") are rare.
Nowadays there are a huge number of companies in the market specializing in the production of acoustics, some of them are cheap from China, and some are very good-looking and have a solid reputation behind them, but as a result, and a higher cost.
So how can you tell them apart? Honestly, this is not an easy task, there are already over 200 manufacturers on the market. There are also Chinese firms that are not quite "junk", just as there are outright fakes for well-known and popular manufacturing firms. Most importantly, be vigilant and do not run into such products, do not buy speakers for $ 100, the true price of which is $ 20-30.
Columns manufactured under brands Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC, Panasonic Of course, they are not “leftists”, of course, if these are original products, but for the most part it is these firms that are most often counterfeited. The sound quality of such speakers is average and they are quite suitable for replacing old standard speakers.
Choosing speakers only by the size of the magnet would be an absolutely wrong decision. If the magnet is large, this does not mean at all that we have some kind of super speaker in front of us. In modern acoustic models, a neodymium magnet is used, which is very small in size and has great efficiency.
Instead, pay attention to the cone and surround, they are located on the front of the speaker. The best option when diffusers are made of paper or pressed cardboard with mandatory water-repellent impregnation (for maximum protection in harsh operating conditions - the car is), soft rubber or rubber is used to hang the diffuser. It is highly discouraged to buy speakers with rag or foam suspensions.
High-frequency speakers, they are also tweeters, it is advisable to purchase exactly silk, they are the most pleasant to the ear in sound due to the "correct" frequency response.
If there is an external crossover in the speakers, great, your system will have good frequency separation by filtering.
And please remember the most important thing in acoustics - this is the place of its installation. Keep in mind that even the most expensive and high-quality speaker without acoustic design will not give the expected effect, that is, it will not justify your money spent on it. To hear more or less high-quality sound, the speakers must be installed in the acoustic volume. In most factory-made cars, this volume is nothing more than a tin can when viewed from an acoustical point of view.
In order for the speaker to somehow sound, installed in the doors of the car, they must be treated with noise and vibration isolation and the speaker must be fixed not to metal, but through an additional wooden spacer ring.
If you do everything right, your car will certainly have high-quality sound!
We recommend that you be careful not to confuse the polarity when connecting so as not to look for where the bass has disappeared :), because the speakers in this case will work in antiphase, this will lead to the absence of bass.
That's all. We wish you high-quality sound in your car, listening to which you will not have a desire to turn it off, but on the contrary make it even a little louder! :)
When the owner of a decent-sounding home audio system spends a lot of time behind the wheel, sooner or later he pays attention to the stock audio in his car. And he comes to the conclusion that the automaker cheated, promising him a good sound, and sometimes even spicing up the promise with some famous nameplate. The standard question that arises in this case is - "What can be done to make the shtadka sound normal?"
Under the concept of "sounds normal" everyone usually understands something of their own. For some, it is enough to simply increase the undistorted volume margin, while others try to approach the home High End (forgive me, I don’t want to consider the “dolbit normalno” options). However, the principles of home in the car still do not work. At least because the acoustic properties of the car interior are completely different than those of the room. And there are no speakers as such, but the speakers are scattered according to the principle "where there is a place, they put it there." There is nothing to say about the acoustic design for them at all - its role is played by the elements of the car's structure. In general, nothing to do with "homework".
Often marketers for some reason associate the quality of an audio system with the number of speakers in it. Hence, by the way, the assertion prevailing among evil languages that automobile High End is absurd, and it is impossible in principle to build a high-end audio system in a car. Personally, I don’t really like this approach, well, I don’t like to spend two or three hours a day in the car, standing in city traffic jams, listening only to the radio. And I think I'm not the only one. So, we will look for other solutions, not home ones. And, as practice shows, such solutions exist.
It would probably be wrong to dump everything into one article. Explaining all the nuances of building sound in a car at once is something from the field of "Quantum physics in a nutshell". But choosing the right direction to take the right first step towards good sound is perhaps half the battle. Let's start with this.
I wouldn't argue that all stock systems sound bad. There are many interesting and really great sounding ones. But, unfortunately, with one big drawback - the monstrous cost The first step is to decide what, in fact, we need. If there is a desire to make a system of a really high class, then in any case simple means cannot be done, you will have to approach the issue comprehensively and prepare for decent financial injections. If the task is not worth the sound of multi-kilobax home systems, then you can approach it in stages. But at what stage to stop is already everyone's business. Let's start simple.
Level one. Noise isolation
Yes, yes, this is the very first point for any upgrade of a standard audio system. If you want to listen to music, the first step is to get rid of unnecessary sounds. By the way, it's not so much about outside noise as about bodywork. Take a look at the home speaker. Rugged case, devoid of overtones. Sound emits only what should emit sound, and what should not be kept monolithic. Now take a look where and how any car speaker is installed and what is the case for it. Most often, it is fixed on some kind of metal panel, and in the worst case, even on plastic upholstery. And the body of such a "column" is a door or some kind of body niche. Tin, and nothing more. By the way, in the truest sense of the word.
The easiest way to improve the acoustic conditions of your speakers and get rid of unnecessary resonances and other metal overtones is to use vibration damping materials. They are usually made on the basis of bitumen or rubber, often with some kind of additives. Their main feature is their high internal viscosity. Basically, these are just sheet materials that are cut right into place and carefully rolled onto the metal. But sometimes such materials are also in the form of mastics.
Treatment with vibration damping materials eliminates metal overtones and improves the operating conditions of installed speakers Vibration damping materials are heavier and harder, more effective, but they are harder to work with, so not all craftsmen like them. Those that are thinner and lighter are easier to work with, but the effect of them is not so high. The optimum is usually somewhere in between.
Various kinds of lightweight foam and fibrous materials can only be considered optional, they work in a slightly different way, and do not have much effect on the absorption of metal vibrations.
Level two. Replacing OEM speakers
This is where you need to be very careful. This is another field with a rake, you can't run with your eyes closed. This upgrade option is not always applicable. If you replace only the speakers and leave everything else, then it is far from the fact that the system will "sing". Moreover, in some cases the result may turn out to be completely negative. The standard audio system, although in itself and of a low class, but everything in it is matched to each other and balanced.
It is clear that the audio system is far from a priority element in the design of a car, but sometimes the methods of installing the standard speakers are simply surprising. The photo shows a standard BMW speaker, which was simply fixed on the inside of the upholstery and covered with a light casing. One of the tricks that automakers resort to is the reduced impedance of the acoustics. In general, in car audio, the most common acoustics are 4-ohm, but in "shtadki" they often use 2-ohm. All in order to boost the dead standard amplifier and slightly raise the volume margin. Replace such speakers with more familiar 4-ohm ones, and you get a quiet system, and all attempts to increase the volume will be accompanied by an increase in distortion.
But that's okay, among the aftermarket acoustics are full of 2-ohm. Do not step on another rake - a corrected signal. This, by the way, is one of the "chips" of many branded standard systems - there are not better components, but compensation for the features of cheap speakers and the shortcomings of their acoustic design. Replace the dynamics in such a system, and such a correction will no longer be appropriate.
But there is no need to be intimidated and completely discard this option. Today, you can find many sets of acoustics that are specifically targeted to certain brands and models of cars. Basically, for European ones, in this part of the world such an upgrade is most in demand.
The video demonstrates the ease of upgrading a stock audio system by simply replacing OEM speakers with a set specially designed for a particular car brand:
Level three. Upgrade without replacing the standard head unit
If all these "flowers" with speakers seem frivolous to you, it's time to move on to "berries" - to touch on the amplifying part of the system. The main problem that has to be solved in this case is where to get the original uncorrected linear signal, from which to start building a new audio system.
In fact, you just won't find it anywhere. And there is simply no single recipe for all cars; in any case, you will have to turn to professionals who specialize in "setting the voice" for cars. Basically, it all comes down to four options.
The first option is to "pull" the linear signal from the electronic bowels of the head unit. For many models, this process, by the way, is well developed, and for a relatively small amount your standard head unit gets a tail with RCA connectors on the back.
In many head units it is easy to get a line signal. Sometimes, however, its level is low, and in order not to pick up interference on the way to the amplifier, you have to add a small output buffer. But for an experienced craftsman, this does not cause any particular difficulties. The second option has to be used when it is not possible to display the "lineers". In this case, we leave the standard amplifier in the system, decisively disconnect the standard speakers from it and put its outputs on the inputs of the new amplifier. The only requirement for the latter is the presence of so-called high-level inputs.
High-level inputs are a special feature of automotive audio equipment; at home, connecting one amplifier after another is unlikely to occur to anyone. In the car, this is a necessary measure, and even if it is technically not very elegant, there is still a point in it. After all, not low-impedance speakers will be connected to the standard amplifier. Its output stages will operate in a completely different mode, with lower currents, so the signal quality will be somewhat different. In any case, you will get better sound than it was in the state.
But this option is also not always applicable. A little higher, I have already said that in many systems, an intentional signal correction is introduced. In this case, it makes no sense to simply let the "curve" signal from the standard amplifier onto a new one. And if the standard system does with channel-by-channel amplification, then even a curve signal cannot be found here - only frequency cutoffs.
For such cases - the third option, using a digital processor like Audison bit One, Audison bit Ten, Helix DSP, etc. The trick of these devices is that they can add the original audio signal from these separate frequency pieces, remove the correction (or rather , correct the signal "in the opposite direction") and send such a restored signal to a new amplifier. In skillful hands, by the way, a pretty effective thing.
Typically, car processors are configured from a laptop or tablet. Well, the fourth option is applicable in cars in which the standard system is built using the MOST bus (Media Oriented Systems Transport). By the way, there are quite a few of them nowadays. The peculiarity of the MOST structure is that all devices (source, amplifiers, monitors, changers, etc.) are united by a single digital bus, through which data circulate around the ring. It is impossible to take and remove something from such a system, the data transfer is interrupted and everything just stops working.
Despite the seeming complexity at first glance, in fact, this option is one of the most convenient for installing a new system. All you need is a MOST adapter. It plugs into the MOST ring as another device, pulls out a digital audio signal from the bus and gives it to us “on a silver platter” - in the form of a familiar SPDIF.
If the stock audio system uses the MOST bus, then the use of the adapter allows you to receive SPDIF without surgical intervention in the head unit or wiring And then we can do whatever our heart desires with it - from an economical solution “processor + amplifier in one package” (MD.Lab AM-60.6DSP, Audison Prima AP8.9 bit, Helix P SIX DSP, etc.) and to extravagant systems with an external DAC and other audiophile troubles.
Level four. Complete replacement of the standard system
There are situations when not only the sound of the standard system is not satisfied, but also the functionality of the head unit itself. In this case, the thought of replacing it becomes especially annoying. But this cannot always be done with small forces.
Initially, this Honda was equipped with a standard head unit integrated into the dashboard. With the help of a non-standard panel, it was possible to install a new head unit of standard DIN-sizes First of all, take a close look at what the standard head unit is. If it has its own display, and all the controls for the audio system are not connected to the rest of the car's systems (climate control, on-board computer, etc.), then it can most likely be safely removed, while all other systems will remain unaffected.
Do not let the original shape and size of the standard GU bother you. Firstly, now there are many alternative head units that are produced for specific car brands and fit into the panel according to the pin-to-pin principle - the seats and connectors are completely the same. Or, you can use an adapter frame to install a standard 1DIN or 2DIN size apparatus and an adapter from a standard connector to a standard ISO. Many manufacturers make them, so finding the right kit is usually not difficult. As a last resort, nobody canceled the custom solutions either.
If a standard head unit has many standard functions, then replacing it is a very difficult task, there are not simple solutions for every car. The photo shows an Alpine kit designed specifically for Mercedes But if the standard "head" is combined with other systems of the car, it is already more complicated. It is far from a fact that there is an alternative head unit for your car. In this case, the approach will be individual, and most likely costly.
This McIntosh is at the head of the new audio system, with a custom frame made for it. From the standard system, only the head unit remained, it now plays the role of the second most important source But there is one more option. It looks quite extravagant, but sometimes this is the only way to organize a really high-quality audio source in the car - is to leave the original head unit unchanged and install a second one. In this case, it becomes the main one in the system, and the audio system is built from it. The standard one is shifted from the role of the main one in the system and becomes additional - its outputs are connected to the AUX-inputs of the new head unit.
Since the audio system does not directly affect either the safety or the reliability of the car, automakers traditionally do not try to make it sound better: the main thing is that the "music" is reliable and does not spoil statistics with breakdowns. As a rule, on the conveyor, cars are equipped with audio components of well-known brands - Blaupunkt, Clarion, Panasonic, Philips. But do not buy into the "good name" - the simplest versions of the equipment are included in the standard configurations without the goal of pleasing music lovers.
Standard acoustics usually have a narrow frequency range, reproduction with a "plastic" or "cardboard" sound and a flat, non-volumetric soundstage. In addition, at high volume, the speakers often begin to "play along" with the details of the interior decoration, "decorating" the phonogram with trills and vibrations of torpedo fragments and door cards.
Of course, here we are not talking about premium-segment cars that are factory-supplied with components from elite brands (Harman Kardon, Bang & Olufsen, Bose), are distinguished by special preparation of the body, the presence of amplifiers, a subwoofer and carefully calculated speaker placement.
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What is quality sound in a car?
This is an opportunity not only to enjoy the vocals of pop stars, but also to appreciate the skill of the performers of individual instrumental parts, soloists with a wide range of voices. "Correct" speakers accurately reproduce all the nuances of the sound of the instruments, without embellishing the sound or concealing its features. A good sound should be clear, without impurities in the form of resonance of interior parts. Of course, non-standard music can be louder than "native" music, but this cannot be considered the main factor in a high-quality installation.
Who Should Leave the OEM Audio System?
With all its drawbacks, the standard audio system is usually reliable, has sufficient volume, reproduces sound well in the range of human speech and many popular music genres. So if you drive an inexpensive car from morning till night on broken roads in the company of talkative passengers, listen to chanson or FM radio and value the original state of the interior, most likely, the regular acoustics are just for you.
How many speakers should a car have?
The number of loudspeakers is by no means the most important factor; the type of speaker system is much more important. To accurately convey all the nuances of the phonogram, the acoustics must be component - with at least two frequency channels. In fact, each such loudspeaker consists of two speakers: a high-frequency tweeter ("tweeter") and a low-mid-frequency - midbass, as well as a frequency crossover filter.
The required minimum in a car is one pair of such two-channel kits, located in the front. This is the so-called front, which is generally enough to "feel the difference" against the background of the standard system. For better reproduction of low frequencies, it is advisable to place another pair of conventional (one-component) loudspeakers with a larger diameter (at least 16 cm or "ovals" 6x9 cm) in the rear of the cabin.
Ideally, this should be a special subwoofer - a subwoofer connected to a separate channel. A further increase in the number of speakers will affect not so much the sound quality as the better audibility at different points in the cabin.
How do I adjust the speaker parameters?
The first problem when choosing speakers to replace the standard ones is the dimensions, because the standard ones are often smaller than the standard ones in diameter and depth. Besides the geometry, the loudspeakers must be electrically suitable.
Two characteristics are especially important - resistance and sensitivity. If we are talking about connecting acoustics in a budget way - directly to the head unit (without an amplifier), then the resistance should be at least 4 ohms, and the sensitivity should be about 92 decibels.
How to choose inexpensive but high quality speakers?
Most of the world-renowned car audio manufacturers have acoustics of all three price groups in their assortment. There are few exceptions, for example, Focal with its exclusively top-end models or JBL with its budget orientation. A set of inexpensive front speakers (two tweeters, two midbass and two crossovers) of a good brand will cost about $ 45-50.
At the same time, loudspeakers similar in characteristics from an unknown manufacturer can be bought for $ 15, but, as a rule, such loudspeakers work no more than a year. In the case when it comes to an inexpensive audio system, it is recommended to pay attention to the American brands falling in the $ 45-50 range (Polk Audio, MTX, Kicker). They are traditionally designed for use in the free volume of the door, trunk, etc.
What needs to be done besides replacing the speakers?
The first condition is to choose the right place for the speakers. High-frequency tweeters should be placed higher, closer to the listener and directed towards him. Midbasses (mid-low-frequency speakers) are usually placed lower, the subwoofer can be located in any part of the cabin.
It is also important to ensure that the speaker is rigidly attached to the massive body part. If this is not a standard plastic podium, then you will have to make at least spacer rings, for example, from thick plywood.
And, finally, even local vibration and noise isolation will significantly improve the sound of the loudspeaker. If it is not possible to process all the panels of the door into which the acoustics are installed with special materials, you need to stick a piece of absorbing material at least opposite the back of the speaker. This will largely eliminate unwanted overtones from vibrating metal.
How expensive is high-level acoustics?
Speaker systems of the middle price level of reputable brands are sold at a price of $ 100-120 per set, top-end models - on average $ 250-300. There is also a premium speaker that costs around $ 900 - 1,000 per pair. These are handcrafted loudspeakers for real car audio connoisseurs and highly professional installers.
Such kits are produced to order and, being interested in their price, one should also remember about the cost of their installation in a car (and it can be $ 1,000 or $ 2,000) - only high-class installers will help to fully realize the potential of such speakers.
What is the difference between a simple audio system and an expensive one?
In addition to the more expensive loudspeakers, the high-end audio system differs in the way they are installed. If in an inexpensive system the speaker "plays" on the volume of the door, trunk or the entire interior (depending on where it is installed), then for each (with the exception of some tweeters) speaker of the Hi-Fi system, its own chamber is created, the volume of which is determined by the manufacturer or installers.
An advanced system necessarily has a subwoofer ($ 60 - 600), several power amplifiers ($ 70 - 12,000) for channel-by-channel amplification of front, rear, and subwoofer signals. All components are connected by special wiring ($ 100 - 1000). The entire car undergoes soundproofing work with complete disassembly of the interior and trunk ($ 400 - 1,000). Naturally, with this approach, the head unit does not remain standard, and it is either replaced ($ 60–1,500) or upgraded (from $ 100).
Finally, car audio professionals finally tune the sound stage by changing the speaker axis angle by a few degrees, adjusting the level and frequency range of each speaker signal. As a result, a more or less high-quality audio system will cost at least $ 2-3 thousand, and a really perfect one can easily cost $ 10 thousand.
Today, many amateurs immediately after buying a car set themselves the task of buying a high-quality audio system. You might think that choosing quality hardware is a simple undertaking. Not at all. You need to know and take into account many subtleties, which we will talk about in this article.
In order to install car acoustics in this way, you will have to spend a lot of effort and money.
Council number 1. Understand component and coaxial technology and its features
Unfortunately, many car enthusiasts don't even pay attention to the techniques mentioned above. In coaxial systems, two or even three speakers (high, low and mid frequency) can be mounted. Of course, this feature greatly simplifies the process of installing the system, but setting up the speakers will be much more difficult. In addition, they have inferior sound quality compared to component acoustics. The use of component acoustics usually implies spaced separately. Therefore, if you want to get high-quality sound, then you need to focus on the component version.
Council number 2. Power is not the main thing
Many car enthusiasts and inexperienced connoisseurs of sound systems focus primarily on speaker power. But this parameter is not the main one when choosing a technique. Power is just the maximum threshold at which the speakers will produce quality sound. Usually (judging by the volume), 10-20 watts is sufficient.
Council number 3. Consider the installation specifics
One of the many car speaker connection schemes
If you need to make any structures for mounting speakers, then this must be taken into account. In particular, the front speaker should be installed in an already prepared location. If necessary, it can be modified. It is recommended to install speakers with a diameter of no more than 15-16 centimeters. In this case, it is much easier to coordinate their work with the subwoofer.
Council number 4. Try not to take our word for it
A manufacturer can write a lot of interesting things on the packaging of his goods, but not everything may correspond to reality. Particular attention must be paid to frequency. It is important to remember that the human ear perceives a frequency of 20 to 20 thousand hertz. Today, not a single pair of speakers is capable of delivering this frequency. To ensure maximum sound quality, it is necessary to install high-frequency speakers with a frequency (4 to 20 thousand hertz), mid-frequency speakers (500-5000 Hz), subwoofers (from 30 to 100 Hz) and midbass (from 80 to 1000 Hz).
Council number 5. Noise isolation required
If you want to get high-quality sound, then you cannot do without noise isolation. Engine and rubber noise will not contribute to sound perception. The special material must be glued on the doors, floor, roof, and between the passenger compartment and the engine compartment.
Council number 6. Consider the quality of your speaker system
Any detail can be very important when choosing a quality stereo system. In particular, if the midbass basket is cast, then you can get a cleaner sound and hope for the absence of any nonlinear distortion. As for twitter, it should be silk. In this case, you can count on pure high frequencies. If you want to get a sharper and brighter sound, then it is better to take products with a titanium dome.
Video about the correct selection of acoustics for your car
Council number 7. Place the speakers correctly
Speakers must be correctly selected and installed
To get a good stereo effect, the speakers must be placed correctly. For example, it is highly undesirable to mount tweets in regular places (they are usually located in the door trim). In this case, the sound from the speakers will have minimal stereo effect. Each twitter will be heard separately, which is not very good. The best spot is the top of the torpedo. In this case, the sound will be really high quality.
Council number 8. If you don’t know how, don’t go
If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is advisable to entrust the work to professionals in their field, who, by the way, will help you choose the best quality stereo system. It's no secret that to buy a high-quality car stereo system, you need to have a number of knowledge and skills in the construction, locksmith, design and other industries. And setting up the system is far from an easy task.
WITH Council number 9. Pay attention to subwoofer installation
The subwoofer is an important part of the car speaker system
As already mentioned, the subwoofer is a very important element of any stereo system. And you don't need to “blindly” buy the most powerful speaker. It is advisable to make the choice based on the genres of music that a person prefers. Today you can purchase either a passive subwoofer. Active subwoofers are easier to connect and configure, and it is better to give preference to them. The speaker can be installed in any part of the car, but due to the rather large size, this has to be done in the trunk. If possible, installation is done on the rear shelf.
We decided to buy high-quality equipment, then there is no need to waste time on trifles. Consult with a specialist and buy those speakers that he advises specifically for your car. And it doesn't matter that they will be a little more expensive than you expected. You want quality sound, don't you?
