Audio
Car Audio Systems
Below are sensible suggestions to make some sound decisions (pardon the pun) about your in-car audio system in a logical and cost-effective manner.
There are only two main areas that need to be considered in upgrading your sound system. The first is getting the music into the car – via radio, tape, CD or MP3 player. The second is producing the music out of the car – via speakers, amplifiers (amps), subwoofers and so on. You can upgrade either area alone separately, to some extent. But for the best results, planning a coordinated and well-thought out approach to sound requirements will be satisfying.
Getting the music in
Most of today’s cars come with a “stock” or factory-installed sound system including an AM/FM stereo radio and single-disc in-dash CD player (these days CD players are pretty much standard, replacing the cassette players of the previous era). Some CD units now offer support for MP3, WMA and AAC. Most basic systems will have four speakers (two in front and two at the back). Some mid-range (and many upper range) cars also come with a 6-12 disc CD changer (or “stacker”) as an added luxury feature.
Even since the iPod was invented, it seems nobody can live without one. You can now find iPods almost anywhere you go – at the house, in the office, in coffee shops, in the supermarket, at the gyms, etc. These iPods rightly earned their place in our personal everyday lives, replacing the famous Walkman of Sony. These have the sole advantages of being lightweight and a bigger memory capacity to store those hundreds of music downloads. Purists may not totally like the convenience of an instant iPod “integration” without the need for the modifications and expense of a factory-installed or sophisticated aftermarket unit. The best of this genre combines an iPod caddy with an FM transmitter and plugs into your auxiliary power (cigarette lighter) socket so it also charges your iPod while you drive. Some people do not like these ubiquitous iPods at all, but for me personally, the storage capacity more than makes up for the poorer audio quality to a real audio high-end system.
Getting the Music Out
iPods aside, the part of your sound system that you will deal with most is the head unit. This is your main interface to whatever you have hooked up to the system. Head units these days come in an amazing variety of looks and configurations, often with dazzling animated front display units and some in full colour.
Head Units
Some of them are real showstoppers with an array of lights, buttons and display options that would stump a jet pilot. Others have a slightly more understated look. Most will have similar basic functionality but with head units you need to find the look that suits your car (and personality) as well as the features you need.
Be prepared to spend some time playing with the display units and comparing look, feel and functions with others. Most importantly, if you are mixing and matching the components of your whole system to get the exact sound capacity and features you need, you will have to make sure that the head unit and other components are all fully compatible and will work happily together once you have assembled the system in your car.
Your in-car audio options
The interior of your car can often be a far better audio environment than your home if your system is designed correctly. A true audiophile who spends a lot of time commuting, for instance, will probably be drawn to the super high-quality DVD-Audio, the successor to the CD. DVD-Audio reproduces original studio or concert performances with bit-for-bit accuracy.
Speakers
For drivers who often have a couple (or more) children in the rear, a split system that incorporates a DVD player and/or a game console in the back (with headphones) will let you listen to your favourite audio while driving. It pays to keep the kids occupied to let you concentrate on driving.
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