One of the biggest upgrades you can make to a basic car audio system is to add a high-power amplifier. The most significant benefit of adding an amplifier is the ability for you to play your music at higher levels without running into distortion. Choosing the right amp for your car or truck is a tricky feat. There are thousands of amplifiers on the market, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Let’s look at a few things to consider when shopping for a car audio amp.

How Many Amplifier Channels Do I Need?

The first consideration in buying a car audio amplifier is the number of channels you’ll need. Amplifiers come in everything from one to eight channels. Single-channel amplifiers are typically designed to power a subwoofer, while multichannel amps are great for actively filtered audio systems or upgrading modern premium audio systems. If you have a single set of 6×9 speakers on the rear parcel shelf on your Monte Carlo, then a two-channel amp will be perfect. If you want to deliver more power to the front and rear speakers in your Civic or pickup truck, then you will want to look at a four-channel amp.

You will want to consider future needs for your system when picking an amp. Thirty years ago, most amplifiers were two- or four-channel designs. Many systems used a four-channel amp to power a set of speakers in the front of the vehicle and the rear channels in a bridged configuration to drive a subwoofer.

These days, five- and six-channel amplifiers are quite popular. You can choose a five-channel amp to run the front and rear speakers along with a subwoofer and have complete control over the output of each set. As the popularity of fully active audio systems has increased, many five- and six-channel amps are running a subwoofer, a set of 6.5-inch midrange speakers and a set of tweeters. When configured properly, active audio systems sound amazing.

Amplifier Power Considerations

Picking the right amount of power is tricky. You can easily choose an amp that offers more power than you can use, especially for midrange speakers and tweeters. The trick is to choose one that will let you play the system loudly enough to meet your needs without distortion. If you shoot for a multichannel amp rated at 75 to 80 watts per channel, you should have enough for enthusiastic listening levels. If you are determined to keep the volume cranked to 11, then look for an amp in the 125 to 150 watts-per-channel range. You will, of course, need to make sure your speakers can handle that amount of power.

Choosing a subwoofer amp is a bit more complicated. These days, power is relatively inexpensive. A 600-watt subwoofer amplifier is more than enough for all but the most robust of subwoofers and should allow you to enjoy deep bass without running into distortion. If you are a bass-head, then consider something in the 1000- to 1500-watt range and upgrade to a pair of subwoofers to ensure that they can handle the heat created by all that power.

Amplifier Quality Determines Clarity

One thing that seems to get overlooked far too often is the quality of the amplifier people choose for their vehicles. We fully admit that navigating the thousands of options available is a daunting task. Let’s try to provide some insight about what specifications determine quality.

First and foremost, the specified frequency response can provide some insight. If you are looking at an amp rated at 20Hz to 20kHz with no deviation spec, well, that information verges on useless. If the spec includes a -1 dB tolerance, you know the amp should have no problem covering the entire audio spectrum with very little deviation. A tolerance of 0.3 dB is an ever better measurement spec. For something that may be better at reproducing your music, look for an even wider frequency range. A spec of 10 Hz to 50 kHz tells you that the designer has gone out of his or her way to create something special. Most DSP-equipped amplifiers are limited to 22 kHz on the top end.

Another telling factor in the quality and clarity of an amplifier is its signal-to-noise ratio specification. This measurement tells us just how much noise is added to the audio signal. Of course, less noise is better. The CTA-2006B standard, if followed (and it should be), specifies that noise measurements are taken at an output level of 1 watt when connected to a 4-ohm load. A mediocre amp will be in the -70 dB or higher range; a good amp would be -70 to -85 dB, and great amp would have a noise floor that is below -85 dB.

If you happen across a specification in the 100+ dB range, those measurements are taken at full power rather than at 1 watt. These numbers are not comparable. Look for the CTA-2006B spec when comparing numbers.

The real tell for the quality of an amplifier is its distortion specification. Sadly, most companies only provide something useless like <1% in association with a power spec. I can assure you that you won’t like the sound of an amp that adds 0.5% distortion to the audio signal. Ideally, amplifier manufacturers should provide a spec at the same 1-watt output level as the S/N ratio measurement. Anyways, what you need to know is that lower distortion is always better. You can most certainly hear the difference between amplifiers rated for 0.1, 0.01 and 0.001%.

Amplifier Features Add System Flexibility

You are going to want to pick an amplifier with a flexible input voltage range. 0.25 to 4V is good for most applications. Unless you have a digital signal processor, you will want an amp with electronic crossovers built in. It’s crucially important to the longevity and the performance of your speakers to ensure that they aren’t sent too much bass. Likewise, sending midrange information to a woofer sounds pretty bad.

If the amp you need will be used to power a subwoofer, then it should include a remote level control. Being able to fine-tune the sub for different types of music is, quite frankly, a lot of fun! We all know bass doesn’t have to be boring.

If you want to extract the best possible performance from your mobile sound system, look for an amplifier with an integrated digital signal processor. Providing your installer with the ability to add signal delay, accurate crossovers and equalization to your speakers is the biggest upgrade you can make to a car audio system. The acoustics of a car or truck are quite bad. Taming the peaks and valleys caused by reflections will restore the natural balance of your audio system.

Expert Installation Is Crucial

Once the product specialist at your local mobile enhancement retailer has helped you choose a high-quality amp for your system, you will want to have them install it for you. They have the tools and training to mount the amp securely, run all the power wire and signal cables carefully, and most importantly, configure the system to deliver great output with a minimum amount of background noise. After your new amplifier is installed, you can crank the volume and enjoy your music like you are front-row center at a concert without having to hear the system distort. Isn’t that what enjoying your music is all about?

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.

When it comes to car audio, what does being the best mean? Is the best amplifier one that makes the most power, adds the least noise, has the most features or is housed in a compact chassis that fits into your center console? Do the so-called best speakers produce a lot of bass or feature exotic materials? Does the best subwoofer play the lowest, or is it the one that’ll be the loudest? Describing something as the best is overused and imprecise. If you have even the vaguest understanding of electronics and the laws of physics, you might even see this adjective as a warning signal to keep looking.

We Want You to Have the Best

If you read any number of the hundreds of articles here at www.BestCarAudio.com, then it should be very clear that our focus is on premium products, world-class customer service and a desire to provide our readers with a genuine understanding of how mobile entertainment equipment works. We take pride in the research that goes into the content we create. It’s our goal to educate consumers about the products and services available for their vehicles.

If you spend any amount of time on social media, you’ll see manufacturers, distributors and retailers describe their car audio products and services as being the best. Describing something this way is an absolute statement. It is intended to imply that their solution is of the highest performance available. With more than 30 years of experience in the mobile enhancement industry, I can usually give you five reasons why their statement is invalid or, at least, incomplete. Does that mean the product can’t still be a great solution? No, it might be excellent. The question is, is it truly “the best”?

What Is the Best Car Audio Amplifier?

If you put a gun to my head and asked, “Dave, what is the best car audio amplifier?” I couldn’t give you a straight answer. Are you looking for the best sounding amplifier for subwoofers, for midrange drivers or one for SPL competitions? Does the amp need to be under a certain price point? Does the size of the amplifier matter? How many channels does it need to have? Is digital signal processing important? Do you care about after-sales support and a warranty?

I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to audition some of the most prestigious amplifiers ever created. Some of these amplifiers have five-digit price tags or have been calibrated by hand to reduce distortion at the expense of efficiency at low levels. Connected to my reference speakers in my lab, I know which of these would proudly serve as my benchmark, which ones offer exceptional performance for their price and which are nothing more than a feat of marketing nonsense housed in a fancy case.

I was talking with a friend last week who had just taken possession of an $8,400 four-channel amplifier for a client’s vehicle. After listening to the amp, he asked me how it could sound so much better than anything else he’d ever heard. I’ve dedicated a disproportionate amount of time to researching what separates one amp from another. The bottom line on this discussion was that the amplifier adds very little distortion or noise to the signal. In terms of competing products, this amp is likely an order of magnitude better than almost anything else currently available. Is it, therefore, the best amp available? Well, it isn’t if you are on a budget. It’s also huge, and that might pose a problem. With that said, it seems it’s pretty darned amazing.

What Are the Best Car Audio Speakers?

Another question that comes up time and time again is about the best speakers. Whether I’m browsing a high-end home audio group or reading questions and comments on Reddit (and shaking my head), I see people asking about the best speakers for their cars. I usually offer up a high-quality solution involving a three-way speaker set that runs about $2,400. I’ve heard a lot of speakers that cost a lot more, but they don’t play louder and all add more distortion to the signal than these. Sadly, the reply to my suggestion is that it’s too expensive. Weird; I thought they asked for the best.

While it seems that many in the mobile electronics industry don’t know this, the quality of a speaker is absolutely measurable. Its ability to handle power, how far the cone can move (and thus how loudly it will play), its mechanical and electrical linearity versus cone position, its efficiency and frequency response and how much distortion it adds to the signal are, or at least should be, part of the design process.

I often refer people to the JBL Synthesis website with a suggestion to read the development white paper on their innocent-looking 4367 Loudspeaker. If you can grasp the effort put into the design of the 15-inch woofer and the 3-inch compression driver, then you’ll quickly learn about what to look for when choosing speakers for your car, assuming you want the best.

Train Your Ears to Learn What is The Best

The last comment I’ll make before closing is about people who make statements like, “This is the best subwoofer I’ve ever heard.” In looking at the products associated with that sentiment, my first thought is typically, “Wow; you need to audition more subwoofers.” I’m not trying to be arrogant – that’s not my style. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have auditioned more than 100 different subs under very controlled conditions. I understand that completely.

Now, that person’s statement may be true, if you consider that they truly think it’s the best of all the subwoofers they’ve ever heard. Regardless, even with that taken into consideration, the usefulness of the statement remains questionable. Think of it this way: The first car you drive is the best car you have ever driven. What if that’s a Ford Tempo? (Sorry, bad flashbacks to the ’80s.)

If you want to choose the right audio products for your car, truck, boat or motorcycle, get out there and start auditioning. Go to shows and cruises and ask to listen to people’s systems. Learn what separates the good from the great in terms of performance and, most certainly, search through the hundreds of articles here at www.BestCarAudio.com to learn why you hear what you hear. As always, Happy Listening!
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 own a Prius, Bolt, Volt, Clarity or Fusion hybrid vehicle, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer has a wide selection of upgrades available to personalize the car and improve your commute. Hybrid vehicles, as complicated as their drivetrain manufacturers would lead you to believe, are as simple as a Civic or Focus when it comes to upgrades. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options available for your gasoline-electric car, truck or SUV.

Hybrid Vehicle Audio System Upgrades

You don’t have to suffer with poor sound quality and performance from your car stereo just because your car gets great gas mileage. Upgrading your vehicle with a high-quality amplifier, new speakers and a subwoofer will transform a mundane drive to work into a studio-quality musical experience. You’ll hear details in your music that most people would miss, like the swish of a brush on a cymbal or a faint breath from the lead singer as he or she breaks into a refrain. Drums will sound real with incredible impact and detail. Truly, a properly designed, properly installed and properly tuned audio system may just make you want to go for a drive.

If you’re concerned about adding weight, modern subwoofers and amplifiers are smaller than ever while offering impressive performance. Look into fiberglass enclosure options that work with the complex contours of the storage areas in your vehicle.

Remote Car Starters

Few tasks are as unpleasant as getting into a vehicle that’s freezing cold or swelteringly hot. Leather and vinyl seats can turn into an arch nemesis until the climate control system can make the interior more comfortable. Adding a remote car starter will give your heating and cooling system a head start at making your car or truck interior much more comfortable.

Talk to your local specialty car stereo shop about the remote options for your starter system, and be sure to ask about security add-ons to protect your wheels or catalytic converter from theft.

Seat heaters are another option for those who live in cold climates. Most shops can upgrade your vehicle with OE-quality heating elements to make getting into a cold vehicle much more comfortable. Most seat heating kits include simple mechanical switches that can be left turned on. When wired to a circuit that is only live when the engine is running and combined with a remote starter, you’ll get into a vehicle that is comfortable and warm.

Window Tint

Every car on the road is a candidate for high-quality window tint. We aren’t talking about the $99 special that turns purple and fades a year later. A high-quality tint is designed to protect you from the harmful events of UV rays from the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends UV-blocking window tint for anyone who regularly spends time in a vehicle.

A benefit of some modern ceramic films is their heat-rejection abilities. Products from companies like 3M and Llumar can block as much as 65% of the infrared heat energy from the sun. If you live in Texas, Florida, Georgia or Arizona, these heat-rejecting window tints can make your vehicle more comfortable while easing the load on your air conditioning system.

Floor Mats and Trunk Protectors

If you take pride in the appearance of your car or truck and want to help maintain its resale value, investing in a set of vehicle-specific floor mats is a good idea. Floor protection products from WeatherTech and Husky are designed to fit the footwells of your vehicle perfectly and keep mud, sand, slush and snow out of your carpets. If you live in an area that uses salt on the roads in the winter, then you know how hard it is to remove that dried, crusty residue in the spring.

Accident Avoidance Systems

If your car or truck didn’t come with a backup camera or parking sensors, your local mobile enhancement retailer can help. An aftermarket collision avoidance system will let you monitor the area around your vehicle to prevent accidents, damage and injuries.

Backup cameras are available in hundreds of configurations. Options include universal solutions as well as vehicle-specific products that upgrade a tailgate handle on a pickup truck or a third brake light on a van or SUV. The camera image can be displayed on an aftermarket multimedia receiver, on a replacement rearview mirror with a built-in screen or, in some applications, on the factory-installed infotainment system display.

Dashcam Recording Systems

Whether you live out in the woods or in the heart of a metropolis, a dashcam video recorder is a great way to protect yourself from fraud and false accusations in the event of an accident. Likewise, if you witness one of those rare “I can’t believe that just happened” moments, you’ll have high-resolution audio and video of the event.

Dashcams systems are available in a variety of designs, including some with a built-in LCD screen on the front monitor, Wi-Fi for easy access to the video files from your smartphone and cloud-connected solutions that provide real-time access from almost anywhere. Many premium manufacturers like Momento, BlackVue and Thinkware include options for a rear-facing camera that will capture everything that happens behind your vehicle while you drive. You can also opt to have the secondary camera mounted to capture motion inside the vehicle. This interior location is a great option for taxi, Uber and Lyft drivers.

Personalize and Enhance Your Hybrid Vehicle Today!

If you own a vehicle with a hybrid drivetrain and want to upgrade it, drop into your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer today. Let them know your goals and they’ll put together a solution just for you!

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.

The core content creation team here at BestCarAudio.com has about 150 years’ worth of experience in the car audio industry. In that time, we’ve seen the best and the worst do-it-yourself installations to ever see the light of day. In many instances, examples of amazing craftsmanship have turned into employment opportunities in the industry. While we love to hear about people willing to experiment, upgrading modern vehicles has become more and more difficult and requires special training and tools. When things don’t go as planned for the DIY installer, the results can be frustrating and expensive.

When Things Go Right

If the person doing the DIY installation has done their research, chosen high-quality products and taken the time to execute their plan carefully, the results can be pretty good. The process is likely to take a lot longer than dropping your car off at a specialist. That time may not be of value to some, and overcoming challenges and researching solutions can be part of the fun of the project.

The key to succeeding is in knowing your limitations. If you don’t know how to use power tools, then it’s unlikely you’ll be able to construct a subwoofer enclosure. If you don’t have the proper automotive-grade adhesives, vinyl applied to panels and pods will likely peel or bubble once they get warm. At the most fundamental level, if you don’t own and know how to use a multimeter, troubleshooting any problem that comes up is likely going to be impossible.

What Is a Car Audio Professional?

For those of us who have been at this for more than a few decades, our expertise has come from research and experimentation. Those in the industry who have made a conscious decision to learn as much as they can about electronics, acoustics, fabrication, sales, management, customer service and marketing have become the cream of the crop in the industry. The difference between someone who is simply employed in the mobile enhancement industry and one who is dedicated to delivering a world-class solution is their commitment to their craft. It takes training, practice and a willingness to learn new processes on a daily basis to not only thrive but to survive.

You Need a Reliable Source of Information

If you’ve spent more than 60 seconds reading a DIY audio Facebook group, then you’ve probably already found a few half-truths and maybe a complete misunderstanding about the laws of physics. Nonsense about distortion damaging speakers, why you need lasers to create A-pillars and malarkey about phase plugs improving off-axis speaker performance are rampant, go un-checked and are often repeated by those who don’t have a grasp on how things really work.

If you are planning a DIY installation, you will want to partner with a local retailer who can help you choose solutions that are going to work with your vehicle and are suitable for installation at home. The latter refers to interface components and modules that need to be flashed or programmed by an authorized dealer to function properly.

Be forewarned: Some retailers won’t sell products over the counter. These shops have likely been burned by people trying to complete their own installations and have subsequently damaged the equipment. In all honesty, the repair of those products shouldn’t be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. Warranties exist to repair defects, not to compensate for improper installation or configuration. About 99% of all warranty statements cover this.

The other issue is time. If you walk into a busy stereo shop and announce that you want to do the work yourself, you may find that the staff would prefer to focus on clients who are also paying for their installation expertise. It’s simple math: The business will make more money from the other customer. If the salesperson is paid on commission, well, you’re smart enough to figure this out.

Another concern is intellectual property. A competent technician working at a mid- to high-end retailer may invest hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars attending training events around the country each year. They use what they learn to earn a living. As such, he or she may not be willing to share the processes or procedures required to do their job.

When DIY Car Audio Goes Wrong

We are going to look at one of the most common examples of a DIY car audio upgrade project gone wrong. This story comes from a store owner in Greenwich, Connecticut. A customer came into his store and reported that he had tried to install a radio in a 1998 Nissan sedan. He gave up because it was, as he put it, too complicated. The customer also reported that the vehicle’s turn signals no longer worked.

The store owner asked to inspect the work and found that the plugs on the factory radio wire harnesses had been removed and the customer had guessed at which wires went where. The store owner offered to order new plugs and solder them in place, then test the vehicle to see if anything was damaged. If, by some stroke of luck, everything was still functional, they could then proceed with the installation of the new radio and mounting the Bluetooth microphone. Assuming everything went as planned, he’d charge about $250 for the work. The vehicle owner left in a huff because he felt that was too much money.

This scenario happens daily in the mobile enhancement industry. Customers hoping to install their own amplifiers, speakers, lighting upgrades and radios themselves aren’t willing to pay for the expertise to have the work done properly.

There will likely be $100 in diagnostics charges to determine what is damaged. If the door lock control circuit built into the driver’s door has failed, that part is about $170, plus labor to replace. The bill could easily exceed $400.

Respect Those with Experience

If you have gotten yourself in over your head with an upgrade project, stop. Don’t experiment. Certainly, don’t guess. In some cases, don’t even try to undo what you have done. Contact a local professional and provide them with as much information as is reasonable to explain the situation. If they are willing to help, it’s best to let them explain what the next step is. Once again, not all shops will want to touch the vehicle. We refer to this as “avoiding being married to a potential problem.” If you have damaged the electronics in the car, it’s impossible to know what is broken without investing time diagnosing the issues. Repairing or replacing body control modules or radio modules can cost thousands of dollars on top of those labor expenses.

If you wish to undertake a DIY installation, do as much research as you can. Don’t trust the “guy on the internet” or your “uncle who used to do this all the time.” If you aren’t comfortable or qualified, you have to determine whether the risk is worth the reward. Spending an extra $100 on labor with a professional to potentially prevent a four-digit repair bill is a wise investment. Upgrading the audio system in your vehicle is an amazing experience and one that can make your time behind the wheel much more enjoyable. We want the entire process to be as smooth and trouble-free as possible.

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.

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.

For more than 20 years, car audio enthusiasts have been asking their peers for advice on the internet. These discussions and debates started on forums like Carsound.com and Termpro.com then moved to social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit. As more and more people joined in these discussions, the clarity, focus and information accuracy has suffered. Now, a simple question about upgrading speakers or adding a subwoofer to a vehicle could yield an accurate answer from an experienced professional or lead you in a completely wrong direction. Let’s take a quick look at the complexities of getting car audio information from online resources.

Who Are the Experts?

Before you decide to ask a question about modifying or upgrading your vehicle with new audio equipment, consider the expertise and training of the people you are asking. Are they hobbyists? Do they have hands-on experience? Have they attended manufacturer or industry training events? The relevance of this information depends on the age of the vehicle you are working on. If it’s a ’90s Honda Civic, then even a rudimentary understanding of physics may be adequate to supply you with usable information.

If you are asking about a vehicle built in the last few years, specific knowledge of acoustics, advanced signal processing and detailed system testing methodologies are required. Upgrading a car or truck that uses MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport), CAN (Controller Area Network) bus or A2B (Automotive Audio Bus) can be impossible without the correct hardware interfaces. The days of checking wires with a voltmeter are long gone.

What Are Your Goals?

One of the most common questions people ask online is, “How do I get better sound?” If you walk into the showroom of a professionally trained mobile enhancement retailer, the product specialist will likely reply by asking a series of questions. These questions are designed to help develop an understanding of your existing audio system and the specific aspects that you want to improve. The specialist may ask to have a listen to your vehicle so that you can provide examples of what you enjoy. As you can imagine, this is completely impossible through any form of online information exchange. Keep this in mind before purchasing an upgrade online.

Troubleshooting Problems

Another popular series of online questions focuses on resolving installation issues. Problems with wiring, component mounting and system configuration are very popular. If you have a problem with a radio or amplifier not turning on, someone with basic electrical knowledge can likely provide you with a few things to check. You will, however, need a multimeter to perform the tests. Odds are, if you own the meter, you should already know enough about electrical theory to know what to test, but that’s not always the case. If you don’t own a meter, well, you need one. The same applies to figuring out why a radio might not turn on or why a speaker has stopped working. Having the right information without the right tools does you no good. Visiting a local car audio shop will likely save you a lot of time and hassle.

Audio System Component Selection

Asking questions about which car audio components to buy is perhaps one of the worst things you can do to get good advice. First, the person answering the question needs to have a complete understanding of the application. Say you are asking about new speakers for a car. The answer needs to take into account the diameter of the existing speakers, the mounting depth requirements, the need for and availability of mounting adapters and spacers, and the capabilities of the person who will be performing the installation.

Next, the issue of quantifying the quality of a speaker is one that even many professionals struggle with. What makes one speaker better than another? Some of the criteria are simple and easy to understand. Power handling specifications are important but can be misleading if the specification isn’t quantified properly. You can learn more about this complex subject here.

Looking at speaker frequency response graphs can, in the eyes of someone with experience, tell you a lot about the speaker design. Ripples in the response measurements show where distortion may be occurring or where energy is stored and released by the driver as unwanted output. In terms of looking at graphs, more output isn’t always better. Finally, a look at the drivers’ Thiele/Small parameters and an associated simulation in computer software can tell a lot about the suitability of a driver for a specific application. For example, a small midrange driver with a high total Q-factor may not be suitable for use in a speaker pod on a dash or A-pillar.

Visit the Experts for Valuable Car Audio Advice

If you’re interested in upgrading the audio system in your car or truck, do some research. Start by finding out the car stereo shops in your area. Look to see if they have any Mobile Electronics Certified Professionals (MECP) on staff. MECP is a good starting point to ensure that you are talking to someone who has a commitment to product training and industry knowledge. Finally, ask to see examples of and hear their work. They should have demo vehicles available to audition. Only after you’re comfortable about the shop’s expertise should you begin the process of inquiring about upgrading your vehicle.

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.