Any modern car has a standard car stereo. Every driver can’t do without music in the car, although the basic speakers don’t give the desired sound. We all use car stereos and connect our smartphones and MP3 players to the car to listen to our favorite music in it. The first radio for cars, by the way, appeared in the States in 1930 through the efforts of Paul Galvin, who invented the car radio and called it “Motorola”. Today, there are hundreds of options for car stereos, but owners don’t stop wanting to have something unique that allows them to differ from others. Therefore, a tuning of car audio systems appeared. Let’s look at it in more detail.
Classification of car audio tuning
As soon as the standard radio that provides sound functionality is changed to a new audio system, this is audio tuning. Depending on the components that are being transformed, car audio system tuning is in relation to:
- speakers (the purity and volume of sound depends on their quantity, quality and location in the car interior);
- loudspeakers;
- computer;
- subwoofers (which provide sound and bass power);
- color music complex;
- amplifiers (which add depth to the sound, improve the sound quality, and expand the frequency range);
- monitors;
- video equipment.
This list is not exhaustive. After all, most motorists cherish the dream of having a good sound and for this purpose seek to turn the production model into an original multimedia entertainment center. In this connection, the audio system is completely changed, monitors are installed in the ceiling or headrests, an amplifier with a subwoofer is located in the trunk, and much more. Audio tuning is a popular direction in the world of car improvements. There are even special competitions and exhibitions where car owners demonstrate the capabilities of their audio systems. Some prefer a disco on wheels, others just enjoy the music behind the wheel. But often manufacturers of acoustic systems save on quality and simply don’t finalize the equipment. Hence, the need for audio tuning.
What to choose?
You can simply listen to music and news if you have a head unit and two pairs of dynamic drivers in your car. This option doesn’t include an auxiliary audio power amplifier, but only an amplifier integrated into the car radio. It is quite clear that as a result, the car enthusiast has a low-quality sound of music, but nevertheless many people don’t pay attention to it. A cheap audio system without additional functions can’t reproduce a high-quality musical picture.
The sound is much better when the car’s audio system is supplemented with a head unit and front speakers connected to a stereo amplifier. Next, the rear dynamic drivers are mounted with a mandatory connection to the car radio. This connection scheme guarantees the reality of reproducing the full range of audio frequencies. The relatively high cost of this option is dictated by the high price of the power amplifier and the installation of all components of this audio system.
Installing a luxury audio system in a car is becoming more and more common today. Even if it “costs a bomb”. An elite sound system is provided by a pair of stereo amplifiers, four monoblocks, a subwoofer for providing bass, a head unit and a speaker system. One of the important conditions in the car audio system kit is the ability to use the popular type of SD card and the built-in USB port.
How are speakers tuned?
In order not to feel the musical sound as a general flat background, but to hear individual instruments, you should modify the speakers. The cheapest option is to make the rubber softer. This is suitable even for older speakers. With the Doctor Wax tire restorer, you can add bass, depth, and clarity to the sound. To get these miraculous properties from ordinary speakers, you just need to saturate their corrugation from the inside and outside.
Doors are best for front speakers. It is important to mount the speakers securely and at the correct angle.
The rated power of acoustic speakers should always be twice the power of the “head” for each channel.
Tuning of subwoofer and amplifier
A subwoofer adjusts the musical bass sound. The heavier the subwoofer, the better the bass will be heard. You shouldn’t get carried away with sound-absorbing material, so that the sound doesn’t become clamped, but it is impossible to reduce the effect of standing sound waves without this material. Vibrations should be extinguished (wood, fiberboard) from the inside. The main feature is the location of the subwoofer, which depends on the car brand. Front and center – great, but not for small cars. It can be placed in the trunk with a forward or backward direction (ideal for hatchbacks and vans). Sedans and coupes will need a large sound badge and a location on the back shelf. For all other models, the subwoofer flush with the floor is suitable.
All these gadgets can be thought out independently or with the help of specialists from the car audio studio. It is optimal to entrust the latter with the replacement of wires on amplifiers and subwoofers. After all, the thicker the wire, the better the sound. If the transformer overheats (which happens in Chinese models even when the car radio is not working), it is replaced. If possible, the same should be done for capacitors to increase the capacitance and voltage. when choosing the right wire to replace, it should be remembered that it is better to use not solid (VVG), since the signal will be distorted when passing through it, but PVS (braided), which is made of oxygen-free copper. The thickness is selected depending on the power of the equipment.
The shorter the wire, the better the sound. Therefore, the optimal arrangement of amplifiers and so on is pre-thought out. You should not cover the musical components with mats – there must be free air circulation.
Trust the professionals
On the one hand, improving the acoustics is a simple matter, but on the other – very serious. It is important to observe safety precautions and be extremely careful. A high-quality music tuning is able to please everyone who uses the car their favorite music for a long time.In addition to the process of installing acoustic speakers, subwoofer, amplifier, and other components, it is important to correctly connect everything together. This is a technologically complex process that requires knowledge for professional installation of the audio system, proper wiring and connection of all components. Of course, many motorists have not only a clever pair of hands, but also good heads, which doesn’t exclude the independent selection of components and their installation in the car. Nevertheless, specialists in car audio studios are now better versed in the latest innovations and requirements for car audio tuning.
Only those drivers who have a documentary proof of the right to drive a vehicle should drive any car (it is better when this is an international license). If you haven’t yet obtained a driver’s license of this level, we invite you to quickly and easily process the international driver’s license on our website. Great music should be listened to in a car only when it’s safely driven by a professional.
