If you have the knack for it, you can install your new head unit by yourself. For wires, you will notice that they have color coding which if looked up closely can be understood logically.
Most people do not really have problems with it when it comes to connecting the wires. The real problem comes in the mounting process. There are head units that need to be adjusted since they are not always universal when it come to size.
If you are in doubt then you can seek the help of specialists. You just have to avoid the problems when you want a nicely installed car radio.
Automobiles are highest on our list of objects of desire – they thrill, excite and get our pulse racing… unless of course you’re cooling your heels in a traffic jam. No set of wheels, no matter how quick, sleek or sexy, is any fun when you’re caged inside, inching forwards at three Ks an hour.
In deciding what car audio system to get, one of the things you need to define is your needs. You may simply prefer a simple, basic audio set up or a high quality system. Remember that high quality systems are much more expensive, and the really high end systems even take up a loot of your space in the trunk, greatly reducing your storage space. You may also prefer a basic system if you do not have the time of simply do not want to learn the more complicated controls and functions of a high end system. If even you want to go for a high end system, you should also invest in a good amplifier which should be able to match the requirements of your system. You should also ask an audio specialist if he can recommend a particular set-up that’s compatible with you budget.
Seems crazy, but most automakers are adding the feature that allows the interfacing of today’s iPods to the car’s audio system resulting in clear and crisp digital audio output. It all began when the digital media player became so prevalent that everybody had it, the only thing needed was a way to get the car’s audio to get the audio signal from the player so they built in ports and access pods where you can easily dock your music players sending the output to your car’s audio system.
There were some aftermarket gadgets that allowed them through primitive methods on older car stereo models (the cassette tape with a plug that has a jack you plug into the earphone jack), but they are now widely available allowing even novice users to install them through the car stereo’s auxiliary input jacks. More advanced and thus expensive stereo models even had blue tooth options, allowing them to communicate with your cellphone, tuning the audio down when you take/make a call or to send audio through a bluetooth enabled digital player. The iPodization of cars will continue as these small yet powerful media players continue to grow in popularity really allowing you to take your music, where ever you go.
Having a nice setup that’s loud is not all there is to a good car audio system. Anyone can get good audio with the proper amount of money. Some say brand matters others say common sense, you be the judge. One of the most common misconceptions about car audio is with respect to the power requirements of the overall system (your car’s other electrical parts pus the audio system). A powerful amplifier always means a huge need for power which a stock electrical system may not be able to deal with. Adding an audio capacitor might solve your problem but for a more permanent fix, try upgrading the battery and alternator so it can cope with all the added load. Also try to get an expert to design the system for you so you get a balanced system that works with each other. Mix economy and your wants to get to a compromise so you get what you want at the right price.
Image Source: soundsolutionsaudio.com
The Lethal Injection Series is one of the most favorite audio system car audio enthusiasts prefer. The speaker is a 1.5 inch compressed polynomex, spider system. It has dual 4 ohm copper coils for a woofer. And can handle a whopping 500 watts RMS. The woofer has dual stacked magnets, tinsel lead woven,it has a heavy duty top and bottom plates which when weighed sum up a total woofer 20 pounder. Here are the specs:
- Driver - 12 Inch
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Fs - 26.9 Hz
- Re - 8 ohm
- Qms - 5.520
- Qes - 0.317
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Qts - 0.300
- Mms - 162.846 g
- Cms - 205.967
- Sd - 0.053
- Vas - 82.157 L
- Spl - 89.7 db 1w/1m
- BL - 23.978 TM
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X-max - 26 mm peak to peak
- Sub diameter - 12 1/2 inches
- Mounting - 11 inches
- Mounting depth - 5 5/8 inches
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Driver displacement – .11 cubic ft.
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Power - 500 rms / 1000 peak
Image Source: akamaipix.crutchfield.com
A 24-bit converter renders your CDs with accuracy. The powerful amplifier ensures clean performance from your speakers. it offers a wide suite of controls to customize sound control. and includes speaker presets and a 3 band equalizer. Allowing you to compensate for your car’s acoustics. Clarion developed access features to make listening much easier. Introducing the Clarion’s Slidetrak control system took away the control knobs and buttons and replaced with simpler interface that allows the user to scroll through with tremendous speed and ease. The LCD has 3 lines to display information and eases reading your song’s names and titles. And it displays about 700 different colors to match the car and your mood. You can listen to and control your iPod by plugging it in to the rear USB. It comes with The Sound Restorer, a feature that recreates information lost in the compression process. You can stream audio wirelessly with the optional bluetooth adapter.
Image Source: runaspire.com
Kenwood KAC-9103D powers your subs with intensity. It has a rugged cast-aluminum chassis boasts of an efficient mono power amp that’ll bass out a max 900 watts RMS, without compromising the car’s electrical system. It has a built-in low-pass filter that adjusts amplifier output, so you can get the best possible sound, while the subsonic filter gets rid of inaudible, ultra-low bass that can hamper performance. You can adjust up to 18 dB of bass boost to suit your sound preference. Top-mounted controls allow tweaking as easy as it looks. Front-side connections make setup a just as easy too.
Details:
mono subwoofer amplifier
500 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms (900 watts x 1 at 2 ohms)
1-ohm stable (no power ratings available)
CEA-2006 compliant
variable low-pass filter (50-200 Hz at 24 dB per octave)
bass boost (0-18 dB at 40 Hz )
subsonic filter (15/25 Hz, 18 dB/octave )
preamp outputs
fuse rating: 30A x 2
4-gauge power and ground leads recommended
14-7/8″W x 2-9/16″H x 11-1/2″D
Image source: www.car-audio-uk.blogspot.com
There are two main types in the stereo universe namely Sound Quality and Sound Pressure Level.
Sound Quality refers to just that — a very linear response that’s not boomed and is very controlled, especially when listening to complex songs.
An SQ System generally uses a smaller woofer and requires a smaller enclosure. A sealed enclosure would typically work best for this application.
Sealed enclosures are also known as “Acoustic Suspension” enclosures. When a speaker is placed in a sealed enclosure, the pressure becomes trapped in the box and restricts the cone movement, so the air inside the enclosure acts as a spring. The smaller the enclosure, the more pressure is exerted against the cone under movement.
The real advantage is that they just consume less space, not to mention they’re easier to design and construct. Choosing a sealed enclosure will give you clean and accurate bass with good low-end extension.
We want you to be a fully armed and dangerous audio consumer. To attain this exalted condition, you will need to know the terms, the technology, the schemes and tricks of the trade. In this section, you will find more than you ever wanted to know about audio equipment and systems but were afraid to ask.
