Stock Stereos Suck

Stereo?

Stock car stereo systems are overpriced and lack decent sound quality. They advertise huge power, thundering bass, and concert sound. Most OEM stereo upgrade cost between six hundred and seventeen hundred dollars, no exactly cheap or a bargain for what you get. To get good sound aftermarket stereos and speakers are a must.

It’s very important to use quality components to replace your stock stereo equipment. A good stereo shop and a knowable sales person or installer should be able to help. The system can be broken up into a couple main categories; the head unit, the speakers, the sub woofer, the amplifier, and the accessories.

The head unit is the brain and most important piece of the puzzle. The first thing to do is figure out what features are needed. Stereos range from cheap to very expensive, so a budget will also help narrow down the list. If kids will be in the car a DVD player is a nice touch, and will make trip much easier. New stereos have just about every option imaginable from IPod connections to voice guided navigation. Remember your budget and needs.

Door speakers are the stereos voice, so do you want it to sound good or just make sound? Speakers come in all sizes and shapes. Once the size has been determined, sound quality will be the next concern. What kind of music will be listened to, how loud, and how long it will be listened to. Stock replacement speakers will go into the stock locations with no modifications to the car. These speakers come in many different styles like two way (a single tweeter and woofer) to three or four way speakers (multiple mid range, and tweeters). These types of speakers are good for the average listeners but for those who demand precise sound there are component speakers. Component speakers have a separated woofer and tweeter, this allows the sound stage to be separated and moved to the desired location. They also have external cross-over that separates the incoming signal and send it to the appropriate component.

Speakers are designed to reproduce mid range sound and can’t reproduce low frequency sound accurately. Sub woofers are designed to fill in this gap. Subs are what make the thump, and beats found in all music. When choosing a sub system you must first ask how loud do I want it? Younger people want the loudest system they can afford. Others want just enough to “fill in” the sound. This is the hardest part of any stereo to figure out; it is also one of the most expensive. Sub woofers require large amounts of power to accurately reproduce low frequency sound. They also need a measured

...