Not every car is equipped with a sound system, especially when it comes to vehicles with basic configurations. Besides, even a built-in sound system does not necessarily ensure a great sound quality; so, many car owners start looking for a logical solution – to purchase and install a high-quality car stereo. It is quite a complicated thing to do as it requires certain knowledge from a car owner. First off, it is necessary to determine which speakers would be the best for the car and get acquainted with basic rules for choosing car speakers by their power, reliability and price.
What Sound system Do I Use For My Car?
According to LiamsCar.com, the sound systems today are nominally divided into 3 types:
· Broadband speaker is a single speaker designed to produce the entire range of frequencies. This type of speakers is the most affordable for consumers, and that is why many car manufacturers equip cars with this particular system. A broadband speaker system is sufficient for listening to the radio broadcasts and it can create a smooth background audio.
· Coaxial speakers – it is a more advanced type of the sound system; it consists of several speakers combined in one structure. The entire frequency range that comes from the stereo, in this case, is divided into low frequencies, mid frequencies and high frequencies, and a particular speaker is responsible for reproducing a particular type of frequencies. This arrangement provides for a significant expansion of the range of reproduced frequencies and improves the quality of the sound system. The coaxial system is the most popular among car owners, as it provides a decent sound quality at a moderate price.
· Component speakers is the most advanced and, accordingly, the most expensive sound system. The great quality of the system is explained by the fact that each of the three speakers of different frequencies (low, medium and high) comes in a separate enclosure.
When choosing car speakers, you should pay attention to such important specs as their size, power and sensitivity.
What Should The Power Of Good Speakers Be?
When analyzing the speaker’s power, we must remember that the value of this parameter should be slightly higher than the outward power of the car stereo. Otherwise, all attempts to get a more or less high-quality sound will be nullified.
Usually they indicate such parameters as the nominal and peak power of the speakers:
1. Nominal power is the power sustained by the speaker to work effortlessly for an extended period time without any risk of damaging the diffuser or overheating the coil.
2. Peak power is the maximum allowable power that a speaker can handle for a short period of time.
Sensitivity, Resonance Frequency And Tonal Characteristic Of The Sound System
Of course, when choosing a speaker, its size and input power are important, but the key parameter is the sensitivity parameter (sound pressure level), resonance frequency (Fs) and overall sound quality (Qts).
We are not going to intimidate our readers with a detailed breakdown of each of these characteristics, but let’s just focus on the following facts:
1. The higher the sound pressure (sensitivity) parameter, the better. The ideal value is considered to be in the range of 92–94.
2. The recommended value of the resonance frequency should be between 60 and 75; the lower this parameter, the deeper the bass.
3. The Qts indicator should exceed the value of 0.6, especially if the speakers are installed into the doors of the car.
Selecting Speakers Without Amplifier
If the car owner is facing a task of choosing speakers without an amplifier, he needs to realize that it will be almost impossible to achieve a high-quality sound. Remember: without an amplifier, your car’s sound system is unable to demonstrate its full potential.
But don’t get stressed out: not everyone needs a first-class speaker system; a decent sound quality is possible to achieve – an average user will really enjoy it. To do that, they recommend using speakers with high sensitivity level and a light cone (made of paper or kevlar).
Basic Rules For Choosing Car Speakers
It is necessary to pay attention not only to the brand and the price of the car speakers you are going to buy. Listen to the recommendations of the professionals:
1. It is preferable that the cone of the speaker is made of kevlar (avoid models made of fabric).
2. Place the spaced sound system with separate tweeters in the front part of the car; it is better if you choose silk tweeters, since they can give a more even, detailed and surround sound.
3. They recommend installing bass speakers in the back.
4. If the car owner is looking for a high quality sound, the front speakers will perform best if they are placed on a special console.
5. If your finances permit, purchase the speakers of a larger diameter.
- It is important to remember that regardless of the type of the speakers, they must be installed securely. So, mount the speaker system to a metal or a wood base.
- For a better quality sound, even when using an inexpensive sound system, it is necessary to install noise insulation in the car, otherwise the sound will be suppressed by the noise of the engine, rolling tires and the dead wind.
Brands And Models
- In this part of the article we’ll limit ourselves solely to the introduction of the reader to a list of manufacturers of car speakers. As for specific models, we recommend reading this article with objective overviews of great car speakers that produce quality sound and a powerful bass.
- Before buying speakers for your car, determine which parameter will be the priority for you. If you prefer proven brands, consider the products by such manufacturers as Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer and JVC. In most cases, they produce decent sound quality and are known to be reliable. The main disadvantage of the speakers of these brands is their high cost.
- If you are a perfectionist or a fan of classical music, avoid budget speaker systems by such manufacturers as Mystery, Fusion, and Supra. You won’t be able to get a high-quality beautiful sound in your car with these speakers. However, the more expensive models of these brands stand out for their decent sound quality and years of service.
- We recommend choosing speakers of the following brands: Alpine, JBL, Hertz, Focal, Rockford Fosgate, Boston Acoustic, Infinity, Blaupunkt, Nakamichi, and Morel. Judging by the user reviews, the models of these brands are noted for a good price-quality ratio.
Conclusion
And finally, we want to emphasize that an incorrect installation of the sound system may wipe out all the advantages of the most productive and expensive stereo. That is why, to get a really high-quality sound, it’s best to install a sound system at a specialized car shop where you can count on professionalism.