Speakers and amps and subwoofers, oh my!
It’s not even a hot tip on where to get the lowest prices on audio gear.
Most people don’t even realize what they’re missing.
Lifewire / Tim Liedtke
Even factory-installed premium sound systems usually aren’t up to snuff.
So how can you tell if your factory audio needs a little tender loving care?
Here’s a test that anyone can do:
Sit in your car and exit the doors and windows.
JVC America / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
Play your favorite music and turn up the volume.
Don’t be afraid to go higher than you usually would, but don’t go blow-out-your-eardrums high.
Listen to the music.
JVC America / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
So, where do you start?
There are different ways to tear into a factory sound system upgrade.
If you’re working on a tight budget, you might do some things to improve the sound.
Doug Belshaw / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
If you are going the piecemeal, budget-conscious route, plan how you want the finished system to look.
If you do that, you’ll end up with components that work well together.
If you decide to drop in new speakers,double-check they’ll work with the existing head unit.
Jon Rawlinson / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
If you plan onupgrading the head unitin the future, consider that as well.
If you have a late model car withan integrated infotainment system, upgrading the stereo can be difficult.
In either case, there are several ways to improve a factory sound system without touching the head unit.
Jeff Sandquist / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
The first step is to ditch the factory speakers and replace them with premium units.
Premium speakers are made with high-quality materials, so they sound better and last longer than factory speakers.
That alone typically results in an improvement over the factory sound.
Pete / CC by 2.0 / Flickr
If you’re ready to take things to another level, consider installing anamplifierthat uses speaker-level inputs.
When you add one or more amplifiers, you also have the option ofadding a subwoofer.
That provides richer bass.
Still, you might also add a digital sound processor to improve the sound from all your speakers.
That’s great, but the number of choices can be paralyzing.
Also, decide whether you’re going to use full-range or component speakers.
Either way, a subwoofer is the best way to get that bass pounding.
It’s easy to overpower the speakers when you add a powerful amplifier to a factory sound system.
With that in mind, upgrade the speakers if you want to crank up the volume all the way.
