It has come to my attention lately that we coming upon a new era again of car audio enthusiasts that are in need of some basic skills training. While some may consider you newbies at this many others and I are happy to help refine your skills as you grow
This brief tutorial is not for the advanced, but instead for the amateur working on their very first(s) system(s) to help describe what you need to start working your way to a overall better sound quality.
What your needs are:
1)Vehicle: I know you’re thinking “DUH?” but your vehicle plays a very important role in your overall sound. Are you looking for and SQ (sound quality), SQL (Boom Car, daily driver with improved sound and bass that you can show off to your friends), or SPL (Sound Pressure Levels, Used to compete in Bass competitions). Make sure that your vehicle can be updated easily (many newer vehicles require added work for the addition of some upgrades) and check fitting to your preferred listening style, meaning check up on things such as stock speaker sizes and placement for replacing, added room for fabrications, and overall cabin space (i.e.: Does it have adequate front speaker sizes or room for kickpanels? Does the backseat open into the trunk? Is there enough room for the box I want or need for the subwoofer(s)? Etc.)
2)Alarm: How does an alarm fit into my sound system you ask? Do you want to replace it again I ask? And some insurance companies will actually lower your insurance rate if you have one… Also make sure to look into an add on policy to your insurance for your equipment, as most policies only cover factory replacement and may not come anywhere near what you’ve spent on your system (and don’t think it’s going to be to a lot, it’s usually only $2-15 dollars added a month and will save you a lot of headaches down the road)
3)H/U: (head unit, a.k.a. stereo) this is the base plate for your entire system, but not a necessary one, what you do need is RCA preouts… These can be had by either putting in place a new h/u or simply using a line output converter with your factory h/u… Now additional options you may want to look into for a h/u would be weather or not you will desire the use of an iPod, Satellite Radio, HD radio, DVD/ Monitor(s) either now or in the near future (it may seem like an added cost now, but if these are to be near future add ons/ wants then you will save yourself from buying another h/u in your near future
4)Amplifier(s): Don’t get caught up into big names for your first system until you learn a little more. What you do need to worry about is the RMS (continuous) power of the amplifier and NOT the max power (max power means nothing). The other thing you will need to know is at what Ohm level it puts this power out and is it adequate for the speaker(s) and/ or subwoofer(s) your looking at. Example: Lets say that you’re looking to buy 2) single 4 Ohm subwoofers that each have an RMS of 250watts and you plan on wiring them in parallel, that’s a 2 Ohm load, so you will need an amplifier that will produce 400-500watts RMS at a 2 Ohm load
5)Speakers: While we all know that vehicle manufacturers put speakers in the back, don’t concentrate on replacing and amping these unless you do so with midbass for a wider bass range. You’ll save money for a better set of speakers in front and have an improved stage effect. And if you plan on amplifying, remember the RMS watts of the speaker are what to look for, as max wattage means nothing.
6) Subwoofer(s)/ Speakers: Again make sure to look at the RMS wattage of your equipment, max wattage still means nothing. Now with subwoofers and speakers alike space is an issue… Make sure that you don’t pick out speakers that require more of a mounting depth than you have and don’t pick out subs that will require a larger enclosure than you have space… See enclosures Next
7)Enclosure (Subwoofer Box): Believe it or not, the enclosure you put your sub(s) in is as important as the subs themselves. While some cheaper and/ or entry-level subwoofer(s) may perform well in a prefab enclosure, most of the subwoofers on the market today do Not. If you have the ability, skills, and of coarse tools you may build your own enclosure, but make certain that it is built to the parameters of the sub(s). If you do not have the know how or tools then please have someone that does build it for you, as there are plenty of custom box builders available out there. Please don’t overlook this as a cheap speaker in the right box can sound 100 times better than a superior speaker in the wrong box.
8)Power: Make sure that you are not pulling from your charging system. Larger amps draw more current from your vehicles charging system (alternator). If you are looking to go Big with amps then be prepared to spend even more on an upgraded high output alternator and possibly additional batteries.
9)Wiring: This is another step that is many times overlooked. Make sure your wires that lead to the amps and from the amps to speakers/ subs are the proper gauge (size) with the proper sized fuses required or you may not be feeding proper amount of power to your equipment. This can result in blown fuses, amps going into protect, or worse damage of equipment itself or even fire.
Another part of wiring often overlooked is under the hood. Simple fact is that the stock wire that is referred to as the “Big 3” is often inadequate. If you require the need of 4 Ga wire to run your amplifiers or larger it becomes necessary to upgrade the Big 3. Failure to do so often times causes light dimming. The Big 3 refers to the Engine to Chassis Ground, Battery to Chassis Ground and the Alternator Positive to the Battery Positive. I recommend simply adding to the wiring, not replacing. The recommended size is 4 Ga unless you are running a High Output Alternator, then jump up to 0 Ga.
10)If you don’t know what you’re doing if installing yourself… ASK someone that does… This doesn’t mean your buddy down the street that installed his own system and 1 or 2 others, cause he may have it wrong too. There is no replacement for experience and if you can’t or don’t want to risk it, have an authorized installer put it in. You’re buddy down the road won’t warranty his labor if something gets blown up from his mistake.
11)Now that you have a system: Be Respectful! We all know you want to show off, but do it at the right time and place. There’s a reason so many police and citizens are pissy about loud cars… don’t go around with your music cranked at 1:00 in the morning and rolling through 25mph residential zones and your less likely to get that ticket for disobeying noise ordinance.
This brief tutorial is not an end all solution to car audio system designs, but hopefully enough to get the ball rolling for the newer person to start down the right path to learning.
Have Fun!
Thanks, Michael @ Car Godz