Car Stereo Buying Guide

Car Stereo buying tips

First: "Will it fit?" To be certain, you have to know a little German. Car stereos come in two basic sizes: Single-DIN and Double-DIN. DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung, the organization that set standards for German-made car audio. These were adopted internationally in 1984. DIN refers to the size of the in-dash stereo unit, also called the head unit.

• Single-DIN: 178mm wide x 53mm high; approx. 7 inches wide x 2 inches high
• Double-DIN: 178mm wide x 106mm high; approx. 7 inches wide x 4 inches high

The depth is not standardized, so measure the dashboard cavity to see how far you can go.

Second: "What do I need?" Decide exactly what kind of car stereo you want before buying. Do you just want to play your favorite tunes or are you an audiophile who wants to be able to control and adjust every nuance of a performance? Buy the quality car stereo equipment that meets your needs, but don't buy too much.

Third: "What can I afford?" With the constant price reductions made possible by advancing technology, it's a lot more than you could afford a few years ago. Discount car audio gear (much of which was top-of-the-line car audio last year) is basically as good as this year's newest, high-end car stereos. However, be reasonable. Set your budget, then mix and match your car stereo equipment within that budget.

Car Stereo components

Buying car sound systems isn't as simple as it used to be. In the past, you chose what car radio you wanted, and that was because car radios were all you could buy. Today's options can be a little intimidating--car radios, car CD players and CD changers, car amplifiers, car speakers and mobile video. Once you've decided what you want--perfect sound reproduction or blow-the-doors-off volume--choose a car sound system to make that happen. The basic stereo component choices are:

Radio

AM/FM car radios have been around a long time and every car audio system has one. The new thing is satellite radio. You'll need a satellite radio receiver and subscription to a satellite radio service, but this added cost is well worth the added benefits:

• Music, news, sports or talk radio stations from across the country.
• FM reduced static, satellite radio eliminates it.
• As a subscription service, satellite radio is commercial free.
• Satellite radio's digital signal provides CD-quality sound wherever you are located.

Compact Disc Player

The 8-track player is now relegated to the car audio museum and cassette players will follow soon. CD players are still going strong, for now. Car CD players are standard equipment in many car stereo systems, and the technology is so good there isn't much difference in the players: better quality sound comes from better quality car amplifiers and car speakers. The one drawback is that you have to change the disc every 30 or 40 minutes. Car CD changers solve that problem. Some cars have factory-installed car CD changers; add-ons are easy to plug-n-play, they come as dash-mount or under-seat styles (some do either) and fit 6 or 12 CDs, allowing you to make a long trip with all the tunes you love.

Car Amplifier

Modern consumer electronics are efficient, meaning they use very little electricity. This also means you need to boost the power signal from the source to the speakers. Car amplifiers (or amps) are the boosters, and power is the key; amplifiers should have two levels listed, measured in watts:

• RMS power (for "root mean square") is the steady power level.
• Peak power is how much the amp will pump for short bursts; peak is usually twice RMS.

Match the power rating on the amp to the car speakers to prevent damaging the speakers. Car amplifiers come in three types:

• Mono powers a single speaker.
• Two-channel powers two speakers and a subwoofer.
• Four-channel powers up to four speakers and two subwoofers.

Some extras are worth considering, if you want to get the best out of your car stereo:

• Low pass filters provide better bass.
• High pass filters provide better treble.
• Pre-amp is a second car amplifier hooked up in sequence for an even bigger sound.

Small car amplifiers can be dash or under-dash mounted; many audio aficionados mount larger amps in the trunk. Since large speakers and subwoofers are also often trunk-mounted, measure the space carefully so everything will fit.

Speakers

Car speakers come in two basic types:

• Full-range car speakers reproduce the full range of frequencies.
• Component car speakers reproduce much higher quality sound in specific ranges: Sub-woofer (lowest notes), woofers, mid-ranges, tweeter and super tweeters (highest notes).

Subwoofers need to be big to get those low notes right, so a serious car stereo system includes trunk-mounted sub-woofers. Again, measure carefully. Small speakers for the doors or other areas also need to be measured carefully so you're sure they'll fit.

Car Stereo care

Mostly, modern consumer electronics don't need any care. Solid state electronics have few moving parts to wear out. Do keep your car stereo system clean--a can of compressed air is a good investment. That and preventing your car from making high-speed contact with other cars or stationary objects means your car stereo will be working long after you've sold the car to someone else--or transferred the stereo to your new vehicle.