Kako izdelati popoln avtoradio

Ugotovite, kaj potrebujete

»Idealen« avtomobilski avdio sistem ni nujno najglasnejši ali najdražji. To je tisto, ki najbolje ustreza vašim potrebam. Torej, prvi korak je ugotoviti, kakšne so vaše potrebe. Začnite tako, da se vprašate:kaj je tista stvar, za katero želite, da vaš novi avtoradio stori za vas? Če do odgovora ne pridete takoj, začnite tako, da si ogledate svoj trenutni sistem.

Kakšno vrsto avtoradio sistema imate zdaj?

Kako se počutite ob zvoku vašega trenutnega sistema? Se vam zdi, da trkate z nogo ali bobnate s prsti po volanu? Vas funky ritem sekcija nasmeji? Ali vas ob blues kitarskem solu zmrazijo po hrbtu?

ne? Je potem zvok raven, dolgočasen, plehek ali slab? Verjetno poslušate avtoradio, ki težko poganja šibke, stare tovarniške zvočnike. Dobra novica je, da imate pri zamenjavi različnih komponent v svojem avdio sistemu veliko možnosti izbire.

Kaj pa, če niste prepričani točno, katera komponenta je težava?

Ni vedno lahko ugotoviti, kaj povzroča težave v avdio/video sistemu vozila. Veste, da se sliši zanič, a ni nujno, da veste, zakaj. Vendar vam ni treba biti strokovnjak za avtomobilski zvok, da bi to ugotovili. Tu je nekaj preprostih korakov, s katerimi lahko zožite stvari:

Najprej poslušajte nekaj minut, ko ste parkirani na dovozu.

Zavrtite vse gumbe in pritisnite vse gumbe. Ali se zdi, da vse funkcije delujejo dobro? Poslušajte vsakega zvočnika posebej, tako da prilagodite nastavitve ravnovesja in faderja. Povečajte glasnost in nadzor tona. Ali vsi zvočniki delujejo ali slišite rahlo ropotanje ali brenčanje?

Nato se vozite naokoli in pozorno poslušajte.

Zapeljite se na avtocesto in naglasite svoj avtoradio dovolj glasno, da ga boste slišali nad hrupom ceste. kaj slišiš Kako se sliši? Kaj menite, da pogrešate?

Končno poiščite prostor za parkiranje avtomobila.

Toda nikar še ne utišajte glasbe. Če ohranjate glasnost na "avtocestni ravni" (vendar brez hrupa ceste, ki bi zmedel vaše uho), ali slišite veliko popačenja? Nastavite ravnovesje, fader in nadzor tona točno na sredino. Kakšen je splošni zvok zvočnikov? Kaj manjka? bas? Treble? Jasnost?

Zdaj pa ocenite svojo trenutno opremo.

Naredite seznam komponent v vašem sistemu in jih ocenite na lestvici od 1 do 10. Za svoj denar boste dobili največ, če najprej zamenjate komponente z najnižjo oceno. Če je bil avtomobilski sprejemnik uvrščen najnižje, je popravek relativno očiten. Namestitev novega sprejemnika je pogosto eden od prvih korakov k doseganju boljšega zvoka, saj je zvočni signal, poslan preostalemu sistemu, veliko čistejši in močnejši, če prihaja iz poprodajnega vira.

Kaj bi radi, da vaš radio počne, pa zdaj noče?

Opravljati klice in pretakati glasbo s povezavo Bluetooth®?

Želite poslušati satelitske ali HD Radio™ oddaje?

Nadzorujete iPod®, iPhone®, Android™ ali drugo prenosno zvočno napravo?

Predvajati CD-je ali datoteke MP3?

Predvajanje DVD-jev na zložljivem ali vgrajenem zaslonu?

Predvajati glasneje brez popačenja?

Če veste, kaj želite, da vaš sprejemnik počne, je lažje izbrati pravega za vas in vaš avto. Če veste, da sprejemnik ni problem, ali pa se preprosto ne želite ločiti od trenutnega sprejemnika, se lahko osredotočite na nadgradnjo drugih komponent v sistemu vašega avtomobila. Če vaši zvočniki zvenijo dobro pri zmerni glasnosti, vendar ne pri visoki glasnosti, boste morda želeli začeti z večjo močjo. Če zvočniki ves čas zvenijo slabo, bi jih verjetno morali najprej zamenjati.

Torej, kakšne so vaše možnosti za izboljšanje avtoradio sistema?

Zdaj, ko ste ocenili svoj trenutni stereo sistem, je čas, da se posvetite različnim potrebam, ki ste jih ugotovili.

Morate zamenjati stare ali pokvarjene avtomobilske zvočnike?

Večina tovarniško vgrajenih avtomobilskih zvočnikov je narejenih iz lahkega papirja ali drugih materialov, ki so poceni za proizvodnjo. Tudi »vrhunski« tovarniški zvočniki se običajno obrabijo in popačijo veliko hitreje kot poprodajni zvočniki, tako da tudi če so zveneli dobro, ko ste kupili avto, so z leti verjetno nekoliko upadli.

Nov komplet poprodajnih zvočnikov bo izboljšal celoten obseg vašega zvoka, od globljih nizkih tonov do bolj jasno definiranih visokih tonov. Najboljše od vsega pa je, da jih je enostavno namestiti in so običajno cenovno ugodnejši od sprejemnika.

Poprodajni zvočniki so izdelani iz kakovostnejših materialov, zato vam bodo zagotovili veliko boljši zvok in večjo vzdržljivost. Zvočniki polnega razpona (nekatera kombinacija nizkotonskega, srednjetonskega in/ali visokotonskega zvočnika) se zlahka prilegajo tovarniškim lokacijam vašega avtomobila in so verjetno najboljša izbira za izboljšan zvok. If you want to hear everything your music has to offer, use a set of component speakers with separate woofers and tweeters to transform your dashboard into a concert soundstage.

Does your music need a little more "oomph?"

If your sound seems to lack that certain something, you need to give your speakers more power. An amplifier increases the volume of your system without distorting it, so you'll have no trouble hearing your tunes with the windows down and the sunroof open. Amplifiers also give your music new life by bringing out musical details and clarity, resulting in better sound quality at all volume levels.

Do you drive a noisy car?

Is your music getting serious competition from your car's exhaust note? You should look into sound deadening materials. A little Dynamat in your vehicle will help keep road noise, vibration, and exhaust rumblings from interfering with your musical enjoyment.

Do you want to feel the beat?

If you like your sound, but want some added depth, a subwoofer is a great addition to any system. Augmenting your setup with a subwoofer driven by an appropriate amplifier will fill in the low notes that small full-range speakers aren't designed to hit, giving you a richer overall sound. You can choose from component subs to customize your sound or preloaded enclosures for easy installation.

If you want a sub, but are concerned about how much space it might take up in your car, then you might want a powered subwoofer or a vehicle-specific subwoofer enclosure. These subs mount in your cargo area or under a seat, so you don't lose much storage space.

What kind of music do you like?

Think about what kind of music you listen to, and also how you listen to your music. If you like it loud and heavy, you're going to want outboard amplifiers and a subwoofer or two for sure. Is jazz or classical music more your style? A new receiver should provide plenty of RMS wattage to a set of full-range speakers — though you'd still benefit from the low-frequency output of a subwoofer.

Now, let's get to the source — the music source, that is

If the car receiver ranked the lowest on your list of priorities, then you have several options. Think about your driving and listening habits to decide which features you want. It's important to think about what your other primary sources of music are, and whether or not you can enjoy them in your car.

Do you rely on your phone for music and more?

If you use your phone for just about everything, including music, look for a receiver that features a USB port and Bluetooth®. You can play digital music files stored on your phone, and, if you have Bluetooth, stream internet radio. You can also play tunes stored on a thumb drive or plug in an MP3 player with a USB connection.

If you own a portable music player or iPod®, look for a receiver with an aux input or two. USB inputs will charge your iPod when it's connected, and offer direct audio connection for faster signal transfer. If you get a receiver with a large monitor, you'll get the added convenience of touchscreen control and easy viewing of songs and playlists, even album art and video.

If you don't use CDs anymore, we offer a number of "mechless" digital media receivers that don't even have CD players. If you still enjoy your discs (Which is totally cool!), most new CD receivers will play just about any format that fits on a disc.

Is your car your office?

Receivers that have Bluetooth® capability are really convenient if you make a lot of phone calls in your car. In most cases, you can hear callers over your speakers simply by pressing a button on your receiver. And if you have a display screen, you can see the Caller ID and dial via touchscreen. if you're a Pandora fan, you can stream your music wirelessly through the stereo.

Do you travel a lot?

If you spend a lot of time in your car, you should consider investing in a new receiver with multiple inputs and a wide list of features. USB and aux jacks are essential for iPods and other devices, and Bluetooth is a great thing to have for hands-free calling and music streaming. Many receivers are SiriusXM-ready, so all you need is a subscription to start enjoying the amazing variety of commercial-free music, live sports, and talk. Best of all, you get coast-to-coast coverage so you won't ever lose a station again.

Like to take the family on long road trips?

An in-dash video receiver can change your driving experience. Or better yet, go for back seat video. Your passengers can be quietly entertained in the back seat, so you can concentrate on getting everybody there safely. Replace your headrest with one that has a built-in screen, or purchase a model that simply slides over your existing headrest. Overhead monitors, which mount on your vehicle's ceiling and fold up when not in use, are also a convenient option. Keep in mind that some DVD players also let you connect with video game systems.

And for those, um, "directionally challenged" individuals amongst us?

End the "should we stop to ask for directions?" debate by installing a GPS navigation system in your car. Just enter your destination into the trip computer and follow the voice prompts and visual directions. You can also see points of interest and updated traffic information. Most in-dash display monitors are also compatible with easy-to-install rear view cameras, which will help the "spatially challenged" avoid backing into lampposts, garage walls, and other cars.

What if I can't change my stereo?

We also carry a wide variety of adapters and other solutions for adding most of these options to your factory stereo. Use our "Outfit My Car" tool to see what's available for your vehicle.

Finding the right receiver is easier than you think (Crutchfield Research Photo)

What kind of budget do you have in mind?

Think about how much you want to invest in your car A/V system. The goal, of course, is to get the system that you want without paying extra for features that you don't need.

Do you want to purchase everything at once, or would you rather build your system one or two pieces at a time? A gradual approach to system building can put even high-end systems within anyone's grasp.

Find what fits your vehicle.

You can do that right here, right now, online. Just use our vehicle selector to see which items will work for your vehicle. It's fast and totally easy.

Once you enter your vehicle information, you can search the car audio site for in-dash receivers, car speakers, and everything else that will fit your vehicle.

You can also get an idea of how easy it will be to install the gear you're considering. Keep in mind that you can stop by AutoSounds anytime to get a quote on equipment and installation and get it all done at one place.

Still, need help deciding?

By now, you're a lot closer to creating your ideal stereo system. You've listened carefully to your current system and pinpointed the ways you would like to improve it. And you probably also have a short list of your favorite components. Stop by to talk to one of our car stereo experts at SB Auto Sounds at 1024 De La Vina St or call (805) 962-6111

Article by Charlie Pastorfield, Cruchfield