Car Sound System - Your Complete Guide
Posted on July 8, 2021
Here at CarHub, we believe that driving can be more than just a drive. It should be an experience. Sure, there are times when it’s just the act of getting you from A to B but a ride can be so much more than that. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ve experienced flying down the road, windows open, pedal to the floor with nothing but wide-open space and a whole lot of freedom on the horizon.
What could make that experience any better than it already is? Good podcast or music, that’s what!
At CarHub we truly believe that the right car sound system is something that every car buyer should take into consideration. Excellent sound quality could be the difference between mediocre and a truly immersive driving experience.
The vehicle is, in many ways, the perfect place to listen to music. It’s a contained world in itself, one that allows for perfect acoustics and a swirling sonic resonance that lets the sounds wash over you as you roll down the road in your metal cocoon. How many times has a song hit you differently when you hear it in a car? If the answer is never maybe you’re not doing your audio sound system right.
So what are some of the options that make a great car sound system? Let’s get into it.
How Do You Get a Great Car Sound System?
A few simple adjustments to your vehicle’s sound system will kick up the sound quality exponentially. Here are some steps that you can take to ensure that you have what you need for an amazing sound system experience.
Replacing your factory speakers could make all the difference in the world. Your car may come with some solid speakers but they aren’t likely to outshine a great set of after-market gems. The factory set will lose its power with time, making your bass land flat and your treble cut sharp. A replacement could be the cure for the thin-tune blues.
That being said, factory speakers have come a long way from the days when an upgrade was an acknowledged necessity. For instance, the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer features a speaker system designed by Mcintosh Speakers and the 2021 RAM 1500 boasts nineteen-inch Harmon Kardon speakers. The quality of the speaker is dependent on the vehicle but the truth is that some vehicles - they’ll already give you the best-in-class performance that should soothe even the pickiest ear. A CarHub Product Advisor will be able to give you insights into the vehicles on the CarHub lots that feature sound systems with no upgrades required.
How Much is it to Install a Sound System in a Car?
If you aren’t, say, Jeff Bezos, money probably means something to you. The cost of your new speakers is worth considering in that case. You’re in luck in one sense; though all service dealers are different and their prices range, for the most part, the cost to install a new speaker system in a vehicle is negligible because all cars come equipped with speakers. Although there are different sizes of aftermarket speakers available for purchase, it’s usually possible to find the right fit for the speaker cavity in your vehicle.
Most speakers fall between four and nine inches in length and you can likely find what you’re looking for in any speaker within that size range. The general rule though is the more space that you have to work with, the higher quality the audio will be. In this case, bigger is better.
Worried about installing your sound system on your own? A CarHub service technician would always be happy to help!
How to Set Up a Sound System in a Car?
The more the better as well! The key to a great sound system lies in more than the speakers themselves. Speaker axes are something worth considering when configuring your speakers. Setup configurations can include two, three, and four-way speakers. The more speakers the better when it comes to having a fully immersive listening experience. Each of the speakers should accommodate a specific frequency range. The result should be a reduction in cross over of the frequencies, which will allow for a crisp, clean sound.
What Do You Need For a Great Car Sound System?
The design of the speaker itself will play a critical role in the quality of the sound. Sound comes from vibration and the more solid the build of the speaker the more solid pure the sound will be. One tip is to ensure that the speakers that you choose have a butyl rubber protective layer. This will absorb the vibrations that naturally occur as the speaker is in use, which will cut down on any irritating rattles and prevent damage to the speaker itself.
Pump Out Some Watts
For some music lovers, a listening experience does not necessarily have to be loud. For others though, if it’s not loud it’s not even worth it. Admittedly, there are some styles of music that just beg for the volume dial to be pushed to the max. The type of experience that you choose is truly a subjective decision but if the volume is your thing, you have to think about wattage in your sound system. Car stereos have a wattage range and it’s possible to find them rated for as low as 80 watts and as high as 350 watts. If you think that you’re going to want to play it loud, it may be the prudent move to choose a speaker at the higher end of the wattage range to avoid the risk of blowing the speakers out or even cracking one which can lead to a distracting hum or rattle in the sound.
What Are Some of the Best Car Sound System Brands Out There?
We live in an amazing era for audio systems. The range and quality of available sound systems are absolutely stunning. When choosing a sound system for your car, the real work is dialing in on what your needs are in a system. Do you want an incredible dynamic range? Is the lowest low end possible your thing? Is volume your primary concern? Once you have these answers, choosing your next sound system will be a relative breeze.
Here are some of the best speaker systems available today, for your consideration:
Rockford Fosgate R165X3
- Dual 90-watt speakers for a 180 watt total
- 45 watt RMS output
- Dedicated tweeter for high-end frequencies
- Three-way system
KICKER 43CSC654
- 6.5’’ woofer
- ½ PEI tweeter
- 300 watts per speaker for a 600-watt total output
JBL GTO609C
- 6.5’’ woofer
- JBL Plus One technology
- Tweeter volume adjustment controls
Alpine SPS-610 S-Series
- 6-1/2" 2-way speakers (pair)
- mineral-fortified polypropylene woofer cone with rubber surround
- 1" silk dome tweeter
- power range: 2-80 watts RMS (240 watts peak power)
Pioneer TS6900PRO
- 6x9" Pro Series 2-Way Coaxial Car Speakers
- Power Handling:
- Peak: 600 watts per pair / 300 watts each
- RMS: 100 watts per pair / 50 watts each
Want to learn more about car audio systems? The CarHub lots are bursting with vehicles that feature the finest car audio systems available today, such as the 2021 Jeep Wrangler and the 2021 Dodge Durango. You can contact us at any time to speak with a Carhub Product Advisor about the car sound system that’s right for you!