Buyers’ guide to car stereo systems

HEAD UNITS

When you decide to buy a stereo system for your car or revamp your car’s audio system, you need to start with its music source —the in- dash receiver/ player. In- dash receivers/ players improve the overall sound quality of your music system. Most of them come with a CD player supporting various formats: CD- R, CDRW, MP3, and WMA. Some of them even support the Apple iPod and Satellite radio. Car audio manufacturers (Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine, JVC and Sony) offer a wide range of head units to choose from. One should buy a head unit (in dash receiver) with optional preamp output. This is needed when you decide to put an amplifier in the future. Buy the head unit with a built- in CD Changer or add a CD Changer to your existing car stereo system so you don’t have to fiddle with controls and CD cases while you drive.

SPEAKERS
Good quality speakers maximise the sound potential of your car. Manufacturers such as JBL, Alpine, Nippon, Sony and Pioneer deliver a wide range of car speakers, varying in size, price, and power. To get the optimum output and quality of sound, first measure the areas of your car where you want to place your speakers. You can mount them in a variety of places, including the front and/ or back of a car, as well as inside car doors. Small cars don’t need speakers that have more than 4X45 Watts power. So the head units’ amplifier is good enough to drive the speakers. Always buy the speakers which have little higher wattage handling capacity than the head units, so that there isn’t any jarring in the speaker units even when you keep the sound volume to its maximum. There are two types of speaker systems: One is the full range speaker and the other is the component system. The full range speaker system has only one speaker handling all the frequency range from 40 Hz to 16,000 Hz. But in component speaker system the frequencies are divided and given to different speakers, which can handle those frequencies efficiently. So the quality of sound is good in component systems than the full range speaker system.

SUB WOOFERS
Sub woofers reproduce very low bass frequencies to provide thumping bass sound. You’ll need an amplifier to drive your sub woofer and a place to install an 8- to- 15- inch unit. You can mount it in a trunk enclosure, under a seat, or in aside panel or cargo tray. The larger the sub woofer, the lower the frequency it will produce.

AMPLIFIERS
Car amplifiers add to the overall volume of your car audio system, driving your speakers without causing distortion. Amplifiers tend to improve the clarity and detail of music being played. Amplifiers should be placed under a seat, inside the trunk of your car or in the rear of your car. Car amplifiers are recommended for big cars with a larger interior space. They come in all ranges from 100 Watts to more than 2000 Watts. Do some research and go for the big buy.

MUSIC ON THE MOVE

It is important to invest in a good car music system to make your daily commutes bearable.

In-car entertainment has come a long way from the days when there were just a few options: AM/FM radio and/or cassette tape player. Now, improved audio-visual technologies and increasingly sophisticated entertainment tastes mean that cars can become mobile concert halls, or even mobile video arcades or theatres for kids (and others) in the rear seats. A lot of focus is also being put on infotainment. There are a lot to expect from the state-of-the-art in-car entertainment system today. They are called multi-media on wheels.

Companies offer music systems that have a navigational device fitted on to the dashboard, with a microphone to attend calls, a parking camera to be able to park safe, roof mounted screens with DVD player, Bluetooth connectivity and game-port attached to the DVD. In-car-entertainment system makers have to quickly adapt to the changing entertainment trends. So blue-tooth connectivity to transfer songs from your mobile to the music systems is what the new age car drivers are looking for. Not to forget the option to connect the iPod with the car music systems.

The in-car entertainment system is not only for listening music but also for watching movies and television shows. New systems have the added advantage of its music being controlled not only by the driver but by those sitting at the back as well. You just have to sit back and chill. Since music is the best time-pass on Indian roads during peak hours, it makes good sense to buy a worthy audio system for your car.

Indian road conditions are harsh and the dust factor makes things worse. Consumer spending research points out that, after tyres the biggest accessory spend in the car market is on audio systems. While high-end cars pack quite a bit of technology into the humble car stereo, even volume-end cars are beginning to get a taste of designer decibels. A good music system for your car should be able to absorb shocks and vibrations in various road conditions. Also, depending on your driving habits, your passenger mix, your entertainment preferences and your budget, you can choose from a growing range of in-car products to turn driving into a vibrant, enveloping entertainment experience.

Industry sources say that those music systems with front loading or what are more popularly known as the slip down variety, are the hottest selling variety. A poor car audio system will definitely spoil the experience when you are driving your favourite toy. Although the investment for a good system is steep, it is definitely worth the buy. However, not all expensive systems perform well — a lot depends on proper installation. The type of car you drive also plays an important role in what kind of car audio system you should build up. A great audio system is created with the acoustics of a car in mind. To get the best quality of sound, you should compare your audio system and experience it live in as many different environments as possible.

There are a number of features that set a good sound system apart from a bad one. Obviously, more expensive systems will usually offer more of these goodies than cheap ones.

Large, well-spaced buttons:
The whole idea about the operation of a music system is to make it as seamless as possible so that it causes a minimum amount of distraction to the driver: Large buttons are easier to find and use. Try to find a unit with generous spacing between the buttons. This makes the unit easier and safer to use.

Large, informative display:
A display with large numbers and a clear readout makes for an enjoyable listening experience. Try to find a head unit that shows all the pertinent data in one glance. Many units do this well, but some are designed to display only one piece of data at a time.

A generous power amp:
Look for a system with a good power amp. You can tell a good power amp by turning the system above half volume and still hearing clear amplification. If it distorts and begins to get "fuzzy" that means it's running out of steam.

Front loading CD changer:
This cool feature offer a six-disc changer built into the centre stack.