Acoustics for the car. Installing acoustics in a car

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Good music is always uplifting and helps to relax. Therefore, today you rarely see a car in which there would not be at least some kind of radio. But sooner or later, the car owner comes to the conclusion that it would be nice to buy good and high-quality acoustics for the car. But to do it right, you need at least a little understanding of the issue and have specific goals.

Factors affecting sound quality

Before choosing a speaker system, it is worth considering a few rules:

• The radio must be of high quality, and not some cheap one, otherwise none of the speakers will be able to give a really good sound.
• It is worth getting an additional powerful amplifier so that the speakers can work to their full potential.
• You need to buy only from trusted manufacturers who specialize specifically in the sale of speaker systems forcars.
• It is necessary to properly connect the acoustics in the car and create high-quality sound insulation to avoid resonant sound.
• Midranges and tweeters are recommended to be placed in the front of the cabin, and large bass speakers in the back.
• All elements of the speaker system must have a rigid fixation.

Which acoustics is better?

Undoubtedly, the best system is the one that satisfies all the needs of the car enthusiast. When choosing acoustics, you should know that speakers from different manufacturers should be installed on the front and rear of the cabin. In the future, this will have a good effect on the saturation of the sound. Speaker size is also an important parameter, since it especially affects the frequency range, and the lower it is, the more bass there will be. It is worth paying attention to sensitivity, because the sound quality depends on its indicator.

The ideal option would be an indicator in excess of 92 dB. The properties of the radio and the characteristics of the car itself are also important. When selecting acoustics for a car, one should take into account the fact that different brands of cars may have different openings for installing acoustics. In addition, if you have a built-in radio, it is better to select speakers of the same brand, or resort to the manufacturer's recommendations. Unless, of course, there are plans to replace the radio itself.

It is important to consider the manufacturer

There are a lot of manufacturers of acoustic systems today, and all of them, one way or another, differ from each other. The main difference is probably the reputation and the degree of popularity. Now “reputation” is not an empty word, because comparing two car radios from different companies, for example, Pioneer and Misteri, one cannot say that they are one and the same. Naturally, Pioneer will produce incomparably better performance. Experts on the subject will agree with this statement. The same applies to acoustic systems. Therefore, when choosing acoustics for a car of an unknown brand, you should not expect from it the capabilities of equipment from popular brands. But if the sound quality does not really matter, then it is also not necessary to aim at well-known brands, especially since this may affect the cost of the system. Speaking of cost, car speakers have a decent price range.

Types of speakers

Speakers for a car can be purchased at different prices, ranging from 10 dollars to 500 (figuratively, the run-up can be anything). It is important to know what is the difference between the two. In order not to go into details, we can say that the type of acoustics chosen will significantly affect the cost of goods. There are other factors, but this one is the most important. In total there are two types of systems: coaxial heads and component acoustics. Undoubtedly, they have different qualities, and as an example, you can compare these two types, which will help you understand how to choose acoustics in a car.

• Coaxial heads. If you choose inexpensive acoustics, then it is better to stop at them. Such a system has a common assembly containing everything you need, called All inclusive (All inclusive). At the heart of this system is a large speaker that produces high and low frequencies. Above its diffuser is a high-frequency head. It is also designed to control the reproduction of the frequency range of sound. This type of design takes up very little space, which allows you to compactly install it in a car. When completing the cabin with just a pair of speakers, the sound becomes as high quality as possible. This system, due to its parameters, including the price, is the most common among middle-class motorists.
• Component acoustics for the car. Such acoustics for a car includes a larger set of speakers, including several low-frequency and mid-range ones. The high-frequency head at the same time is located separately. The system, among other things, is equipped with crossovers that serve to separate the audio signal. Such a system will give a much more effective and high-quality sound, but it will cost much more and take up more space in the cabin.

Installing and connecting speakers

Everyone knows the places in the car, reserved specifically for the acoustics of 16.5 centimeters. In order to use them, it is important to select speakers with the same diameter. If the selected speakers do not fit the existing holes, you can usespecial adapter rings. When installing acoustics in a car, you should take into account the power of the speakers and the radio itself, as well as choose the right amplifier. The source of energy for all electronics in the car is the battery and the generator, so if there is too much equipment, there will not be enough power. To solve this problem, capacitors are used to reduce power consumption, but even then there is no guarantee that the battery will not be discharged and the car will not have to be pushed.

The speakers should be attached through a wooden spacer ring, which you can make yourself. The effect of this will be noticeable. Since the driver's seat in the car is not located in the center, remote tweeters must be placed at an equal distance from it and directed directly at the driver. If done otherwise, it will seem that one is screaming directly into the ear, and the second is not heard at all.

Car Amplifier

It is very important to choose the right place where the amplifier will be located. It depends on how expensive the installation will be, since the cost is the sum of the length of the cable connecting the battery and the subwoofer to the speakers. If you put the amplifier in the trunk, you will need to pull the interconnect wires to the radio, which is about six meters, so the place must be determined in advance. The amplifier should be purchased immediately with the required number of wires, both for it and for the speakers. When the amplifier is located at the back, an extra four meters of wires are immediately added forconnecting the front speakers to it. There are many more factors that depend on the brand of car, so it is recommended to stock up on additional meters.

Subwoofer for car

Installing acoustics in a car is usually not complete without a subwoofer. Recently, active cabinet subwoofers have become popular, and for good reason. The choice of such a device simplifies the task, because there is no need to fool around with the choice of amplifier, since the amplifier is included. Yes, and the sound quality is quite decent. Among the advantages of such a subwoofer, it is worth highlighting the ease of use and quick setup. Moreover, they are equipped with all the necessary outlets and are quite easy to install in the car. However, there is a small minus - this is the lack of output from the built-in amplifier, which does not allow you to use the speaker if the subwoofer burns out.

Connecting a subwoofer and amplifier

Connecting a subwoofer in a car is easy. To connect it to the built-in amplifier, you need to connect the RCA inputs located on it to the line inputs of the radio. To connect power, connect the positive terminal of the battery to the positive clamp. There are two options for the negative wire: you can throw it from the car body, or you can use it from the battery. The latter option is suitable for higher power subwoofers. And you should try to avoid contact of the wires with the standard electrical wiring.

Here are the most common speaker connection schemes invehicle:

• The simplest and most common: front and rear speakers.
• Front and rear speakers plus added tweeters.
• Front speakers, rear speakers plus subwoofer.
• The front speakers cling to the radio, and the rear speakers to the amplifier.
• The front speakers cling to the radio, and the rear speakers are connected to the amplifier along with the subwoofer.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that when buying acoustics for a car, it is not enough just to stock up on cool and expensive equipment, it is also important to connect it correctly. It is necessary to solve the problem in a complex way. Properly distribute the speakers to achieve a measured and maximum sound quality, and it also does not hurt to make good sound isolation.