Basically, a car audio equalizer is an audio regulator that allows the sound quality from various frequency bands to sound smooth and clean whenever you switch the tuning or move from radio to CD player.  An equalizer essentially allows the car owner to experience different sound frequencies digitally with the aim of identifying which frequencies need more enhancement or better tuning.

The main idea behind a car equalizer is that you won’t have to change the frequency each time you switch to a new radio station because it helps to achieve that right sound balance.

For all you car stereo enthusiasts looking for top of the line car equalizers, here are some of the more popular brands, as well as a few that are more affordably priced:

• Clarion EQS746 1/2 DIN Graphic Equalizer with Built-in Crossover – Clarion is a well known brand and this particular equalizer costs roughly $149.99
• Kenwood KDC-MP145 In-Dash CD/MP3/WMA Receiver with Aux Input – for $99.99, you can get a high quality Kenwood equalizer system for your car
• Metra AT-350E 7 Band Equalizer / 100W Car Stereo Amplifier – for the people who want a quality equalizer for less, this Metra brand will run you about $13.94
• Power Acoustik PWM-16 Pre-Amp Equalizer – this equalizer is in the middle of the price range at $84.99, but has proven to be a high quality brand
• Clarion MCD360 2/3 Way Crossover – here’s another Clarion system that will run you about $199.99
• BOSS AVA1404 7 Band Amplified Equalizer with Subwoofer Output – this brand is quality without the hefty price tag.  A good BOSS equalizer costs about $55.88
• Pioneer Car DEQ7600 DIN Digital Signal Processor and 15-Band Digital Graphic Equalizer – Pioneer always provides something special for the price and this $330.00 digital graphic equalizer is no exception
• SuperSonic SC-6666M In-Dash CD MP3 Player AM FM Car Stereo Receiver – SuperSonic equalizers might not cost a lot (on average $48.99), but you can expect good quality audio from this particular model

Once you choose from any of these listed, you should be able to get great sound from your radio stations and CD player.

Article Tags: car stereo equalizer



By definition, a subwoofer is a complete loud speaker for either a car audio system or a home system that is used to reproduce low pitched audio frequencies, also known as the “bass”.  A novice would probably be more familiar with the term “bass box” than the term “subwoofer”.  The typical subwoofer is between 8” and 21” in diameter, so your choice of component would basically tie in to the amount of space you have to store it.

Now, as a novice to audio systems, you should probably figure out how to tell a cheap subwoofer from a high end one, just to make sure you get value for your money.  Although you may not necessarily intend to install it yourself, you definitely need to know which type to get.  Here are some tips for telling the difference between a high end subwoofer and al cheap one:

• The typical frequency range for a high end subwoofer is between 20-200 Hz.  This is the standard for consumer products like car audio systems and home audio systems.  If the frequency range is lower than that, you probably won’t get good quality sound.
• When connected to an audio system, a good subwoofer will have enough power to spit out the kind of power behind the low end audio you’re looking for.  Cheap car subwoofers will definitely lack the power to give you the “bass” you need.
• Another factor to consider with a subwoofer is the quality and precision of the sound.  A cheap subwoofer will not be able to go deep enough to give you a worthwhile bass level, and the cheap ones that do will not offer the kind of precision to give clean, clear depth.
• The wattage of a good subwoofer will be 100 watts or more.  Anything lower than that is not worth your money.

Using the tips outlined above, you should be able to easily identify a quality subwoofer that will give you the quality low end audio you are looking for in your car or home audio system.

Article tags: cheap subwoofer

Here are the top five car audio systems money can buy; all you need to do now is determine how far your dollar will stretch!

1. The Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System is an impressive car sound system that consists of 14 speakers – including a 12-inch subwoofer – each of which has its own amplifier.  This system can produce about 1100 watts of power and the appealing acoustic lens speakers made for the dashboard are an added feature.
2. The Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound Audio System is a 19-speaker car sound system that doesn’t allow you to miss a beat.  Its total harmonic distortion is less than 0.1%, which means the quality of the sound is almost perfectly maintained, regardless of the level you play the music at.  The system has a range of 20 to 20,000 Hz.
3. The Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system is a 440-wat system with 13 speakers and a quality subwoofer.  The Bowers & Wilkins speakers are the favorite choice of car audio enthusiasts and even top end recording studios.
4. The ever popular Harman/Kardon brand has produced the LOGIC7 Digital Surround Sound System. This system delivers precise sound quality with 600 watts of power.  It comes with 14 speakers and produces an extremely wide range of sound you will ever experience in a car.
5. You can’t go wrong with a car sound system if you choose the Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround Sound System.  It comes with 10 speakers, which is less than other systems, but don’t believe for a second that the quality is any less.  This system produces accurate, clean sound that you can associate with other top name brands.

As you can see, you are guaranteed to get quality sound from any of the top five car sound systems listed.  Just prepare your pocket for some serious damage!

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• Hands down, the best way to get a custom car stereo made at a reasonable price is to get it done yourself.  While you may not have all the necessary know-how to complete a thorough custom job, there is so much help available on the internet that it would be almost impossible for you not to be able to make at least a decent first attempt.  With video help from YouTube and blog posts from professionals, there’s more than enough viral assistance out there!
• If you can find yourself a good custom car stereo creator or designer, then it may suit you to source raw materials and ask that person to do the dirty work for you.  There are many skilled people out there who float under the radar, but who are just as capable as some of the top notch custom stereo makers.  And of course, the labor will be performed at a fraction of the cost!  Do some research into the raw materials needed to get a custom stereo designed, and leave the rest to an affordable professional!
• As a follow up to the tip previously mentioned, you can also look out for used electrical components that still function and will cut the design time in half.  The stereo designer you choose will not have to build each component from scratch if you are able to find some finished parts that are actually in good condition.

Essentially, labor expenses can drive you up the wall in your quest to have a custom designed car stereo.  Therefore, if you are able to find some affordable laborers to do a good job, you will end up saving yourself a lot of money and getting the perfect custom car audio system at a reasonable price.  Forget about the brand name ready-made equipment.  Save a buck where you can and still end up with a stereo to suit your every need!

Here are a few pointers that will help you identify a high end car stereo system so you can get the quality audio you’re looking for and avoid cheap car audio systems:

• A high end car stereo will come with enough components to fit in car doors, on parcel shelves and in other inconspicuous areas of the car. The components can consist of matching tweeters that are quite small and produces high end frequency; mid range speakers that are medium sized and produce medium frequency; and a woofer that is usually large and produces low end frequency, otherwise known as “bass”. A top end car stereo will have these components as the basic parts.
• Although some cheap car stereos may have these components as well, they will not be accessible in two-speaker and three-speaker combinations. High end car stereo systems have these combinations as an option, which limits the frequency range that each speaker is required to manage. Thus, the work is more evenly distributed and each component is allowed to produce favorable frequency for the best quality sound.
• A high end car stereo system may also come with subwoofers that provide ultra low frequency, otherwise known as bass or sub bass. This ultra low frequency is often felt rather than heard. You can tell when a car has ultra low frequency capabilities if you feel the ground vibrating under your feet! With a cheap system, you would probably have to buy subwoofers as add-ons to enhance the quality of the sound.
• And of course, you can almost always use the brand of a car stereo to determine if it is of high quality. Top quality manufacturers in car audio systems include Kenwood, Bose, Alpine, Boston Acoustics, Sony and Pioneer.

Hopefully, you will be able to use these guidelines outlined to identify the car stereo that is just right for you.

Article tags: cheap car audio equipment