Have you ever asked yourself how you can make your car stereo sound better? It’s not an uncommon question in the mobile enhancement industry. With that said, the answer can be somewhat complicated. In this article, we’ll outline a few key steps to take before heading to your local car stereo shop, and we’ll present a few commonly suggested audio upgrade solutions.

Identify the Deficiencies

Before a mobile enhancement retailer can make your car stereo sound better, you need to have an understanding of what needs to be improved. Defining the upgrade could be quite easy in a case where the system doesn’t play loudly enough or doesn’t have enough bass. If the overall tonal balance isn’t to your liking, it would be great if you had an example of what you want it to sound like. If you aren’t pleased with the staging and imaging, how we address the upgrade changes dramatically.

To define what you want to improve, choose a song or two that you know really well and listen to them on as many audio sources as possible. A friend’s car stereo, your home stereo or a set of headphones are all good reference listening options. Make notes about what you like about each and what you’d want to be improved, then bring that information to your local mobile enhancement retailer.

If your retailer has a demo vehicle (and they should!), ask to listen to your chosen songs on that system. Be vocal about your observations. Listen to the lyrics, listen to each instrument and listen to where the sound comes from. If you hear something you like, let the product specialist you are dealing with know.

Define Your Limits

If your friend has a GMC Astro van with four 18-inch subwoofers and 20,000 watts of power, and you are hoping to replicate that level of bass in your Nissan Versa without losing the use of the backseat, you aren’t going to be happy with the outcome. Though deliberately dramatic in our example, the way an audio system performs, especially in terms of bass reproduction, requires a certain amount of equipment and space.

New speakers will typically fit into factory speaker locations. A retailer may suggest that you can improve imaging and staging with a set of tweeters installed in the A-pillars. Are you willing to let them modify the vehicle? New A-pillars are usually quite inexpensive. If you want to return the vehicle to stock, the cost is minimal. New door panels, on the other hand, can easily cost more than $650 as compared to $70 for an A-pillar. Decide what your long-term goals are before agreeing to permanent modifications.

There is also the question of cargo space. In a pickup truck, space under the rear seat or against the back wall can be used for a subwoofer enclosure and an amp rack. In a car, there may be room in the corner of the trunk or in the center of the spare tire. Some enthusiasts are happy to sacrifice their spare tire completely in favor of what is known as a false floor installation.

Car Audio Upgrade Options

Let’s look at a few of the most common audio system upgrades for new vehicles. First and foremost, adding a high-quality subwoofer to even the most premium of factory-installed sound systems usually provides a dramatic improvement in audio system performance. Most vehicle manufacturers aren’t willing to invest in high-power amplifiers and quality subwoofers because they weigh too much and affect vehicle mileage and performance. As such, adding an aftermarket subwoofer enclosure will not only let the stereo reproduce more low-frequency information, but will let it play louder.

If you aren’t pleased with the tonal balance of your stereo, the solution is a bit trickier. One upgrade path that works quite well is to have your retailer install a high-power amplifier with a built-in digital signal processor. The amp can be connected to the factory stereo and the existing speakers in the car. The processor can adjust the frequency response of the sound system to meet your listening preferences.

If your audio system doesn’t play loudly enough, the subwoofer might help, but you are more likely in need of additional amplification. Even some premium sound systems run out of juice just as the music playback level is getting fun. High-power amplifiers can be added to almost any audio system.

You may have noticed that we are leaving the suggestion of a speaker upgrade to the very end. New speakers can make a huge difference in the performance of your sound system, but to maximize the benefit of the upgrade, you need some reasonable power from an amplifier and you should, ideally, have a digital signal processor in the system. Without a way to tune the new speakers for your vehicle, you may not get the most from your investment.

Better Sound Starts with a Plan

Getting better sound from the car stereo in your vehicle isn’t all that hard. If you have done some research and defined your goals, the upgrade process will be relatively easy. Arm yourself with a few great songs and take a drive over to your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer. Let them listen to your existing system and tell them what you want to be improved. They can handle it from there.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

When it comes to shopping for car audio amplifier upgrades, choosing an expensive amplifier may not mean you get the most power possible for your speakers. Though this statement may seem negative, the reality is that you may have chosen a solution with more features or higher quality over just raw power. Balancing your investment in your sound system is tricky. Let’s look at a few factors that contribute to the cost of the solution you choose.

Does More Power Mean More Money?

Within a series of amplifiers, typically, one that produces more power will cost more money. The cost of an amplifier is determined, in part, by the size and weight of the heatsink and the number of components required to build the amp. This statement is especially true when it comes to subwoofer amplifiers. An amp rated to produce 2,500 watts will need a larger power supply, more heatsink and more output devices to pass current to the speakers than an amp rated for 1,100 watts.

Where things get more complicated is when you start to compare amplifiers from one series to another or from one brand to another. Comparing a low-distortion, low-noise, high-bias Class AB amplifier that produces 65 watts per channel (into four channels) to a compact Class D amp that produces even more power could you see you spending $1,500 on the AB amp and around $500 for the more powerful Class D solution. Does that make the less expensive amp better?

Amplifier Specifications Matter

Comparing amplifiers is like comparing tires for your car. You can go to your local tire shop and tell them you need new tires for your sedan. The most popular tire size in North America is 205/55-16. Now, imagine you are driving a Honda Civic and need a tire to enable you to commute back and forth to work with the occasional errand on the weekend. If you live in the southern U.S., you don’t need to think about winter performance, so as long as the tire is of high-quality, it will serve you well. A Goodyear, BFGoodrich or Continental Touring tire will run you about $105 to $120 each.

Now, let’s say you drive a Subaru Impreza WRX or an Audi A4 that uses the same tire size and you want to take the car to a few track days. You can spend more than $200 on an extreme performance summer tire that will allow the car to corner faster and brake at a much higher rate. It’s not the size of the tire that determines its price, it’s the performance.

When it comes to high-end amplifiers, the more expensive ones typically add less noise and distortion to the audio signal. This performance makes your music sound clearer and more detailed. The difference is as dramatic as switching from mediocre to premium speakers, but it’s an important part of the product selection process.

Additional Features Add Cost

Another reason a less powerful amplifier may cost more than a high-power alternative comes down to features. If the expensive amplifier has a built-in digital signal processor, you’ll not only be paying for the components in the amp but the time it took to program the configuration software that your installer uses to calibrate your system.

Likewise, an amplifier that includes a large number of analog adjustments like infrasonic filters, adjustable bass boost controls, variable crossovers and phase adjustments will likely cost more than an equivalent amp without those features. A remote level control for a subwoofer, built-in fusing for protection, output or clipping indicators and cast heat sinks all add cost.

Which to Choose: Features or Performance?

Truly high-end amplifiers exist to bring out the best in your music. They deliver amazing clarity and extremely low amounts of noise and distortion. If your source unit, speaker and signal processor are already of great quality, then choosing high-end amplifiers is wise. If you’re building a new system from scratch, ensuring that it’s optimized with a digital signal processor is crucial. As such, choosing an amp with a DSP built-in, even if you have to sacrifice some power, is likely a wise choice. Your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer can help you navigate the options available, then install and configure your system so that it sounds amazing.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Though Mercedes-Benz vehicles are typically well-equipped right off the showroom floor, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer offers a variety of audio and convenience upgrades for them. Whether you want to add a subwoofer to warm up the sound of your stereo or install a remote car starter to take the chill off a cold winter morning, the options available for these European vehicles are extensive.

Mercedes-Benz Subwoofer Upgrades

Even if your Mercedes came equipped with a Burmester audio system, your local car audio specialist can dramatically improve the impact and emotion generated by the stereo in your vehicle by adding a subwoofer. Automakers are limited by strict weight restrictions and packaging solutions that have to appeal to buyers of all genres. If you take your music seriously, the changes you’ll hear by adding a subwoofer will be like night and day.

We aren’t talking about a booming system that you can hear from a block away, though that’s always an option. A high-quality aftermarket subwoofer can be tuned to add warmth and extension to your music. Drums will sound more realistic. A stand-up bass will invoke more emotion. Guitar riffs will flow through the car with power and authority.

Subwoofers don’t need to take up valuable space in the trunk or cargo area to do their job. An expert installation technician can often work with the space available under or behind factory panels to create a solution that sounds amazing. It can be almost impossible to visually detect that the vehicle has been upgraded.

Custom Audio System Upgrades

If you aren’t happy with the balance or output capabilities of the audio system in your Benz, you can look into upgrading the system with new speakers, high-power amplifiers and a digital signal processor. New speakers deliver dramatically improved clarity and, when driven with enough power, let you turn up the volume without the system distorting. A digital signal processor is a fancy name for a computerized equalizer. Reflections off the glass, leather, metal and wood inside your car wreak havoc with the sound produced by the speakers. A properly trained technician can use the signal processing tools in a DSP to create a realistic soundstage across the front of your vehicle that delivers music with amazing accuracy. Your commute to work can replicate the experience of sitting at the console of a world-class recording studio.

Rear-Seat Entertainment Solutions

If you have children who would benefit from being able to watch movies while on a long road trip, consider having a rear-seat entertainment solution installed in your Benz. Depending on the year and model of your Mercedes, you can choose from replacement headrests, a ceiling-mount flip-down monitor or a tablet-based system that attaches to the back of the front seats. Your kids can watch DVDs or movies from a USB memory stick to make a long drive feel like it’s flying by.

Remote Car Starters

If you live somewhere with cold winters or in a climate that’s hot and humid, you may want to invest in a remote car starter. With the simple push of a button on a remote, your vehicle will start automatically and the climate controls will begin making the interior more comfortable. Interfaces that communicate directly with the computers in your car deliver reliable remote start functionality and are available for everything from an A-class right up to an S-class sedan or G-wagon.

Many of these car starter systems can be upgraded with a smartphone control solution like the DroneMobile from Compustar. If you’ve just walked into an airport terminal from a cross-country flight, a quick tap of an icon on your smartphone will bring your vehicle to life and make it cozy and warm or nice and cool once you are ready to leave.

Lighting Upgrades Add Safety

When the sun starts to set earlier, upgrading the lighting system in your Mercedes offers dramatically improved vision. Many new cars come with high-output LED lighting solutions. If you have an older model, you can upgrade incandescent bulbs with HID or LED systems that will more than double the light output. Being able to see properly at night is crucial.

Paint Protection Film

Mercedes vehicles are known for their high-quality paint finishes. If you are concerned about stone chips, parking lot scuffs and stains from road tar or bird droppings, adding paint protection film is a wise investment. Paint protection film, also known as clear bra or helicopter tape, is a thin (8-11 mil) layer of urethane that is designed to absorb impacts from objects and prevent paint damage. The higher-quality films include self-healing characteristics that will maintain the deep gloss and rich shine for up to 10 years.

Window Tinting

Car owners typically choose to have their windows tinted for two reasons: styling and comfort. There’s no denying that a nice dark tint on a black S-class looks sinister. If you are interested in comfort, modern tint films block between 97 and 99% of the UV rays from the sun to prevent sunburns. Premium nanotechnology and ceramic tint films can block more than 66% of the infrared heat energy from the sun. With heat-rejecting film installed on all the windows, the air conditioning system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool the car off and keep it cool on a hot summer day.

Backup Camera and Safety Systems

Many Mercedes vehicles didn’t come with a backup camera system or parking sensors. Several companies make camera interfaces that will allow your local mobile enhancement retailer to add a camera and display the image right on the screen of the factory infotainment system. These upgrades are not only easy to use, they work exactly like a factory-installed solution to protect you and the objects around your car or SUV from incidents while parking or maneuvering.

Parking sensor systems are a fully active safety solution that alerts you to the presence of an object behind your vehicle while maneuvering or backing into a parking space. The sensors can be painted to match the vehicle so they look as though they came from the factory.

Once you are within a few feet of an object, the parking sensor system will start to beep. The frequency of the beeps increases as you get closer and closer. Once you are within 12 inches of the object, the beeps change to a solid tone so you know to stop.

Personalize Your Mercedes-Benz for more Comfort and Enjoyment

Your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer has the products and services to upgrade your Mercedes-Benz to make it more comfortable, safer and more enjoyable. If there’s a feature you want or you are interested in better sound from the audio system, drop by and talk to them. We know you’ll be amazed at the solutions that are available.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

When it comes to enhancing or personalizing your BMW, your local specialty mobile enhancement retailer offers a variety of upgrades. When it comes to audio systems, BMW sound systems often don’t play loudly enough or have enough bass. They can fix that. If you want a remote car starter, they can add that. Let’s look into these upgrades in detail.

BMW Audio System Upgrades

If you have a BMW car or SUV with the Base or Hi-Fi-level factory-installed audio system, getting great sound is pretty easy. Companies such as Audison and Audiotec Fischer offer BMW-specific upgrade packages that include new speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers designed especially for these applications. Likewise, Musicar Northwest, a high-end retailer located in Portland, Oregon, offers amazing upgrade packages and BMW-specific subwoofer enclosures that look and sound amazing.

If your BMW came with the top Hi-Fi system, interfaces from Audison and mObridge allow your retailer to replace the factory amplifier with a high-power aftermarket solution. Combining new speakers, a subwoofer and a digital signal processor will allow the sound system will spring to life with amazing detail and accuracy that will rival most high-end home systems.

Radar Detector and Laser Defense Upgrades

There’s no doubt that many BMW vehicles are extremely fun to drive at speeds well above the posted limits. While we always recommend obeying all traffic laws, sometimes you may run afoul of the local law enforcement agency. If you have a heavy right foot, investing in a high-quality radar detector and laser defense system is a wise investment. Radar detectors from such companies as Escort, K40, Stinger and Radenso offer early warnings about police speed measurement, so you have time to check your speed.

If your local law enforcement agency uses lidar (also known as laser) guns to measure speed, you’ll want to upgrade your vehicle with a custom-installed laser defense solution. These systems detect the light signal from the laser gun and transmit a scrambled signal to prevent the law enforcement officer from measuring your speed. You can slow down then cancel the transmission. The officer will make a second attempt to measure your velocity, then let you carry on your way. Be sure to choose a retailer that is well-versed in how to design and install laser defense systems. Improper installation and alignment can leave you susceptible to speed traps, making the investment a waste of time and money.

 

Remote Starters

Having a remote starter in your BMW is a great way to make it more comfortable on a cold winter morning or a hot summer afternoon. By pressing a button on your factory key fob, an aftermarket long-range remote or an app on your smartphone, the engine in your car will start and begin making the interior more comfortable.

Backup Camera Integration

If your BMW didn’t come with a backup camera from the factory, don’t fret. Upgrading your vehicle is a relatively simple process. Companies such as NAV-TV offer several video input interfaces that work with the factory color display in the dash of your BMW. Your retailer can add a high-quality camera to the back (or front) of your car or SUV to make parking and maneuvering safer. If your car doesn’t have a screen in the dash, an upgraded rearview mirror with a built-in display is a great option to make backing up safer.

Window Tint and Paint Protection Film

Many specialty mobile enhancement retailers offer window tinting and paint protection film installations. Window tint can dramatically improve the look of your BMW while making it safer and more comfortable. High-quality automotive tint film blocks between 97% and 99% of the UV rays from the sun to help prevent sunburn. Premium ceramic and nanotechnology tint films block infrared energy to help keep the interior of your vehicle cool and comfortable.

BMW Accessories and Upgrades

A set of molded rubber floor mats from companies like WeatherTech or Husky is a great way to keep the interior looking like new. These mats fit the contour of floor and extend up the sides to keep dirt, mud, sand, snow or slush out of the carpet. A few extra USB ports, a set of upgraded HID or LED headlights or custom accent lighting are also popular upgrades. If there’s a feature you wish your BMW had come with, drop into a local specialty mobile enhancement retailer and ask them. We think you’ll be surprised at the options available to make your Ultimate Driving Machine even better.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.