Choosing the right acoustics for your car! So that the sound is good and not sorry for the money spent. Making high-quality car audio in a car How to make an audio system in a car
Collection of musical misconceptions
Myth 1. "My radio cassette player gives out 200 W"The misconception is based on the confusion of the concepts of nominal and maximum power. Manufacturers of audio equipment (and not only automobile ones) like to indicate peak power figures, without explaining that these values \u200b\u200bcan be obtained only when testing acoustics at special stands. The consumer will not get two hundred watts by definition. Instead, you can look for the parameters of the nominal, that is, the actually achievable power - if you find at least the inscription "4x15 W", there is already reason for joy - your radio is not the worst.
Where does such a significant difference in readings come from? Speaking of peak power, it should be borne in mind that this is a certain limit, upon reaching which the equipment ends. In the literal sense of the word, this is a test of technology for strength.
Nice peak power numbers can be achieved in many ways. One way is to cool the equipment liquid nitrogen... Overheated, on the verge of failure, the equipment will cool down a little, and here the last juices will be squeezed out of it, which will give a reason to stick then a bright sticker on the serial sample with the promise of those two or three hundred watts. Cheap Asian brands, however, are not so scrupulous. Without any testing, they declare high power, the numbers of which are taken from the ceiling. The risk is zero: the consumer is almost never able to verify these numbers.
Myth 2. "I have a good expensive car, therefore, the" music "in it is excellent"
This essay is based on the concept of "quality car audio", which means first-class components, correctly matched to each other and installed on the car by professionals. Economics will help to debunk this myth: you have to pay for everything good. Ultimately - to the consumer, but first - still to the manufacturer. It is unprofitable for him: it is not a fact that a car with a decent additional weight in price will sell well. And only professionals will appreciate the cool audio system, who still always strive to finalize something on their own. According to experts, there are only a few cars with a good standard audio system.
Myth 3. "There are 12 speakers in my car, this is a sound so sound!"
The sound quality in a car is not achieved by the number of speakers. If the equipment is mediocre, then the effect will even be the opposite: noises and wheezing will fall on you from all 10 (12, 18, etc.) speakers. Often a powerful "front", a subwoofer and a 4-channel amplifier are enough for the car to "sound" nice and strong. The number of standard speakers in a car is determined not by engineers, but by marketers. In the premium segment, a good two dozen are already counted (the Mark Levinson audio system in Lexus includes 19 speakers scattered throughout the cabin), but the main function of such systems, with rare exceptions, is image. Often, the size, shape, and location of speakers depends on the whim of the designer. You will see a beautiful column somewhere near the crop line windshield and you never know how "empty" it is.
Myth 4. "An active subwoofer will replace a whole bunch of other components for me"
An active subwoofer differs from a conventional subwoofer in that an amplifier is also located in the same case. Meanwhile, the close proximity of these components is considered controversial in terms of efficiency. The option where the subwoofer is located in the trunk and the amplifier is located in the cabin (for example, under the seat) is preferable. Of course, the active subwoofer is larger in size - a kind of hefty "barrel" rides in the trunk of those who prefer it. How, then, was the myth born? The answer lies in the field of psychology: well, how can “active” be worse than “passive”? ..
Myth 5. "More features, good and different"
The pursuit of additional functions in certain devices is a kind of mania for both manufacturers and consumers. A telephone without the Internet is not a telephone, an audio system without a TV and navigation is the third class of yesterday. Well, let it be today and the choice between two "or": either all this will work, but half-heartedly, or something will work well, but something does not matter. Firms fighting for a buyer in the lower price segment are in the habit of mixing everything in one heap. On the other hand, reputable brands tend to "separate flies from cutlets"; for example, in Pioneer head units, the radio exists completely separate from the disc player.
Myth 6. "All components must be of the same brand"
The logic of these people is easy to understand. A man opens a specialized magazine, reads comparative test head units and sees that the winner is the product of the company N. Having reached this place, the person closes the magazine and goes to buy the radio tape recorder N, speakers N, N-subwoofer and amplifier. Having collected all this N-set, he, perhaps, will even be satisfied with the result (if not the sound itself, then at least - morally, that he did everything right). Meanwhile, the firms that produce the best head units turn out to be weak in the manufacture of other acoustics, and vice versa.
They produce it solely so that the line of components is presented to the maximum. How can the paradox be explained? Disassemble the radio and speaker and see what is inside of both. Roughly speaking, in the first case microelectronics and corresponding technologies are used, in the second case - macroelectronics. A competent seller is obliged to bring the buyer up to date, and an illiterate (or lack of initiative) will sell the same N-set. In a branded N-bag.
Myth 7. "Ford acoustics are best suited to my" Ford "
Such a conclusion does not stand up to all criticism, but the delusion itself is forgivable. For the car, you really need to select only native parts - candles, light bulbs, brake pads. However, "music" is not included in this list. However, it is complete, is it someone of the automakers makes the acoustics of the same name? They do, although few do. There are, for example, Daewoo and Hyundai head units. But much more often car companies simply order "music" on the side, and then put their logo. In this case, the opinion that constitutes the seventh myth can be understood as follows: "the standard audio system of my car is the best option for it." We have already said that cool audio systems are not installed regularly.
For those who consider themselves a sophisticated audiophile, it is better to ditch the basic audio system when buying a car if possible. In addition to the net benefit, you make life easier for installers by saving them unnecessary work. Here we will touch upon another myth, which is close in meaning: they say, my standard equipment may not be very good, but I'll buy a subwoofer at a higher price and this will fix things. It will not succeed - good technique works only with good technique, but with mediocre technique it itself does a mess.
Myth 8. "Acoustics N is the winner of the car audio competition, so I choose it."
Competition competition strife. We hear about SPL (Sound Pressure Level) competitions much more often than about competitions that determine the highest quality audio system. With sound pressure, everything is clear: the car is stuffed with all kinds of "booze" to the limit, the windows are reinforced so that they do not fly out, and in order not to go deaf, all this stuff is launched at the competitions from the remote control, being in the distance.
The quality is not determined by loudness at all. Here the general composition of the musical background and the influence of its components (tones and semitones, instrumental parts separately from vocal ones, etc.) on each other are investigated. For this, recordings of various musical styles are specially selected. High-quality sound, in a simple way, allows you to hear all the musical "chips" both together and separately. And which aspect is closer to you?
Myth 9. " Best body for the installation of audio equipment - sedan "
An ancient opinion, which, however, is now almost not mistaken. The judgment was fair ten years ago, when the audio system meant only a radio with speakers, and few had heard of subwoofers. The argument was put forward as follows: only in the sedan, the shelf behind the rear seats is rigidly fixed, in hatchbacks and station wagons it is mobile. Consequently, in the latter two bodies, the rear speakers will experience jolting, which will affect the sound quality.
Nowadays, no one has a ### t on the rear speakers: it is much more efficient to install a subwoofer and a powerful "front" (see also myth 3). And the priorities have now changed exactly the opposite: it is the single-volume bodies that are considered the most suitable for installing a high-quality system. After all, the subwoofer installed in the trunk of a sedan is in a stronger "isolation" than in the body of a station wagon. The sound, of course, will pass through the hard back wall, but the much-appreciated compression effect, when the sound is not only heard, but also felt, will, of course, be much weaker.
Myth 10. "I'll buy myself a capacitor and listen to music for hours without worrying about the battery."
The role of a capacitor in an acoustic system is to store energy, to be an energy buffer, ready to release this energy when needed. But the point of a capacitor is not to replace the battery. The capacitor is powered by a battery anyway; it is simply included in the electrical circuit as an additional link. Again, the performance of a capacitor is not judged by how long the music is listened to when the motor is not running. The capacitor has a very narrow specialization: if the battery charge may simply not be enough (for example, other energy consumers are turned on), give part of its energy to ensure normal sound. Not every audio system needs a capacitor, but only the most powerful of them (producing several hundred watts of actual power).
Myth 11. "Actually, I know about electrics. I'll install my audio system myself."
Heavy legacy of the previous decades, when the car owner had to be his own painter, minder, turner and electrician. The need to be a general repairman has disappeared, we drive modern cars, but the echoes of the era sometimes still arise. Most often - in the name of economy, of course.
No one will argue what to punch in dashboard the radio tape recorder is not difficult. But this is a philistine level, and today we are talking about professional car audio. Dozens of components, selected from hundreds of combinations, are connected by meters of wiring, which takes more than one day (connecting the components is half the battle, you still have to painstakingly "listen" to the "scene", achieving perfection). To enjoy music in the car, you need to remember that in addition to assembling the components into one whole, the system also has to be set up. After all, as mentioned above, good sound differs from usual in nuances.
And here, not only garage craftsmen show weak training, but also - take note - the installer of dealerships. There is no standard unit "car audio master", there is - "additional equipment master". Today it is a subwoofer and an amplifier, tomorrow - a plastic body kit and xenon, the day after tomorrow - engine crankcase protection. It is clear that low-quality work will not fully reveal the potential of even expensive equipment.
Myth 12. "All this is nonsense. Cool" music "can be bought for five thousand - you need to know the places"
For five thousand - definitely not. It is impossible for ten, or - you are still looking for some middle option. The miser pays twice anyway - keep this in mind when chasing sound. Having decided on your desires, show your car to specialists. There is a standard conversion algorithm for any machine; you can follow it, you can work out an individual path together. The main thing is that car audio specialists should be engaged in car audio. As the English saying goes, The shoemaker makes good shoes because he makes shoes and nothing more - "a shoemaker makes good shoes because he makes shoes and nothing else."
You will need
- -noise isolation
- -vibration isolation
- - auxiliary tool
- -musical car components
- -Large capacity batteries
Instructions
There are a lot of changes that need to be made to get really high quality music in your car.
The first thing to do is to rid the car of extraneous noise and crickets. To do this, it is necessary to completely glue the vehicle with noise insulation, especially at the joints of parts such as the joints of doors with a torpedo. Much attention should be paid to soundproofing arches, because 60% of extraneous noise comes from there. Sound insulation is glued in a double layer to the arches, sills, luggage compartment, doors and engine compartment of the car.
After pasting with noise isolation, vibration isolation follows vehicle for. It is worth noting that plastic films must be used between the layers of noise insulation and vibration isolation, especially in the doors, so that condensation does not accumulate and car parts do not rust. The vibration isolation is thicker than the first material, so it is necessary to calculate the place for its installation, especially if the machine is of domestic production.
Next, you need to correctly position. Here you should pay attention to the reflection of sound directly in the user's car. If it is a hatchback or a station wagon, the sound and bass from the trunk is much better reflected in such a body than in a sedan, which in turn will entail changes in the rear shelf. For tweeters, it is also better to use sound reflection from glass; for this, installation in a car torpedo in the upper part under the windshield is suitable. Mid-range speakers are best used in front and back doors... Pay attention to the installation of mid-range speakers, so that the sound is not distorted or muffled, the installation should be at the end of the door just above the seat. Bass speakers are best installed in the front doors and, if the car is in the sedan body.
Once you've decided on the speaker setup, you need to use a suitable podium. For the best sound, wooden structures are used to avoid unnecessary vibration and noise. After buying or making podiums, they are covered with additional material, according to the style of the car. Basically these materials are carpet and leather, all those materials that additionally eliminate vibration.
Next you need to install power plants car audio. Amplifiers, processors, and are often placed in the luggage compartment to save space, better cooling the system and, at the expense of the weight of the system, better weight the vehicle. Batteries are installed with increased capacity, sometimes even two batteries to power the entire audio system. It is also better to use a generator with a larger capacity for constant power supply.
For the best sound of the system, it is worth using licensed car components and not overusing sound pressure. For proper layout, it is worth using 60% of the power of the mid-range speakers, 30% and 10% of the woofers, this is the most acceptable layout for high-quality sound. Do not forget about a high-quality radio tape recorder, which must be processor-based or use a processor through adapters. For high-quality sound transmission, you should use a CD-ROM with the quality of music on it in a 1: 1 ratio or use the AUX wire to transfer music from the phone to the radio tape recorder, but for this the phone must support music in quality (flac) in order to keep the highest sound quality ...
It is worth paying attention to the stylistics of the cabin, not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for additional getting rid of cabin noise through the use of leather material. All this will allow you to achieve maximum sound quality in the car.
Building a music system in a car consists of the following steps: listening and selecting components, installing and configuring the system. Let's consider each stage in more detail.
Listening and selecting components
When choosing acoustics, you need to decide on its size and installation location. The most popular is installation in door podiums. An equally important role is played by the size and installation depth of the acoustics - it often happens that the door, its inner filling and trim have to be adjusted to the purchased components. Recommendations for choosing acoustics - good 2-component speakers of a well-known brand. How component acoustics differ from coaxial ones is described in this article.An amplifier is an integral part of a well-built system. You should choose among the products of renowned manufacturers. These are made of high-quality components, have overload and overheating protection, and provide high-quality sound. Recommended reading: how to choose an auto amplifier?
An equally important role is played by wires for car audio. They are subdivided into power, acoustic and inter-unit. The power wires provide power to the head unit and amplifier. The cross-section of the power wire should be 4 Ga, the acoustic one - 8 Ga. This is not a standard but depends on the power rating of the installed system. Interconnect wires differ in length and presence / absence of a control wire.
There is an opinion that expensive interconnects are better. This is undoubtedly, because the sound purity depends on the "interblocks", they are responsible for sound transmission. Daxx, Stinger and Chernov wires have proven themselves well.
How can a wire affect sound? Each cable is a signal transmission line with its own complex impedance. It has its own capacitance and inductance, which affect the interaction with the input and output circuits of the connected equipment. Of course, you can neglect this and put cheap cables, but there are car audio fans who care about quality.
Many add a capacitor to the system. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that for 500 W of the rated power of the system, a capacitor with a capacity of 0.5 F. is enough. It is better to navigate on a model with automation in order to avoid problems when connecting.
A capacitor is installed in the system in order to avoid bass "drawdown" at peak loads, when the energy of the battery and generator becomes insufficient.
Before purchasing components, you must select the scheme according to which you will install the selected components. Here are the most common schemes:
- 1. Head unit - front - subwoofer - 4-channel amplifier to the front and subwoofer. This is a classic connection scheme, which is used for 80% of installations. It is based on ease of setup and installation. It is important that such an installation saves space in the car due to the compact arrangement of the components. A feature of the sound is the low power of the system. The sound quality is lost slightly, and it is absolutely imperceptible to the ear of an inexperienced music lover.
- 2. Head unit - front - rear - subwoofer - 5-channel amplifier for front, rear and subwoofer. It is based on the scheme described above, keeping the advantages and disadvantages. A rear sound has been added here, the absence of which is complained about by passengers sitting in the back. In setting up such a system is more complicated than the first one and it is not always possible to achieve the desired result.
- 3. Head unit - front - subwoofer - 2-channel amplifier to the front - 2-channel amplifier to subwoofer. This circuit will suit fans of powerful bass. Turning on a two-channel amplifier with a bridge to the subwoofer, we get more power than in the options above.
- 4. Head unit - front - subwoofer - 4-channel amplifier to the front - 2-channel amplifier to subwoofer. This circuit is at the top in terms of cost and sound quality. It will allow you to abandon the crossovers included in the front speaker set and use the crossovers of an external amplifier. Those. carry out the so-called channel-by-channel amplification. This will noticeably affect the sound quality and power of the system.
Installing music components
Installation begins with laying power wires from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment. Having picked up the wires, we pull the positive and negative wires from the battery into the passenger compartment, through the technological holes in the engine shield. The wires passing through the metal must be wrapped in a piece of plastic or rubber tubing to avoid a short circuit to ground.The positive wire must be connected through a bulb with a fuse, according to the rating of the corresponding fuse on the amplifier, the bulb itself should be located no further than 30 cm from the battery.
We are starting to install the tweeters. Tweeters with mid-bass drivers form the "sound stage". We place them on the facing of the windshield pillars, approximately at eye level, with a turn to the center of the windshield. This way we make the speakers play with reflections, shaping the width and height of the soundstage. In other words, the left tweeter plays on the right passenger seat, the right one on the driver's seat.
We lead acoustic, inter-unit and power wires to the amplifier. Power wires must be routed separately from speaker wires and interconnects. Their mutual intersection at an angle of 90 degrees is allowed. It is advisable to lay each group of wires separately, including from the standard car wiring.
We connect the wires to the amplifier, we connect the subwoofer. If the subwoofer is supposed to be used in a case, and it was purchased together with a finished case, then for cars with a sedan body we turn the subwoofer with a speaker towards the back of the rear seat, and for cars with hatchback and station wagon bodies - towards the fifth door. If you plan to make the case yourself, the article will come in handy "
Not every car is equipped with a sound system, especially when it comes to basic trim levels. Moreover, even the presence of a standard audio system does not guarantee high sound quality, so many have a quite logical desire - to select and install a high-quality car radio. This is a rather complicated matter, since it requires certain knowledge from the car owner. Therefore, you need to figure out which speakers are best to put in the car, as well as familiarize yourself with the basic rules for choosing car acoustics in terms of power, reliability and price.
What acoustics to put in the car
Experts divide the acoustic systems (AC) presented on the market into 3 types:
- full-range speaker - is one speaker responsible for reproducing the entire frequency range. This type is the most affordable for the buyer, so many car manufacturers complete their cars with just such systems. A wideband speaker is enough for listening to radio broadcasts or creating a quiet audiophone;
- coaxial is a more advanced type of loudspeaker, which assumes the presence of several speakers located in one cabinet. The entire frequency range coming from the audio recorder is in this case divided into LF (low frequencies), MF (mid frequencies) and HF (high frequencies), for the reproduction of each of which a separate speaker is responsible. This scheme allows you to significantly expand the range of reproducible frequencies and increase the quality of the audio system. The coaxial system is the most popular among car owners, as it provides decent sound quality for relatively little money;
- component - the most advanced and, accordingly, the most expensive speaker. The quality of the system is ensured by the fact that each of the three speakers (tweeter, bass and midrange) is located in a separate box. Budget component-type speakers are often equipped with a pair of low- and mid-range speakers (midbass), as well as a pair of tweeters (tweeters), while in more expensive kits, a crossover and a subwoofer are additionally installed.
When choosing car speakers, it is worth paying attention to such important parameters as size, power and sensitivity.
How to find the right size car speakers
Speaking about speaker sizes, experts do not recommend purchasing devices with a height of 4-5 inches (1 inch - 2.54 cm). Better to opt for 6-6.5-inch models, as they do well with reproduction of bass (bass).
As a result, if you want to get high-quality high-frequency reproduction, then your choice should be stopped on speakers with the smallest diameter of the cone. If deep and high-quality bass is paramount, then choose speakers with the largest cone diameter.
What should be the power of good speakers
Analyzing the concept of speaker power, it is worth remembering that the value of this indicator should be slightly more than the outgoing power of the car radio. Otherwise, all attempts to get more or less high-quality sound will be reduced to zero.
Video: how to find out the power of the speakers
Typically, the speakers indicate the nominal and peak power parameter, where the first determines the power at which the speaker can operate for a long time without the risk of damaging the cone or overheating the coil, and the second indicates the maximum allowable power that the speaker can withstand for a short period of time ...
Sensitivity, resonance frequency and sound character of car audio
Of course, when choosing speakers, size and power are important, but sensitivity (sound pressure), resonance frequency (Fs) and overall sound quality (Qts) play a key role.
In this case, the following statements are true:
- The higher the sound pressure (sensitivity) setting, the better. The optimal indicator is in the range of 92–94.
- The recommended value of the resonant frequency should vary between 60-75, while the lower this parameter, the deeper the bass the car owner will receive as a result.
- The Qts should ideally exceed 0.6, especially if the speakers are installed in the doors of the vehicle.
Video: how to choose the best budget subwoofer for a car
Selecting speakers without amplifier
If the car owner is faced with the task of choosing speakers without an amplifier, then you need to understand what to achieve high Quality sounding will be almost impossible. Remember: without an amplifier, car speakers are simply unable to reach their full potential.
But do not be upset, since not everyone needs a first-class speaker, and it is quite possible to achieve a sound quality sufficient for an average user. For this it is recommended to use speakers with a high sensitivity level and light suspension (ideally made of paper or Kevlar).
Basic rules for choosing acoustic systems in a car
When buying car acoustics, you need to pay attention not only to its brand and price. You should also listen to the advice of competent professionals:
Which manufacturer's speakers to choose
When buying acoustics for your car, you should immediately determine which parameter will be your priority. If the preference is given to proven brands, you should pay attention to manufacturers such as Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood and JVC. In most cases, they deliver decent sound quality and are reliable. The main disadvantage of these brands is their high cost.
If you are a perfectionist or a fan of classical music, then bypass budget systems and speakers from manufacturers such as Mystery, Supra, CallCell and Fusion. With them, you will not be able to achieve high-quality and beautiful sound in your car. However, the more expensive models of these brands are distinguished by acceptable sound quality and uninterrupted operation for several years.
We recommend choosing speakers from brands such as DLS, MTX, JBL, Focal, Hertz, Rockford Fosgate, Magnat, Boston Acoustic, Alpine, Blaupunkt, Nakamichi, Lightning Audio, Infinity or Morel. Judging by user reviews, the models of these brands are distinguished by a good price-quality ratio.
Finally, we want to emphasize that an illiterate speaker installation can negate all the advantages of even the most productive and expensive radio. Therefore, to get really high-quality sound, it is best to install an audio system in a car in specialized auto repair shops, where you can count on the help of real professionals.