Everyone listens to their music in a different matter. Some like more bass while others may require less or none at all. Some drivers like to a crisp clean signal, while others may be fine while a lower signal strength as long as it’s affordable.
If you’re in the market for buying your very first car stereo it important to analyze the features that you desire. Before you do this, however, you need to make sure that your vehicle will be one that will allow you to hook up the radio without problems. It would be best to assess your car to be assured that you do not need any adapters or additional equipment to setup prior to the install. Once you have made this analysis you will find that most car stereos are relatively easy to hook up. You’re not splicing wires or reinventing the wheel of car stereo design. Most systems come with a diagram of the wires for the speakers, the power, and the input.
The hard job is not really found in putting the car stereo in. The degree of difficulty is found much more so in picking out the system that you actually want. Through the progression of music car audio equipment has been fairly standard. There were the cars from decades ago that had a radio in the dash and no input slots for anything. This was during the time when vinyl albums were the only things around. Eventually the 8-Track player became popular and this gave drivers options. They were no longer at the mercy of the radio stations. Drivers could now take their music collections on the road with them. This was still limited, however, because the 8-Track performed exactly as it was named. It stored and played 8 tracks.
Once the cassette was invented users had much more listening time available. Drivers now had the ability to mix their tracks and bundle their favorite songs up together on one piece of audio equipment. This changed things drastically, but the fast forward and rewind buttons still put some limitations on the car stereo. There was also the limitation of sound quality since everything was still analog.
Fast forward – no pun intended – to presence day and the digital format has become the standard. Compact discs, iPods, MP3 players, and all types of audio devices have made the car stereos as versatile as the cars that house them. Anyone that picks a car stereo has to decide if they want a standard CD player or multiple changer deck. Drivers have to truly know if they would be better off with their own audio devices versus that of a satellite disc jockey that spins hits according to music genre. There’s an abundance of car stereos that have accessories such as wireless remotes and detachable faces. There are even systems that are equipped with DVD players or USB ports for the hookup of audio devices.
The bountiful choices are great, but for many this just makes things confusing. It’s a gift and a curse, but there is a resolution. Anyone can purchase a car stereo system without the agony of wasting large amounts of time if they know actually know what they are looking for. One of the best ideas is to decide how much you want to spend. Standard CD player stereo systems can be found for around $100 dollars, but the newer systems with all the perks can cost more than $400. Once this is decided it would be good to determine the features that are desired. Check out the best brands for sound and equalizers if sound quality is your goal. If theft protection is important get a detachable faceplate. If all of your music is on an MP3 player consider the appropriate system for this. Specifics like this will help you make the best decision with the money you have.