Choosing Car Audio

When it comes to automotive accessories, speakers are easily among the most popular. Though many drivers are perfectly satisfied with their factory speakers, the rest are seeking better ways to achieve bigger sound. The world of car audio is very large and if you are not familiar with it, it may appear to be confusing. There are a lot of options available when selecting the right car audio system for your car. Newcomers may want to do some careful research first because selecting the wrong system for your car or personal preference may result in a product that you have to return.

Start by getting acquainted with the various parts and components of a speaker system. Tweeters, subwoofers and amplifiers are the main components that you will find. Tweeters are great for perfecting the higher sounds while amps and subwoofers are designed to improve the quality of the bass. Not every car will need all of these parts just to have a nice sound. Larger vehicles may require more speakers than a small one. Determine what you need based on the size and shape of your car as well as your personal preference. Getting the right system may require professional assistance. Do not be afraid to ask for help.

Comparing prices and quality is very essential when purchasing any electronic equipment. Do not go for either the cheapest or the most expensive speakers right off the bat. That is not enough to make a decision to buy. You need to know how the product works, if it suits your needs and what others think of it. Look up brands and styles on consumer review websites to discover if others find it to be a worthy spend. People are brutally honest online because they have nothing to hide. It's a great way to get the inside scoop on various products.

Some people make the mistake of loading their vehicle up with speakers, thinking that more is better. However, that is rarely the case. Having too many speakers can actually dirty up your sound so that it is distorted and not at all what you want. Likewise, a misplaced subwoofer or amplifier will likely get you a noise complaint rather than impress the neighborhood. This is yet another great reason to seek out some advice from a professional in the audio industry. Clarity and quality has got to be the bottom line. For music of all types and even talk radio, the best speakers are the ones suited to your car.

The majority of people require basic speakers though there are speakers designed for competition purposes. This is a whole other category of car speakers. Choosing wisely is what makes the difference between good speakers and fantastic speakers. Check over all warranty and return information to ensure that you don't buy into something that you will be stuck with in the event it is damaged or deficient. Having the right car audio system can make all the difference in the quality sound of your favorite music.

What to do when accident

If you've been fortunate enough to never have been in an auto accident, you should consider yourself very lucky. For those of us that have, it is one of the most stressful and scary events you might ever experience in your life. With as frequent as everyone drives these days, chances are you're bound to get in an accident sooner or later. One of the best things you can do is to be prepared to handle the situation should you be unfortunate enough to get into an auto accident. Here are a few tips that will help you deal with this frightening, nerve wracking situation.

The very first thing you need immediately after getting into an accident is try to calm yourself down. Take a few deep breaths and try to release a bit of the tension. You may be feeling overwhelmed or in shock, but trying to calm yourself and relax will help settle you down and ensure the rest of the process goes smoothly. While still sitting in your car, it is a good idea to call the police so they can respond to the scene immediately. If you are unsure where you are at, try to find street signs or other markers that will help pinpoint your location. Depending on the severity of the accident, be sure to let the dispatcher know that an ambulance may be needed. Never leave the scene of an accident under any circumstances. You're going to need an official accident report completed by the police in most cases, especially if there is extensive vehicle damage or injury.

After calling the police, get out of your vehicle and assess any injuries or vehicle damage. If there is damage to any vehicles involved, you need to collect insurance and contact information from each driver. Make sure you get their full name, phone number, address, and any other pertinent info. Use a digital camera or your cell phone to take pictures of any damage to your car and others. This will help you with the next step, which is filing an insurance claim.

You want to report any damage to your insurer immediately. Provide the information of the other drivers involved as well as any information required from the accident report. You may need to fax a copy of the report to your insurer to have your claim processed.

Accidents are often unavoidable and will scare the crap out of you, but if you're prepared to handle the situation things will go much better for you.

Arturo T. Chuong is writing articles about car maintenance, and automotive performance parts. One of the most important part of a car is the tires, and if you need quality tires, check out Vredestein tires by DFW Performance Tires. If you're in the Dallas or Fort Worth metro, order from our website for discount tires Dallas.

Solve the problem of MP3

With the advent of these fabulous MP3 players, like the Ipod and the Creative Zen, their use in cars creates some problems. It has only been recently that automakers began to cater to music lovers and install jacks in their radio’s. But not all do, and what can you do if you have one of these or older cars not so equipped?

The cassette solution
If your older car has a cassette player, you can get an adapter that looks like a cassette with a wire hanging out of it. You can get these at places like Walmart for 8 bucks. While very reliable, the downside is reduced dynamic range. Cassette players can’t reproduce the frequency response of cd’s or MP3’s but they do come close. It’s a cheap way to solve the problem. And cars generate enough noise that you may not even notice it.

FM transmitters
Another way to get your Ipod into the radio system is through an FM transmitter that generally just plugs into your power jack or cigarette lighter. A Belkin unit can be had at Amazon for 30 bucks. These devices broadcast a FM signal that can be pickup up by your radio, usually in the less used lower end of the FM range, like 88.1 MHz. These devices suffer somewhat by being low power, poor dynamic range, and if you live in a big city, the FM band is usually pretty crowded, leading to poor reception. But if you live in the right place, it is a reasonably inexpensive solution.

Replace the radio
This sounds expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. While more expensive than the above solutions, it may be desirable to have a radio with new features, like HD Radio, or being able to play music off a USB thumb drive. If a person is the least bit handy, Crutchfield can offer a solution. For most cars, they offer wiring harness connectors (radios over $130 the harness and box is free!) that mitigate the worst part of the job. And your car will always be better off if the wiring isn’t hacked up.

But all cars can’t benefit from this solution either. Your car will have to have a din or double din size radio. These are easy to spot as the radio will be rectangular in shape (2.5” x 7.5”) or for the double din (4.5” x 7.5”). Some manufacturers lately have been burying the radio, with a control unit on the dash, usually including the HVAC controls or other things. These radios are so integrated into the car, that replacing them with something different is almost impossible.

However, if you have the right size opening, you will have to get the old one out. This is a problem since most radios need some sort of special tool to get them out. A trip to your dealer may help, as they could pop it out for you, sometimes free. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Behind the radio you have the wiring and antenna hookup. And be sure to ask if the antenna needs an adapter also. Some Euro cars have strange fittings. There are also Crutchfield certified installers in our area if you would rather have it installed.

There is always some way to get a job done. Maybe one of these links can solve your problem.

iPhone play with car speaker

Millions of people around the world love their iPhones for it's phone abilities, the ability to browse the web, and also it's iPod features as well. Set up correctly, it can be a great addition to your car for both daily commutes and longer road trips. The first problem is connecting your phone to the speakers in your car. There are a variety of available solutions with a range of costs and qualities. Some car stereos have a plug specifically for an iPod or a place to plug in an auxiliary source of sound. If yours doesn't have this, you can look into a device that broadcasts your music on the radio so that your car stereo can receive and play it. Still another option is a cassette adapter if your car still has one of these.

Once you have it connected, playing music through your stereo from your iPod is a great way to avoid radio commercials and bad songs and instead just listen to your favorites. Don't forget that you are not limited to your own music. You can often use Internet streaming radio stations such as Pandora to have an unlimited supply of music for an extended trip.

Other passengers in the car can even watch a movie on the iPhone with the sound coming from the car speakers but the driver should be careful to not get distracted and to keep their eyes on the road! Once you connect your phone to your car, a whole new world of possibilities open up!

Blutooth hand free car kit

Amazon.com Product Description

The Parrot MKi9200 Advanced Color Display Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit system is a unique range of Bluetooth hands-free car kits which install in every car. It combines the latest communication technologies with a full set of services dedicated to music–A full system dedicated to conversation and music in car.

Parrot MKi9100 kit comes with everything you need to be connected and entertained.

The Parrot MKi9200 is a Bluetooth hands-free system with a 2.4-inch high-resolution TFT color screen. A wireless remote control can be positioned on the steering wheel or dashboard and allows the driver to control all the functions of the MKi9200.

In addition to conventional telephony functions – pick up, hang up, dual calls – the Parrot MKi9200 boasts cutting-edge telephony functions: automatic phonebook synchronization, training-free multi-speaker voice recognition, speech synthesis of the names in the phonebook, contact management (up to 2 000 per phone), call records, and so on.

Its color screen displays the phonebook, caller ID and photo, phone information and user settings. The menus and phonebook are also audible for easier, more intuitive use.

Listen to your digital music in the car
The Parrot MKi9200 is also gifted for music. Supplied with a specific cable, it is compatible with all music sources, such as iPods, iPhones, USB flash drives, Bluetooth stereo (A2DP) phones, MP3 players and any other analogue players. The Parrot MKi9200 also features an SDHC-compatible SD card reader on the side of the screen.

Connectors to use your favorite music player are provided.

Mounts right on your dashboard.

The MKi9200 displays the full playlist along with the name of the artist, the title and even the corresponding album cover in color when available on the iPod, iPhone or USB flash drive.

Music is delivered through all the car’s speakers, giving the driver and passengers exceptional sound quality and the breathtaking Virtual SuperBass effect.

The Parrot MKi9200 kit connect to your car audio system and deliver hi-quality conversations whatever the conditions are. Each MKi kit is delivered with it independent RF remote control. Positioned on the steering wheel or placed wherever is convenient, the remote control gives you the total control you need right at your fingertips. The Parrot MKi kits propose an incredibly efficient combination of an external double microphone and new software which eliminate environmental and in-car noises with full-duplex and zero-echo crystal clear conversations. Another unique feature of the MKi9200 is that its screen is detachable from its support when you leave your vehicle, for ultimate security.

Once paired with your Bluetooth mobile phone, the MKi enables you to establish in a few seconds any phone conversations in your vehicle without needing to handle the telephone, even leaving it in your pocket. Connection with your mobile is madein a completely transparent way.

The user-independent voice recognition and voice synthesis are now integrated in all MKi car kits, which dramatically ease the way of using them in every situation. And all the connectors for any type of music are provided with each MKi hands-free kit: iPod, iPhone, iTouch, USB keys, USB MP3 players, Bluetooth Stereo devices, CD players, MiniDisc.

What’s in the Box
Detachable screen, External adjustable double microphone, Six buttons RF remote control keypad, Parrot universal ‘mute’ BlueBox, Music cable with iPod/iPhone and USB and Line-In, Steering wheel mounting kit for remote control keypad, Dashboard mounting kit for screen, Screen cable, Mute / 12V cable with ISO connectors, USB / mini-USB cable, Set of accessories, Quick Start Guide

About Parrot
Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, stands on the cutting edge of innovation. The company was founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux as part of his determination to drive the inevitable breakthrough of mobile phones into everyday life by creating high-quality, user-friendly wireless devices for easy living. Parrot has developed the most extensive range of hands-free kits on the market for cars, motorbikes and scooters, including wireless multimedia products geared towards audiovisual applications. In 2008, Parrot launched a new prestige line of high-end products bearing the hallmark of renowned artists. Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs 500 people worldwide and generates 85% of its sales overseas. Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006.

Product Description

A full system dedicated to conversation and music in car. The MKi system is a unique range of Bluetooth hands-free car kits which install in every car. It combines the latest communication technologies with a full set of services dedicated to music. Once paired with your Bluetooth mobile phone, the MKi enables you to establish in a few seconds any phone conversations in your vehicle without needing to handle the telephone, even leaving it in your pocket. Connection with your mobile is madein a completely transparent way. The user-independent voice recognition and voice synthesis are now integrated in all MKi car kits, which dramatically ease the way of using them in every situation. And all the connectors for any type of music are provided with each MKi hands-free kit: iPod, iPhone, iTouch, USB keys, USB MP3 players, Bluetooth Stereo devices, CD players, MiniDisc¿ Parrot MKi9000, Parrot MKi9100, Parrot MKi9200 Three versions for a single system: the Parrot MKi kits connect to your car audio system and deliver hi-quality conversations whatever the conditions are. Each MKi kit is delivered with it independent RF remote control. Positioned on the steering wheel or placed wherever is convenient, the remote control gives you the total control you need right at your fingertips. The Parrot MKi kits propose an incredibly efficient combination of an external double microphone and new software which eliminate environmental and in-car noises with full-duplex and zero-echo crystal clear conversations. Another unique feature: the screen of the MKi9100 and MKi9200 is detachable from its support when you leave your vehicle, for ultimate security.

Sirius XM SkyDock for satelite radio

On August 17th, the FCC published a few documents that reveal that Sirius XM Radio Inc. are preparing to release a new product entitled the Sirius XM SkyDock.

Of course, Sirius XM doesn't want the FCC spilling the beans to eager bloggers like your's truly - so they requested a 45-day period of confidentiality. But we do know a few things.
First off, the model number for the new XM SkyDock will be XVSAP1V1. Additionally, we know that the FM transmitter is located within the SkyDock housing.

Here's a diagram, from the FCC, showing how the device interfaces with the vehicle:


The housing is inserted into the vehicle's cigarette lighter adapter socket and "is only capable of FM transmissions in association with Apple's iPhone or iPod Touch and Sirius XM iPhone/iPod Touch app," according to the FCC test report.

In other words, when you download the Sirius XM iPhone App, the upcoming SkyDock allows you to get the available satellite radio content in your car - all using a single device.

Now, if I'm reading that line correctly, this means the dock will only be able to stream audio using the Sirius XM iPhone App - does that presumably mean that nothing else will be able to be streamed using this dock? Hard to say for sure.

Stay tuned, I'm hoping I'll get an upclose preview of this device next week at Sirius XM's private event in NYC.

H1N1:Malaysian failure

"H1N1 to other people may be fined or punished in prison is proof of how real the Kingdom of Malaysia threaten only clever people, but the steps to prevent and treated people who do not become a victim so primary.The doctor also be the person who is guilty for the death victim H1N1 doctorate while also threaten that give superiority to the victim the high-risk infected H1N1 without exhaustive effort to see problem faced by the doctor who hardworks so that there is a bed in the hospital to help this victim H1N1. That is the typical attitude in the Goverment of Malaysia to solve and natural disasters that befall people.During JE, SARS, the tsunami disaster and the first visible trends in the same action in the Goverment of Malaysia, but this time the natural look more extreme and dilapidation appear kingdom that Malaysia predication so to bring a mix of people 1 through campange Malaysia Malaysia .Goverment also still magnificent position with countries in the stage health cares for them just because the position can be considered an emergency dangerous position Malaysia kingdom attitude in this case the same as natural disasters and the country has ever experienced . perhaps still do not have news on how the kingdom of money intended for the purpose of natural tube misused as JE and the tsunami aid first. Musing H1N1 evidence to bring about a kingdom that has failed and that the kingdom failed .Which this should be a democratic country, a task switch is the kingdom and the people's duty to do so long "overdue." Come on Malaysia people, time for change has long passed and the time to see the new goverment that is able to defend the people who stage maximum have also left too long passed. "

Subwoofer basslink for car

BASSLINK

Infinity®, the inventor of servo-controlled subwoofer systems, has adapted the technology developed for the finest home-audio loudspeakers to create BassLink™, a ground-breaking automotive powered subwoofer. BassLink sets a new standard for in-vehicle bass reproduction.

• Infinity, the inventor of servo-controlled subwoofer systems, has adapted the technology developed for the finest home-audio loudspeakers to create BassLink, a groundbreaking automotive powered subwoofer. BassLink sets a new standard for in-vehicle bass reproduction.

• Four low-level inputs provide non-fading bass. Four high-level inputs also provide non-fading bass and the ability to easily interface BassLink with most factory sound systems.

• BassLink can be mounted vertically or horizontally thanks to its unique mounting system. Basslink provides user-adjustable input sensitivity, crossover frequency and bass-boost, allowing BassLink's performance to be optimized for any installation.

• BassLink features a 200W Class D subwoofer amplifier that provides all the horsepower needed to drive the 10" subwoofer/10" passive radiator combination.

jeep with powerful audio

This 2004 Jeep Liberty not only looks killer and slams - it will tear up the trails! The first thing that grabs your attention about this one-of-a-kind Liberty is the candy-orange color that "blings" in the sunlight. For go-anywhere Jeep fans who love to play in the dirt, this Liberty is fully equipped for any off-road challenge, boasting a 3" lift using Skyjacker suspension components, a Borla exhaust system for a little extra power, a custom-built aluminum roof rack for holding all your gear, a front-mounted winch to help pull other guys out of the mud, and a full lineup of Jeep accessories, including custom-built rock guards, a roof-mounted light bar for nighttime trail driving and custom wheels.

You want to be comfy while you're hitting the trails and rocking out. The Liberty comes with custom leather seats from Katzkins that feel great and look even better. Kimball's Mobile Electronics outfitted the Liberty with an awesome custom sound-system install, featuring a full line of Infinity® products. For the front soundstage, the Liberty uses a pair of brand-new 6.5" Kappa® components in custom door pods utilizing our new technology of woven glass cones for smooth and powerful midbass; the rear doors sport a pair of new Kappa coaxials.

Good thing we've got that rack up top, because the rear is packed full of bass! Two 12" Kappa Perfect VQ subs in a custom ported enclosure hammer this Liberty. Powering the entire system are two Infinity 7541 four-channel amps and an Infinity 1211a subwoofer amp, all seated nicely on a sweet motorized amp rack. A Panasonic flip-out touchscreen DVD/CD head unit serves as the Liberty's source. We've even installed a Panasonic screen in a custom-molded center console for the enjoyment of rear-seat passengers.

Basic audio system

BASIC CAR AUDIO SYSTEM SPECIFICATION UPGRADE INSTALLATION PRICE

By kdi • Aug 8th, 2009 • Category: >" rel="category tag">! WEEKLY CAR HIGHLIGHTS >>

I would like to share some important information when you want to upgrade your car audio system especially in Malaysia. The audio system is a too subjective issue. It depends on what your target is whether for your own satisfaction or more to extreme level for autoshow etc. But I am sure many of us want to have it for own satisfaction. The budget depends on what brand and material quality that you want.

BASIC CAR AUDIO SYSTEM SPECIFICATION UPGRADE INSTALLATION PRICE

Beware of so many fake audio component like speakers and amplifier. Do the sound test to make sure it pays for the price you buy. But some of the well known brand which is cheap are coming from China and taiwan which is acceptable.

The basic stuff to upgrade for your car audio system should be the speaker + amplifier + subwoofer + head unit cd player.

I will describe generally about those stuff so that you will easily understand about it.

What is Head Unit CD Player?

audio player

Head Unit CD Player is the common stuff in audio system that you must have. Why CD player? because it provide the maximum clarity of sound not like cassette or fm modulator. Normally the best good brand is Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony. This branded head unit provide clearer sound and more sound setting for your satisfaction. The price range for satisfaction level is between RM200-RM300. You also can buy the double Din player which has the touch screen LCD and the price range is between RM600-RM1000. If you want a cheap LCD CD player just buy the CD player sun visor for RM250 or the cheap LCD display RM230. Some of standard player did not have the plug for amplifier so you must buy a connector or just replace the head unit. They will take the standard player for trade in new player.

The speaker is the most important stuff after head unit. If you have a good speaker already integrated in your car like clarion from Proton, then it should be ok not to change it. But it is even better if you can upgrade to 3 way speaker which have the mid bass and tweeter in one set. The price range for the component speaker is from RM150 to RM300 for satisfaction level. More than that is already in extreme level which have more than 300 watts power.

With the head unit and component speaker, you now have a good audio system already. Then to get the maximum bass effect, you can add amplifier and subwoofer. The specification of amplifier generally is like below:

Amplifier specification definition

“250watts RMS X 2 channels continuously into 4 ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz”

The “250watts” part is the one we notice first and everything else qualifies how that “250watts” was measured. Having enough power is what most people look for in an amp. The output maximum power must match the input power of the speaker and subwoofer. Be careful there are two statement which is 250watt x 2 and 300 watt. The 250 watt x 2 is equal to total 500 watt. Higher watt is better.

The “X2″ implies that the amp has 2 output channels to supply power to 2 different component speaker or subwoofer. The “RMS” stands for “root mean square” and is a method of measuring an AC waveform. More importantly here it implies that the power rating is not just a peak rating but continuous. Usually there are two power rating which is Peak Power (Maximum) and Continuous power (normal power range). RMS value shows the continuous power value. The higher the better.

A power rating into 2 ohms is better (low resistance = higher current) then you know that the amp is built strongly enough that it can deliver enough current to drive a 2 ohm load. Normally car audio system is 4 ohm resistance.

“from 20Hz to 20kHz” tells us the frequency range into which this amp can produce its rated power. The wider range is the better.

The trusted brand for amplifier is the Bumper USA, Sony Xplode, Pioneer, BOSCHMANN, Mohawk, SOUNDSTREAM, MB Quart, Night Kids, Kenwood & Alpine.

Subwoofer

The subwoofer is the most important stuff to express bass output in your car audio system. There are many brand available but it is adviseable for you to test each of the sound quality. Some brand is famous but the spec is low. The good specification of a car audio system should be higher power handling, higher quality of cone material, solid woofer box, dual voice coil and double magnet if possible for your satisfaction level to provide clearer bass. the more wide the diameter of your woofer is the better. normally between 8″-12″ for your satisfaction level. The price range of subwoofer only is from RM150 to RM300. The woofer box is from RM50 to RM150.

woofer box

Normally, the installation charges plus the wire and fuse is around RM100-RM200. That is all the basic stuff you can do for your car audio system. Hope this helps and if you have any experience handling the audio system, please share with us and the readers here.

Installing an amplifier yourself

How to install your Amp......

Amplifiers can really turn your system on. With more power you’ll achieve a cleaner, more dynamic sound at higher volumes. But installing an amplifier yourself can be tricky. Be sure to plan your installation carefully.

Never mount amps or other components directly to the metal of your car. (That’s just asking for noise problems.)

Instead, use screws with rubber isolators when you have to mount to metal, or mount the component to a non-conductive board and then mount the board to your car’s body. And before you drill holes to mount anything, hook the component up and give it a test run in your chosen location. How smug will you feel after finding that noise problem can be fixed simply by moving your amp to a new location… before you’ve drilled?

Amps are sensitive to electrical and motor noise, and they can interfere with your radio reception. They should be mounted at least 3 feet away from your head unit.

You can mount an amp under a front seat. This is close to your head unit, so you’ll be able to use shorter cables to both the head unit and the speakers, but larger amps won’t work here.

Mount an amp on the passenger side firewall; you won’t have to remove the seat, but again only a very small amp will fit.

Better yet, mount your amp in your trunk, where it will have plenty of room to breathe, which is important because…

Amps produce a lot of heat. You’ll see cooling fins on an amp. They radiate that heat into the surrounding air to help cool the amp. For these fins to operate properly, they need a few inches of air space around them at all times. Also, try to keep them vertical. Amps should not be mounted with the fins facing downward (because heat will radiate back up into the amp).