The quality of sound in a car is probably the most sought after feature when purchasing a vehicle. If you think that the demand for high-tech sound quality features only exists among the Millennials, think again.
As the most experienced car salespersons will tell you, different generations of car buyers will ask questions about the sound features. Even more mature drivers could use enhanced sound especially if they suffer from hearing problems. The quality sound goes beyond booming music on the highway.
Most car drivers like to catch up with their favorite radio shows on the drive to work. Listening to the radio not only breaks the monotony of the traffic, but drivers can also get information on less crowded routes and so on.
If you are shopping for a car, your better judgment will tell you to do a thorough inspection of the vehicle before signing on the dotted line. While caution is paramount in decisions of this magnitude, budgetary constraints imply that you are likely to end up with low sound quality.
When this happens, it only means that you have your work cut out for you. In this article, we look at different ways of improving your door speakers to make them louder and better.
Change Factory Audio Systems
Similar with other electronic gadgets, replacing the factory systems of your car is the first thing on your mind. The quality of sound is not a priority item for most car manufacturers. When you buy a new car, it comes with factory settings that are less likely to satisfy your expectation of sound quality.
Modern car models come with an inbuilt allowance for upgrading the factory audio systems to your desired level. We reckon that buying a car is a huge investment and you may not have any change left for extensive upgrades. No worries, there are cheaper ways of improving the quality of sound without breaking the bank.
The Hushmat Speaker Kit is a simple upgrade that will improve the sound. Install this kit around your door speakers to absorb the speaker vibrations and deaden the door. Without the interference of waves, you can hear your music more clearly even when cruising at high speeds.
Replace Your Car Speakers
While your new car may have a turbo-charged engine, the quality of speakers may be disappointing. Most manufacturers make use of low-quality amplifiers to keep their production costs low. Low-grade amps will do nothing to your sound quality.
In such as case, you may opt to remove your low-grade speakers and replace them with aftermarket speakers. Installing door speakers for bass will deliver the quality of sound you were hoping for during purchase. Installing quality door speakers will give clarity of sound and tighten the bass.
Buy An Equalizer
The interiors of your car can have an adverse impact on the sound coming from the smart speakers. The carpet of your vehicle soaks up the sound while glass reflects it away.
These interior features increase the frequency response peaks thereby affecting the quality of sound. You need an equalizer to even out these peaks. You can install the equalizer next to the amplifier into the processor on the dashboard.
Less Compression Of Music Files
While compressing music files helps you store a large database of jams on your iPod, it also affects the quality of the sound. If you want to test this out, play your compressed music in a good audio system and pay attention to the sound. You will notice that some elements of the music are missing.
This effect does not downplay the importance of compressing music. If you enjoy listening to music in your new car, consider making separate playlists with different levels of compression. This way, you get to enjoy great sound while driving to work and while jogging after work.
Gradual Adjustments
Sometimes, we inadvertently lower the quality of sound by tampering with the controls. For instance, increasing bass to extreme levels will cause distortion of the sound. High-grade car speakers can cope with drastic changes in the bass, but most cars have low-quality speakers, and they tend to become overworked.
You cannot expect overloaded speakers to perform optimally. There are other ways of improving the sound without cranking up the bass level. Try reducing the mid-tones and treble then increase the volume to your liking.
Sound Deadening
The thin metal of your car door tends to vibrate as you drive the vehicle. Vibrations cause noise that competes with the sound emanating from the speaker. These vibrations get louder as you increase the speed and eventually, they drown out the music which can be very annoying.
You can take care of these vibrations by installing a deadening material in the car door such as a Dynamat. Dynamat is a high-efficiency sound damping material. Though Dynamat does not come cheap, it has a profound effect on your sound system. How does it achieve this?
Installing Dynamat serves two purposes; it lowers the interior noise levels, so you do not have to adjust the volume when driving. Secondly, Dynamat insulates the speaker from vibrations in the door panel, and it provides a stable platform for your door speaker. Maintaining the stability of the speaker will give you prolonged service thereby saving you a few dollars down the road.
Install A Subwoofer
A subwoofer is a fully fledged loudspeaker dedicated to reproducing low-pitched frequencies popularly known as bass. A subwoofer balances the octave of your music thus leading to better clarity.
The performance of a subwoofer relies on its placement. Woofers give the best sound when deflecting off something like glass. Next step, buy or build a box to house your sub. For best performance, purchase a sealed box for your subwoofer. Otherwise, airflow will make the sub flex back and forth thus affecting the quality o sound.
Conclusion
If you are tired of struggling to hear certain parts of your music, end this misery and install door speakers for bass. The latest technology of door speakers is audible enough without the need to turn up the volume, which is very distracting. Door speakers have different capabilities depending on the specifications.
Compare different speakers and select speakers that work for you. Installing door speakers is as simple as removing the door panel, unscrewing the old speakers and replacing them with the new ones. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can have your mechanic do it for you.
About The Author
Christina Powell is a chief editor at WheelOnRoad.net – a blog that is focused on sharing tips and tricks about automotive. She has a passion forcar when she was young. Find her on Twitter at @WheelOnRoad
