Martes, Marso 24, 2015

The Basics: Understanding Car Audio Stereo Systems


In recent years, auto manufacturers have really stepped up their game with their original equipment manufacturer systems. Yet no matter how complex it is, still every car audio system consists of three main components only. First is the radio or "head unit". Second is an amplifier and third are the speakers.

The Head Unit or the radio

It is the one that controls the entire system and generates the audio signal. It performs multiple duties, but their two main functions are controlling the overall system volume and the various audio sources in a vehicle.

When you look back at automotive olden times, the AM radio was the only audio source in a car for years. Later came FM and tape formats such as 8-track and cassette and then recently, a compact disk player is introduced and is now standard in most vehicles. Many factory head units can also receive satellite radio from the subscription services. High Definition Radio has recently given AM and FM better sound and extra features, like additional channels and information.

Head units can also be used to control media players like the iPod or navigate the content of a USB flash drive that's connected to the stereo systems Essex County NJ. Most head units already have Bluetooth audio can play music that's streamed wirelessly from a compatible mobile phone.

In addition to controlling the stereo system's volume, usually head units include basic tone controls such as bass and treble to tailor the sound to the listener's taste. There are many audio systems also include signal processing that automatically adjusts the volume, but depending on the ambient noise in a moving vehicle. Some high-end stereo systems have a separate subwoofer and subwoofer-level controls.

The Amplifier

It increases the strength of the audio signal so that it can drive the speakers. A car stereo system has to have an amplifier to increase the power of an audio signal so it's strong enough to move the speakers and create sound and music. Amplification is a two-stage process handled by a preamp and a power amplifier.

The preamp is usually housed inside the head unit and takes data from a radio or compact disk player and prepares it for the power amplifier. With this process, it includes slightly boosting the audio signal. This makes it compatible with the input of the power amplifier and ensures that it's resistant to noise that can radiate from other electronics in a vehicle. This power amplifier then takes the preamp's low-level signal and significantly boosts it so it can move the speakers and create sound.

The Speakers

This is another component that reproduces the sound. Speakers take an amplified electrical signal and convert it into mechanical energy that moves the speaker cone back and forth to create sound. The speaker cone creates vibrations in the air, and the result of these vibrations is the sound that we hear. In many car stereo systems Essex County NJ, two speakers of different sizes are combined on one frame to create a two-way speaker.