The basic components of a high-quality car stereo system are an AM/FM tuner, CD player, amplifier (optional but recommended), and great speakers.
Rule of thumb: No car audio can match the performance of a great home kit. The car compartment is small, besieged by engine and traffic noise, and surrounded by competing electrical signals. And all this in a moving environment. A tangle of technical and personal choices dictate the final package.
General guidelines: shop around. Car audio components are often discounted. Check mail order houses and the Internet for the best buys.
Essential: Deal with reputable companies and buy recognized brands. Make sure you can exchange or return components if they turn out to be incompatible or don’t fit the car. Remember that each unit must be installed and may require custom mounting hardware. Take personal tastes into account. Rock and country music fans generally prefer stronger bass ranges. Classical music requires good mids and highs.
How to allocate your expenses: 40-50% for tuner/tape player, 25-30% for amplifier, 25-30% for speakers (unlike home equipment, for which half of the recommended expense can go for speakers only).
General recommendations: Components are a better deal than original manufacturer-installed stereo equipment. Good manufacturer-installed equipment can cost $1,000, a price that will usually get you much better sound if you spend it on components. Try to find a dealer who has installed a sound room to listen to and compare different systems.
New Car Buying Strategy: Buyers who plan to purchase components should insist on an opt-out clause, eliminating the cost of the installed radio.
On-dash components vs. under-dash components. Under dash components install easily.
Main drawback: A thief can slip equipment under the dash as easily as an ashtray. Choose an in-dash CD tuner/player unless you want to stash the components in the trunk every time you leave the car. (If you still prefer an under-dash system, Sony’s components are top-notch.)
Amplifiers – Most auto sound packages benefit from amplifiers that boost the bass and treble tones.
Problems: Amplifiers are bulky and often need to be installed under a seat or in the trunk. Unless your tuner has a bypass circuit that allows it to connect to the preamp, your expensive amp will only increase the distorted output of the built-in amp.
Buy smart: Look for amplifiers that measure power in watts (w) per channel in terms of distortion (THD). Target: About five watts per channel with distortion of 1% or less. To achieve this, the amplifier may require 50 watts per channel because few operate at greater than 10% efficiency in a car.
Bi-Amplifiers – Offer separate power boosts for the bass and treble ranges. Bi-amping may be necessary when separate woofers and tweeters are installed.
Speakers: Speakers must be compatible with amplifiers. Its power capacity should be slightly higher than that of the amplifier. Example: Get 60w speakers for a 50w/ch amp. One way to be sure of speaker/amplifier compatibility is to purchase them as a bundle.
Stereo sound requires at least two speakers. Many fans choose four. Non-directional woofers are best placed in the factory cutouts in the rear window shelf. Next best location: at the back doors. The tweeters can be mounted on the front door panels or under the dash.
Installation: Unless you are a highly-skilled electronics hobbyist, have your auto sound system installed by a professional. Allow $150 to $200 for installation and get a satisfaction guaranteed agreement.