Jeff and I meet at the Crutchfield Research Bay for the final system tuneup. In the last installment , we set the crossover points and adjusted the gain structure in the Sebring's system. Now, we've borrowed an AudioControl Real Time Analyzer (RTA), a complex little box that's used to measure...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on Wed, May 27 2009
Filed under: subwoofer, EQ, crossover, car stereo, car audio, amplifier, car sound, car speakers, CD player, In-dash receiver, speakers, receiver, music system, 8" subwoofer, convertible, amps, amplifiers, equalizer, car subwoofer, Boston Acoustics, gain control, speaker systems, Audio Control, Sebring, AudioControl, Chrysler, Eclipse
The big day has arrived. In the first installment , we planned out the system for my convertible. Now we'll take a long look at the installation process. A system of this magnitude is completely out of my league, so I turn to Ben and Wayne, two ace installers who also maintain Crutchfield's car...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on Mon, May 11 2009
Filed under: car audio, amplifier, gain, Crutchfield, speakers, 8" subwoofer, convertible, Dynamat, equalizer, Boston Acoustics, Sebring, AudioControl, Chrysler, Eclipse, subwoofers
They didn't have subwoofers in mind when they built your vehicle. Big bass sucks up a lot of power, and most car electrical systems aren't equipped to deal with it. A capacitor acts as a buffer between your amps and your car's battery. You connect the cap inline on the power cable from your battery,...
Most people think the gain control on their new amplifier is a volume control. But it actually adjusts the amount of input signal coming into the amplifier. Crank it up too high, and you'll hear some nasty distortion. Here's the general idea when setting gain: Start playing some music Turn your car stereo...
1) I don't need a subwoofer because I never listen to loud music, just classical and jazz. Subwoofers go great with heavy metal, rap, and other types of high-impact music, but they're not just for people who like to turn it up. In fact, a well-tuned subwoofer adds depth and richness to any type of music...
Posted to
Use & Enjoy Your A/V Gear
by
Charlie
on Mon, Apr 28 2008
Filed under: bass, subwoofer, head unit, car stereo, car audio, amplifier, car sound, car speakers, Bluetooth, satellite radio, antenna, installation, component speakers, RMS power, speakers, factory radio, speaker, receiver, iPod adapter, factory stereo, kick panel, factory system expanders, factory sound processors, 8" subwoofer, tweeters, 6-1/2" subwoofer, convertible, enclosures, factory system, shallow-mount, 4-way aspeakers
It's always made sense to use RMS power ratings, and not peak power ratings, when shopping for car stereos. That’s because the RMS rating is a more accurate measure of a receiver's "real-world" power, especially when compared to an outboard amplifier. Anyone who's added an amp to their car system can...
Adding a 4-channel amp to your car stereo system — two channels to run the front speakers and two channels to run the rear speakers — not only raises the sound level, but also greatly increases the sound quality of your music. This is how I'd tune it up: Before turning on your system, make sure your...