8 Things To Look For When Buying Car Stereos And Speakers

When it comes to buying a car stereos and speakers there is no question that the selection is broad and so is the price range. You can buy a car stereo for under a $100 or over a $1000. So what’s the best? Here are 8 things to look for when buying car stereos and speakers.

1. User Friendly - Is the control panel user friendly? Is it easy to change the radio station, pop in a CD, control volume, and interact in every other way with your stereo. Changing a setting should not be so complicated that attempting to do it while driving risks life and limb. Before you buy a stereo unit play around with it and learn how easy it is to use the common functions. You should also make sure the size of the buttons is comfortable and not too small and that they illuminate at a comfortable level in the dark. There’s nothing more distracting then electric green glaring at you as you drive down that dark highway.

2. The Power - Does the unit have the power? Make sure the power is measured in RMS as this will give you a true reading of the unit’s power. Many manufacturers use deceptive advertising by exaggerating the true power using different terminology that sounds like its more. Some also like catchy phrases like “peak power” which really mean nothing. By comparing RMS ratings you will get true ratings and an accurate comparison.

3. Which Options - You’ve got some deciding to do. Do you want a single CD disk player, a CD six or ten pack, a plain AM/FM radio that has the ability to plug in your MP3 player or Ipod. Each has there pros and cons. A single CD player is easy to access right from your stereo face plate. A six pack requires you to visit your trunk to change CD’s but it gives you a wide selection of music instantly available to access. MP3 players are the newest addition to portable music and allow you to keep your music portable taking it from the house, to the car, to your hiking trip.

4. Pre Amp Outputs - If you are going to want some serious sound then you are going to want to make sure that the stereo you purchases has pre amp outputs. These pre amps let you run an amplifier directly to the unit without having to do any conversion. The higher volt outputs are the best providing your amp I capable of handling these voltages.

5. Theft Prevention - These days stereo theft is a big problem so you should make sure the stereo you buy has some type of anti theft device. The best style is the detachable face which you take with you when you leave the vehicle. That just leaves the back end components in your vehicle making it less attractive to thieves. There are other types of theft prevention available, choose one that’s appropriate for you.

6. Speaker Frequency - Your speakers are an integral part of the sound of your system so make sure that the frequency response of the speakers you choose is the highest and widest you can afford.

7. RMS Power - For optimum performance and sound add speakers that match the RMS power output of your deck. Utilize the power you have available to you by choosing matched speakers.

8. Quality - Check the quality of sound from the speakers you are looking at. Sound quality can vary dramatically and it isn’t always related to the price of the speakers. Some speakers are very tinny sounding or have too much of a treble undertone which can be annoying. Some speakers don’t have clear crisp sound. So be sure you carefully listen to them before purchasing.

A great sounding stereo system in your vehicle can make your travel time much more enjoyable and relaxing. Following these 8 things to look for when buying car stereos and speakers and you’ll have an awesome sounding stereo.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.