How to improve the sound in your car?
The idea to write an article about improving the sound in a car was born when it became clear that answering the same question every day several times is quite energy-consuming. Therefore, here, in this article, you will find the answer to the most popular question – how to improve the sound in my car and how much does it cost?
Let me clarify right away – we are NOT talking about:
- car audio for competitions
- loud/SPL sound
- Hi-End sound
- about sound with car modification
I will tell you about car audio for every day, about the kind where everything is done not for show and not for the evaluation of others, but for yourself) And most importantly – all the options listed below are guaranteed to give results and often it will be akin to the WOW effect!
All stages of sound improvement described in this article were formed on the basis of practical experience – over the past few years we have improved the sound in several hundred cars, starting from the basic replacement of speakers and ending with the replacement of premium factory audio systems with processor sound with 9-13 speakers. In total, there are five main stages or options for improving the sound, they can be independent or intermediate.
You can watch our video on this topic, but I also recommend reading the article, because there are many examples of work!
OPTION 1 – replacing speakers with audio preparation
This is the initial stage, a full-fledged audio system can start with it or it can be limited to this. Sometimes it is enough to change the front acoustics, but ideally it is better to change the speakers in all four doors (if we are not talking about a coupe). Very often this stage becomes the only one, the result, as a rule, suits most car owners.
At this stage, there are the most important components:
- It is critically important to choose the right speakers. Our practical experience has shown that the same speaker behaves differently depending on whether it will work from the head unit directly or from an external amplifier. There were cases when, for example, Morel Tempo Ultra 602 speakers were connected from the radio and people were extremely unhappy with this speaker. But these speakers are very delicate and only reveal themselves with a good amplifier. It turns out that at the very beginning, when you decide what sound improvements you are ready for in your car, the choice of speakers occurs. How to choose speakers? Either trust us, or come to our showroom, listen-listen and choose yourself.
- It is critically important to make high-quality audio preparation of doors. Good noise and vibration insulation of doors in three layers works wonders – it removes vibrations, resonances, closes technological holes in the door panel, providing a denser midbass.
What speakers do we recommend if you are not planning on doing more than just replacing the speakers? Honestly, our recommendations change from year to year and the choice of speakers may differ. We always follow the trends in the automotive market, so we always recommend the most advanced speakers. There is a whole playlist on our YouTube channel, where many different speakers are recorded in stereo. The purpose of these videos is to give you the opportunity to listen, compare and choose for yourself those speakers that you like.
WHAT IS THE PRICE OF BASIC OPTION 1?
How much does it cost? The cost of such turnkey work varies in the range from $600 to $800, including audio preparation of four doors, speakers for the front (component) and rear (coaxial), spacer rings, installation and connection.
Advantages of option 1:
- Inexpensive and effective
- Fast (work will take 1-2 days)
Examples of this option:
Or, as an option, a review from a 2021 Toyota LC Prado owner about a simple replacement of the standard speakers:
CONCLUSION – at this stage you can still add an active subwoofer to complete the musical picture, this can add another $300 to the cost
OPTION 2 – audio system with amplifier and subwoofer
For those who want to listen louder and more dynamically, who like to listen to music, turning up the volume to the maximum, the first option will not be enough. You will need an amplifier.
Option 2 is a classic option, familiar to everyone who has dealt with car audio in one way or another. We take the same first option with speakers and door audio preparation, select an amplifier and a subwoofer for the speakers.
There can be at least two configurations here – only front + subwoofer from an amplifier or front + rear + subwoofer from an amplifier. The configuration will determine which amplifier you need to choose (for example, for a configuration with acoustics only in front, a four-channel amplifier will be enough, and for a configuration when the speakers are both in front and in the back, either an active subwoofer or a five-channel amplifier is needed (of course, you can use two amplifiers, but now we are talking about basic options, from which you can build on).
An excellent example of an audio system using the front+rear+sub from an amplifier scheme is for the Mazda 6, where we selected and installed an excellent system with a three-band front and rear sound from an amplifier plus an active subwoofer:
How much does it cost? The cost of such turnkey work varies in the range from $1,500 to $2,000, including audio preparation of four doors, speakers for the front (component) and rear (coaxial), spacer rings, amplifier, wires and accessories for connecting the amplifier, subwoofer, installation and connection of all equipment.
Advantages of option 2:
- Dynamic, bright, juicy sound
- Fast – such a system can be implemented in 3-4 days
- It can be increased to a higher level
CONCLUSION – we do not recommend the second option in cars with a factory radio as the main and only source of signal, because good sound in this case will not be obtained. The second option is perfect for cars with Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine radios as a source – in these cases we are calm about the signal and the final sound of the new audio system.
OPTION 3 – processor audio system based on a processor with a built-in amplifier
In principle, in my opinion, only with this option does truly high-quality sound begin. And it is important to understand that this option is also basic, far from the maximum, but sufficient to compete with the basic standard sound, factory systems JBL, Bose,
So, the most important thing in this option is the ability to combine compact and fast installation with maximum capabilities:
- full per-channel amplification (usually we use a processor with a built-in eight-channel amplifier, which allows us to connect 8 speakers per channel, and this is often enough for front + rear + subwoofer or three-way front + subwoofer, or other combinations)
- processing the audio signal of the standard head unit (we have almost never seen a correct, flat frequency response in factory radios – somewhere the highs are raised, somewhere the low frequencies are cut off, somewhere it jumps like a roller coaster – imagine, will there be good sound with such a signal?)
- savings on connections – high-quality installation of an amplifier costs a lot, so when an audio system is built on one amplifier, it saves both time and money
There are many examples of work with such an audio system configuration in our practice:
How much does it cost? The cost of developing and installing a processor audio system varies from $2,500 to $3,500, including audio preparation for four doors, speakers (there may be many variations depending on each specific case), spacer rings, a processor with an amplifier, wires and accessories for connecting the amplifier, a subwoofer (may not always be included in the system – for example, if we are talking about replacing the sound in a BMW), installation and connection of all equipment, and processor setup.
Advantages of option 3:
- Controlled sound with a beautiful live stage, the ability to customize it exactly for you
- Easy to install (you only need to find space for one amplifier)
- Fast – can be implemented in 2-4 days
OPTION 4 – reasonable
The previous option may not satisfy the sophisticated listener – the audio system with the processor may seem unsaid. And Option 4 will give you a new understanding of car audio, because you will get a powerful, voluminous, real and live sound. It will not be cleaned, as in the fifth option, but the potential of each speaker will be revealed, each frequency will be fully revealed, believe me – you will definitely not want to get out of the car.
This option can be considered when you need to make the sound better than any premium factory audio system (Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Meridian, Bang Olufsen, Burmeister). What you thought was good sound will become a soap opera compared to the new audio system.
So, when we are faced with the task of competing with premium factory sound or satisfying the desire of a true music connoisseur with rich listening experience, we always offer the following scheme – a separate processor, amplifiers (usually two or three depending on the configuration), premium acoustics (the number of speakers is selected depending on the car and the technical possibility of installation in regular places), a quality subwoofer speaker with the manufacture of the case. Add to this a huge list of cable products and accessories for connection. Also fine-tuning the processor. And the lead time is from 7 to 14 days.
Examples of projects with such a car audio configuration:
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How much does it cost? The budget for such an audio system can vary from $5,000 to $10,000. The price depends on the car it will be installed in, the number of speakers, and the complexity of implementing a hidden installation.
Advantages of Option 4:
- The most honest and musical option of all
OPTION 5 – unlimited
This option is fundamentally not much different from the previous one. The main difference is in the components. This option uses top processors (for example, Audison Bit One Virtuoso), top amplifiers, premium acoustics (Audison Thesis, Focal Utopia, Brax). More complex installation of amplifiers – often these can be large amplifiers of class A/B.
The acoustics can be installed in standard places without alterations, or they can be installed in places that will best reveal their potential (in this case, alterations to the car cannot be avoided).
How much does it cost? The budget for such an audio system can start from $15,000 and go up to several tens of thousands. The execution time is about a month. If you are a true audiophile, this is the option for you.