How to Choose a Car Stereo Amplifier
Adding an amplifier to your car stereo will improve the sound dramatically. Here's what you need to know to choose one that's right for you.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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At the Shop
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1
Ask a salesperson or installer what power rating you should consider, based on your existing stereo, speakers and musical taste.
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2
Select two or three amplifiers to compare.
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3
Compare amplifiers' power ratings using the same parameters - ohms rating, voltage or frequency. (Most people in the industry use ohms rating as the standard of comparison, and set the standard at 4 ohms.)
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4
Ask the salesperson to plug the possible amplifiers into a radio and speakers that are similar to the ones in your car.
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5
Listen to the performance of each amplifier and select the one that sounds best to you.
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6
Check the physical size of the amplifier to make sure it will fit where you plan to put it.
Before Shopping
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1
Gather as much technical information about your car's current stereo and speakers as you can.
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2
Determine where you intend to place the amplifier in your car.
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3
Measure the area and write down the dimensions.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Choose an amplifier that's stable down to 2 ohms. This will prove beneficial if you intend to add subwoofers to your system later.
If the amplifier and the radio can both accept two pairs of RCA cables, you'll be able to use the radio's fader control. If the amplifier or radio can take only one pair of RCA cables, the fader won't function.
The amplifier should have gain (volume) controls for the front and rear channels.
Choose an amplifier that has built-in low-pass and high-pass crossovers.
If your car radio doesn't have a low-level output, your amplifier will need a high-level input. This allows you to connect the speaker wires from the radio directly to the amplifier.
Select a location where the amplifier will get plenty of air so it won't overheat.
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Comments
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chewyd
Oct 23, 2010
i know this my sound dumb and it prolly is but is it ok to use standerd 220volt household wiring (lamp wires etc)) to power a 1000 watt car audio amplifier? -
Jun 30, 2006
More important than the actual wattage of the amplifier is the quality of the signal. A speaker driven at half its rated power with a heavily distorted signal will burn faster than a speaker driven at slightly more than its rated power with a high-quality, clean signal.
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Jun 30, 2006
More important than the actual wattage of the amplifier is the quality of the signal. A speaker driven at half its rated power with a heavily distorted signal will burn faster than a speaker driven at slightly more than its rated power with a high-quality, clean signal.
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Nov 22, 2005
The gain controls how much power gets fed to the speakers. Using it as a volume control will blow a speaker in a matter of seconds if adjusted improperly. Turn the volume on the head unit up to 3/4 and adjust the gain until you hear distortion, then lower the gain slightly. This will keep the amplifier and speakers from being destroyed.
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Nov 22, 2005
Remember, wattage isn't always the best way to go. I've seen a 100-watt outperform a 1000-watt amp. So always remember to ask the salesperson about performance, not wattage.
