Installing a car audio system is not a difficult process, but it does require a bit of technical ability and common sense.
When most of us customize our vehicles, we usually go for nice cheap rims and low profile tires and an upgraded stereo system. Those, in my opinion are the basic essentials. I’m avoiding mentioning body kits and other non functional “aesthetics” here, as I don’t consider them upgrades.
Many newer vehicles have premium sound systems straight from the factory, with a head unit heavily integrated into the dash. With most affordable vehicles, though, we have the luxury of replacing the components with ones of our choosing.
The simplest way to upgrade your system is to replace the components with parts that fit in the factory locations. For example, if your car or truck, had 6×9 car speakers installed in the rear deck, replace them with newer or better quality 6×9 speakers exactly. If you are wishing to change the speaker locations for better sound imaging, or add extra speakers, this will go beyond the scope of this article. Keep in mind, however, that the simplest systems are the best ones. Less is usually more, when it comes to car audio, and you do get what you pay for.
Replacing the car’s head unit can be one of the best ways to improve the sound quality of the system, and to add functionality. Do yourself a favor and buy an install kit for this job. Most vehicles will have a deck install kit available and it will have the appropriate wiring adapters and any necessary install hardware specific to your vehicle. If you go without the kit you will be forced to cut wires and do a lot of soldering, it’s up to you.
Having a sub box in the trunk is probably the most sought after audio upgrade for most youths. It’s really the only way to let random people, 3 blocks away, know that you bought a new system. This will require the install of an amplifier, along with a ported or sealed enclosure for the subwoofer. Some enclosures come with a built in amplifier and sub, such as the Bazooka base tube product. Either way, the amplifier needs to be wired to the head unit and powered straight from the battery. This is probably the hardest part of a basic car audio upgrade, but install kits are available, and most importantly, read the directions.