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Quando se trata de comprar ou atualizar um sistema de áudio automotivo, existem centenas de produtos para escolher e dezenas de perguntas para você fazer à equipe de vendas de seu revendedor local de áudio automotivo. Este artigo fornece algumas diretrizes básicas para ajudar a tornar o processo mais fácil para você e garantir que você obtenha o equipamento e o serviço que atenda aos seus objetivos.
1. Qual é o seu ponto?
Você já dirigiu enquanto ouve música e pensou consigo mesmo:“Isso não parece certo” ou “Este sistema não está alto o suficiente”? Pior ainda, talvez você tenha fones de ouvido – algo que é ilegal em muitos estados e províncias. Se houver um pensamento diferente de “Eu amo o som do meu carro”, então você deve fazer uma visita ao seu revendedor local de áudio automotivo. Antes de ir, certifique-se de saber por que você está indo. Parte do seu sistema está quebrada? Você quer um rádio com um novo recurso? Quer melhor qualidade de som? mais volume geral? um pouco mais de baixo? muito mais baixo? Saber o que pedir irá ajudá-lo a encontrar a solução de áudio perfeita de forma rápida e eficiente.
Se você tem amigos com sistemas de áudio automotivos de reposição, pergunte a eles se você pode ouvir. Anote o que você gosta sobre seus sistemas e o que você faria de forma diferente. Se você gosta de sua música alto, faça algumas anotações em um sistema que você acha que toca alto o suficiente – a marca e o modelo de alto-falantes, amplificadores e subwoofers. Se gostou de algo, como um par de alto-falantes ou rádio, anote os números do modelo. Faça o mesmo para o seu sistema existente. Se você fornecer metas claras, seu varejista poderá restringir as sugestões de atualização com precisão e eficiência.
Um pedido do seu revendedor:seja honesto sobre seus objetivos e expectativas. Se você disser ao seu revendedor que deseja apenas um pequeno sub, mas gosta do som de um par de 12s na traseira do caminhão de seu amigo, acabará se decepcionando e provavelmente levará o sistema além de seus limites ou até o limite. ponto de falha. Peça o que você realmente quer, e você terá algo que você vai gostar.
2. A última coisa
Nos últimos cinco anos, o número de pessoas que optaram por adicionar alguma forma de solução mãos-livres Bluetooth aos seus veículos foi considerável. Se a solução foi uma nova unidade principal, eles também recebem USB para reprodução de música de seus telefones ou cartões de memória. Se houver algo novo que você deseja, informe seu revendedor. Algumas atualizações populares incluem uma nova unidade de origem com interfaces CarPlay ou Android Auto, discagem por voz de celular, rádio via satélite SiriusXM, uma câmera de backup ou sistema de sensor de estacionamento ou uma unidade de origem com interface de rádio Pandora ou suporte para arquivos de áudio de alta resolução como FLAC . Seu revendedor local ficará feliz em mostrar alguns dos recursos e produtos disponíveis para a indústria de eletrônicos móveis.
3. Confira
Depois de restringir o motivo da visita a um varejista, você deve ter um plano para testar o produto que escolheu. Se for um rádio, usá-lo em um painel de exibição pode dizer quase tudo o que você deseja saber. Certifique-se de que a interface do usuário seja fácil de usar e entender. Se ele tiver Bluetooth, certifique-se de que seu telefone irá emparelhar com ele e reconectar automaticamente toda vez que você ligar o rádio. Se você estiver olhando para uma unidade de fonte multimídia, certifique-se de saber quanto tempo leva para iniciar ao ligar o carro. Isso é importante se você estiver adicionando uma câmera de ré ao veículo. Esperar o rádio iniciar para que você possa usar a câmera para fazer backup é um pouco frustrante.
Se você está atrás de alto-falantes ou um sistema de subwoofer, é uma ótima ideia fazer um teste em um veículo. Once you have established how the products sound, you can listen to different speakers or subs on a display board in the store, and reference the difference from the product you listened to in the car.
4. What Flavor?
Do you need an audio system with everything from a single manufacturer? Absolutamente não. While there is nothing wrong with having amps and speakers from the same company that makes your radio, different companies have different areas of expertise. The store you are dealing with carries certain brands for several reasons. Typically, a retailer chooses brands for their performance, reliability, and how easily the store owners can work with the manufacturer or supplier. When a store has a good relationship with a supplier, that often translates into better pricing and service on the products for the store, and subsequently for you.
Some consumers are skeptical about why a brand is suggested to them. That is not unreasonable, since many big box retailers are prone to pushing products that are profitable for them. Do your research and audition the products for yourself. If you like something different, then go with that. Just make sure your comparisons are “apples to apples” as best you can, and are based on fact, not reputation.
5. Trained Professionals
When it comes to handing over the keys to your car or truck, you want to know that the person working on the vehicle knows exactly what they are doing. There are programs like MECP (Mobile Electronics Certified Professional) and various local and regional government-run qualification standards that can help to quantify the skillset and knowledge of the person who will be working on your vehicle.
It is also worthwhile to ask to look at some of the work the shop has done. You want to ensure that everything is always neat and tidy when it comes to wire routing, and that products are mounted safely and securely. A neat and tidy installation area can be a good sign. You can often quantify the reliability of a shop by its clientele – if there are high-end cars around, then it probably has a good reputation.
6. Do It Yourself?
Over the years, do-it-yourself car audio installations have allowed people to learn a great deal about how their systems work. With the quality of factory systems improving day by day, the challenge of installing something “better” is becoming more and more difficult. Understanding polarity, phase, summing, equalization and time alignment is paramount to a successful installation. From a physical installation standpoint, working with aluminum chassis vehicles or ones with adhesive panel bonding and data communication buses poses unique challenges. Finally, even choosing a location to mount equipment has become more difficult. There are multiple computers scattered around modern vehicles, and any one of them could be a potential source of audio interference.
All of these are reasons not to do it yourself, but to turn to an established, reliable, knowledgeable shop.
7. Hook Me Up!
Modern vehicles offer many challenges when it comes to installing audio equipment. In many new vehicles, it is impossible to remove the factory radio because other vehicle functions are incorporated into it. In the case of these vehicles, you will want to make sure the shop you are working with has the tools and knowledge to test the factory audio equipment properly for signal connection points and deal with any integration challenges that come up. There are many products on the market designed to integrate with factory audio systems; ask your retailer which they use and why.
8. Stepping Higher
If you are looking for real performance from your audio system, your retailer may suggest several accessories that can improve that performance. Adding sound-deadening to your vehicle should be at the top of your list. Properly installed sound-deadening not only makes the vehicle quieter but can improve the performance of your speakers by preventing the sound coming from the rear of the speaker from canceling with the sound coming from the front. Bluetooth systems work better when the vehicle is quieter, and most sound-deadening materials also block heat, so your vehicle will be more comfortable. A moderately priced set of speakers installed with proper sound-deadening can sound better than an expensive set without deadening.
If the shop needs to create adapter rings for your speakers, what materials are they using? Ideally, you want something that will not be harmed by water – ABS plastic, HDPE plastic, or Lexan and plexiglass materials are great choices.
A higher-end installation may start to involve some cosmetic fabrication. Many shops are adept at creating trim and accent panels that can add unique style to your system and you vehicle. Materials like leather, vinyl, suede, transparent plastics and mesh are very commonly integrated into custom door, dash and trim panels. Shops should have some samples of their work on display so you can see what they offer.
9. Play Me a Tune
One of the most critical aspects of installing any car audio system is ensuring that each speaker is working in harmony with all the others in the vehicle. From the simplest check of balance and fader controls to ensuring that the acoustic polarity of your subwoofer is correct, each system deserves a good listen by your installer before it leaves the install bay.
As you delve deeper into the quest for realism and sonic perfection from your audio system, you will no doubt encounter Digital Signal Processing (DSP). There are several source units and amplifiers on the market with great DSP features, and the standalone processors are amazing. The key to the success of any of these systems starts with the design of the system and finishes with proper tuning. You will never get a great soundstage in front of you if your speakers are beside you. Auditioning a shop’s skills in tuning DSP systems can usually only be done in a vehicle, although a few shops have some dramatic displays in their showrooms. Have a listen to the demo vehicle.
10. After the Fact
Once your system is installed and tuned, the shop should give you a thorough walk-through of how it works, what adjustments you can make and what you should not touch. If you find that you don’t like some aspect of the system’s performance, then go back to the shop. Do not start turning dials and pushing buttons on your own – if the system was tuned properly and you start messing with it, you are more than likely to start to damage your equipment. This is a nice way of asking you not to turn up the gains on your amps.
Many shops offer lifetime installation warranties on products they install. Don’t get hung up if they don’t – it’s the philosophy of more and more shops to invest in making the installations they do so good that there is almost no chance of failure. Talk to your salesperson and understand their logic. In this case, the right answer is the one that works best for you.
Also, be sure to ask about the warranty on the products you are purchasing. Many car audio products have longer warranties when they are installed by an authorized dealer. Ask the shop what happens if something breaks. A few shops offer a direct exchange program; some send the product away for repair. Just make sure you understand how your shop of choice handles things before you make the purchase.
Buying Car Audio
The bottom line:Work with a competent retailer and you will end up with an audio system that sounds amazing and lasts for years and years. Great-sounding music can make a drive much more enjoyable.
