Choosing acoustics for the car. We make high-quality car audio in a car How to make cool acoustics in a car

Music plays an important role in the life of every person. Scientists have repeatedly proven that different music can change the emotional state of a person. Here and there in the press and on the Internet appear Interesting Facts about her. Many people love music, and therefore the audio system in the car is quite an important thing, maybe even the second after the comfort in the cabin. There are many different systems on offer today, from luxury and audiophile to budget and standard, but the sound quality also depends on the setup and proper installation.

About stock audio

Unfortunately, regular audio is far from ideal, if you do not talk about Lexuses or BMWs. Take at least the speakers in the doors. It is difficult to get at least a little decent sound from them, and reviews about them are often negative. Users say that when the speaker is working, the door and the plastic lining begin to vibrate strongly. At home, the case is quite rigid, so there are no vibrations. To avoid such problems, manufacturers remove frequencies that cause vibrations. This is done so that the production of the car is as cheap as possible. In this case, you do not have to make the door harder. But this happens even with self-respecting manufacturers.

Many others are different. For example, the speaker is not installed on the metal in the door, but on the flimsy upholstery. In addition, these speakers are not even from the budget segment, but frankly cheap and of poor quality. Is it necessary to say that such an audio system in a car is immediately replaced by a car enthusiast who listens and has a taste?

Types of Existing Systems

Today, there are two types of equipment that is responsible for the sound in the car. So, there are component systems and coaxial. Audiophile drivers prefer component systems, as they are considered to be more advanced. Coaxial equipment is becoming a thing of the past because it is not capable of providing good or at least normal sound.

What is a component

These acoustics are speakers placed separately. If you spend them correct installation, you can achieve a unique effect of presence. The driver will hear every instrument. Even an inexpensive car audio system can provide high quality sound. Among the common kits, two low- and mid-frequency speakers, as well as two high-frequency ones, can be distinguished. More expensive systems have additional subwoofers.

coaxial equipment

Unlike here, all the speakers are assembled in one housing. The simplest speaker can consist of one speaker at all. The advantage of this acoustics is in a simpler installation, in addition, the consumer likes the cost. This sound is still used today, but it is popular with those who do not care about sound quality. You can see this equipment in minibuses, trucks, cheap cars.

Speaker types and sizes

If you need a good audio system in your car, then acquiring one high-quality one will not work here. Sound is a complex of equipment. When choosing, it is advised to pay attention not to the shape, but to the dimensions of the speakers in it. Often in most cars there are already regular places for loudspeakers, the dimensions of which are 10, 13 and 16 cm. This is if the speaker has a round shape. There are also places 15 x 23 cm if the shape is oval.

Good sound is good editing

Yes exactly. For example, vibrations are very harmful to midrange speakers. They should be fastened as tightly as possible. Then you can count on good sound. If installation is carried out in the doors, you should prepare the car in advance. This will help achieve normal sound quality. If the acoustics will be installed in the rear, it is important to leave some free space between the speakers and the subwoofer. It is optimal if the midrange speakers are placed on the rear doors, and the subwoofer is placed in the trunk.

High-frequency speakers are best placed in front. To ensure sound quality, just two front speakers and two tweeters mounted on the A-pillars are enough.

Professionals recommend mounting tweeters as close to midrange as possible. However, for this it is necessary to cut the skin. Then these speakers are connected near the mirrors. In general, pledge High Quality sound - the correct and competent installation of the audio system in the car.

The best of the best

But the best - it does not mean the loudest. Loud sound will never be high quality and clear, and even loud sound can easily damage your hearing. Some systems may be standard on some brands, while others will need to be purchased separately.

Bose audio system in the car

This company is a pioneer in the production of stereo systems. The product is still popular today. This technique at one time turned the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bsound quality and design.

A full-fledged audio system from this manufacturer can be heard in the Maybach. It's a standard system there. The sound quality can be safely compared with a live concert. It's still a mystery to many audiophiles how the company made sound of such quality despite the many problems in the cabin. Bose Media System can be heard in Ferrari models. The system gives perfect sound quality. The price is exorbitant, but nothing is impossible for true music lovers. Audio systems from this manufacturer use the most modern technologies that change the idea of ​​music.

Boston Acoustics

This acoustics can be found in the Crysler 300C. So, a system with a power of 360 W is able to provide maximum sound quality. The set includes 7 speakers equipped with special filters and a subwoofer.

Rockford Fostage

This system can be heard in Mitsubishi Lancer evolution. This car audio system has a power of 650 watts. Complete set - 9 loudspeakers and a subwoofer. The sound quality lies in good processing. The system is able to respond to changes in speed and can equalize the volume of sound.

How to assemble an audio system in a car: a budget solution

Inexpensive but sounding equipment is a reality. Let there be only 10 thousand rubles for all components. At the same time, regular systems that cost more will sound worse. Installation and configuration are paid separately.

So, 10 thousand must be distributed as follows: 3.5 thousand - for the purchase of a radio, 2.5 thousand - for the front acoustics and another 3.5 - for the rear. And 500 rubles. will remain for the purchase and other trifles.

budget head unit

There is a lot of competition among head units due to Chinese products. Reviews advise choosing budget solutions from market leaders. Let them also be collected in the Middle Kingdom, but the sound quality here is much higher.

As for the functionality, this is sound playback from any media, power up to 50 W per channel, equalizer settings and other little things.

Front and rear speakers

Here lies the most difficult choice. As a budget, but at the same time high-quality option, you can purchase models from Pioneer. On sale inexpensively, you can even find three-lane models.

Not every car has places for rear speakers, but you can embed them yourself. For 3000 rubles. can be purchased good options with three frequency bands. As an example, we recommend looking at Kenwood products.

That's how easy and almost inexpensive it turned out to be a budget audio system in a car. Now it remains to learn about installation and configuration.

Installing audio in a car

Even if the car is not equipped with a standard audio system, all wiring is already installed by default. To install the head unit, you need to remove the plug and insert the radio into a regular place. And of course, you should connect all the connectors and cables.

To install the speakers, you need to prepare plywood podiums in advance. Reviews recommend pretreating plywood with anti-rotten compounds. Acoustic preparation should be done before installation. Then the podiums are screwed to the doors, holes are pre-drilled in them. It remains only to stretch the wires and connect them first to the crossovers, and then to the amplifier or radio. Nothing is difficult, but if difficulties arise, it is better to entrust the work to professionals. They know exactly how to install an audio system in a car so that the car enthusiast is surprised by the result.

Dissatisfied with the sound of regular audio systems most often turn out to be owners of cars in the middle price segment: costing from 500,000 to 1 million rubles.

As a rule, all kinds of factory equipment of such machines do not differ in a variety of audio preparation options: at best, there is a choice of two or three systems. Moreover, they will differ from each other mainly in the number of speakers or the presence of a more functional radio.

In the minimum version, the audio preparation of a “medium-sized foreign car” is four speakers and a radio tape recorder, “to the maximum” - up to 13 speakers. I don’t want to particularly criticize the manufacturers, but in the cars of the middle price segment, the audio system is added simply “to be”. And often, even after ordering the most sophisticated audio preparation, the owner is dissatisfied with the sound. There's nothing you can do to improve.

And it is best to do this in stages, starting, as they say, small. For it often happens that after you have done one thing, the other is no longer needed.

Changing speakers

The first thing to start with "refining" the standard audio system into something more pleasing to the ear is replacing the standard speakers with better ones and a higher class.

Then a minimal audio preparation is made. Here, in particular, they make a separate preparation of doors for the installation of speakers, in which the cavities are damped and vibrations are eliminated. In this case, they leave the "native" radio and connect everything using the factory wiring.

Replacing standard acoustics and soundproofing in the workshop will result in not such a large amount for the owner - they will ask for everything along with work

15,000-25,000 rubles However, the sound of the system will change significantly, and its quality will become noticeably different.

A lot of people stop there. If the owner does not have any special claims, and he listens to music in the car “on the go”, then replacing the standard acoustics along with soundproofing is often enough.

We connect the amplifier

If not, then the next step is to install an external, additional amplifier. This is done not so much for the sake of volume, but to improve the purity of the sound. The bottom line is that the built-in amplifier available in the head unit, when the volume is increased, introduces distortions into the audio path of the system over the entire frequency spectrum: the so-called. clipping.

An external amplifier allows you to provide a wide range of signal going to the speakers, good parameters by its increase, etc. In a word, with an external amplifier, the sound is cleaner and better.

However, the problem is that not a single head unit has line outputs to an external amplifier. Such "outputs" have to be obtained artificially.

The easiest way is the so-called. "passive": when a circuit is assembled on the transformers, lowering the level of the output signal from the radio to the required level for connection to an external amplifier.

Such a scheme costs a little: 1,000-2,000 rubles. However, at the same time, all the frequency distortions that the standard audio path carries do not disappear anywhere and are transferred to an external amplifier. The advantage of such a connection scheme is the ease of installation and the minimum intrusion into the standard head unit.

A more advanced option is the so-called. "active" circuits that "intelligently" process the signal. As a rule, these are ready-made devices, which, depending on the manufacturer, cost from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.

However, the most advanced way is to refine the head unit directly and organize the line outputs in it. To do this, the head unit is disassembled, a connection point to the built-in amplifier is found and a line-level signal is output. Such works cost from 7,000 rubles.

N.B.

A logical alternative, it would seem, is to simply replace the head unit with a new one, which already has line outputs (you don’t need to invent anything - just plug it in), and the functionality is higher. For the same 7,000-15,000 rubles. you can pick up a device of a very decent level!

However, the main problem that non-standard radio tape recorders bring with them is the interest of criminal elements in them: simply speaking, theft. Any, even the simplest device, attracts thieves like a magnet. Finding broken glass and a splintered panel when approaching a car is a typical case.

In addition, non-standard devices often require a rather complicated and expensive installation in the panel, so many decide to modify the standard device.

Of course, if you want to have “advanced” functionality in the form of MP3 playback, USB connectors, memory card slots, Bluetooth, a color LCD display and other things that audio equipment manufacturers are pampering consumers with now, the radio will have to be changed.

By the way, replacing the radio may be required in order to change the standard acoustics of the car.

In a number of cars in the high price segment (for example, Audi and Mercedes), it is impossible to replace speakers alone - you need to change the entire audio system. And if the equipment is also “advanced”, and the audio is tied to an intelligent control system, then any upgrade is associated with very serious technical difficulties. In some cars high class it is generally impossible to refuse a regular audio system.

Installing a subwoofer...

The third stage is the installation of a subwoofer. Not everyone reaches it: better speakers are already starting to “bask” well. Coupled with an external amplifier, the sound is already very high quality and clear, which is quite enough for an ordinary user.

However, you often want more, and if the owner listens to modern electronic music, then you can’t do without a subwoofer.

By the way, let's warn readers against teenage nonsense and thrown away money. Namely: from buying a ready-made "subwoofer" with a built-in amplifier and connecting it to a standard audio system.

There are a lot of all sorts of “boxes” and “barrels” on sale now at affordable prices, which you can connect even by yourself, even for little money in the “garage” service. Only nothing good will come of such an “installation”! Almost certainly there will be an indistinct bang and buzz that does not agree with anything.

In order for the subwoofer to sound right and truly beautifully complement the sound picture, it must be built for the existing speaker system, taking into account the space of the car. And only so!

For the price, together with the installed "subwoofer", the modified audio system will cost about 50,000-90,000 rubles.

...and a new radio.

How much ran in total?

Well, the last step is to replace the radio. As we have already said, this is done both for the sake of new functionality and the sound of the device itself. By the way, many high-end devices provide only spartan features: the “direct purpose” is to turn disks, and an equally ascetic design.

If you do not take Hi-End class components, but simply install high-quality elements from well-known manufacturers, then you will have to pay 50,000-170,000 rubles for replacing standard acoustics, installing a subwoofer and a playback device. For a car bought for 1 million rubles, probably not so much. Although, is it possible to commensurate the pleasure derived from good music with anything at all? ..

Collection of musical delusions

Myth 1. "My radio produces 200 watts"

At the heart of the delusion is a confusion of the concepts of nominal and maximum power. Manufacturers of audio equipment (and not only automotive) like to indicate peak power figures without explaining that these values ​​can only be obtained when testing acoustics on special stands. The consumer will not receive two hundred watts by definition. Instead, you can look for the parameters of the nominal, that is, really achievable power - if you find at least the inscription "4x15 W", there is already a reason for joy - your radio is not the worst.

Where does such a significant difference in readings come from? Speaking of peak power, it should be borne in mind that this is a certain limit, upon reaching which the end comes for the equipment. In the truest sense of the word, this is a test of technology for strength.

Beautiful peak power figures can be achieved in different ways. One way is to cool the equipment with liquid nitrogen. Overheated, on the verge of failure, the equipment will cool down a little, and then the last juices will be squeezed out of it, which will then give a reason to stick a bright sticker on the serial sample with the promise of those same two or three hundred watts. Cheap Asian brands, however, are not so scrupulous. Without any testing, they claim high power, the numbers of which are taken from the ceiling. The risk is zero: the consumer almost never has the opportunity to check these figures.

Myth 2. "I have a good expensive car, therefore, the "music" in it is great"

In this essay, we start from the concept of "high-quality car audio", which means first-class components that are correctly matched to each other and installed on the car by professionals. The economy will help debunk this myth: you have to pay for everything good. Ultimately - to the consumer, but first - all the same to the manufacturer. It is unprofitable for him: it is not a fact that a car with a decent weight in price will sell well. Yes, and only professionals who still always strive to refine something on their own will appreciate the cool audio system. According to experts, there are only a few cars with a good standard audio system.

Myth 3. "My car has 12 speakers, that's the sound of the sound!"

The sound quality in a car is not achieved by the number of speakers. If the equipment is mediocre, then the effect will even be the opposite: noise and wheezing will fall on you from all 10 (12, 18, etc.) speakers. Often a powerful "front", a subwoofer and a 4-channel amplifier are enough to make the car "sound" nice and strong. The number of regular speakers in a car is determined not by engineers, but by marketers. In the premium segment, the bill is already a good two dozen (the Mark Levinson audio system in Lexus includes 19 speakers scattered throughout the cabin), but the main function of such systems, with rare exceptions, is fashion. Often, the size, shape, and placement of speakers is up to the whim of the designer. You will see a beautiful column somewhere near the cut line windshield and you will never guess how "empty" it is.

Myth 4. "An active subwoofer will replace a whole bunch of other components for me"

An active subwoofer differs from a conventional subwoofer in that an amplifier is also placed in the same housing with it. Meanwhile, the close proximity of these components is considered disputable from the point of view of efficiency. The option when the subwoofer is placed in the trunk, and the amplifier is in the cabin (for example, under the seat) is preferable. Of course, the active subwoofer is larger in size - those who prefer it have a sort of hefty "keg" in the trunk. How then was the myth born? The answer lies in the field of psychology: well, how can "active" be worse than "passive"?..

Myth 5. " More Features, good and different"

The pursuit of additional functions in certain devices is a kind of mania for both manufacturers and consumers. A phone without the Internet is not a phone, an audio system without a TV and navigation is the third grade of yesterday. Well, let there be today and a choice between two "or": either all this will work, but half-heartedly, or something will work well, but something will not matter. Mixing everything in one heap is a habit of firms fighting for a buyer in the lower price segment. Reputable brands, on the contrary, strive to "separate the flies from the cutlets"; so, for example, in Pioneer head units, the radio exists completely apart from the disc player.

Myth 6. "All components must be of the same brand"

It is easy to understand the logic of these people. A man opens a specialized magazine, reads comparison test head units and sees that the product of the company N has come out the winner. Having reached this place, the person closes the magazine and goes to buy an N radio tape recorder, N speakers, an N-subwoofer and an amplifier. Having collected all this N-set, he, perhaps, will even be satisfied with the result (if not with the sound itself, then at least morally, that he did everything right). Meanwhile, firms that produce the best head units are weak in the manufacture of other acoustics, and vice versa.

They produce it solely so that the line of components is presented to the maximum. How to explain the paradox? Disassemble the radio and speaker and see what is inside of both. Roughly speaking, in the first case, microelectronics and related technologies are used, in the second case, macroelectronics. A competent seller is obliged to bring the buyer up to date, and an illiterate (or lack of initiative) will sell the same N-set. In a branded N-bag.

Myth 7. "Ford acoustics are best for my Ford"

Such a conclusion does not stand up to scrutiny, but the delusion itself is excusable. You really need to select only native parts for the car - candles, light bulbs, brake pads. However, "music" is not included in this list. However, that's enough, does one of the automakers make acoustics of the same name? They do, although few do. There are, for example, Daewoo and Hyundai head units. But much more often, auto companies simply order "music" on the side, and then put their logo on it. In this case, the opinion that constitutes the seventh myth can be understood as follows: "the standard audio system of my car is the best option for it." We have already said that cool audio systems are not regularly installed.

For those who consider themselves a sophisticated audiophile, when buying a car, it is better to immediately abandon the basic audio system, if possible. In addition to the net benefit, you will make life easier for installers, saving them from unnecessary work. Here we will also touch on another myth that is close in meaning: they say that my standard equipment may not be very good, but I’ll buy a more expensive subwoofer and this will fix things. Fail - good technique works only with good equipment, and with a mediocre one she hacks herself.

Myth 8

Competition competitions strife. We hear about competitions of "es-pi-elshchikov" (SPL - Sound Pressure Level, sound pressure level) much more often than about competitions that determine the highest quality audio system. With sound pressure, everything is clear: the car is stuffed with all sorts of "buns" to the limit, the windows are strengthened so that they do not fly out, and in order not to go deaf, they launch all this stuff from the remote control at competitions, being at a distance.

Quality is not determined by volume at all. Here they study the general composition of the musical background and the influence of its components (tones and semitones, instrumental parts separately from vocal ones, etc.) on each other. For this, recordings of various musical styles are specially selected. High-quality sound, to put it simply, allows you to hear all the musical "chips" both together and separately. And which aspect do you prefer?

Myth 9. "The best body for installing audio equipment is a sedan"

An ancient opinion, which, however, is now almost not mistaken. The judgment was fair ten years ago, when an audio system meant only a radio tape recorder with speakers, and few people heard about subwoofers. The argument was put forward as follows: only in a sedan, the shelf behind the rear seats is rigidly fixed, in hatchbacks and station wagons it is movable. Consequently, in the last two bodies, the rear speakers will experience shaking, which will affect the sound quality.

Today, no one is talking about the rear speakers: where it is more efficient to install a subwoofer and a powerful "front" (see also myth 3). And the priorities have now changed exactly the opposite: it is one-volume bodies that are considered the most suitable for installing a quality system. After all, the subwoofer installed in the trunk of a sedan is in a stronger "isolation" than in the station wagon. The sound, of course, will pass through the hard back wall, but such a valuable compression effect, when you not only hear the sound, but also feel it, will, of course, be much weaker.

Myth 10. "I will buy myself a capacitor and listen to music for hours without fear for the battery"

The role of a capacitor in an acoustic system is to accumulate energy, to be an energy buffer, ready to release this energy when necessary. But the purpose of the capacitor is not to replace the battery. The capacitor is in any case powered by the battery; it is simply included in the electrical circuit as an additional link. Again, the performance of a capacitor is not measured in terms of listening to music with the motor off. The capacitor has a very narrow specialization: if the battery charge may simply not be enough (for example, other energy consumers are turned on), give some of its energy to ensure normal sound. Not every audio system needs a capacitor, but only the most powerful of them (giving out several hundred watts of actual power).

Myth 11

A heavy legacy of previous decades, when the car owner had to be his own painter, minder, turner and electrician. The need to be a generalist repairman has come to naught, we drive modern machines, but echoes of the era sometimes still arise. Most often - in the name of economy, of course.

No one will argue that it is not difficult to embed a radio tape recorder into the dashboard. But this is a philistine level, and today we are talking about professional car audio. Dozens of components selected from hundreds of combinations are connected by meters of wiring, which takes more than one day (connecting the components is half the battle, you still have to painstakingly "listen" to the "scene", achieving perfection). To enjoy music in the car, you must remember that in addition to assembling the components into one whole, the system will also have to be configured. After all, as mentioned above, a good sound differs from the usual nuances.

And here, not only garage craftsmen show poor preparation, but also - take note - installers dealer centers. There is no regular unit "master of car audio", there is - "master of additional equipment"Today it is a subwoofer and an amplifier, tomorrow - a plastic body kit and xenon, the day after tomorrow - engine crankcase protection. It is clear that poor-quality work will not fully reveal the potential of even expensive equipment.

Myth 12

For five thousand - definitely not. It is impossible for ten, either - you are still looking for some kind of average option. The miser still pays twice - keep this in mind when pursuing sound. Having decided on your desires, show your car to specialists. For any machine there is a standard conversion algorithm; you can follow it, you can work out an individual path together. The main thing is that car audio specialists should be engaged in car audio. As the English saying goes, The shoemaker makes good shoes because he makes shoes and nothing more - "the shoemaker makes good shoes because he makes shoes and nothing else"

Since the audio system does not directly affect either the safety or the reliability of the car, automakers traditionally do not try to make it sound better: the main thing is that the “music” is reliable and does not spoil the statistics with breakdowns. As a rule, on the assembly line, cars are equipped with audio components of well-known brands - Blaupunkt, Clarion, Panasonic, Philips. But you shouldn't buy into a "good name" - the standard equipment comes with the simplest versions of equipment without the goal of pleasing music lovers.

Regular acoustics usually have a narrow frequency range, reproduction with a "plastic" or "cardboard" overtone and a flat, non-voluminous sound stage. In addition, at high volume, the speakers often begin to "play along" with interior trim details, "decorating" the soundtrack with trills and vibrations of dashboard fragments and door cards.

Of course, here we are not talking about premium-segment cars that are “from the factory” equipped with components of elite brands (Harman Kardon, Bang & Olufsen, Bose), distinguished by special body preparation, the presence of amplifiers, a subwoofer and carefully calculated speaker placement.

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What is high-quality sound in a car?

This is an opportunity not only to enjoy the vocals of pop stars, but also to appreciate the skill of the performers of individual instrumental parts, soloists with a wide range of voices. "Correct" speakers accurately convey all the shades of the sound of instruments, without embellishing the sound and without hiding its features. A good sound should be clear, without impurities in the form of resonance of interior parts. Of course, non-standard music can be even louder than "native", but this cannot be considered the main factor in a quality installation.

Who should leave the standard audio system?

With all its disadvantages, the standard audio system is usually reliable, has sufficient volume, reproduces sound well in the range of human speech and many popular musical genres. So if you drive an inexpensive car from morning to evening on broken roads in the company of talkative passengers, listen to chanson or FM radio and value the original state of the interior, most likely, regular acoustics are just for you.

How many speakers should a car have?

The number of loudspeakers is by no means the most important factor, much more important - the type of speaker system. To accurately convey all the nuances of a soundtrack, acoustics must be component - with at least two frequency channels. In fact, each such loudspeaker consists of two speakers: a high-frequency tweeter ("tweeter") and a low-midrange - midbass, as well as a frequency crossover filter.

The minimum requirement in a car is one pair of these two-channel kits located in the front. This is the so-called front, which is generally enough to "feel the difference" against the background of the standard system. For better reproduction of low frequencies, it is desirable to place another pair of conventional (single-component) loudspeakers with a larger diameter (at least 16 cm or "ovals" 6x9 cm) in the rear of the cabin.

Ideally, this should be a special low-frequency speaker - a subwoofer connected to a separate channel. Further increase in the number of speakers will affect not so much the sound quality as the best audibility at different points in the cabin.

How to select speaker parameters?

The first problem when choosing speakers to replace regular ones is the size, because regular ones are often smaller than standard ones in diameter and depth. In addition to geometry, loudspeakers must be suitable for electrical parameters.

Two characteristics are especially important - resistance and sensitivity. If we are talking about connecting acoustics in a budget way - directly to the head unit (without an amplifier), then the resistance should be at least 4 ohms, and the sensitivity should be about 92 decibels.

How to choose inexpensive, but high-quality speakers?

Most world-famous car audio manufacturers have acoustics of all three price groups in their assortment. There are few exceptions, for example, Focal with its exclusively top-end models or JBL with its budget orientation. A set of inexpensive front speakers (two tweeters, two midbass and two crossovers) of a good brand will cost about $45-50.

At the same time, loudspeakers similar in characteristics from an unknown manufacturer can be bought for $15, but, as a rule, such speakers work for no more than a year. When it comes to an inexpensive audio system, it is recommended to pay attention to American brands falling in the $45-50 range (Polk Audio, MTX, Kicker). They are traditionally designed for use in the free volume of the door, trunk, etc.

What needs to be done besides replacing the speakers?

The first condition is to choose the right place for the speakers. High-frequency tweeters should be placed higher, closer to the listener and directed at him. Midbass (speakers of the medium-low frequency range) are usually located lower, the subwoofer can be placed in any part of the cabin.

It is also important to ensure that the speaker is rigidly attached to the massive body part. If this is not a regular plastic podium, then you will have to make at least spacer rings, for example, from thick plywood.

And finally, even local vibration isolation will significantly improve the sound of the loudspeaker. If it is not possible to process all the panels of the door in which the acoustics are installed with special materials, you need to stick a piece of absorbing material at least opposite the back of the speaker. This will largely eliminate unwanted overtones from the vibrating metal.

How expensive are high-level acoustics?

Acustic systems the average price level of reputable brands are sold at a price of $100-120 per set, top models - an average of $250-300. There are also premium-level acoustics that cost about $900 - 1,000 per pair. These are the speakers self made for real car audio gourmets and for highly professional installers.

Such kits are produced to order and, being interested in their price, you also need to remember the cost of installing them in a car (and this can be $1,000 or $2,000) - only high-class installers will help you fully realize the potential of such speakers.

What is the difference between a simple audio system and an expensive one?

In addition to more expensive speakers, a high-end audio system differs in the way they are installed. If the speaker of an inexpensive system "plays" on the volume of the door, trunk or the entire cabin (depending on where it is installed), then for each speaker (with the exception of some tweeters) of the Hi-Fi system, its own chamber is created, the volume of which is determined by the manufacturer or installers.

An advanced system must have a subwoofer ($60 - 600), several power amplifiers ($70 - 12,000) for channel-by-channel amplification of front, rear, subwoofer signals. All components are connected by special wiring ($100 - 1000). The entire car is subjected to soundproofing work with a complete disassembly of the interior and trunk ($ 400 - 1,000). Naturally, with this approach, the head unit does not remain standard, and it is either replaced ($60-1,500) or upgraded (from $100).

Finally, car audio professionals finalize the sound stage by changing the angle of the speaker axis by a few degrees, adjusting the level and frequency range of each speaker signal. As a result, a more or less high-quality audio system will cost at least $2-3 thousand, and a really perfect one can easily cost $10 thousand.

It is clear that anything can be installed in a car, on order or for an exclusive project. There would be money. I was also interested in another question. Which production cars have advanced music systems pre-installed? Indeed, in this case, there is no need to “get into” the car yourself in order to install speakers, a subwoofer, an amplifier and a head unit. All this has already been calculated and done by experts.

As it turned out, there are quite a few models with high-quality “sound”, and by no means all of them belong to super-expensive luxury sedans and sports cars. Well, let's go from relatively affordable models to the most expensive ones. Here are the most, in our opinion, the most advanced cars from a musical point of view.

Even compact hatchbacks can boast of expensive music. For example, . As an option, it is equipped with Fender acoustics. The company, famous for its amplifiers and electric guitars, began cooperation with the German automaker in 2010. The car has already been dubbed the "musical bug". Indeed, the Beetle is the most musical of the iconic hatchbacks. Neither the Mini, nor the Fiat 500, nor the Suzuki Swift have such advanced music.

The audio system consists of a 10-channel 400W amplifier, four Fender Deluxe tweeters, two 20cm Fender Twin front and two 16cm Fender rear speakers, and a 20cm Fender Bassman subwoofer.

Interestingly, Fender specialists created acoustics for the Beetle together with another well-known company in the world of music - Panasonic. As a result, the sound turned out so that in the car you feel like in a concert hall.

Another stylish kid, but already playing in the class of crossover hatchbacks, is the Kia Soul, equipped with JBL acoustics. This year the car survived. The system with amplifier and subwoofer is included in the Premium package, and it is only available with a 1.6 GDI engine with 136 horsepower.

JBL tuned every component of the system to match the car's interior, which significantly reduced sound distortion.

As a result, Soul can be called the most musical representative of the class. In Russia, for sure. Crosshatch is a fashion car, and, in fact, it has no competitors. The Chinese do not count, besides, they do not have a premium "sound". Kia, of course, is named among the opponents Hyundai Creta and Renault Captur. But the "Korean" and "Frenchman" have four-wheel drive and they are bigger, so they play in a different league. However, neither one nor the other crossover can boast of expensive music.

Renault and Bose specialists developed jointly. After Renault engineers calculated the body structure and embodied it in metal, Bose specialists took more than a thousand measurements in order to create a general acoustic model of Koleos. Even before the start of mass production, the most suitable locations for each of the seven speakers were determined. As a result, the sound and timbre of each instrument became pure and clear.

If the car had not left our market, Koleos could have been awarded the title of the most musical mid-size crossover. Although who knows: maybe he will deserve this title?

Mazda also has a long history with Bose. And just like with Renault, all solutions are individual for each model: you cannot buy a speaker and install it yourself.

"Six" - the car with the most expensive audio system in the class. Can only compete with her Kia Optima with Harman-Kardon system with ten speakers, amplifier and subwoofer. Its price is from 1,449,900 rubles. But the Bose brand is still more prestigious.

Lexus is already a real premium. The Japanese brand cooperates with the American company Mark Levinson, which is part of the Harman International Industries Corporation. Interestingly, the Americans are responsible not only directly for the audio system in the car, but also for the soundproofing of the cabin.

Advanced music can be ordered, say, for the IS and ES sedans (pictured). In the Luxury package, the buyer receives a 12-channel 835 W amplifier and 15 speakers with energy-saving GreenEdge technology. The technology allows you to almost double the volume level with the same level of energy consumption.

Why did we select ES in particular? Because this is one of the most affordable and comfortable premium sedans that is designed for the passenger, not the driver. GS, playing in the same class, more driver's car. Lexus has always sought to compete with the German premium. And in any case, he looks no worse than the "Germans".

It has the status of a cult car in Russia, so we could not deprive it of attention. AT Land cruiser 200 is equipped with a JBL Synthesis 7.1 Surround Sound music system, consisting of 14 speakers. In addition to them, there is an 11-channel amplifier with a power of 605 W and a 200 mm subwoofer. Advanced music comes with Prestige equipment (from 4,736,000 rubles).

JBL specialists measured and tuned each speaker at the design stage of the car interior. The amplifier used Greenedge technology (it is the same as the Lexus), and ultra-light materials were used in the production of speakers and other components of the system. This allowed to lose extra pounds of the audio system.

All this gives the right to call the Land Cruiser 200 the most musically advanced frame SUV.

If the Land Cruiser is bought all over the country, then the premium British "rogues" are more appreciated by the urban residents of the central regions of Russia. Therefore, such buyers sometimes have more requirements for comfort, including acoustic. accepts this challenge. Optionally, the machines are equipped with a music system produced by the British Meridian Audio. She has 19 speakers, a 16-channel amplifier and a two-channel subwoofer.

Proprietary Trifield surround sound technology makes the sound surround. She mixes the channels, resulting in a very lively sound - like at a concert. And the Meridian Cabin Connection sound field correction technology adjusts the sound, taking into account the peculiarities of the interior geometry. The total power of the system is 825 watts.

Land Rover/Range Rover has several versions of the Meridian system. The most expensive, the Meridian Signature Reference, is optional on the Range Rover Sport. With it, the car costs from 6,208,000 rubles.

Porsche is a brand that has become a dream. The fruit of the collaboration of two German companies that produce one - sports cars and the second - premium sound - the Burmester Surround Sound system of the High End class, which is installed on the Porsche Cayenne, Macan and Panamera.

It consists of a 16 channel amplifier with over 1000 watts and 16 speakers including a subwoofer with a 300 watt amplifier. It uses a number of technologies that come from premium home systems.

Finally, a few words about the famous "German troika". The Danish brand Bang&Olufsen cooperates with Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The company's musical solutions can be found on Audi A6, A7, A8, Mercedes S- and E-classes. But we will single out the SLS AMG sports car because it is a dream car. In a good way, such a car does not need a music system. It is replaced by the sound of the motor, in itself designed to caress the ear. But the Germans decided otherwise and installed the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG system.

The Bang&Olufsen speakers in the SLS AMG sports car are very compact yet powerful.

As for another representative of the "big German three" - BMW, there is little information on the "Bavarians". It is known that the company cooperates with the aforementioned Harman Corporation. The top trim levels of the BMW X-series are equipped with a high-end audio system with 16 speakers and a 9-channel amplifier.