As we mentioned in our first article about upgrading factory-installed audio systems with center channel speakers and upmixers, the team at Adrenaline Autosound near Raleigh has focused on obtaining the information, tools and skills required to enhance these complex car audio systems. This commitment not only ensures that your money is spent wisely, but that your audio upgrade will perform the way you expect. Read on to learn more about why upgrading modern audio systems isn’t for the faint of heart.
Upgrading Factory-Installed Car Audio Systems with Upmixers
Upgrading stereo systems with conventional two-channel designs and full-range speakers in the front and back is a relatively easy and predictable process. With the proliferation of digital signal processing in original-equipment source units and amplifiers, we can no longer assume that the signal coming out of these amps is free of equalization, signal delay or filtering. Even the most modest, unbranded factory stereos include advanced processing. Likewise, many audio systems have dedicated amplifier channels for woofers in the front door, the firewall or an under-seat location, then a separate set of channels for a high-frequency door or dash speaker.
Our training provides us with a clear understanding of how these sound systems are designed and why. We have the tools to measure voltage, frequency, phase, time response and signal steering on each output of a factory-installed amplifier or source unit. Without this information, there is no way to know how to begin the upgrade process. If the mobile enhancement retailer you are dealing with does not have a thorough grasp on these concepts, the performance, realism and reliability of a potential audio system upgrade is in jeopardy. Assuming that a signal summing device or integration processor will correct everything added by the factory processor is both unwise and unpredictable.
Once we understand how your existing audio system works, upgrades like high-performance speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers and signal processors can be implemented in a way that works with – and benefits from – the original audio system design.
Standard Performance Upgrades Still Apply
Upgrading your vehicle speakers with solutions like the Audiofrog GB-Series can deliver dramatically improved clarity and detail. These speakers add less distortion to the audio signal than do inexpensive, poorly designed or low-tech drivers. Likewise, the power handling and output capabilities of a premium speaker allow you to get the most of an upgraded amplifier with added power delivery capabilities. You can crank the volume on your stereo to rock concert levels while the sound remains crystal clear. New speakers and premium amplifiers can only function properly when they are fed with the right signals.
Raleigh’s Mobile Audio Experts
In the same way that you wouldn’t ask a dentist to do an oil change on your car, choosing the right mobile enhancement retailer to upgrade your car stereo system should be based on who has the right knowledge and tools. The team at Adrenaline Autosound in Clayton are car audio specialists. In part three of this series, we’ll explain how we use digital signal processors (DSP) in conjunction with an upmixer and center channel to ensure that your car audio system delivers lifelike realism and accuracy.