Since the audio system has no direct impact on either safety or reliability of the car, music has traditionally become the place where car manufacturers try to save money. It is necessary to understand that almost any manufacturer has budget and simple solutions, which are used.
To Make the Car “Play”
If you do not take into account the premium brands of cars, then the factory music is nothing, good only for listening to the radio or playing lullabies for children.
Standard acoustics in budget cars and cars of the middle class has a narrow frequency range, non-voluminous soundstage. No one bothers to create a scene, surround sound, vibration and noise insulation of doors, selection of components. As a rule, with a normal head unit, the music starts to distort and growl already at two-thirds volume. Some instruments are lost at all.
And even buying a Mercedes does not guarantee good sound. As a rule, the cars of premium class have middle quality music by default, but for extra charge you are offered really good music.
In general, if you want to enjoy on the road not only the radio, but also listen to music of different genres, it is necessary to change the standard speakers for a new one.
Many people who have never heard a good speaker system consider that they are lucky with the music in their car, but I repeat, in 99% of cases (not taking into account the premium cars) it is not so. Read here about best aftermarket radio for jeep wrangler.
What to Do
Much depends on the head unit. If your head unit can read all formats, has bluetooth, USB, SD-card slot, and so on, it does not say that it will produce quality sound. You can improve the sound quality just by replacing the head unit. But this improvement will not be radical, so let’s move on.
And here is another important observation. The manufacturers are well aware that most of the consumers are looking at what is visible and do not really understand what is hidden from their eyes. Therefore, they make a big monitor, beautiful backlight, large built-in memory, design, a lot of useless features, but the technical characteristics and used parts leave much to be desired.
So don’t be fooled by cheap boomboxes with touch screens, Android Auto and huge memory, better buy a quality boombox with quality components and strict quality control.
Almost all head units have a built-in amplifier. But it is more for a tick, rather than for serious purposes. Built-in amplifier realizes the capabilities of only the most budget speakers.
In general the role of amplifier is very often underestimated. It is better to buy speakers and an easier head unit, but do not skimp on the amplifier. The result will be louder and better quality, because the speakers will play back 100% and you will hear the difference and understand what you spent your money on.
Speakers have a lot of characteristics. Often one looks at the maximum power and number. But these are purely marketing characteristics which they like to put on the packaging. They play no role at all. The maximum power is some abstract value that you will never get. The number of bands is not as important as the material the cones are made of, or anything else. It doesn’t matter the size of the magnet that is so often looked at.
You shouldn’t buy speakers from unknown manufacturers. It’s just like with all appliances and cars. You can’t just go and make a good Hi-Fi or Hi-End class product if you don’t have experience. Even if you put the most expensive components and use expensive materials. In addition, cheap speakers usually serve no longer than a few years.
The number of speakers in the car is not decisive. Power and volume are not the most important parameters. It is much more important for the acoustics to be component.
Installation
Installation is no less important than the choice of components. To summarize briefly, it is important to ensure a rigid attachment to a solid component. If it is not regular plastic podium, or if you mount speakers bigger than regular ones, it is important to make podiums or ring-spacers from thick plywood or wood.
Even local noise and vibration insulation will greatly improve the sound. If you do not have money for full noise insulation, it is good to at least glue the doors somehow. If you do not have money for doors, it is highly desirable to glue at least places in front of the back of speaker. For this you need a piece of absorbent material. It will be quite inexpensive and you can do it yourself. Already this will largely eliminate unwanted resonances and noises from the vibrating metal.