Cheap Car Stereos

*drum roll*

Just kidding, you don’t need to be an expert to find or build yourself a great car stereo system at a cheap price. There are some things however you are going to want to consider, things that will help you get the best out of your stereo and out of your audio set up. And what do you know! That’s what I’m going to be covering! Additionally I will be giving you some advice and throwing out some suggestions of my own, so stick around!

Bass, I know you want it, I know you think you need it.
That awesome Amp that’s lit up neon blue, I know you want it, I know you think you need it.

But the truth is a quality system comes with a price.

But I thought you said this was going to be cheap?

Just stick with me here. Now you have to understand if you go out and buy the cheapest equipment you can find, you are going to end up with a lower sound quality system and more than likely you wil end up paying more over time because of repairs.

So how are we going to combat this? We are going to be…

PATIENT

We are going to build our system from the ground up, but over time. We are going to start with the most important aspects of our system and work our way up.

And I know, everyone wants to start out with the cd/dvd player or getting their Amp and Sub-woofers. No, that’s completely wrong.  The most important ingredient in any audio system are the speakers. Let me reiterate,

THE SPEAKERS

I know you think a nice sub-woofer and/or a high powered amplifier may seem like the best use of your hard earned money, but they are nowhere near as important as a quality set of speakers.

Now when it comes to your speakers I want one word going through your head…

Location, Location, Location

Speaker location is very VERY important. The best sound quality possible is going to come from you having speakers in the front, the center, and the rear of your car.

Secondly every car is built differently so make sure you find out what size speakers fit in your car. There is a nice tool online you can use to figure this out, it’s over at Crutchfield.

Most people would advise you to get your system professionally installed, because it can be a tricky process, and you could potentially cause yourself some repairs that you really don’t want to pay. On the other hand it could possibly save you a lot of money. So I say go with whatever you feel more comfortable doing. I’ll be throwing in a link in a second to a guide explaining, “how to install a car stereo“.

In closing I say this:
Before you buy a car stereo system, it helps to have a clear understanding of the various issues involved in making a purchasing decision. And although you may not be an expert, if you follow the advice listed above, you will have a much better chance of getting an audio system that meets your needs and doesn’t break you budget.