Perhaps you just recently bought a deck for your car or you are looking to purchase a whole system at once, there are many considerations when deciding on your subwoofers. When looking to purchase subwoofers, you must also look for an amp to power all additions to your sound system. The amp and subwoofers can combine to make an incredible sound system but if you get an amp and subwoofers that do not work so well together, it could turn into a terrible sound system. This article will give you pointers on what to look at and consider when making your decision and purchases.
The first step takes place before you even start looking for an amp and subwoofer. You need to make sure that your deck has a plug in available for an amp and subwoofer. There are a lot of “stock” radios that did not come with the available space for an attachment. If you have already replaced the deck with a newer one, then it might already have the necessary plug in. Check the deck yourself, have a friend do it, or drop by a sound system store and ask. You might have to buy a new deck if your current one does not have the correct plug ins.
The second step is to figure out what your wants and needs are. You need to know what your goals are before you start looking for the amp and subwoofer. If your goal is just to add some sound quality in your vehicle, then you will probably only need one amp and a single 10 inch or 12 inch subwoofer at most. If your goal is to shake the foundations of your neighbors’ houses then you might need two amps and two 12 inch subwoofers. You just need to clarify what your goals are before anything else.
The third step is to calculate how much you can spend to achieve the sound you want. Once you have your goals figured out and have determined how many amps or subwoofers you need to achieve it. It will cost anywhere from $500 to $5,000 to put in amps and subwoofers. A single amp and a single subwoofer can cost around $500 depending on what brand you buy and how much the installation costs. Do not forget that there are extra little charges, such as: installation fees, chords and wires, subwoofer box, and extra warrantees available. You do not want to find out during installation that you have to pay an extra $75 for the chords and wires and that the box will be $125, so ask ahead of time before you get anything installed.
The fourth step is to start shopping! Look online and get an idea of the brands that are available and read some reviews on them. There are used sound systems available but since there is no way to tell what they have been through, I would strongly suggest buying your amp and subwoofer new. Check out places like BestBuy.com and see what they are pricing different brands at. Then go check out your local sound system shops and see if there is a difference in pricing. Do not forget to ask how much installation is! By looking around at the different prices and listening to different brands in the shop, this should help give you a good idea of which ones you would like to purchase. I would suggest that you only use the internet to look at prices but make sure to go to a store to hear the quality of each type.
The fifth step is purchasing the amp and subwoofer and having them installed. You can purchase your amp and subwoofer in one place and have it installed in another if the installation fees are really high. Usually it is best to have it purchased and installed at the same place. Best Buy is one of the most popular places to purchase and have installation done and my experiences there have been top notch. Smaller local shops might be able to give you more attention and time because there client base is smaller. The installation comes down to prices and workmanship. If you are getting your installation done at a local shop, try to at least get a couple recommendations from people who have had it done at that same place. This is important because you do not want to have to go back to a shop in five months to get the wires fixed because of a poor install.
The six step is to enjoy your sound system! Go out with friends downtown or ride around on a Saturday. Just enjoy your new sound quality and the improvements to your vehicle!
