Car Stereo Troubleshooting

The installation of a stereo in your car is the most important process that dictates the quality of sound. After all, good music helps a lot to de-stress and also makes a long journey so much more enjoyable.

Most times, car stereos encounter a problem in sound because of a head unit that's not fixed firmly. Every time a car goes through a bump, the jerk causes the head unit to move, which results in loss or deteriorated sound. Similarly, loose ends in wire connections result in a hiss that is very audible while your music is playing. Often, owners of high-end car stereos complain about the lack of bass through the subwoofers. This problem lies not in the car stereo but the positioning of the subwoofers. These need to be installed in the rear end of the car in order to give more depth to low frequencies. You can use the following tips to troubleshoot car stereo problems.

Checking Connections

Many a times we notice that although the music is playing, the left or the right speaker goes silent. This occurs when wires are not connected properly. A wise thing to do would be to trace down the wires to the connectors and remove them. Use a clean cloth to wipe off the dust if any and connect the wires again. This may result in your speaker working again. If the wires are worn out it would be wise to replace them with a new set of wires.

Distortion at High Volumes

In some cases, we notice that when we raise the volume control, the sound coming through the speakers gets distorted. This distorted effect is more vivid when the sound of a snare or bass drum comes through the speakers. You need to check the cones of you speakers and subwoofers. The cause of distortion at high volumes is the cones of the speakers being torn or worn out. High density kewlar cones are recommended for music played at high levels.

Speaker Configuration

The speakers you install in your car need to be placed at specific locations to give out optimum delivery of sound. Most car stereo owners ignore the alignment of tweeters which shape up high frequencies of music. The best place for silk dome tweeters to be installed is somewhere near the dashboard. If they're placed behind, there will be a collision of high and low frequencies among subwoofers and tweeters which will result in a muffled sound. Avoid installing speakers on the rear end of seats as this will cause an influx in sound dynamics. The dynamics of sound are determined by the available space in you car. Hence it is of essential importance that in small cars you place your speakers very strategically.

Amplifier Wattage

Although most head units come with a built-in amplifier, they are insufficient to power the subwoofers. If you find that your speakers are not giving that desired effect, it could be due to the fact that your existing amplifier is not powerful enough to drive the speaker setup. If you've installed four hundred watt speakers and have powered them through a sixty or eighty watt car amp, the speakers will not give you the optimum output. You could opt for external amplification to match your speaker setup.

Problems related to a car stereo when diagnosed at an early stage can save a lot of time and money. If the problem persists even after implementing the necessary changes, you can visit your nearest service center to rectify the issue.