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First Things First |
Amps |
Basics |
In Car Theater |
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We know what it’s like to select a car audio/video system – so many choices,
so few cars to put them in... That’s why we’re here to help you choose that perfect system or component that’s right for your car. We’ll take you through the what’s, why’s and how’s of mobile systems to make your choice clear and painless. After all, we live this stuff.
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Car Audio Express Shopping
Find out what gear will fit in your car. Go to our Car Fit Guide.
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| Amplifiers |
Amplifiers
can make or break your system... literally. The speakers
and components
that you add to your system can put unwanted stress on a receiver not designed
to drive that much power and, quite possibly, damage one or more parts of
your system.
Amps can relieve this stress by boosting the power from your main receiver
before it is sent to your speakers - giving you louder, cleaner, and more
consistently dynamic sound. In other words, allowing you to crank it up.
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Features to Consider
• Two- vs. Four-Channels. It simply depends on how many
speakers you'll have in your car. Two-channel amps are ideal for powering
two speakers or a single subwoofers
while four-channel amps are ideal for powering four speakers or two
subwoofers or even two speakers and a single subwoofer. And if you
have more speakers than that, try a five or six-channel amp... or
you may just have to go ahead and pick up that additional amp or two.
• Power. The amount of power your amp will need really
depends on just what you want to do with it. If you're looking to
simply get more volume out of your system with less distortion, try
an amp that has double the output of your receiver. If you're looking
for an amp to power your new speakers, make sure the amp's RMS wattage
is within your speaker's power range - preferably in the upper third.
Note that if you add an extremely high-wattage amp, or multiple amps,
to your system, you may need to upgrade your car's electrical system
to properly power them. An MECP-certified Car Toys installer can best
determine what amp/electrical system you'll need.
•Internal Crossovers. A crossover
is a device that filters the different frequency bands of your music
and redirects the band to the appropriate speaker (tweeter, mid-range,
or subwoofer) to further avoid distortion and muddy sound. Amps may
contain high-pass crossovers (for the high-frequency notes), low-pass
(for bass notes), or both.
• Bridging. Most amps today can be bridged - combining
the power of two amplifier channels into a single channel. The reason
for bridging is to essentially double the power of your amp - perfect
if, say, you only want the amp to power your subwoofer, or want that
extra power out of your four-channel amp. However, you will lose the
extra channels of your amp and might experience some slight distortion.
And since amps are becoming more and more affordable every day, you
might be better off just purchasing an additional, or more powerful,
amp.
•Connection. Most amps can connect to most receivers
with ease through preamp outputs located on the receiver itself. However,
many factory-installed receivers only come with speaker-level inputs
that will require special adaptors to connect the amp. And while this
will work, keep in mind that you might experience some “engine whine”
distortion through the speakers - so a new CD/MP3/AM/FM
receiver may be a better alternative. |
Installation
Installing amplifiers can be a tricky thing - if you're not careful,
it may contain "engine whine," not receive the proper airflow, or
worse, stick out like a sore thumb. That's why Car Toys' MECP-certified
installers are here. They will ensure your amp is installed properly
with no distortion and tucked discreetly away under your seat, in
your trunk, or possibly even in your glovebox. You won't even notice
it's there... but boy, will you hear it.
Why not schedule
an appointment today to see what our professional installers can do
for you?
Let us help you contact one of our over 50 nearby Car Toys locations
in WA, OR, CO or TX to schedule a fast, professional installation
today!
Click for Car Toys Store Locator
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