How to get the best sound from the system in your car

As factory sound systems get better and better, it's not always necessary to replace a system for ultra-high sound quality. However, there is always room for improvement, so you can rock to your favorite tunes on…

As factory sound systems get better and better, it's not always necessary to replace a system for ultra-high sound quality. However, there is always room for improvement so you can listen to your favorite tunes during your daily commute or long weekend commute.

Explore some of these ways to improve your car stereo without having to replace it with a brand new one. Any of these methods can make a real difference, so try one or all of them.

Method 1 of 4: add an amplifier

To really boost the volume of your car's speakers, turn to a standard power amp that will do the job. These amplifiers can be bolted under car seats or the trunk floor to keep them out of sight, but they won't go unnoticed.

Factory speakers are almost always capable of handling more volume than the standard built-in amplifiers in your system, so even this addition alone can make a huge difference. Such a power amplifier will draw extra power from the battery to make your factory system as loud as possible.

Step 1: Buy an Amplifier Wiring Kit. Attempts to install the amplifier yourself will require an amplifier wiring kit with a power rating corresponding to the power of the amplifier.

Step 2: Secure the Amplifier in Place. You can prevent the amplifier from slipping by using Velcro or bolts.

Common places to choose from include under the passenger seat and inside the trunk.

Step 3: Connect the positive cable. Make sure the positive cable is connected to the positive terminal.

Each wiring kit is slightly different, but the process is to run a positive cable from the amplifier to the positive car battery terminal under the hood.

Step 4: Ground the amplifier system. Run the kit ground wire from the amplifier to the self-tapping screw in the floorboard.

Method 2 of 4: Installing Subwoofers

To get the most powerful bass from your factory system, you'll need subwoofers. They can be used with or without an amplifier. You will draw a lot of attention when you are on the road, especially if you have other settings.

Subwoofers greatly increase the range of sounds your factory system can produce by exploiting those coveted low audio frequencies that can only be achieved with a large sized speaker like this.

As with any wiring job, it's a good idea to get professional help if you're inexperienced to prevent inadvertent damage to the rest of your car's wiring. For those who decide to try installing the subwoofer yourself, try the following steps.

Step 1: Purchase a buildable case box. Purchasing an existing installation with two or more subwoofers.

If the system is equipped with two or more subwoofers, installing them requires a lot of guess work and doesn't cost much more than buying the materials separately.

Step 2: Secure the box with metal L-brackets.. Make sure the box is fully secured with the L-brackets.

The size of the brackets will depend on the size of your box, but a general rule of thumb is to use brackets with a back and bottom length that is at least 25% of the case box length and depth.

Step 3: Run a 12 gauge speaker cable from the subwoofers to the amplifier. Connect the wiring from the amplifier and subwoofer.

Subwoofers and amplifier should have dots labeled "In" and "Out" and an indication of whether the dot corresponds to the right or left subwoofer.

Match them, keeping in mind that the amplifier provides the output and the subwoofers receive the input.

Method 3 of 4: Apply foam to the interior of the car

Turn your car into a virtual music studio with the Silencing Foam Installation. This filters out intrusive background noise from traffic so your tunes sound loud and believable. Dead foam usually comes in rolls with an adhesive backing that sticks directly to desired surfaces.

Common places to install sound deadening material are inside door panels, floorboards and inside the trunk. Some music lovers, however, go out of their way to install a muffler, as well as lining under the hood of the car and on the roof from the passenger compartment.

This sound absorbing foam will not only make your music louder and clearer, but it will also make your car sound quieter while driving.

Step 1: Measure and Cut the Styrofoam. To apply sound absorbing foam sheets, first measure the areas you want to soundproof and cut to size with scissors.

Step 2: Remove and press the first foam into place.. Remove the adhesive from one edge about an inch or two and press it firmly onto the surface you want to stick it on.

Step 3: Remove the backing by pressing on the rest of the foam.. For best results, slowly pull the adhesive back an inch or two at a time.

Smooth it in place as you work until the entire sheet has been applied.

Method 4 of 4: Go for non-invasive add-ons

Nowadays, there is no shortage of digital gadgets that expand the feature set of a factory sound system.

These non-invasive add-ons are portable and easy to use, and greatly expand your ringtone playback options. With these gadgets, you're not limited to AM/FM radio and CDs; you get access to satellite radio stations and playlists stored on your smartphone or iPod.

Step 1: Consider Your Options. Explore different gadgets that will improve your sound.

Some of these include portable satellite radios that often plug into your dash and sync with your Bluetooth stereos, giving you access to multiple stations and the ability to pause and rewind.

Plug-and-play Bluetooth kits plug directly into your stereo's MP3/AUX input jack so you can listen to songs from your smartphone through your stereo, while iPod adapters work the same way to listen to iPod playlists.

Even with one of these additions to your car's factory sound system, you can greatly improve the sound quality of your music, or the range of music you can play. All this without the hassle and expense of replacing the stereo that came with your car. If you notice that your battery is draining after a new addition, be sure to have one of our mobile mechanics check it out.