The History of Car Audio: From Humble Beginnings to Modern Marvels

Car audio has come a long way since its inception, evolving from simple radio systems to sophisticated entertainment hubs that deliver exceptional sound quality. Whether it's enjoying your favorite tunes during a commute or listening to crisp sound while on a road trip, car audio systems have become a vital part of the driving experience. But how did car audio come to be? This post explores the history of car audio, with a particular focus on the best speakers and amplifiers that have shaped the industry.

The Beginnings of Car Audio: The Birth of In-Car Sound

Car audio, as we know it today, began in the late 1950s, when automobile manufacturers and audio engineers started to experiment with integrating sound systems into cars. Before this, drivers could only enjoy the sounds of their engines and the occasional road noise. The introduction of car radios in the early 1950s marked the dawn of in-car entertainment.

In 1952, Chrysler became the first car company to offer a factory-installed car radio. This was a revolutionary development at the time, allowing drivers and passengers to enjoy music while on the move. The radio quickly became an essential feature in vehicles, offering a broad range of entertainment from news broadcasts to music stations. However, sound quality was relatively basic, with low-power output and limited frequency response.

The 1960s and 1970s: The Rise of Car Audio Aftermarket Systems

While car radios were initially factory-installed, the real growth of car audio began in the 1960s and 1970s, when aftermarket audio systems became popular. The idea of upgrading your car's audio system was born during this period, driven by the increasing demand for higher-quality sound and better listening experiences.

During the 1960s, car audio enthusiasts started to experiment with adding external speakers, amplifiers, and equalizers to improve sound quality. A key innovation during this time was the development of the 8-track tape player, which provided a new way to enjoy music on the road. This innovation allowed for much longer music tracks than the standard radio or vinyl records, further enhancing the driving experience.

By the 1970s, the introduction of car cassette players allowed people to listen to their favorite music on demand, paving the way for the modern era of custom audio setups. The use of larger, more powerful amplifiers and specialized speakers became more common, as consumers sought the best sound quality possible. Popular car audio brands like Pioneer, Kenwood, and Alpine started to emerge, offering high-fidelity sound systems that catered to different tastes and preferences.

The 1980s: Car Audio Becomes Mainstream

The 1980s saw car audio move from a niche hobby to a mainstream trend. Audio systems became an essential part of the car-buying process, with car manufacturers offering better factory-installed systems. The quality of car speakers and amplifiers continued to improve, and more people began to customize their audio setups to match their specific preferences.

The rise of compact disc (CD) players in the early 1980s revolutionized car audio, allowing drivers to enjoy high-quality, digital sound. CDs offered better sound fidelity than cassette tapes, which were prone to wear and tear, and they quickly became the preferred format for car audio systems. This decade also saw the growth of aftermarket brands, with companies like JL Audio and Rockford Fosgate offering high-performance amplifiers, subwoofers, and custom-fit speakers for enhanced sound quality.

The 1980s also marked the advent of the first multi-speaker systems, where consumers could install multiple speakers in their vehicles to create a surround-sound experience. Tweeters, mid-range speakers, and subwoofers started to become more common in custom installations, giving drivers the ability to tailor their audio experience.

The 1990s: Digital Technology and the Introduction of Subwoofers

The 1990s ushered in a new era of digital audio technology, further advancing the quality of car audio systems. The introduction of digital signal processing (DSP) chips and the development of powerful amplifiers took car audio to new heights. DSP technology allowed for the fine-tuning of audio output, ensuring that sound quality was optimized for the acoustics of each vehicle.

During this decade, subwoofers became a popular addition to car audio systems, providing deep bass that transformed the listening experience. The best speakers now included specialized subwoofers, which were designed to reproduce low-frequency sounds that were previously difficult to capture in a car setting. Brands like Kicker and Infinity began producing high-quality subwoofers that could deliver an impressive bass response without distortion.

With the popularity of MP3 players and CD changers, digital music became more accessible in the car. Many audio systems began incorporating input options for external devices, allowing drivers to play music from CDs, tapes, or portable media players. As a result, car audio systems became more versatile, catering to a wider range of audio sources.

The 2000s: Integration of Multimedia and Mobile Devices

The 2000s brought about a significant shift in how car audio systems were used. With the rise of smartphones and portable media devices, car audio systems started to integrate more multimedia features. Many vehicles began to come equipped with built-in Bluetooth, allowing drivers to connect their phones wirelessly to their car audio system. This new integration made it easier to stream music from services like Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music.

Additionally, DVD players, touchscreen displays, and navigation systems began to find their way into car audio setups, giving users not only great sound but also visual entertainment options. In this era, the best car speakers and amplifiers were no longer just about sound; they also provided connectivity, convenience, and ease of use.

Subwoofers continued to evolve, with new designs allowing for greater bass output in smaller, more compact units. Car audio brands began developing digital amplifiers that were more efficient, powerful, and compact than ever before, improving both sound quality and energy efficiency.

The 2010s to Present: The Age of High-Resolution Sound

The 2010s and beyond marked the arrival of high-resolution audio, a significant leap forward in sound quality. With the development of lossless audio formats like FLAC, car audio systems started to cater to audiophiles who demanded the best sound possible. Modern digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and amplifiers work together to reproduce audio in unprecedented detail, offering an immersive and rich listening experience.

The rise of smart technology and voice assistants further integrated car audio with mobile devices. Many car manufacturers began offering factory-installed systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing drivers to seamlessly integrate their smartphones into their audio systems for an enhanced multimedia experience.

Today, car audio systems are more advanced than ever, with premium sound systems offering exceptional clarity, deep bass, and immersive surround sound. The best speakers in today’s systems are designed for clarity and precision, and powerful amplifiers ensure that every note, beat, and vocal is delivered with exceptional depth and detail. With brands like Bang & Olufsen, Bose, and Harman Kardon offering premium factory-installed systems, drivers can enjoy incredible sound quality without the need for extensive aftermarket modifications.

Conclusion: The Future of Car Audio

The evolution of car audio has been marked by a constant drive for better sound quality, more advanced technology, and seamless integration with other multimedia devices. From the early days of simple radios to today’s high-tech, high-fidelity systems, car audio has come a long way. As technology continues to evolve, it's safe to say that the future of car audio will only get better, offering more immersive and customizable experiences for music lovers.

The best speakers, amplifiers, and car audio systems today offer unparalleled performance and integration, ensuring that drivers can enjoy premium sound in every ride. As we move forward, expect even more innovations in sound technology, with smart systems and connectivity features continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in-car entertainment.

In the end, car audio isn’t just about sound; it's about enhancing the driving experience and transforming a simple commute into an enjoyable, high-quality adventure.

Car Audio Amplifier Basic Install Guide

The longer you’re into car audio the more chances you will have to install the components yourself. In this basic guide, I'll tell you certain tools and components you will need to install a car audio amplifier.

Amplifiers can be a little bit tricky to install. They require removal of internal panels and also the running of wires from the front of the car to the rear or wherever the car audio amplifier will be mounted.
After purchasing you car audio amplifier you will need to purchase an amp wiring kit. These kits usually contain:
* A power wire (big red wire)
* Inline fuse holder
* set of RCA’s
* a long thin wire (mostly in blue color) called a remote
* some speaker wire and various wire connectors and wire loom
These kits also come in various sizes or gauges, with the most common being 8 gauge and 4 gauge kits. The smaller the number means the bigger the wire. 4 gauge kits will be plenty to handle up to roughly 600-1200 watt amplifiers.

Once you have got the car audio amplifier and amp wiring kit now its time to take a look under your hood and locate your battery. Once you have located the battery it's best to unhook the battery during installation so that you don’t short anything out while working. Look around the firewall area on the side where your battery is located and check for any type of hole that would lead into the inside of your vehicle where you could run your power wire through. If you cannot find an easily accessible hole then you may have to drill one yourself. If you do have to drill one yourself it's best to make a small hole at first so that you don’t damage any wires in the area. Gradually make the hole bigger with some type of step bit. Once the hole is made use rubber grommets to make sure the hole is sealed and that the metal edges don’t cut your power wire.

Now that the power wire is routed though the firewall it's time to start to remove the internal panels for wire installation throughout your vehicle. During this process you will run 3 wires to the location of the car amplifier. Generally the amp will be in the trunk/hatch area. The first wire will be a red wire (which is the power wire you ran from the battery of the vehicle). The next will be a set of RCA’s, and the final wire will be the thin blue wire we call a remote. In some kits the remote wire can be built into the RCA’s. The RCA’s are what sends the sound or signal to the amplifier and then is amplified through the speakers. One rule I generally use when running the wires is to separate the power and RCA’s by running the power wire down one side and the RCA’s down the other. If not done correctly there is a chance that you could generate some engine noise from within your speakers. The RCA’s will plug into the output on the back of the radio, some CD players there will be a 'subwoofer out' set of RCA jacks that will give you more control over sound quality. The next is the remote wire (usually the blue thin wire) this is the wire that sends the amplifier the signal to power on when the radio is powered on. This wire hooks into the remote wire on the back of the CD player. Don’t worry about the wires being too long during this phase of the process, they can easily be trimmed once you find were you want the amplifier to sit.

Once you have the wires run you can set your box and amplifier were it will eventually be permanently installed to give yourself a reference on how much wire will need to be trimmed. You will also be able to establish where your ground will go at this time; generally a body ground somewhere within one foot of your amplifier will be sufficient. Once you have located a suitable place use a little sandpaper to clear the area of any paint so you will have a solid connection to the vehicle body. Now you can connect all the wires to the amplifier and subs and hide any excess wire to make your install look more professional.

The final phase is to connect the power wire to your battery and install the inline fuse protector. With everything completed time to turn your system on and make all your adjustments to the levels you see fit for the type of sound quality that you desire.

Basic CD player install guide

Now that you have picked out your CD player it's time to decide whether to install the unit yourself or have it done professionally. If you have never installed one before and you have the extra money, having it done for you would be the best way to do it. If you are doing it yourself then here is a basic overview of what you will need and a simple walk through of the process.

You will need to purchase a few items to make the install easier and more professional. The first thing is a mounting kit, basically this is the kit that’s used to mount an aftermarket CD player into a stock radio location. They come mostly assembled and ready to install directly into the stock radio location, but some kits will require modification. Make sure you purchase the correct kit for your vehicle! You don’t want to try to put a 03 Chevy Cavalier kit in a 03 Ford Focus.

The next thing you want to get is a wiring kit. This is a set of wires and connectors that plugs into your stock connectors allowing you to add aftermarket CD players into your vehicle. Once these are connected to your factory wiring harness they are basically color coded for aftermarket CD players so when installing the CD player just match up the colors. There are some wires that aren’t used though and you will need to be aware of these. Research your particular vehicle for specifications.

In some cases you may also need to purchase an antenna adaptor to hook up the stock to aftermarket. A good example of this is my '03 Ford Focus. I had a European antenna plug and had to get the domestic adaptor for this particular install. Do a little research on your make and model of your vehicle before you start the installation process because there may be something extra you need to purchase.

After you have purchased all the necessary components needed to get the install going time its time to take a little look into some basic tools needed for the install.
- Electrical Tape
- Wire cutters, strippers and crimpers
- Power drill with a Philips and flathead tip
- Allen keys
- Dremil (best tool ever for making modifications)
- Factory CD player removal keys (most common for Ford )
- Assortment of wire connectors
- Test Light
- Multimeter
- Soldering Gun (not in all cases but good to have just incase)

Now that you have your tools and components you are ready to begin your install!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, family or even your local installer for tips if you run into something unfamiliar during the install. You can even post questions here if you need for general help and expertise. With the right tools, research and advice, installation should be quick and painless.

Car Audio Amplifier advice

After you've got your subwoofers picked out it's time to look into something to power them.
Amplifiers:
The first thing to consider is how many speakers will be hooked up to the amplifier and how much space you will have to work with. If you’re going to be hooking up an amplifier to your mids and highs, which are generally your front and rear 2 speakers, then you might want to consider a four-channel amplifier. If you're adding subwoofers into the vehicle it can become more pricey because subwoofers generally require more power than just your mids and highs. Four channel amplifiers are not too extremely expensive because by using them for your mids and highs you won't need hundreds of watts to produce a great sound quality. Subwoofer amplifiers are usually 2-channel amps and produce a fairly good amount of power. For the more avid car enthusiast that wants to go to competitions there are even mono-block amps which are a single-channel amplifier. They generate more power and are designed specially for competitions.

Buying a car audio amplifier is just like buying any component for your vehicle, have a good idea what you’re looking for and which price range fits then do some research for prices and availability in your general area. You don’t need to buy the most expensive amplifiers on the market to get great results, but if your goals are to compete then you already know you will need to spend the extra money to get better quality components.

Getting into the power scales for amplifiers:
Amplifiers are usually rated by either RMS or Peak Power rating. RMS is basically the amount of power the amplifier will produce per channel consistently. Peak Power is the amount of power the amplifier is capable of producing before it cannot produce anymore. After these points are looked into there is not too much else a general car audio buyer will look into (unless you want to get into even more details like frequency, response and many more other technical terms involved into amplifiers).

Get to know your Subwoofers!

Once you've got a good head unit installed into your vehicle it's time to start looking into adding a subwoofer(s) to give your system that extra thump.

The first thing you should take into account is how much available space you have for subwoofers in your car and will you be adding anything later on that will be taking up some of that place. There are a few things to look for before purchasing anything, the first thing you should determine is what size woofers you are planning to put in. Generally subwoofers are considered anything above 8in and usually require an amplifier to power them. The next thing to look for is what amplifier you would be using to power them. Do you have one at home you’re going to be using or will you be purchasing one with your subs? I would generally pick out an amplifier first to know what kind of power rating you’re looking for in a set of woofers. The next step is to determine if it will be a single or a dual voice coil subwoofer setup. Basically the voice coil is the speaker’s voice, it’s a coil of wire attached to the cone of the speaker that when you add power and a signal to produces a magnetic field that reacts with the speakers magnet to move the cone producing sound.

Single voice coil is just as it sounds; one single voice coil meaning one set of connectors on the back of the sub for positive and negative, and there’s not much you can do in the way of hooking them up. Dual voice coil are similar except there are two sets of voice coils and two sets of connectors on the back which makes them a lot easier to wire up in many different situations.

In summary, do a little research into what options best suit your setup and how much space you have to work with

A closer Look at Shopping for CD players

Once you have a rough idea, or some brands of CD players you might want to purchase, the next thing to look at would be what type of features you want to have in the unit. Todays units have so many options I could write for hours on the subject however I’m just going to list a few of them. Keep in mind the possibilities are unlimited.

To begin you need to decide which type of CD player you want. Do you want a basic CD player or a MP3 player or maybe even a DVD player? The one good thing is that most of the CD players you buy are CD/MP3 players. Its nice having the MP3 capabilities for long rides since a regular CD on hold 13-17 songs while MP3’s can hold up to 150 songs.

If you decide to add a DVD player to your car there are several options. One option would be to buy a stand-alone DVD player unit and a small screen. This option works extremely well if you have children in the car, giving them something to watch instead of asking “Are we there yet?” every 5 minutes. The other option you have is buying a CD/MP3/DVD player all-in-one unit that installs just like a normal radio (a few extra components are needed with each one of these types of installs). Basically it has a built-in TV projected out of the unit upwards where you can control all the aspects of the unit either by the unit controls or remote. Some of the newer units even have touch screen capabilities.

After you have that decided it's time to look more into the features and other aspects of the units, the one specific thing to look for in buying a new unit is how many sets of RCA jacks are in the back of the unit. The RCA jacks are what supplies your amplifier with the signal from the radio. It then amplifies and sends the signal through your subwoofers or regular speakers on your car. Another aspect to look for is how much control you have over the final sound quality, all units come with the ability to control the bass, treble, fade (from left to right) and the balance from front to rear. Others have more tweaking options which may include equalizer options, different filters options (like hi pass and low pass), subwoofers options, hands-free cell phone options and even GPS controls.

The final things you can look for in choosing the right unit would definitely be ease of use. Are all the options located conveniently for you? One other thing I look for personally is the overall look of the unit itself. Does it have plenty of colors and graphics on the screen? I like CD players that have screensavers and different changeable graphics but everyone has their own taste.

Either way you look at it, looking into some of these options and knowing what you want from a unit ,will make your driving experience more worth while every time you get into your car.

Sound Dampining

During your time involved into car audio the more extravagant and bigger your system becomes you will start to begin to notice a lot of vibration and rattles immerge. There are many ways to fix this rattle and vibration one of the most common ways to take care of this is a product called Dynamat. Dynamat is a very simple to use sound dampener that you can install into you truck area or wherever your speakers are installed.If your installing the mats the best way to get it right the first time and not have to worry about it again would be to take everything out of the area were you are installing it, say your installing it in your trunk remove all your inside plastic panels and carpet and then install the Dynamat then put everything back in making sure its secure. There is also the Dynamat Spray products that you can use it basically the same concept as using the mats but a little harder to install cause it being a spray you would need some type of spray gun to apply. After you decide that you want the rattles out of your vehicle and put in the time to install any of these products or the many others out there you will notice less distortion and rattles coming from your vehicle.

Neon lights

Neon lights can be a way to make your car stand out from the rest of the pack. There are many types out there ranging from 3in pencil neon’s to 42in neon tubes it all depends on how much you want to light up the road or show off at the show. Neon lights are fairly easy to install using a basic positive (+) and negative (-) wiring system, other more advanced neon systems use a closed circuit system with a transformer. There is also a few types of neon’s now which include your basic old school tube neon and more recently the new LED type neon’s which are more durable if your placing them underneath your vehicle. All of these can be easy wired to a switch or any kind of control box you decide.

Box Designs

My experiences, word of mouth, and friends in the field all agree that your box design is the most important part of any good sounding system. The combination of a good box design and the right amount of air space (this is determined by the specs on the speakers you purchased) will give your speakers a jump in sound quality and let them perform at there best. A good speaker box should be made out of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) which will give you the sound quality you desire. There are many types of designs you can use for boxes a couple of the most basic examples are Ported boxes and Sealed boxes. Ported boxes are just as it sounds they have one or many ports located on the box designed to let air flow out of the box, and sealed boxes are without any ports.

First Things you will need to know

The first stop on the road to a louder car stereo system is to find the right head unit, otherwise known as a Head unit or CD Player. Some players are nothing more than a dash mounted single disc stereo with an FM tuner. Others are more elaborate with a dash mounted control head, Built in DVD players, Touch screen panels and a ten disc changer mounted in the trunk. Any of these can be bought at your local department stores, audio stores or an online audio outlet website.

- Next, you'll need some speakers to go along with the CD player. A set of four speakers, is the best way to go with two speakers to the front of the car and two in the back deck. Generally speaking, the speakers in the back of the car are larger than those to the front, and easier to install. Could also consider using Tweeters for a more high pitch clarity. There are many types of speakers you can run with in the front and rear of your vehicle myself i use a component set in the front of my car and basic 6 1/4 2 ways in the rear of my car, but each person have different sound tastes as i like to say.

- After you have your system installed, you'll probably decide it still isn't loud enough. That's where a good amplifier comes in. The amp takes the audio signal from the CD player and boosts the signal going to the speakers. When you're shopping for an amp, make sure the speakers you bought can handle the wattage rating of the amplifier. You'll want to mount your amp somewhere out of the way to keep it from getting damaged. The trunk is usually a good place, or under the seat also if you have the extra money to spend you can also go a little crazy and have custom Amp and speaker enclosures made with various types of wood, metals, and fiberglass with neon’s or anything else you can think up to put in there. Another thing to think about but you'll have to have long enough audio cables to reach back to the head and heavy duty speaker wire to reach back to the speakers.

- While you're at it, why not install sub woofers as well. They will reproduce the bass sounds from your stereo with much more clarity, and volume, than the four speakers in the car combined. Now that you have all of this audio equipment installed, you need to keep thieves from uninstalling it. Car alarm systems are affordable and can be purchased at the same store you bought your CD player. They are relatively easy to install and well worth the money for what you have invested in your audio equipment.

All of this equipment is made by various manufacturers such as Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Panasonic, Pioneer, Alpine, Earthquake, Fusion, and Bose. Before you spend any money on audio equipment, you may want to do some research to find out what system is best for you. Ask some friends, read online product reviews or find a car audio forum on the internet and get some opinions there. That way you'll be sure to get the sound system you want and feel assured you got the most for you money..