Anyway, i'm pretty much a noob in this part of the forum that recently (6 months ago) got his cheap *** stereo stolen and went to upgrade it further to enjoy sound (and had some spare cash to give myself a gift). Since i like to make educated buys i tend to research and learn as much as i can to not regret it later down the road. So here goes some things that i think are a lil tough to understand and that play a big role in chosing a system for your car.

Anybody that think i'm wrong or spots a mistake PM me and i'll fix it. This is just a guideline, so don't take it too serious.

First, the glossary according to crutchfield.com (i have learned tons from their website)

Soundstage: The soundstage refers to your sense of width, depth and height when you listen to music — just as you would sense the placements of different instruments in a live concert setting. Individual vocal and instrumental "images" make up your stereo system's soundstage. See also "imaging" below. (soundstage is closely related to imaging, so watch out).

Imaging: Imaging describes the extent to which a stereo system reproduces the location of instruments and vocalists as they were positioned during recording and mixing. (See also soundstage above).

Optimum imaging creates a listening experience that seems natural and lifelike. The key to attaining the best possible imaging is to have equal (or as close to equal as possible), unobstructed path lengths between your tweeters and your ears. The ability to mount your tweeter separately, as with components, or in an angled mount, as with some full-range speakers, can improve imaging.

Time Correction: A processing circuit found in some receivers that compensates for the uneven distances between left and right car speakers and listeners' ears. Time correction delays signals from the closest speaker(s), so that all the sound arrives at your off-center listening position at the same time. You'll get a more accurate, lifelike stereo image.

Speaker Positioning: This subject sometimes is hard and many people will have an opinion. Mine is non experienced and will just laid the things i know. Usually the best place to put your speakers is in the stock positions and without modifiying the car, if you have to, at least get an adapter, that way you won't need to drill holes or modify your car. Also, the best setups (at least what most people say and think) is a good component up front and some coaxial speakers (speakers that doesn't have crossovers and that the tweeter is on the speaker itself) and they disconnect the tweeters, leaving the back speakers as low to mid woofers, and since the components are up front you get a good soundstage in the car. Also, they way you place your tweeters up front make a huge difference. For instance i have gotten in cars that have the tweeters high in the A-pillar that make your ears hurt in pain (which might not be the tweeters fault or the positioning but the owners equalization). As a rule of thumb the best place to put your tweeter is place a doble sided tape on the back and move it while you listen to it and leave it on the place that sounds the best to you, remember, in the end it's all about what YOU like. I think that a good place to put a tweeter is on the inside part of the side view mirror either by fiberglassing a good mount there or buying that part from the high end model car which usually has the tweeters there. They are close to your ears but not that close and if you make the mount make sure they are pointed towards you.


Opinions:

My Moms car has some kind of sony xplod head unit and this head unit has a fuction called DSO (Dynamic Soundstage Organizer) which sony says: ""raises" the soundstage up to ear level". Now my moms car has crappy stock 3 inch front speakers and 6.5 components in the back (don't ask, she bought it like this from some guy), anyway, the music quality when the DSO is on is amazingly good, now since i'm no sound engieneer (spel?) i don't know exactly what it does, but i think it simply takes highs from the back speakers and lows from the front speakers and maybe mess up with time correction. If somebody really knows please PM and i'll put your comment in this thread or answer below.

EQs are something that shouldn't be overlooked, sometimes i think a head unit that include some kind of EQ is worth because EQs tend to "bring" parts of the music you never heard because of the acoustics in your car or for whatever reason.


EDIT: mods feel free to erase this thread, i saw the faq and has most of it on it.


Modified by GZERO at 2:59 PM 2/3/2006