Useful Tips That Will Help You Choose The Right Car Stereo

Do you need a new car stereo? A new stereo will give you better sound and more playback options than the typical factory stereo and offers a much better overall experience. You can have so much more than just the bare minimum that your can came with. Here are a few reasons why you should replace your car stereo.

Why You Should Replace Your Stereo

Replacing your car stereo allows for better sound quality and added functionality.

Better Sound Quality

Superior built-in power and better circuit design mean that an aftermarket car stereo will not just be louder than the typical factory stereo, it also produces cleaner, more detailed, and much richer sound. Improved tone control means that you can better fine-tune your music and sound quality.

Added Functionality

You don’t need to change your stereo just for sound quality. There are a plethora of additions that a new stereo adds. These include Android and iPhone support, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, GPS, etc. A new stereo opens up a whole new world to entertainment.

It’s important to make sure that you choose something that fits perfectly in your dash.

How Do You Listen To Your Music?

Make yourself familiar with the options out there. Reading things like car audio reviews can really help you to make a better-informed decision around stereo systems. Once you know what the options are it will help you narrow down your search and help you to focus on the features you feel are important. Start by assessing how you listen to music, or how you would prefer to listen to music. The options include:

• Music from your phone
• Thumb drives or music players via auxiliary input or SD card slots.
• CDs
• Pandora or Spotify
• SiriusXM
• FM radio
• HD Radio broadcasts

All of these have their different pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide what you need.

What Are The Non-Music Functions You Might Want?

Today’s car stereos can do much more than just play music. The following are a few examples and some options to consider:

CarPlay and Android Auto with Touchscreen

Touch Screen stereos are the best for bringing your smartphone into the car. The CarPlay and Android Auto apps optimize car-centric phone services, such as navigation, calls, and music. Speaking of touchscreens, large screens with built-in features allow easy viewability and are just some of the advantages to building your audio system around a large touchscreen display. PLUS you have the added luxury of touchscreen controls in your car.

Bluetooth Connectivity

 This allows you the freedom of hands-free calling as well as audio streaming.

GPS Navigation 

Stereos with built-in GPS navigation help you get from point A to point B without getting lost. With a large screen, you have better accessibility to your navigation menu, as the buttons are bigger, and it is easier to see things than on a cell phone. The screen is much larger than your phone and most portable GPS navigators.

Other Things You Should Consider in A Car Stereo

Better Interior Aesthetics

Like we said earlier, aftermarket car stereos, with their high-tech displays and cutting-edge layouts, can enhance the interior appearance of one’s car. A multi-line display is a good thing to consider as this enables you to see songs and artist information without too much scrolling. It also allows for ease of control while driving and using the stereo. You should look at full-color display options and for some added fun and comfort ones with customizable color schemes for a better match to the lighting in your dash.

A hot trend today is the floating screen. This is a screen that doesn’t fit into the dash. Rather, this screen measures about 9-10 inches and “floats” in front of the dash. These stereos offer better functionality and step up the user experience.

Expandability

Aux cable inputs, USB connections, Bluetooth, and other audio/video outputs allow you to expand your system by connecting portable devices. It also allows for rear-seat video screens, and subwoofers to really boost your new stereo.

Now that you have an idea of how to go about choosing a stereo based on its features, write down a list of the features you most want and look for something that you like. Look online for different options and then make a list of stereos that you like and those that fit your car. Finally narrow your list down to your favorite features and if they are not in your budget, prioritize the ones you need and want most right now. Happy hunting and good luck with your search to find the best car stereo for you and your car needs.