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The radio is the main unit of the audio system, plays the role of the heart in reproducing the acoustic sound in the car. Motorists who spend a significant part of the day in the car, high-quality music allows not only to brighten up time, but also to drown out the external noises that negatively affect human well-being. The range of car receivers in modern markets is very diverse, and they differ not only in price, but also in functionality, which complicates the implementation of a “rational” purchase. In this article we will tell how to choose a radio tape recorder for a car so that it meets the requirements of the car owner, taking into account its functionality and main technical parameters.
Instructions on how to choose a car stereo.
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Criterias of choice
Before you start choosing a car, you should decide what class of acoustics meets your needs. For car owners who want to pick up the car stereo for regular speakers that are not demanding to sound, which only need music for the “background”, you shouldn’t bother with the selection of the device. It is enough just to decide on the purchase amount, choose the goods you like from the existing range of radio tape recorders, giving preference to products from trusted manufacturers.
If you are a real music lover, you can’t imagine your pastime without high-quality music, then you should pay attention to professional-grade multifunctional devices. Let us consider in detail how to make a rational choice of car radio by parameters affecting the functionality of the device and the quality indicators of sound reproduction.
Body dimensions
Choosing a radio tape recorder for your home or car, first of all, you should decide on the desired size of the device. To do this, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of installing the radio in the required place, as well as how it fits into the interior. There are two common types of car stereos available for sale, which are marked 1 DIN and 2 DIN. The first option is the radio, which have a standard body size of 5 to 18 centimeters, the second type corresponds to increased parameters - 10 to 18, which is equal in height to two devices of the first type.
To determine which radio tape recorder to choose according to size, it is necessary based on the parameters of a regular place in the car for the device and personal preferences. Practically all modern-class vehicles provide for the possibility of installing a second-type device, however, models of cars of the old years of production are provided with space only for the first-generation radio. Model size 2 DIN can be installed in any car, however, in cars that do not provide for such an opportunity, the car owner will have to independently modify the panel under the car radio.
As for the functionality, the dimensions of the goods do not affect the quality of music playback, however, the models of the second type are more convenient to manage, as they have large-scale buttons, a capacitive screen, allow to operate the radio tape recorder as a multimedia device. As practice shows, it is necessary to pay for pleasure and convenience, therefore it is necessary to be prepared for the fact that models of car stereos of class 2 DIN will cost much more than standard size devices. Consider further what technical parameters you need to pay attention to when buying an audio player, how to choose a radio tape recorder that will meet the needs of the car owner.
Media type
One of the main criteria for choosing a car stereo is the type of carrier, since it is from it that the tracks will be produced. The device can be modified by a single carrier, mainly radio, reproducing only CD format disks, or models that simultaneously support several types of drives. A consumer can record about one hundred tracks in MP-3 format on one CD carrier, which is more than enough even for the most demanding music lover.
There are also modules on the market that play video files and work with media in DVD format. Such devices are models of category 2 DIN, characterized by a high price, however, they are considered to be more functional, as they allow not only to listen to music tracks, but also to pass the time while watching a movie or listen to music with a parallel viewing clip.
Support for “reading” tracks from a USB drive is not an innovation for modern tape recorders, however, when making a choice, many consumers are inclined to purchase a product that has this function. On the USB-drive, you can record many files, depending on the size of the flash drive, in any format. In this case, the USB flash drive can be used for playing music in the car, and for other purposes, which is practical and convenient to use.
Connection system
When buying an audio system, it is important to provide the convenience and ease of mounting it in the car. Most modern car stereos are connected using the ICO connector, which is an output for connecting the system to the speakers, on the one hand, and wires, on the other hand. Sometimes the machine does not have a return ICO connector, then for a simple installation of an audio system, it will be enough for the consumer to purchase an additional connector.
There are also models of car receivers, which provide for the connection by soldering wires, which is characterized by some difficulties in connecting, especially if in the future the car owner envisages the need to upgrade the system. The first version of the tape recorder, with the connection of the system using the ICO connector, is considered more popular and a priority when buying.
output power
Производительный потенциал – ещё один важный критерий при выборе магнитолы. От того, насколько мощная будет куплена система, будет зависеть не только громкость её звучания, но и количество колонок, которые возможно подключить к магнитоле. output power автомагнитолы прописана в её техническом паспорте, измеряется в Ваттах, может варьироваться от 35 до 200 единиц. Чем больше показатель мощности, тем громче и качественней звучание музыки можно настроить в машине. В поиске ответа на вопрос, какую магнитолу выбрать для автомобиля по мощности, стоит отталкиваться от нескольких факторов:
- Class machine. If the vehicle has good sound insulation, then 50 watts of power will be enough for normal music playing. Owners of trucks, cars with powerful engines and poor sound insulation may need a car radio, whose performance will reach 200 units.
- Subjective preferences of the car owner. Lovers of loud music, as well as drivers who provide for the installation of a subwoofer, should prefer the radio with the maximum power parameters.
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Button illumination
Selection of car radio по её внешнему виду и интерфейсу – это сугубо индивидуальное решение. Непосредственно на удобство пользования магнитолой влияет величина клавиш и наличие их подсветки. Кнопки для управления магнитолой не должны быть слишком мелкими, чтобы пользователю было удобно их нажимать, не отвлекаясь от процесса вождения.
The button illumination criterion for people who primarily operate the vehicle during the daytime is not considered a priority, if night trips are regular, then it’s important to pay attention to this option when choosing a system. The first step is to take into account the color of the backlight, so that it is in harmony with the color scheme of the dashboard lighting, since the contrast will distract the driver from the process of driving and also appear negative on the interior of the cabin. The second point is the ability to adjust the brightness of the backlight: too bright illumination can give off glare and interfere with the driver. Most models of mid-range tape recorders have the function of adjusting the button illumination, so choosing an acceptable version of the device with this function is not a problem for any consumer.
Bluetooth
The function of supporting Bluetooth wireless communication is modified mostly by more expensive models, however, for some car owners this criterion is a priority when choosing an audio system. The presence of Bluetooth allows the driver to:
- Play files from the phone in the car by connecting it to the audio system through a wireless connection.
- Control the radio with a joystick on the steering wheel, without being distracted from driving.
- To bring to the acoustics of the car a telephone conversation.
Equalizer
Many music lovers are interested in the question of how to choose a tape recorder, so that it allows you to customize the playback of music of different classes. In this case, the buyer needs to pay attention to the presence of an equalizer in the system, which allows you to play high-quality music.
On sale there are models of car stereos that are modified with equalizers with tracks ranging from two to thirteen units. Most of the standard tape recorders are modified with three-band equalizers, which allow you to tune the music depending on its class in terms of pitch and bass. The more bands the equalizer has, the better sound can be adjusted in the car. In the more expensive models, equalizers are installed, which automatically adjust the sound depending on the style of music being listened to. For undemanding owners who mostly listen to the radio, this feature is not mandatory.
GPS
The built-in GPS module is a function that allows you to use the device not only for playing music, but also as a car navigator, which eliminates the need to purchase additional devices for the car. It should be noted that it is not possible to buy a cheap car receiver with GPS, since only 2 DIN size systems can be equipped with this module, which allow you to display the location of the car and an interactive map with the desired route. The question of how to choose an inexpensive and high-quality tape recorder with GPS is more than complex and requires a special approach, since not all models have proven to be reliable in operation. The selection should focus on consumer reviews and recommendations of professionals, acquiring only models from proven manufacturers.
USB connector localization
When buying a car stereo that supports connecting a USB drive, you should pay attention to the localization of the connector for the USB flash drive, which can be either on the front or on the back. Each of the modification options has both advantages and disadvantages. Models with a USB connector on the front panel are easy to use: just insert the drive into the seat and enjoy the music. There are drawbacks to such models - the flash drive can be hooked by hand when carelessly moving. This option is optimal for cars with a large cabin or in a situation where the driver rarely carries passengers.
Models with the rear connector position provide for the installation of a radio with a preliminary output slot for USB in the glove compartment or other place convenient for the driver; It is rational to purchase models with a rear connector for drivers who often carry passengers, have a large family or own a car with an insufficiently spacious interior.
Remote control
The presence of the remote control is not the primary criterion when choosing a radio tape recorder, since when driving, the driver can easily control the system permanently. Most often, the remote is used when going to rest, to switch tracks from the street.
Display type
Another important question: how to choose a car receiver by the type of display? There are three types of models in the assortment: with a text, liquid crystal and graphic screen. The best choice in terms of functionality is models with graphic type screens. Most often, they are sensory, which is reflected in the interior of the model, ease of operation, and the ability to watch movies and video files in good quality.
A good picture gives LCD screens, which can be monochrome or color. Models with LCD screens belong to the average price category, because the most popular among consumers. These displays allow you to browse the catalogs of tracks, have a decorative accompaniment of tracks, some of them even authorize watching movies. The most technically simple and affordable from the price position are text-format screens that are not very versatile, however, they allow you to see the names of the track being played or adjust the wave.
Supported Formats
In search of the right solution to the problem, how to choose the radio tape recorder in the car, it is important to study the characteristics of the product by the criterion of the number of supported formats. The standard for all devices is the MP3 format, which is “read” by all car radios, however, for some owners this is not enough if the car is operated daily and the time spent driving is more than half a day. Well, if the radio tape recorder supports, in addition to the standard format, also the WMA and WAV formats, in which music can be recorded on the drive. For tape recorders of size 2 DIN, purchased mainly in order to be able to view video files and clips, support for MP4, MPEG, AVI and Xvid formats is desirable.
Camera connection
The ability to connect rear view cameras is a parameter that is only available for Class 2 DIN receivers. This feature allows the driver to display the image from the camera, which facilitates the process of driving, helps in parking and in other difficult situations on the road. The ability to connect a rear-view camera is a priority for newcomers who have recently received rights, as well as for drivers living in megalopolises who have the need for systematic parking in difficult conditions.
How to make the right choice?
In fact, choosing a car radio is not a very difficult task, if you approach it responsibly. First of all, it is necessary to determine the orientation of the choice of the desired device, namely, to decide in which direction to carry out the selection, determine the upper price limit of the purchase price. If the machine is used infrequently, and you are not a music lover and music is needed mainly for the background, then you should choose from regular tape recorders that support the ability to play music from a CD drive and work in radio mode: there is no sense in overpaying for multifunctionality.
For music lovers, lovers of quality music, who spend a lot of time in a vehicle, multifunctionality and quality playback should be in the first place. Particular attention should be paid to what additional devices should work with the system, whether the installation of a subwoofer and powerful speakers is envisaged. If you want to buy an improved model of radio tape recorder size 2 DIN, then you need to study the technical side of the selected device, namely:
- the number of "readable" formats;
- display quality indicators;
- presence of a sensor;
- the presence of built-in navigation systems;
- the ability to connect a rearview camera;
- characteristics of the built-in equalizer.
Having decided on the model of car radio, it is important to check whether the device is suitable for your vehicle, or additional constructions will be required to hide the gaps between the radio and the panel.
Carry out the choice of car radio is from the range of products from proven manufacturers who have proven themselves in the process of operation, having good reviews from professionals and consumers. As the most popular and reliable car stereos have proved themselves under the brands Pioneer, Sony, Alpine, among the budget products are distinguished by a good quality system from JVC and Prology. Refrain from purchasing a radio receiver of "unknown origin", since such a purchase can be very disappointing during the operation.
Let's sum up
The range of car receivers on the market is so abundant that the task of finding the best acoustics option for your car often confuses a potential buyer. The main question of the consumer is: what criteria to pay attention to, since the goods differ not only in price, but also in technical characteristics, functionality and appearance. This article discusses the main parameters that determine the choice of car, depending on the needs and preferences of the car owner. When buying a radio tape recorder, remember that this device, which, with the right implementation of the choice, will serve you for more than one year, therefore it is worthwhile to responsibly consider analyzing the technical characteristics you need.
