Spending a lot of time in the car, many car enthusiasts want their car to be comfortable. One of the elements is the audio system. To increase its sound volume, install a car amplifier. The article examines its design, gives recommendations on how to choose an amplifier for your car, and provides a rating of the best models.
Purpose and technical parameters
Why do you need an amplifier in a car? Its main purpose is to improve sound quality and increase volume. This is achieved by increasing the amperage of the audio signal from the audio system. Thanks to this, the speakers produce the clearest and strongest sound possible. Modern car speaker systems are equipped with built-in amplifiers, but the power of their power supplies is sometimes not enough to produce high-quality sound.
Car amplifiers can have a different number of channels. They are used depending on the number of connected speakers and subwoofers. In addition, there is an analog (tube car amplifier) with low power, high-quality sound amplification, low efficiency, and digital with high power, high efficiency, and insufficient quality. A digital car audio amplifier for cars allows you to select and remember the frequency characteristics for a specific speaker of the speaker system.
The main characteristics of a car audio amplifier are the output power and the range of output frequencies. Particular attention should be paid to power. You need to select with some reserve. This parameter is the main criterion for selection.
You need to consider the rear and front speakers when choosing power. For speakers it should be in the range from 75 to 100 W, for subwoofers - from 100 to 300 W. Using the frequency characteristics, you can customize the sound of the acoustics taking into account the characteristics of the car's interior. They make it possible to make frequencies that interact with interior elements inside the car weaker. If the interior components absorb sounds, they can be strengthened with frequency characteristics (the author of the video is Autosound in the Province).
What you need to connect
First, the ability of the car amplifier to operate in bridge mode is checked. If this device is not designed for it, it will quickly fail due to overheating and overload. It is also worth considering that the operating resistance will change. With a bridged connection, audio will only be output from one channel.
To connect the amplifier you will need:
- speaker cables;
- power wires;
- speakers and subwoofer;
- fasteners.
How to choose a wire cross-section
Since the power consumed by the bridge car amplifier from the on-board network will increase several times, the cross-section of the wires used to connect the power supply must be at least 3 mm. This will help avoid sudden muting and distortion of the sound at high volumes.
The thickness of the speaker cables should also not be thin to ensure effective sound transmission through the bridge system.
Fuse selection
The fuse rating is selected based on operational reliability. If the burnout of an already installed fuse-link occurs frequently, then the rated current does not correspond to the increased energy consumption of the device.
A fuse with a higher value should be installed. You can also include an additional 30 A fuse in the positive wire gap to increase the protection of a two-channel amplifier connected via a bridge circuit from overload and short circuit.
Criterias of choice
To get high-quality sound, you should choose the right music amplifier for your car. To do this, you need to know what parameters should be taken into account and what to pay attention to.
Gain class
Based on the level of signal distortion and taking into account efficiency, audio amplifiers for car speakers are divided into amplification classes:
- And class. They have a low efficiency of up to 20%, but allow you to get sound with the least distortion, but at the same time they consume and emit a lot of heat. Due to their low power and high noise in the cabin, they are rarely installed in cars.
- To class. These devices are more powerful than the previous class, but produce a more distorted signal. They have better thermal stability and high efficiency in sound reproduction. They are also rarely used on modern cars.
- C class. They have a high efficiency of 75%, but produce a highly distorted signal. They are not installed with Hi-Fi audio systems.
- Mixed class A/B. They have average performance between A and B: average power level, good efficiency, low level of signal distortion.
- D class. Refers to digital devices. These are compact, powerful devices that produce relatively clear sound. Previously they were used to enhance low frequencies, but now broadband devices are more often used. They are more expensive than A/B class devices and are still inferior to them in popularity.
Auto power amplifier for speakers
Among the classes of car amplifiers, the most popular is the mixed class A/B.
Number of channels
Audio devices that are equipped with a built-in car amplifier power supply and processor are used with a different number of power channels. The best option is to use a device that provides each speaker with a separate channel. Any music track played through an amplifier has at least two channels.
Thus, amplifiers can have up to six channels, each of them has its own scope of application:
- A single channel, called a monoblock, is most often used with a subwoofer. A monoblock for a subwoofer is selected in the case of low-impedance loads up to 2 ohms; if the subwoofer is designed for loads above 4 ohms, then you can use an amplifier with two channels connected by a bridge circuit. Monoblocks are produced in class D and are designed for connecting subs in a car, but they don’t care about sound quality, they need good power. In addition, they are equipped with a developed crossover with a low frequency range and an external sound level control, which is important for connecting to standard car radios that do not have built-in subwoofer volume control.
- Two-channel are used to connect two speakers or a subwoofer. The latter is connected using a bridge circuit or via a coil to the device channel, if there is enough power.
- Three-channel devices are rarely used, since 4-channel devices have the ability to bridge connections, so you can use two channels for acoustics and one for a subwoofer. But devices with three channels exist.
- The most common car amplifiers are those with 4 channels. They can be used in different ways: for 4 speakers, for 2 speakers and a subwoofer, for 2 subwoofers.
- The five-channel device is designed to enhance 4 speakers and a subwoofer. It saves space and money by eliminating the need for a separate amplifier for speakers and subwoofer.
- 6-channel amplifiers are in little demand, since audio systems that require 6 channels are rare.
Amplifier power
When choosing an amplifier for a car radio, it is important to know how to match the amplifier to the speakers in terms of power. To do this, you need to understand this parameter. It is one of the most important. Power can be rated or maximum. These indicators are indicated on the device packaging.
The rating is obtained by measuring power at 1% distortion. The maximum indicator consists of the total power of all channels without taking into account distortion. When selecting power, consider the load resistance.
The main attention should be paid to the nominal indicator. This value is correct if it is specified with THD <0.1%, and the voltage is 14.4 V. The maximum power is more of a publicity stunt, so you should not pay attention to it. The output parameter negatively affects the sound quality.
The more powerful the amplifier for the car radio, the worse the sound quality.
Important to know when choosing
In addition to the above criteria for choosing an amplifier in a car, you should take into account some factors that help you choose the most successful amplifier:
- The presence of a crossover, which is a filter for low and high frequencies.
- Is there an input for a high-level signal, as well as the ability to smoothly adjust the cutoff?
- The presence of a fan, which affects the performance and quality of the device.
- A useful addition would be the presence of an external volume control if the car radio to which the amplifier is connected does not have a standard subwoofer volume control.
- The manufacturer plays an important role. It is better to buy devices from well-known manufacturers that have proven themselves in the market by producing high-quality products.
- One of the criteria is cost. You should not choose cheap devices, as this usually affects the quality. True, expensive devices are not always of high quality, especially from unknown companies.
When choosing an amplifier with a processor for a car, you should listen to how it sounds.
For acoustics, sound quality is important, for a subwoofer - power.
How to connect a subwoofer
Connecting a subwoofer to a two-channel amplifier is simple. For this purpose, the equipment used has appropriate outputs. Recommendations for connecting to a subwoofer are as follows:
- the negative terminal is connected to the left channel;
- the positive one is used for the right channel.
The method is called bridge method, because The power of both channels is summed. It is prohibited to connect 2 subwoofers to 1 two-channel amplifier. If you connect the subwoofer incorrectly, there is a possibility that the protection will trip or the device will overheat.
Rating of the best amplifiers
If you don’t have enough money, you can purchase an inexpensive device. Below is a rating of car amplifiers from this segment.
Pioneer GM A3602
This is a budget option of fairly good quality. The rated power of the device is 60 W of each channel, of which there are two in this amplifier. For the device to function, a bridge connection circuit is required. Although the functionality of the model is meager, all the necessary settings are there.
If desired, you can change the sensitivity configuration and adjust the filtering of the low-frequency element. The device is equipped with a high-level input, to which you can connect a standard radio or audio system without a line output.
Alpine PMX-F640
The model has 4 channels and is easy to install. Produces high quality sound. This car speaker amplifier is equipped with improved short circuit protection. There is an output for connecting another device using a bridge connection, which will significantly increase the output power. There is a bass boost step circuit.
The disadvantage is the lack of protection against overheating. If you listen to music for many hours, the device may fail.
Below is the TOP amplifiers for expensive automobile models.
Mosconi Gladen AS 100.4 Silver
This classic AB class amplifier was recognized as the best in Europe in 2010. The device has external modules, changing which changes the characteristics of the device. The advantage of the modules is that they are full-fledged filters with a full set of necessary elements. Filters allow you to adjust the sound based on the interior.
There are models that perform analog correction without affecting the frequency response. This way, high-quality sound is achieved. An additional advantage is the small size of the device. The disadvantage is the high cost.
Genesis Profile Four Ultra
The presence of narrow radiators gives the device an elegant look. The maximum power reaches 400 W, which is very significant for devices of this size. To ensure normal operation, the amplifier is equipped with a fan. Using the built-in crossover, unnecessary frequencies can be eliminated. This is the best model for those car enthusiasts who love frontal sound.
The main advantages can be highlighted: high power, adjustability, compact dimensions, bass equalizer. The disadvantages include a small sensitivity range.
Price issue
1. Pioneer GM A3602 (price about 3,600 rubles)
2. Alpine PMX-F640 (price from RUB 7,500)
3. Genesis Profile Four Ultra (price from RUB 19,900)
4. Mosconi Gladen AS 100.4 Silver (price from RUB 31,300)
Who should buy an additional car amplifier and how to choose the right power
If the head unit (as a rule, this is a universal multimedia player) installed in your car plays audio files (namely these, since it’s unlikely that anyone would even think of carrying a box of favorite discs in the car) with a quality that satisfies you, then To increase the volume of music, you will only need to purchase an additional amplifier. Moreover, it will not be too difficult technically to carry out such sound tuning.
Typically, the packaging of any car amplifier indicates the maximum peak power (Peak Power). In no case should you be guided by this indicator when choosing a device. In fact, this is the power that an amplifier can develop (for example, when a large amplitude signal is applied to the input) for a very short period of time without burning out. You should be interested in the continuous maximum power (RMS) at a particular load, which is the real characteristic of the device. But that's not all. Listening to music at such power is quite uncomfortable, since nonlinear distortion will be maximum. Any “music lover” will tell you that it is necessary to operate an amplifier (so that the music sounds of the highest quality) at powers not exceeding 80% of RMS.
Advice! In addition, this mode will significantly protect the product from overheating, and therefore provide it with a long period of uninterrupted service.
Naturally, the more power, the better. However, the choice of its maximum indicator will depend on the characteristics of your speakers (front and subwoofer). The amplifier power (RMS) should be equal to (or less than) that of the dynamic heads. Otherwise, there is a high risk that you will simply burn out the speakers. If the speakers are already installed, then you need to read the relevant documents, find out their RMS and select an amplifier based on this value. Or get to the loudspeakers themselves, since all manufacturers write the value you are interested in on the back of the magnet.
