Five Ways to Test Your Car Audio System

As part of the car-buying experience, it's integral to take the necessary steps to ensure that all of the vehicle's moving features are working properly, including less serious moving parts like the car's audio system. In this article, we'll cover some basic steps to ensure your favorite music is fully in sync.

Study audio

The first step in tuning your car stereo is to pay attention to its frequencies. Listen for qualities like bass, mids, and treble. Other factors to look out for include the fullness of the bass, the clarity of the sound, and the level of detail in the audio.

It is recommended to try listening to some instrumental music first and then listen to the vocals.

Observe audio at different sound levels

If you find that the sound's frequency matches your liking, that's great, but try listening to the audio at different volume levels. If you turn the volume up higher and you hear a crackling or popping sound, that's not a good sign.

What should I do if there is possible sound interference? Such as a strange buzzing noise coming from the doors or center console. Are you aware of any possible quality barriers?

Attention Audio Stage

The audio stage depends on where in the vehicle one perceives the sound to be coming from. Spend some time sitting in different parts of the car to see if the sound is traveling at the right level so that it can be heard clearly and evenly by all passengers. Are there significant differences between front-seat and rear-seat passengers? Have a surround sound experience?

Check to see if the vehicle has a Harmon Kardon stereo. By all accounts, this is a high-quality system that utilizes its QuantumLogic premium surround sound technology to help demonstrate the excellent balance of sound. It also provides audio levels from any mono, stereo or multi-channel source.

compare differences

Potential buyers should try listening to a variety of audio systems before deciding which one best suits their specific needs and tastes. Visiting a car dealership or local car show is a great way to test out different vehicle views throughout the day. Listening to these systems continuously is probably the most effective way to compare.

Consider different forms of audio

Spotify, SiriusXM, HD Radio or old school mix tapes are all interesting and different forms of audio files. Understanding this is crucial to making the best decision about which audio system is best for you.

For example, compressed audio files heard on satellite radio may discard up to 90% of the detail in the audio originally captured in the recording studio.

Systems like Harman Kardon's Clari-Fi technology bring many details to life, enhancing the listening experience by automatically analyzing and improving sound.