Building Your First Audio System

When building your first audio system there are a lot of things to consider. How much am I going to spend? What level of quality am I aiming for? Do I want to compete? What colour scheme do I want? All these factors can add up to one massive headache, it is always best to fully research your options and take your time.

Building a system is easier when you break it down into chunks. Start with the car stereo and work your way back is always a good method to follow. The stereo you choose may affect your choice of speakers or amps, it is therefore important that you choose the right one! Once you have your head unit you need to decide what type of speakers you want to fit, do you want a basic 4 corner set up with speakers in each door, or do you want to build custom door cards and run more than 2 sets?

Once you have chosen your speakers you need to consider amplifying them. You can set your car up and have a good system without doing this but to get the most out of the speakers you have bought it is highly recommended.

So now you have your head unit and speakers chosen, next up is the subwoofer. For most people building their first audio install the subwoofer is the most important item of all. This is going to give your system the deep rumbling bass that will impress your peers. For this very reason it is important to spend a lot of time picking the right one. Your first choice is do you buy an active sub or a separate sub and amp. This usually comes down to cost, with active subs working out a lot cheaper. These are good but to get the best you need to buy separates, this can be confusing so it's always best to get some good advice on the matter.

Ok, so we've chosen all the components on our system now we need to look at connecting them all up. It is important that the system is powered properly so it is a good idea to uprate the battery and use the best wiring you can afford. When selecting wire it is important to get as much copper content as you can. This will show the quality of the wire.

Your first stereo is something you will always look back on with nostalgia. It is therefore really rewarding to make your first system your best, have a look round, choose your components and get as much advice as possible. There is more to making a great system than what is written on the box, it is always best to have an experienced friend or contact to guide you.