If you’re running a used car with a few miles on the clock, which isn’t brand new nor worth $20,000, chances are the stereo inside it is a bit, well… naff.
Part of the beauty of buying used cars versus leasing, besides being able to pick up yesteryear’s flagships for 70% less, is that you can tinker and mod them until your heart’s content.
And one of the best and most useful areas to upgrade is your car’s stereo system and media centre. I’m getting a new car in January (a new, used car), so I’ve been looking around at things like speakers, parking sensors and other things for my new set of wheels.
Obviously, with speakers things can get pricy pretty quickly. Like headphones, there are speakers and then there are SPEAKERS. My budget for stuff like this is always modest, no more than $100 per speaker set, $150 at a push, because I prefer to live within my means than bankrupt myself on something that isn’t 100% essential.
I always look for sales, and this time of year, January, is just about the best time of the entire year to shop around for things like this. Consumer electronics are ALWAYS cheaper in January.
Why? Simple: all the new stuff is launched at CES and MWC and retailers want to get rid of the old inventory in order to shift the new stuff.
And this is great news for the savvy shopper because you can pick up excellent kit – car stereo speakers, in the context – for a lot less than normal.
Take JBL by Harmon, these guys are now working very closely with Samsung on some secretive car project, and a glance around its website tells you why – they have some awesome car tech. Most notably, though, they have a big sale on the go right now for car stereos and speakers.
You can shop individual car speakers, car subwoofers, total car systems and car amplifier systems as well as connected car solutions.
The first thing that caught my eye when looking through the sales section was the GT7-6, which is now just $79.95 for the pair.
The 6.5in GT7-6 speakers are designed to fit in most car speaker slots – if they don’t, you can use mounting hardware – with minimal fuss. You should be installed and up and running inside five minutes or so. But this isn’t the best bit.
No, these bad boys are supremely potent, packing in JBL by Harmon’s Plus OneTM woofer cones and a frequency response that goes all the way up to 21kHz.
And these are $79 right now. You also get lifetime support, free shipping and, if they don’t fit your model or you just don’t like them, free returns.
What about subwoofers? To be honest, these aren’t a massive deal for me; I don’t like dubstep or my seats rattling while I drive. But if you’re ALL ABOUT THE BASS, you have plenty of affordable (and powerful) options. And some of them are on sale.
Take the CS1214, a 12in subwoofer with 1000 watts of peak power handling, that features a progressive spider for better sound fidelity and control while moving – even on bumpy and lumpy roads.
The sound produced by the CS1214 is apparently very large. As I said, plenty of users love bass, so if you do this is a speaker you definitely need to be looking at. For the price, specs and power it is very hard to fault the CS1214 which can be picked up for just $69.95 each.
Car Amplifiers & Processors
In order to run you new speaker system, you’ll need to invest in a decent car amplifier or processor. These systems will control and drive your speakers, giving you easy access to settings and the ability to configure them just to your liking.
Again, these range in price – quite considerably. But you can pick up a very decent setup for around $150. The GX-A604, for instance, which comes equipped with both low-level and high-level inputs, allowing the you to connect it to pretty much any factory or aftermarket head unit.
If budget is a factor, the GX-A604 is the one to go for. If not, you need to check out the GTR-7535 which is a more premium setup featuring the following specs and features:
- Peak Power: 2300W
- 2-Ohm Power Output100Wrms x 4, <0.1% THD+N
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio>75dB (ref 1W output @ 4 )
- 4-Ohm Power Output75Wrms x 4, <0.1% THD+N
Complete Car Systems
But if you’re after a complete system, one that comes with all the bits you need for a complete in-car stereo system, then you’re likely better off with one of JBL by Harmon’s full car component systems.
These are cheap as well. The GTO509C, for instance, is now retailing for $249.95 per system. What’s included? Quite a bit as it goes: you get speakers, a subwoofer, tweeters and an amplifier included in the kit.
This is the one I am most interested, if I’m honest. I’ve yet to find anything as good or as comprehensive for this price. There is cheaper systems out there but none are made by brands I recognise or respect, which is a big warning sign for me when buying something new.
Other Notable Options
If you’re after something that works with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto then there is the Legend CP100, which is a touchscreen system that fits into most dashboards and uses your phone’s connectivity to access a range of applications and content like Maps, music and the like.
It’s pretty pricy at $399.95, but if using your phone as a centre piece of your car’s entertainment system is important to you, the Legend CP100 is a very comprehensive solution.
The JBL Legend CP100 is Bluetooth enabled, has a rear camera input, is steering wheel interface ready and provides turn-by-turn navigation through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You also get traditional AM/FM and smart phone connectivity in one package with a simple, clean interface.
I really like these systems. But I just wish they were a little cheaper – $400 is a bit too much for my budget. Nevertheless, if you’re flush or don’t really need to think about budgets, this is definitely something you should be looking at.
I love that the CP100 can connect fully with the steering wheel as well.
CP100 Specs & Features
- Display Screen Size: 6.75in
- LCD Type: TFT active matrix
- Pixels: 1,152,000 (800 x 480 x 3 (RGB))
- Illumination: LED
- Chassis Width178 mm (7”)
- Chassis Height100 mm (3.94”)
- Chassis Depth142 mm (5.6”)
- Chassis Weight1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)
- AM Tuner
- Tuning: 530 – 1,170 kHz
- Frequency Range: 87.7 – 107.9 MHz
- Sensitivity: 11 dBf (0.8 uV/75 ohms)
- Signal-To-Noise Ratio: 60 dB
- USB StandardUSB 1.1/2.0
- Max Current Supply: 1.0 A USB Class: MSC (Mass Storage Class)
- File System: FAT 16/32, NTFS File
- VersionBluetooth: 4.0
- Output: Power+4 dBm Max. (Power class 2)
This is just some of the stuff I found over the weekend. I’m always looking for cool modifications for my upcoming car purchase, so will update this article with more stuff as I find it.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for stuff like this please do leave us a note in the comments.
Cheers!
