Sound Bars: How to Choose the Right One with That Plastics that don’t Harm The Environment

When choosing the best budget soundbar for the car, first of all, we pay attention to the types of sound bars. There are three types of sound bars: wideband, coaxial and component. It sounds complicated and confusing. So let’s find out how to choose the right one with that plastics that don’t harm the environment and break it down with examples.

• Broadband – the most inexpensive (from 1000 to 3000 rubles), but also quiet. It consists of one soft speaker, which is enough for quiet music or background radio. Usually, this system is already built into budget cars. If not, then it can be purchased.

• Coaxial – a more advanced level, where several sound bars are installed in one case. A separate speaker is responsible for each frequency (sound or voice). Therefore, the sound quality is better. If we choose coaxial sound bars, then we must remember that they are usually installed in inexpensive large cars, such as trucks, minivans, or minibusses.

• Component sound bars are the most expensive (you will have to pay several tens of thousands of rubles) and cool. It is a small music center in which each speaker is in a separate case and is responsible for playing low, medium, and high frequencies. But you’ll have to be a bit more complicated with the installation. The most affordable one has a pair of “midbass” (bass and midrange sound bars) and “squeakers” (tweeters). Fans of jazz, for example, perfectly hear every instrument and feel the effect of presence at the concert. The more advanced ones are equipped with subwoofers (passive and active) and audio crossovers.

• Midbass reproduce sound in the midrange (80-400 Hz). “Squeakers” or tweeters play in the high-frequency range (2000-20000 Hz). The subwoofer is designed for low frequencies (20-70 Hz). The active subwoofer differs from the passive subwoofer by having a built-in amplifier. A crossover is a special electrical filter that creates the desired frequency ranges.

Main Characteristics

Size

When deciding which sound systems to choose for your car, pay attention to the size of the sound bars. Large sound bars are suitable for low frequencies (reggae, electronic rock). Small sound bars (tweeters) – for high frequencies (for example, female vocals). The most popular and versatile models are 16-17 cm wide. And if you want to choose the optimal sound and a wide range, then take 2 small sound bars for the bass and midrange (this is how a cello sounds).

Power

There is no way to choose sound bars for your car without taking into account their power. This is one of the most important, but ambiguous characteristics. There is a nominal and maximum power. The first one is the one with which the speaker works as long as possible and does not distort the sound. The second is the maximum sound produced in a short time. The higher the figures, the louder and richer the sound. The boxes indicate the RMS power: the first – as RMS, the second – as PMPO. For example, the power of the speaker is not higher than 40-55 watts. If the speaker power will be higher, you will need a special amplifier, so as not to lose sound quality.

Size

In order to choose the right sound bars in the car, you need to know their size (the standard that determines the size of the sound bars for the car). It is specified in the model name. The most common are round car sound bars 10 cm (4 inches), 13 cm (5.25 inches), 16.5 cm (6.5 inches), and oval 15×23 cm (6×9 inches). The sound bars are installed in designated places in the car. To fit there, the model must be the right size. Refer to the outer diameter of the speaker.

Impedance

Impedance is an important parameter when determining which sound bars to choose in the car. It is the electrical impedance across the AC current. Matching the impedance of the amplifier and sound bars will ensure the safe and long-lasting operation of both devices. The speaker system and booster should have matching impedance values, with the speaker at least as high as the amplifier. Otherwise, you will get a much quieter sound than it could be. See the manuals for the value. Typically it is 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 16 ohms. Connoisseurs of quality sound prefer loud sound bars with high impedance, believing that in this case, the amplifier distorts the sound less. In most cases, for car sound bars choose an impedance of 4.6 or 8 ohms.

Magnet Type

The type of magnet determines the volume and sensitivity of the speaker. The cheapest, fairly high quality, and popular material is ferrite – a ceramic (iron-containing) magnet. A good choice is neodymium magnets. They make the sound bars much more expensive, as they significantly reduce the weight and size of the speaker motor and take longer to demagnetize.

Before choosing sound bars for your car, pay attention to speaker cooling. It is not present in all models. Its essence is that a special liquid takes the heat away from the voice coil, increasing the service life of the device. There are also opponents of this method. They believe that the presence of ferromagnetic liquid degrades the sound quality.

Number of Bands

There are 2-way, 3-way, and more sound bars. On this indicator depends on the perception of the spectrum of reproduced frequencies, that is, the ability to distinguish individual instruments and vocals from the overall picture.

• Two-way acoustics are widespread and the simplest. Two-way sound bars are used: one for the woofer-midrange and one for the tweeter or “squeaker”. As a rule, one speaker for each band.

• Four- or more-way loud sound bars are more of a buzzword than real benefits. You will notice the changes only if you can make the whole interior with a loudspeaker. And that’s an expensive proposition.

Moreover, if you want to take care of nature and try to use harmless materials, then the Global Forum on Environment is a good place to visit. Here you will find the information you need on how to save nature, what you can and cannot use. Be sure to visit the site and share your thoughts!

Bottom Line What kind of sound bars to choose in the car, everyone decides for himself. But it is important to take into account, first of all, where they will be installed and in what car. The bigger the car, the more sound bars will fit in it. In small cars, it is better to take not quantity but quality. You do not need component acoustics in such cars. It won’t unleash its full potential, and you won’t be able to enjoy the sound quality: there’s too little space. So we hope that in this article you found out how to choose a sidebar for your car and make the right choice!