Evolving Technology and Auto Sound Systems

Finding auto sound systems that can keep up with the constantly evolving technology of today is a real challenge for many car and sound enthusiasts not only around the nation but also around the world. There was a time in the not so distant past when car stereos that had CD players or CD disc changers where the cutting edge of technology. New technology however has nearly rendered the CD players in cars as obsolete as long forgotten 8-track players. The sad news is that many carmakers are clinging to the old days and only offer something as modern as cassette players as standard equipment for auto sound systems.

I think those days will soon be forgotten, as cassettes are no longer even in mainstream production. You should also find that as CDs are rapidly becoming replaced by MP3s that take up very little space in our cars and homes, one day very soon we may see that music companies have decided it is no longer cost effective to produce CDs and render all music to digital formats. So, what does this mean for auto sound systems? Its actually good news for savvy manufacturers are well as savvy consumers who have their eyes on the future and the growing role technology is playing in our lives and as well as our commute to work.

Weve seen a recent introduction of satellite radio to our selection of auto sound systems. These stations offer the allure of no commercial interruptions to your music play in exchange for the price of a monthly subscription. At the moment there are two major companies that offer this service to consumers and each have rather proprietary equipment for their use and installation into your car. They are actually offering some rather tempting offers in order to encourage subscribers. Among those wonderful offers are auto sound systems for your vehicle at less than $100 with a prepaid year of subscription services.

For the satellite radio companies this indicates a constantly growing pool of prospective subscribers and the cost of the equipment is a drop in the bucket when compared to customer loyalty and being on the cutting edge of sound technology. The drawback is that you must decide which service you wish to go with before making the purchase. Also while they offer a very nice auto sound system (bare bones kind of kit that only allows for the radio reception in most cases) at a very sweet price, if you want upgrades such as MP3 compatibility, CD players, CD changers, DVD players, GPS, or any number of other new and advanced technology you will still have to purchase those for your sound system at an upgraded price. There are a few packages that come with these things, but the price is a little on the hefty side. Oh the sacrifices we will make for a more enjoyable daily commute.

Know what your expectations are before you decide to purchase the auto sound system of your dream or you could find that it is more the stuff that nightmares are made of than sweet dreams. Do not live in constant fear that if you buy today you will find something you like better 6 months from now, that is a reality. Technology is growing and evolving at a frightening pace. Find the auto sound system that you like best today and make that your purchase. This is a much better option than waiting around indefinitely and purchasing one just as your warranty expires on your car and its time for a trade in and another auto sound system.

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Simple 22W Amplifier for 12V Power Supply Systems

This is a 22-W Amplifier circuit that is designed for or 12-V DC power supply Systems. There are many application for  this circuit,  such as in car audio  application. In car electrical  power supply system, the 12V power supply will be provided by the host vehicle’s battery. 

The capacitor C3 is used to give ripple rejection, since noisy power supply voltage is common in automotive electrical system. The power supply noise signal on car power supply is decoupled by the capacitors C2 and C1.  Smaller capacitor C2 is needed to decouple the high frequency noise, since the larger cap (C1) usually has high equivalent series inductance that prevent the high frequency noise  (such as glitch or spike) to be bypassed. 

The capacitors C5 couple the incoming audio signal to IC1 while decoupling static DC offset. For better bass response, this circuit prevent rolling off of the low audio frequencies by choosing a relatively large capacitance for small signal, 10μF capacitors. Here is the schematic diagram of the  circuit.

 22W Amplifier for 12V Power Supply Systems Circuit Diagram

This circuit prevent power supply pop noise by muting the amplifier at the power-up. The mute input (pin 14) is fed by capacitor C6 and Resistor R1, giving delay on power-up which prevent  turn-on pop. This  R/C time constant gives about 1.4s delay to keep the output muted,  enough to make sure the amplifier reach the stable state after powered up.  

About how this muting works, the amplifier will be ON if pin 14 has at least 8.5 V. The chip will remain in muted condition if the voltage at this pin is below 3.3V.  This input pin need very low current consumption, only about 100 pA for standby (muted)  and around 40 pA when active. The R1 values must be no larger than 100,000  Ω. The R1/C6 constant should be on the second order. If time constant is too short, the turn-on pop will still be heard, but too long  time constant will give unpleasant delay.

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Ebay has Surprising Bargains on Auto Sound Systems

Articles - Anyone that is familiar with Ebay knows that it is a literal one stop shop when it comes to hundreds of thousands of unique and common new and used items. It should then, come as no shock that Ebay is also a great place to find excellent bargains when it comes to auto sound systems. Yes, you heard that correctly. While you cant exactly test out your tunes over an Internet connection you can generally check out the exact same brands youll find at Ebay in your local automotive stereo and entertainment dealerships. The difference is that you can generally get your hands on the merchandise from Ebay at a fraction of the cost you would pay retail.

Many people often find better deals when going through Ebay than they would even be able to find at many retailers online. I am constantly amazed at the wonderful bargains that can be found on Ebay not only when it comes to auto sound systems but full entertainment packages for your vehicle. Not only can you find great bargains on sound systems for your vehicle you also can find some thrifty deals on amplifiers, subwoofers, speakers, speaker systems, and tools, tips, and tricks when it comes to installation.

While there is the fact that you cant hear the system for yourself if you purchase it on Ebay that can be easily overlooked by going to local retail stores in search of the same system. That should give you a very real indication of what the system you are considering on Ebay will sound like. You should look at local stores and online before making the bid on Ebay in order to compare prices and bid with confidence that you are in fact getting a bargain. Also be sure you pay attention to shipping and handling fees that might be involved in your package delivery. Ive found that with a select few Ebay retailers, they kill you on the handling expenses.

Another drawback with Ebay is the lack of customer service after the sale. Be sure to pay close attention to the ad details concerning customer satisfaction and recourse should something go wrong with your package. You should also be sure that you always purchase the insurance on your package should you win the bid. Even at discounted priced, auto sound systems are a pretty hefty investment and you should take care that you protect that investment.

The only serious drawback I have found to buying from Ebay when it comes to auto sound systems is the fact that you have to have your system installed. Installation simply doesnt come with these car stereos and not all installers are willing to do the installation if you didnt purchase the product from them. Installing an auto sound system isnt the simplest of tasks and you need to have a plan in place to get the system in your car before you commit to the purchase.

Whether you have serious plans to purchase an auto sound system in the near future or you are simply entertaining the notion, it is definitely worth checking out the wonderful options that Ebay has for your automotive listening pleasure. We live in a world where every penny seems to count, see how many you can save by shopping Ebay.s

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