Enjoying music in your car can turn your humdrum commute into a fabulous operatic experience – that is, if you have a decent car stereo system. There’s a lot more involved with automobile acoustics than simply plugging in a couple of speakers and a cd player. As a matter of fact, it won’t matter what kind of car audio equipment you use if the music files themselves are of poor quality. Let’s explore these tips from OEM Audio Plus.
How Good Are Your Audio Files?
The first consideration when purchasing music is determining the quality of the track itself. As the popularity of downloading music online has become the standard, the music industry has deliberately advanced in the gear being used to produce the tracks. Artists are actively seeking out music producers and engineers that possess the advanced skills needed to deliver the highest quality sound to bring their music to life. Large studio recordings are still relevant however, the availability of quality equipment has given indie engineers the ability to bring a new perspective to music today.
Not long ago, if you wanted multiple music options in your vehicle, you needed to lug around a bunch of CDs everywhere you went. Now, however, most vehicles come equipped with a jack that lets you plug your smartphone or MP3 player directly into your stereo and use that to hold your music. Unfortunately, what you gain in convenience and musical variety, you lose in overall sound quality. The reason you can fit a ton of music on your phone is the MP3 files are compressed to make them smaller. The problem is that the more you compress a music file, the lower your sound quality becomes.
How Do You Fix This?
If you buy music online, look for files with larger bit rates. Our recommendation is to always opt for high-resolution recordings that are engineered for the ultimate sound experience. As the consumer demand has escalated, streaming services that cater to audiophiles and music lovers have emerged to satisfy the need. We encourage you to browse the following services to experience the sound the way the artist originally intended it to be heard. A few of our favorites are HDtracks, Super HiRez, and Qobuz. You truly cannot go wrong with these services. With the skill and quality that the industry is pushing out, this allows you to experience what the artist wants you to hear.
If you rip songs from albums you already own, don’t go lower than a bit rate of 320kbps. Also, rip the file from the CD and save it as a WAV file instead of an MP3. WAV files are larger than MP3s, but they allow for better sound quality. Following this tip will ensure the track is transferred at it’s highest quality.
It may take a little trial-and-error before you figure out which bit rate makes Post Malone or Usher sound best, but it will be worth it end.
The ultimate solution, of course, is investing in the highest quality sound system that allows the playback of these high-resolution tracks to become an experience versus just listening to music.
OEM Audio Plus
If you drive a Toyota, Subaru, or Scion, and you want an audio system specifically engineered to sound best in your car, look no further.If you drive a Toyota, Subaru, or Scion, and you want an audio system specifically engineered to sound best in your car, look no further. OEM Audio Plus specializes in the design and manufacture of OEM-grade, vehicle-specific sound systems. Acoustic engineers on our staff have spent thousands of hours studying and measuring in-vehicle acoustics, which provided the data necessary for us to create extremely high-quality audio solutions.