We’ve all been in traffic and heard the car with the bad sound system, the vibrations it sends out and loud, incoherent sounds coming from the vehicle make you wonder if upgrading your own cars audio system is even worth it. Most likely that car wasn’t sure what their car needed, they just decided louder must be better. This is, unfortunately, fairly common when it comes to custom audio, but fear not, with the information below you’ll gain a better understanding of how to create a custom audio set up for your vehicle that sounds great without making rush hour even more unpleasant.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what you’d like from a custom audio set up. Not everyone is looking for loud music, and you shouldn’t. Any car audio can make your music louder, but you need to make sure it sounds good too. When you’re driving with your current setup, think about what you wish you had. Does the music come across as flat, or does your favorite song sound much different in your car than it does at your home or when using headphones? Perhaps you’d also like an easy way to connect your smartphone to your car, and some people even need a better system because they’d like their car stereo to double as a speakerphone. As we move ahead with technology, our cars become almost a second office to some, so take your current and future needs into consideration, since a stereo these days isn’t always just for music.

Once you have a better understanding of how you’d like to use your car’s audio system, it’s time to start looking at how to improve it. The first thing you need to do is replace the factory audio system you currently have, especially if your car is a few years old. Full range speakers are a great economical replacement for factory speakers, and should be made of lightweight materials. For better overall sound, component speakers are made of separate parts unlike full range speakers which are mounted together. Component speakers also give you the ability to tweak each part to make sure your music comes through crisp and clear. Tweeters can be added to the door frame as well, and can be pivoted upwards, giving you a different listening experience.

To add to your custom car audio, subwoofers can really amp up your favorite album. Keep in mind subwoofers work great for some music genres, and aren’t really needed for others. So if you enjoy hip-hop or heavy rock music, a subwoofer is right up your alley. Subwoofers do command more power though, so make sure your battery is up to the task. If you like softer melodies, an amplifier will increase the volume of your system, but won’t change how your music sounds.

There are hundreds of new ways to upgrade your car’s audio system, but knowing the basics is key to making sure you don’t overwhelm you and your vehicle with components you just don’t need. You may want to consult with a professional audio specialist, but make sure they listen to your needs carefully and refer back to your vehicle and what it’s capable of often. Find the best car audio system that works for you, and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying rush hour just a little bit more.