Does the idea of cruising with a changer full of your home-recorded CD-R's and CD-RW's appeal to you? What if we talked about ten hours of great tunes as mp3 files on a single cd? You can drive for days on end without hearing the same song twice -- just load a changer with mp3 discs.

This must be said: fumbling around for a misplaced CD while driving has caused a few accidents. CD and mp3 changers make it easier for you to stay focused on driving (no distraction of changing discs) without losing a moment of music. They have user-friendly controls that make it easy for you to navigate through tracks with your eyes on the road.

You can keep your discs safer and well-arranged in a changer. This also reduces the likelihood of misplacing any of them. Since they install in concealed spaces like the boot, under a seat, etc, they are less likely to attract thieves.

These prove that cd/mp3 changers are great for your car. However, it will be a lot more if you considered a few things.

Is it an original factory-installed radio you want to add a changer to? Then you'll have to ensure you go for a vehicle-specific package that includes an interface adapter. These allow you to connect an aftermarket CD changer to your factory radio with CD changer controls. They also give you the added advantage of using your radio's controls for the mp3/cd changer. And if your car has steering wheel radio controls, these will remain fully functional.

Are you adding a CD changer to an aftermarket radio, i.e. alpine, sony, etc? If, in your case, you have an aftermarket radio that has cd changer controls, you must get a changer of the same brand as your radio. This is something you must not forget: Your CD changer in this case must be of the same brand as your radio. Don't forget!

Are you adding a CD changer to a radio that doesn't have CD changer compatibility?

If you're driving a leased car or classic you may not want to change the factory radio for a new in-dash radio. Fortunately, that doesn't mean you have to give up the many advantages of a CD changer. With an FM add-on (or RF) changer package, you can get terrific-sounding results playing an add-on cd or mp3 changer through your existing FM radio. Furthermore, if your car has steering wheel radio controls, they'll remain intact.

Manaufcturers have really gone overboard with features -- Some can be confusing. However, here are some "must-haves"...

Shock protection: This means your CD/mp3 changer has the ability to read ahead and store a reasonable amount of music data. If a severe jolt causes a CD to skip, the changer plays from the stored reservoir until the data stream is re-established. This is a very useful feature for those of us who take our cars off-road.

CD-R/CD-RW compatibility: Make sure your changer can play these type of cds -- Not all can. You'll wonder why your pc plays a disc that you can't enjoy in your car if your changer does not have this feature.

Mp3 decoding: If you want to play those music files you downloaded from the internet, you'll need this feature. However, please, note that not all music files downloaded from the internet are mp3 files.

ID-3 tags: A changer's ability to read ID-3 tags means that it will give you track details like artiste's name, track title, track duration, and any other related information. This is especially useful if you're playing mp3 files as a single disc can hold up to ten hours worth of songs.

Zero-bit detector mute circuit: You'll like this if you like complete silence inbetween tracks. This feature shuts down the changer's output once there is no signal.

Wireless Remote: This feature may or may not be so important depending on the presence of other features in your audio setup. This is very useful if you do not have steering wheel controls or if they are not functional. You'll certainly find it a lot easier and safer to control your changer than otherwise.

Your car came with a factory installed audio system, right? They are great sounding, aren’t they? Wait until you see and hear an aftermarket setup.

There are several reasons why an aftermarket car audio system will beat factory installed systems any day.

Aftermarket car audio products...

*They give far superior performance.

*They give you wider options.

*They are made by companies that have a reputation in car audio .

*There are things that aren't possible otherwise in an audio setup if not as aftermarket options.

*You get to choose products that fit your individual taste.

*You get products that cost far less for comparable car dealer options.

*You get products that are made by specialized manufacturers.

*You get products that are far more reliable and functional

That's a sum of the advantages of aftermarket car audio systems over OE (Original equipment) products. To press home the points, let's use car CD changers and radios as examples...

Aftermarket CD Changers, when combined with a CD changer interface, provide a far superior but less expensive alternative to a car Dealer supplied CD changer. This is because you can pay, on average, $550 to $800 to your car dealer for a CD changer that hasn't exactly been built using the most reliable and performance-producing components. This is due mainly to the large profit margins that car dealers choose to work with.

Aftermarket CD changers are far more reliable, are more functional and give overall better performance. The most important advantage being that they ultimately produce better sound. Aftermarket CD changers also play CD-R and CD/RW burned discs whereas dealer supplied CD changers will, in most cases, play CD-R (however they don't guarantee this) but they will not play CD/RW discs.

Factory fitted radios (standard fit radios) in the past had relatively low power outputs of about 3 to 5 watts RMS. However the latest factory fitted radios have improved vastly with power outputs of up to 100 Watts. These figures represent 25 Watts, ‘peak’ power per channel x 4 (this basically means x 4 speakers). This actually translates to approximately 10 watts RMS x 4 channels, when used for any length of time (continuous).

Compare this to aftermarket radios (radios manufactured for retail sale), such as the best selling Alpine, Kenwood, Panasonic and Sony brands, where the basic models start at a power output of 45 Watts x 4.

Why is a higher power output better?

Extra power will produce a more refined sound. Your speakers are also better protected. This is because you can more easily damage your speakers by underpowering it.

Sounds odd? Here's why...

When you power your amp, it sends sine waves to your speakers. This is fine and is the case if your amp has the ability to easily pump out the power you expect from it. However, when you demand more volume from a relatively less powerful amplifier, you make it send square waves instead of sine waves. Speakers find these square waves very difficult to handle. The result...

Your speakers get toasted.

Adding an aftermarket radio would give you the benefit of having a removable security fascia to take with you when you leave the car. Incidentally, all new radios come with a robust case to store your removable fascia. If you add an aftermarket CD or CD/MP3 changer, there will be no visible signs of a changer having been added so the risk of theft will remain very low.

The advantages of aftermarket radios don't stop here. You will also experience improved FM reception, far better design and looks. Add to this the options to expand your system if you wish to integrate other equipment such as CD, MP3 or MD changers and amplifiers, etc. Top it up with the savings you make when buying add-on equipment and you will see the benefits increase dramatically.

The speaker is the most important link in the audio chain for the simple reason that the end result that every audio component aims for is to improve the listener's experience.

So which speaker is best for you? It depends on a number of factors...

... The level of setup you intend to have.

... Your willingness or otherwise to modify the spaces where your factory speakers fit.

... The amount of bucks you are willing to spend.

You can find other reasons. However, these will, or rather should help shape, your buying decision.

Once you've decided on these, the following will help you get the speakers that fit into your plans.

RMS: RMS stands for Root Mean Square, which is an accurate means of measuring and comparing the power of a speaker. If you already have an amplifier, make sure this value is not more than 3/4 of the amp's rating. Your speakers will love you for it.

Peak Power Handling: This represents what a speaker can handle in short bursts, that is, for few milliseconds. A speaker cannot handle power at this rating for sustained periods.

Efficiency (or sensitivity): The higher the efficiency the more the sound per input. Here's a rule you can follow...

If a speaker has an efficiency/sensitivity rating of 81Db, it means that it will produce 81Db of sound 39" or 1 meter from the speaker when there is an input of 1 watt. Each time the power input is doubled, there is an increase of 3Db in sound. So if the power handling of a speaker is 128 watts, it will have a maximum sound output of 102Db. You can do the maths if you're interested...

So if you have limited amplification, go for higher efficiency. If you've got lots of amp power, then you can go for less.

Round or oval speakers: Oval speakers have more area and so move more air thus producing more bass. This is important if space is a big issue for you. However, it must be noted that at higher sound levels, these oval speaker drivers are more likely to distort.

Are you in search of a good amplifier? Then I would suggest you check out the JL car audio 500/1 amplifier. This amplifier is very efficient and will give little, if any, reason to worry. Here is something more about this product.

It is a class D amplifier. What does this mean? It means that it belongs to the class of highly efficient amplifiers that are up to 90% power efficient. This is a great advantage as it means your battery will not be easily run down. It makes the most efficient use of power when compared to other amplifier classes. And for your car, this is an invaluable feature.

This amplifier features a 12 inch polymer-coated subwoofer and a 12 inch polymer-coated passive radiator. These two are responsible for providing ample bass.

It has a minimum frequency response of 5HZ and a maximum of 0.5kHZ. This means that it will reproduce sound frequencies within this points.

It has protection circuitry which means you are protected from blowouts and short circuits.

It has an SN/R (Signal to noise ratio) of 95dB. This is the difference between the desired electronic signal and the background or self-noise of an audio system. The higher the SN/R, the better. So you can do a comparison with other amplifiers.

It has bass boost which means it can dramatically alter your bass levels to a preset value.

It has remote control. I guess this one doesn't need any explanation.

OUTPUT POWER... It has preamp outputs which means you can pass through another amp (For whatever reasons you'll want to do that -- perhaps for a show or something or for some huge setup).

It has a peak power rating of 500 x 1. However, its power at 2 ohms is 250 watts x 1. An ohm is a unit electrical impedance. In simple terms it means that at 2 ohms, this amp can exert a maximum of 250 watts (that's a lot for a car amp!).

It is tri-mode capable. This means that it supports an advanced method of connecting 2 amplifiers to one audio system.

It has a built-in crossover. This is an internal filter arrangement that breaks up a music signal into different frequency bands that can be sent to different speakers.

Now let's score this amplifier...

Pros of JL car audio amplifier

* It is extremely powerful.

* It has an amazing bass boost and has more than 500 watts of power.

* This amplifier has appealing looks.

* Easy to use and install

Cons of JL car audio amplifier

* Requires careful tuning.

* A bit expensive

I rate this amplifier highly. This amplifier is totally durable and user-friendly. This amplifier is very sleek and gives high-level performance.

Equalizers are signal processors that help you in finalizing your audio setup. Equalizers are used to fine tune a sytem's sound not to fix major setup mistakes. It is something you should set once to help you overcome acoustic problems in your car. Avoid the funny habit of adjusting the equalizer after each tune.

But that's another issue. Let's get an understanding of equalizers so you will be in a position to make more informed choices. After all, there won't be any equalizer to tweak endlessly if you don't have one.

There are graphic equalizers and parametric equalizers. A graphic equalizer has fixed frequencies that you can fine tune. But a parametric equalizer has adjustable frequencies. You dial in on the frequency you want to fine tune and then start fine-tuning.

If you're not experienced in audio processing, you're better off with a graphic equalizer. This is because it already has pre-Fixed frequencies (and this frequencies are usually the most important given the number of bands it has). This makes it a lot easier for you to start the fine-tuning process.

The parametric EQ gives a lot more control but is also a lot nore complicated.

There are also mono and stereo equalizers...

A stereo equalizer has two inputs and two outputs while a mono equalizer has just one input and one output.

This means that a stereo equalizer can be used for both channels of your audio setup. But this point has to be stressed...

You cannot set different controls for each of the channels if you're using a stereo equalizer. You can do that, though, with mono equalizers. However, you'll need two.

A mono equalizer (If you use two in your setup) also gives you a lot of room to compensate for a few things like delays and certain problems caused by poor speaker placement.

It is quite more expensive buying two mono EQs. So this is not an option for the fiscally challenged. The setup process is also more involving. If you're less technically inclined, you may as well go for the less complicated stereo equalizer. At least, you know what you shouldn't expect.

Lastly, there is the issue of whether you should go for a high level or low level output equalizer. I'm not going into how these work here. What I'll say, however, is that low level output equalizers are far better but are also a lot more expensive.

People often prefer Alpine car audio amplifiers. This is because Alpine car audio amplifiers have that unique blend of high quality performance and attractive looks.

This is why Alpine amplifiers have caught the attention of users all over the world. The Alpine MRD-M1005 is a great model in every sense. It gives us subsonic rumble fans everything we want and probably even more.

Why the Alpine MRD-M1005 Rumbles Without Getting Toasted

The MRD-M1005 is a masterpiece creation by Alpine. A brief of the Alpine MRD-M1005 is as follows:

• The Alpine MRD-M 1005 is considered to be a mono sub woofer amplifier. It is made for rumbling -- Not an adaptation.

• This amplifier generates immense power without heating up. This is because it has an internal fan with variable-speed cooling capacity. You won't be embarrassed with an overheated amp just when your friends are beginning to get jealous.

• Another major feature of the Alpine MRD-M 1005 is the pre-amplifier output.

• The Alpine MRD-M 1005 has a bass engine that incorporates a low-pass filter, selectable subsonic filter and a Bass EQ. You can tweak your bass for booming, thundering, thumping -- vibrations however you like it.

• The Alpine MRD-M1005 amplifier delivers enormous power in the range of 700 to 1000 watts depending on the impedance. It registers an unbelievable 1800 watts peak power. That's huge!

• It has a fuse rating of 20A x 4.

• The Alpine MRD-M 1005 needs four-gauge power leads as well as ground leads.

• It has a top-mounted digital control center coupled with the cover.

This monster of an amp has advanced features that make system adjustment a snap. And since it is a class D amplifier, you know it sends most of its power to your subs -- no power wasting. It is power efficient!

There are head units that claim to pump out lots of power. In reality, however, head units can never power up your car audio system as well as a dedicated amplifier.

Don't take my word for it. Plug an amplifier between your head unit and speakers. Let's see how wide your eyes roll in pleasant surprise.

Convinced? But how do you know which amplifier is best for you? That's what this article will attempt to accomplish.

Here are a few things that I consider paramount when shopping for an amplifier...

Your personal requirements

What do you want to achieve? Are just trying to improve your factory setup (the audio system that came with your ride)? Do you want to alter the original setup dramatically? Are you going to change everything totally? Are you going to add a pair of subs or many more? Are you going to use component speakers or something else? The questions can go on almost indefinitely.

Now you get the picture? Your requirements will differ depending on what you are after.

Still related to your personal requirements are features that matter most to you. For example, would you prefer an in-built crossover? A crossover will ensure your speakers perform better as it will split a music signal into several frequency ranges. These ranges are then sent to the most appropriate speakers.

How much power do you need? How much power is adequate?

The general rule is to ensure that the amplifier's power rating is, at least, 1 1/2 times the RMS power rating of the speaker it is expected to power.

It is generally better to use an amp that slightly overpowers a speaker than an amp that underpowers it. This is because if for any reason you decide to crank the volume, the amp may start sending square waves (instead of sine waves) to the speakers. Speakers have problems handling these square waves and usually get toasted for that reason.

A good car audio system with an inferior amplifier spoils the fun completely. You just do not get the true feel of your favorite tunes without a good amplifier. Alpine solves this problem by manufacturing top of the line amplifiers.

Alpine amplifiers have the trademark superior sound quality and of course cool looks. The Alpine MRV-F540 is a good example to analyze the positive aspects of Alpine.

Up and Close with Alpine's MRV-F540...

The features of the MRV-F540 are good enough to tempt anyone to buy it right away. The model has the following features...

• The Alpine MRV-F540 has an impressive power capacity of 320watts. However, the peak power capacity is as high as 700 watts.

• The Alpine MRV-F540 comes under the multi-channel class of amplifiers.

• The amplifier has a low frequency of 20 Hz and a high frequency of 20000 Hz.

• The frequency response of the Alpine MRV-F540 ranges between 10-50kHz.

• This has exclusive extra-large gold plated terminals. It comes along with wire insert capability.

• The Alpine MRV-F540 is equipped with top panel power LED.

• It is available along with a 4 volt input capability.

• It also consists of Star Topology as well as DC Straight.

Most users have a very positive attitude to all Alpine products, including amplifiers. The case is no different for the Alpine MRV-F540.

A tremendous response has been registered for the Alpine MRV-F540 due to one special reason: The model consists of the internal variable input switch to the 5th Channel - Full crossover flexibility & reasonable power.