Car Audio in Minneapolis
A car stereo is a product category whose owners always seem to be in need of upgrading. By the time you’ve selected and installed your new system, there is already a better amplifier, a more efficient subwoofer, or a head unit with more advanced features available. While some vehicle owners are quite satisfied with the stock factory stereo that came installed at the point of purchase, for others it’s a hobby in need of perpetual amendment and improvement. And there is certainly no lack of upgrades, as new and exciting products hit the store shelves with predictable regularity.
Basic Upgrades
While original-equipment car audio has advanced lightyears from what our stereos in the ‘80s used to be, there is still much improvement that is made possible with high-quality aftermarket equipment. Even a new head unit, basic amplifier, and good quality car speakers can redefine music reproduction. A simple upgrade with a modest cost can deliver some fairly amazing results.
Better Upgrades
For those who have already taken the plunge into aftermarket car audio, one constant we are all aware of is that there’s always room for better and more. Upgrading amplifiers, getting better speakers, adding a subwoofer or two, experimenting with parametric equalization—this is where the audio hobbyist can be seen in his or her natural environment.
Ultimate Upgrades
Finally, there are those of us who dabble in our own little niches—that of the audio purist. For us, the words “good enough” don’t exist, and the word “custom” is an invitation to play. When subwoofer enclosures are hand-crafted of fiberglass, a dedicated deep-cycle battery is allocated just for your power amps, and there is no longer a back seat in your vehicle, you know you’ve graduated to this level.
Admittedly, this can become an expensive hobby. Great car audio gear can be costly, and for those who dabble in the finer performance equipment, it can consume a fair amount of finances. Owners will try to recoup some of their initial investments by liquidating existing components and then purchasing the newer ones. It may be as simple as replacing their head unit with one that offers Bluetooth connectivity for their phone, or something more elaborate such as getting a bigger subwoofer, amplifier, and specialized crossover for their new SUV.
Whatever the case, those upgraded components provide great opportunities to upgrade for others or for those who are starting out from scratch. At Metro Pawn & Gun, our mobile electronics selection includes all of the components you could ever need, whether you are building a custom system or just need to update that factory stereo for a bit better performance:
Head Unit
The automotive head unit provides a unified control interface for all the hardware components that comprise your mobile entertainment system. These may be a simple as an in-dash AM/FM CD player or sophisticated enough to include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, dash cams, high-definition video, security, and much more.
Amplifier
Ever since the invention of the triode vacuum tube in 1907, amplification has evolved into solid state and digital architectures, and taken many forms from home entertainment to commercial venues to the car stereos of today. An automotive amplifier performs the same function as any other amplifier, but allows for much higher fidelity than what is typically offered in OEM (original equipment manufacturer) vehicle audio systems. These amplifiers may be tasked with operating full-range speakers, range-specific separate drivers, or subwoofers.
Speakers
A loudspeaker translates electrical signals into music by causing the speaker diaphragm and voice coil assembly to move back and forth, pushing on air to generate sound waves. Identical in function to other dynamic drivers, car speakers can be tailored to the acoustic environment of the vehicle in which they will operate by incorporating specific design properties and installation techniques.
Subwoofer
Subs are loudspeakers designed to specifically reproduce low frequencies, known as bass and sub-bass. They are particularly useful in car audio as they augment the performance of other low-frequency woofer elements, which are typically limited in their bass output due to the inherently smaller size of the car speakers they are a part of.
Enclosures
Unlike an infinite-baffle configuration in which loudspeakers operate without a specific amount of back-pressure to the driver, enclosures can be used to tune speakers to very precise tolerances, improving the accuracy of their performance. Enclosures range in style from a simple box to complex computer-design cabinets that utilize composite materials, internal baffles, horns, ports and acoustic insulation.
Accessories
Automotive entertainment accessories may include audio cables, power distribution components, external video monitors, equalizers, remotes, dedicated power capacitors, and other custom apparatus.
Your Car Audio Headquarters
When people upgrade their systems to something newer, where does most of this equipment end up? Perhaps it makes its way to their friends system, eBay, or quite often, Metro Pawn & Gun. We see car stereo equipment come into our shop that has barely even been broken in, which is a great thing if you’re looking to upgrade your own system, as well. So why pay full price when you can purchase great equipment at a significant savings? You may not have the need for a Bluetooth connection in your system, so that recently upgraded, perfectly functional deck might be exactly what you need—and for a lot less than it would cost to buy brand new,as well.
If car audio is your passion, we invite you to stop in and see what we have to offer. We pawn, buy and sell quality equipment, and our knowledgeable staff can help you with all of your automotive entertainment needs. Give us a call, stop on by or send us a message to see what we have in stock for car stereos today!