Background and Identification

Car audio refers to the electrical systems and equipment which allow sound to be played over speakers within the vehicle. Before 1950, this system simply consisted of an AM radio. More modern systems usually consist of a head unit, which sits in the dash of the car and controls the media and levels being played; a CD or tape player, which plays the physical media of a compact disc or tape record; a stereo or amplifier, which facilitates the sound coming from the input source and electronically modifies the levels and quality of the signals before sending them to the speakers; and the speakers, which produce physical vibrations from an electrical signal to produce the sound. While these components all exist in home or business setups, some of them are specifically designed for vehicular use. For example, a car head unit shares much of the same functionality as a receiver, but is designed specifically to fit in a car’s dashboard unit. Likewise, the same speaker design is used in car speakers as for other applications, but the size and shape of the speakers often have to be specifically sized to fit in the various panels of a vehicle. In more recent years, navigation systems have also been integrated into vehicle’s stereo systems, with the navigation instructions being played directly over the speakers.

Additional Information

• Wikipedia - Vehicle Audio