Getting the best sound in your car is a tough job, but it’s not as hard as installing a used engine or trying to re-align the alignment with no experience. In fact, getting the best possible tunes out of your car stereo is often a simple matter of making small but meaningful adjustments.

Put in a Good System, With Aftermarket Speakers

The first thing a dedicated audiophile needs to do is remove the cheap sound system that came with a car and put in something with more power and a smoother sound. A sound system is a lot like a tattoo; you get what you pay for. If you’re serious about good sound you don’t necessarily need the most expensive system out there, but do your homework and make sure that other users are pleased with the performance a given model has delivered.

Use Sound Deadening Material

Doors are, it turns out, terrible places to put speakers. All the noise from the road, the roaring of the engine, and the vibration can screw up the sound. Putting sound dampening material around a speaker can help shut out the outside world and let the music flow much more clearly. As with the speaker, don’t skimp on the material; if you buy cheap stuff, it won’t keep out as much white noise.

Add an Amplifier, and a Well Built Sub Box

Most car speakers that mean business have a subwoofer, but if the box isn’t keeping out air flow that can be a serious problem. Make sure that the sub has as close to an air tight box as possible, otherwise there can be interference that leeches out your sound quality. Additionally, don’t be afraid to add an amplifier into the mix. While it might not seem really necessary at first glance, there’s a huge difference between the sound one hears without an amp, and the sound one hears with an amp.

Don’t Let Your iPod Go From Digital to Analog

Most music lovers keep an iPod or similar device on hand to plug into their stereo. What you might not know is that there’s a digital-to-analog converter that changes the binary information into music signals. This isn’t really that much of an issue when you have headphones on, but it can leave the music in your car sounding off kilter and low quality. So use a USB plug if you can, and try to avoid this conversion process altogether. The end result will be a stronger, bolder sound with practically no additional cost or effort on your part.