What Does a Car Amplifier Do?

The car audio stereos have very little electric signal, producing less audible sounds. The amplifier converts this signal to a higher voltage and thereby amplifies the sound coming from the speakers.

The resultant sound is more powerful and has more clarity. This is why most people add an external amplifier to improve the quality of music played in their vehicle.

If people want to use some aftermarket speakers in the car, the sound system may not work as efficiently with those speakers without an amplifier. Similarly, for powerful bass, they need to connect subwoofers that need more power through amplifiers.

The Car Stereos Are Not Powerful Enough

Car manufacturers install the most basic designs of stereos in their cars, limiting the kinds of music you can listen to in the car while driving. The external amp improves the sound quality, but it also reduces the distortion and ambient sounds because it uses cutting-edge tools.

So, What Does a Car Amplifier Do?

The amplifier receives the audio signals through to the cables for connections and then boosts the signal and delivers it to the speaker terminals. Thus, we can say that whether the amplifier is being used at home or in a car, its main function is to provide power and strength to the weak audio signals.

The amplifier and its model decide the sound, volume, and quality that you can hear through the speakers.

The Reasons Why Car Audio Amplifiers Are Useful

As mentioned here, an amplifier is no longer an optional accessory for the car. It plays a vital role in your car music system

  • The first factor is whether the stereo unit has any output amplifier. The output will override the lower watt amplifier already in the system, improve the sound quality, and send it to the external amplifier. If the unit does not have any output amplifier, you need an external car amplifier that will have speakers attached to it. You can use a line-level converter which will convert the sound. The distortion may increase with either of the methods,, and you must buy a new head unit.
  • With a good amplifier in your car, you get to listen to good quality music and control the volume. The distortion will be reduced or eliminated with a good amplifier. You need an amplifier if the existing sound system does not allow you to enjoy music without any distortion.
  • An amplifier is also needed to power the subwoofers. The pre-installed stereo systems do not have adequate connections for subwoofers and the external amplifier. We’ll help you get the full advantage of all the speakers and subwoofers you install in the car.
  • The car audio system can support only a few speakers. If you want to create a fantastic surround system inside the car and like to play different kinds of music with deep bass or treble, you need a new head unit and a new amplifier model. These can be connected to multiple speakers and provide multiple options for music output. 
  • People usually buy a head unit and an amplifier together. But it is advisable to install a head unit before looking at the compatible car amps. Some head units have pre-installed powerful amplifiers, but they are very expensive, so people choose to buy these two things separately. The most common choice is to buy a head unit with multiple outputs or an amplifier.

Amplifier Features

The amplifier needs channels for the different speakers that it is going to support. 

Its configuration may include from 1 to 6 or more channels compatible with different types of speakers. You can use more than one amplifier in one car as each speaker needs one channel. 

For example, you can use one amplifier for the subwoofer and another amplifier for the four smaller speakers on the doors. 

The amplifiers have different types of configured filters and are suitable for powering the subwoofer or tweeters accordingly. The amplifier, therefore, must be connected to the right speakers so that the filters and the bass boost work most efficiently. 

Why Is Power Is Essential For In-Car Audio Amplifiers?

The significance of an amplifier is due to the power it provides to the audio system. The reason for an amplifier being installed is to improve the signal strength of the car stereo system. Hence, the key value that you must look at is the RMS.

The power of the amplifier is the wattage that is being sent to the speakers, and this RMS of the amp should match the speakers’ capabilities. Speakers can usually manage an RMS of 75 to 150 percent of the power.  

Crossovers in Amplifiers

Crossovers in amplifiers help to control the sound sent to different speakers. Today’s crossovers are very sophisticated and can be adjusted easily.

They also protect speakers and provide better clarity by filtering out the sounds not made for the speaker.

For example, the right sounds will be sent to the subwoofers to get great bass. The crossovers also prevent the heavy sounds from reaching the tweeters and allow you to listen to treble and softer melodies.

Amplifier gain

Most cars and their studios do not have any standard voltage for output. Therefore, the amplifier needs a gain adjustment to control the output levels. 

The car stereo signals must match with output and volume. The lower game will also reduce the hissing sounds in the audio system.

Car amplifier classes

The class A amplifiers are the oldest models. Class A or B were popular due to their reasonable prices. We have class D, which uses the latest technology and is almost 85% efficient. 

Conclusion

Car amplifiers are very helpful in improving the quality of the sound and reducing distortion. Good sound quality at higher volumes or even through the tweeters is not possible using the inbuilt car stereos. Amplifiers are essential in some cases as the input car stereo systems do not produce more than 18 watts of power per channel.

We all need a system that can power more speakers and has more channels with adequate filters to provide good bass and treble through the subwoofer and tweeters. Using an amplifier will expand the music you can listen to in your car and easily change it according to your mood. 

Liam Dare

As CEO of ReplicarClub.com, my passion for the automotive world motivates me to build online businesses that provide information and entertainment to users. I am proud to contribute in a positive way to the automotive community.