Upgrade Your Car with the Latest Audio and Security Technology Heres How

Decades ago, it took about $40 in parts, on top of the cost of a new car radio, to give yourself improved sound quality and more features. A simple wire harness adapter would let a single-DIN radio connect right to the factory radio harness behind your dash. Add an antenna adapter and you were likely on your way.

Fast-forward to the 2020s and modern infotainment systems often include climate controls, backup camera displays and vehicle information like tire pressure. Let’s take a detailed look at how things have changed when it comes to upgrading the radio in cars and trucks.

We’ve chosen the Jeep Grand Cherokee as the platform for our example. Why? Because we know what’s required to upgrade both classic and late-model versions of this vehicle.

Questions To Ask Your Car Audio Technician

We’ll start by talking about a 1998 model year Grand Cherokee, also known as the ZJ Chassis code models. These sport utility vehicles came with one of Chrysler’s infamous DIN-and-a-half radios. If you bought a premium model, you might have had a CD player and a cassette player along with three bands of equalization.

If you wanted to upgrade the vehicle with a new single-DIN CD receiver or one of the rare-at-the-time flip-out multimedia receivers, all your installer would need was a mounting adapter plate and a wire harness adapter.

A simple plastic adapter plate like this PAC CRB630 would allow your installer to replace the Chrysler radio with a single-DIN radio of your choice.

What Is The Best Way I Can Upgrade My Sound System In My Car?

The wire harness adapter like this BHA1817 allowed your installer to plug the power and speaker connections right into the Grand Cherokee’s factory wiring.

Let’s jump over the second-generation Grand Cherokee and look at the popular WK platform covering 2005 through 2010. Chrysler was still rocking versions of their DIN-and-a-half radios in most models. Some models had a touchscreen navigation radio after 2008 that could be swapped out for almost any aftermarket double-DIN multimedia receiver. By the way, the REC version of the navigation radio used a DVD to store map data. Can you imagine how long that would take to plot a route somewhere? Premium models included a Boston Acoustics-branded system that didn’t sound too bad for the time.

If you wanted to upgrade this radio to a double-DIN, you had to have the oversized dash trim piece, a mounting adapter plate, a digital radio replacement interface to communicate with the data network in the vehicle and an antenna adapter. You would probably also want a steering wheel control interface to use the volume and track selection buttons on the back of the steering wheel with your new radio.

Upgrade Your Ride With The Best Sound System For Car From My Audio And Security

The PAC Control Pro SWI-CP5 interface converts commands from the buttons on the steering wheel to messages that an aftermarket radio can understand.

You will likely need to spend over $300 on parts and accessories on top of the cost of a new multimedia receiver to upgrade the radio in one of these Grand Cherokees. With that said, if your Jeep didn’t come with navigation or you wanted to play digital audio files from an iPod or USB stick, the investment was worth every penny!2015 Grand Cherokee Radio Upgrades

OK, let’s look at something modern and just about current. The WK platform Jeep Grand Cherokee was built between 2015 and 2021. Like most other car companies, Chrysler finally gave up on the stand-alone radio and went to a large display and hide-away module. If you have a 2015 or 2016 Grand Cherokee, you likely don’t have Apple CarPlay, and you’ll want to upgrade it. The problem is that the climate controls are integrated into the big touchscreen in the center of the dash. Fear not; the aftermarket audio industry is here to help! PAC has a dedicated dash kit, wiring, interface and climate control upgrade solution called the RPK4-CH4103. This kit allows you to install any double-DIN radio to get the entertainment and productivity features you want. It even works with the factory backup camera.

Car Audio Archives

PAC integrated a small display into the RPK4-CH4103 kit to let you make adjustments to the climate controls and various other systems in the Grand Cherokee.

If you read the caption on the above image carefully, you’ll notice that we said “almost everything.” Yeah, it’s not over yet. If you’re connecting a new radio to the factory-installed amp and speakers, you should be good to go. Suppose you’re upgrading the system with new speakers or a subwoofer. In that case, your installer might need to deal with the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system built into the factory amplifier. Thankfully, PAC has a cable to disable that called the ANC-CH01.

Plan on at least $500 in parts to get a new multimedia radio into a 2015 through 2021 Grand Cherokee.Premium Aftermarket Radio Integration

Model 3 Sr Premium Audio Upgrade

Before you get the idea that it’s just the Grand Cherokee that gets this fancy, let me assure you that there are dozens of similar solutions for other makes and models of cars and trucks. The 2015 through 2019 Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks, 2003 through 2007 Honda Accords, 2010 through 2012 Cadillac SRX, 2016 through 2021 Honda Civics, 2011 through 2014 Dodge Chargers, 2011 through 2019 Ford Fiestas and 2010 and newer Mustangs all require some sort of climate control solution when you want to upgrade the radio.

We didn’t even scratch the surface on vehicles that use MOST, A2B, AVB, SPDIF, TOSLINK or data-bus controlled amplifiers. Thankfully, a local specialty mobile enhancement retailer will have access to all the components needed to let you pick nearly any radio you want for these applications. Drop by a store today and see what new radios are available to upgrade your vehicle’s technology and entertainment options.

1sixty8 media is a content marketing, website development, and business solutions provider specializing in the mobile enhancement industry. The 1sixty8 media team includes many household names in the industry, from store owners and industry writers to award-winning installers and fabricators. To learn more about 1sixty8 media, visit www.1sixty8.com.The rising prices and uncertain economy mean that people are not exactly lining up to spend money on new vehicles but are instead focusing on maintaining their current cars so that they remain reliable and functional for the foreseeable future.

Car Audio Upgrade Reasons: Better Sound, Connectivity & More

However, not wanting to buy a new car does not mean that you should not try and upgrade your present one. One of the ways to increase your car’s attraction and functionality is to upgrade its sound system.

Now, a lot of people think that improving a car’s sound system involves a lot of money. If you are one of those people, this article, where we list down several cost-effective ways to bolster your car’s sound system, might help change your thoughts.

There are a few things better in life than to speed your vehicle into the sunset with your favorite songs blasting in your ears.

Modernize Your Car's Audio System With A New Head Unit

Unfortunately, the default speakers in most cars are not powerful enough to give you the crisp, clear, and loud sound that you desire. However, there are plenty of reasonably priced aftermarket speakers that you can purchase to improve the sound quality.

Sometimes, even with decent speakers, you might find that the sound from your vehicle speakers is unclear or muffled – it is possible that the radio settings are to be blamed. However, this can be easily sorted, as almost all contemporary speakers come with digital equalizers that allow you to adjust aspects like bass, treble, and fade.

The optimal radio settings will depend upon the kind of music that you prefer. For example, rock music fans would probably want a higher treble setting and a lower bass, while hip-hop music will require bass and treble to be equally high. You will want to use a distortion detector or an o-scope to identify the perfect tuning, as it is crucial to keep the settings according to the output voltage of your radio – else, you might not get the clean power you are after.

Turn It Up: 8 Car Audio Features You Need In Your Vehicle

The head unit is located precisely at the center of your vehicle’s stereo and allows you to listen to clear music, receive calls, or use the radio. For this reason, it is vital to ensure that your car’s head-unit is always up to date.

Understand the type of head unit installed in your car, and then, occasionally, shop around to see if there is an upgraded version. However, you would want to make sure that the head unit is compatible with the auto and is aligned with your requirements.

Dynamats are placed inside car doors and help you ensure that the sounds being played inside remain inside, and any external sounds do not make their way into the vehicle. Just place the Dynamats between the car door’s sheet material and the various speakers, and you are all set.

Upgrading Your Car Stereo In The New Year

Again, your sound system modifications will largely depend upon the end result you are trying to achieve. For example, if you want increased clarity, an amplifier is your answer.

There are special amplifiers designed for vehicles, purported to provide a more accurate signal. In other words, vehicle amplifiers allow you to listen to your favorite music frequencies with far greater clarity. An audio sound pro might help

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