1-888-955-6000
Learn: Home » Current Affairs
Big amps and big speakers alone may not produce the awesome sound system you seek.
Some car owners pack their car with audio components only to end up disappointed. Why? They never stop to consider the vehicle's electrical charging system. As a result they get a sound system that produces more distortion than music. They also run the risk of damaging their components and draining their car battery. That's a bummer.
 This 750-watt Rockford Fosgate 1501 bd Mono Subwoofer amplifier draws approximately 90 amperes of current, a significant burden for your vehicle, considering the average stock alternator produces around 60 amperes of current. |
New amps and speakers, especially the big powerful ones, may require more electrical current than your car's electrical system can produce. If you add monster amps rated at hundreds of watts of power, your car must be able to produce enough "juice" to drive them, or you risk damaging your system.
Electronics experts often refer to Ohm's Law when explaining vehicle-charging systems. To paraphrase Ohm's Law, as voltage decreases, current decreases. A lack of voltage to an amplifier creates heat as the amp begins to work harder to supply the power (current) demand. Heat, it should be noted, is the mortal enemy of electronic components. An inadequate charging system won't supply the voltage needed for big amps and woofers. Therefore, the electrical current decreases — and heat increases. As a result, you get a lot of distortion or component damage caused by excessive heat.
Understanding automotive electrical systems can be awfully confusing; even technicians may have trouble explaining some aspects of it. Fortunately you don't need a degree in electrical engineering to learn some important basics about auto electronics.
Bass basics
Most modern music is bass-heavy. Rap, hip-hop, and metal music all rely on lots of hard-hitting, low bass. If that's your type of jam, then you'll probably want to add a big ol' subwoofer, or maybe several subs, to your car audio system.
Before you buy a whopping subwoofer, you first must consider your car's electrical system. That new sub will need an amplifier to power it, and the amp needs electrical current from your car to create that power. If you want your sub to perform to its potential, you'll need an amplifier with a similar RMS power rating (along with a well-designed subwoofer enclosure). If you choose an amp that doesn't provide enough power for the sub, then the subwoofer will underperform and likely create distortion.
