The Four Main Differences
Aftermarket car stereos are simply better than stock. This is something that we accept as true in the car audio world; however, most consumers don’t know the exactitudes of what makes aftermarket superior over the equipment that originally came with their vehicle.
Is it the sound?
Is it the features?
Or does aftermarket simply look better?
The answer to all three is a resounding “yes.” To give you a quick overview of the advantages that aftermarket car stereos have over factory, here are the top four benefits you can look forward to when upgrading.
1. Improved Quality, Increased Power
This may come as a surprise to those who believe that all a car stereo does is control the music. In fact, car stereos do quite a bit more than allow you to switch tracks or channels. They are the primary source of your system’s overall power and precision. The better the stereo, the better your tracks are going to sound during playback. That doesn’t just apply to the quality, but to the power as well. Aftermarket car stereos traditionally provide far more wattage than stock, especially if they have a built-in amplifier.
2. A Wider Array of Features
The majority of stock stereos don’t provide you every bell and whistle on the market. With aftermarket car stereos it’s a different story. For instance, many modern aftermarket car stereos feature Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, allowing users to integrate their cell phones into their stereo. This means drivers can access their favorite apps on the stereo’s screen in addition to having access to their library of music and streaming options. Additionally, the majority of modern aftermarket car stereos feature an EQ setting, allowing drivers to customize the listening experience to their liking.
3. Easier and Safer to Use
Many stock stereos are a series of buttons and knobs, which isn’t exactly user-friendly when you’re trying to keep your eyes on the road. The expansive touchscreen of a modern aftermarket car stereo makes using them as easy as using a cell phone. You’ll find that it’s far easier to keep your eyes on the road.
4. Opens the Door for Other Upgrades
Although you can upgrade your speakers with a stock car stereo, we highly advise against it. That’s because a stock car stereo will not be able to provide sufficient power for your aftermarket speakers to perform the peak levels. However, with an aftermarket car stereo, you’ll finally open the door to being able to make other upgrades. You can build out your dream system using component speakers or you can simply add more bass using external subwoofers. What’s important here is that aftermarket stereos provide drivers with plenty of options.
Ready to Upgrade? Here’s the Next Step!
If you’re finally ready to pull the trigger on upgrading your car stereo, the first thing to do is find a shop that performs this service. The quickest way to locate shops in your area is by Google searching “car stereo installation near me.” This will give you the location of all the shops in your area along with their customer reviews.
Our recommendation is to prioritize quality over distance. Finding car stereo installation in San Diego is fairly easy since there are so many shops that do it. The trick is finding the shop that consistently performs good work, so pay attention to those star ratings. They’re a great indicator of the quality service you can expect.