Question:
I really want better sound in my car, but my friend told me that in order to do that I need to start with a different head unit. I really don’t want to do that because I like the way it looks and I don’t want to lose my OnStar, steering wheel controls, factory navigation, changer, and rear seat controls. I’m at my wits end what do I do?

Answer:
Relax and come to The Sound Connection. First your friend is partially right, in order to get better sound you need to start with a better signal, formerly only made possible by adding an aftermarket head unit. You also need more power in order to achieve linearity at high volume levels. Better linearity equates to better sound.

It used to be the norm to add an inexpensive line output converter, but the cars of today have advanced DSP processing built into the radio, what this means is that if you install an amplifier and a line level converter you will not get better sound, just louder. The bass and treble will still fall off at high volume levels just as before. You can do a couple of different things. My personal favorite is the JL Audio CleanSweep™. This unit coupled with an amplifier will give you incredible sound out of your factory head unit by automatically correcting and DSP processing and giving you, a clean high voltage signal to work with. With CleanSweep™ you retain your car’s interior cosmetics and the full functionality of factory-installed vehicle functions, including navigation, OnStar®, steering wheel controls, climate controls, etc. You gain the freedom to add an aftermarket source of your choice (iPod®, satellite radio tuner, DVD player, etc.) via direct line input, as opposed to inferior sounding FM-modulator approaches. Since these signals are free of equalization, CleanSweep™ will pass them without applying any correction. The master volume control knob, when pressed, selects between the factory source and the additional source unit. You also gain peace of mind, because you are not messing with your car’s complex electronics. Since CleanSweep™ typically connects to the factory-installed system as if it were a speaker; the possibility of creating faults or diagnostic issues when the vehicle is serviced is virtually eliminated. A CleanSweep™ installation is fully reversible because there is no permanent modification of the factory system, and because CleanSweep™ is not a vehicle specific interface, it can be easily integrated into your next vehicle. For more information on the JL Audio CleanSweep, click here.

The second way would be to add an Audio Control LC6 instead of the CleanSweep™. The LC6 will still give you a high pre-out voltage allowing you to add amplifiers to your factory stereo but will not correct for errors in the signal, or allow for an aftermarket source. For more info on this product click here or stop by The Sound Connection. I know this sounds a little long winded but it’s really just an overview, I could have made it much longer. If you would like to know more stop by The Sound Connection and one of our trained professionals will help educate you on this topic and help you pick out the perfect system for you and your vehicle.