A Novice’s Guide to Audio

Music is part of the human soul. We find ourselves passionate about what we like in music, and about what we don’t like. The types of music we all listen to are so diverse that you’ll never have everyone agree that one form is better than another. But one thing that all music lovers can agree on is that their music must be of high audio quality. Scratchy, blown-out sounding audio systems will make you grit your teeth, even if you’re listening to your favorite song. This is why you need a top-quality audio system in your truck.

The interior of a 4x4 is perhaps the worst possible environment from which to try and get quality sound. The sounds of the creaking sheetmetal and the noise from the tires and wind all make it difficult to hear your favorite CD. Also, the factory stereo is likely to be inadequate for producing quality music even when you’re sitting in your driveway.

The solution is to install an aftermarket stereo that has high-grade components that are matched to your vehicle and your listening needs. With a high-end stereo, you’ll get top-quality sound at low volume, and have enough power in the system to maintain that sound quality as you increase the volume to overcome road noise. The question is, how do you get the right system for your truck the first time, at a price you can afford? For our project, we went to Crutchfield for the assistance we needed.

Crutchfield is a national mail-order retailer of stereo equipment. The company prides itself on having sales advisors, rather than order takers, to handle your car-audio needs. In addition to its sales advisors, Crutchfield also has a comprehensive Web site with product information and installation tips, and if that’s not enough, it offers a free guide to car stereo installation. All this is just to help you make the best choice in equipment and get it installed with ease. Crutchfield also offers a technical assistance line that operates from 8:00 a.m. to midnight EST seven days a week.

For our install, we first looked at Crutchfield’s Web site and catalog. This gave us an idea of what we wanted for our trail rig. However, we’re not audiophiles, so we weren’t sure if our choices were the best in terms of component match and value for money. So with notes in hand, we called the order line and talked to a sales advisor. We explained that we wanted a quality stereo for our trail Jeep. We were looking for a CD/receiver unit, an amplifier, and four speakers. The sales advisor asked us several questions and determined that our installation wasn’t exactly a stock replacement install. You see, we had decided to install the receiver in a security console from Tuffy Security products. This meant that our install would require longer cables, since the head unit would not be mounted in the dash.

Further, we explained that we would be using a set of Thor SoundWedge speaker housings, rather than a factory overhead sound bar. The advantage would be the ability to use 6x9 speakers rather than 6-inch round ones.

Now we were on track and ready to start matching components. In short order, we had put in a purchase order for a Kenwood KDC-917 receiver, a pair of Kenwood KFC468C 4x9 speakers, a pair of JBL P6432 4x6 speakers, a Kenwood KAC-X501F 4-channel amplifier, and all the related installation parts required. In just a few days a box arrived and we began to install our matched components. The installation went smoothly with the use of the product instructions, a special set of vehicle-specific instructions we received from Crutchfield with the order, and the free installation guide.

When we were all done, the stereo sounded great. The amplifier provides the power needed to push the volume without distortion. This is required to overcome the road noise of our mud tires and an open top. Follow along and see what it took to install our stereo system. It’s simpler than you think.