The complete guide to Car Audio Installation Accessories

There are numerous accessories that are available for your car stereo. Some of them are key such as RCA cables and others are elective like wiring harnesses.

RCA Cables:
These are the cables required used to transfer pre-amp (line level) signals. Usually, you use this kind of cable for unamplified signals such as the connection between your head unit and amp or crossovers/eqs. Look for appropriate thickness and shielding. The end connectors should be strong enough to prevent breakage from stress. There is a notion that more expensive the cable, better the sound quality. However do not spend more than $1/foot. You may have to spend more to get cables immune to noise if that is a problem in your car.

Speaker Cables:
When the line level signal from the head unit is amplified it becomes much stronger and requires thicker cable to carry it. This is even more pronounced for subwoofer wiring. Use something between 9 gauge and 1415 gauge wiring for subwoofers, nothing smaller. A lot of current has to flow through those wires. For tweeters and midranges thickness is less critical but still key to prevent leakage and contamination from outside sources.

Power Distribution Blocks:
Power distribution blocks make wiring easier. You can run one thick power cable from the battery to the distribution block and from there you can use its multiple outputs for each component. A related item is a new battery terminal which allows easy connection of your extra power wire on the battery for the car stereo.

Capacitors:
Music is dynamic and its power requirements differ. Your car's electrical system may not be able to keep up with these variations in demand. A "stiffening" capacitor can solve this problem by providing greater storage capacity for those high power transients.

Wiring Harnesses:
A wiring harness is for you if you plan to replace your factory head unit but still want to be able to reinstall it. These are specially designed for each type of car and allow you to disconnect your stock radio and connect a new head unit without removing your original wiring. The wiring harness plugs into your existing wiring and allows you to connect a new head unit to the harness.

More articles about car audio accessories are available at http://www.apex-audio.com