Car Stereo Aurora IL – Soundz Plus – 2108 Ferry Road – Suite 105 – Phone: 630-393-3333
While it’s commonly known simple as the radio, the head unit is one of the primary components of any Car Stereo Aurora IL. The head unit is what controls the rest of the audio system. It’s what the listener uses to select the source of audio, set the volume and pick specific songs or radio stations.
All sound signals also begin from the head unit. It produces sound from over-the-air signals, like AM radio, and also from recorded formats like CDs and other types of digital media. A Car Stereo Aurora IL head unit usually contains all the necessary components except the speakers in that single box in your dashboard. (Naturally, a Car Stereo Aurora IL is much different than a home stereo system, where devices like amps and signal processors can be connected by cables and positioned in distinct units.)
Car Stereo Aurora IL Tuners
In the earliest days of motor vehicle electronics, the sole option for audio entertainment was to dial in to AM radio signals. After that, FM radio signals soon became an option. A high definition radio signal is simply a digital, higher-quality simulcast of conventional analog FM or AM radio programming. There are some radio stations that broadcast fully distinct programming upon sub-frequencies which are available with an HD tuner only. Of course, your vehicle’s head unit has to contain a dedicated HD tuner in order to receive those broadcasts.
Satellite radio from providers like XM or Sirius continue to find popularity with some consumers. These are subscription-based audio services providing multiple channels of radio programming. With satellite stations, the signal won’t fade in and out like terrestrial radio does while you travel from one area to the next. The sound quality of satellite radios tend to be superior to the quality of analog radios, too. Aftermarket HD tuners and satellite radio tuners may be installed to head units that don’t have them already built in.
The antenna is an essential part of a radio tuner. For a long time, the antenna was basically a metal piece mounted upon a car’s exterior. Many carmakers over the years adopted a more streamlined version of exterior antennas. If you do not spot either version of antenna on your car, it likely has thin wires that are embedded within the windshield or rear glass that function as a radio antenna.
The majority of contemporary head units provide some means of integrating and controlling portable audio players such as a mobile device into a Car Stereo Aurora IL system. The most fundamental connector is the “auxiliary-in jack.” You simply plug an accessory cable straight into the jack. In turn, the jack connects into a headphone jack of the device, such as an iPod. The user operates the device with its own controls via an auxiliary-in jack. Volume, though, can be adjusted with the vehicle’s head unit controls. The aux-in jack will not charge a portable device’s battery, however.
An even more efficient way of connecting a portable music player to a Car Stereo Aurora IL is through a USB port. In many cases, the user operates the device by using the head unit controls. The battery also charges while it’s connected through the USB. Most vehicles that have USB ports can play audio files directly from any USB thumb-type drive, too. Some vehicles feature an SD card slot to access music files on their portable media sources.
Bring your vehicle to Soundz Plus for professional installation and components for your Car Stereo Aurora IL. Reach us at 630-393-3333. We also offer integrated radar & laser detectors, remote starters and security, mobile video and more.
