Those who are new to the automotive sound universe (or sometimes even have experience in the field) can get lost with so many difficult terms and thus not understand what the subject is about.

If you have ever felt this way, rest assured that the time has come to reverse the situation! We have separated some of the most commonly used automotive sound terms. So when they talk about car stereo, players, radios, flipdown, stereo and more, you won’t be left out.

Most used terms

• Subwoofer: Speaker for bass reproduction below 120Hz. The size ranges from 8”to 21”.
• Woofer: Speaker similar to subwoofer, but works with frequencies from 100Hz to 1 KHz. Variable size from 5”to 18”.
• Mid-bass: Another type of speaker used to reproduce mid-bass frequencies from 100Hz to 5KHz. Size ranges from 5”to 8”.
• Mid-range: Loudspeaker designed to reproduce mid-range frequencies from 200Hz to 5 KHz where you can hear almost every instrument in a song. The size usually varies from 3”to 4”.
• Tweeter: Reproduces the highest frequencies from 2 KHz to 20 KHz. Most of them are small, but some models can be up to 3”.

Triaxial and quadriaxial

With 3 and 4 speakers, respectively, speaker that groups them in the same housing to reproduce all sound frequencies in only one equipment. Option designed for those who want to save money on mounting the sound system.

Amplifier: As the name implies, it amplifies the beeps so that the sound quality is even better.

Crossover: A circuit responsible for dividing the sound spectrum into at least two distinct audio frequency ranges.

MP3: High quality sound format that can compress the original file up to 1/12 of its size, so it doesn’t take up as much storage space.

Stereo: Two channel sound system, left and right. It is the most commonly used and makes it possible to distinguish the sounds that are emitted by the speakers on each side, which is accentuated in certain songs and audio content.

Flipdown: Removable front of the players that helps prevent theft, as the visible part of the car is a black box that hardly catches the eye.

EQ: equalization, responsible for balancing frequency bands.

EEQ: Easy equalization, where the user has control over its definition.

SFEQ: Equalizer that aims to bring a natural acoustic feel to the sound, which highlights the vocals of the songs.

These are some of the most commonly used terms for radios, players and other equipment found in an automotive sound system. Understanding them is essential to becoming a better expert on the subject.

Now that you know what they mean, the next time you want to buy their handsets and accessories, you will better understand what their function is, so you can make a better purchase.