One of the biggest misconceptions people have about car audio is that upgrades are expensive. The reality is that anyone can increase their sound quality hugely with even a small investment in aftermarket speakers – and even the most affordable aftermarket speakers are still a massive improvement over your factory system!
It scales from there when it comes to price and sound quality as you add in things like sound damping, amplifiers, tweeters, subwoofers, digital sound processors, active crossovers, high-end cables, custom enclosures, etc., but overall it’s an easy investment to justify. (Not that you even need to!)
Audio Upgrade Justification #1:
You’re probably going to own your vehicle for a while! The average American now holds onto their car for 10.5 years, which is up about three years compared to a decade ago. When you spread out the cost of a sound system upgrade over the life of your vehicle, it’s really not that much: a $500 upgrade — and you can upgrade for a lot less than that — works out to about $47 per year over 10.5 years — or only12 cents a day!
The average person also drives around 16,550 miles every year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. When you look at it that way, the cost of enhanced sound quality is only two tenths of a cent per mile!
Audio Upgrade Justification #2:
You’re probably going to spend a lot of time in that car driving all those miles! The average commute for Americans is about 25 minutes each way, or 50 minutes a day, times five days a week. Add in trips to get groceries and take kids to soccer practice, weekend trips to the cottage, etc. and the total time spent in your car increases — up to 101 minutes per day, seven days a week, according to Harvard Health Watch!
Why wouldn’t you make that time behind the vehicle as rewarding as possible, with sound quality that brings your favorite music to life in a way that your factory system never could? You’ll arrive at your destination happier and more energized. Your family and friends will appreciate it, too!
Audio Upgrade Justification #3:
The difference between factory and aftermarket sound quality is bigger than your think! If you love music, then the difference between most aftermarket upgrades and factory systems is the difference between seeing your favorite band in a small club versus seeing them from the back row of a stadium full of screaming fans, located next to an airport.
The difference in sound quality really has to be heard in person, and we would be happy to demo the difference for you.
However, generally speaking, aftermarket speakers offer greater dynamic range, they are far more durable and heat resistant over time, they offer higher and better power handling, significantly better sound quality at higher volumes, and they don’t get drowned out by highway sounds. Overall, the sound quality far richer and more clear than you’ll get with factory speakers.
Audio Upgrade Justification #4:
You’re missing out! The shift to compressed digital music formats has been awesome in terms of portability, but most audiophiles would argue that the overall quality of music has gone down at the same time. A better set of speakers and other audio upgrades actually enhance the sound of those compressed music files, making it harder to notice what you might be missing as a result of the compression.
On the other side, there are also more high-definition radio stations than ever before, broadcasting rich, CD-quality sound with quality that far exceeds conventional radio and compressed formats. As well, there are more sources of high definition music available these days, offering completely uncompressed music that sounds as close to the live experience as is technically possible. Without an upgraded sound system, you just can’t get the benefit of this higher quality music!
Audio Upgrade Justification #5:
Your car is probably where you listen to music the most! Surveys show that over 75% of people listen to music while driving, while just over 45% listen at home. Chances are your car stereo is almost always on, while your home stereo system might get some work in the mornings or evenings, or at the odd social event.
The fact that people drive an average of 101 minutes per day is also significant. Factory speakers tend to wear down over time, especially if you’re turning the volume up to overcome traffic noise. Aftermarket speakers sound better for far longer — likely the life of your vehicle without any decline in sound quality.
Bonus Justification: Value!
Compared to the physical collections of CDs, tapes and records that many a lot of us collected, most of us are spending far less on music than we used to. Albums that used to be $15 are now $8 when you download them online. Subscription online music services start around $10 per month. We also don’t need to buy blanks to make mixed tapes or CDs anymore!
Given the cost savings of going digital, doesn’t it make sense to reinvest a little of the money you spend on other formats to get the best sound quality possible — in the vehicle where you’re going to be listening to most of your music?
In conclusion…
You probably have some questions. The staff at Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville, VA is always happy to provide answers and demo products. Competitive pricing, skilled installation, great service and unbelievable sound quality are all the justification you need!
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