Car stereos

The way we listen to music is constantly evolving and can even influence which cars we buy, based on the features of the stereo. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you decide what you need from your car stereo:

DAB radio

Digital radio offers a wider choice of radio stations in high, hiss-and-crackle-free quality. Many stations that can be found on FM and AM frequencies can now be found on digital radio, as well as digital-exclusive channels. There are many stations dedicated to certain themes or genres; whether you’re into your rock and roll, or like your blasts from the past, there’s a station for you!

As of March 2014, more than 45% of new cars come with digital radio, with some manufacturers, particularly prestige makes, installing DAB radio as standard in their cars.

If your car doesn’t have digital radio, it’s very easy to upgrade from as little as £50, either with an adapter, or installing an aftermarket stereo if possible. Note that you may need a new antennae to receive digital signals.

You can find out more about digital radio and which stations you can receive in your area by visiting www.getdigitalradio.com

USB and auxiliary connections

A common sight in most modern cars, either connection allows you to plug in your MP3 player or compatible phone so that you can play your favourite tunes through your car stereo. However, the functions of each connection are very different.

To use the auxiliary input, you require an auxiliary lead, which looks like this:

These can be picked up easily and are very cheap. One end plugs into the headphone jack of your device and the other into the auxiliary input in your car stereo (this may be located elsewhere in the car, consult your vehicle handbook if you’re not sure).

The downside to the auxiliary connection is you cannot control the tracks through your stereo or steering wheel controls, so you have to do this through the MP3 player (not advised whilst driving!). This is where USB connectivity has the upperhand.

For USB connectivity (if your car audio system supports it), all you require is the USB cable supplied with your device. Simply plug and play, it’s as simple as that! Most, if not all, car stereos allow you to browse your music tracks and skip tracks through your stereo’s controls, including steering wheel controls.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth connectivity is not just for taking hands-free telephone calls, you can also play music wirelessly as well! Music through Bluetooth can normally be accessed by pressing the AUX button on your stereo and works in the same way as the USB connection; by using the controls on your stereo or steering wheel.

Most modern mobile phones with music-playing capability are compatible. Music from streaming services, such as Spotify, can also be played through Bluetooth streaming, however check with your service provider with regards to mobile data capping.

CD players (or lack of)

It seems the humble compact disc is going the way of the cassette tape, what with the rise of MP3’s and streaming services over the last decade. Some car manufacturers are starting to build in-car entertainment systems that don’t have a CD player; but have Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary connections. Some Peugeot 208’s and New Renault Clios feature such systems, for example.

Some prestige cars feature built-in hard drives, like what you’d find in a computer, to store music on, which you would transfer from a USB pen drive. It wouldn’t surprise us if more cars started coming with such a feature.

As we said before, in-car entertainment is constantly evolving. We are seeing cars that can receive digital TV; touch screens that mimic your mobile phone display; concept systems that are constantly connected to the Internet, so that you’re just a touch away from your next musical discovery!

If you’re buying your next car from CarShop and you’re not sure about the features of a car, just ask your sales or handover advisor who will happily demonstrate for you!