Installation
How to Install an Amplifier in a Car: Step-by-Step Wiring Guide
How to install an amplifier in a car: choose the wire gauge, run and fuse the power wire, mount and ground the amp, connect RCA and speakers, then set the gain.
The archive
Car audio reviews and buying guides
Everything we have published, newest first. Every product below was bought at retail, measured on the bench and installed in a car before a single word was written about it.
Installation
How to Ground an Amplifier in Car: Ground Points, Prep and Testing
Learn how to ground an amplifier in car installs: the best ground points, wire gauge and length, bare-metal prep, and how to test the ground with a multimeter.
Troubleshooting
How to Fix Rattling Car Speakers: 7 Steps to Stop the Buzz
Most speaker rattles come from the door around the speaker. Find what is moving, then tighten, seal, deaden or replace the right part.
How-To
How to Test Car Speakers: Multimeter, Battery and Polarity Checks
Five tests show whether a car speaker, its wiring or the stereo is at fault: a listening test, a multimeter reading, a battery pop test, a polarity check and a wiring test.
Troubleshooting
How to Test a Car Subwoofer: Push Test, Multimeter and Battery Checks
How to test a car subwoofer: inspect the cone, do the push test, measure each voice coil with a multimeter, and rule out the amplifier and wiring.
How-To
How to Measure Sub Size: Diameter, Cutout, Depth and Box Volume
The size on the label is the frame, not the cone. Here is how to take the four measurements that decide whether a subwoofer fits your box and your car.