According to Distractify.com, the average American spends approximately 38 hours a year sitting in traffic. That’s not even counting drive time! That’s 38 hours of your life, stuck, not moving, staring at the car in front of you that’s NOT moving.

We all hate traffic, and the frustration and boredom it can bring, but one surefire way to keep your sanity and remain calm is to have a killer playlist. But not only does your playlist have to have the best and most carefully curated songs to help you beat the 5 o'clock traffic jam, it has to sound good, too.

There are several steps you can take to achieve the best sound from your car audio system. Below is a list of tips to do so.

Check the compression of your music

Sometimes, when it comes to a playlist, quality wins out over quantity. In today’s age of downloading and streaming music, audio files are often compressed in order to save on size. However, this often compromises the limits in a song (the range between quiet noises and loud noises is lessened considerably). Although you may be able to fit more songs on your smartphone, it’s not necessarily the best move for audiophiles who love hearing the nuances in their music.

Check the sound settings on your phone/music playing device

In this day and age, it’s all about the latest and greatest in technology. Smartphones have so many settings, it’s impossible to learn them all. When it comes to music, a little digging into your Settings app could drastically improve the performance of your music. For example, under the Music settings in the iPhone, the “EQ” function allows you to control which elements of a song are most important to you. Listen to a lot of rap and hip hop? Select “bass booster.” Are you a fan of musicals and cast recordings? Select “treble booster.” These “flip of a switch” settings can greatly improve how you listen to your music in no time at all!

Install proper sound insulation

Even when you’re stuck in traffic, there’s outside noise from other cars’ music, sirens, loud motors, and more. To get the best sound quality from your car’s sound system, you might consider installing sound insulation into your present vehicle. Brands such as Dynamat provide removable, stick-on insulation mats that can easily be applied to the inside of car doors or the floor of your trunk. The result is reduced road noise and a cleaner, crisper sound from your stereo.

Upgrade your system at Car Audio City

Despite trying these sound hacks, your car’s audio system may just need to be upgraded due to age or defunct technology. At Car Audio City, our skilled sales associates can help you choose the right sound system for your car and your budget. Did you know that most factory audio systems don’t include a subwoofer and if they do, it’s very limited in its abilities? A premium subwoofer helps pick up on the low frequencies in your music.

Contact Car Audio City for a Stereo System

Inquire at our shop in National City or visit our Car Audio page to learn more about the types of sound system packages we currently offer. If you are interested, contact us today by calling (619) 474-8551.

SOURCES: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-audio-file-compression-formats-with-.html
http://distractify.com/old-school/2015/01/07/astounding-facts-about-how-we-actually-spend-our-time-1197818577
https://www.mtx.com/library-improve-car-audio