Many people with nice cars do not want to change the factory screen. A big reason they bought the car was for its great sound system, like a Harman Kardon or Burmester. That system is a big part of the car. So, putting in a large Android screen makes them worry. They are afraid a new screen could harm the special sound quality they paid for.
Today's top sound systems are not just speakers and an amplifier. They are complicated networks run by computers. The best systems in many German luxury cars use special processing and light-based cables to control sound and other car functions. These systems are complicated, so a simple screen change can cause problems if not done right. You need a good plan for a successful upgrade.
You can keep the original sound quality. You can even make it better with the right parts and information. The screen is not the most important part. What matters is how the sound signal is handled after it leaves the screen. A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is the main part that helps you get the best sound.
The Digital Brain: Your System's Need for a DSP
What a Digital Signal Processor Actually Does
A DSP is a special computer just for sound. It takes the basic sound signal from your new screen. Then, it lets you make exact changes before the signal reaches the amplifier and speakers. A DSP gives you detailed control over all the sound frequencies. This is much better than simple bass and treble controls. Its main jobs are adjusting frequencies (EQ), sending sounds to the right speakers (crossovers), and making sure sound from all speakers arrives at the same time (time alignment). Many new amplifiers have a DSP inside them. This can make installation easier.
Correcting the Car's Imperfect Sound Environment
A car's inside is a very hard place to get great sound. The inside has hard surfaces like glass that reflect sound. It also has soft surfaces like seats that absorb sound. These different materials make the sound uneven. Some sound frequencies become too loud, and others too quiet. A DSP's main job is to fix these sound problems. A person tuning the system can use the DSP's equalizer to even out the sound. This helps every note to be heard correctly. The DSP also helps reduce road and engine noise.
Even the best factory sound systems use their own DSPs. They do this to fix these problems and to make up for any weakness in their speakers. The car's interior is the basic problem that needs to be solved. So, a DSP is not just a toy for sound experts. It is a needed part to fix the sound problems caused by the car's shape and materials. It fixes a problem for both factory and new systems so they can create clear sound.
Getting All Speakers to Work Together
In a car, the driver is closer to the left speakers than the right speakers. So, sound from the left speakers gets to the driver's ears a little earlier than sound from the right. This small time difference can ruin the "soundstage." The soundstage is the feeling that the music is coming from a wide area in front of you. Without a good soundstage, the music sounds like it comes from different spots.
A DSP solves this with a feature called time alignment. It adds a tiny delay to the sound going to the closer speakers. So, sound from every speaker reaches your ears at the same time. This creates a clear and centered sound, like you are at a live show.
Sending the Right Frequencies to the Right Speakers
A car audio system has different types of speakers. Small tweeters handle high sounds, mid-range speakers handle voices, and large woofers handle bass. Each speaker is made to play only a certain range of sounds. Sending low bass sounds to a small tweeter can break it. If a large subwoofer tries to play high sounds, the audio will be unclear.
A DSP's crossover function works like a traffic director for sound. It sends high sounds to tweeters, middle sounds to mid-range speakers, and low sounds to woofers. This separation makes the sound clearer. It also protects the speakers and lets the system play louder without sounding bad.
Integrating with Your Vehicle's Premium Audio System
To connect a new Android screen to a good factory sound system, you need to do more than just plug in wires. These systems are closely connected with the car's other parts. Knowing how your factory system works is the first step to a good audio upgrade.
The Challenge of Factory-Tuned Signals
Good factory systems have their own DSPs inside. The factory programs them to have a certain sound. This often includes a lot of sound adjustment to fix problems with the car's interior and the factory speakers. If you send the sound from your new Android screen straight to the factory amplifier, the factory system will adjust it again. This double adjustment almost always creates bad, unnatural sound.
The main goal is to send a clean, flat, and complete sound signal to your new DSP. The factory amplifier is not neutral. It actively changes the sound. A good installation must handle this. The solution is to get the sound signal before it goes to the factory amplifier. Another way is to use a special processor after the factory amplifier to undo its changes and create a flat signal.
For Hi-Fi Systems: Tapping into the Analog Signal Path
Many good sound systems, such as the Hi-Fi (option S676A) system in some cars, have a simple design. The head unit sends a simple analog sound signal to an amplifier in the trunk. This setup is great for an upgrade. You can connect the analog outputs from the new Android screen to the factory amplifier's inputs. Or, you can easily replace the factory amplifier with a new one using the same speaker wires. But even with this simple setup, you still need a DSP to tune the sound. This is because the factory speakers and the car's interior still cause problems.
For Top-Tier Digital Systems: Managing the Fiber Optic (MOST) Bus
The best systems, like top-tier Harman Kardon (S688A) and Burmester systems, often use a special network called a MOST bus. A MOST bus is a network that uses light-based cables. It sends digital sound and control information between parts like the head unit and the amplifier. An analog signal from an Android screen cannot connect straight to this digital network. Also, if you unplug the factory amplifier, you break the light-based connection. This can stop other car systems on that network from working.
The solution is a special MOST adapter. This small box takes the analog sound from your Android screen or DSP. It then changes the signal into the light-based format that the factory amplifier needs. These adapters often work by acting like the factory CD changer.
The Goal: A Clean, Flat Signal for Your DSP
If the connection is analog or digital, the goal is the same. You need to send a clean, unchanged signal to your DSP for tuning. For some very complicated factory systems, you might need to use a special integration processor. These devices take the sound output from a factory amplifier. They digitally remove the factory's sound adjustments. Then, they give a perfectly flat signal to your new DSP and amplifier. This is the best way to deal with factory systems that change the sound a lot.
Tuning Your New Android Head Unit for Optimal Sound
After your new screen and DSP are connected correctly, the last step is to tune the system how you like it. The DSP does the hard work. But the Android screen's own equalizer is an easy way to make small changes for different music or for how you like to listen.
Starting Point: Setting the Android EQ to "Flat"
Before you start tuning, go to the sound settings on your Android screen. Turn off any special sound effects like "bass boost," "surround," or "loudness". Next, set the equalizer to "flat." A flat setting means all the sliders are at the zero (0 dB) position. This shows the screen is sending a neutral, unchanged signal to your DSP. This gives you a clean start for your changes.
Understanding the Graphic Equalizer Bands
The equalizer splits the sound into different bands, measured in Hertz (Hz).
- Low Frequencies (Bass): These are usually below 200 Hz. You can feel these sounds, like a drum beat or a deep bass guitar.
- Mid-Frequencies (Mids): This range is from about 200 Hz to 4,000 Hz (4 kHz). Most voices and instruments like guitars and pianos are in this range. Our ears are very sensitive to these sounds.
- High Frequencies (Treble): These sounds are above 4 kHz. They include sounds like cymbals and the "s" sound in voices. They add clearness and a feeling of space to the music.
A Practical Tuning Process for Your Ears
A simple process can help you tune the system well.
- Step 1: Play a good quality song you know well. A song with a good mix of voice, bass, and high sounds is best.
- Step 2: Start with the bass sounds. Move the lowest slider (like 60 Hz) up a little. Listen to the change. Does the bass sound better, or just loud and messy? Adjust it until the bass is clear and controlled.
- Step 3: Now adjust the treble. Move the highest sliders (like 10 kHz) up a little. You want clear and crisp sound, not sharp or tiring sound. If it sounds too sharp, move the sliders back down.
- Step 4: Carefully adjust the middle sounds. Lowering the middle range (around 1 kHz) a little can often make the sound less harsh and more open. Make only small changes here.
Advanced Tuning: Matching the Factory Sound Signature
After you have a good basic tune, you can make it even better. The goal is to match the sound of the original system or adjust it for your favorite music. These are small changes that finish your new sound setup.
Tuning for a System with a Factory Amplifier
If you still use the factory amplifier, remember it has its own sound style. Your EQ changes will be added on top of that style. Good systems are often tuned for a balanced, natural sound. Start with the "Pure" or "Flat" setting if you have one. Then, make very small +1 or -1 changes on the Android EQ to get the sound just right for you. Many people like to boost the bass and treble a little. This makes a soft "U" shape on the EQ.
Tuning for a System with a Factory Amplifier and Surround Sound
Some systems use surround sound to make you feel like you are in the middle of the music. You can try leaving the factory surround mode on while you change the EQ. Sometimes, turning on surround mode can make the bass sound less clear. A "Stereo" or "Driver" mode might give you clearer sound. Then you can change the EQ to make the sound feel wider. There is no one right answer. The best setting is what you like best.
Genre-Specific EQ Adjustments: A Starting Guide
Different kinds of music sound better with different EQ settings. The settings in the table below are a good place to start. You can change them to what you like. A professional might use special tools for exact measurements. But simple changes based on music type can give great results for most people.
Genre-Specific EQ Starting Points
| Music Genre | Bass (60-250 Hz) | Mids (250 Hz - 4 kHz) | Treble (4-16 kHz) | Rationale |
| Rock / Metal | +2 | +1 | +2 | Emphasizes kick drum and bass guitar while bringing out the crunch of guitars and clarity of cymbals. |
| Pop / Electronic | +3 | 0 | +1 | Focuses on a strong, driving bassline and crisp vocals/synths, which define these genres. |
| Jazz / Classical | -1 | +1 | +3 | Aims for a natural sound, reducing boominess to let the warmth of instruments and subtle high-frequency details shine. |
| Hip-Hop / R&B | +4 | 0 | +1 | Prioritizes a deep, powerful bass beat, which is central to the genre, while keeping vocals clear. |
Achieving True Lossless Audio: The External DAC Option
You have installed the screen, connected it right, and tuned the sound. For the best possible "lossless" sound, we need to fix the biggest weakness in many new Android screens: the sound output.
The Weak Link in Many Android Head Units
An Android screen is a strong computer. But to save money, many makers use a cheap internal part called a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). A DAC's job is to change a digital music file into an analog signal for your amplifier. A cheap DAC will create a signal that is less clear, and often has noise or sounds bad. The rest of your system can't fix a bad signal from the start. A bad DAC is a big problem for sound quality.
How an External Digital-to-Analog Converter Helps
An external USB DAC is a small, special device. It is made to do one job very well: change digital sound to a high-quality analog signal. Using an external DAC instead of the screen's cheap internal one is the best way to improve the sound source. A better sound source will work well with the good factory amplifier and speakers. This method fixes the main point where sound quality is lost. It creates a new, high-quality signal path: Digital File -> USB Port -> External DAC -> DSP/Amplifier. This is the key to getting a true "lossless" sound experience.
Connecting an External DAC to Your System
The connection is usually very simple. The external DAC plugs into one of the Android screen's USB ports. The Android system will see it as a sound output device. Then you connect a short, good audio cable from the DAC's output to your car's AUX input or straight to your DSP's input. This simple step makes sure the sound signal going to your good sound system is as clean and detailed as possible. It lets your good speakers work their best.
