In-Car stereo systems can be immensely infuriating because there are few bespoke sizes.

1. A Guide to Installing Car Stereo Head Units
Many people choose to change their car stereo head units. Usually, this is because the factoryinstalled unit is low quality and does not offer the desired features. It can be daunting to change the
head unit if you have little experience with audio equipment. However, the process is
straightforward and most people will be able to install their new stereo system themselves.
Here, we are just going to look at some of the basic things that you need to know before you
attempt the installation. We are not providing you with instructions on how to change the head unit,
but merely giving you the information that you need, before you start the process.
Choosing the Size of the Head Unit
In-Car stereo systems can be immensely infuriating because there are few bespoke sizes. Even within
the same make of car, there will be different installation sizes depending on the model. However,
this is only true of some of the components of the system – the speakers, for instance. Fortunately,
with the head units most follow a standard size, which is known as the DIN scale. Sometimes,
though, you may need to invest in specialist car stereo fitting kits in order to get the head unit to fit
properly. If you need to know whether you need to use car stereo fitting kits in your particular
instance, you should speak to a specialist retailer of car stereos. They will be able to tell you whether
or not your car conforms to the DIN scale.

2. When connecting the head unit to the car’s electrics, you simply unplug the old unit and plug then
new unit. However, you may be tempted to shorten the wires on your car’s electrical system. We
recommend that you not do this, as you can void any warranty on that part of the car.
Two Ways of Mounting the New Head Unit
If you buy a new head unit for your car the way you mount it will differ depending on your car and
on your radio.
1. The unit will be compatible with the car mountings, and then it’s just a matter of mounting
the unit and tightening the brackets. This is known as ISO mounting.
2. If the unit is not compatible with the car then you will use a ring mounting system. Ring
mounting is really straight forward, but it is slightly harder than the ISO mountings. Again,
you should ask the retailer which type of mounting you would have to use for your car.
Coaxial and Component Speakers
You will probably need a different head unit depending on whether you have a coaxial system or a
component stereo system. These terms simply relate to the speaker set up. With a coaxial system a
single speaker (well a pair because there’s one on each side) will comprise of a sub-woofer, woofer,
mid-range and tweeter speakers. With a component speaker, these different parts will be separated.
This affects the way the wires are connected at the back of the head unit, and how many wires there
are – be sure to understand which type of system you have, and which you need.
If you would like further information about head unit installation, including car stereo fitting kits,
then please visit www.incarmusic.co.uk.