Customer Reviews

Car Stereo Cookbook (TAB Electronics Technician Library)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I give due credit for my outstanding audio to the "Car Stereo Cookbook". I found far more audio system information than I will ever need, but scanning through the chapters(and actually reading some) gave me the information I needed to design and install a system in my vehicle. I thought subs were only for gangsta's, but this 44 year old avid hunter now has one in my 4x4 truck, and wouldn't trade for it. Although Rumreich does get rather technical in some areas, the average handyman possessing an average dose of common sense can navigate this sea of information quite easily. Thanks Mark for this great source of "do it yourself" info!

Rumreich makes the undefinable assumption that the reader "is a beginner but has some knowledge of car stereos." So exactly how much knowledge is that? Much of the information takes you from beginner to intermediate, but many terms remain undefined. Who's to say that the reader should already know the difference between a 12dB/octave slope and an 18dB/octave slope in a crossover? I sure didn't, and I had to look at another book to find out, making me question the usefulness of this book. A safer bet for a beginner would be Auto Audio by Andrew Yoder. However, there is some original information, such as the sections on Factory Hi-Fi systems by Bose and Ford.

With a book of almost 300 pages I expected much more detailed explanations. The author introduces technical aspects but hardly ever explains what they mean ie cross over slopes. Set-up information is limited to wiring diagrams, you never seen any real installation pictures. And then there are diagrams for dual preamps head outputs but the pictures show one one set going to the amps. Then there is a huge chapter on subwoofers and the author gives no information on techniques for mounting the box to the car. The head installation was way to general. Good points made are setting up speakers for best ohm ratings (serial vs parallel), determining voltage with a multimeter, what power cable gauge to use. The book is several years old and seems out of date on some subject matter. There is also a lot of dialog on things that are obvious. Consider this book for tips, not as a bible for installing since you won't find too much on how to actually install anything.

This book is absolutely great. I would suggest that beginners look into less complicated literature first, but, once you want more advanced info, get this book.

This book covers a lot of basics, but it contains virtually no help with running your wires through your car, which to me seems to be the biggest logistical problem with installing car stereo, when you are an amateur. The step of wiring your amp to your car battery is explained in a line or two, with no hints on how to retrieve the wires on the other side of the car's firewall.

It also is a shameless plug for Crutchfield, their name gets mentioned every second page or so.

This book outlines the basics of how to make your car stereo the way you want it to sound.There are numbers and diagrams that you could actually work with when tweaking with your setup. I recommend this book to anyone from the beginner to the advanced in car stereo setups.

I took a pretty optimistic approach when reading this book, waiting for the meaty stuff to begin...i was still waiting when i got to the index!

It's a pretty good book if you've got a basic understanding of how to wire the stereo components, and what you want to achieve by modifying your stock car audio system. But if you're looking for specific information of how best to use T/S parameters for desigining the optimum enclosure for your new sub - or choosing one that best meets your desired application, then I dont think i'd worry too much about this book. There's some graphs and tables in there that will point you in the right direction in terms of enclosure design/size/style but dont expect much more than that.

In summary, if your the sort of person happy to accept what you're told with out additional inquiry then this book will suffice. Otherwise, you'll need something more basic to provide more definitions, and then once you've got the hang of that, you'll be needing something much more complex to test your new skills. Overall an ok read, but this book will never make it to 'workshop reference' status.

I'm the type that knows nothing of car audio. I bought this book and was able to install my CD deck. However, when reading about amplifiers, subwoofers, etc I got lost. There is too much unfamiliar terminology.

My review copy of "Car Stereo Cookbook", (How to Design, Choose, and Install Car Stereo Systems), is very well written by Mark Rumreich. It is published by Mc Graw-Hill who kindly provided me with my review copy. If you ever intend to spend serious money on a quality car stereo system then buy this book. The common pitfalls to avoid, as disclosed by "The Car Stereo Cookbook" will handsomely repay your modest investment.

Car Stereo Systems usually require the expenditure of some really "serious" money to get the desired results, and unless your decisions are very informed ones, it is all too easy to get burned big time financially. I honestly recommend you definitely buy a copy of "Car Stereo Cookbook" to save yourself the financial pain.

I had a basic knowledge of car stereo before I purchased this book. The book helped me to design and install a multi speaker/multi amp system in my truck. It explained in great detail how to choose your components,especially speakers and speaker boxes. I found it well organized in that the author leaves no stone unturned. There are lots of details which help make your install more professional. The book gives you the tools to create a system that is right for your vehicle. To me this book is well worth the money and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to design/install their own system