Number of bands
The number of bands in the radio equalizer.
In this case, the band means a separate part of the frequency range, the volume of which can be adjusted using the equalizer independently of the other parts. The more bands the equalizer has, the more accurately it allows you to adjust the overall sound of the car radio acoustics. However, note that multi-band equalizers are quite difficult to set up, therefore they are recommended primarily for experienced users.
Number of fixed settings
The number of fixed settings (presets) provided in the car radio equalizer.
The presence of such settings can greatly simplify the adjustment: choosing the right preset is easier than manually adjusting each EQ band. At the same time, presets are often selected by the manufacturer for certain genres of music and have the appropriate names — "Rock", "Pop", "Jazz", etc.; this simplifies the task even more. And the more fixed settings in the device, the wider the choice of the user. In some radio tape recorders, in addition to pre-flashed ones, user presets are also provided — they can be programmed in advance and turned on in the same way as the preset ones.
High Pass Filter (HPF)
The ability to adjust the high cut without affecting other frequency ranges. Thanks to this, you can improve the overall timbre of the sound by completely removing the high frequencies, if necessary (for example, for a subwoofer). Moreover, this method of adjustment is much simpler than adjusting individual equalizer bands (see above). Typically, this function is combined with bass control (see below).
Low Pass Filter (LPF)
The ability to adjust the low cut without affecting other frequency ranges. Thanks to this, you can completely remove low frequencies (for example, for salon acoustics, when the subwoofer is “responsible” for the bass), without affecting other frequencies. This way of adjusting is much easier than adjusting individual EQ bands (see above).
Control functions
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Remote control. The radio has a remote control. This function will be convenient primarily for passengers behind the driver — from the rear seats you can’t reach the radio itself. In addition, remotes often have more keys than the stock control panel, which allows you to access various additional functions on the go without digging through the settings.
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Remote control on the steering wheel. Remote control (see above) with the ability to mount on the steering wheel. Such a remote control allows the driver to control the functions of the radio without removing his hands from the steering wheel and thus not being distracted from driving the machine.
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Control from regular steering wheel buttons. The ability to control the radio from standard buttons, originally provided on the steering wheel for this very purpose. This function is similar to the steering wheel remote control described above, with the adjustment that the "remote" in this case is built directly into the steering wheel. Before buying such a radio, you must definitely check its compatibility with a particular model of car.
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Smartphone control. The presence of software (application) that allows you to control the radio using a smartphone, tablet, etc. This is not just about switching songs on the phone, but a full adjustment of all device functions.
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— Voice control. The ability to control the radio using voice commands. The implementation of such control can be different: in some models, to activate it, you need to press a button, others constantly “listen” to the environment and immediately respond to code words. Anyway, this function allows the driver to control the radio without taking his eyes off the road, which has a positive effect on traffic safety. Note that in its pure form, voice control in modern radio tape recorders is becoming less and less common, being replaced by advanced technologies like CarPlay and Android Auto (see “Control Functions”), which also include voice functions.
— Apple CarPlay system. Support for car radio technology CarPlay. This technology is designed to connect portable devices from Apple to the radio, primarily the iPhone, although it is technically possible to work with any “apple” gadget that has iOS 7.1 or later firmware, as well as a proprietary 8-pin Lightning connector. Thanks to this technology, many smartphone functions (including the Siri voice assistant, navigation, call and message management, as well as music) are integrated into the radio; using them through on-board electronics can be much more convenient than holding the iPhone in your hands. At the same time, CarPlay puts special emphasis on safety: it is designed with the maximum use of voice control, so that the driver has to be distracted by the radio screen as little as possible. For example, the mentioned messages can be dictated by voice and listened to "performed" by Siri. The connection itself is carried out by wire, through the mentioned Lightning connector.
— Android Auto system. Car radio support for Android Auto technology. Similar to the CarPlay described above, this technology is designed to combine portable devices with on-board electronics of a car — only, as you might guess from the name, in this case we are talking about gadgets running the Android OS. When you connect such a gadget, the radio actually plays the role of an external display for a mobile device, with its optimized interface and related capabilities. Features available through Android Auto include navigation (including mobile device access to external GPS antennas and modules), music control, receiving and making calls, listening to and composing SMS, and searching the Internet. Android Auto is only available for Android 5.0 Lollipop and later; in addition, if the mobile device uses proprietary firmware, its compatibility with the radio needs to be specified separately.Line out
The number of line outputs (see above) provided in the design of the radio. It should be noted that usually these outputs use RCA connectors (“tulip”), and the analog format allows only one audio channel to be transmitted through one such. Therefore, to work with a stereo signal,
two RCA connectors are required, and just a pair of such jacks is considered to be one line output - a set designed for one set of stereo speakers. The main difference between this interface and the same RCA used to connect speakers (see above) is that the line output receives a signal from a preamplifier that is unsuitable for feeding to passive acoustics. Such a signal must be sent to active speakers or an external amplifier (whereas the speaker is connected to the output of a power amplifier designed for passive speakers).
