• Car Radio Tuner: Digital vs. Analog A Buyers Comparison Guide

    Car stereos have come a long way over the years and a car radio tuner is no exception to the rule. Car radio tuners have progressed from normal analog tuners to fully digital read out, remote control head units. They have pull off face plates and televisions integrated into them.

    A digital tuner allows you to tune much closer to the true frequency of the radio station that you’re listening to and allows the receiver to produce cleaner, more static free sound. The advent of digital head unit also allows remote control access, for more hands free tweaking of the digital radio settings.

    Why are Digital Tuners such a Great Thing? 

    To begin with, they have revolutionized the industry, giving you the option to have all kinds of different upgrades that just couldn’t be done with an analog radio tuner.  The sound is much more clear and resonant.  You are able to lock onto the frequency of the radio station more precisely.

    A digital car radio tuner is much easier to upgrade when you need to. You can add amplifiers, subs and all of the neat gadgets much easier than with the old analog system.

    Why Should I Get a new Digital Tuner?

    The first and most obvious reason is just to get the extra features that the digital car radio tuner has.  You should upgrade just so you don’t have the old radio to deal with. Yes it’s true that digital car radio tuners cost more money.

    Have you ever heard the old saying, you get what you pay for? This is truer with electronics than it is with anything else. Car electronics are no exception to the rule.  You should shop around before your buy any electronics, but it is a great idea to upgrade to a digital tuner.

    What are the Major Differences Between Digital and Analog?

    The most noticeable difference between the two technologies is that fact that with a digital tuner you will hear much cleaner sound. You won’t hear some little sound that was in the background when the music was recorded and slipped in.

    With digital you can tune into the radio stations much closer to their actual frequency, allowing the radio to produce cleaner, more clear sound. You also shouldn’t have the radio station fading in and out as much as your do with the analog system.  

    Without digital tuners there is no such a thing as HD tuners.  If you like the big sound that an HD tuner provides, you should lean towards a digital system. You need to weigh the possibilities of what each systems is capable of making your decision.

    If you’re concerned about price more than anything else, it may be in your best interest to stick with your analog car radio tuner.  It is the cheapest way to go. If you’re looking to get all of the modern bells and whistles, you should definitely look at the digital car radio tuner.

    It will be much more to your liking in the end.