attention all bass head/sterio people

[AlligatorBling]

ok heres the deal... ive got a pioneer deck with two 6 x 9's ready to install... i also want to put a good thump in the back of my 240 as well, its a hatchback. i want to put 2 12"s in there. what i want to know is, what is a good brand to buy, i dont want to empty my wallet, id like to go as cheep as possible to be honest, lol.... but i dont want subs that are going to blow up or sound like crap. whats a good low cost brand, (and i do mean low cost, im on a budget) and how powerful of an amp do you think i would need? also, whats a good low cost amp to push my two subs. thanks for any help.... i cant wait to get rid of the crappy factory setup! :D

[justinhustle]

good god man, use the return key, ever!

and get mb quartz or boston acoustics, dont go cheap, it sounds it

[AlligatorBling]

Ok that helps a lot... Not. Now.... Anyone have advice that I can use? By cheep I dont mean cheaply made, I mean cheep price.... I know there has got to be some affordable brands out there that sound good....

[justinhustle]

how didnt that help

i gave you two good brands to look at

[AlligatorBling]

i looked it up.... 100 bucks for a 6x9 mb, jesus christ.

[2240sx's]

Try Pioneer speakers. I know there not the best butthey do hit for being so cheap. There's Adire, exactly how cheap is cheap?

[DRFT]

6x9's wont fit in a fastback with out modification. The sizes for s13 fastback is 4x6 in front or rear or you can put a 5 1/4 or 6.5 in the front. You can try a 6x9 if you pull the rear side panels in the raer seat. when you pull it off you'll notice a big opening that looks if a speaker belongs there. if you do put it in that spot, not sure how you'll get sound out of it since it is closed off by the panel.

[Bill Roberts]

You going to build the box for the 12's?

These 12" woofers kick complete ass...


www.madisound.com

http://www.madisound.com/imgs/12204DVC.jpg


http://www.madisound.com/12204DVC.pdf


On sale, 39 bucks each

[WhiteNissanS13]

i have some kenwood speakers(4x6) and they happen to be clearer than any other 4x6s i've tried out.
Alpine type-s or better subwoofers i say are worth it.
JBL offers great amps for its power and price.
for 2 12's i would reccomend at lease 600 watts.

[andrave]

I had a single 10" panasonic in my 240, in a small car like the 240, all you need is a single 10 to hit over 120 dB in the cabin, more than that will damage your hearing, so why bother?

anyway I still have the 10 and its in great shape if you want it. I'll sell it cheap and its a very high quality sub, rubber surround, sewn in leads, bumped backplate, cast basket, etc.

parts express has the best deals on woofers, they have kove armageddons for 150 each on clearance... wont find better speaker for the money.

[misnomer]

We gotta know how cheap you're looking for here. . . I built my car's stereo on a relatively tight budget, and it still set me back $600 or so

What are you doing for fitament? As it's been said, 6x9s don't fit in the back of a 240 without custom boxes or a lot of work. Additionally, unless they are very low power speakers, you won't get much out of them from the deck (my 6.5" speakers aren't powered very well by the deck. . .). A sound system really is only as good as it's weakest component- don't get big speakers if you aren't going to get an amp, you'll get better sound out of something smaller.

With some more information on your budget and goals, we can better recommend specific products. I definitely agree with Andrave that you don't need much more than a 10" sub (or two) in a 240, unless you've got people to show off to. . .

[hookedup240]

some good subs to go with that are relatively cheap and take a good amount of power are the rockford he2's. Get 2 of those with a 500watt amp and you'll be set.

Also you may want to look into jl W0's they are cheap too and are pretty good subs.

[crioten]

i have pioneer 6x9's in all four corners in my s13, as well as some crappy pioneer 10" sub...for everything i paid about $300 and for that price it sounds fantastic, i love it, but at the same time, im not really into the audio thing...

let us know how yours turns out

-glen

[Nissan240SX]

Has its been said you get what you pay for.
I am running JVC Headunit 180 dollars
and Cadence Speakers, 500 for all the speakers.
What budget are you looking at staying with?
We need more info!

[AlligatorBling]

i was thinking about getting some 6x9 boxes, putting the sub box in the back with the seat down and mounting the two 6x9s on top of the sub box, with the subs facing the back.... as far as a budget.... i dont want to go over 300, im not really into performance audio... for 400 bucks i could get an aluminum flywheel.... ya know? lol; however, im sick, and i do mean sick of my stock crappy sounding system. im a true lover of good music, and i want to be able to enjoy it in my car, hell im in it 85% of my life, lol....

[andrave]

when you go to see a musical performance, you don't sit facing the rear wall, you sit facing the stage.
In your car, you want the same effect. Concentrate on some high quality front speakers.
The 240 has fairly equal paralengths (the distance from the speaker to the ear) which is good, since sound from each speaker arrives at your head at approximately the same time.
So the stock locations should work for a nice mildly upgraded system. I auditioned a number of components and was familiar with different products through years competing in sound offs, and when I chose the system in my 240 I went with mdf buildouts and eclipse point source components. I would recommend that you spend a few bucks on some decent front speakers, either high quality coaxials or components. MDF buildouts are simple to make if you chose to go with higher quality, often cheaper round speakers.
For the back I am using 5.25 mission audio midranges, since you don't need as much treble or bass from the rear speakers, their primary job is to provide "rear fill" or to simulate the ambiance you would hear in a real concert, from sound reflecting off the back wall.
For good, solid, deep bass, I'd use a single sealed 10. This won't add much weight and won't take away much of your cargo capacity. If you want to do it yourself, you can make a nice lightweight fiberglass box to tuck away in a tire well that will virtually disappear with the hatch closed, weigh only 10 or 20 pounds, and provide more than adequate bass to enjoy any type of music.
The single most important component not to skimp on is the front speakers. Second is the sub. These are your primary speakers, and your speakers are the part of your system that you "hear" the most. rear fill isn't as important, and amplifiers are all relatively similar as long as you are comparing true RMS output. Some have different features or appearances which may be more desireable, but I have yet to see someone be able to discern between a cheaper amplifier and a similar more expensive amplifier in a blind test....
Another area that it is wise to invest some bucks in is wiring. Higher quality RCA and fuse blocks are a must, not just for sound quality but for safety. Use a minimum of 8 gauge wire, fuse all wires within 3 feet of the battery, and use the same gauge for ground that you use for power.

Whew... guess I was babbling on there.
Anyway you can see my old system at www.sounddomain.com/id/andrave if you want to check it out, its got the mdf buildouts on there too if you want to see an example.

And if you are interested in a fiberglass box to fit a hatch back for a single 10 or 12 or a ready to go system using my panasonic 10, send me an email and I'll gladly make one for you for a reasonable price.

[huevos]

I have 2 profile baja 10's. and a 400 watt 4 channle bazooka amp.
got the subs for $50 for both. they sound great. They have a poly cone and rubber surrounds. If you don't mind being laughed at this setup sounds great. Oh I got the amp and subs both at Circut City. The amp was $100 open box. I am using a Pioneer deck, Pioneer 6.5's in the back and some kind of 4x6's in the front.

[AlligatorBling]

Ok, im convinced... lol. Im gonna get some nice front speakers as well.... One question though, how do I go about overriding the stock amp? I don't wanna blow anything up. lol. Also, what are the stock sizes for front and back for the s13 again? Thanks.

[AlligatorBling]

ok i may have found a combo sub/amp wise.... im thinking maybe 2 10"s.... i think they might be alittle more accurate as far as a hard hitting bass punch.... anywho, this is what i found, tell me what you think.


this amp
http://www.ikesound.com/product-product_id/858

and two of these woofers....
http://www.ikesound.com/product-product_id/1524

what ya think?

[andrave]

woofers look good for the money, but that amp looks pretty iffy to me (looks like a piece of crap that won't put out half of its rms rated power).
Just like any amp, what matters is how much clean power it provides. I have a feeling that if you go with a cheap brand like that vibrant stuff, you will be getting "600" or even "1200" watts and your actual clean output is going to be similar to a more trust worthy brand's "200" or "300" watt amplifier, and they cost will be approximately the same. You would also have a better brand name's warranty and the better brand name bling.

But its your money.

[AlligatorBling]

Hmmmmmm.... ok. So the subs are good.... but they are rated so high in power requirement... would it hurt to push them with less that is recommended? what kind of wattage should I use and what brand?

[BeatJunky]

Here's what I did...for now....bwahahahah....

(4) Pyle 4x6 speakers = $50
(1) Xtreme Sound CD Player from Best Buy = $50
(1) Lightning Audio 800w Amp = $100
(2) Lightning Audio 12" Subwoofers = $50
(1) Set of wires/fuses for sub/amp hook-up = FREE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Total = $250+tax

So now I have stock sounding interiors with high's, crappy mids and no lows & a crappy sub set-up that does the trick. No popping/crackling speakers, some thump, cd player vs casette and left over cash in my pocket. Cant go wrong if you wanna save money.

2 places... Auto Zone for the pyles... Best Buy for the rest. Have fun and enjoy the functional crappines involved.

-Omar

[nightwalker]

Here's what I recommend...

Alpine Head unit midrange $199
6.5 components in the front (Infinity) $199
6x9 rear (Infinity) $149
Eclipse or Alpine 5 channel amp $349
JL audio 12w0 subwoofer $120
box for 12 $40-60
connections, RCA, amp kit, etc $100

this should get you done without overdoing it, and sound great as well. I've sold car stereo for over five years, and this is what I've found sounds best for the money in the 240. (budgeted) I'm getting my eclipse amp and JL sub soon. Have the other stuff covered already. You can substitute the speakers, but I would stay with the sub and head unit. They are really great sounding pieces that are not too expensive.

p.s. dynamat the door a little and you'll be complete.

[BeatJunky]

Did u mention thats about $1,100 or more!~?

Dude... he said hes on a mission to improve his stock audio while going low ball... What I did is perfect for the pocket, decent for the ear.

Now if he's trying to impress someone the he'll go Infinity+Alpine+JL+whatever and go into debt.

Be practical... I bought "replacement" audio and its just fine "for now". I think thats what he wants.

Eventually I'm going Infinity Kappa on the inside, Alpine in the dash and JL in the trunk myself, but for now u gotta do what you gotta do.

Signing out...

-Omar

[BeatJunky]

Originally posted by AlligatorBling
ok heres the deal... ive got a pioneer deck with two 6 x 9's ready to install... i also want to put a good thump in the back of my 240 as well, its a hatchback. i want to put 2 12"s in there. what i want to know is, what is a good brand to buy, i dont want to empty my wallet, id like to go as cheep as possible to be honest, lol.... but i dont want subs that are going to blow up or sound like crap. whats a good low cost brand, (and i do mean low cost, im on a budget) and how powerful of an amp do you think i would need? also, whats a good low cost amp to push my two subs. thanks for any help.... i cant wait to get rid of the crappy factory setup! :D

Circuit City usually sells a lil box w/three 10's...MTX, for like $150, get a 600w amp for like $150 more and you're done.

[kandyflip445]

MTX SUX MONKEY BALLS!!!! I just hate the way they sound. I'll sell you one of my Xtant X1044 for $150. But you have to pay shipping and it's a heavy biotch. But I've run around 700 watt rms to it and it gets pretty loud.(In a sealed box) If you want cheap for an amp and still get a decent amp look at the JBL amps. They're pretty nice for the money. If you want cheap pioneer subs run to walmart and pick up some they'll work, just make sure to have a good install. Like, don't port them and not use a subsonic filter or give them power they can't handle. As for speakers up front. I say don't skimp on those. ALL THE IMPORTANT SOUND COMES FROM YOUR FRONT SOUNDSTAGE. And if it doesn't then you have it faded to far back.:p I like my Infinity Kappa comps. Oh...I just can't resist...for cheap subs get these! (http://www.nexxon.com/funkypup/funkypup.htm) :rofl:

[BeatJunky]

Originally posted by kandyflip445
these! (http://www.nexxon.com/funkypup/funkypup.htm) :rofl:


:wtf:

[RedlineRacer]

For subs, go Alpine. I got two 12" Alpine Type -S. I love them. I made my box specifically for them (1 sqr foot). They hit tight and LOUD!! When I put my radar detector on my windshield, it bounces when I crank up my system. You can get them off Ebay for $150 shipped for the pair. Thats where I bought them at. I've had them for about 8 months, and no problems. But you will need atleast a 600 watt amp to push them good. Don't cheap out on an amp. It's really what makes or breaks a system.

[DJ Machine]

Hey man i got just what you need


2 Rockford HE2 12's in a sealed box, subs are BRAND NEW. box is used though. no big deal, its solid and works, It will fit in your 240 as well (it fits in mine)

Price is $190 plus shipping, original retail value on these was $200...EACH at Best Buy. Plus you get a box!

BRAND NEW

These things are dual voice coil (thats good), and rated for 800 watts each (RMS is 400 each).

I also have an amplifier if you want it, 600w MTX (good brand), its an old style, but it works.

Price for the amp is $125 plus shipping

This is semi competition stuff


Oh, i also have a digital monster capacitor to keep those beats coming hard, price for that is 100, its NEW.

[mbmbmb23]

Just go on ebay for a cheap amp.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3065818779&category=4950

I have the bigger version of that amp, and it rocks. It pairs with a DTS digital decoder for use with DVD optical output (DTS 6 channel surround sound)

Heres my setup, 93 hatch:

Brand new OEM 1997 cd player, ebay - $35
Conversion harnesses to make it work on 93, $30
Sherwood DTS 6 channel amp, ebay $150
Sherwood DTS digital decoder, ebay $30
Pioneer 4x6 plate speakers for rear OEM location, ebay $75
Sony 5 1/4 3 ways mounted in door with custom bezell, $Free..already had.


I dont have subs yet...and I dont need any....the sound is great with that huge amp. The factory CD player is low level, so its not amplified at all and can be run straight to the amp (after the decoder).


Anyways....people will talk alot of smack about brands....but.....in the end ebay or bartering with a pawn shop will get you the best deal.


-m

[mbmbmb23]

Also...goto www.propertyroom.com they have all kinds of stereo stuff for cheap. They are a police seized ebay style auction site, but you need a credit card on file to bid. They have cheap watches and everything.



-m

[andrave]

speaker power ratings are like the speed ratings on tires, you don't have to maintain that speed for them to perform properly, so don't worry about that.
And don't listen to idiots that diss a certain brand (MTX SUCKS MONKEY BALLS!) etc because each brand makes many different products, and they are installed differently in each car. I could buy 1200 dollar servo controlled velodyne component subwoofers and stick the magnets to the rear deck of my pinto and run them off my deck, they would suck ass.
I saw a guy competing at the IASCA world finals sound quality finals with an entire jensen system... gets a bad rep cause its sold at walmart, but if you install it properly it can take you to a national trophy.

Ask any person who knows their shit about car audio... its 10% (at most) product, and 90%+ install.
Now there are some total junkyard brands that aren't reliable and use outdated technology. For that, you just have to stick with the mantra that to a certain extent, you do get what you pay for. A brand new pyramid 1000 watt amp will cost you 30 bucks at a flea market...
does that sound legit?
In reality that amp will never perform at the level that a 100 dollar 75 or 100 watt amp from a reputable manufacturer will. And I'm not talking about esoteric manufacturers like brax or arc, I'm talking about simple meat and potatos audio like pioneer, jensen, sony, or USAcoustics.
search around at crutchfield.com, they have probably the best customer service of any mail order company.
It sounds like you are a bit of a novice, so that will really help you out. they will tell you what will fit your vehicle, or what it will take to fit a different product in your vehicle. they offer a money back guarantee, will give you free installation instructions and kits, and will give you 1-800 tech help for the life of the product....
It may make more sense for you to go to an area car stereo shop. these guys can talk about what you want and need and you can audition the products first hand before you buy. Sometimes you will pay a little more, but I know personally a small store near my college that sells products at a small percent over cost and offers excellent service. Most of the time they have been able to meet or beat internet prices that I have found, and they have the added advantage of having experience with what they sell, knowing how to install what they sell, and letting you listen to what you are buying...
think about it.

You can buy the best equipment in the world, and if you don't install it properly it won't amount to anything.
If you take your time and do your homework, you can end up with a very high quality audio system built from not a whole lot of money.

[nightwalker]

Buy it once, and do it right the first time. It's better than buying twice.

Plus the components I mentioned are nice high quality stuff that will last longer.

Eclipse amps carry a three year warranty.

[AlligatorBling]

Alright! I have finally got it all installed. I went to bestbuy and got a 50x4 mosfet pioneer head unit, 2 pioneer 6 1/2s that i put in the front, how you ask? lol.... i had to make a peace out of ply wood that replaced the bulky black plastic thing that held the 4x6 and cut a hole for the speaker, worked really well.... 2 4x6 pioneers in the back, and for my knock knock, i used what i had around the house even though i wanted to get new stuff.... an old jensen bandpass box from wallmart, at 10' rockford punch, i took the advice and figured one 10 would be enough, (it is) and a 200watt mosfet offbrand amp.... in the end, it sounds GREAT.... clear highs, and enough thump to make my shirt quiver on my back......... thank you for all the help fellas!

[240silvia]

If you want to go cheap, get sony xplod stuff. You can get it at sears, and most of it is of good quality. I had some of my friends subs in my car for a while, they were sonys, not to bad, but not my JL's either.

[ldjinfernol]

Originally posted by WhiteNissanS13

for 2 12's i would reccomend at lease 600 watts.

Yeah so I was wondering....I have two Power Acoustik 1000rms 12'' subs. What kind of amp would u recommed for that again?;)