Another sound system thread....

[Siberian Husky]

I've been searching zilvia for hours and I must say its almost impossible to find a good, coherent, noob friendly thread on car audio. Seems like other FAQs and write ups exist for everything else under the sun except for audio.

I have an s13 hatch and was wondering what was a good decent set up. On a quality scale from 1-10, im looking at getting something around 8, because I admit to being kinda ignorant when it comes to sound quality. I just know speakers are bad when they start crackling and popping.

My car currently has a deck in it, I just want to use it because I know decks are pretty expensive. Its a Kenwood (KDC-MP2035) Kenwood - KDC-MP2035 (http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/2007_Car_Entertainment/KDC-MP2035)

I dont know if this is good or anything.

I also don't know the difference in AMPS and if I even need an AMP. My plan is to put 6.5's in the front with the speaker adapters they have. I deleted the speakers from the rear and simply wanted to put in two 10's or 12's fashioned in a box.

[Pigeon Crusher]

I've been searching zilvia for hours and I must say its almost impossible to find a good, coherent, noob friendly thread on car audio. Seems like other FAQs and write ups exist for everything else under the sun except for audio.

I have an s13 hatch and was wondering what was a good decent set up. On a quality scale from 1-10, im looking at getting something around 8, because I admit to being kinda ignorant when it comes to sound quality. I just know speakers are bad when they start crackling and popping.

My car currently has a deck in it, I just want to use it because I know decks are pretty expensive. Its a Kenwood (KDC-MP2035) Kenwood - KDC-MP2035 (http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/2007_Car_Entertainment/KDC-MP2035)

I dont know if this is good or anything.

I also don't know the difference in AMPS and if I even need an AMP. My plan is to put 6.5's in the front with the speaker adapters they have. I deleted the speakers from the rear and simply wanted to put in two 10's or 12's fashioned in a box.

Well your deck isnt too bad to start out with, As for the amp it all depends on how loud you want to go if you want to crank the subs and you don't have a amp for the highs its going to drown them out.

[enkei2k]

http://zilvia.net/f/chat/169473-post-your-speaker-set-up.html

[240sx123$]

You dont need two subs. One quality sub will get the job done just fine. My setup is as follows:

Flip up dvd head unit, was in the car when i bought it
Kenwood 6.5's up front, Rockford 6.5's in the back, powered by a 450w 4 channel rockford amp.
1 12" Kicker Solobaric L7 powered by a 900w single channel rockford amp.

This is a pretty basic setup, but with excellent quality. Ive been using the same amps since I was 16. The deck only really matters if thats what youre using to power the speakers. For my setup, the speakers are powered by the amp. Most people dont amp their speakers seperately, they just use the head unit to power them. In most cases, this is fine. But the difference is huge.. my speakers sound AWESOME, and are clear as day even with the subwoofer all the way up. The woofer can shake the car, but you can still hear every lyric over the bass.

[bllabong89]

Your deck is ok. It is a little above an entry level head unit which isn't a bad starting point if you are just wanting a good stereo to the average person. The major things you should look for on decks is to see if you can adjust the frequincies, in my opinion.

Like what they have said above, you can go with one 12" sub and a 600 watt amp. That will sound decent to the average person. I would keep the rear speakers and use components in the front and rear.

Components have a crossover which seperate the frequencies and allow you to have a tweeter for the highs and a mid speaker. You can usually adjust how bright(high pitch) the tweeters are on the crossover also. You don't need the best out there to notice a major improvement. Kenwood, Rockford Fosgate, MB Quarts or the knockoff NT Power(I have these) are good brands for components.

As far as the amp and sub go, you could do a 12" but because I listen to more rock, I would say 2 10" subs. If you buy a better amp from the start, you won't have to upgrade later if you want more bass. Alot of people would come into the shop I used to work at, buy a cheap amp and then come back in 6 months wanting louder subs. The subs will only play as loud as the amp lets them so I would say the amplifier is one of the most important purchases to discuss.

Another thing to consider is the wire for the amp. The cheaper wire(ebay kits, walmart and cheap stereo shop kits) are usually not true to what they say. They may say 4g and look like 4g but the actuall wire inside the insulation is usually more like 8g. Rockford and Memphis have really good wire kits that are true gauge. You have to look at wire as breathing thru a straw...you will get more air thru a larger straw than a smaller one so this, also, is not an area to cheap out on if you plan on upgrading later.

Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you have anymore questions

[510-SR20DET]

Does your deck has 4 volts preout? If not then you should throw it away. Anyway, here is my setup:
Pioneer Premier deck
MB quart 6.5 3 ways front speakers
Pioneer 6x9 4 ways rear speakers
10" Diamond sub
500W Phoenix Gold 2 channels amp
300W Phoenix Gold 4 channels amp
Stinger capacitor.

[Drift_This]

Depending on the music you will mainly listen to also depends on wat style box you want. Non-porter for rock and clearer bass and a ported box for hip-hop/rap and more thump out of the sub.

Also look into the Realm and EFX line of subs, speakers, and amps. If you have questions about car audio hit me up. I work at tech support for Scosche Industries.

[.SoCal-S13.]

ive got two 12'' JL subs in a box for sale. along with Infinity 6x9's and door speaker amps and sub amps.

do i think you need two subwoofers. fuck no. thats why im selling them. all you need to do is find the rms wattage for the door speakers you are going to use, add them up, and find an amp that can push the same amount. as for subs. quality is everything, not quantity. one subwoofer PROPERLY powered sounds cleaner, crisper, and hits hard. May i suggest a 10" JL W7. that one sub will blow the dust off your balls. ive knocked pictures off the wall of my living room when i was parked out on the street. your setup also will vary depending on what type of music you listen to. i listen to a lot of hardcore/metal and a little bit of hip hop.

My setup:

Alpine head unit
Infinity Kappa Components front and rear
ONE 10" JL W7
Audiobahn AT4 or some shit not positive 4ch amp
Alpine Mono amp


LOL. my sub continuously breaks my tail light bulbs. blows the filiment straight off.

[Siberian Husky]

so everyones recommendation to keep the rear speakers is pretty unanimous. has anyone deleted them and just replaced them with a pair of subs? 10's. I think the hatch speaker location is pretty retarded to be honest.

[Siberian Husky]

this is what i have in the car right now. its what the car came with. dont know if this mounting method i legitimate, nor do i know the size of these speakers because it doesnt look oem 4x6 size.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs618.snc4/59867_1614285997582_1249276489_1692185_5368054_n.j pg

Also: My head unit has a 2v preout.

Also, what are speaker components?

Also, would is be a terrible idea acoustically to have two 6.5's and one 10/12 inch sub enclosed ina box facing the rear of the car? I stripped my car of rear seats so the inside of my car is one big enclosure. I just really dislike where the stock rear speaker location is on the hatch, the sound travels only a few inches before hitting glass. I would like the sound to travel a bit and pronounce itself before resonating off wall or glass.

[mrflip69]

Don't waste your money on rear speakers. Just get a nice set of components like they said. 6.5" woofers with separate tweeters, and you'll want to get a nice amp for those and a separate mono amp for the sub.

I've got that setup with a 12" sealed box and that's good enough for me.. dunno how much of a basshead you are.

+1 on the stock hatch rear location being retarded.

[kTrainHurricane]

Don't waste your money on rear speakers. Just get a nice set of components like they said. 6.5" woofers with separate tweeters, and you'll want to get a nice amp for those and a separate mono amp for the sub.

x2 ...rear speakers are for "rear fill" - many SQ cars and audiophiles dont use them because they mess up sound imaging

[kTrainHurricane]

The deck only really matters if thats what youre using to power the speakers.

WRONG.

The deck is the most important piece of your system. Kenwood, Alpine and Premier are the best brands (in my opinion) as far as the mainstream stuff goes, with Denon being up there towards higher-end and not-so-popular stuff.

[kTrainHurricane]

Sorry, i dont know how to multi-quote.

I would recommend getting 1 good 10" sub. It is a size that will be quick and responsive yet capable of hitting the lows as well. Since your car is a hatch you're already off to a great start, as hatchbacks are the most acoustically friendly designed vehicals (after VW bugs). Throw a good 10" sub into a sealed box, and power it with a good amp. If you'd like recommendations on specific models/brands, shoot me a PM

[Siberian Husky]

Im not really sure what components are, is this an accessory to the speaker?

So far this is what I think im working with.

I want to keep my deck because i'd rather not spend money on that (being the most expensive piece) seeing as I already have the decent kenwood one (even though it doesnt have a 4v pre output.

Alpine Type R 6.5's in the front.
Two 10 inch subs in the rear.

I've only researched mono class d amps because they are the most efficient and understand that you should only power one sub with those amps.

EDIT: my budget is around 500 dollars

[kTrainHurricane]

Im not really sure what components are, is this an accessory to the speaker?

There are 2 types of speakers:
a). Components - a two (sometimes 3) piece speaker with 1 midbass driver (which is where the 6.5", 6x9", etc. sizes come into play) along with a seperate (usually 1") tweeter. The midbass woofer delivers the obvious, and the tweeter delivers the highs.
b). Coaxial - a 1 piece speaker where the midbass driver and tweeter is all connected together. Usually, it will be a (insert size here) speaker with the tweeter stuck right in the middle of it.

If you Google the two names and look at images you will see what I am talking about.

So far this is what I think im working with.

I want to keep my deck because i'd rather not spend money on that (being the most expensive piece) seeing as I already have the decent kenwood one (even though it doesnt have a 4v pre output.

Alpine Type R 6.5's in the front.
Two 10 inch subs in the rear.

The deck is not necessarily the most expensive piece - most important, yes, but not most expensive. Not that it matters, but just so you know some component speaker sets run ~$3,000 (Focal Utopia Be)

You need to get rid of the two 10" sub idea. Trust us that have said one 10" will be enough. Go shop around and see how much two 10's would cost you, then take that amount and find one 10" that cost the same amount. One $500 10" sub will be better than two $250 subs. High school kids are the ones who think more numbers = better sound. Audiophiles are the ones that realize SQ > SPL any day of the week.

Alpine Type R's are decent speakers. Places like Best Buy carry them so they will be easy to find + listen to in person, which is a big suggestion. If thats not an option, try searching videos of the particular speakers you are looking at on youtube. Although it wont be as good as hearing them in person, sometimes high-quality shot videos can be fairly accurate to the product.

I've only researched mono class d amps because they are the most efficient and understand that you should only power one sub with those amps.
"Mono" means 1...therefore that means a mono class D amp has 1 channel. Subwoofers prefer to use class D amps because they "pair" together. For example, you can have a 500 watt 2-channel amp and a 500 watt 1-channel amp. You have 1 subwoofer, with an RMS rating of 500 watts. You would either
a). plug the class D 1-channel amp directly to the subwoofer, or
b). plug each channel of the 2-channel amp to the subwoofer.
This is kind of hard to explain, but basically why split two channels for one speaker when you can use a 1-channel amp for the one speaker?

With components, though, you either have 2 or 4 speakers. So you can have one 4-channel amp, with 100 watts per channel, or have one 2-channel amp, with 200 watts per channel (this, of course, is assuming your components have an RMS rating of 100 watts each). Here you would either
a). use each channel of the 4-channel amp to one speaker, or
b). split each of the channels of the 2-channel amp. 200watts per channel / 2 = 100 watts per speaker.

Again, this is kind of difficult to type out an explanation for, but its all a numbers game. If you're using an amp for 1 speaker, get a 1-channel. If you're using an amp for 2 speakers, get a 2-channel, etc. Multi-channel amps (5-channel, for example) also exist. This is intended to save space and use less power from your car (alternator). A 5-channel amp, for example, would have 4 channels with 100 watts each, and a 5th channel with 300 watts. Each of the first 4 channels are intended for a component speaker, while the 5th is intended for the sub. These can also be split, where 2 of the first 4 channels are each used for a speaker, while the 3+4+5th channels are ALL "bridged" to a sub, therefore feeding it 500 watts.

[.SoCal-S13.]

COMPONENTS ARE THE SHIT. BUY SOME INFINITY KAPPA COMPONENTS. if you ran 4 components and some tweeters you wouldnt need a sub. those kappas rock harder than compton on the 1st of the month.

def not gonna fit your $500 budget tho. if thats all you got ur gonna have to find out what size shit you wanna run, what models you want, and scour craigslist. dont buy anything from best buy or the snip with a stereo shop, half unbottoned shirt and a gold chain woven into his chest hair. just because he didnt blow himself up doesnt mean he can come here and wire car audio. if you buy something that has the word XPLOD written on it, it will live up to its name.

Just do this and you will be legit:

Amps/Head Unit: Alpine
Speakers: Infinity
Subwoofer: JL Audio


its going to take you more than just posting a thread to gain experience. ive tried and failed, and used shitty equiptment, and heard what a system with budget quality speakers sounds like and i ripped it out. and built new ones since ive been 16 years old. you will be much more satisfied if you are patient and wait for quality stuff to get sold at "im having kids" or "my wifes a cunt" prices than you would be just throwing it all together fast. ive done this. dont do it.

ive led the horse to water. now drink motherfucker.

[Siberian Husky]

The guys at the store were trying to sell me on a 6x9 component set up in the front and a 10 or 12 sub in the rear with a mono D amp for the sub and a multichannel amp for the components. This set up seems simple but im sold on the less is more philosophy with this stuff. I wanted to go alpine type R for it all.

[.SoCal-S13.]

its best to mix it up with companies. for example. rockford fosgate amps are actually really good, their speakers however, suck balls. if you were to do a complete system with all rockford fosgate it would blow.

i mean alpine is a great company but Infinity is hands down the best sounding speaker I have ever used. JL's subwoofer quality is the best around, and Alpine makes quality amps and head units.

this is the best way i can put it. take a 240 for example. what would you rather have:

A 100% stock 240 cuz Nissan is a legit company and all these parts must be legit

or

A 240 with an RB26DETT cuz its faster, 5lug swap so it stops quicker, coilovers so it handles better etc.......


mix n match. not every alpine product is good. not every JL Audio product is good. and not every Infinity product is good.

[Siberian Husky]

i dont think i have the money for a jl wooder, they run around 250, where I can get a type R 10/12 for about 150, and i see some sweet deals on amazon for a type r 12/box/mono amp for 260. I understand what you're saying though. This is my FIRST sound system though and to be honest i'm not the biggest audiophile, im just a guy who likes his music and wants to bump somethin ONCE in a while. not lookin to blow doors or turn heads, just want my music to sound good and have a reliable set up.

but what do you guys think about doing 6x9 components instead of the 6.5 up front?

[kTrainHurricane]

its best to mix it up with companies.
WRONG. Rockford sucks in general. Running a full, good JL Audio, or Resonant Engineering, or Focal, etc. setup would sound amazing.

i mean alpine is a great company but Infinity is hands down the best sounding speaker I have ever used.
You clearly have not used much then. Granted, yes Infinity Kappa speakers are very good for mainstream equipment, but there is much better out there for the same amount of money.

JL's subwoofer quality is the best around, and Alpine makes quality amps and head units.
Again, not THE best but very high up there - same ballpark as MMATS subs; NOT the same ballpark as RE XXX or an Adire Brahma.


this is the best way i can put it. take a 240 for example. what would you rather have:

A 100% stock 240 cuz Nissan is a legit company and all these parts must be legit

or

A 240 with an RB26DETT cuz its faster, 5lug swap so it stops quicker, coilovers so it handles better etc.......

mix n match.
Wrong again. More like: "would you put SR20 parts in an RB26DETT motor?"

The debate isnt whether or not the audio products he is talking about are legit - if he is buying them from a store, and they have a serial number along with a brand's name stamped on them chances are they are "legit." The question is: Do they work together


not every alpine product is good. not every JL Audio product is good. and not every Infinity product is good.
Best statement of this post. You are 100% correct. Your other statements were too absolute to be true (i.e. saying Rockford amps are the shit while their speakers are the worst). You have to realize that there is a LOT out there that isn't seen in every speaker store (i.e. RE Audio, Morel, Rainbow, Focal, DLS, etc.) that will BLOW AWAY the best of the best mainstream stuff. JL Audio subs and amps are incredible products...when compared to other mainstream equipment. They wont, however, come anywhere NEAR a McIntosh amp or RE XXX subs.

As said before for headunits I like Alpine, Kenwood and Premier as far as mainstream stuff goes. Alpine is the best-of-the-best to me. Their headunits are excelent. Their PDX amps are a great product as well, as are some of their components (Type-X I believe is their best?). Dont be fooled into buying something, especially when you have clearly stated you dont know much about this stuff. I am new here, and the first thing I did was make an introduction post and said I dont know my ass from a hole in the ground from a Nissan. You need to go listen to some stuff your self. Opinions are great, and I am more than willing to suggest things but it will ultimately come down to you and your ear, as no two people's ears are the same.

[smoked240]

Husky has some great info.

Personally I have owned 10's 12's and 15's In various vehicles.
Now which sub you go with does really depend on what you listen to, any rock or country I would choose an 8' or 10',Now rap still sounds good on 8's and 10's but 12's sound amazing since a lot of rap songs hit low and high and for that I would choose a 12', not 2 just 1. I have owned 1 12' in a single cab s10 and then 2 12' in the same truck and the 2 was just overkill and would never do that again.
I have 2 10' kicker comps in my s13 hatch with a 200.2 Kicker amp.
Don't buy 15's. ever. You buy them to say "yeah I got 15's in my whip" Yeah they hit really really low but they sound like shit on higher bass.

What I plan to run in my s13 is either 1 or 2 Mtx squares(if I could ever find one in an 8"(don't think they make)). Kicker solobaric's are very nice and I have heard some very sick sounds from them but i'm not a Kicker fan. I dislike them.

I have used many mtx serious from 5500-8000 and they have always sounded amazing and never had a problem with one.

Finding the best amp can be kinda tricky, I have had great luck with kicker,Mtx and Kenwood amps.

I use 4g kicker hyperflex wire with ZN3 RCA's. I would suggest to buy a higher end set of RCA's,with some cheap ones I had I would always get static. If your close to a wire with constant power you might get static. Now with the ZN3's I wrapped my RCA's around my power wire for the amp for the hell of it and didn't get one bit of static.(but they cost $95).

[.SoCal-S13.]

WRONG. Rockford sucks in general. Running a full, good JL Audio, or Resonant Engineering, or Focal, etc. setup would sound amazing.


You clearly have not used much then. Granted, yes Infinity Kappa speakers are very good for mainstream equipment, but there is much better out there for the same amount of money.


Again, not THE best but very high up there - same ballpark as MMATS subs; NOT the same ballpark as RE XXX or an Adire Brahma.



Wrong again. More like: "would you put SR20 parts in an RB26DETT motor?"

The debate isnt whether or not the audio products he is talking about are legit - if he is buying them from a store, and they have a serial number along with a brand's name stamped on them chances are they are "legit." The question is: Do they work together



Best statement of this post. You are 100% correct. Your other statements were too absolute to be true (i.e. saying Rockford amps are the shit while their speakers are the worst). You have to realize that there is a LOT out there that isn't seen in every speaker store (i.e. RE Audio, Morel, Rainbow, Focal, DLS, etc.) that will BLOW AWAY the best of the best mainstream stuff. JL Audio subs and amps are incredible products...when compared to other mainstream equipment. They wont, however, come anywhere NEAR a McIntosh amp or RE XXX subs.

As said before for headunits I like Alpine, Kenwood and Premier as far as mainstream stuff goes. Alpine is the best-of-the-best to me. Their headunits are excelent. Their PDX amps are a great product as well, as are some of their components (Type-X I believe is their best?). Dont be fooled into buying something, especially when you have clearly stated you dont know much about this stuff. I am new here, and the first thing I did was make an introduction post and said I dont know my ass from a hole in the ground from a Nissan. You need to go listen to some stuff your self. Opinions are great, and I am more than willing to suggest things but it will ultimately come down to you and your ear, as no two people's ears are the same.


this doods shittin on me. lol.

i was simply giving my take on what i have used. i have not used every speaker or sub or amp. and your like pullin out this fuckin magical magician audio equiptment ive never even heard of. were talking legit on a budget quality.

[510-SR20DET]

Im seeing the list you provide and i would only keep the sub. The rest is no good if you are looking for a high quality sound for your dd.
If you delete the rear speakers and replace them with subs, you wont have mid range which are sound and music would be missing instead you have all base from the sub which is very annoying to me. Stock mounting speakers is fine nothing wrong with it.
When you buy a deck make sure you have 4 volt preout, this way you have a clear sharp sound. When you buy amp, go for a good brand like Phoenix Gold because it is pushing out true 500w like it suppose to, not like those 1500W kickers on the label but pushing out some wussy 400W instead of the true 1500W. You get what im saying.

[kTrainHurricane]

Im seeing the list you provide and i would only keep the sub. The rest is no good if you are looking for a high quality sound for your dd.
If you delete the rear speakers and replace them with subs, you wont have mid range which are sound and music would be missing instead you have all base from the sub which is very annoying to me. Stock mounting speakers is fine nothing wrong with it.
When you buy a deck make sure you have 4 volt preout, this way you have a clear sharp sound. When you buy amp, go for a good brand like Phoenix Gold because it is pushing out true 500w like it suppose to, not like those 1500W kickers on the label but pushing out some wussy 400W instead of the true 1500W. You get what im saying.

Wrong again. Rear speakers are for rear fill. As stated before, most audiophiles and SQ cars dont have rear speakers because it ruins sound imaging - when you go to a concert, are the musicians and/or their amplifiers behind you or on the side of you? No, they are ALL in front of you = sound imaging. The reason subwoofers can be behind you is because they are un-directional. Phoenix Gold amps suck.

[enigmadsm]

A lot of good and bad info in here...I don't have any high tech knowledge like some of these people in here...This is the set up i have run in my last couple cars...

Precision Power oldschool monoblock 1000w AMP
Precision Power 4 channel 450w amp for doors/components

ONE JL Audio 10W7, as commented above this speaker is seriously legit...Best sounding sub i've ever had...I had 2 JL 13W7's in an XB and blew the glass on the hatch off the seal driving down the freeway. If you get something at least decent like a type R or Kappa you will be pleased I would say...A lot of people are telling you to get the best of the best, but if you're just an average joe that wants a nice sounding system, as long as you have a good balance of highs mids and lows you won't notice much difference (again as the average joe)

6.5" Infinity kappa component speakers in front
6x9 Infinity Kappa Component speakers in Rear

Alpine Head Unit


Now adays though, I just run 6.5 components up front and 2 JL 6w3's in the rear in stock location along with the 4 channel precision power amp...I know that the 6" JLs don't produce nearly the sound they would in a box, but i don't want anything in my trunk...I don't care too much about a loud ass system any more just some decent sound quality.

Polk audio also makes decent components...I run those all around on my wife GLI with just a small 4 channel amp and it does more than its job.

You can definetly get something fairly good sounding in your price range, don't have to go all big baller with your set up...but like stated just stick with one sub! then you can spend more money on the amps and components...also your deck will be fine

[240sx123$]

WRONG.

The deck is the most important piece of your system. Kenwood, Alpine and Premier are the best brands (in my opinion) as far as the mainstream stuff goes, with Denon being up there towards higher-end and not-so-popular stuff.

Like already said before, 4v preout is whats important. There are a lot of bells and whistles available on a deck, and what I meant was that it isnt necessary to spend a fortune on a head unit if youre only looking for a basic setup. I wouldnt recommend a Dual or a Jensen, but an entry level Alpine or Kenwood would do just fine.

[Bmadd]

Like already said before, 4v preout is whats important. There are a lot of bells and whistles available on a deck, and what I meant was that it isnt necessary to spend a fortune on a head unit if youre only looking for a basic setup. I wouldnt recommend a Dual or a Jensen, but an entry level Alpine or Kenwood would do just fine.

The preout is not the end all be all deciding factor. There are preamps, and my amp has an input adjustment, kind of a built in preamp.

@ Husky

The big factor here is reality.

It is a 240sx. Not the quietest car, and if you are anything like most other 240sx owners, you probably have some kind of performance tire which can be noisy, and maybe an exhaust? My point is it may not be a good idea to put a top notch stereo, or even an 8/10 stereo. you may not even notice the difference.

500 dollars is a decent budget for a 240sx stereo. If you do the install, and you already have the deck, you could build a nice low budget 2.1 system. I have a Hifonics 4 channel amp, MBQuart 6.5 components up front, and a Fi X series sub, sealed in a 1 cu foot box. No rear speakers, and only one amp. Sounds great for what it is, and here is the cost breakdown:

Amp: Hifonics txi-6408 $160
Speakers: MB Quart 6.5 50$ (used from ebay, cant remember the model)
Sub: Fi X series $120
Box: sealed 1.0 Cu Ft $50-70 (made my own, pretty simple for about 20-30 bux)
wiring stuffs: $25 ( used a lot of used wires from the junkyard. Found some nice RCAs, some 8 gauge wire, nice speaker wire, dist block nice fuze holder. They let me have it while buying some other stuff.)

GRAND TOTAL: About 285. you figure if you bought new components, tha'd put you right about 500 bones my friend.

500 dollars is an entry level budget, so buy entry level stuff. the key is to match components. ie, the amp I have will not drive a JL w7. It is rated at 340 watts with the 3+4 channel bridged, at 4 ohm mono. The sub I have is rated at 300 watts RMS. Fi's next level sub is only $50 dollars more, but it is rated at 600 watts rms. My current amp wouldn't drive it, and I will be happier with the lower sub. same thing for components. check the wattage rating, and try to match that with your amp's rating (as long as you buy a good amp which is accurately rated.)

I know it was a lengthy post, but I hope it helps.

[Broadfield]

Siberian Husky

Please feel free to PM me or send me an email if you want to talk about a setup in your budget. I don't want to get into "this is better than that", or "my buddy had 32 12's that slammed". I have been doing this professionally for 18 years and personally have worked on over 25,000 vehicles in that time. That doesn't even include the tens of thousands of vehicles my other installers have done under my supervision. I have pretty much done it all, seen it all and heard it all. I carry brands in every budget category except for the ultra cheap. They all have their advantages whether it be price, size, quality, features or down right having the best sound quality regardless of price. I carry Hybrid Audio Technologies, ARC Audio, Alpine, JL Audio, Boston Aoustic, Rockford Fosgate, TRU Audio, Viper, Second Skin etc. Even better yet, you can call me at 309-261-4827.

Thanks,

Toby

[Siberian Husky]

i'll try calling, i really want to get this over with and just pull the trigger on some product but i havnt felt comfortable enough yet. this market is sooo flooded.

[Broadfield]

i'll try calling, i really want to get this over with and just pull the trigger on some product but i havnt felt comfortable enough yet. this market is sooo flooded.

It was good talking to you man! Hope to do business with you soon.

Thanks,

Toby

[Bmadd]

@ Broadfield or Husky

Could you post up what you all talked about? I would love to hear about some good budget brands. The market is very flooded with junk, and most of us in the 240sx community would rather buy new tie rods and camber arms than spend thousands on a stereo. But we all like our tunes. I think it would be good for the thread

[510-SR20DET]

Wrong again. Rear speakers are for rear fill. As stated before, most audiophiles and SQ cars dont have rear speakers because it ruins sound imaging - when you go to a concert, are the musicians and/or their amplifiers behind you or on the side of you? No, they are ALL in front of you = sound imaging. The reason subwoofers can be behind you is because they are un-directional. Phoenix Gold amps suck.

Yo face is wrong. go to the sound competition or BMW or Mercedes and tell them "you only need 2 speakers on the front and you dont need any speakers in the back" and see how they bitch slap your face. By the way, concerts have ALOT speakers than you imagine.
I think this dude day dreaming too much, like one of those people who busting out how fast Bugatti when his friend were talking about their Nissan.

prove of this dreamer.
http://zilvia.net/f/chat/344994-greddy-gracer-vs-navan-vs.html

[kTrainHurricane]

Yo face is wrong. go to the sound competition or BMW or Mercedes and tell them "you only need 2 speakers on the front and you dont need any speakers in the back" and see how they bitch slap your face. By the way, concerts have ALOT speakers than you imagine.
I think this dude day dreaming too much, like one of those people who busting out how fast Bugatti when his friend were talking about their Nissan.

Maybe you should learn to type, or at least proofread, before you try and start an unnecessary argument. I THINK somewhere in that clusterfuckk of words presented above you were trying to argue that more than 1 component set, positioned in the front (doors) of your car, is necessary for a good, high-quality SQ system. And yes, you are wrong. Yes, when you go to a concert there are a lot of speakers - ALL of which are IN FRONT OF YOU. There are ZERO speakers behind you facing foward. That doesn't go to say having rear speakers is a huge negative...some people like it. I am just saying that if your goal is high SQ with accurate sound imaging, there should be no rear FILL speakers. And, especially when on a budget, there is no use spending $75 on two pairs of speakers when you can get a much MUCH better pair by putting that $150 towards ONE set, as it will sound twice as good for the same amount of money.

Maybe someone else that knows a thing or two about car audio can chime in to help me tell this guy he's an idiot...

[510-SR20DET]

Maybe you should learn to type, or at least proofread, before you try and start an unnecessary argument. I THINK somewhere in that clusterfuckk of words presented above you were trying to argue that more than 1 component set, positioned in the front (doors) of your car, is necessary for a good, high-quality SQ system. And yes, you are wrong. Yes, when you go to a concert there are a lot of speakers - ALL of which are IN FRONT OF YOU. There are ZERO speakers behind you facing foward. That doesn't go to say having rear speakers is a huge negative...some people like it. I am just saying that if your goal is high SQ with accurate sound imaging, there should be no rear FILL speakers. And, especially when on a budget, there is no use spending $75 on two pairs of speakers when you can get a much MUCH better pair by putting that $150 towards ONE set, as it will sound twice as good for the same amount of money.

Maybe someone else that knows a thing or two about car audio can chime in to help me tell this guy he's an idiot...

Im sorry professor but im not in a English class, suck my balls bitch!
coming back on my English? hahaha nice try, you can do better next time. read my sig, you are one of those.

[kTrainHurricane]

"reason for editing: prove of what I'm talking about"

What does me asking about a body kit have ANYTHING in the world to do with car audio? Man, I remember when I was 12...

[Broadfield]

Rear speakers are for people in the rear... PERIOD!

Sub woofers are the exception to the rule, but sub frequencies are low enough to be non-directional.

[kTrainHurricane]

Rear speakers are for people in the rear... PERIOD!

Sub woofers are the exception to the rule, but sub frequencies are low enough to be non-directional.

Thank you.

[Siberian Husky]

@ Broadfield or Husky

Could you post up what you all talked about? I would love to hear about some good budget brands. The market is very flooded with junk, and most of us in the 240sx community would rather buy new tie rods and camber arms than spend thousands on a stereo. But we all like our tunes. I think it would be good for the thread


i suggest you call him and let him know your application and needs/wants/budget. he'll drop knowledge and set up a pretty sweet package. im pretty stoked. i keep goin through songs in my ipod i cant wait to hear in the system im gettin.

[510-SR20DET]

Well in this case, let me ask you this, would one 6.5 (since i drive alone)and 2 12' subs sound good? Also i believe in all the decks, there is this thing for you to adjust distance and direction for all mid range. I believe it is there for a reason. Does surround sound mean anything to you?
Thank you.

[Broadfield]

Well in this case, let me ask you this, would one 6.5 (since i drive alone)and 2 12' subs sound good? Also i believe in all the decks, there is this thing for you to adjust distance and direction for all mid range. I believe it is there for a reason. Does surround sound mean anything to you?
Thank you.

Surround sound absolutely means something to me........ in my home theater.

When you go to a concert, where is the band? When you go to see an orchestra perform, where are they located? When you go see Vanilla Ice perform, where is he?.... they are all in front of you. Otherwise you have Vanilla Ice singing in front of you and his exact clone stunt double also singing behind you.... that's just freaky:down:

And no, (1) 6.5" would not sound good. You would need (2) 6.5's(left and right) for stereo separation. A pair of good 6.5"(I'd suggest Hybrid Audio) with around 150 watts per channel and (2) 12's would sound perfect.

Remember, rear speakers are for people in the rear seat... no other reason unless you want to watch movies in your car and want surround sound. But even in that case, you wouldn't have the rear speakers on for music. You would use some form of surround sound processor that would sense 5.1 signal when a movie comes on. Then when you listened to standard music, the processor would turn off the rear and center channel outputs because it would only sense 2.1

[kTrainHurricane]

Surround sound absolutely means something to me........ in my home theater.

When you go to a concert, where is the band? When you go to see an orchestra perform, where are they located? When you go see Vanilla Ice perform, where is he?.... they are all in front of you. Otherwise you have Vanilla Ice singing in front of you and his exact clone stunt double also singing behind you.... that's just freaky:down:

And no, (1) 6.5" would not sound good. You would need (2) 6.5's(left and right) for stereo separation. A pair of good 6.5"(I'd suggest Hybrid Audio) with around 150 watts per channel and (2) 12's would sound perfect.

Remember, rear speakers are for people in the rear seat... no other reason unless you want to watch movies in your car and want surround sound. But even in that case, you wouldn't have the rear speakers on for music. You would use some form of surround sound processor that would sense 5.1 signal when a movie comes on. Then when you listened to standard music, the processor would turn off the rear and center channel outputs because it would only sense 2.1

Thank you, once again.

This kid just doesn't seem to get it...

[510-SR20DET]

When you go to a concert, where is the band? When you go to see an orchestra perform, where are they located? When you go see Vanilla Ice perform, where is he?.... they are all in front of you.

Am i at the concert? Am i seeing orchestra? NOPE. Im driving in my car!
You want your car to be like a concert, fine. But im want my car to be like my comfy home. Therefore, i want all the speakers surround me hence surround sound. Would 2 speakers in front of you sound better than 4 speakers coming at you in 4 directions? and dont tell me that you cant hear those 2 in the rear. "Rear speakers are only for people in the rear only"; so those 2 stock rear speakers installed in a 2 seaters, ie S2000 are for invisible people in the back?
If you listen carefully, the sub has nothing but mostly BASS. You might as well banging your head rather than listen to all that bass all day because you have only 2 little speakers in front of you that doesn't have enough power to over power the BASS of the subs. Of course you can tune the bass down but what's the point of having sound system if you cant have it loud?
BTW, i do watch movie in my car.
kTrain-Do you even have a sound system? If Phoenix Gold sucks, whats your setup? picture please. Who's the dreaming kid? Do you own all those wonderful brands? This is why people hire those who has experience rather than school trained.

[510-SR20DET]

But anyway, to OP answer these questions
1. do you have loud exhaust?
2. Is your car slammed?
3. Did you mod your engine?
4. Did you take out the sound def?
If you answered any of these questions yes then a sound system is just a waste putting it in your car.

[kTrainHurricane]

Am i at the concert? Am i seeing orchestra? NOPE. Im driving in my car!
You want your car to be like a concert, fine. But im want my car to be like my comfy home. Therefore, i want all the speakers surround me hence surround sound. Would 2 speakers in front of you sound better than 4 speakers coming at you in 4 directions? and dont tell me that you cant hear those 2 in the rear. "Rear speakers are only for people in the rear only"; so those 2 stock rear speakers installed in a 2 seaters, ie S2000 are for invisible people in the back?
Guess I have to say it again...REAR SPEAKERS ARE FOR REAR FILL (in regards to the driver and passenger). Yes, they will be able to hear sound coming from speakers behind them, but the only thing this sound does is RUIN the sound quality of their system because it directly effects sound imaging.

If you listen carefully, the sub has nothing but mostly BASS.
I dont know about your setup, but the sub should be playing 100% bass, not "mostly" you fucking moron.

You might as well banging your head rather than listen to all that bass all day because you have only 2 little speakers in front of you that doesn't have enough power to over power the BASS of the subs. Of course you can tune the bass down but what's the point of having sound system if you cant have it loud?
Clearly you can't read (which nicely fits with your inability to write/type), because the whole argument I am making is the fact that ONE good pair of components up front will sound great with a sub in the back. Spending $xx.xx on one pair of speakers for the front only, rather than of spending $xx.xx on 4 total speakers, will allow the OP to buy a good, crisp, clear, powerful component set to use along with a sub in the back without having to worry about the bass drowning out the rest of the music.

BTW, i do watch movie in my car.
"movie" should be plural.

kTrain-Do you even have a sound system? If Phoenix Gold sucks, whats your setup? picture please. Who's the dreaming kid? Do you own all those wonderful brands?
-Kenwood 25th Anniversary XXV-05V
-ONE set of Focal 165 K2P 6.5" components for the FRONT
-PPI Art Series a200 amp
-One JL Audio 10w7 subwoofer with Stealth Box
-PPI Art Series a1200.2
-Dynamat

This is why people hire those who has experience rather than school trained.
Why dont you share all this "experience" you claim to have then? Clearly you think Broadfield and myself dont know anything, so back yourself up with some reasoning...

[enigmadsm]

I can hear both sides of the arguement..i'm not gonna say one is better than the other. Broadfield and Ktrain seem to know what they are talking about...I however also enjoy the surround sound feel...

I can admit though, if it is not as good and distorts or ruins the sound imaging...then so be it. but i just like how it sounds more lol.
However, as mentioned above. I now only have 2 components up front and 2 6w3's in the rear...in stock location so they are just meh...i have heard them in a dedicated box and it is amazing, but i don't want anything other than fuel cell and battery in the trunk

[kTrainHurricane]

I can hear both sides of the arguement..i'm not gonna say one is better than the other. Broadfield and Ktrain seem to know what they are talking about...I however also enjoy the surround sound feel...
IT IS NOT SURROUND SOUND!!! Lol... ::sigh:: :duh:

Surround sound is sound that is supposed to be surrounding you - i.e. a helicopter in the background of an action/war movie; a subway on its tracks while a conversation is taking place between character A and B, etc. There is not supposed to be any sound coming from behind you in music. If you have a home-theater system (preferably 5.1 or higher) with pre-programmed sound settings, go ahead and put it on "cinema" or "matrix" or whatever, and listen. Then, put it on "music" and listen. you will notice that on the first two all 5 speakers will be on. But, when you switch to "music" only the front 2 speakers will be on - because even though home-theater system knows about sound imagining!

I can admit though, if it is not as good and distorts or ruins the sound imaging...then so be it. but i just like how it sounds more lol.
This sentence saves your previous one, lol

[enigmadsm]

haha i know its not actual surround sound, i should say i like that it is constant sound from all around.. maybe something is wrong with my ears lol...when i ride in cars with only 2 speakers up front, i feel like my ears are plugged and need to pop

And on my home theatre, i always leave it on cinema. it pisses me off on the music setting and only 2 outa the 5 are on lmao

[Mr. 25/8]

But anyway, to OP answer these questions
1. do you have loud exhaust?
2. Is your car slammed?
3. Did you mod your engine?
4. Did you take out the sound def?
If you answered any of these questions yes then a sound system is just a waste putting it in your car.

2 & 3 are irrelevant. And having rear fill does not mess with sound imaging if set up right. And someone said Re XXX are top of the line, uh NO. IMO the new line up is not like the older models (ie '05 XXX), they are turning into mainstream overpriced subs...cough jl audio.

[Broadfield]

Am i at the concert? Am i seeing orchestra? NOPE. Im driving in my car!
You want your car to be like a concert, fine. But im want my car to be like my comfy home. Therefore, i want all the speakers surround me hence surround sound. Would 2 speakers in front of you sound better than 4 speakers coming at you in 4 directions? and dont tell me that you cant hear those 2 in the rear. "Rear speakers are only for people in the rear only"; so those 2 stock rear speakers installed in a 2 seaters, ie S2000 are for invisible people in the back?
If you listen carefully, the sub has nothing but mostly BASS. You might as well banging your head rather than listen to all that bass all day because you have only 2 little speakers in front of you that doesn't have enough power to over power the BASS of the subs. Of course you can tune the bass down but what's the point of having sound system if you cant have it loud?
BTW, i do watch movie in my car.
kTrain-Do you even have a sound system? If Phoenix Gold sucks, whats your setup? picture please. Who's the dreaming kid? Do you own all those wonderful brands? This is why people hire those who has experience rather than school trained.

Let me try this again.

We are not telling you that you can't have rear speakers. If you like rear speakers then by all means have them... it doesn't affect me.

We are simply saying it's not correct to have rear speakers. When the music was recorded, it was recorded in stereo(that's left and right only). There was no "rear" info recorded. If that isn't as cut and dry as can be, then I don't know what else to tell you. Your car stereo simply takes the info from the front and duplicates it to the rear.... because there is no "rear" info on your CD, MP3, tape, iPod, FM tuner, AM tuner etc. etc. If you and Joe blow like rear speakers for music then fine, but that doesn't mean it's right. Hell, there are axe murderers out there that like to chop people up and eat them... it doesn't mean it's right.

[kTrainHurricane]

And someone said Re XXX are top of the line, uh NO. IMO the new line up is not like the older models (ie '05 XXX), they are turning into mainstream overpriced subs...cough jl audio.
I never denoted a specific year... Yes I agree older stuff is better - hence why I choose to only use PPI Art Series amps. Either way, I stand by my statement that RE XXX subs ('05>'10, agreed) are at the top of the game.

[Mr. 25/8]

I never denoted a specific year... Yes I agree older stuff is better - hence why I choose to only use PPI Art Series amps. Either way, I stand by my statement that RE XXX subs ('05>'10, agreed) are at the top of the game.

Again, NO they are not the "top of the game". I can name at least 10 different subs that will eat the XXX alive in terms of SQ and output. The only thing I would use that driver for is in a custom ported enclosure tuned to 18-22hz, using it for HT. Those subs don't belong in a car imo.

And I am reffering to the 07+ model, when saying that they don't belong in a car.

[enigmadsm]

Ktrain, at least we can agree on amps!!! that is all i use...see page one.

On a side note, is it possible to have a proper sounding system only using an Ipod (IE no headunit?) I a thinking no, that the only way would be to have the ipod running through a head unit...but figured if anyone would know, you guys would. I fear the sound quality would not be great because of the output sound voltage of the ipods/itouch and no EQ, Also the amp would have to be wired to acc to turn on/off wit the ignition. Then they have the cables where it has the Doc connection on one end for the ipod and RCAs on the other end

[Mr. 25/8]

I've been searching zilvia for hours and I must say its almost impossible to find a good, coherent, noob friendly thread on car audio. Seems like other FAQs and write ups exist for everything else under the sun except for audio.

I have an s13 hatch and was wondering what was a good decent set up. On a quality scale from 1-10, im looking at getting something around 8, because I admit to being kinda ignorant when it comes to sound quality. I just know speakers are bad when they start crackling and popping.

My car currently has a deck in it, I just want to use it because I know decks are pretty expensive. Its a Kenwood (KDC-MP2035) Kenwood - KDC-MP2035 (http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/2007_Car_Entertainment/KDC-MP2035)

I dont know if this is good or anything.

I also don't know the difference in AMPS and if I even need an AMP. My plan is to put 6.5's in the front with the speaker adapters they have. I deleted the speakers from the rear and simply wanted to put in two 10's or 12's fashioned in a box.

OP, if you want an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, yes you have to amp those 6.5s up front. Stick with your deck, get a decent 2 channel amp that will power the 6.5s accordingly with their rms, and look into getting a single 10 or 12, sealed or ported (enclosure tuned to 30-35hz). There are plenty quality subs out there, I would suggest something like a Fi Q 10 or 12, with a good amp that will pwer it properly. I would suggest an AudioQue 1200D. Cant go wrong especially for the price.

OP, here are some links to help ya out.

Amp:
Audioque: Amps: AQ1200D (http://www.audioque.com/aq/?page_id=26)

Sub:
https://ssl.perfora.net/www.ficaraudio.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=154ca613cb97fba/shopdata/0050_Speakers/product_overview.shopscript

If you have any questions about configuring that sub, or any other sub, pm me and I'll be glad to help you.

Ktrain, at least we can agree on amps!!! that is all i use...see page one.

On a side note, is it possible to have a proper sounding system only using an Ipod (IE no headunit?) I a thinking no, that the only way would be to have the ipod running through a head unit...but figured if anyone would know, you guys would. I fear the sound quality would not be great because of the output sound voltage of the ipods/itouch and no EQ, Also the amp would have to be wired to acc to turn on/off wit the ignition. Then they have the cables where it has the Doc connection on one end for the ipod and RCAs on the other end
Search for a line driver EQ.

[Broadfield]

OP, if you want an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, yes you have to amp those 6.5s up front. Stick with your deck, get a decent 2 channel amp that will power the 6.5s accordingly with their rms, and look into getting a single 10 or 12, sealed or ported (enclosure tuned to 30-35hz). There are plenty quality subs out there, I would suggest something like a Fi Q 10 or 12, with a good amp that will pwer it properly. I would suggest an AudioQue 1200D. Cant go wrong especially for the price.

An 8 out of 10 is so far beyond what he wants to spend it's not even funny. To achieve an 8 out of 10, you would need at least a Hybrid Audio Clarus set of components, and those are $500. That's about his budget right there. And I'm not even sure if the Clarus would achieve an 8. May have to step up to the Legatia series.

[kTrainHurricane]

Again, NO they are not the "top of the game". I can name at least 10 different subs that will eat the XXX alive in terms of SQ and output.
Go ahead then...

The only sub I would "hands down" and "bar none" pick "without hesitation" over the RE XXX would be an Adire Audio Brahma.

And I am reffering to the 07+ model, when saying that they don't belong in a car.
Well I agreed that older models, such as 2005 like you mentioned, are better than the newer. So this statement is irrelevant.

[Mr. 25/8]

An 8 out of 10 is so far beyond what he wants to spend it's not even funny. To achieve an 8 out of 10, you would need at least a Hybrid Audio Clarus set of components, and those are $500. That's about his budget right there. And I'm not even sure if the Clarus would achieve an 8. May have to step up to the Legatia series.

I know he won't achieve anywhere near an 8. But the amp and sub i recommended would be just what hes looking for. And install is key, I am sure you know that. I've heard plenty of sq demo cars with top of the line components like mcintosh, focal etc. Let me tell you, my hertz hsk 165 comp set with my arc audio amp beats most if not all sound systems I've heard. And I've heard plenty. Just showing ya that buying expensive comps like legatias doesn't nesessarily mean you'll get better sound.

[Mr. 25/8]

Go ahead then...

The only sub I would "hands down" and "bar none" pick "without hesitation" over the RE XXX would be an Adire Audio Brahma.


Well I agreed that older models, such as 2005 like you mentioned, are better than the newer. So this statement is irrelevant.

Not even going to argue or waste our time about subs. Looks like you got your mind made up.

[kTrainHurricane]

Not even going to argue or waste our time about subs. Looks like you got your mind made up.

Looks like you fell about 10 short on your list...

[Mr. 25/8]

If you want to get the list and learn something then pm me. If not, cool. I am not the type of person that sits on the computer and argues for pages on end, I'd rather read and learn. I think 8 years of learning skills and tricks of the trade from top competitors (usaci, dbdrag, iasca, meca, etc), their installation methods, and their techniques and equipment they use and how they use it qualifies me as a knowledgeable audiophile. I am serious, If you are open minded...pm me.

[kTrainHurricane]

I am not the type of person that sits on the computer and argues for pages on end

Coulda fooled me - you have made 6 posts on this thread out of 60 total. That is 10%. Considering how many members there are on this board that did not post here, I would say that you have done your fair share of arguing...

[Broadfield]

I know he won't achieve anywhere near an 8. But the amp and sub i recommended would be just what hes looking for. And install is key, I am sure you know that. I've heard plenty of sq demo cars with top of the line components like mcintosh, focal etc. Let me tell you, my hertz hsk 165 comp set with my arc audio amp beats most if not all sound systems I've heard. And I've heard plenty. Just showing ya that buying expensive comps like legatias doesn't nesessarily mean you'll get better sound.

I have always said "sound quality" is subjective anyway. You act like your ARC Audio amplifier is possibly an over achiever. If you have an SE series, then you have one of the best amps on the market. So I wouldn't expect anything but greatness from it. I am ARC and TRU audio dealer.... good, good stuff! Which amp(s) do you have? Even if you don't have an SE series, I'm still happy you bought an ARC.

[Mr. 25/8]

Coulda fooled me - you have made 6 posts on this thread out of 60 total. That is 10%. Considering how many members there are on this board that did not post here, I would say that you have done your fair share of arguing...

Oh yeah, because judging my post count tells everything about me.:down:
I am only on this forum because of the vendors and deals here.

I have always said "sound quality" is subjective anyway. You act like your ARC Audio amplifier is possibly an over achiever. If you have an SE series, then you have one of the best amps on the market. So I wouldn't expect anything but greatness from it. I am ARC and TRU audio dealer.... good, good stuff! Which amp(s) do you have? Even if you don't have an SE series, I'm still happy you bought an ARC.

How am I acting like its an over achiever? Installation in my vehicle is top notch. Not to be cocky but I am not the only individual that "thinks" my audio system sounds good. I agree that SQ is subjective, but when several competitors say my car sounds amazing, well...

Believe it or not, I have the KS300.4! I am amazed at what Robert Zeff has done with his line-up of amps. I agree 100% with you on that. TRU is some baller ass shit as well.

[GSXRJJordan]

WRONG. Rockford sucks in general. Running a full, good JL Audio, or Resonant Engineering, or Focal, etc. setup would sound amazing.


You clearly have not used much then. Granted, yes Infinity Kappa speakers are very good for mainstream equipment, but there is much better out there for the same amount of money.


Again, not THE best but very high up there - same ballpark as MMATS subs; NOT the same ballpark as RE XXX or an Adire Brahma.



Wrong again. More like: "would you put SR20 parts in an RB26DETT motor?"

The debate isnt whether or not the audio products he is talking about are legit - if he is buying them from a store, and they have a serial number along with a brand's name stamped on them chances are they are "legit." The question is: Do they work together



Best statement of this post. You are 100% correct. Your other statements were too absolute to be true (i.e. saying Rockford amps are the shit while their speakers are the worst). You have to realize that there is a LOT out there that isn't seen in every speaker store (i.e. RE Audio, Morel, Rainbow, Focal, DLS, etc.) that will BLOW AWAY the best of the best mainstream stuff. JL Audio subs and amps are incredible products...when compared to other mainstream equipment. They wont, however, come anywhere NEAR a McIntosh amp or RE XXX subs.

As said before for headunits I like Alpine, Kenwood and Premier as far as mainstream stuff goes. Alpine is the best-of-the-best to me. Their headunits are excelent. Their PDX amps are a great product as well, as are some of their components (Type-X I believe is their best?). Dont be fooled into buying something, especially when you have clearly stated you dont know much about this stuff. I am new here, and the first thing I did was make an introduction post and said I dont know my ass from a hole in the ground from a Nissan. You need to go listen to some stuff your self. Opinions are great, and I am more than willing to suggest things but it will ultimately come down to you and your ear, as no two people's ears are the same.

This guy is approved to speak in audio threads. Right on all counts.

[kTrainHurricane]

This guy is approved to speak in audio threads. Right on all counts.

Thank you very much. It is greatly appreciated!

[Broadfield]

How am I acting like its an over achiever?

Believe it or not, I have the KS300.4! I am amazed at what Robert Zeff has done with his line-up of amps. I agree 100% with you on that. TRU is some baller ass shit as well.

Because you stated that your system sounds better than pretty much every system you have ever heard... and you are using cheaper equipment than probably most of those vehicles. So that nice ARC amp is overachieving for it's price. That amp even uses H class switching... not really ideal for sound quality. You would be floored if you switched over to an SE with A/B switching... or any high-end amplifier with A/B switching for that matter. I think an upgrade is in order:)

[Mr. 25/8]

Because you stated that your system sounds better than pretty much every system you have ever heard... and you are using cheaper equipment than probably most of those vehicles. So that nice ARC amp is overachieving for it's price. That amp even uses H class switching... not really ideal for sound quality. You would be floored if you switched over to an SE with A/B switching... or any high-end amplifier with A/B switching for that matter. I think an upgrade is in order:)

I'll say it one last time. INSTALL IS KEY!

And I'll pass on the upgrade. I've had plenty class A/B, class D, class H, X, DE, whatever you wanna call it. You have no idea what I run as far as processing etc so you can't make any assumptions. My highs, midrange, midbass, and substage are dialed in perfectly IMO. Like I said, I'll pass lol. If you were in Austin, I would invite you and ktrain over anytime to hear it. TC Sounds Neo motor sub sounds phenomenal and blends in perfectly, especially with everything crossed over to a T. Fun discussion with you guys. I'm out!:faint:

[Om1kron]

Car audio nerds hehe. 60 dollar head unit, where to plug in my ipod. = stereo system / thread.

[Broadfield]

I'll say it one last time. INSTALL IS KEY!

And I'll pass on the upgrade. I've had plenty class A/B, class D, class H, X, DE, whatever you wanna call it. You have no idea what I run as far as processing etc so you can't make any assumptions. My highs, midrange, midbass, and substage are dialed in perfectly IMO. Like I said, I'll pass lol. If you were in Austin, I would invite you and ktrain over anytime to hear it. TC Sounds Neo motor sub sounds phenomenal and blends in perfectly, especially with everything crossed over to a T. Fun discussion with you guys. I'm out!:faint:

Soooooo you're saying if you put in a better sounding amplifier, which an A/B of the same brand of amplifier will be, it isn't going to make your setup sound better? That doesn't make much sense. I don't give a rats ass what processing you have. That doesn't have anything to do with how the transistors in your amplifier switch on and off and create more distortion than a class A or A/B. Sounds like you are too cocky for your own good.

[kTrainHurricane]

Soooooo you're saying if you put in a better sounding amplifier, which an A/B of the same brand of amplifier will be, it isn't going to make your setup sound better? That doesn't make much sense. I don't give a rats ass what processing you have. That doesn't have anything to do with how the transistors in your amplifier switch on and off and create more distortion than a class A or A/B. Sounds like you are too cocky for your own good.

Hey! Hey! Hey! - he only comes on this forum for the vendor specials... :ghey:

Lol

[Mr. 25/8]

Wow you guys are closed minded. Do some real world testing and stop believing all the shit you read. You guys have at it, for me, this discussion is done.

[Broadfield]

Wow you guys are closed minded.


Actually you are! You are saying that if you swapped your amp out for a better sounding amplifier that it wouldn't make your setup sound better.:confused:

Do some real world testing and stop believing all the shit you read.

Yeah, I guess the 40,000 some vehicles my shop has done in my 18 years of installation isn't very much real world testing:rolleyes:

You guys have at it, for me, this discussion is done.

You already said that on your last post.

[slidewaysS15R]

+1 to Broadfield
id be glad for you to give advise on parts id like for anybody to say that just a normal vendor would go to such lengths to prove a point just for the sake of doing it (beneficial to us)
max respect man

[NissanEnthus]

I know this thread is several months old but and got a little crazy but...I didnt see a verdict or final product install in Siberian Husky's car? Did you keep your rear speakers?...Were you satisfied with what you got?.....I never had one car without some upgrade in the stereo department..Its a necessity in CA traffic...

[Ham Sandwich]

Since you've got a deck already, get a 4 channel amp... 2 channels driving a good pair of front 6.5" components and the other two bridged driving one decent sub in a medium sized sealed box. You can get conversion plates for the speakers on ebay for like 10 bucks so you can fit the 6.5" in the doors, they buy a hole saw kit to install the tweeters in the upper part of the door panel.

Brand is your choice. Resonant engineering, Fi Audio, Polk, JL, Infinity, MB quart, Diamond audio, Focal, eclipse, etc. Stay away from pioneer (except for decks, they kick ass) sony, panasonic, boss, any of those cheap ass brands. Kicker makes solid amps and loud ass subs if you're into that.