ivory8

Hey guys, in the near future i would love to buy a system but i am extremely noob in this area. I have tried doing some light research but electronic technical terms just don't do anything for me. I don't really understand what a watt is or how much 3 amps would help your sound rather than just having one.

When i go into the audio store to purchase my system i don't want to sound like a complete noob, and i want to get a good system for the right price. I don't want to be jipped.

My plan is to get 2 10" with a deck in the ash tray (i love the rx8 dash board) and whatever amp/amps i need.

My money limit is about $1500

I am no sound critic so i don't need to have PERFECT bass, but i do want something reliable that sounds good.

For subs i want to get a well known, high quality system...maybe Bose?

I know nothing about amps and decks but im willing to learn. I want my subs to be in a tight box so most of the bass stays inside the car and it sounds tight.

I do however have a few concerns. If i do get a deck in the dash board will i still be able to use the car's in-dash stereo for AM/FM radio? Will i be able to use the steering wheel controls if i get a new deck? will my ipod adapter still work through the car's radio, then through the deck thus producing the bass i want?

My questions may sound noob but that is the best i could word them. any information you give me would be greatly appreciated... thanks!

Socket7

Ok. Let's ask a few questions here.

What do you feel to be the shortcomings of the stock stereo?

Do you have the bose system, or the base stereo?

Why do you want an aftermarket head unit?


Now lets clear up a few misconceptions.

Bose is NOT high quality. I would rate Bose systems as the best of the cheap *** consumer stereos. Their studio and club quality amps and speakers are respectable, but their consumer gear is crap that sacrifices clarity for small size and a large frequency range.

JL is high quality. Arcaudio is high quality. Infinity, clarion, rockford fosgate, polk, all put out better gear then Bose does. Argue amongst yourself about who puts out the best gear of all.

I've got more to say, but I want you to answer my questions first.

ivory8

shortcomings of stock stero: not enough bass, speakers sound fine to me.

i have the base stereo

i thought to get the most out of your sound system, a deck (or headunit) is necessary.

Tha'ts new news to me, i thought Bose was like top of the line. so sounds like JL is what i should be looking for?

Revvittupp

Keep the headunit, get a good signal processor. Start with a single amp and 2 10's, btu then with the stock system I bet you will feel the bass washes out the mids/highs. To replace everythign with high quality stuff will cost more hten $1500, especially with install. Figure another 10% for wires as well.

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

wow, you really do need a lot of help in this area.

you should check the stickies at the top first.

sounds like all you need is a LOC, mono block amp, sub(s), enclosure, and associated wiring. you won't need to spend anywhere near $1500 for this either unless you get the best you can find which for your application doesn't sound like what you really need/want.

ivory8

everything in bold i don't understand. But i don't see how i could NOT need a new deck. Is the rx8 internal deck good enough to get the most out of my subs? How much will i benefit if i get a new deck?

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

LOC=Line Output Converter
Mono Block Amp- single channel amp used for subs.

google is your friend

if you read the sticky or maybe search a little, you might find out a few key points about changing the head unit.

1. you need a dash kit. there's only a couple currently available and your budget will not support these. the single din dash kit currently available is un-sightly ugly and the others are double din which will be insanely expensive.

2. you need the actual head unit. once again some of these can be very expensive unless you really cheap out.

for your budget and needs you do not need an aftermarket head unit.

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

here's a site that can also help answer a lot of your questions.

and from revvittupp's post, btu=but(misspelled)

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

Sorry, but I didn't read every post here, so pardon if I repeat some things.


#1. You're not getting a deck fabbed into the ash tray area. There's simply not enough room. And even if there was, the shop would no doubt charge you an arm and leg for the work. I see your budget. It's not happening. On this note, you don't really have the budget to replace the existing headunit due to the high price of the dash kit added to the labor the shop will probably charge you to put it in. PLUS the price of the headunit. In short, you really should just get a quality line output converter and keep the factory headunit. I recommend the Audiocontrol LC6i.

The number of physical amps means nothing. It's the number of channels on those amps you should be looking at. You could get a 4-channel amp to power all 4 of your interior speakers and a 1-channel amp for the subwoofer. Or you could get a 5-channel amp to do all of the same things. Get it? One amp, but still 5 separate channels of music.

ivory8

ahhh ok that clears up a lot. thanks guys. ill be calling a place anthony recommended as a good local audio shop tomorrow. Ill get a quote and let u guys know the outcome. but before i do that, I MUST READ! gonna go absorb some serious info within the next few hours. again...thanks for all the help everyone.

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

As socket7 recommended to me.. go to your local audio shop and find what you like. Then buy them cheap online. With $1500 you can get a sick system if you want to learn to install it yourself. Labor anywhere isn't cheap and since audio systems take a while to install you'd be paying by the hour.

Socket7

Oh look! everyone answered my questions for me.

If you want to do this dirt cheap, start by replacing all the cabin speakers, and add an sub + a 2 channel amplifier (why 2 channels? you can run it bridged, or add a second sub in the future). I belive you can run aftermarket speakers directly from the stock head unit (someone correct me if I'm wrong there).

I suspect that after you put the sub in you'll find it overwhelms your mids and highs. At which point you'd want a good 4 channel amp to power your cabin speakers, bringing the whole system into balance.

Labor isn't cheap. If you can do it yourself you'll save a bundle

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

you don't need to replace cabin speakers. i don't think that should be the first thing to change. i think he just wants some more bass for now.

ivory8

ill pass doing it myself. I'd rather spend lots more money to have someone els install it, and if something goes wrong i can just have them redo it. I don't feel like i would be capable of such a thing. the one thing i have heard from people is that once you get a sub you want to take out all the bass from your speakers and put it to your sub. this is to protect your speakers and let you play them louder to match your sub's beastliness. correct?

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

yeah they are called bass blockers.

seifer51582

i do not see why you could not get this all done for that price. you could get a kicker ZX700.5 and run it on a single 12" Kicker CVT Subwoofer and then replace all of the interiror speakers with the KS650.2's. You would still have about $400-$500 left over for the cost of the installation, wires, line out converter.

I would do it for that much but vegas is a bit of a ways away.

Revvittupp

I type too fast for my own good, thanks.

IN my lingo a signal processor is a LOC, or more precisely, an advanced LOC with some sound shaping to it.

After reading more, I think you should sit is some local 8's with built stereo's and see how far you want to go.

I personally added to my Bose system with simply an 8 guage power kit and an Alpine Lat array "sub". I think puttign a HEAVY system in this car is counter productive. Had I gotten a base car with stock stereo, I'd probably but a pair of 6.5" components front and rear(or 6x9's in the back) and added a single ``10 with a 5 channel amp. To do it to the quality standards I liek to uphold, that would be FAR more then $1500 by the tiem I was done with a high end processor, dynamat, wiring, and quality equipment.

If you're not htat picky, I might have a sollution for you. I have a 5 channell Alpine kickign around in my garage, puts out 40x4 + 120 x1 RMS. Buy a single decent 10 and box, a cheapo LOC and soem fill speakers and you should EASILY fit within your budget for a full setup that will be balanced. If you are lookign for a LOT fo bass, you will be disappointed however.

ivory8

im a teenager so it is always cool to pump the bass so loud people can hear it from a distance, that is what i want...but will i play my music at max bass all the time? no no no. Its kind of like buying an exhaust...its a statement telling people im here and im badass lol. an exhaust only gives like what...5-9hp, definitely not worth the 1200 bucks some people are paying.

Socket7

But why drop $$$ on a sub and keep your craptastic OEM paper cone speakers? By replacing the door speakers at the same time, he will get a lot more clarity out of the stock system, and still use all the existing wiring and the OEM amp. If he wants it louder in the future, then he can install another amp and hook the cabin speakers to it with some new wires. It provides a good upgrade path.

You may as well do it now before inflation hits, while all this gear costs hundreds of dollars instead of thousands or millions.

ivory8

aight, well with this information i will make my decision and let u guys know. Ill call the shop later today when i get some free time.

malignant

I just put a very good sub and amp combo in my RX8 for $750 total, depending on how much bass you want you could even get a ridiculously loud system for $1500. Although, personally I don't think that in our cars the loudest subs are best, because there is such little room that even a small sub could hit hard. Here's my price breakdown though, just for an idea on what you can expect to buy:
Kicker 12" L5 - $155 shipped
Kicker 750.1 Mono Class D Amp - $100 shipped (I got an amazing deal on this amp brand new)
Zenclosures sub box - $155 shipped
Line Output Converter - $40
4 gauge wiring kit - $90
RCA Cables - $40
Labor - $150
Various shop fees - $20

ivory8

coolness, that breaks it down a bit thank ya

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

wow, you got a hell of a deal on that sub and amp. i tapped my rear speakers on the back deck so i got my RCA's for $7.

malignant

Haha yeah, I love the internet, it's full of good deals. I probably shoulda had them tap my rears...but I'm a tard so I paid extra lol.

Eventually I'm gonna get a 12" L7, and since my system already has more than enough power for the L7 then all I need to do is swap out the sub, which is awesome. So easy.

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

yep that amp is perfect for an L7.