i don't know the first thing about this stuff, but i know i want to have a good system and i don't really have much money to spend, what do i need? please help

 

first things first...you need to list how much you wanna spend...you need a cd player first, if you don't already have one... then i would go with speakers...should be 6 1/2's and 6*9's...if you want to spend big bucks..you can go component..and get seperate mids and highs... then you get a sub or subs and amplify your speakers and sub/subs...it all depends on how much you want to spend..theres post on right now about where to buy...you should check it out.

 

i already have a cd player, but other than that all the speakers and stuff are stock and they still work, i just wanted to add more to it, like a couple of subs probably, but i don't really know anything about that, and right now i have to work on my new engine i am putting in my car first, then the speakers will probably be next, but i'm not sure how much money i will have to spend, hopefully not much more than a few hundred bucks.

 

lol...any decent system with subs(which you say you want) new speakers(a must) and amplification to both will cost you more than a few hundred dollars...If you really want to save a lot, use ebay. You will save a butt-load of money...for good speakers...i would say don't spend more than 200/pair for the 6*9's and 150/pair for the 6 1/2's..If you go to ebay..you can get a 200 pair for around 100 bucks and a 150 pair for around 70...it all depends where you shop...if your going with sound quality and not mind blowing bass..id go with 1 12" sub or 2 10's..i have one JLW3..and it feels like my ears will explode...the sub was cheap too...IMO JL Audio is very well priced for the sound quality...they make awesome subs..now, if you want to hear your mids and highs over the bass...amplification to your new speakers is a MUST...if you dont..the new speakers will sound stock(IMO) unless amplified...amplification doesnt put out more bass on the speakers, but rather increases the sound quality and level of loudness...HUGE difference...a 4 channel amp will do the trick...IMO, if your not trying to spend a lot on your system, you can go a little cheap on the amp...Ive heard some pretty lame amps give good subs some awesome power...you can get 4 channel amps dirt cheap nowdays... You will also need an amp for your sub (unless you run it with the 4 channel...I did this, and i wish i didnt..i recently bought another amp for my sub) Your sub amp can be a mono sub (1 channel) or a 2 channel(bridged)... 2 channels can be found cheaper, or at least thats what I saw on Ebay...those can also be found dirt cheap...i just bought a used Power Acoustik 600 watt 2 channel amp for 70 bucks...I haven't tried it out, (waiting for new cd player) but it should do me good....well, there ya go...If I were you, I would install everything myself..and get a custom box...if thats your trade, you can make one, but I am not a wood shaper..so I just bought one...Heres how i would predict a decent/good system:
6*9's: 150
6 1/2's:70
1 12" sub(JL W3) 100 on ebay as we speak
1- 4 channel amp 75
1-mono amp 70

Thats 365 bucks...that includes very nice speakers...a good sub and fair amplifiers....wiring and crap will hit you around 100 bucks..mabye more..mabye less...i recommend wal mart.. if you decide to put 2 amps in..i suggest a capicitor and/or new wiring from alternator to car and battery..this will make a big difference not to kill your alternator...i had to, because I am throwing out about 1600 watts...i really hoped this helped... I will have lots of pics of every little detail on my system (which is exactly like the one i priced for you, except i paid about 600 dollars for my 4 channel)i can post the pics once my cd player comes in...wednesday or thursday....cya

 

sorry, i forgot to include the box..and also...installation is a lot if you do it elsewhere...you will save a a couple hundred bucks if you do it all yourself...

 

Like 92camaro, I'd recommend walmart for your installation parts like wiring kits. But don't buy any of your components there. It's really not feasible to try and put together a system that will be better than the factory one for only $100-200. What you can do is put your system together peice by peice. If what you really want is bass, you can get a sub tub and put it in the well. That's what I did for a while until I was able to build my current system. I was able to get some decent bass with it, and I was pretty happy so long as I didn't ride with anybody who had subs in their car. Then my car didn't sound so good anymore. But I was only down like $75 and so I didn't feel too bad about it. It really comes down to chosing though between cost or quality. When I first got started, I was broke, so I bought really low end stuff. Now the pyramid amps are making their way back to the boxes they came in. I still have one in my current setup as I search for a suitable replacement.

 

i really hate ebay..i was supposed to have my pictures in to show you, but my cd player did not come in....Tomorrow is the last day it could possibly come in, so we'll see.




alpine cda-7897-on the way
kenwood xcelons around the car
1 12" jlw3 sub
rockford fosgate 800 watt 4 channel
power acoustic 600 watt 2 channel
1 farad digital cap
fosgate and wal mart wiring
custom box by Autotronics

 

How do you like your power acoustic amp? I was thinking of getting one of their sapphire series ones, but hadn't really found any opinions on it either way?

 

well..because of good ol' ebay..i havent gotten a chance to test it out...i don't even know if it works but, from what i hear...PA is very good for the price...the big downside is that all of their amps are overrated.IE a 600 watt amp will not peak near 600...but i will find out how it sounds(hopefully) friday...(14th) i will def. let ya know...anyways i will always swear by rockford fosgate amps..damn near best amps ive heard..and i was at the car audio nationals at daytona beach last year

 

forgot to mention...for opinions on any car audio equipment.... www.epinions.com

 

That's what I'm afraid of. I'd be getting it to replace my pyramid amp, and I don't really want to make the same mistake twice.

 

IMO...get a new or used Fosgate...i swear by them, because they had amplifier tests in daytona...they used 1 12" audiobahn sub and swapped 600 watt amps...for the price...rockford fosgate killed everyone..i think earthquake won, but those amps are insanly expensive....fosgate fosgate fosgate...and you wont regret it


-alpinecda7897<--if it doesnt come in today, police are getting involved...ebay --

 

This is what my setup looks like, the amp to be replaced is the blue one on the top.
<img src="https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/attachment.php?s=&postid=1159763">
The thing is I need one that will light up. Right now the amp and speakers light up everytime the stereo turns on so you can see it out the back window. That's why I was considering the PA sapphire series.

Thanks for the link to epinions, unfortunately nobody had posted reviews of anything but the 1200 watt PAs.

I know what you mean about trouble with ebay. I bought 3 items at one time from a seller and only recieved 2. It took over a month to get the person to send me the third item. I ended up forwarding all the emails we had exchanged along with an ultimatum that if it wasn't shipped within 3 days I was contacting ebay and paypal. I got the item.

 

well...no cd player...i filed two small claims suits..with a copy of this dudes signature for my money order...this piece of crap is going down, and if i ever see him, i will beat the living crap out of him...this shouldn't have come to this. Before this, I have had nothing but good luck with ebay...my capacitor came in today!! I ordered it a week after i ordered the cd player....

 

holy **** man that looks nice as hell how long did that take you and how much did it cost!

 

Now that I have the right dimensions it'd take maybe a week. But I messed up on the part that goes into the well, and just kept trying to make what I had made fit. I spent three weeks trimming it trying to get it to fit. I finally just made a new and it then it was easy from there. After it was done my dad said "hey, should do this professionally", so I am. I'm in the process of getting a business license and MECP cert. right now.

As far as cost..........I don't want to think about it. Lets see, it took 2 sheets of MDF, I think those are like $20 a sheet, or course if I hadn't messed up earlier, I might have been able to do it with one, but I think I still wouldv'e been a little short. Then filler, which was maybe $5, just to smooth all the screw holes and seams and such, and I went through two tubes of caulking, at like $3 each. The fabric I used usually runs $11 a yard, but luckily I found some on sale. It's 2 or 3 yards of fabric. It's the stuff they make figure skating outfits out of. It's great cause it stretches really well and looks really nice up close. In the pic it looks kinda dull, but it's actually kind of a gloss black as opposed to a flat finish.

Overall, I would say maybe $60-100 in materials including the consumables like sandpaper.

The only downside, it's really heavy, so it makes the back end ride a little lower than the front. On the other hand, it's great for traction.

Here it is directly from the back, this is what most people are used to seeing.
<img src="https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/attachment.php?s=&postid=1159759">