ok, i used to have an Eclipse deck with two crappy tens and a 300W amp, and the factory speakers, it didnt sound to bad, but i am soo picky, and i can tell what true sound is like. i dont push bass as much as treble. i like to hear what i am listening to not feel it.

ok here is the deal, the S10 now has the Eclipse and the Subs, and i am looking for all new. i can get a discout(cost) at Best Buy and at Ultimate Electronics here in town,
ok i want a Kenwood Excelon deck, because i like the black face when off. and i have a set of pioneer 6x9's i got for $10 from a friends car when he totalled it. and i am looking into maybe not using them..

Please guide me to what i need, i want some subs, mainly 8" JL audio maybe, but what components do i need, and how much of an amp should i run with those?

thanks for anything, and any advice on top of that will also help, i know nothing about stereos, i do know how to install but then i have friends adjust the amps settings, thanks again, from a stereo illiterate person!

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior

mods: AFPR, B&M megashifter-HD4ft cable, Underdrive Pulleys, Ported plenum, K&N's, Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum Driveshaft, Gutted Air Boxes w/ Ram Air, and more!!
soon to have new PAINT, and suspension work

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD -

[This message has been edited by RARE-ROC-Z (edited May 18, 2001).]

 

First off, let me say that I think those stealth faces are a horrible idea!

Especially now that everyone knows about them. You are putting yourself at a disadvantage in 2 ways:

1. Thief aims his flashlight and sees no pin connector for a face - now he knows the whole radio is there for the taking.

2. Thief sees it has the stealth face, so now he knows he's about to steal a decent deck (I don't know of any cheapies w/ 'stealth' type face).

Key cards are almost as bad - if a thief looks in and sees a face, he'll go for it. Sure it won't work w/o the card, but is he going to give you the radio back when he realizes it's of no use to him? Remember, your 'smart card' must have a radio to be put into!

I always used to take off my detachable and set it under the seat. That way you don't have to carry it around, AND the thief can see that there's no face. This worked for 4 years for me. Then one day the release mechanism on my faceplate broke, so I couldn't get the face off. A short while after that, my whole system was gone.

Here's is what I'm going to do to my car the 2nd time around when I get some $$:

Get a component set for the front, eliminate the 4x6's in the dash, use my current 6X9's (blau) for a little rear fill, and get a basslink for the back. Nothing special, but it'll do for me.

Crutchfield has infinity kappa components on sale for $100 off right now, I believe. You'll need kick panels to put these into. Q-forms are chinsy but expensive. Some guy on this board makes kicks for less and they're probably better anyway since they're made of fiberglass. You'll need an amp for them, and maybe your 6X9's. If you do this, you'll need a 4-channel amp. Or get a 2-channel for the components and let the deck power the 6X9's. Get a sub amp (class D) for your subs in the rear.

Don't cheap out on the power wire w/ the amps either - use 4 or 8 awg, depending on how much power you'll be using. Use the same size for the grounds too! Make sure to put an inline fuse in there by the battery too. You'll also need a power distro block if youre going to use 2 amps.

Don't spend a fortune on RCA's either - any twisted pair design will work. Or go get some cat 5 cable & some RCA plugs & make your own - it'll be just as good.

Also, make sure to run the power wires and RCA's on opposite sides of the car!

Hope that helps you a little.

-Chad
'92 RS

[This message has been edited by 2ManyWants (edited May 17, 2001).]

 

Under the seat doesn't work so great either. I used to have a pull-out that I tucked under the seat. The theives found it without a problem.

I have a Kenwood MASK radio, but I decided that it would be a great way to integrate my master plan. *insert devilish, rather foolish grin here*

I flush-mounted the radio and built a custom cover from the stock Delco deck. Voila! My deck totally disappeared behind a totally stock appearance. Since I've seen idiots steel radios with no face plate, the only way that I felt safe was to make my car look totally stock.

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The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

Any chance you can get a picture of that replica you made. I'd love to see that.

I'm sick of thieves, so I'm leaving my stock h/u in until I get the rest of my system built up. Frankly, I want to see what you did so I can copy your idea!

For now, I'm just going to get an amp for the components and 6X9's w/ speaker level inputs, and the basslink i'm getting soon also has speaker-level inputs. This stuff won't sound as good as it could w/ an aftermarket, but hey, at least I'll have it for awhile.

 

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

That fake Delco radio is one great idea!!!!! How did u make it just saw the front off a stock radio? After having 3 radios stolen the last one breaking the radio mounts of the console out,I want to try that at least to see if I can keep a head unit for more than a year

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Original owner 1987 Iroc
Stock but not for long

 

In response to the system, go with at least 10s. although JLs are great (and i really want a set), 8s cant produce much bass. 10s would be much better, 8s are more useful as midbass speakers. Jim, i had seen the pics of your dummy panel before and it still kicks *** . i plan on doing exactly that. of course it would probably require me to get rid of my indash eq (its an awesome clarion dual source, so maybe i'll just move it to the "glove box" in the center). i also agree with kick panel comps. good idea. i like rear speakers, so those are always good. amp your speakers, amp your subs.

 

ok. guys i think i am just gonna go and talk to the stereo experts here.. i am lost on all the stereo talk. if it doesnt make HP then i am lost, i dont like a lot of bass that is why i wanted 8"s and i have heard them in a car before, i am also thinking of doing maybe a 10" tube or maybe even a 12". i dont know what kind but will it sound good,
and no one gave me any ideas on brands to choose from except the infinity comps. and i dont want the kick panel speakers, they look tacky. i dont like seeing speakers at all.
please tell me what do buy, and i already have RCAs and power wire through the car, that is how i had the old amp hooked up!
thanks

------------------
Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior

mods: AFPR, B&M megashifter-HD4ft cable, Underdrive Pulleys, Ported plenum, K&N's, Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum Driveshaft, Gutted Air Boxes w/ Ram Air, and more!!
soon to have new PAINT, and suspension work

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD -

 

oh and i dont worry about theives much, THIS IS IOWA, and my car doesnt sit anywhere where they could steal anything at. its either in a storage shed or i am driving. maybe once in a while at a friends house. but thats it, and i was also looking at the Sony that has the black face all the time, and it flips down when you want to manually change something, or put a CD in! anyone know what i am talking about?

 

IROC87, the faceplate was actually a lot of work. I had to disassemble the stock radio, and to a lot of trimming and cutting, then glue the buttons back on. Now I get to redo it with a Chevy radio instead of the pontiac piece.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

RARE,

If you don't want tons of bass, I would say a bass tube would be fine - I used to have a 10" Bazooka and it was plenty good for me (I only care what I hear IN the car, not what anyone can hear on the outside of it).

That'll save you a ton of $$ over the JL's too - not only are the bazookas cheaper, you won't need to worry about an enclosure either. Not many people seem to like the tubes on this board, but I was definately happy w/ mine. It saves a lot of space, plus your less likely to get rattles & whatnot. Don't get the powered ones though - buy one w/out the internal amp and get a good amp for it instead.

As far as brands go, get yourself decent mid-level amps (MTX, Kicker, Alpine), be sure to stay away from junk like Jensen.

And if you want to learn the basics about car stereo and find some decent stuff to buy all at once, go find yourself a crutchfield catalog - they explain a lot of stuff in there! Then when you decide what to buy, go on the internet and compare prices with there's - usually you can find all the stuff they have in there cheaper at other places. However, I would buy a head unit from them - they include a kit & harness for free, which makes it easy to install yourself. I don't mean to sound like an advertisement for them, but they are a really good company to deal with, which seems rare these days.

 

Oh, and it doesn't matter where you live - thiefs will always be there. I used to live in Eau Claire, WI, which was deemed the safest place to live in the USA a couple years ago (and was in a Saturn commercial because of it). My stuff was stolen in the middle of the night in the parking lot right behind my house.

 

Crutchfield may not be the cheapest, but I've always had really good experiences with them. Once when I bought a pair of subs from them, the subs REALLY sucked (they were JBL's), it wasn't Crutchfield's fault, they didn't try to pass it off like they were great subs or anything; I was just really disappointed with those subs. Long story short, they took them back and refunded it - no problem. Hell, they even included a return shipping slip in the package just in case so it didn't cost me a dime. They're great. And, their catalog is really informative, when I first got into it that was my sole source of info and it did me well. Another cool thing is their 4 payment option -- if you pay with a credit card, they'll charge it in 4 installments, once a month for no additional fees (it's good when you don't want to be out all the cash up front.)

And no -- I don't work for them

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1985 Trans Am - rough and ready -- 3" cat and primary exhaust, lowered 2", custom rust body work mild fender denting. Daily driver.
1976 Corvette Stingray - not so rough, but always ready. mild 350/th350 tranny. mostly stock till I whack the hood for the blower

 

hey guys i have looked through CRUTCHFIELD many times, and i see stuff i like, but dont like buying out of a catalog, i cant hear what they really sound like. i would rather buy stuff like that here in town. (and my dad is a small business owner, so i realize how important it is to shop in town, before out of town and throught catalogs). i went to ULTIMATE electronics today and talked with the guy for about 45mins and he showed me some BOSTON ACCOUSTICS, and a Kenwood EXCELON. i really liked the clean and loud sound of the bostons, and the new Kenwoods have the detachable face and the mask face in the same unit, i really like that idea.
since all my wiring is run, for amps and stuff for a sub i dont worry about that. but the guy told me that i would want to run an AMP for my mids and highs, i am planning on $108 4X6 plates, and $199 6X9's in the sail panels, is there anything i should do else.
oh and the $359 Xtant 404a amp, for them. does that sound like it should work.
i will be installing the speakers throughout the car, how hard is it run the wires? and it has to be 100% clean. i am a perfectionist.
thanks anyone,
and if you have anyother comments throw them at me,
ps, i did not mention a sub this time, because i am gonna wait on that, i am thinking of a JL audio 10" in the spare tire wheel well. i dont want anyone to see anything i have, but where should i mount my amps? most likely the SUB amp will be on its box, but what about the mid/high amp?
thanks again!!!

------------------
Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey Custom Interior

mods: AFPR, B&M megashifter-HD4ft cable, Underdrive Pulleys, Ported plenum, K&N's, Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum Driveshaft, Gutted Air Boxes w/ Ram Air, and more!!
soon to have new PAINT, and suspension work

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 S10 2.5L/5SPD -

 

heres what i got, aint much but it pumps out just enough

baja amp- 600 watts max, cheap brand but its lasted over a year and has actually been coated with ice and still works fine

bazooka tube with a 10" kicker compTA

this gives me highly definitioned bass that isnt loud outside the car, unless the T-tops are off and im playing a CD that hits, and it was all cheap! the baja amp was bought at local department store and the tube i picked up for 15 bucks with a blown speaker in it, the speaker itself i got from American as a returned item for 100 bucks, regularly 130, and they displayed a new speaker just like the one i was buying


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oil burning
brake squealing
2 minute painted
305 rolling timebomb