$5,000 system that sounds like i paid $800, please help???

[myjaja 10+ year member]

You got ripped off bad. If youre stuck with the same equiment, Id just get a new enclosure built. Youd see a huge improvement if done right.

dude buying all that online costs around $3000.

Not even that

 

[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

So besides spending too much what's the problem?

 

[West]

Car audio shops (including best buy) are huge rip offs.

1) You will always pay more for your gear.

2) You will be raped on the install. They days of getting a free install are pretty much over...

Your best bet is to learn how to do everything yourself and hit up the forums to discuss what will be the best things to buy.

I remember when I went to best buy and bought a whole new system. After 2 days asking around on the forum I RETURNED all of it to best buy. (Luckly I didn't have any of it installed.) Unless I am absolutely certain that something I want to buy is quality, I will post a thread and see what everyone has to say about it... it's free advice from many different sources.

Everyone here is happy to give you some suggestions and help you buy the best your budget can get you. If they will allow you to return some or all of it I would ask ASAP. You could get a Very nice system for 5k if you ask the right people and educate yourself on how to install it properly. @mylows10 ; (speakers/amps/hu's) @trumpet ; (speakers/amps/hu's)

@double 07 ; (for your box)

If you want to learn a whole lot about audio talk to @keep_hope_alive ; he is a guru of sound quality for sure.

 

[West]

Also buying used online from the forums can make your money go even further... I wouldn't recommend buying used speakers/tweeters.

But I have picked up great amps and subs for 1/4th the cost of new...

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

what is playing online like?

Well... our house has about 5 laptops, 3 desktops, ps3, xbox, etc. With a torrent server... no lag. It's pretty nice to have.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Ok so I'm new here and I'm frustrated and very confused. A car audio shop which I won't mention talked me into buying most of this mess. I have a Pioneer 8400 head unit, audio control 3.2, the mid's and high's and good, it's the other stuff that I'm mad about. I have 1 kinetik 1800, 1 xs power 1200, 2-1500.1bdcp's, 1 arc audio 300.4 and 1 Rockford prime 100x4, 2 RE Audio 12's SXX.Please don't be funny but what would you do? Assuming that I can't start over and what would you do if you could start over?

we can't evaluate without detailed pics of the installation. not just of the door panel but remove the panel and show the speaker mounting. pics of amp mounting, pics of wiring, pics of connections, etc.

$5k may make sense given MAP pricing and a good install - i.e. lots of time.

we don't know anything about the vehicle in general.

also, what tuning did they do on the HU? it has tuning features that can make a HUGE difference.

more importantly, install is key. with what you paid, they should warranty the install. you just need to be able to explain what you don't like specifically.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Car audio shops (including best buy) are huge rip offs. 1) You will always pay more for your gear.

2) You will be raped on the install. They days of getting a free install are pretty much over...

you pay more because the shops have to maintain MAP pricing. what is unfair is that while a shop is required to hold a price, unauthorized internet retailers are not.

install should be about $35/hr for basic stuff and no more than $60/hr for elite installer time. that's cheaper than a mechanic.

it takes time to do a job correctly. if someone says they can install an amp in an hour, tell them "no thanks". something that fast and cheap will require cutting corners. paying a shop a few hundred for a good amp install, is fair. paying a shop a few hundred for component speaker install is fair.

you are always welcome to DIY, but it requires a place to do it, plenty of tools, and a combination of general and specific knowledge about electronics and vehicle maintenance. taking a car apart is trivial for some and monumental for others. for most of the people i see posting questions on their DIY work, they spend more money replacing gear and redoing work that was done wrong than if they just paid a competent shop.

the biggest challenge is determining who is competent and making sure they actually care about their work. most installers can do a good job, it's a matter of their attitude. i recommend anyone looking for an install spend some time talking to the installer about the car, discussing the work and expectations. if the installer won't talk to you, don't let them touch their car. that conversation will give the installer a reason to do a better job - just remember to treat him with respect and understand he may have more experience than you do. also, ask to see work in progress - i can usually talk my way into the install bay and see jobs they are already doing.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

A major flaw in the design that you did not discuss is the alternator. Batteries alone are not going to help if the alternator is constantly overworked. That's a lot of current draw between those 4 amplifiers. Either you forgot about that part of the build, your vehicle came with an adequately sized alternator, or the shop doesn't know what they're doing and they stuck you with far more power than your vehicle can support.

 

[mklett33 10+ year member]

you pay more because the shops have to maintain MAP pricing. what is unfair is that while a shop is required to hold a price, unauthorized internet retailers are not.
install should be about $35/hr for basic stuff and no more than $60/hr for elite installer time. that's cheaper than a mechanic.

it takes time to do a job correctly. if someone says they can install an amp in an hour, tell them "no thanks". something that fast and cheap will require cutting corners. paying a shop a few hundred for a good amp install, is fair. paying a shop a few hundred for component speaker install is fair.

you are always welcome to DIY, but it requires a place to do it, plenty of tools, and a combination of general and specific knowledge about electronics and vehicle maintenance. taking a car apart is trivial for some and monumental for others. for most of the people i see posting questions on their DIY work, they spend more money replacing gear and redoing work that was done wrong than if they just paid a competent shop.

the biggest challenge is determining who is competent and making sure they actually care about their work. most installers can do a good job, it's a matter of their attitude. i recommend anyone looking for an install spend some time talking to the installer about the car, discussing the work and expectations. if the installer won't talk to you, don't let them touch their car. that conversation will give the installer a reason to do a better job - just remember to treat him with respect and understand he may have more experience than you do. also, ask to see work in progress - i can usually talk my way into the install bay and see jobs they are already doing.

Glad someone made this point.

Yes its around 3k in gear, but to say that the other 2K is too much for the install? I disagree, we have no idea if the installer did fiberglass pods, paint, a full trunk install other than just a box. We don't know. The install could have been a bargain at 2k for labor!

Questions for the OP:

How do you define a "good" system?

What electrical modifications were made?

How "clean" is the install? Does it seem like the work was done correctly?

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

Also buying used online from the forums can make your money go even further... I wouldn't recommend buying used speakers/tweeters.
But I have picked up great amps and subs for 1/4th the cost of new...

Why would you buy used subs and amps but not speakers or tweeters?

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

big 3 upgrade, an alternator, and a box by @double 07 ;

 

[The_Grimy_One 10+ year member]

[quote name='mylows10']if i started over ,then 2 dc xl or lvl 5 subs 12 or 15's ,a dc 5.0 or ab 500.1,custom ported box by @double 07 ; some dls or cdt components in the front doors and mids for the rear the arc amp is fine .ofc 0 gauge all around ,and 1 or 2 xs d3100 batteries with the big 3 .[/QUOTE]

I dont think 5k will be supported well on just that D3100... He obviously needs some experience first... He would have been fine on one of the RF 1500...

 

[West]

Why would you buy used subs and amps but not speakers or tweeters?

Tweeters and speakers can be damaged easily.

You could make an arguement for woofers and amps being easily damaged easily as well.

I like buying speakers new

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

The first thing to discuss here should not be the price at all. Assuming this was already purchased and installed, discussing if it was worth it or not is very very irrelevant. As already pointed out talking about shop prices and install pricing with out knowing anything about the install is not worth the time or effort.

Here are some things to consider for the OP to keep this thread on topic.

1. What is the issue you need addressed

2. Can you provide any images of the setup? Not to discuss price, but more to discuss how it was installed and if anything can be improve on or not.

3. What other electrical was done other then the batteries? Big 3? Alt upgrade?

4. What do you want to change?

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Please don't be funny but what would you do? Assuming that I can't start over and what would you do if you could start over?

please reply and provide the additional info requested.

i see you are selling some of the gear you have listed. you are not following forum rules for selling. please refer to the rules and update your sale threads with photos and proof of function.