Cheap and cheerfull? :) Noob (totaly) question

[JeffGar]

Hey everybody, I'm very new here (the forum and the world of car audio), so basically, i lack any kind of knowledge about these things.

After this, over optimistic introduction, i'd like to tell you about a problem i'm having.

To put it short - "wanted to get a decent system for like 50$". This got me a Sony cassette player (4x40w according to the sticker), a usb transmitter, a pair of small speakers, a pair of bigger speaker and some wires //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.

Now after i replaced my old front speaker to the new one's and connected the bigger speaker, i can't say that I'm satisfied with the sound //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif It seems i have no bass at all (well there is some, but not much, like from cheap PC speakers). I think that the player doesn't provide enough current to make the bigger speakers produce some bass (tried a bit more powerful player [some Sony CD player with 4x45w], the performance improved instantly, the sound wasn't exceptional, but there was like 50% more bass).

I bought the bigger speaker from a friend, without any documents (theyr from his old car he crashed), so don't know much about their specs (these look very similar to http://www.megamedia.pl/glosniki-samochodowe-magnat-x-tract-162.php Magnat x-tract is writen on the speakers with some art. nr. i can check if needed)

One thing that questions my low power theory - my front speaker (small ones) were bought new, so thay do have a box, witch say "recommended amplification - 25w", yet when i turn the sound towards the front speakers, and make it louder they too, produce weak bass (in terms of their size).

Currently thinking about finding a cheap amplifier... maybe you could help me with choosing the right electrical numbers (W, outputs etc.)

Oh, and the last thing i have to turn the volume quite up 3/4 to make it loud enough for proper listening, and almost 1/2, before it can be easily heard.. Well it's hearable, but quite quiet.

Any ideas, tips, trics?

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[Stalin-ohaulic]

This will apply to anything in life. "Any job worth doing is worth doing right the first time." What does this mean? This means don't waste your money on junk. If you bought the head unit and speakers for $50.00 or less, it's junk. Just save your money until you can get quality equipment. You are probably downgrading. You seriously bought a tape player?

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

lol...50 bucks won't get you decent hu. Save up and get some decent stuff bro...

 

[RED3 10+ year member]

the 40w you mention is probably peak, not rms, and the speakers are probably fairly ineffecient ones at that so, you probably wasted your $50. Probably need to start over.

 

[JeffGar]

Basically this is what i do: I overpay for stuff, so that i can have atleast decent quality stuff. Yet, this time its a bit more complicated.

You see, i'm not actually downgrading //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Got my dad old car for college, and it had a radio (no player at all - VW JETTA 89 original radio //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif) and only two small speakers which were destroy (ripped or smth). So its not actually a downgrade.

Yet because I'm a college student, I'm not in a position, that I could spend 200$ just for occasional listening to music.

Probably went too far on the budget to round it, it cost me smth more of 80$, but that doesn't change the point. I CAN now listen to music in my car, I CAN listen to my mp3 through usb transmitter. So its not that bad.

Maybe you've got a bit confused here. Just because i wrote my question in this forum, doesn't mean that I'm building a showroom audio system. Just as I said "cheep and cheerful".

My main question now is how could i improve the sound without spending more than additional 50$. The player has some line out ports, so I guess an amplifier is a viable solution, just how to determine what power unit I need (I'm not planning on adding any sub-woofers, so don't want to spend money on some way too powerful equipment.

Maybe any of you know of some place where I could get more info about my speakers (the bigger ones), or some basic tutorials for making these kind of simple audio systems.

 

[gboo559 10+ year member]

Get a bigger budget.

$50 isn't gonna add much to the current $50 you spent.

And WTF u want bass but don't want subs?

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

dude, get a walkman and a reverberator your good to go.

 

[JeffGar]

Get a bigger budget.$50 isn't gonna add much to the current $50 you spent.

And WTF u want bass but don't want subs?

Well maybe I expressed myself in an odd way. I don't want SUBS (have no place/money for them), but the amount of bass I'm currently getting is like from a small kitchen radio. My mini hifi at home is 2*120W RMS and if I could get HALF of the volume at similar quality I'd be happy.

 

[jon_k 10+ year member]

An external amp connected to your head unit might help.

However, your head unit might be so shitty that it isn't even capable of producing sounds under 300hz maybe. You'd never know.

Got specs on your HU?

 

[Chris Z 10+ year member]

Well, if you don't want subs, but you want bass, you should probably look into a decent pair of 3-way speakers or 4-way speakers. I'll be honest and tell you that I'm not sure exactly what 3-way and 4-way mean, but from what I understand, 3-ways produce a little bit more bass than 2-ways. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Stalin-ohaulic]

Well, if you don't want subs, but you want bass, you should probably look into a decent pair of 3-way speakers or 4-way speakers. I'll be honest and tell you that I'm not sure exactly what 3-way and 4-way mean, but from what I understand, 3-ways produce a little bit more bass than 2-ways. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

That number represents the number of actual speakers in the assembly. Most coaxial speakers are two-way. They have a midrange and tweeter. Some others will have a woofer, midrange and tweeter (3 way). More rarely, others will have a woofer, midrange, tweeter, and what they call a "super tweeter"(4 way). I have heard a 4 way from kenwood from 8-10 years ago. It was harsh and just awful.

I still recommend saving up and getting something nice OR maybe an ipod or zune and a nice pair of earbuds. Otherwise just scrap the idea. Using cheap sony equipment is VERY bad. Car audio is expensive and trying to do things on the cheap is great, but when you're talking $50.00 for a whole set up you're wasting your time. It's like going to a decent restaurant and trying to order off the value menu... or trying to get discount surgery. It's not EVER going to yield the results you're hoping for. This is a case where you either have to sh!t or get off the pot.

 

[on1wheel01 10+ year member]

if you want decent bass your gonna need subs and a amp. You may be able to put a small amp on the current speakers you can prolly get one for $40 or os on here for a small 2 or 4 channel amp. And you may get the sound you desire. But then you need a amp wiring kit maybe for a small one lets say $20 at wal mart. Then find a friend that half knows what he is doin so you don't burn down your car or shock the shyt out of yourself. But like said $50 isint enough to really do anything with. But best of luck

 

[iarejohn 10+ year member]

when i first started out i tried going cheap.. just wanted to replace the blown door speakers at first, then wanted a better hu, then wanted bass, then wanted a even better hu, then wanted more bass again.. it never stops.. and your budget will never stop either. save your money until you can afford something good!

 

[JeffGar]

An external amp connected to your head unit might help.
However, your head unit might be so shitty that it isn't even capable of producing sounds under 300hz maybe. You'd never know.

Got specs on your HU?

Thats my basic plan now. I checked my player (thats what HU means, right?) and found that it has model number XR-C5120R (pic.: http://images03.olx.pt/ui/2/43/00/16484300_2.jpg). Found some manuals, but still searching for more detailed specs. Any information about this thing?

if you want decent bass your gonna need subs and a amp. You may be able to put a small amp on the current speakers you can prolly get one for $40 or os on here for a small 2 or 4 channel amp. And you may get the sound you desire. But then you need a amp wiring kit maybe for a small one lets say $20 at wal mart. Then find a friend that half knows what he is doin so you don't burn down your car or shock the shyt out of yourself. But like said $50 isint enough to really do anything with. But best of luck

Thirst of all, thanks for positive attitude (not mocking me //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ). And I really believe I can get an OK amount of bass (by my standards from the bigger speakers (I think they are 3-way (they're covered with cloth, can't see now)). Well, they're quite BIG for speakers (seen much smaller stereos playing very nicely).

About Wal-Mart and so on.. I don't live in the US, so no such things, but this kind of stuff is quite cheap here.

All in all, I'm very happy with the amount and quality of feedback I get here. So if I get my hands on some tiny amp, maybe somebody could help me with theory of hooking it up?

 

[JeffGar]

when i first started out i tried going cheap.. just wanted to replace the blown door speakers at first, then wanted a better hu, then wanted bass, then wanted a even better hu, then wanted more bass again.. it never stops.. and your budget will never stop either. save your money until you can afford something good!

Thats how life works most of the time, but I'm not planning on keeping this car for more than a good year. When I'll save up for my new car (that's when i'll take up a job //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ) I'm going to put more money and effort into its sound system.