Does this sound like a legit upgrade package?

[BCotrell]

I think @Jeffdachef gave recommendation on a pretty solid component set and subs to complete your equipment list. As I just experienced in my gas saver car, My reluctancy to hooking up the new headunit to factory speakers was that it was guess as to if it would be to my liking until it was done (which it only kind of did). Also it sounds like you want bass so you risk having to pay someone to take your car apart twice. Let me emphasize, Neither factory speakers or an aftermarket component set are really going to give you low bass frequencies like a sub will. For me, those morels researched to be a good buy for the performance and collective feedback I could find not to mention a strong value compared to much more expensive alternative comp sets. At under $300 It’s absolutely what would have gone in my land cruiser has I not pieced out separate drivers.

Dang, he even gave you an easy way out with a prefab sealed recommendation. That’s a quick and major reduction in build hours. I bet ur installer isn’t that off the mark on his quote he probably factored hours to build box and make some additional bucks on the gear. Buy the right gear yourself then tell the guy he’s got four hours of your dollars to get it done...maybe five if he soundtreats your doors. Leave rear doors stock on hu power.

you could also get everything but the sub and enclosure and just have the installer connect and feed the sub RCA’s and speaker wire to the back till you’re ready. You’re buying an amp kit anyway. This one is ofc.

Shop

www.knukonceptz.com

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I agree with you on all counts, but god knows what it takes to keep an audio shop afloat these days. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

If you don't do it yourself, or even buy the parts yourself you're at the shop's mercy, even good shops, who need to make margin and keep the lights on but then again most people get their systems installed from Best Buy and don't know any different.

bro I know a few audio shop owners. They'll be taking home 100k a year on the worst years and 150k+ on good years. and the employees get paid 25-30 an hour for experienced and 16 and hour for a newbie. let me remind you that this is California and the overhead is high. They far from struggling, they just laughing their way to the bank lol. Their biggest money makers are window tints and alarms. in and out fast money. big money makers are custom fab work, two days work pretty much pays every employee's paycheck for one month. Oh did I mention that they dont overcharge on gear, they price match amazon.... It might be different in other states but im pretty sure the shops all make really good money even the honest ones.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Another question. The guy I spoke to from the store that only sold JL Audio.

When I spoke with him, he said one option was just to upgrade the Head Unit, and that in an of itself would provide a drastic change, that the stock speakers would be able to handle the added juice, and I might actually get what I'm after simply by upgrading the Head Unit.

Is that worth considering in my situation? I mean, if I can get an upgrade that satisfies me by replacing one single component, that is obviously preferable to the full upgrade treatment on the wallet.

To repeat my situation, I have bought a 2017 Subaru Crosstrek, and the sound from the stock stereo is garbage. My previous vehicle was a 2010 Subaru Outback with a factory installed Harmon Karden system, which wasnt amazing by any stretch, but was enough for me, and I'm looking to match or exceed that level of quality with a good, reasonably priced solution.

yes just do the head unit for now. See how you like it. maybe add the 5 channel amp and subwoofer if you are still not happy. Stock speakers sound completely different with real actual power to them along with a really good dac and clean signal with the ability to tune and time align they become a completely different beast and should surprise you greatly. A sub just solves all your lack of bass issues and takes less stress off the door speakers so they can get even louder without shitting themselves trying to play bass. Do the door speakers later. Head units make that big of a difference.

 

[Murphy1979]

I got as third quote, 3400 for the following, just listing the big ticket items:

AVH4500
Maestro (whatever that is)
Rockport T100x5
Polk 6.5 comp
Polk Coax
Alpine R-W 12 D4 and a box

I haven't had a chance to do research on Rockport or Polk...no clue about value there. This place also has alot of complaints about bad installations, and has "Discount" in there business title, which is one of my red flags as a general consumer.

Interestingly, the place that sold JL Audio was the only business that did door deadening. And also of note, of the speakers these various businesses are trying to pitch me, JL Audio is the only one that guarantees their products for life. The Rockport stuff only has a one year warranty, and I cant imagine Kicker is throwing out lifetime warranties on their speakers.

I've got a couple businesses farther away distance wise im waiting to hear from...far enough away that it's a different market with certainly higher labor rates if nothing else.

Anyways, I've run out of local dealer/installers to deal with, this are my options if I want to stay local.

Oh, and just as a point of interest, one guy would not install self-bought parts (Kicker dude), the other two added significantly to labor costs if the parts were bought elsewhere, and one store tripled labor cost for unsuccessful DIY reinstallation. So these businesses are providing disincentives for buying your own gear and just asking for an install.

I'll be interested to see what kind of stuff the "city audio shops" hit me back with, but maybe I'm wearing out my welcome by sharing so much here.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

they are only doing that because you asked them before hand and now they see you trying to be smart about it then they stop you right then and there. If you had approached them with the gear ahead of times and just needed someone to install fresh, they wouldnt fk with you like that.

 

[02WS6]

Whats your zip, I'm interested to see whats in your area.

 

[Murphy1979]

22603. Just please if youre somehow able to match the quotes to the business, d9nt publish. I dont want to take a crap on anyone's business publicly, so I haven't been using the businesses names.

Places convenient to my local are basically Frederick, MD, Hagerstown, MD and Winchester, VA. I've only gotten quotes from Winchester, VA.

Outside of that, I'd have to take a trip to "the city", which around here means DC or Baltimore and the surrounding megalopolis spread of suburbs.

 

[Murphy1979]

@Jefgdachef: As far as them taking advantage of my ignorance, I have reason to believe that two businesses at least were not doing this, because they had their installation labor rates posted. I didnt even ask...I just read. I dont know if hardball would work on these businesses or not.

 

[02WS6]

Based on your Zip and doing some searching in the area, the best rated shop I could find within a decent amount of distance from you is Sonic Sound in Arlington. Nothing really close to you looked all that great IMHO. You keep bouncing quotes to us but not really giving us an actual budget.

We've already told you to buy your own stuff, based on the recommendations Jeff or others have provided and then take that to a shop to install. If you don't want to do that then find the best shop you can in your area and go with their recommendation.

Everyone here is DIY so without having direct knowledge of shops in your area all we can do is look up their Google/Yelp reviews and have you roll the dice.

 

[JTF Vegas]

What jeff n 02ws6 said.
You can keep this really simple!
A HU, a 2 or 4 channel amplifier (for future expansion), a 2 way component set run passively n an active 10 inch bass box. Power, speaker n RCA connects are all extra of course. N ur done! Using decent equipment it should be 2k at the very most.

 

[Murphy1979]

@02WS6
Ok, I'm not clueless, I can see I have worn out my welcome. Thanks to everyone for all the info, and I'll continue my research and weighing my options.

By the way, I haven't said I had a budget, because I dont know what it is. Someone (who also knows next to nothing about stereos) is buying me this upgrade as a gift. When I asked for budget, and we both realized we had no clue what the market was, the individual told me to get quotes for "a decent upgrade, a good upgrade, and a really good upgrade", and then wed discuss...

This stuff is not intuitive, I dont even know how this can be pursued as a hobby unless you have the opportunity to sit in a million cars with a million different configurations.

But thanks again for indulging me as far as you have, it really has been helpful, and when I signed in on this site I didnt realize it was specifically for DIYers, so I'm sorry.

 

[BCotrell]

This is becoming a quintessential new guy post. will not call you noob because you seem to have shown decent interest in input that’s being given. However your approach at getting quotes is still questionable

1. don’t get another quote by stating or even eluding that you don’t have equipment or that you don’t know what you want. Even an independent installer is gonna smell the new blood and try to get some extra doll hairs. You’re getting plenty of solid gear recommendations here. The quotes you’re getting are for “awesome” level pricing with “basement” level gear and required install competency.

2. Don’t give a second response to a guy that won’t install the gear you buy. Simply assure them you know what you want (hu, comp set, amp, sub, deadening) and the gear will be new. The specific models you buy largely wont impact general time needed to do the install.

3. even if you paid $100/hr for five hours (will be less for sure if you do sealed box prefab and don’t upgrade your door speakers, you’re still well h set 2k. Those quotes you’re receiving are atrocious when you factor many of them are overcharging hours and selling you meh gear with markups that only fill their pockets more.

 

[Murphy1979]

Well, I've been up front with every dealer about the situation I'm in, that they are in direct competition with many other businesses, and that Id like my estimate itemized so I can determine their markup.

It's been effective in other areas of negotiation outside car stereos. If these businesses want my business, they will present me with fair markups and labor rates.

If not, I will more strongly consider the DIY route.

By the way, I have admitted from the get go that I am a Noob. I am when it comes to car stereos, 100%.

I think that will be it from me on this thread, as I'm just about to start getting made fun of, but thanks sincerely for this help!

 

[fithwheel]

Well, I've been up front with every dealer about the situation I'm in, that they are in direct competition with many other businesses, and that Id like my estimate itemized so I can determine their markup.

It's been effective in other areas of negotiation. If these businesses want my business, they will present me with fair markups and labor rates.

If not, I will more strongly consider the DIY route.

I think that will be it from me on this thread, as I'm just about to start getting made fun of, but thanks sincerely for this help!

Well that makes no seance. Dude if you lived near I'd help you put it in for nothing plenty of members like that here. Idk how this thread went sideways? Just getting frustrated? Idk

 

[02WS6]

@02WS6
Ok, I'm not clueless, I can see I have worn out my welcome. Thanks to everyone for all the info, and I'll continue my research and weighing my options.

By the way, I haven't said I had a budget, because I dont know what it is. Someone (who also knows next to nothing about stereos) is buying me this upgrade as a gift. When I asked for budget, and we both realized we had no clue what the market was, the individual told me to get quotes for "a decent upgrade, a good upgrade, and a really good upgrade", and then wed discuss...

This stuff is not intuitive, I dont even know how this can be pursued as a hobby unless you have the opportunity to sit in a million cars with a million different configurations.

But thanks again for indulging me as far as you have, it really has been helpful, and when I signed in on this site I didnt realize it was specifically for DIYers, so I'm sorry.

I never said you were clueless, my intent here is being misconstrued. I'm trying to help you based on what you've said but also letting you know that on a forum our help is limited based on your location and because we all install our own gear. I want to help you, but I also want you to realize that the help we provide is limited based on the info you're giving us.

For all the quotes you've provided, you can take the hardware and put it in google to see how much someone is charging you vs how much the gear costs. We see many people coming here asking for help from shops that have hacked up their cars and are hoping we can fix things after the fact and in many cases we cant. There is always a risk using a shop and we just want you to be aware of those risks and stress the importance of checking Google/Yelp reviews, which is nothing more than we ourselves can do.

I don't think anyone here is trying to make fun of you, but a little exasperation may be showing as a result of the number of these kinds of threads this forum sees. Believe me when I say its nothing personal. What many of us did when starting out is go into Best Buy or car audio shops and listen to different setups on the "Audio Wall" what different speakers sounded like. I think many of us starting out just spent as much money as we could afford and over time learned what we liked and didn't like about different companies. I'm not saying you need to spend the next 3 months searching and listening, what we're saying is that there is never a one-size-fits-all solution here.

I'd recommend going into Best Buy just for the hell of it and listening to their audio wall, switch speakers from the same Head Unit, see what sounds good vs what doesn't to you. Maybe a couple of Brick and Mortar audio shops as well, test out their audio walls and see if there is anything that sounds good to you.

Starting from square one, which is what it sounds like you are is really difficult for anyone one of us to tell you what you'd like because again all of this is so subjective to the listener. Many of us want to help but need a little more information from you on what you think sounds good or what you're willing to spend. We're good at maxing out a budget, but we don't even really have that to go off of right now.