Entry Level System for Car

[Nikos]

Hey I am looking for the best way to spend $500-600 on my car to get a nice overall system.....I only want 1 12" sub at most, Bass isnt too important to me as long as its nice enough (decent not overboard).

Also I want nice mid range speakers and tweets I guess....and I guess I would need a crossover or amp.

So how much would all this cost and what are some cool brands to buy based on my budget??

thanks

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[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

i recomend going to somewhere like http://www.thezeb.com and look ing at some diff. brands....ut for entery level...check out profile amps. and possiblysome infinity or polk audio componet sets the should come w/ a built in xover and a good sub i would recomend is the alumapro alchemy...good sq sub...i dont knwo what everyone else is gong to recomend but i have had the profile jam amps in the past and they were pretty good and not very expensive....soo all in all im thinking

for amps

j400.2 100wx2

j600.2 450x1

alumapro alchemy sub

box

componets

shouldnt cost more than the budget you have...good luck

 

[wesleysh 10+ year member]

It will be tough to do you up the right way for that much, because quality head units only come so cheap. I've found that in budget systems, that is the biggest limiting factor for how low you can go. For about $800 you can get something you would be very proud to own.

Try something like this for example:

Head Unit

__Pioneer, Kenwood, Clarion, Alpine or Panasonic- find the one you like the best

Front speakers

__Infinity Reference 605cs components__$119

Amp for fronts

__JBL P180.2__$149

Sub

__(1) 12" Infinity Perfect_$179

Amp for sub

__JBL BP300.1__$145

This is just under $600 before the head unit and all comes from http://www.ikesound.com which has free shipping.

Infinity makes the best speakers in the price range you are looking for. Other amps in this range that are good are Lanzar, Profile Clarus, US Acoustics and Ultimate. JL Audio will have a nice 12w0 for you if you can find it for the right price(should be less than $100). My personal choice would be an Adire Audio Shiva, its $125 at http://www.ampman.com . I would also suggest that you run the rear speakers off the head unit or disconnect them altogether. If you simply HAVE to have rear speakers for that Dolby effect then go with Infinity.

Here are some sites to check out:

http://www.cbrstereo.com

http://www.thezeb.com

http://www.audio-warehouse.com

Hope this helps. If not, shame on me.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif

 

[longstreet 10+ year member]

What exacty do you need? HU, front, rear, and sub with amp? If you shop smartly, EBAY, you can get a good system for 600.

HU-I like Kenwood. They look cool, and have good features. Plus, you can later add Sirius (better than XM) and the new Music Keg (Even cooler, imagin, 2500 songs. Too bad it cost $650ish) kdc-519, face flips 180 degrees so it doesnt look like you have a cd player.

Front-Infinity. They come with an outboard crossover so you dont have to buy a seperate one. Sound good, and can take a lot of power. (I fed my 6x9s 400 watts each for a while and they took it.)

Rear-Depending on your personal preferance, you dont really need to upgrade your rear speakers if your on a tight budget. However, if you want to you dont really need to go high, maybe Kenwood (not excelon), jbl, or pioneer.(You wont really hear them that much so why spend a lot of money on them.)

Sub-So many choices........I think its the hardest choice.

Infinity Kappa-Great SQ. Audiobahn, alpine, mtx, rf, polk, all make good ones. Id stay away from sony.

Amp-Depends on what sub you get, it needs to be matched with your sub for best result. If you have a little cash left over, get an amp for your highs, Id reccomend you wire your fronts and rears for 2 omhs and then get a 100x2 amp.

 

[Nikos]

What about mid-range speakers and tweeters?

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

get a decent componet set for those...usually 6.5's work good and they have a crossover and tweeters...also i think i gave your incorrect info about the jam amps...i dont think they make them any more.....i know a http://www.profileusa.com they have them on there but i've not found them anywhere else....i know crutchfield used to sell them....but instead of the jams check out those jbl's that were mentioned earlyer or some of the other profile series amps....but for around $600 you should be able to get a decent setup...good luck

 

[Nikos]

I am confused as to what you mean exactly.....basically I want nice highs (tweets or mid range speaks), a cross over (Im not sure exactly what that means), and maybe a 10" sub (Rockford Fosgate)....and maybea new head unit...but I do have a alpine head unit.....

Are RF subs good, is a 10" good considering i want nice bass, but not overdoing it.....

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

componets consist of a pair of midbass drivers (small subs), a pair of tweeters, and a crossover(a device that sends the proper sound freq. to each speaker)...they usually come as a combo....like the rockford fosgate fanatic p componet set is like 119.99 or so....hope i've helped...

 

[longstreet 10+ year member]

Originally posted by Nikos I am confused as to what you mean exactly.....basically I want nice highs (tweets or mid range speaks), a cross over (Im not sure exactly what that means), and maybe a 10" sub (Rockford Fosgate)....and maybea new head unit...but I do have a alpine head unit.....

 

Are RF subs good, is a 10" good considering i want nice bass, but not overdoing it.....

In its simiplyist explanation, a crossover basicly cuts out certain frequrentcies SP?. You dont want your tweeters trying to play 30hz. Thats how you blow speakers. If Im not mistaken, there are two types, Active and Passive. Active is placed between your power source (amp or hu) and your speaker. This is what component systems and the new infinity kappas come with. Passive is placed between the HU and an amp on the RCA line. It filters out the freq. you dont want before it gets to your amp.

On a entry level system, you dont really need to go out and buy a seperate crossover. Component systems come with them, kapps do also, and a lot of amps have them built in. As well, some HU have them too.

There are basicly three types of sound,

Highs-Played by tweeters.150hz-15000hz

Mid (bass)-Played by speakers called woofers. 80hz-150hz (I think??)

Bass-Subwoofers.20hz-80hz

If you already have a HU, it should be fine...as long as it has preamp outputs. (These are the things that you plug RCAs into.)

RF subs are fine(I have 2 12 hx2s). Are you sure you only want a 10? Remember, if you get a 12 and you think its too much bass, you can turn it down, but if you get a 10 and you want more bass, youre out of luck.

One last thing-I take it you are going to be installing this yourself. If you have any guestions, dont hesertate to ask. Anyone on this forum is more than willing to answer them.

 

[longstreet 10+ year member]

One last comment-

If you get a 6 1/2 inch component system, you have to find a place to put those 4 speakes and 2 crossovers. The tweeters are pretty easy. The 6 1/2 inchers will be harder. Theyre too big for the factory locations. You have to find another place to put them...

 

[Nikos]

Midrange speakers are just bass? I am confused exactly what each speakers play, I know tweeters are for highs, and Sub is obviously for base, but i thought midrange is everything else and bass as well? Also what do front speakers play?

Also I dont want TOO MUCH bass. Is 12" too much?? I want enough to feel it and hear it well, but not so much bass that the whole neighboorhood can feel it.

 

[JTz62 10+ year member]

Midrange/midbass speakers handle the middle frequencies. Anywhere from 120 Hz-2000 Hz. The tweets take care of the frequencies above 2000, and the sub takes care of everything below 120. That is just a general range, and different speakers have different crossover requirements. Also, I think one 12" would be fine. Not too much, but enough that you can feel.

 

[wesleysh 10+ year member]

I think of subs like females lifting weights. They all say "I don't want to get too muscular" but have no idea how hard those muscular ladies work at it to get it that way. Your not going to have any kind of neighborhood shaking bass stepping in as a novice with one 12" sub.

It would probably be better if you thought about music in 4 categories instead of three. Highs, midrange, midbass and bass.

Highs- 2400Hz and above (never personally seen a tweeter crossed lower than that)

Midrange- 200 to 2400Hz (handles alot of male vocals and some guitars)

Midbass- 80 to 200Hz (takes bass notes that distort the midrange speakers but are too high for the sub)

Bass- ? to 80Hz (call 911, I think there's a dinosaur outside)

This is just to help your understanding, these frequencies are not "set in stone." But the general range itself is pretty close to where everyone sets their crossovers. Most people split up the midbass frequencies, playing the higher half of it with the midrange speaker and the lower half of it with the subs, that is the most common way of doing it and why you can have 3 speakers playing all 4 of the ranges. Your equipment and the kind of music you listen to will let you know in what direction you want to go with your crossovers. Some subs will play great well into the midbass frequencies, while others sound messy and sloppy at anything above 60Hz or so.

If your car can't take 6.5" speakers, and you need to get something smaller, I'd suggest getting a "better" sub. One that can play well into the midbass like an Infinity Perfect or an Adire Audio Shiva. This is a forum, so anything you don't understand feel free to ask. Hope this has helped a bit.

 

[Ganji 10+ year member]

Originally posted by longstreet One last comment-

If you get a 6 1/2 inch component system, you have to find a place to put those 4 speakes and 2 crossovers. The tweeters are pretty easy. The 6 1/2 inchers will be harder. Theyre too big for the factory locations. You have to find another place to put them...

Yeah.... which is exactly why you buy the component system with 5 1/4 inch drivers.... or 4 inch drivers...