Help a noob make speaker choice.

[spudracer326 10+ year member]

I know this might be a little more then you wanna spend but I have a diamond audio d3400.4 bnib that id sell for 120shipped....just a thought...and for components id go with something used form the clssifeds....you can usually find something descent for around $130....

 

[spudracer326 10+ year member]

ohhh and these would be descent for the money....

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1090

 

[Notwerk 10+ year member]

Clarion's amps aren't THAT bad, and for the price, that's a tough deal to beat. Sounddomain is selling it for around that price and that would be an authorized deal, with warranty.

The amp is CEA rated, so the 60 watt rating is probably at least close to honest and for a starter system, that's not bad at all.

The CDT CL's claim a sensitivity (I know people are going to say they're "hungrier" or whatever, but I don't know what that really means) of 91.6 db. Assuming CDT rates honestly, that's a pretty high sensitivity and should respond well to 60 watts of power. Remember that going by normal standards (CDT doesn't state how they rate), that would mean the speaker generates 91.6 db at 1 watt at 3 feet. 60 watts should be plenty for basic tunes, (and assuming gains are set safely). In fact, over a long enough time, it ought to be enough to cause mild hearing loss.

It would also fall in his budget and be completely authorized, with warranty. I wouldn't go e-Bay for this considering there is a solid, authorized deal in your his budget.

I say:

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1090

http://www.cardomain.com/item/CLAAPX2120

People forget that for a long time, Clarion's APX amps were being made by the same OEM manufacturer as Arc Audio (using the same circuit boards). Even then, people kept insisting Clarion's amps were of lower quality, which was a ridiculous claim given the evidence. People put too much into brand-ranking and fall for marketeering.

Swoop, given this setup, I don't think you can realistically expect a 120db ghettoblaster, but if what you're after is solid, daily-driving tunes, this should meet your expectations well.

Also, you can look over this setup:

http://www.millionbuy.com/phgr252.html

http://www.millionbuy.com/ozav650s3.html

I like Oz a bit more than CDT, but this comes out about $20 over your budget (I'm not factoring shipping, so you may want to look into that because I think Millionbuy will ship that order for free, which might negate the budget shortfall.)

Good luck.

PS: Why waste money on temporary gear? If it comes to that, just save a bit longer and get something even better. Don't waste money on throw-away gear. It puts you further from your goal.

 

[Swoop41 10+ year member]

Clarion's amps aren't THAT bad, and for the price, that's a tough deal to beat. Sounddomain is selling it for around that price and that would be an authorized deal, with warranty.
The amp is CEA rated, so the 60 watt rating is probably at least close to honest and for a starter system, that's not bad at all.

The CDT CL's claim a sensitivity (I know people are going to say they're "hungrier" or whatever, but I don't know what that really means) of 91.6 db. Assuming CDT rates honestly, that's a pretty high sensitivity and should respond well to 60 watts of power. Remember that going by normal standards (CDT doesn't state how they rate), that would mean the speaker generates 91.6 db at 1 watt at 3 feet. 60 watts should be plenty for basic tunes, (and assuming gains are set safely). In fact, over a long enough time, it ought to be enough to cause mild hearing loss.

It would also fall in his budget and be completely authorized, with warranty. I wouldn't go e-Bay for this considering there is a solid, authorized deal in your his budget.

I say:

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1090

http://www.cardomain.com/item/CLAAPX2120

People forget that for a long time, Clarion's APX amps were being made by the same OEM manufacturer as Arc Audio (using the same circuit boards). Even then, people kept insisting Clarion's amps were of lower quality, which was a ridiculous claim given the evidence. People put too much into brand-ranking and fall for marketeering.

Swoop, given this setup, I don't think you can realistically expect a 120db ghettoblaster, but if what you're after is solid, daily-driving tunes, this should meet your expectations well.

Also, you can look over this setup:

http://www.millionbuy.com/phgr252.html

http://www.millionbuy.com/ozav650s3.html

I like Oz a bit more than CDT, but this comes out about $20 over your budget (I'm not factoring shipping, so you may want to look into that because I think Millionbuy will ship that order for free, which might negate the budget shortfall.)

Good luck.

PS: Why waste money on temporary gear? If it comes to that, just save a bit longer and get something even better. Don't waste money on throw-away gear. It puts you further from your goal.

Wow. Nice reply. Thanks for taking the time to type all that out. I think either of the setups you posted would do me nicely. I'm not looking for a ghettoblaster by any means, just a good, clean, clear system that won't break my bank. I'll eventually be adding a 12'' sub, but that should finish things up for what I want.

Jman has helped me out a good deal, but I'd like your opinion on this as well. What do you think of this setup:

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=3983

http://www.cardomain.com/item/MTXTX6001?vq_id=none

I can get the amp locally and with free installation from an installer I actually know and trust for $99...it was a display model for like two days. I can get the speakers for $129.99 from the same place.

 

[Notwerk 10+ year member]

I suppose I'm not a big MTX fan. Personally, I'd prefer the Oz/PG setup. I'm sure the amp will do fine, but I think I'd go a different direction with the speakers. But, since a local dealer has it, listen to the MTX stuff and whatever else they have in the shop. Whatever sounds good to you and is in your price range, get that.

I can't tell you want will sound good to you. That's really a matter of personal preference, so you'll have to trust your ear.

 

[Swoop41 10+ year member]

The MTX gear sounds great to me, and the free installation on the amp is a pretty big deal, as I've never installed one, and I prefer to avoid any hassle I can. If I ordered an amp and had it installed it would cost me close to $100 extra. I also don't know how comfortable I am ordering something that I haven't had the chance to hear.

 

[Notwerk 10+ year member]

Well, the best advice I can give you is to listen around and not make any rush decisions. See if there are any other shops in town and check out different brands, then make an informed decision. I mean, all of it is going to sound better than stock. After that, it's kinda like finding your identity, audio-wise. You have to try different things and get a feel for what it is that sounds good to you, and what sounds better than that and so on.

Until you buy buying something ridiculously our of your price range because you HAD to have it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Swoop41 10+ year member]

Well, the best advice I can give you is to listen around and not make any rush decisions. See if there are any other shops in town and check out different brands, then make an informed decision. I mean, all of it is going to sound better than stock. After that, it's kinda like finding your identity, audio-wise. You have to try different things and get a feel for what it is that sounds good to you, and what sounds better than that and so on.
Until you buy buying something ridiculously our of your price range because you HAD to have it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I've been to every shop within a 50 mile radius. It's all Alpine, Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, and Jensen.

 

[Notwerk 10+ year member]

That can be a problem, but I thought the same thing about my area until I dug a bit deeper and found some decent dealers. Have you tried getting in touch with manufacturers to see what's available in your area? Do you have a Tweeter or Sound Advice store around?

I had to call DLS, Morel, Oz and a bunch of other brands to find shops. I know it's not always possible, though.

 

[Swoop41 10+ year member]

That can be a problem, but I thought the same thing about my area until I dug a bit deeper and found some decent dealers. Have you tried getting in touch with manufacturers to see what's available in your area? Do you have a Tweeter or Sound Advice store around?
I had to call DLS, Morel, Oz and a bunch of other brands to find shops. I know it's not always possible, though.

None of those around that I'm aware of...there is this one really high end shop on the other side of town, but I can't come close to afording anything they offer, so I just don't bother with them.

I'll check and see what I can find out.

 

[Gary S 10+ year member]

Out of that list, I'd go for the Orions.