HiFidelity for $1,500?

[LaJit 10+ year member]

You guys totally helped me out with my system, but, now my friend has asked that I find him a good system for $1,500 w/o installation cost. He only asked that it has an i-Pod interface or aux. plug-in. He has a GMC full-size pick-up (extended cab) and the stock speakers are blown. He is not into big bass, and prefers clarity/imagery. Any ideas?

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[Twistid 5,000+ posts]

simple + effective

alpine type X compenents + kicker 600.2 amp or something similar + alpine9855

(2) 12" diamond d6's + DEI 1200

dont forget dynomat everything + try to make some pods for the compenents

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

http://ikesound.com/product-product_id/3868

http://ikesound.com/product-product_id/3379

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?Source=googlebase&ProductID=15332

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-BHUKfBbaSf1/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=300&I=500DVA9861

an RLi or RLp, which ever fits http://soundsplinter.com/

 

[o. l. t. 10+ year member]

Sure you can, You just need to be thrifty. Maybe grab some good condition used equipment.

Grab some PPI ART amps. An A600 runs $250 and an A300 for $130 on ebay, a couple good clean subs such as the MB Quart DVC's (2 tens for $100 shipped on ebay - crazy!) or maybe something else, Some Quart mids or lower line Focals for around $200, now you have $670 invested and all you need is a crossover Audio Control 2XS runs about $40-45 on ebay, that leaves over $750 for a killer head unit because remember- clean sound starts at the source. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

A nice Mcintosh head will drive those warm ART amps nicely and give you the kind of source and amp sound most people don't have after much more investment. Easily within budget of your remaining $750.

You can always bump the subs to 12's and spend a little more because you still have lot's of room to work and the ART A600 has plenty of power to spare.

 

[wilzyx 5,000+ posts]

screw the mb quarts, get some rainbow germaniums

 

[o. l. t. 10+ year member]

screw the mb quarts, get some rainbow germaniums

Are those THAT affordable? I was trying to name $200-275 mids. I have not looked at the Germaniums.

 

[ravendarat 10+ year member]

screw the mb quarts, get some rainbow germaniums

Arent those plants //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[wilzyx 5,000+ posts]

Are those THAT affordable? I was trying to name $200-275 mids. I have not looked at the Germaniums.

oops, didnt see a pricerange. if you want to stay around there just get some rainbow slc 265's

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

that leaves over $750 for a killer head unit because remember- clean sound starts at the source. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Clean sound starts at the source....but you'll never obtain better sound than what the speakers can produce //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

In which case, he'd be much better spent where it would make an appreciable difference in sound. Spend less on the headunit and more on a better set of speakers. It would be pretty...idiotic, to spend $200-275 on speakers but $750 on a featureless headunit like the Mac.

Good headunit.

Wrong implimentation.

And the speakers and subwoofers are the most important part of the system. Behind that comes the install. Then processing like equalizers and advanced crossovers (which most headunits have built in now-a-days....good option would be the Eclipse 8053).

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

The way I'd personally split it up:

$300 - $350 on a good, feature-laden headunit (used/ebay you can find some killer deals)

$500 on a great set of speakers

$200 on a good quality single subwoofer (good sound quality subs can be had in this price range....Image Dynamics IDQv2 for example)

$450 on single or pair of quality amplifiers (or less, which would increase your budget for the speakers or subwoofers some more)

• Speakers and subwoofer are the most important thing in the system.
  
• Followed by the installation (subpar install = subpar performance)
  
• Processing is the next thing that will have the biggest impact on sound. Having the ability to smooth the response some and really dial in your crossover slope/frequency is what you really want to have. Time alignment wouldn't hurt. But if you don't need to use it, then that'd be better.
  
• Next comes having the appropriate power levels for all of the speakers and subwoofers. Nothing hurts more than having your system limited by the amount of available power. Ouch!
  
• Headunit is next. Most important thing here is that it has the features you desire. If you need all of the processing built into the headunit, then be sure to find one that has everything you need/want.
  
• Amplifiers are last. As long as they are the appropriate power, and is a quality product so that it won't break down on you in 6 months, that's all that's really important as far as amplifiers go.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

i'd take his money and go to vegas

**** picking a system out for a friend, tell him to get off his ass

 

[o. l. t. 10+ year member]

In which case, he'd be much better spent where it would make an appreciable difference in sound. Spend less on the headunit and more on a better set of speakers.

Completely disagree. Driving a crap signal to a good set of speakers does not produce good sound HOWEVER driving a near godlike signal to a medium grade set of speakers produces amazing sound.

You cannot drive a crap signal to a $3000 pair of speakers and get anything more than a crap signal. Period.

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

Here is my take on this, you can get alot of cool stuff brand new if you shop, so I wouldn't really risk it buying used. Especially if your buddy is going to you for advice, since if **** goes wrong, you are going to have the clean it up (or explain to him how he won't have a system because some clown on ebay doesn't know how to pack a head unit right).

Buy new, buy authorized, price match if you have is the advice I would give. When I started out, you were pretty much conditioned to get gang raped at the dealer and then convinced you were getting a good deal. Lots of options available. I also think a custom fit box might be the way to go (like a stealthbox, thunderform).

Juan

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

http://ikesound.com/product-product_id/3868
http://ikesound.com/product-product_id/3379

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?Source=googlebase&ProductID=15332

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-BHUKfBbaSf1/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=300&I=500DVA9861

an RLi or RLp, which ever fits http://soundsplinter.com/

im tellin you, that alpine deck, us amps, oz matrix components and sound splinter sub wont disappoint

the components alone list for $650

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Completely disagree. Driving a crap signal to a good set of speakers does not produce good sound HOWEVER driving a near godlike signal to a medium grade set of speakers produces amazing sound.
You cannot drive a crap signal to a $3000 pair of speakers and get anything more than a crap signal. Period.

I can promise, yes, this is a guarantee, that the difference in sound between speakers would be a much bigger difference than any potential difference in sound between two quality headunits.

Promise. Guarantee. No two ways about it.

I never said run out and get a Rampage headunit. But the difference in sound between a quality, affordable headunit and a big expensive headunit like the Mac will not be greater than the difference in sound between speakers. Not to mention the added processing that most headunits have will more than make up for any (potentially) inherent sound differences between something like a Mac and an Eclipse 8053 (for example).

It's okay though...you're old school, and have the "old school" philosphy that things like the headunit and amplifiers will make or break a system, so those need to be the biggest and best you can afford. When, in fact, there are better places to allocate the money towards //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

I can promise, yes, this is a guarantee, that the difference in sound between speakers would be a much bigger difference than any potential difference in sound between two quality headunits.
Promise. Guarantee. No two ways about it.

I never said run out and get a Rampage headunit. But the difference in sound between a quality, affordable headunit and a big expensive headunit like the Mac will not be greater than the difference in sound between speakers. Not to mention the added processing that most headunits have will more than make up for any (potentially) inherent sound differences between something like a Mac and an Eclipse 8053 (for example).

It's okay though...you're old school, and have the "old school" philosphy that things like the headunit and amplifiers will make or break a system, so those need to be the biggest and best you can afford. When, in fact, there are better places to allocate the money towards //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

id have to agree

a $300 deck sounds about the same to me compared to a $600

but $300 speakers can spank $150 speakers

ESP when the $300 speakers usually cost $650 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[954runner 10+ year member]

get what i have //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif its in my signature thing

 

[954runner 10+ year member]

+ better speakers, mine sound like shasta