High end speakers or high end amps

[Black-Rob 10+ year member]

Which is more important to good quality sound?

1) Is it a must to get high quality speakers and high quality amps to get good quality sound?

2) Could you still get good quality sound from high quality speakers and cheap amps?

3) Could you still get good quality sound from low end speakers and high quality amps?

Basically I'm asking, where do I need to put most of my money into...the speakers or amps? Or do I have to just spend it everywhere to get good sound?

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[Cris 10+ year member]

In my opinion, good quality sound is more the drivers and less the amps.

You can get great sound from mid-range amps and high-end comps, but you can't get great sound from mid-range comps with high-end amps.

Just my opinion, of course.

SQ is very subjective. There is no 100% defenite answer to this question.

 

[mikescanlon 10+ year member]

i agree with the guy above..

example.

a JL 13w7 is going to sound decent on a california profile 1000watt amp.

a jl 1000.1 with a california profile 12 will sound like utter *******, until the sub bursts into flames from the abuse.

i think point made.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Which is more important to good quality sound?

Speakers and processing (crossovers, equalizers, etc) will have a much greater impact on the final sound than an amplifier ever, every will. My one exception to this is power. The amplifier must be of adequate power. Beyond that, it's mainly on the speakers, processing, tuning and installation.

1) Is it a must to get high quality speakers and high quality amps to get good quality sound?

No.

2) Could you still get good quality sound from high quality speakers and cheap amps?

Yes.

3) Could you still get good quality sound from low end speakers and high quality amps?

Highly doubtful. It would take tremendous processing and one killer install and tuning to get good sound out of "low end" speakers. But an amplifier alone WILL NOT make up for having poor speakers.

Basically I'm asking, where do I need to put most of my money into...the speakers or amps? Or do I have to just spend it everywhere to get good sound?

Put your money into speakers and processing first and foremost.

 

[Black-Rob 10+ year member]

I plan on doing a overhaul of my system. I don't want to break the bank but I have a lot to make up for cause I got cheap stuff to begin with. I have 2 Power Acoustik amps, 85w RMS x 4 and a 370X 2 RMS for (2) high excursion Audiobahn 12".

I have a Pontic Firdbird convertible. IF I go MB Quart 6.5 PSC components for front and rear and get (2) JL 12w6, I could keep the PA amps I got and be good?//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

 

[Cris 10+ year member]

Should be fine so long as you set your gains correctly and don't push your amps into high-distortion rates.

I have a power-acoustik amp running my boston acoustics components right now. It sounds good.

 

[Ayrton 10+ year member]

install, install, install....

Even the best parts will sound like *** with a crappy install. Get good speakers and have them installed correctly.

 

[kuijo 10+ year member]

In my opinion, good quality sound is more the drivers and less the amps.
You can get great sound from mid-range amps and high-end comps, but you can't get great sound from mid-range comps with high-end amps.

Just my opinion, of course.

SQ is very subjective. There is no 100% defenite answer to this question.

false.

x2 on what squeek said. Drivers and processing.

 

[Black-Rob 10+ year member]

Is that right!!! You might have just saved me a lot of money messing with amps. As far as the install goes, the factory spots in the Firdbird hold 6.5's. I have to mount the rear tweeters facing straight forward on the seatbelt holder thing right beside your right ear in the pass. seat and left ear in the drivers seat. It has the kick panels for components in the front (and only) doors. I figured to sound deaden them. I don't want to get to fancy, aka expensive, but I do like music to ride to....LOUD.

 

[kuijo 10+ year member]

sounds like a very very bad tweeter location.

 

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

install, install, install....
Even the best parts will sound like *** with a crappy install. Get good speakers and have them installed correctly.

Very very true.

 

[Black-Rob 10+ year member]

Which ones...the ones in the door or the ones on the seatbelt holder? Where are you all thinking then?

 

[Cris 10+ year member]

false.

x2 on what squeek said. Drivers and processing.

False? excuse me? SQ ISN'T subjective? Whether something sounds great or not is NOT dependent on the listener?

what planet are you living on?

 

[Ayrton 10+ year member]

Did I read correctly that you are thinking of mounting tweets behind your head?

Mount them in the A pillars if you are tight on space.

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

False? excuse me? SQ ISN'T subjective? Whether something sounds great or not is NOT dependent on the listener?
what planet are you living on?

I think he means that good speakers are more important than good amps for SQ. Not the dependant on the listener part.

EDIT: And I REALLY should pay more attention to stuff that's in bold. Really. I feel stupid now. But it's late, so whatever. =p Relative SQ is listener dependant, Absolute SQ is measurable.

And I agree. I happen to own a pair of high quality speakers (Rainbow) and low quality speakers (Boss), along with a high quality amp(PPI) and a low quality amp(Jensen), both pushing within 10 watts of each other (RMS).

Good speakers + good amp = good SQ

Good speakers + not good amp = good SQ

Bad speakers + good amp = bad SQ

Bad speakers + not good amp = bad SQ

100% experienced by me, equal installs, ~equal power, different equipment.