How many(WATTS) do you really need?

[LastCall04]

I am contemplating a basic stealth system for my 05 Trailblazer. I have no plans to compete, nor do I intend to rattle my neighbor’s windows as I drive down the road.

Music: Rap - Country - Rock

My question is: How many watts do you really need for a good sounding system with decent bass? I have spent many hours searching this and other car audio forums and all I see is people throwing 1000s of watts into their systems.

I do want some "BOOM", but I don’t need to hear it a mile away.

My plans: Still deciding on brands?

Pioneer DEH-P690UB or Alpine 9885 - ??????

Front Components - 6.5" - Good - affordable - reliable - havent decided on yet

Rear Fill - 6.5" Coaxs - Don’t even start on this topic - I plan on using them because I may have to remove my sub temporarily sometimes.

Amp for comps and coaxs - Alpine PDX 4.100 - Fits under front seat

Sub - Single 12" - Smallest box I can use and still get good performance out of – ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Sub Amp - Alpine PDX 1.600 - Again - Fits under front seat.

Options: I would be interested in the new Memphis SClass amps as they are comparable in size to the Alpines, but, they are only 4X55 and 1X500. I have yet to see pricing on these amps or a release date.

So, will I get what I am looking for out of this setup? Would the Memphis amps be sufficient, too?

Thanks in advance,

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[talon2nr7588 10+ year member]

whats you budget is the real question

 

[Foote 10+ year member]

eh just get some really really good components.

 

[DARKHART 10+ year member]

Based on what you stated the amps and their power output that you are looking at would be more than enough for what you want. You could even save space and money by purchasing a single 5 channel amp to run the entire system.....Sub wise there are just too many to choose from. The entry level 12" of any of the "forum boners" should work just fine for your needs.......//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[kross 10+ year member]

How many(WATTS) do you really need

All of them. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[alxmlr789 10+ year member]

10w rms.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

Pwnt. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/blackeye.gif.66a1670f5aaf7f406e783a63e3387dc5.gif

 

[skrilla22 10+ year member]

IMO its all in the woofers and speakers.
You can have some nice boom and have it sound good with only 100 watts, but you can do the same with 100000000 watts.

Its all in the effiency of the drivers.

meh... not really.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

^imo^ //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

At least eleventy billion.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

10w rms.

If it's Zuki equipment //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

IMO its all in the woofers and speakers.
You can have some nice boom and have it sound good with only 100 watts, but you can do the same with 100000000 watts.

Its all in the effiency of the drivers.

No...driver efficiency is only a very small part of how loud a system will get. Enclosure design and build quality is a huge factor.

I have a 12" Dayton Titanic MKIII in 1.2 net (after driver and bracing displacement) in the trunk of my car off of 500 watts and I can plenty of boom. I can feel it in my front seats while driving down the highway at 55, and the only deadening I have is a little bit in my doors. I am not even using the full 500 watts, I know I haven't pushed this driver or amp near their limits. But if I have my windows rolled up and the system very loud, all you can hear is a bit if mids from outside of the car. And a tiny license plate rattle because I haven't gotten around to padding it yet.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

No...driver efficiency is only a very small part of how loud a system will get. Enclosure design and build quality is a huge factor.

I have a 12" Dayton Titanic MKIII in 1.2 net (after driver and bracing displacement) in the trunk of my car off of 500 watts and I can plenty of boom. I can feel it in my front seats while driving down the highway at 55, and the only deadening I have is a little bit in my doors. I am not even using the full 500 watts, I know I haven't pushed this driver or amp near their limits. But if I have my windows rolled up and the system very loud, all you can hear is a bit if mids from outside of the car. And a tiny license plate rattle because I haven't gotten around to padding it yet.

oops. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

oops. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Whatever. It takes experience to learn some stuff. Efficiency is a part of it, just not everything.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

Whatever. It takes experience to learn some stuff. Efficiency is a part of it, just not everything.

i noes. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif