I'm new and looking for advice based on my budget.

[kingfish405 10+ year member]

^ kenwood excelon have good input capabilities and i've never really heard anything bad about them.. good price also.

i got the eclipse because they seem to give best SQ in the price range

spend more time reading the forums before you make the purchase.

 

[roper 10+ year member]

Thanks.

Yeah, I am not making this purchase until a week before Christmas, so I have a bit of time.

 

[WKD TC]

i can get you better prices on image dynamics p.m. for more info

 

[roper 10+ year member]

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KDCX492/Kenwood-Excelon-KDC-X492.html?tp=5684

You mentioned a Kenwood Excelon so I found this one on crutchfield. I don't plan on buying from crutchfield, i'm just using them for searching purposes.)

 

[kingfish405 10+ year member]

EDIT: Just read your newer post Kingfish, and this brought up a question. You mentioned that your system was professionally installed. If I were to buy the equipment I am speaking of, is this something I could do without going to a place to have it installed and paying a load of money, or is this too complicated to tackle for someone not in the business? Reason I ask is because my dad is very good with circuitry and the like, and I have a few friends who know a good amount about car audio. Would it be smarter to save the money and ask them to install it, or spend the extra money and get it installed by the local audio store. Thanks!

i do not have a garage to do the installation myself, thats why i paid a shop to do it. im lucky to be in an area where there are plenty of audio installers, so the price is not really that bad.

IIRC, install prices were

$100 for amp/wires

$200 for front components including dynamat. (had to cut some metal to fit the beefy 6.5" cdts)

 

[roper 10+ year member]

I'll probably end up getting installation done by a local installer, but i'll worry about that after choosing the system.

 

[WKD TC]

check your p.m. roper

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

I'll probably end up getting installation done by a local installer, but i'll worry about that after choosing the system.

You have some definite good choices there - that component set will be quite good, and the amp will power them well.

If I was to recommend a HU, I'd say something like this - http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=6198

It's cheap and good for the price. Others can probably recommend better ones, but this will be about as cheap as you can go with a decent one.

I haven't heard any bad things about the Kenwoods, either - http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=6339

As for the technical installation... It'll depend on how good you are with tools, and how willing you are to do some work. If you are willing to do the reading on how to do the installation, and take the time to do it right, there's not a single reason why you shouldn't go ahead and do it yourself.

Out of curiosity, how much are you planning to add on to this system in the future?

 

[roper 10+ year member]

Well, I was going to see how this system sounded. If I was satisfied, then I was just going to add some really nice subs and an amp... And yes, I will have the money to do such, but as said, this won't be until maybe February.

As for everything else... If the sound quality is nice and I am happy with it, I might not modify anything except adding the subs and amp.

Hey, by the way, how would I connect my zune to that stereo? I'm assuming that input on the bottom right is an AUX input? I couldn't find it listed on that page, but it mentions the ipod compatibility many times, leading me to believe it will handle my zune just fine. I wasn't worried, just curious.

EDIT: Upon researching it, I found out that the back has the iPod input, but requires me to buy an adapter. Would I be able to plug my zune into the AUX input without sacrificing any quality?

EDIT2: I have enough money in my budget to go with the second listed HU, therefore I would probably end up getting that instead.

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

Just did a check on Pioneer's website, it is an auxiliary input there ^^

You should be quite satisfied with this. It'll not only sound great, it'll get up there in volume, too.

If you have any more questions, definitely post 'em up ^^ Help as best as I can.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

So some of you guys are suggesting oversized comps to a guy who in his first post said he was a noob? He would more than likely have to get some custom work done to get them in. Is that in the budget?

I say get speakers that are stock size and do a deck and 4 with the budget you have now. Get some bump when you save up some more.

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

So some of you guys are suggesting oversized comps to a guy who in his first post said he was a noob? He would more than likely have to get some custom work done to get them in. Is that in the budget?
I say get speakers that are stock size and do a deck and 4 with the budget you have now. Get some bump when you save up some more.

Could be - it's up to him. Throw up a few recommendations - for his size speakers and what his budget is, I'm not sure what would be good.

And if he was looking at the $310 ones, what he saves going down to the less expensive one could keep it in the budget, and get a better sound. At least, imo.

 

[roper 10+ year member]

So some of you guys are suggesting oversized comps to a guy who in his first post said he was a noob? He would more than likely have to get some custom work done to get them in. Is that in the budget?
I say get speakers that are stock size and do a deck and 4 with the budget you have now. Get some bump when you save up some more.

Originally, that was why I was afraid to go 6.5". I am a noob and don't know how to do that, but I realized that I can extend my budget for installation. I realized that I have more spending money than I originally thought.

Hypothetically, if I was to get the parts i've listed below, what else would I need and what would installation cost approx.? (you don't need to be spot on, but I don't know if we are talking $100 or $500.

HU: $130.00 + Shipping

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=6339

ID Set: $180.00 (FREE SHIPPING)

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=6201

Kicker Amp: $225.00 + Shipping

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=3952

Wiring: (Do I need to buy this?) $60.00 + Shipping

http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KFX-AK44

Total: $595.00 + shipping + installation

Seeing this, and as I said, I realized I have more spending money, I may be able to bump up the set a little bit... perhaps some suggestions? (Not looking to add more than $50 to that total)

 

[Image Dynamics 10+ year member]

i can get you better prices on image dynamics p.m. for more info

Roper,

I would stick with Woofers Etc. for the Image Dynamics product. You will have a warranty and they ill take care of you (and more importantly, they are authorized to sell our product).

Heres a thread link regarding the last guy that sold ID products UNAUTHORIZED...

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364973

Basically... Buyer Beware!

 

[WKD TC]

its funny cuz even woofers etc is willing to negotiate on those prices if you see them in person