My Birthday Present To Myself!

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

I heart MB Quarts. I personally love their sound. If I were you, I'd go to a dealer and give em, as well as other speakers, a listen. I think the QSD's are an eargasm, though.

 

[southtownatl 10+ year member]

Seriously, for 5 grand, you can get some hella better equipment than that. Check this forum over and find some better stuff. a better setup can be had for half than what youve got planned, but is sounds like you got tons of cash to blow, so its your decision not mine.

im not planning on paying retail on any of this, the deck is coming from Etronics.com, brand new for $780 in the box

and if i can get better sound for cheaper, thats great, means i can spend the money elsewhere like getting the dynomatting done, and high quality rca cables and wiring.

thats why i started posting here, is im looking for the help, and im starting a couple months early planning on this because i dont wanna be upset after paying money to find out that components for half the price sound just as good.

so give me any feedback or advice on better choices please.

 

[southtownatl 10+ year member]

this is just my opinion:
I would change couple of stuff.

Deck: ALPINE IVA-W200 to Eclipse AVN6600 with Navigation

Front Doors: MB Quart Q-Line QSD213 to Rainbow Germs or Rainbow CS 275.27

Rear Deck: MB Quart Q-Line QSD213 to stock speakers

Component Amp: ALPINE PDX-4.150 to Zapco REF750

Sub Amp: ALPINE PDX-4.150 to Zapco REF1100.1

Subs: Pair Of Boston Acoustics G512-4 to 15inch SI MAG

For the wires go to http://www.knukonceptz.com

thanks, i will right it down, and see if i can find anyone around this area that i can give those a hear.

 

[rtillaree 10+ year member]

the best thing is to just go listen around at some places, but dont get too sucked into their grasp, remember these guys have to push stuff, so just listen and take in the specs...id try and find a car audio show, and find the guys who are competing with smaller setups, not the 40 sub jobs, the guys with 2 and 4 subs, and a normal array of comps...talk to them a bit and get a listen...alot of the cooler guys will talk with you a bit...atleast thats been my exp...good luck...lots of good guys here too, just be realistic ...

 

[southtownatl 10+ year member]

yeah to be honest i just want a great sounding SQL setup, if it cost me $5000 total then im willing to save and pay, but if i can get almost the same great sound for half the price then well, im gonna do it.

but a given i will be doing the entire dynomat idea, and getting that alpine deck at least.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

yeah to be honest i just want a great sounding SQL setup, if it cost me $5000 total then im willing to save and pay, but if i can get almost the same great sound for half the price then well, im gonna do it.
but a given i will be doing the entire dynomat idea, and getting that alpine deck at least.

I've done amazing sound for $500 installed, of course I busted my *** for 20-30 hours to get it done myself... 5k should get you some outright great equipment and leave you with some cash leftover to have install done for you...

If I where you I'd just get a deck you like (don't feel like making a rec)

Rainbow Germaniums in the front

remove the rear speakers all together

Use Zapco or Arc amps

Find a sub that will be happy in a smaller ported box

give it 1000 watts (no more)

use 0/1 ga throughout

do just the trunk with dynamat first, you don't want to go about weighing down your sports car if you don't feel a real need to. Of course you shouldn't be using dynamat. Use secondskin damplifier from http://www.secondskin.com

pay to get it installed if you don't feel like jacking with your car when it's all new

GET AN ALARM!

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

the best thing is to just go listen around at some places, but dont get too sucked into their grasp, remember these guys have to push stuff, so just listen and take in the specs...id try and find a car audio show, and find the guys who are competing with smaller setups, not the 40 sub jobs, the guys with 2 and 4 subs, and a normal array of comps...talk to them a bit and get a listen...alot of the cooler guys will talk with you a bit...atleast thats been my exp...good luck...lots of good guys here too, just be realistic ...

you couldn't be more right in the first couple sentences... I now regard anything that comes out of a CA salesman's mouth as absolute crap. I've managed to run across only one salesman who knew what he was talking about...

 

[BlackMaxima 10+ year member]

you can try to install everything yourself. Its not hard to do. save some money

You dont have to spend 5K to have a nice SQ system and be loud too.

like AcidicDreams said.

"do just the trunk with dynamat first, you don't want to go about weighing down your sports car if you don't feel a real need to. Of course you shouldn't be using dynamat. Use secondskin damplifier from www.secondskin.com"

do the trunk and the front doors.

PS: its http://www.secondskinaudio.com not http://www.secondskin.com

 

[THUNDERBIRD 10+ year member]

Well im everything has been going great at my job and i get a raise on Janurary first and another one in Feb after my A+ cert. so i figured by then i should be able to get my dream car, a Subaru Impreza WRX STi and i will be doing alot of work over the years of owning it, but of course i got to start with the stereo.
Just history about me:

My old F150xl had some decent kenwoods in the doors and back wall, and a 12" Kicker Solo-Baric L5 in a SPL 3.25ft³ ported box powered by a Kenwood KAC-7201, and i loved it for loud bass when listening to Techno and Rap/Hip-Hop (was to rumbly for rock)

and now my Ranger I currently drive, Here well it didnt have much room, and so i thought why not just get something that sounds great all around. and i did it. and i love the tightness of that sealed box, and how nice those lower hz are (below 40hz).

so both my ranger and old 95 f150 were both budget builds, but both performed great.

So i figured hell if im getting my dream car why not go ahead and start researching and planning for stereo for it, and i want that great sound quality and those tight hard lows. Love the loud bass for my rap/hip-hop and love the tightness and crispness for all the other types of music. so i figured i would go for a SQL build and put extra power in the lows department for when i listen to rap/hip-hop i can just turn up the bass, and for techno and everything else i can turn the bass back to a normal listening level.

so i gave myself a $5000 budget to work with, and since im planning on using this in shows after a couple years i figured lets do it right from the start.

here we go:

Deck: ALPINE IVA-W200

DVD/CD/MP3 player with XM Radio addon, and that flush mounted look is so nice (non of that fold out motion)

Front Doors: MB Quart Q-Line QSD213

5¼" Components

Rear Deck: MB Quart Q-Line QSD213

5¼" Components

Component Amp: ALPINE PDX-4.150

150watt x 4 @ 4Ω

Subs: Pair Of Boston Acoustics G512-4

A Pair of 12" 4Ω Subwoofers

Sub Amp: ALPINE PDX-4.150

300watt x 2 @ 4Ω

More Item:

1) Dynomatting the entire car (floor, roof, all four doors, trunk)

2) Hiding the MB Quart crossovers inside the dashboard (maybe the doors)

3) Component Amp - the high pass crossover set to 125Hz & gain @ 70%

4) Sub Amp - the low pass crossover set to 125Hz & gain @ 90%

5) The subs will be in single box w/ 2 separate sealed chambers @ 1.0ft³

everything so far will be costing around $4200, but i will be looking online and around atlanta for better deals when zero hour comes around in april.

Please share your feelings and any advice you have for me.

you for got the most important part if your gonna put that stuff in your car. THE ALARM!! get the viper 791xv or for $100 more get the viper 5900 with the 1 mile range, and then dont forget about the battery backupr for it and the bypass interface. so like $7-800 all installed start there and with the deck and then get the other stuff to fit into the budget from there. listen to the guys they wont steer you wrong.

 

[kicker06 10+ year member]

With that kind of Money I would go with.

Rainbow Speakers- Front Fill, No Rear Fill.

Speaker & Sub Amps- Zapco OR Arc Audio OR Sundown Audio (all very nice)

Subwoofer- SI Mag 15"

Wiring- Kicker or Knukonceptz

Headunit- Eclipse seems to be very nice (Get a HU with At least 4v preouts)

Deadening- Second Skin Damplifier or Damplifier Pro

 

[ga12r 10+ year member]

3) Component Amp - the high pass crossover set to 125Hz & gain @ 70%

4) Sub Amp - the low pass crossover set to 125Hz & gain @ 90%

What is up with the high crossover points, and were did you get those gain setting figures from? I definantly would cross the subs lower unless they are gonna be in the front seat with you, and the components should be crossed alot lower too.

 

[60ndown 10+ year member]

if i was going to throw $5000 at an install id pay $1200 and have it all done for me. ive had good experience with a local store and alarms. twice i have dropped my vehicle off and collected it 4 hours later,everything works and no problems.doing it your self could take weeks/months/never. talk to a few stores make them compete against each other i bet you could get some place to do ALL THE WORK and install your equpiment for $1200 (includeing alarm) in a couple days.nothing broken or damaged.they might even tune it for you.sure you can save some money doing it yourself, but to me the extra expense would be worth it in this case.

 

[AK SloPok 10+ year member]

Take a look at NASIOC for ideas on installs for WRX/STI. You will finds tons of info specific for your new "dream" ride.

 

[beckSHO 10+ year member]

DO NOT buy anything until you have researched your arse off on here and other car audio websites. Listen to anything before you buy it too.

Friggin' sweet car by the way. One of my buddies has a 2k1 model in the same color. GORGEOUS car. I'm in love with it lol.

 

[rtillaree 10+ year member]

if i spent 5k i would not have someone else install it...