New car and bad audio - what to do?

[Smudgie]

I just bought a 2009 Honda Accord. I know very little about car audio other than the current factory setup is not all that great. It is the standard 160W factory stereo w six speakers. I am looking to increase the volume and improve upon sound quality. I know that this is very vague. I am looking to spend about $500 or so. I do not want to replace the head unit. I went to a local car stereo place today and they gave me a price of about $900 which they claimed was about the cheapest that I could go to achieve my goals. They advised me to add a sub woofer, amp and to basically leave the speakers as they are. Knowing very little about car audio....I expected to go into this store and have the guy tell me that I only needed to replace my speakers. However, I guess that it is more complicated than that. Can anyone make further suggestions on how I can do this? Thanks!

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[dextermoped 10+ year member]

$900 for just a sub and amp? wow, thats ridiculous. It better be top shelf stuff. Buy the stuff online and install it yourself. Trust me its easier than you think to do, Im a US Gov't engineer and I don't know shit but I still installed all of my stuff. Look in the Forum classifieds for some good deals or check out sponsers. For $900 you can build a pretty complete system. Ive built mine for less than $500.

Benny

 

[Ryan1126]

well first off, find out what size speakers you run all around, hit up an online store and pick some aftermarket ones up. installing them is as easy as removing your door panel unbolting your speaker unplugging the wires in teh back and then plugging them back into the aftermarket ones and re-assembling the door. Same goes for your back deck.

I'm sure someone on here can tell you what size speakers you need, i could find out for you but im late to get to the court house to pay off a ticket, give it a day and this thread will be full of answers and recommendations on speakers.

 

[FurbiesAndBeans 10+ year member]

You can buy new speakers to get better sound quality, but deadening (aka dynomatting) will make any speaker sound better.

 

[tryan77 10+ year member]

You really arent going to achieve much with keeping the stock head unit as that is what processes your music, unless you add a processor which is expensive. You will see some decent gains if you just upgrade the speakers but you wont achieve your goals.

If I were you I would find a used Kenwood ddx812 Head Unit. It will knock your fricken socks off - guaranteed. (Even with your stock speakers)

Then you can slowly upgrade your other components over time. Do it right the first time and remeber that it all starts with a quality head unit.

 

[AVSTANG02]

He's not easily upgrading the headunit so forget that.

He can easily add a cleansweep type device and new speakers, amps, etc..

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

The factory HU's aren't horrible, but eh.

Just upgrading with new speakers, that aren't junk like the stock ones, will make a tremendous different. Going farther, with a $500 budget, you can get component speakers for the front, and an amplifier, and possibly an amplifier and subwoofer.

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

Word of caution here..... When I had my 2007 Honda Accord, the factory HU performed some sort of odd equalization. If the latest generation Hondas perform equalization in the stock head unit, you will be pissing in the wind by just adding basic LOCs, amps, and speakers to it. You are at least looking at a Cleansweep, 3Sixty, BitOne, etc. if you want decent SQ with aftermarket amplifiers and speakers on the factory head unit.

 

[Vestax 10+ year member]

Listen to the system first, and find out what's wrong it. Then you can determine what you need to fix. Most stock systems will lack any low end, unless you have 6x9's, you'll see a drop off at around 70hz or so. Most people who complain about stock systems, are usually complaining about volume. You can probably do a single 4 channel amp set up with a 2 way front stage and a sub for $900 to accomplish what you need initially. But without a processor, it's hard to control any sound unless you do an amazing install.

 

[Smudgie]

So do I need to replace the head unit also??? This will be tough because of the way Honda Accords have their head unit in the dash. I would really prefer not to have to replace the head unit, however if I am not going to make significant gains by doing the other things listed then I am going to have to consider this as well. I am not looking to get professional sound just something much better than what the factory has given me. Should I be looking at a sound processor? Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Id get a nice HU, then see what it does to ur stock speakers. If u like it, leave it. Get a nice sub and amp for the substage. Get a good box also, that does have alot to do with it.

 

[hornedfrog1985 5,000+ posts]

Nothing better than getting a top knotch head unit. I know where you can get a brand new 880 prs for ~250 shipped fyi.

 

[Smudgie]

Id get a nice HU, then see what it does to ur stock speakers. If u like it, leave it. Get a nice sub and amp for the substage. Get a good box also, that does have alot to do with it.

I would like a nice head unit but the way in which the Honda has the factory head unit installed in the dash seems to make it impossible to install an aftermarket radio. The factory radio doesn't even have a display on it - it has a totally seprate screen which displays all of the radio info.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Its not impossible, just some work to do it. Its worth it though...

 

[Smudgie]

Its not impossible, just some work to do it. Its worth it though...

seems like lots and lots of work and I know very little about this stuff