Question...

[optimalfusion]

I'm getting into this kinda stuff recently, like just learned how to hook up amps, install head units, speakers, and all that stuff... Still some stuff I don't know but that I'll fix over time... but anyway... I have a question...

Heres the situation: I have $500.00 to spend on a new system, but i don't want to f*ck it up... What do u "pro's" recommend? The sys i got now gives a pretty heavy bass vibration feeling which I like, but I'd rather have the bone crushing type sound.....

At the moment I have two 300w bass cannons that arent being fed enough by my 350wat amp (which i guess splits to 125 each cannon)... i have a good headunit that gives out 280watts...

YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE HIGHHHLY APPRECIATED! =)

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[LoneRanger 10+ year member]

$500 isn't a lot when you're talking about car audio, but it's definatly enough to get you started. the amp you mentioned is probably more like 175w RMS. you didn't say what kind of amp, so i'm only guessing. split that into two channels, and you get about 88w x 2 RMS. that's not going to be enough to drive anything with "Bone Crunching Bass", so you need to start out with a new amp. Ebay is really great, because you can get almost any car audio product at **** near wholesale if you look hard. My suggestion is to look for either a rockford fosgate or audiobahn amp at about 250-350w RMS, and use the rest of your cash for a (and by a i mean one) decent SPL sub (audiobahn, again, makes some of the best SPL subs in their price range, which is the "cheap as hell" price range), and an enclosure put it in. If you want to put out a few extra dollars, you can never go wrong with the JL Audio w-3 series subs. I've seen quite a few of the 10" and 12" versions for less than $150 on ebay and yahoo auctions. The best advice is to go to the local car audio shop, listen to a few systems and hear for yourself and decide what you like. My personal experience has drawn me toward these brands, but it may not be what you're looking for. Basically, don't buy anything on blind faith, make sure you hear it first, and don't just buy something because you can afford it or because someone like me tells you it's good. Make sure you get your money's worth, and if it means putting your system on hold few months to save up the cash to build your system right, at least you'll get it right the first time and not have to rebuild it twelve times. I personally bought my system one piece at a time to afford it, and now i have more than two grand invested in it and i'm extremely pleased with the results.

 

[polks 10+ year member]

i spend over $1000 on my sys but it was over time i just upgraded so ill tell you this "you get what you pay for" witch means dont buy cheap stuff like jensen **** sure dont get jensen i have two polk dx 12's i payed $200 for to buy one getone free from a audio shop but i'd say get a MTX or Fosegat amp cause there top of the line i spent $380 on my amp and it worth every penny! subs or going down hill i think though mtx power!

 

[Matt 10+ year member]

Well... when choosing a sub, all we can do is give you advice on what he/she has used and been around. Some people say audiobahn are nothing but junk, and well from what i have seen it all depends on the series. But for you your price range may limit you to how much serious and i mean serious bass. The bass you have now is nothing. Now even for now if you upgraded your amp to a however many watts RMS, it will add soo soo much to the bass cannon's. Now those bass cannon's really are not where the TRUE hard hitting gut slitting bass is at. Now depending on your vehical is where your limited to how nuts you can go. i.e. subwoofer size etc. Some subs require larger boxs and some only need alittle air space. If I were you, and trust me i was at one point, I would buy a decent high grade amp, an amp that you wont have to change out if you decide to get some 15's or even some 12's. I have had good luck with Fosgate (they just run nice and hot), PPI, jenson (friends install horriable choice), Kenwood, MTX, Kicker, and acouple others. The MTX's for the price are great. But what you have to remember what someone stated b4 me is, you get what you pay for. If you see that amp that is rated 1000 watts for only 200 bucks, hahahaha dont waste that 200 bucks. Dont limit yourself to one brand, although for show reasons it looks better, but some companies make excellent amps but their subs are not worth a nickel. For the perfect sub for you, you have to go and listen and listen and listen some more to find that one sub that grabs your ear and blows it out. I could sit here and recommend any sub under the sun, you go and buy it and you think it sounds like junk. So get out there and shop around, find something that you like and that you will be happy with. when you find a sub, im sure that more than a few of us will find some input on it for yah. Take it easy. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[optimalfusion]

Just so I dont sound like a qweer, I didnt mean to imply that I thought having bass cannons was good, i know they **** lol.

I know the bass cannons arent the real deal, my friends car has two 12" MDX (forget all the #'s he said, model i guess) and it is the bone crushing type sound I was looking for... he has a 450w jensen amp as well... sounds prettty good

 

[BassiK_LowZ]

well first off, if your freind is pushing them off a Jensen amp and they are hitting hard, try moving up to a better quality amp and there will be a massive difference in sound.

and just some information you may find useful, there is no way your head unit has a 280 watt built in amp. i guarentee you are probably pulling no more then 17 true watts from that head unit per channel. research it and you will see what i mean. later