Should have come here first

[jhall1jax]

I was into car audio heavily back in the mid- to late-80's. I still remember swapping out my Nakamichi tape deck for a new Alpine CD unit, and using PPI Art amps. I've been out of the loop since then - wow have things changed.

I recently inherited a 95 Grand Cherokee and thought it'd be great to dive back into car audio and put a nice system in it. The stock speakers are so old that all the surrounds have turned to dust.

I'm no longer confident in my install skills, so I take it in to get a head unit, sub amp along with sub and install to include a distro block so I can add an amp later for the other speakers (when I decide what to get). What I end up with is a joke - no firewall grommet, wire loose under hood, power and signal cables run next to each other, and sub amp gain at 100% with max bass boost (after telling them I'm after SQ and don't care at all about SPL).

Reading the posts here have confirmed that the basics haven't really changed at all, and I'll be tearing out all their wiring and doing it myself! And I was definitely oversold on the subs. I ended up with 2 Memphis PR12's when just one is plenty. I also know NOW that I probably should have gone with an ID sub.

Anyway, just want to give you guys a big thanks for sharing your knowledge.

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[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

Well come to the site...

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

I would take it back to the install shop and make them re do the wiring

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

Pretty much the exact same as 1992, except the argument on quality now days what country builds the best amp guts . So much consolidation over the years that Autotek, Crunch, Mb Quart and HiFonics are all owned by the same manufacturer(Maxxsonics) and use the same build house. Powerbass owns Image Dynamics are in the same build house. Most of the small time manufacturers you will see here use the same build houses, but are designed pretty good. Companies of Yesteryear like RF, PPI, SS,Alpine, etc. still have very good offerings in their top lines and are continually producing cutting edge equipment.

 

[jhall1jax]

I'll take it back to show the manager what was done, but anyone who doesn't even grommet the firewall passthru I wouldn't trust to do even the simplest stuff.

I think I'll just do it myself. That way I know it's done right.

 

[Fiendstolemyamp 10+ year member]

I think I'll just do it myself. That way I know it's done right.

Good idea.

 

[murph 10+ year member]

trade back the subs for something better. What brands does the shop carry.

 

[jhall1jax]

Wow, I didn't realize how much consolidation is going on. I guess it makes sense from a business standpoint. Good to see Quart and PPI is still around. I guess a/d/s is in there with them somewhere.

Im sure I'll have questions during my install. By the way I ended up with Infinity 60.9cs components for up front along with an Infinity amp. Not sure if I'll put an old unused 60.7cs set in the back.

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

Ask for your money back then, and threaten to get the BBB involved.

The most significant changes to car audio since you were last around are these 3 things:

1. power is far cheaper, you can thank china and outsourcing for that

2. sub designs are far less efficient, part of this is to allow the use of a "small" box and partly because of power being cheap and readily available

3. the companies that used to be good in your day are mostly garbage now because they have been bought out, gutted and everything has been cheapened and outsourced and the company is coasting on its built up reputation from the past

 

[jhall1jax]

The shop only carries Pioneer, Kenwood and Memphis subs.

 

[Fiendstolemyamp 10+ year member]

Good to see Quart and PPI is still around. .

They aren't what they used to be. I'd pass on both.

 

[Sub Woofin 10+ year member]

welcome back to the game

 

[jhall1jax]

Kushy - good info, thanks. Yeah, I noticed that cost difference right away!! Too bad about thr big brands getting gutted.

The development that took me most by surprise are the shallow-mount subs. My other car is an 09 M3 convertible. Not much space in that trunk, so if I get bitten by the audio bug, I'll have to look into those for that car.

 

[murph 10+ year member]

Wow, I didn't realize how much consolidation is going on. I guess it makes sense from a business standpoint. Good to see Quart and PPI is still around. I guess a/d/s is in there with them somewhere.
Im sure I'll have questions during my install. By the way I ended up with Infinity 60.9cs components for up front along with an Infinity amp. Not sure if I'll put an old unused 60.7cs set in the back.

German Maestro is the new name of the people who actually made Mb quart back in the day.

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

Wow, I didn't realize how much consolidation is going on. I guess it makes sense from a business standpoint. Good to see Quart and PPI is still around. I guess a/d/s is in there with them somewhere.
Im sure I'll have questions during my install. By the way I ended up with Infinity 60.9cs components for up front along with an Infinity amp. Not sure if I'll put an old unused 60.7cs set in the back.

No A/D/S, sadly. Mb Quart is budget equipment. PPI was restructured and have a few decent amps available. American Bass came in about the mid-90's and stiil makes some good stuff in their VFL/XFL/HD lines. Phoenix Gold is all but toast, Probably the oldest 12v company around is Alphasonik which still has a slight pulse after

what? 35yrs in the business? Lanzar has some amps that make power in the Opti lines...Zapco is still making the good stuff and some of the best class D's around. JL, Kicker still going