Typical noob first thread.

[hunglah4u]

Hey guys, nice to be here. As the description notes, this is my first thread and very typical of somebody who doesn't know what they are doing and wants quick answers. I'm not lazy, I've done a little reading of the stickies but I am extremely time strapped. I work and go to school full time and can never seem to get around to educating myself on this stuff. Links are appreciated but if you are bored feel free to help me out.

I need help choosing a speaker setup for my 2004 Grand Prix GTP, I bought a JVC KW-NT3HDT deck (maybe not the best but I wanted NAV and I got a good deal on it) but that's as far as I've gotten. I listen to mostly classic rock, punk, reggae, and some rap. I appreciate power but I want sound quality over anything else...I'm not interested in rattling people's windows just for the hell of it (but if that's a by-product of the setup then I can live with it). My budget is $800-$1000. Keep in mind I don't have a lot of time to drive around to people's houses or sales looking for deals so most of the equipment will more then likely be store bought. Glad to meet you guys and hope to contribute more as I learn. Thanks to anybody that would like to help me out!

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[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

 

[hunglah4u]

Lol, yes, touche.

Oh well, better to get made fun of here than to walk into an audio store and get ***** right off the bat.

 

[sacsking916 5,000+ posts]

check the classifieds here. never have to leave your house

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

what are you looking for? subs? cabin speakers? amp? your post is wayyyy too vague

 

[hunglah4u]

Thanks Sacksking916 for the heads-up. Fastfocus00, Yeah sorry about that...I suppose that really did come off as "hold my hand through everything". I have a monsoon system that came with the car and it's way underpowered for me, so I guess all of the above. Actually I can't really judge the quality of the cabin speakers, I just can't "feel it" if you know what I mean. So maybe an amp and sub, but I guess I just envisioned replacing the whole thing to be honest with you.

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

i'd do a sub and amp first and go from there. monsoon system, VW? Firebird? either way, I'd do a single HDC3 10" or 12", or Fi Q 10" or 12" with an AQ1200D or similar. see how you like that and go from there. that would be my starting point since you really don't have a direct or goal.

 

[hunglah4u]

i'd do a sub and amp first and go from there. monsoon system, VW? Firebird? either way, I'd do a single HDC3 10" or 12", or Fi Q 10" or 12" with an AQ1200D or similar. see how you like that and go from there. that would be my starting point since you really don't have a direct or goal.

Sweet, I appreciate the tips fasfocus00.

 

[Nighthawk1192 10+ year member]

i agree with fasfocus00. the Fi sub especially. they are Fi's reference line for subs and you will get a lot of bang out of em with the right box. The AQ1200D is also a great amp that won't let you down and will put out more power than it is rated for which is neat. do you feel that the quality of the speakers is bad or the amount of bass they put out isn't enough?

 

[hunglah4u]

Well, again I'm not well versed with car audio, but if I had to explain it the best I could I'd say there isn't enough bass. For instance let's say Led Zeppelin's Ramble On is playing, I wanna feel that bass line in my bones. I don't really want it to be loud distorted bass but more clear I guess. Needless to say if it isn't powerful enough for that stuff it's not gonna be powerful enough for some of the rap/hip hop I like. As for the quality of the speakers...if I turn them up loud they just get annoying, but I guess I'm comparing them to a really nice set of headphones I own that I max out music on. It doesn't bother me when stuff is crazy loud on them because the quality is so nice. Am I making any sense or just rambling?

I realize for top of the line sound people spend thousands of dollars on speakers and amps and trick out their cabins for great acoustics so with my budget I'm not expecting miracles, just the best I can get I suppose. Thanks for the reply Nighthawk1192.

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

Well going with the above suggestion of the 12" Fi Q with the AQ1200 amp, I believe that runs you about $500 new. And those are both fantastic products. Factor in around $140 for a custom enclosure designed specifically for that sub and your expectations of it. And I'd say 25sqft of AT 60mil sound deadener for your trunk... you're looking at roughly $700. Ask me and anyone else around here, the custom enclosure and the sound deadener are a must, and will really make or break the sound of your system. Now, you'd have the option to save probably $150-$200 by buying the sub and amp used off of these forums, if you can find a seller. These items are sold from trusted members and are in good condition. I've bought both my amps, and some wiring, all used and didn't regret one bit of it. I'm in the market for a new HU, which I will be buying used off of here, and possibly some new speakers. So please, don't be deterred from buying "used". And with that extra money you save, you could use to invest in a nice pair of front-stage speakers.

 

[hunglah4u]

Yes...glad I found this place. Already learning about things I never even thought of. Thank you very much TheUnderFighter that detailed reply. Actually I would prefer to buy used, and if I can do it from home that is even better. It's very apparent to me that I need to keep reading around. Based on these few posts I've realized that I woulda blown all my budget right off the bat if I just winged it. Thank you guys for the minimal flaming and amazing help so far. I'll start looking around the forums to get a feel for the prices. If there's anything else anybody wants to add keep it coming. Like I said before, links to help educate are very welcome as well. I'm here to learn. Thanks guys.

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

you can always read Basic Car Audio Electronics until your eyes bleed.

A couple other good sites to buy off of are DIYMA.com - Car Audio Forum & 12 volt Community Board and caraudioclassifieds.com but keep in mind it's a little different vibe over there, and certainly more strict. But it's more places to look for what you wanna buy

 

[Sleeklsc 5,000+ posts]

Yes...glad I found this place. Already learning about things I never even thought of. Thank you very much TheUnderFighter that detailed reply. Actually I would prefer to buy used, and if I can do it from home that is even better. It's very apparent to me that I need to keep reading around. Based on these few posts I've realized that I woulda blown all my budget right off the bat if I just winged it. Thank you guys for the minimal flaming and amazing help so far. I'll start looking around the forums to get a feel for the prices. If there's anything else anybody wants to add keep it coming. Like I said before, links to help educate are very welcome as well. I'm here to learn. Thanks guys.

I'm surprised there's no flamage.....Prob cause you come off as a nice guy thats willing to listen to peoples opinions and that doesn't sh it from the mouth trying to know what he's talking about..

But yeah, as many have said, just get a amp and a sub or 2 used. You'll save alot of money that way and get better equipment.

 

[hunglah4u]

Thanks, it's obvious you guys know your stuff so the last thing I wanted to do was come in here and be an ***. I expected a lot more hate as well but I am pleasantly surprised since these kinds of first posts tend to water down forums and make long standing members very cynical of newcomers. I'll take your guys' advice and use it as a base to start working with. I haven't seen anything on the classifieds (just a quick glance) but I'll keep my eye out. In the meantime I'll read up on the Basic Car Audio Electronics so I can contribute more to these conversations. If anybody sees anything for sale that may help me feel free to shoot me a message. Fasfocus00, Sacsking916, Nighthawk1192, TheUnderFighter, and sbcaprice305...thanks for the warm welcome //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif