Upgrading Stereo - 1st timer! Help please...

[rizorith 10+ year member]

I have a 91 300ZX 2+0 which currently has the following setup:

Clarion Head Unit (which will be replaced)

Alpine MRVF353 5 channel/500 watt amp

Boston Acoustics separates up front

Boston Acoustics 4" in back.

I want to change the head unit and add a 10" sub.

I will be buying a custom sub box that is completely sealed and wired for 12G monster cable and approximately .8cf and a basket depth of 7".

As far as I can tell the front and rear speakers are wired into channels 1-4 of the amp and channel 5 looks like it's made for a sub.

How would you reccomend I go about installing the sub? Should I hook it up to the amp and leave the speakers the way they are? Should I hook the rear speakers up to the head unit so I get more power to the sub/fronts? Also is there a sort of walkthrough on how to do this? I don't know much about what I need and where to run the wires through.

Lastly, any reccomendation on a head unit and amp? As far as the head unit I want to spend around $300 at most. I'm mostly concerned with good sound and easy navigation for MP3 CD's. I've heard the Alpines are good for MP3 but I don't know what specific models and other brands. Also, what amp should I look into? I was told that the JL 10W0 is good but I would like some other ideas.

Thanks in advance guys. I really want to put this together myself and I've read what I can find on crutchfield and here but I think I can use some more direct help and advice.

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[mjbailey21 10+ year member]

10"- Sony Xplod.

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[rizorith 10+ year member]

10"- Sony Xplod.
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What is this noob initiation lol? I'm pretty new at stereos but I'm not an idiot either.

Comon' serious...

 

[ResonantRE 10+ year member]

Lastly, any reccomendation on a head unit and amp? As far as the head unit I want to spend around $300 at most. I'm mostly concerned with good sound and easy navigation for MP3 CD's. I've heard the Alpines are good for MP3 but I don't know what specific models and other brands. Also, what amp should I look into? I was told that the JL 10W0 is good but I would like some other ideas.

i have the Pioneer DEH-7600MP its a great Headunit.. i bought mine for 299 but on ebay or somewhere you can get it alot cheaper the headunit sounds good and it has subwoofer outputs... on and off settings for subwoofers... its a mp3 player and alot of other format players... it has the Animations like the race cars and Dolphins moving.. its a real nice player.. and for a 10 inch sub i would go with a 10" RE or a 10" SE...

 

[VoTran24 10+ year member]

do your components sound good right now? if they sound fine then just add a sub to the last channel (5th?). and then go on from there. How much are you willing to spend on the sub? what kind of box and how big?