Sound Systems

[Andrew Rudolph]

After seeing the thread started about someone wanting to put a sound system on a cart, I decided we should talka bout car systems. What is in your car? What do you want in your car? Your friends have neat stuff?



I have a minivan i use to haul stuff around so no system for me, but my friends whew! thier systems kick. Our drivers for next year..one has 2 12" JL Audio W3v2's on a JL 500x1 then poineer components and a pioneer head unit, all runnign off a MTX 100x4..the other driver has Infinity KAppa components and 3ways running off of a JL 300x4 and 2 12" Poineer Premires running off of a JL 500x1...On kid not on the team has a JL audio 13" W7 running on a JL 1000x1 and hit 150 db! I want one of thoes and some MB Quart somponents but eh i like being able to take the robot in my car.

[evulish]

I currently have a Pioneer HU (180w...45x4) in my `96 Ford Contour. My front speakers are Kenwood 5x7's and my rear speakers are OEM.

Head Unit:
Pioneer DEH-2400F
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...EH2400&o=m&a=0

Front speakers:
Kenwood KFC-5708C
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...FC5708&o=m&a=0

Rear speakers:
Uhh...Ford OEM? They're both blown out. Go figure.
I want Kenwood eXcelon KFC-X688C's to replace them.

Also, when I actually _own_ the car...I plan on cutting out the rear shelf and putting in two 6x9's. I'd also like 2 12" subs in the trunk. When (if) I do this, I'll most likely get 3 Blaupunkt amps or something. (One for powering my door speakers, one for my shelf speakers, and one for the subs). Then if I have enough left over money (ha) I'll replace my HU with a better Pioneer that can play mp3 cds or something. I'm not expecting this to happen until I get lots and lots of money...so maybe in about 10 years

[AdamT]

It may not sound like much, but it'll get louder then I EVER need it. Well, I still need an amp for the non-sub speakers...

The car: '87 RX-7 (small sports car with no separated trunk for those who don't know)

The system: A single 12" Rockford sub in a closed box run by a 150x2watt Rockford amp. I have a sony explode 52x4 head unit with a built in mp3 decoder (10 hours of music on one CD). The stock speakers have been replaced with 4.5" clarions and 6.25" kenwoods. All the wiring is Rockford as well.

The trick: For those of you who know much about audio, this seems trvial, but in an open car like mine, you will get the best performance by turning the sub away from the drive/passenger and let the sound waves reflect off the rear windshield. This will actually increase the affect of the sub.

Overall: As loud as I ever want it...of course all I want the sub for is to boost the bass to give a better overall sound. I like my music to sound as if it were being played right before me, I could care less if it'll blow eardrums and make people's hair stand up.

[evulish]

Ewwy...Sony HU

[Wetzel]

I have an Awia CDC-MP3 headunit.
(No longer sold)

2 Infinity Kappa 42.5i in the back.

2 Infinity Kappa 63.5i in the front.

Nice tone quality.



Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to install a microcomputer with large harddrive in car...
ohhhh SHINY....

[Brandon Martus]

Originally posted by Wetzel
I have an Awia CDC-MP3 headunit.
(No longer sold)

Does it skip like crazy during the winter months? Mine does, and it drives me crazy. The dew / frost + michigan potholes makes it impossible to listen to until the car & cd player is warm.
And what's with the inability to play the WHOLE cd random, instead of just the individual album you are in.
And, I don't like the EQ-esque flashy bar. I would've rather had more song info on the screen.

Other than that, I love it.

[Andrew Rudolph]

my friend had an Aiwa i dont think it was the Mp3 one though and that thing skipped alot, every bump it would jump...hehe that rhymed..I like the changing colors on it..Poineer makes some sweet head units sonys are second to them

[evulish]

I dislike Sony/Aiwa car audio stuff. Pioneer makes the best semi-affordable HU's in my opinion. Stuff like Clarion, Alpine, and Infinity make some nice stuff but it's a bit out of my pricerange. Pioneers and Kenwoods are sweet

[Wetzel]

Originally posted by Brandon Martus


Does it skip like crazy during the winter months? Mine does, and it drives me crazy. The dew / frost + michigan potholes makes it impossible to listen to until the car & cd player is warm.
And what's with the inability to play the WHOLE cd random, instead of just the individual album you are in.
And, I don't like the EQ-esque flashy bar. I would've rather had more song info on the screen.

Other than that, I love it.

No skiping summer or winter. Yes, more song info would be grand. But my main compliant is that when I put an MP3 cd in it takes 1.5 to 2 minutes to start playing music.
Makes it worthless to use mp3's driving around town, imo. However, such times as my 10 hour drive to Indiana, it was very nice.

Also check how it is mounted, there were many problems with skiping reported that were corrected when mounted diffrently. Something about a harness, but its been 2 years since I read it.

Awia is Sony's testbed company. Sony puts new technology out as Aiwa, and if it is good, slap Sony on it. You can get some good things for fairly cheap, or you can get something that really sucks.
Evulish: You forgot Blaupunkt. I really want a Blaupunkt San Jose, but a plane ticket to San Jose sounds more appealing to me.

Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~
Reservations at the Gold Hotel

[Brandon Martus]

Originally posted by Wetzel
Also check how it is mounted, there were many problems with skiping reported that were corrected when mounted diffrently. Something about a harness, but its been 2 years since I read it.

If its installed as good as my alarm (the manual killswitch doesnt work) then im sure its not mounted correctly. Yay for Best Buy 'Free' installation....

[AdamT]

Originally posted by Brandon Martus
Yay for Best Buy 'Free' installation....

Ooohh, not to mention them using the worst audio wire you can buy...or steal for that matter.

I say, if you're going to buy anything that has to be installed into your car and you can't do it, find a friend who you trust to do it. Never go with a retail store....bleck...

[Wetzel]

Originally posted by AdamT

Never go with a retail store....bleck...

Unless that store is Myer-Emco, but hell if it ain't expensive.


Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~
www.ddrfreak.com

[Andrew Rudolph]

yeah some times its better to buy your stuff from different places to get the best prices...subs from one place, hu from another..... then if you dont know how to do it get a professional to do it at a car audio place.

[Elgin Clock]

In my 1996 Dodge Neon Expresso I have a Jensen CD/Tape/Radio Head unit. Pioneer 5.75"'s up front in the doors and Kenwood 6X9's in the rear deck.

Future add-ons include, a 10 disc CD changer and three 10" subs in a "FIRST related configuration" (with amp(s) of course). I have two of the three subs, I need to get the other one. And an amp or multiple amps when I determine my peak and RMS power needs.

My little 11 yr. old sister says I should put a flat screen tv in my car as well...
Who knows, maybe in the future.

[NKhockey09]

I have a ford explorer limited edition that came with the fattest stock system i have seen.... They come with all JBL components that are run threw a crossover, has a disk changer built into the armrest, and has a jbl amp with a mtx protoform like subbox in the rear wheelwell, it was onlt a 6 in woofer so I got a sony Xplode 12' and a good box..... and of course the laptop with the dvd player and 15 inch monitor that wasnt stock though lol