DTR

I'm trying to put together a system for my '03 Trail Blazer. I've never put together a car audio system before, but I do know one thing... I'm an audio junkie. It has to sound awesome or it will bug the hell out of me. But, like most people, I'm not swimming in money so I need bang for the buck. As much as I want it to sound good, I want a good head unit to set the whole thing off.

Right now, I'm just wanting to piece everything together to know what kind of money I'm looking at spending. At the moment the problem I'm facing is what type of head unit will fit. The head unit in question is the Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD. Cartoys.com lists it for head units that will fit my TB, but Pioneerelectronics.com does NOT list it.

Also, everyone's knowledge on amps, speakers, subs, tweeters, wiring, and anything else related to car audio would be a great help as well!

Thanks guys!

-Derek

Atomyk

iTrader: (3)

That will fit. I have put several dvd players in TBs. The kicker is gonna be the harness. Metra GMOS-01 or Scosche GM09SR. Those are pretty pricey. Other than that, you have 6.5" speakers in all four doors, so you should be able to pick pretty much any brand and get decent speakers. I don't have much experience with high end speakers, but I really like Infinity. They just have crappy bass response. I have Kappa's and a pioneer sub.

DTR

Cool! One thing I just thought of is my steering wheel controls. Will they still work with an aftermarket head unit?

Atomyk

iTrader: (3)

You can pick up a pac or metra steering wheel controls adapter for a pioneer deck and they will work just fine.

DTR

Sweet. Have you ever installed tweeters in TB's? Where and how?

DTR

Aaaaaannnd now the question is whether to have rear tweeters or not. I've seen a few other forums saying that it's worth it and some saying it clashes the highs... Thoughts?

KEE AUDIO

iTrader: (65)

I have done a couple of TB and they are not bad to install in. The Pioneer unit is a good one and will do you right. Another nice option is the JVC AVX-640 or the AVX-740. Both have great sound and removable face for added security. Plus they will match the interior illumination of any vehicle with variable illumination which is nice to keep things kind of matching up with the rest of the interior.
I am not a fan of Infinity for the same reason mentioned already. They lack bass response and to me the highs on those are a bit shrill. I have several options that fit in the stock openings and will sound far better then Infinity's offerings. CDT has some new bass enhanced drivers on the market that really kick with a new unique cone design that enhances bass output. Very trick high end stuff without spending a fortune. Email me and I can get you set up with a full system and install gear.
keeaudio@bellsouth.net

Atomyk

iTrader: (3)

I have put front tweets in the a-pillars, but I don't really see the point in rear tweets in a TB b/c the placement will be very crucial to allow focused sound to the front of the car. I would just run coaxials in the rear doors.

DTR

That makes since. Now what about subs? I have 2 kenwood subs in my camaro and they hit pretty hard, but that's a camaro... I'm looking for subs that will hit hard but at the same time not sound muddy at all... I want a nice, clean, hard hitting, warm sound for my bass. I listen to a lot of metal, so I want the kicks to hit me in the chest and the bass guitar to be heard, but without sacrificing mids and highs or drowning out the guitars or vox. Any recommendations?

Atomyk

iTrader: (3)

I am a huge JL Audio fan. I like their w3 series because they have great SQ (my opinion) and need a small enclosure (I like my space). In a sealed box they are very punchy (I listen to metal as well) but they won't kick you in the chest. I also like Alpine Type R's because they can hold a lot of power, make a lot of noise, work well with either enclosure type, and still require less airspace than most subs. I, however, am currently running two 10" Alpine Type-E's under the back seat of my truck, and love them.

DTR

Good lord.... There are 11 different subs in the Alpine Type R series......

DTR

Yeah, i think I'm going to go with the JL 10w3's... May as well stick with JL for the front and rear speakers and amps as well..... Unless you have another recommendation...

Atomyk

iTrader: (3)

JL is a good brand. I usually hit all of the audio stores I know of and listen to what they have on display to get a feel for how bright the tweets are, now high you can turn the amps up before they add noise or buzzing (aside from music), and how good the bass response is in the woofers. And don't forget the clarity. I take some music (CD or mp3 player) with music I know and see what sounds the best. It takes time, but I think its fun! (I am also a car audio nut)