Budget Stereo?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: C.C. Texas
Budget Stereo? I'm not much of a sound guy, I'm looking to upgrade my system, as the only speaker working is the one in the trunk lol I'm gonna be really impressed when I get ALL of the speakers working. Anyway, I'm wondering, what should I buy from Best Buy (If anyone has bought there stuff from there) as a good or above average Speakers, I'm not much of a Rap guy, so i don't need bass. but I do listen to rock, and a lot of everything else. What should I look for? Pioneer? Audiopolk? Alpine? advice?
When it comes to Best Buy your rolling the dice as to who is going to install your stuff. They have alot of inexperienced installers. Most of the time their advice is to change out everything because they have no idea what is in the Monsoon system or what is compatible with it so they just recommend get rid of it all and run an aftermarket amp. If you know how the system works you can upgrade it.
They don't sell anything to replace the sail panels with. Your doors have special wiring for those speakers as well and they usually mess that up as well because you have 2 pairs of wires going to one speaker. You can use a certain type of coaxial but it has to be wired in a way that would probably void the warranty from them so they won't do it that way most of the time.
If you listen to rock then you want a certain amount of bass. Without bass any song sounds thin.
They don't sell anything to replace the sail panels with. Your doors have special wiring for those speakers as well and they usually mess that up as well because you have 2 pairs of wires going to one speaker. You can use a certain type of coaxial but it has to be wired in a way that would probably void the warranty from them so they won't do it that way most of the time.
If you listen to rock then you want a certain amount of bass. Without bass any song sounds thin.
Going to Best Buy is pretty much a crap shoot nowadays. Some locations are decent, some awful. I was disappointed that Circuit City went out of business since they seemed to have a little bit more knowledge and/or were at least willing to listen to options. Best Buy just seems to want to sell you what ever they have in stock. In the past, I avoided both and took my pre-purchased parts to a professional installer.
After my recent experience with BB (wanted to rip everything out and do a complete install = minimum $600 - all I wanted was to have an aux in unit), I just decided to buy my own parts and install them myself. If you have basic handyman skills, your can probably do as good a job as many installers, especially with the plug and play harness and install kits. If you can do basic soldering, that's a plus, since soldering is generally better than crimping connections.
I'd try to find a REAL car audio shop and bring them the stuff you want installed. Read as much as you can in this forum and other audio forums then decide what you want to do. If you simply must go with Best Buy, at least try different locations or go at different times to talk to different installers. BTW, make sure you talk to the INSTALLER, not just the salesguy.
After my recent experience with BB (wanted to rip everything out and do a complete install = minimum $600 - all I wanted was to have an aux in unit), I just decided to buy my own parts and install them myself. If you have basic handyman skills, your can probably do as good a job as many installers, especially with the plug and play harness and install kits. If you can do basic soldering, that's a plus, since soldering is generally better than crimping connections.
I'd try to find a REAL car audio shop and bring them the stuff you want installed. Read as much as you can in this forum and other audio forums then decide what you want to do. If you simply must go with Best Buy, at least try different locations or go at different times to talk to different installers. BTW, make sure you talk to the INSTALLER, not just the salesguy.
You have a price range you're trying to stay in? And as has been said, BB is usually hit or miss, usually a miss, and will try to sell you top notch stuff and have you pay for installation. There are plenty of speakers out there for under $100 that sound good that you could install yourself. Are you replacing the HU as well or just speakers?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: C.C. Texas
Well from what Ive seen and heard at This best buy here.. they have a pair of PolkAudio Component speakers for 200. So if I buy 2 pairs thats 400. They have a special of taking off $100 if you buy speakers and a HU that "matches" that certain brand of speakers. So i'd have to go with a JVC HU. They didn't have alot that I liked on JVC there, but I'm sure I could eventually find one. So since I'm at 400 already, the head unit is say..150 I guess. thats 550, they NOW charge for installation, 70 bucks a pair! so that's 140. so if my math serves me correct, Ill be at 690. take away 100 bucks off the total price or however. and thats 590, plus warranty, maybe 630? I don't know but am I really saving? lol I have been to a well known top notch car audio place that I do trust, but they were gonna give me Alpine speakers with a pioneer head unit for 660 AND replace ALL of my speakers with alpine. they just wouldnt be component speakers. Now that i kind of word it out, i see where the better deal is, but will the sound be so much different?
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Please read the Monsoon FAQ sticky at the top of the section. You'll see that either of those options will mean eliminating the Monsoon amp and either running all speakers off the head unit or adding an aftermarket amp.
On the other hand, you could get Kee Audio's speaker package for $279 to replace all your speakers with high quality ones that match the Monsoon setup. That would leave you $350 or more (compared to your quotes) to buy whatever head unit you like best. Installation is not difficult and can be done with ordinary hand tools (plus a soldering iron if you really want to do it right). Bear in mind that Best Buy will not be soldering their connections - they just want to pump out installations as cheaply and quickly as possible.
What is this fascination with 6x9 speakers lately? Just because you have a grille that looks like a 6x9 doesn't mean you have to put them there. You don't want large speakers in the back because they are supposed to be rear fill only - having a primary sound source back there will sound really odd.
On the other hand, you could get Kee Audio's speaker package for $279 to replace all your speakers with high quality ones that match the Monsoon setup. That would leave you $350 or more (compared to your quotes) to buy whatever head unit you like best. Installation is not difficult and can be done with ordinary hand tools (plus a soldering iron if you really want to do it right). Bear in mind that Best Buy will not be soldering their connections - they just want to pump out installations as cheaply and quickly as possible.
What is this fascination with 6x9 speakers lately? Just because you have a grille that looks like a 6x9 doesn't mean you have to put them there. You don't want large speakers in the back because they are supposed to be rear fill only - having a primary sound source back there will sound really odd.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: C.C. Texas
Thank you sir, but it was the installers Idea, apparently he used to have a camaro, but now he has a 94 cobra that's "supposedly" wicked fast.. 
I just want my stereo to work and be replaced. as said I'm not much of a sound guy so I'm still learning about alot 
I just want my stereo to work and be replaced. as said I'm not much of a sound guy so I'm still learning about alot 
Honestly man stay away from Best Buy. You are paying top dollar for low dollar stuff, not to mention they are charging 70$ to install a pair of speakers that could take you MAYBE an hour to do. I would call KEE AUDIO and get the skinny on exactly what sounds good in these cars. He specializes in F body audio.
If you still want to go local, at least find a reputable stereo shop, not a big chain like Best Buy ect. As for brands, I like Alpine type R's, MTX Thunder, Infinity, better Kenwoods. I've had good experiences with MTX, and you can get a pair for 75-100$. There are plenty of speakers that are just as good, or better, than the brands I mentioned, but just saying what I like from personal experience.
If you still want to go local, at least find a reputable stereo shop, not a big chain like Best Buy ect. As for brands, I like Alpine type R's, MTX Thunder, Infinity, better Kenwoods. I've had good experiences with MTX, and you can get a pair for 75-100$. There are plenty of speakers that are just as good, or better, than the brands I mentioned, but just saying what I like from personal experience.
My Budget install... As I stated, when I went to BB, I was told I was looking at about $600. After doing my online research, I decided to just do it myself. I just finished installing my new Kenwood KDC-MP345U. Total cost including mounting brackets/harness = exactly $100. Add in Kee Audio component speakers I plan on buying in the future which are plug and play and I’m looking at an additional $170, still well under the BB price and better quality/sound from what I’ve read.
I will be honest – the install wasn’t as easy as pulling the stock unit and dropping the new one in. I did my own soldering, which took about an hour (mainly because I was watching the Patriots/Jets game at the same time), hardwired my Sirius, and I had to do a little trimming of the stock rear radio bracket. Again, no big deal, but if you’re not handy, you might want to pay someone to do it. If you have even basic handyman skills and take your time, you can do it. My total time was less than three hours, tops, and I took my time. Even with the modified Pioneer speakers I’m using it sounds (and looks better behind the dash/doors = crimped and cheap-looking wires) than the BB system that was installed in my previous Z28 in which the previous owner ripped out the Monsoon equipment.
Here’s what it looks like:
The sat isn’t working yet because it’s too cold to mount the antenna.
Do a little research and you can do better than BB.
I will be honest – the install wasn’t as easy as pulling the stock unit and dropping the new one in. I did my own soldering, which took about an hour (mainly because I was watching the Patriots/Jets game at the same time), hardwired my Sirius, and I had to do a little trimming of the stock rear radio bracket. Again, no big deal, but if you’re not handy, you might want to pay someone to do it. If you have even basic handyman skills and take your time, you can do it. My total time was less than three hours, tops, and I took my time. Even with the modified Pioneer speakers I’m using it sounds (and looks better behind the dash/doors = crimped and cheap-looking wires) than the BB system that was installed in my previous Z28 in which the previous owner ripped out the Monsoon equipment.
Here’s what it looks like:
The sat isn’t working yet because it’s too cold to mount the antenna.
Do a little research and you can do better than BB.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The Bose system is completely different. It uses a special head unit that produces low-level, high-impedance signal to speakers that each have individual amps. You can replace the head unit alone by using an adapter such as the PAC OEM-1. But if you need to replace the speakers, you might as well replace the entire system.
Since the two quotes are fairly close, I'd go with the professional installer rather than Best Buy and get the components you want rather than being forced to buy all one brand to get a discount.
