Input on stereo system upgrade
Input on stereo system upgrade I'm in the process of considering a speaker and amp upgrade in my '02 Trans Am. The stock stereo was changed out to a Kenwood head unit, but the monsoon speakers/amp remain. I've two estimates from local car stereo shops. One is based on Kicker and the other is based on JL components. The Kicker system doesn't use the rear most speakers in the sail panels. There will be two 10' sub woofers placed in the back area where the T-tops are stored. I would like to get some feedback/opions of the pros & cons of these two setups. See attachment for setup details/cost. Any input will greatly be appreciated.
holy crap that's a ton of money...lol You are better off doing it yourself saving money and at the same time using better components.
Here's what I would do based on my limited experience in brand names. I tend to like CDT because that's what I found to sound the best out of the others I have tried. I am not saying it's the best out there just that it's what I like:
amp: eD NINe.5 if you want to stick with a single amp. This will give you more power than the JL amp they suggested. ($450) Otherwise you can get the new Alpine PDX series and run a single 4 channel and a sub amp. These PDX amps have a small footprint and put out great power but will cost you more than a single 5 channel amp.
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/pro...roducts_id=550
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...del=PDX-1.1000
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...odel=PDX-4.150
front comps: CDT Audio ES-620's ($499)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=1109
sail panel midbass fill: CDT Audio M6's ($230) (DO NOT put a coaxial there like they quoted you, I have these and the midbass is incredible!)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=4848
subs: CDT Audio HD-1020 or any other CDT 10" sub. ($300ea = $600)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=1936
box: any box from subthump.com that will work with 2-10's
http://www.subthump.com/acamaro.htm
wiring: knukonceptz.com has great stuff for great prices.
http://www.knukonceptz.com/
Here's what I would do based on my limited experience in brand names. I tend to like CDT because that's what I found to sound the best out of the others I have tried. I am not saying it's the best out there just that it's what I like:
amp: eD NINe.5 if you want to stick with a single amp. This will give you more power than the JL amp they suggested. ($450) Otherwise you can get the new Alpine PDX series and run a single 4 channel and a sub amp. These PDX amps have a small footprint and put out great power but will cost you more than a single 5 channel amp.
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/pro...roducts_id=550
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...del=PDX-1.1000
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...odel=PDX-4.150
front comps: CDT Audio ES-620's ($499)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=1109
sail panel midbass fill: CDT Audio M6's ($230) (DO NOT put a coaxial there like they quoted you, I have these and the midbass is incredible!)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=4848
subs: CDT Audio HD-1020 or any other CDT 10" sub. ($300ea = $600)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=1936
box: any box from subthump.com that will work with 2-10's
http://www.subthump.com/acamaro.htm
wiring: knukonceptz.com has great stuff for great prices.
http://www.knukonceptz.com/
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 1
right of the bat that price is so rediculously high its not even funny. polk, kicker, elemental designs, cdt, alpine, all make nice stuff part of it is they are marking the price up a ton if u look for the same kicker stuff online you will find it for way less and the labor thats outrageous. heres a suggestion some will fringe upon go to your local tweeter, circuit city, bestbuy and ask to talk to the car audio installer and feel him out some guys really know there stuff others not so much, if you find a good installer this could save you alot of money. the circuit city i used to install at had a pretty good reputation and we would pull from areas where there were other stores a town or 2 over beacuse of this
My advice: Go to another shop.
I did a quick search on Ebay and typed in JL W3 Sub and found a page full of subwoofers for around 70 bux each! That right there saves you about 360 dollars and that is for 12" subwoofers and not the 10" subwoofers that quoted you for too! I'd buy my stuff somewhere else and have someone else install it. I bought my amp and sub via ebay for dirt cheap and had it hooked up at Circuit city for 65 bux. I went with them because I didn't like Best Buy's attitude. I am not saying that Best Buy is better, just their audio guys were a bit cocky and Circuit City's guys were down to earth and cool. Point of the story: Best Buy wasn't the only place in town that knew how to hook up a sub.
Good Luck Bro
I did a quick search on Ebay and typed in JL W3 Sub and found a page full of subwoofers for around 70 bux each! That right there saves you about 360 dollars and that is for 12" subwoofers and not the 10" subwoofers that quoted you for too! I'd buy my stuff somewhere else and have someone else install it. I bought my amp and sub via ebay for dirt cheap and had it hooked up at Circuit city for 65 bux. I went with them because I didn't like Best Buy's attitude. I am not saying that Best Buy is better, just their audio guys were a bit cocky and Circuit City's guys were down to earth and cool. Point of the story: Best Buy wasn't the only place in town that knew how to hook up a sub.
Good Luck Bro
Last edited by 02TransAm/Batmobile; Apr 27, 2007 at 09:08 AM. Reason: A Loot of gramer mistacs and sum problims
Thanks for the input guys. I felt that both estimates were pricey. I didn't know the chain stores like Best Buy & Circuit city would do an instal. They are both here in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area. Not lucky enough to have a Tweeter or Frye (Houston is the nearest place from where I live). When I get some more days off, I'll stop by and ask them about installing the components. Keep the input coming, this is really helpful.
Originally Posted by shouldaboughttheZ
Damn, You are 2 hours from me. Go by the stuff and hit me up, I'll help as long as you got the beer and pizza ready!
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Originally Posted by pentavolvo
theres no reason you shouldnt be able to get new speakers an amp/amps and a sub in there with decent stuff for 1g
Here's my opinion. Way over priced for everything.
Phoenixe Gold Xenon 200.4 $305 delivered 200 watt rms x4 channel super clear amp with the best bridging on the market. Super stable. few years old an they dont make them anymore but you can still find plenty of new ones on ebay for a lot less than what they sold for when they were the latest greatest.
Diamond Audio Hex s600 $255 delivered NOt sure about CDT havent run them but I do know I haven't heard any better than the Diamond Hex Comp series so far.
Boston Acoustics G5 10" sub. One of the better subs on the market. $330 delivered
ANd I do use the subthump stealth box.
My system was built to look as stock as possible but will dry wet hair.
Using an Eclipse 8445 HU.
Do the work yourself. Its not hard at all. Also use ebay. I saved a ton of money from credible Ebay stores.
I've got $1500 in to my system and at any store it would have been $3000
Phoenixe Gold Xenon 200.4 $305 delivered 200 watt rms x4 channel super clear amp with the best bridging on the market. Super stable. few years old an they dont make them anymore but you can still find plenty of new ones on ebay for a lot less than what they sold for when they were the latest greatest.
Diamond Audio Hex s600 $255 delivered NOt sure about CDT havent run them but I do know I haven't heard any better than the Diamond Hex Comp series so far.
Boston Acoustics G5 10" sub. One of the better subs on the market. $330 delivered
ANd I do use the subthump stealth box.
My system was built to look as stock as possible but will dry wet hair.
Using an Eclipse 8445 HU.
Do the work yourself. Its not hard at all. Also use ebay. I saved a ton of money from credible Ebay stores.
I've got $1500 in to my system and at any store it would have been $3000
Last edited by 99blancoSS; Apr 28, 2007 at 08:37 AM.
WOW talk about ripping someone off..... I myself have always used kicker componets for my insides and luv them.. As for subs ive used kicker,mtx and JL and have enjoyed all 3... if your on a budget mtx would be the best bang for the buck sub seeings as there reasonable and dont take alot to power them....
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,591
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
The equipment up there is great stuff, but you can get the same quality for way less money.
First of all, all amps sound the same. Period. JL amps are good because of the build quality and the warranty, but you mostly pay for the name. Just avoid cheap crap like Pyramid, Pyle, Boss, Legacy, etc. and you'll be fine. Those ones use low quality parts that can't put out the power the amp is rated for, and when they die, you're most likely SOL. Hifonics is a great compromise between price and build quality in amps. Phoenix Gold as mentioned above is also good.
Speakers are a little trickier because they DO sound different. There are lots of good options, including (but not limited to, and in no particular order): Rainbow, Focal, Dynaudio, CDT, Diamond Audio, Mpyre Audio, Memphis, Image Dynamics, RE Audio...
Subs are pretty much the same, but you have some different brands. Subwoofers are one-driver things, unlike component speakers which are complete systems. You have brands competing here that don't compete in component speakers, like Dayton Audio. You can make a Dayton component set yourself, but Dayton doesn't sell component sets as a package (as far as I know, anyway).
First of all, all amps sound the same. Period. JL amps are good because of the build quality and the warranty, but you mostly pay for the name. Just avoid cheap crap like Pyramid, Pyle, Boss, Legacy, etc. and you'll be fine. Those ones use low quality parts that can't put out the power the amp is rated for, and when they die, you're most likely SOL. Hifonics is a great compromise between price and build quality in amps. Phoenix Gold as mentioned above is also good.
Speakers are a little trickier because they DO sound different. There are lots of good options, including (but not limited to, and in no particular order): Rainbow, Focal, Dynaudio, CDT, Diamond Audio, Mpyre Audio, Memphis, Image Dynamics, RE Audio...
Subs are pretty much the same, but you have some different brands. Subwoofers are one-driver things, unlike component speakers which are complete systems. You have brands competing here that don't compete in component speakers, like Dayton Audio. You can make a Dayton component set yourself, but Dayton doesn't sell component sets as a package (as far as I know, anyway).