So my girlfriend's brother's ghetto 16 year old friend came over and wanted help installing his crap 15"s 
cuz said brother told him I knew about audio. (Not true, I just know what sounds good when I hear it. anywayz) Said friend told me he wants to "knock pictures off (my girl's brother's) wall from his house 4 blocks away." Then he heard my 13.5W1. I gave him this long winded lecture about building an audio system, much of which you see here. Now he's changing his ways.I realized that I come across his kind way too much especially on the internet. Then I thought, why don't I try to make a thread on CC to help out all those "building my first system" and "are these *Wal-Mart sold* subs good" threads. These are just some of my insights from my experience. Feel free to post any of your insights into building sytems for noobs.
First you must decide whether you want Sound Quality or sheer power, or both. You must also factor in your budget. Either, if done right, will take time on a budget, but you will be happy in the long run. Personally I wanted sound quality with the ability to get loud (w/o distortion) on occasion. There are ways to make a system ridiculously loud but thats not what I wanted/want. I listen to all types of music but mainly electronica and also rap. Being an electronica fan (good stuff ie Sasha, Oakenfold, not really club stuff; Northern Exposure:Expeditions is one of my favorite CD's) so I def lean towards Sound Quality.
FOR SUBS-
JL AUDIO. Of couse there are lots of other good name brand subs but you can't go wrong with JL. They have everything from their W1 budget line to their ridiculous W7's and lots in between. Everyone I've ever known won't even try other stuff once they go with JL. I started with 2 10W0's(dscntd, now W1's) $70 each from local audio shop. Ran off a $200 RF amp. bass was responsive and LOUD for the size/price. Then I upped the ante to 1 12" W6($500 from lcl audio shp) best sounding bass I've heard. A 12 that kept up with techno beats, was LOUD AND DEEP, and the sound quality was amazing. SQ is a thing almost nobody thinks or seems to care about in bass, but it can make all the differnece. Well that s**t got stolen. And, I once again had to go budget. Now I got a 13.5" W1 that's loud. not very responsive and the SQ obviously doen't compare with a W6 or W7 but for it's price/line, its awsome. Iv'e had people with 2-3 no name $50-100 15" subs drop their jaws when they hear then see my one 13.5W1. cost me $450 for sub box and amp. My friend had 2 15W3's in an Izuzu rodeo that was fn LOUD. At my local audio shop I heard a guy with ONE 10" W7 in a Mustang that was louder and deeper than anything I've heard. Of couse $800 sub with a $600+ amp will get you that. Others Iv'e heard that were good were Rockford Fosgates, Infinity's, and Alpine Type-r's, but like I said can't go wrong with JL.
Head Units
Iv'e had two Alpines and my current Pioneer Premier. Pioneer's my favorite but the Alpines were great too. Can't go wrong with Alpine. Eclipse's are nice too.
Speakers
Get Components, at least up front. Iv'e got Boston Acoustics and LOVE them. Go with some 6x9's in the rear. Iv'e had luck with pioneers, but my favorites are Eclipse. Oh and make sure your amps have built in crossovers.
Above all- get quality stuff don't go with packages unless they are good name brands. Rule number 2 DON'T go with Sony or anything else found at Wal-mart. Their new amps are nice (Iv'e got two, pushin speakers and sub) but the rest of their stuff is s**t. Like new seats or a JDM Squash y0! air freshener
, nothing can improve your driving experience more than a good, QUALITY audio system. Don't cheap out, build it slow if you have too, Iv'e been workin on mine for two years and it's almost pretty much where I want it to be. Like an enigine, you can go the cheap fast route but it'll be s**t compared to what it could be.
Finally-My dream system.
HU-some indash flush mount non-motorized DVD/nav/HU (By the time I can afford, specific one will change)
Speakers- Boston Acoustics components(F) and Eclipse 6x9's (R) or Boston components (R)
Amps- Any quality amp that will push said speakers and another for subs
Subs- Two JL Audio 10W6's
Respond with your system building insights and/or post your own Dream system guys. or just completely ignore my semi-drunken post
cuz said brother told him I knew about audio. (Not true, I just know what sounds good when I hear it. anywayz) Said friend told me he wants to "knock pictures off (my girl's brother's) wall from his house 4 blocks away." Then he heard my 13.5W1. I gave him this long winded lecture about building an audio system, much of which you see here. Now he's changing his ways.I realized that I come across his kind way too much especially on the internet. Then I thought, why don't I try to make a thread on CC to help out all those "building my first system" and "are these *Wal-Mart sold* subs good" threads. These are just some of my insights from my experience. Feel free to post any of your insights into building sytems for noobs.First you must decide whether you want Sound Quality or sheer power, or both. You must also factor in your budget. Either, if done right, will take time on a budget, but you will be happy in the long run. Personally I wanted sound quality with the ability to get loud (w/o distortion) on occasion. There are ways to make a system ridiculously loud but thats not what I wanted/want. I listen to all types of music but mainly electronica and also rap. Being an electronica fan (good stuff ie Sasha, Oakenfold, not really club stuff; Northern Exposure:Expeditions is one of my favorite CD's) so I def lean towards Sound Quality.
FOR SUBS-
JL AUDIO. Of couse there are lots of other good name brand subs but you can't go wrong with JL. They have everything from their W1 budget line to their ridiculous W7's and lots in between. Everyone I've ever known won't even try other stuff once they go with JL. I started with 2 10W0's(dscntd, now W1's) $70 each from local audio shop. Ran off a $200 RF amp. bass was responsive and LOUD for the size/price. Then I upped the ante to 1 12" W6($500 from lcl audio shp) best sounding bass I've heard. A 12 that kept up with techno beats, was LOUD AND DEEP, and the sound quality was amazing. SQ is a thing almost nobody thinks or seems to care about in bass, but it can make all the differnece. Well that s**t got stolen. And, I once again had to go budget. Now I got a 13.5" W1 that's loud. not very responsive and the SQ obviously doen't compare with a W6 or W7 but for it's price/line, its awsome. Iv'e had people with 2-3 no name $50-100 15" subs drop their jaws when they hear then see my one 13.5W1. cost me $450 for sub box and amp. My friend had 2 15W3's in an Izuzu rodeo that was fn LOUD. At my local audio shop I heard a guy with ONE 10" W7 in a Mustang that was louder and deeper than anything I've heard. Of couse $800 sub with a $600+ amp will get you that. Others Iv'e heard that were good were Rockford Fosgates, Infinity's, and Alpine Type-r's, but like I said can't go wrong with JL.
Head Units
Iv'e had two Alpines and my current Pioneer Premier. Pioneer's my favorite but the Alpines were great too. Can't go wrong with Alpine. Eclipse's are nice too.
Speakers
Get Components, at least up front. Iv'e got Boston Acoustics and LOVE them. Go with some 6x9's in the rear. Iv'e had luck with pioneers, but my favorites are Eclipse. Oh and make sure your amps have built in crossovers.
Above all- get quality stuff don't go with packages unless they are good name brands. Rule number 2 DON'T go with Sony or anything else found at Wal-mart. Their new amps are nice (Iv'e got two, pushin speakers and sub) but the rest of their stuff is s**t. Like new seats or a JDM Squash y0! air freshener
, nothing can improve your driving experience more than a good, QUALITY audio system. Don't cheap out, build it slow if you have too, Iv'e been workin on mine for two years and it's almost pretty much where I want it to be. Like an enigine, you can go the cheap fast route but it'll be s**t compared to what it could be.Finally-My dream system.
HU-some indash flush mount non-motorized DVD/nav/HU (By the time I can afford, specific one will change)
Speakers- Boston Acoustics components(F) and Eclipse 6x9's (R) or Boston components (R)
Amps- Any quality amp that will push said speakers and another for subs
Subs- Two JL Audio 10W6's
Respond with your system building insights and/or post your own Dream system guys. or just completely ignore my semi-drunken post
I could blow $5000 grand easily on car audio, but doubt the wife would like that too much!
