buying my first system.

[ryantrevors]

need some advice. the car doesnt have a cd player at all. it has the original 1990 tape deck from honda.

i want something clear and crisp but i dont want alot of bass. i like bass. but i dont want it to overpower the music. i was considering a pair of 6's, but have no idea how much bass that would be. can i get some solid bump without subs? good speakers and an amp?

idk. i just need some advice.

and after, what should i look for in buying a used system of craigslist or something?

i'm only looking at like $300.

so help me out.

thanks.

 

[spook4thecia]

research, research, research.

I've spent hundreds of hours reading.....and I am neither an expert or even a "hardcore" audio enthusiast.

That being said, $300 isn't a lot to work with. And what you said you wanted is pretty vague as well. I'm trying to get all the components for my current build on the cheap and it's probably going to run me about $2500 (w/o labor). And that's not even top of the line stuff. Take out my HU and it's still around $1000-1500. You can get descent stuff for cheap, but it really all depends on what you want. Just do alot of research and actually listen to speakers if you can before you by so that you know what they sound like to you. There are several informative threads already on CC that would be good reads.

Ultimately it takes experience, I've found, to build what you want in the long run. Listening to various setups and narrowing down what you really want. You could just go to bestbuy, throw in some type-s's or w/e and call it a day, you may be happy. But you might not. There may also be other speakers that could get YOU better results for less money or a little more.

Just like anything with the automotive community these days, the internet is your friend.

 

[Beelzebubba]

Anything is an improvement over a stock 1990 Civic stereo.

$300 will go a long way

$200. will get you a Kenwood's KDC-MP208 CD receiver, and two pairs of KFC-1661S 3-way speakers.
$300 upgrades you to Kenwood's KFC-1690ie speakers.


and that's just Kenwood. You can choose Pioneer, Blaupunkt, or Clarion instead if you like. For a few bucks more even an entry level Alpine or Eclipse.

I personally don't like Sony or JVC, but a lot of people are happy with those brands

 

[kaace]

this deck...
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=18559

these front speakers...
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=16330

this amp...
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=16413

free shipping...save the extra 27 bucks for the subwoofer and sheet of wood...you can bridge two channels of the amp to the sub and leave the rear speakers on deck power...

whammo...

buy it...

 

[senatE]

or you can go great quality and get memphis or diamond. i dont belive in best buy brands.

 

[kaace]

300 hundo limit...shopping on a budget...

 

[PhntmSk8r]

or you can go great quality and get memphis or diamond. i dont belive in best buy brands.

yes!

This man has your insight!

Diamond makes the CM3/D3 line, which is realitivly cheap for GREAT quality AWESOME speakers... its what i run in my civic.

Diamond D3 6.5 Integrated Components in the front
Diamond D 6x9 in the rear
all off deck power from a Kenwood KDC mp7028 and its very crisp, and clear, even after almost 2 years of beating on them.

I love diamond, plain and simple.

I just bought my dad a set of Diamond D3 components, 2 Diamond 8" subs, and 2 diamond D3 400.4 amps, it was needless to say far more then $300 but its the PERFECT all around system IMO. I can bump the gain/bass output on the subs and get some decent bump for things i like, but i can turn it down and get a good awesome mix thats unbelievebly clear.

You wont get an adequate amount of bass out of a set of 2/3 way speakers... it just doesnt happen. Thats the only thing i hate about my car, since i took my diamond subs out its empty without bass but the mids/high's are amazing.

 

[senatE]

i blew my diamonds bout a year ago :-) than i sold my memphis to my friend when i sold my car and now i an using like paper sony speakers that came in my hatch. but i know how to make them sound just as good. trust me. :-D its not really about the speakers to be honest its bout knowing how to work your s**t. but i been doing audio work for long time.

 

[Jimmy2times]

i'm unbelievably happy with my alpine setup. i know i could drop a shitload on ultra-highend premium s**t, but getting a full 1.5k alpine system for around 700 isnt too bad (that's with my discount lol. yes i work at worst buy.)

i'm rockin' type r speakers, an older HU, but it interfaces with my iPod so im happy, my 12" type R and a nice litte amp to power it.

i get good sound and i didnt break the bank. now i have some money to put towards another car. lol.

 

[Suanico]

if you dont have anti theft s**t on your car do that first, but after that i say just get a $150 sony deck and then get infinity reference series speakers i had some on my old car and then i swapped out for alpine type R speaker both sets sounded amazing without an amp

 

[aznboyrice]

I have to disagree with the best buy comment. Two great brands like pioneer/alpine are sold at bb/cc. Sure there is a lot of other junk they sell, but I bet some you guys had at one point thought about using, used, or are using a pioneer/alpine head unit.

Oh yeah, if you like sound quality, i would leave sony out. IMO, they sound really tinny.

I recommend Pioneer or Pioneer Premier radio as they are easy to use and sound great. Try going to different audio shops and see what speakers/radio you like then shop online for product for cheaper prices.

 

[ak_thrylls]

you dont need subs at all. i had (until my car got stolen) a pioneer deck ($200) and infinity reference speakers all around (2 way 6x9 $120) (6.5 - $90) sounded very clear and crisp if i turned the bass up and played the right song anyone that sat in the back seat would always ask me what kind of subs i had and i would just smile and say "none."

 

[Suanico]

you dont need subs at all. i had (until my car got stolen) a pioneer deck ($200) and infinity reference speakers all around (2 way 6x9 $120) (6.5 - $90) sounded very clear and crisp if i turned the bass up and played the right song anyone that sat in the back seat would always ask me what kind of subs i had and i would just smile and say "none."

that was my exact same set up too man, same questions were asked aswell

 

[Jimmy2times]

the new infinitiy 6.5s have too much high outta the box and un-amped imho. i think they'd sound nice with a sub personally.

 

[senatE]

I have to disagree with the best buy comment. Two great brands like pioneer/alpine are sold at bb/cc. Sure there is a lot of other junk they sell, but I bet some you guys had at one point thought about using, used, or are using a pioneer/alpine head unit.

Oh yeah, if you like sound quality, i would leave sony out. IMO, they sound really tinny.

I recommend Pioneer or Pioneer Premier radio as they are easy to use and sound great. Try going to different audio shops and see what speakers/radio you like then shop online for product for cheaper prices.

ehh i never used em bc i grew up around audio. so its my thing. but im sure some do sound good. i know those type r subs are w.e from bb sound pretty good being the sub that it is. and just make sure you get a head unit that you can fine tune with not just bass trebble front to back etc. those suck.

 

[kaace]

i think suanico was the only one that stayed on topic...

 

[Beelzebubba]

I think everyone was on-topic....you know, at least until your post and then mine.