# Question: Stock Sound Has got to go.....Need replacement system suggestion?



## Wyldstyle (Sep 10, 2003)

Well guys and girls,
I am new to this whole new world of CAR AUDIO, so please school me on the basics! Currently own a 95 Sentra GXE with stock sound system. Its time for it to go. So what compoants should I purchase to replace the stock system? 

What I am looking for a car setup? I want SQ, I want great sound quality. But seeing how I am a college student I am on a budget. This system will be pieced together over time. I have $1200 up front budget. I want to swap out all interior speakers focusing on having better mids and highs in addition to new amp (4 channel) and the subs will have to wait. And new rear speakers to fill out the sound. 

My question for all you experienced people it what equipment and manufacture should I purchase? 

I have one more question, If I want to increase SPL, could I or should I have one sub for SQ and one for SPL? 

I have or am reading just about any magazine I can get my hands on, but all of this information is just confussing. 

Thank You again for your time.

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For the record I have done a search in the fourms. However their seems to be forty million ideas without a stright answer.
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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

Well first stop reading magazines, most of them are "influenced" by money and mainstream brands and rate them higher than they should. I've seen some magazine reviews of the worst subs I have ever heard in my life that do nothing but praise them.

$1200 will get you pretty far, since you're willing to do it in stages I would start with a nice high-end front stage, and wait on the sub(s) for a couple months, unless you can't live without bass.

You will want to start with a headunit, Alpine and Pioneer are most people's top choices, Eclipse is also very nice if you can get past the appearance, and Clarion is moving up as well. Budget yourself to around $300 for a headunit, this will get you something very nice with enough features to last you until you become a serious audiophile.

Next are the speakers....rears are optional really, I don't run them in my car and I don't like riding in cars that have rears. You will also never find a competitive SQ car that has rear speakers. They pull the soundstage to the rear of the car, and they screw up the stereo effect that many songs have. Now that that's out of the way, if I were to run without a sub, I would definately have rears, even if it was for a couple months. Don't spend much money on the rears though, just get something that can take the power you throw at it without shitting a brick. Most of your speaker money should go into the components in the doors. I would budget about $100 for rears, and $200-250 for fronts. That will get you maybe some Focal Access 165CA, Infinity Reference, or CDT coax speakers in the rear and a set of Focal Polyglass 165v2, JL XR, or CDT components in the front.

Next is the amp, you will want something that does around 75x4, and 150x2 bridged. This would be perfect for running all 4 speakers for the time being, or permanently if you want. If you take out the rears after you get a sub and decide you like it that way, then you can bridge the amp to the set of components in the front and REALLY let them sing. Another option is to get a ~100x2 amp just for the fronts, and leave the rears running off of the headunit. This way you still get the "rear fill" effect, but you don't waste money on an amp for something that you will most likely have partially faded out most of the time. Good brands for budget amps are Soundstream, JBL, DEI, Avionixx, Hifonics, and several others. I would budget around $200-250 for an amp.

So far the total is:
headunit: $300
fronts: $250
rears: $100
amp: $250
wiring: $100

total: $1000

That leaves you ~$200 to go on for a sub setup, after you save up some more money, say another $2-300, you can get a very nice SQ sub setup to compliment the rest of the system. It's much better to get what you want the first time, even if it takes a little longer, instead of settling for pieces that aren't exactly what you want just because of your budget at the time, you will thank yourself later.

Just for reference, I have a Pioneer DEH-P750MP headunit, Focal Polyglass 165v2 components, Avionixx 400.2 amp, no rears, Elemental Designs e12a sub, and an Avionixx 800.2 amp for it. I'm very pleased with the setup, especially for the price, but it's almost time to upgrade my front stage again . (One thing you will find is upgrading never ends....)

Good luck, I hope this was some help and you find what you're looking for


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## BlkSpecV04 (May 2, 2004)

Eclipse headunit $300
Diamond hexes $500
Diamond rears $120
Rockford 501x 4 channel $350
Rockford 250M $200
One or two Eclipse subs (I paid $138, not sure on what retail is)

This is what I have in my car. I have even had installers comment on what an awesome system it is. It is sooooo crisp and clear. If you can save up the money, it is so worth it.


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## potsy (Oct 10, 2004)

*system*



Wyldstyle said:


> Well guys and girls,
> I am new to this whole new world of CAR AUDIO, so please school me on the basics! Currently own a 95 Sentra GXE with stock sound system. Its time for it to go. So what compoants should I purchase to replace the stock system?
> 
> What I am looking for a car setup? I want SQ, I want great sound quality. But seeing how I am a college student I am on a budget. This system will be pieced together over time. I have $1200 up front budget. I want to swap out all interior speakers focusing on having better mids and highs in addition to new amp (4 channel) and the subs will have to wait. And new rear speakers to fill out the sound.
> ...


1200$ will get you far probably a new head unit and all speakers except subs. Id go with Eclispe,Alpine,or kenwood head unit make shure it has front rear and subwoofer preoutputs. Id aim for JL Audio speakers runing them with a four channel JL audio amp or US Amp. It really depends it you want one sub or more but if you go with one low powered sub it would be best to go with a 5 channel amp which will run your four front speakers in the cabin and one subwoofer. 
ITs eith you go for SPL or SQ dont mix max brands or subs to try to do both. If you want SPL go with 15" subs for extremly deep bass. IF you want SQ go with 8"or10"or12" subs depending on what music you listen too.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

I have the model that is one below SR20's and I love it. Pioneer Premier all the way. I would go MB Quart or Focal if you really want good sound for the fronts and a 40-80 dollar set of Pioneers for the rears. Obviously you need something good to amp them (strong and clear 2 channel preferably) but their are many differing opinions on what is best. You have to make that call. You also want to hold money for all the wires and extra parts (for the head unit) that you will need...this isnt cheap. Sound proofing your doors is always a plus (also not cheap). Personally, I'de wait on the sub. Unless you listen to a lot of hip-hop, MB Quart and Focal make speakers that are extremely loud yet still clear at high volume levels. While they may not have as much bass as a sub, they sure seem to provide quite a lot of it. That is where they differ from other brands, at high levels they dont seem to distort. In fact, if you can afford it, I'de buy from the MB Quart Q line...and you will never need to buy another set of speakers, ever. I have never heard a better speaker in my life. MB is also manufacturing amps, but I am yet to hear them or read reviews.

this is what I'de do:

500-components
200-wires, needed hardware and sound proofing
250-head unit
250-amp
50-cheap rears

yea, its 50 bucks over but spending an assload on your fronts and giving them the power, wires and sound proofing material they need is well worth it. Then see if you really even want or need a sub. Good luck!


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

holy crap this is an old post

one thing to note, I no longer have any of that stuff I listed above....except for the sub, but that's temporary


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

sr20dem0n said:


> holy crap this is an old post


Yea it is but ya never know if he bought it...some people are good at procrastination


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