good deal?

[MainEvent212]

my friend wants to sell me his old system for 100 bucks

i've heard it before and it's really good

from what i know this is what he has:

2 sony xplod 10" subwoofers in a pretty good boxrockford fosgate amp (r500 i think? i have to find out)1 farad capacitor (unsure of brand but it's from best buy and they only carry 1 kind)

he's very careful with his system, never pushes it over it's boundaries, i know cuz he gets mad when i turn up the bass too much. it sounds very good, not TOO loud but has lots of power still. only about 8 months old i'd say

he's gonna sell me all the stuff listed ( no headunit)

what do you all think?

[scruf1986]

Wow this is gonna be really varied. For the money I think it is a good deal. If you think it sounds good then it is a good deal. But man o man. Sony XPlode sucks. Rocksford Fosgate also sucks. Im impressed about the capacitor. Depending. Tornado or Stinger are the best for those. But yeah if you like the way it sounds go for it.

[MainEvent212]

are they really that bad?

i thought rockford fosgate was good?

yeah they sound good and for the money it's what i need...i'm not trying to spend alot of money and this is as good as i need...i think i can get it for as cheap as 60 bucks since he already owes me 40 bucks...so i think i'm gonna go for it, all i need to do then is get some wire and a new headunit

[Former_240_s14]

Rockford Fosgate hasn't had an improved amplifier since their lead designer went to MTX like 4 years ago!!!

There design for the amps are solid, just outdated. I like their amps though still.

The subs are crap in my opinion, but if you got all of this for only $100 bucks you rapped your little friend.

I would even buy it for $250 or $300 if I were you, remember that wires are gonna cost you another $45 bucks if you do it right!!!

Good luck on your purchase!

[MainEvent212]

i havent paid yet, but i'll probably end up giving him 60 bucks!

i donno though this is how it went today when he came over (i was working on repainting my interior...i'm doing the doors to match my console, black w/ a hint of gold, and clearcoat over)

anyways he was like... "oh yeah, u wanna buy the system out of my old car? everything but the wires and head unit"

i was like "uhh, sure y not, how much?"

and he was like "um, i guess 100 bucks?"

so i'm holding him to his word, that and he owes me 40 bucks already! so i will probably pay 60 bucks, if all goes well

and then i'm gonna go out and get some wire, and probably a Sony Head unit with that active black thing, it's cooooool

[MainEvent212]

k i talked to him again today, turns out he wants 150...is this still a good deal? i'm gonna try and talk him down some, i think maybe 120 is the lowest i'll get though

the subs are 10" sony Xplod subs (the last model out, not the newest)

500 watt RMS rockford fosgate amp (the last model out also, not the newest)

1 farad capacitor i think it's punch i forgot again lol

the box is good also, sealed not ported, it sounds really good in his old car, it's now sitting in a closet.

[scruf1986]

Ok. Get the stuff from your friend for the simple reason that they sound good to your year. Do not and I repeat Do not get the sony xplode. I had one. The laser crapped out. This happens with almost everyone. I was lucky mine was good for a lot longer than other peoples. Do not get a sony xplode head unit. You will be spending 100 every year to get the laser replaced. I suggest pioneer the most and alpine is a very close second as far as head units are concerned.

[MainEvent212]

oh really? thanks for the advice, i'm probably gonna get the stuff from my friend, then grab up a nice alpine head unit from best buy, i think theres a sale goin on right now...

[Woodmister]

For wiring, go to Walmart, and get those kits, there less then 20bux

And if your gonna buy that stuff then try, i mean try, to get it for 120bux...

Check online for Alpine HUs...there @ least 100bux cheaper then @ Best Buy...

[MainEvent212]

oh wow really? thanks also, and walmart has wiring kits?

the only wire he's not giving me is the stuff that went from the trunk to the headunit/battery cuz he's lazy and didnt wanna take em out

the speakers/cap/amp are wired up though

[scruf1986]

Don't get your wiring from wallmart. Jeez. Just go to your local car stereo place. Or http://www.installer.com That is the web site for the shop I work at. Wiring harnesses range from 10 dollars to 20 dollars. Most are 15. Go to http://www.installer.com We can get a lot of stuff that most people don't have.

[k-mart]

Don't get your wiring from wallmart. Jeez.

What? They sell Scosche at wal-mart. The $25 kit has 4awg power and ground, 80amp fuse and fuse holder, two pairs of RCA's, remote turn on..........

Its actually a really nice kit for what someone would probablly pay for the price of a set of RCA's at "your shop."

[scruf1986]

Ok walmart had the generic brands. The insallation on that wire is not all that good. If you run enough wattage through the wire it melts. Which you don't want. Also as far as sound is concerned the wires at walmart have a ton of resistence which is really bad for sound. Also because of this it will pick up a lot of antenna noise and car noise. Which is also something that you don't want to hear through your speakers.

[k-mart]

LOL

You're joking, right? The only reason power wire insulation should ever melt is if you're trying to run more current through it than the wire will support, i.e. 1kw on 12awg wire. Maybe you should go check out the insulation on those kits and then compare it to your own "name brands." Resistance? What makes you think that those wires have so much "resistance"? Have you done some sort of independent testing that you haven't told us about? I suppose you're the same type of person that will pay $100 for an expensive set of RCA's because they "sound better." Any noise picked up by wire is 99.9% the fault of the installer. If you rely on expensive wiring to get you through an install safely, then maybe you should reconsider your trade. Next time learn to spell before you try to tell me I'm wrong.

[scruf1986]

So sorry about my spelling. I hope you could figure everything out. The wires yes we have done a test on many of them. We got all of our Audio Oscillators, RTAs, Pink noise generators, flukes, and some other little stuff. There was a difference in the type of wire. Yes we even got a walmart amp kit. It wasn't last but it was in the bottom five. Would I buy Monster Cable? Yes. But im not going to get the cable with the built in time correction or other crap like that. I will get moderatly priced wires. The real money goes in the other stuff. I do know whhy wires melt. But they melt at different temperatures. Some hotter than others. Im not telling you that your wrong. Im simply saying that walmart is not the place to go for car audio. Their stuff is very cheap in price and quality. I am also not saying that you should buy the most expensive wires. Noise is not all the installers fault. It is some what. If an installer is slopy yes there will be noise. But RCA cables and all the other wires in the car act as a big antenna for noise. Thats where decent wire comes in handy. But don't buy top of the line unless you need it. Oh yeah, I am very sorry for my spelling. Im not going to be an english major.

[Simmsled]

Heat is what melts wires. When the wire cannot pass enough current (amperage), it produces heat. This is why fuses blow. When too much amperage flows through, the fuse blows. That is why fuses are rated in amps. Cheap wires use not only cheap metal in their wires (poor conductors), they use small amounts of it and make the insulation bigger. Wal-Mart is a wonderland of cheap wire for cheap equipment. But dont get me started on wires. hehe.

[MainEvent212]

lol wow i think i'll just go the extra buck and get some monster wires...

[Simmsled]

Good plan!

[k-mart]

Heat is what melts wires. When the wire cannot pass enough current (amperage), it produces heat. This is why fuses blow. When too much amperage flows through, the fuse blows. That is why fuses are rated in amps. Cheap wires use not only cheap metal in their wires (poor conductors), they use small amounts of it and make the insulation bigger. Wal-Mart is a wonderland of cheap wire for cheap equipment. But dont get me started on wires. hehe.

I'd just like to know what makes the copper in Schosche wire so inferior to the copper in Monstor Cable and other expensive brands.........

Copper is copper..........

I guarantee that if you did identical installs with the wal-mart kit and an expensive kit, then did a test of 100 ppl.......100ppl could not tell the difference between the two w/o knowing before hand which is which.....then the placebo effect would set in.

[Simmsled]

ok, im gonna start the wire war.

ABOUT WIRES...

All audio cables act as complex passive filters with elements of capacitance, inductance & resistance. While they have observed sonic & electrical tendencies - cables are reactive (and can have a complimentary, neutral or derogatory effect in systems).

Inserting low quality cables will mask and veil sonic & visual details. Better cables are like cleaning a window or your glasses - you realize afterwards that images are clearer and sounds more precise.

Generally speaking, moving up in the cable level provides more conductor groups for lower electromagnetic effects, increased quality of insulation for less capacitive storage and increased conductor quality (for increased and more uniform velocity of propagation).

Cable is a component (not accessory)because your system won't function without it.

A short cable will have not just lower resistance but less reactance (inductive & capacitive) than longer cables of the same construction. Keep them short and at a standard length. Get cable long enough to access components & meet future placement needs

For speaker cables: I like to use 14awg inwall speaker cable used in custom home installs for my speaker cable. It is usually shielded (will not pick up interference from other electrical systems in the car) and the insulation is thick so you don't have to worry about moisture or stripping away insulation in the install process.

For power cables: You must have a cable that can move enough current. The wal-mart 8awg will not flow as much current as a Streetwires 8awg. I have seen demonstrations where they would flow current thru cheap 8 awg, and good stuff like Streetwires and Tsunami. The cheap stuff burns up before the good stuff. The cheap stuff can be used when you have cheap stuff. DONT BUY GOOD STUFF AND USE SHlTTY STUFF TO HOOK IT UP!!! The good stuff also resists external heat and perforation much much better than the cheap stuff. For those that ignore the benefit of good cables, thats fine. Those systems will not sound and perform as well as that same system hooked up with good stuff. It is that simple. Also, if your amps have to get their current thru a cable that is inferior and stressing to provide sufficient current, then they will not last as long and the voltage fluctuation will be enough to even stress your alternator. Thats bad.

Good wires = good sound. its that simple

[k-mart]

ok, im gonna start the wire war.

ABOUT WIRES...

All audio cables act as complex passive filters with elements of capacitance, inductance & resistance. While they have observed sonic & electrical tendencies - cables are reactive (and can have a complimentary, neutral or derogatory effect in systems).

Placebo

Inserting low quality cables will mask and veil sonic & visual details. Better cables are like cleaning a window or your glasses - you realize afterwards that images are clearer and sounds more precise.

Placebo

Generally speaking, moving up in the cable level provides more conductor groups for lower electromagnetic effects, increased quality of insulation for less capacitive storage and increased conductor quality (for increased and more uniform velocity of propagation).

Maybe, but are they audible?

Cable is a component (not accessory)because your system won't function without it.

Really?

A short cable will have not just lower resistance but less reactance (inductive & capacitive) than longer cables of the same construction. Keep them short and at a standard length. Get cable long enough to access components & meet future placement needs

Duh.

For speaker cables: I like to use 14awg inwall speaker cable used in custom home installs for my speaker cable. It is usually shielded (will not pick up interference from other electrical systems in the car) and the insulation is thick so you don't have to worry about moisture or stripping away insulation in the install process.

Good installation doesn't need shielding.......

For power cables: You must have a cable that can move enough current. The wal-mart 8awg will not flow as much current as a Streetwires 8awg. I have seen demonstrations where they would flow current thru cheap 8 awg, and good stuff like Streetwires and Tsunami.

Scosche.........that's what kit i'm talking about.....scosche is one of the fore-runners in the automotive wiring market.....pretty sure they're ahead of Tsunami, but their power wire is inferior? Doubt it.

The cheap stuff burns up before the good stuff. The cheap stuff can be used when you have cheap stuff. DONT BUY GOOD STUFF AND USE SHlTTY STUFF TO HOOK IT UP!!!

Scosche is not cheap crap....cheap and inexpensive are two different things.....

The good stuff also resists external heat and perforation much much better than the cheap stuff. For those that ignore the benefit of good cables, thats fine. Those systems will not sound and perform as well as that same system hooked up with good stuff. It is that simple.

Again, Scosche is not cheap.

Also, if your amps have to get their current thru a cable that is inferior and stressing to provide sufficient current, then they will not last as long and the voltage fluctuation will be enough to even stress your alternator. Thats bad.

Duh.

Good wires = good sound. its that simple

Inexpensive + good installer = good sound.

Its that simple and then with the money you saved, you can afford other ammenities.....like a hooker.......

[S15_silvia]

Rockford amps are usually pretty good if you get the high end stuff xplod everything sucks!!! jl makes a good speaker there are otehrs though hehe jl's subs are good there other speakers arnt that great, i like mb quart for the musical speakers

[Simmsled]

I am at the top school in the nation for electrical engineering. The laws of physics apply to all things. You are quick to refute the laws of physics, of which you probably have little or no knowledge or education about. You are entitled to your own opinion. If you are going to say that Wal-Mart wires make the best sense to use, then why are there no competition systems that use Wal-Mart wire? You must know something that competitors havent been able to figure out. They must be missing out, boy they could save a bunch of money using wal-mart stuff. You should contact them and let them know. You could be their new best friend! Maybe you should be the moderator.

[k-mart]

I'm saying that Wal-Mart's Schosche kits are the best bang for the buck kits.........

That's what I'm saying.

Maybe I should be the moderator.

[scruf1986]

OMG. Thank god he is not the moderator. You think walmart wires are the best bang for the buck. Then have at it. I hope I never have to hear your system.

[MainEvent212]

i'm just gonna to go circut city and buy their speaker wire...my friend did it and it sounded fine...this isnt a competition system or anything...i jus want a little more bump when the bass hits...

[k-mart]

OMG. Thank god he is not the moderator. You think walmart wires are the best bang for the buck. Then have at it. I hope I never have to hear your system.

You wanna see my system? ok

http://www.sounddomain.com/id/kmartin

Its changed since then tho.......

Now I have a USX-4065 running JL XR 650-CSI's and the sub is now getting its power from a Mmats D300HC. I just got a P1R to replace my P730 yesterday. Oh, and i'll soon have an Elemental Designs 15SP to replace the HC. Guess where I got my power wire........Radio Shack.....GASP! Whattya know, still running fine.......hey, I got the speaker wire at Wal-Mart........no noise either.....AMAZING!

If you wanna test your theories and get them shot out of the water, go to where I usually hang out.

http://www.caraudioforum.com

or even better, http://www.soundillusions.net

I'm a pretty respected member there.....ask them if the scosche kit is quality.....

Oh, nice of you to put down my system........lets see how awesome your baddass equipment is.

[MainEvent212]

ur gf is pretty hot

lol

anyways, i'm just gonna go to radio shack and get all the wire...yeesh

[k-mart]

Just for everyone's information, there are only a few different places for these "high end" companies to purchase their wire........

So, that means your Tsunami wire that you love so much is likely the exact same wire as the "cheapo" Scosche...........

Amazing what a prettier wrapper and different name will do, huh?

[Derek]

I am at the top school in the nation for electrical engineering. The laws of physics apply to all things. You are quick to refute the laws of physics, of which you probably have little or no knowledge or education about. You are entitled to your own opinion. If you are going to say that Wal-Mart wires make the best sense to use, then why are there no competition systems that use Wal-Mart wire? You must know something that competitors havent been able to figure out. They must be missing out, boy they could save a bunch of money using wal-mart stuff. You should contact them and let them know. You could be their new best friend! Maybe you should be the moderator.

what school is that you go to?

do you know what a placebo is?

do you know what makes a power wire capable of passing current......strand count....aside from that it's all just looks....walmart, kmart, monster, it doesn't ****ing matter.....it's about strand count....of your wire gets hot it's not cuz you bought it at walmart, it's cuz you're running the wrong gauge.....

have fun with your expensive wire, because when you get sat down for a blind a/b test.....you'll fail