new to car audio: help me build a system!

[fiznat]

Hey guys,

Okay let me start by saying that I know pretty much nothing about car stereo systems, so I am desperate for some quality advice that doesnt come from some salesman who just wants me to buy the most expensive product.

Basically I'm looking to get QUALITY sound out of my system, not booming bass. I pretty much have no interest in how loud it gets and I DONT want my windows shaking if you know what I mean. I also decided I dont want to deal with a sub at all. It's just too heavy and I need the cargo space.

So I would like your advice on what I should buy towards the goal of a very nice sounding system with excellent highs and a little, clean, thump of bass when I want it. I'm not against using an amp- so whatever you might reccomend can include that if you think it's necessary.

I already have the head unit that came with my car (and I dont have the money to buy another one). It's a JVC KD-SX979R: 45w per channel and a RMS of 17w per channel.

Please help me out!!

[SmithSR]

That "clean thump" you seek is gonna be tricky. I'll bet my idea of clean bass is a bit different than yours. If you want crystal clear clean sound, spare no expense and get MBQuart(or similar quality) highs/mids, powered by a quality amp from a reputable amp builder.

Any music can benefit from the fullness of bass reproduction. If you're not crazy about shaking the windows, my suggestion would be either a single or a pair of 8"JL or equivalent subs. Such small subs will offer you excellent bass reproduction, without being overpowering, and won't destroy your wallet. Also, 8's can be used in much smaller enclosures, and if you use your imagination, you can create a setup where the 8 will not interfere with any cargo capacities. Small, easy to conceal, not too expensive, and it will add a new dimension to your music.

I recommend MBQuart/JL because this is what I've used in several vehicles. I appreciate the clean sound from such high quality speakers, and am pleased with the clean bass from simple 8" subs. I no longer need the deafening sound from 2 12" subs. Oh, and to the would-be thief, every item is concealed. There is no visible proof of any modification other than a detatched faceplate. This is ideal, as it can be done much cheaper/easier than fancy monstrous subs in some huge box that all thieves can see.....AND, I get clean, balanced(not overwhelming bass) sound.

Quality mids/highs, combined with a good 4channel amp and maybe even a small sub will give you excellent sound.

-Phil

[diamondj30]

adire kodas,6.5s can play lows nice.not earspliting but very nature sounding.and for some deeper notes you can use some fat5's.5 inch woofers.you can hide them under dash in super small enclosier.a fellow competitor runs 2 on each side under dash,the best sounding ,fast accurate bass me and alot of people have heard in a long time.hes like me only runs subs 30 hz and down.the fives make awsome midbasses,but they dont hold up playing over 100 db.if your not into subs and being a bass freak they will do the job.and the kodas rta flat from 80 to 20,000.

[fiznat]

hey thanks guys!

I looked around at the prices of things, and it doesnt seem *too* bad as long as I dont go with a really expensive amp.

I've got a couple more questions though:

1. If I decide to go with a pair of those JL 8" subs, where would you guys reccomend I put them so that they're out of the way? I'd really like to save as much weight/space as possible, but like I said I dont know much about car audio so I don't know what kind of setup these kind of subs require.

2. Will the expensive brands (JL and MbQuart) make THAT much of a difference that it's worth the money? Honestly now, you're talking to someone who doesnt know sh*t about all of this... will I truly notice the difference?

3. What brand would you reccomend for the amp? How much should I spend to achieve the goals I described?

Thanks so much guys. I keep saying how new I am to all of this, but your advice is really helping!

[Rockenreno]

I just upgraded my sound system in my 96 240sx with a new Pioneer 50w x 4 (22w RMS) and 200w Alpine Type-S 6.5/6.75" speakers. It really helped out a lot. While to get the "thump" you want you will probably need the amp/woofer, I am happy with my speakers. They don't give the thump, but they have strong bass that blows away my stock 10w speakers for sure, and overall the whole system sounds great. The speakers run about $100/pair and I reccomend them if you're just looking for high-quality sound without too mcuh power or expense. The amp and woofer are what's really going to cost you, that's why I didn't add them to my system.

Just something to think about!