Cheap Sound System

[rutamaze]

Hey, I just posted in the mods forum, but then like a newbie scrolled down and saw that audio had its own forum, so I figured I'd more appropriately post here too. I have a stock '97 XLT that I'm looking to start moding as $$ is slowly starting to come in and I wanna upgrade the sound first. My primary goal are subs and maybe an amp (might be able to get one cheap from a friend, don't know specs). What would you recommend as a decent cheap system (~$300 or less)? I like loud good sound, but don't know much about it in terms of what all the diff features do. Any hints/suggestions you could offer up I'd appreciate, thanks.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

I don't think you can find a good cheap system that plays loud and sounds good for under $300. You need to save up more money and keep your eyes open in the for sell forum when someone is selling off there system to upgrade. Get there amp rack and sub box first. That's pretty much gonna eat 300 up there. If it's nice that is, but you gotta start somewhere and if you are just getting started, you have a long way to go. Welcome to the site.

 

[davesexplorer]

Cheap system.... $300 is a real cheap system.... I wouldn't try to do the whole shebang with just 300, maybe just the HU and speakers?

Or if youre like most ppl, a sub and amp first? Heres a decent amp, that should power and low-mid end sub out there... Includes wiring...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18797&item=5715601257&rd=1
And a rather inexpensive sub, with dual 2 ohm voice coils to get the most out of the amp: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18803&item=5715939171&rd=1

total $223
with the extra I'd go ahead and upgrade the speakers in the doors...
Just an example of what you can do with a little $$$....

 

[DrellMSU]

Depending on what you can find from friends or Ebay or something....

Also depending on how much bass you plan on getting...

Either buy a decent power headunit and replace the door speakers..and then buy an amp and sub.... or if you dont want to replace the headunit...buy a 4 channel amp and run the door speakers off of it.

I had some stuff laying around my house so I just installed a system for 60 bucks, but I already had 2 amps and some subs... got 4 6x8 pioneer 3 ways for a total of $66, but I work retail so I get the stuff at cost.

If you want just adequate bass...nothing knock you on your butt...the 3 way pioneers amped actually have some pretty good overall sound... was rather impressed with just the those still.

DRellMSU

 

[janikphoto]

I'd get a new head unit first. That'll be about $250 installed and you can use the last $50 for new front or rear coaxials off of ebay. Maybe some bostons or if infinity.

You should be able to install the coaxials yourself (for free) if you can do basic car/truck repair and you got a 6x8 coax meant to replace ford speakers. You just pop off a panel mess with a few screws, a few wires and you're done. If you put the coaxials up front, you'll want to move them to the back when you save up for the next step.

Next step is to save up for some nice seperates and put them up front. Go for the same brand as your coaxials that are in the back (or will be moved to the back), just because same brands often (but not always) sound better together. I'll explain why if you need me to later. You can get a small tweeter and a 6 1/2 inch mid in the front door if you or an installer builds a mounting plate/adapter. This step is about $150 to $200 for the speakers and hopefully you can get the install done for about $75 to $100.

After this is all done, it's finally time for the amp and sub(s). You may want to look at a nice 5 channel amp if you want nice loud (but not thunderous) bass. It will run a 10" or 12" and all your mids and highs. Alpine made a nice 5 channel at one point. My friend got one of the net for about $200 or $250 if I remember correctly. Amp install kit will be about $50 and labor will be around $75 to $150 depending on the quality of work... Sub and sub box will be about $150 if you go with one sub and a prefab box. This is where a ton of money can be spent on custom box work though. Stealth boxes and fancy boxes can run several hundred dollars.

If you want tons of bass, get a seperate amp just for the subs and go with two twelves or four tens. Thunderous bass takes more power and more speakers, so that means more money. My wife had one ten under the rear seat and it sounded real good, but couldn't be heard from the car next to her. I had a friend with two twelves and it COULD be heard from the car next to him.

And you can always skip the mids/highs in the doors, but I would suggest you follow this route. You'll be surprised at how much more fun your stereo is each time you go to the next step if you follow this plan.

 

[member02]

What would you recommend as a decent cheap system (~$300 or less)?

thats what I tried when I got into this stuff...

now i've owned:

10", 12", 15" brahmas
18" x..
10" alpine type R
2 12" infinity perfect 12.2
12" shiva
12" ma audio XE
2 15" MB Quart 315s

and built numerous boxes that occupy my garage, as well as the following amps:

some ****ty kenwood
infinity beta 300
dei 500
dei 250D
dei 1100D
revolution 1600
cadence A7000
dei 250D
concept 2400D

thats prolly like over $6K

lol. oh, and I worked at a car audio shop and broke and held numerous state records.

 

[mrenshaw]

i have a rockford He2 10" sub i'm selling for $50 shipped. 400 watts RMS.

 

[janikphoto]

rockford 10" would be a decent woofer. Really the woofer/box combo is more important to spend money on than just considering the woofer alone. A cheap woofer can sound better than an expensive one if the box is perfectly matched to the cheap woofer... Versus listening to the expensive woofer in a generic box.

 

[sajnaj]

i did mine for under 300 but thats on ebay i have enough power to bend the roof