I asked this question earlier about getting a car system for my 2008 Dodge Charger. I don't know anything about audio systems and requirements. I just need help on finding a good audio system for less than $500 if possible a Kicker, Alipine, or Infinity. If you could list the name of each part of a system I should get like the sub, amp, etc. Please help me. Thanks.
Amps:
An amplifier does exactly what the word implies. It amplifies/ enhances your music. The enhancement is along the lines of making your music louder and more clear no matter what the volume is set to while getting rid of any type of distortion.
Amp Types:
Mono, 1 2 3 4 5... channel amps refer to how many watts of power a particular amp supplies over an "X" amount of channels. For example, an amp has 100 watts and its is a 4 channel amp then it will provide 25 watts on each of its four channels, splitting up the wattage.
You use mono amps to power subwoofers
You use multi-channel amps to power speakers
Also, when choosing amps for speakers and subs, make sure the rms wattage matches between the amp powering the subwoofer
and matches between the amp powering the speakers.
And one of the main things to know when considering amps, speakers, and subwoofers is the RMS wattage. The RMS wattage tells you how many amps a product can provide or take without pushing the risk of frying that product. Don't pay attention to the max wattage because it means nothing (it's only for advertisement).
If you have a one (mono) channel amp with a RMS wattage of 1000 and you want to power 2 sub then each sub would get 500 watts RMS each.
Amps are obvously very important. Without a great amp, your system will suffer.
Crossover:
Is simply a filter. It is a device that regulates high, low and mid range frequencies and sends these frequencies to the proper speaker (mid-range freq) subwoofer (low freq) or tweeter (high freq) in order to create better sound quality.
As far as the number of amps you can have all depends on your power supply (alternator and battery) and bank account. Most people have 1-3 amps on average (one and two is more likely).
Good amp companies:
Alpine, Rockford Fosgate, Hifonics, JL audio, Kenwood.
You also need to upgrade on you factory speakers for improved sound. It is best to get component speakers in the front doors and coaxial speakers in the rear deck/back of car. But you can get all components or all coaxial. Whatever you want.
Component speakers: are speakers that come with separate tweeter and amplifier (better).
Coaxials: is just a woofer with tweeter built on to it. (not as good as coacials but sufficient).
Good speaker companies:
Alpine, Polk, Infinti, Pioneer
You need subwoofers to provide the deep heart-pounding bass.
Good companies for subs:
Alpine, Infinity, Kicker, JL audio, Kenwood, MTX, Rockford Fosgate, Pioneer to name a few.
You also need an enclosure for the subs. Mainly there is sealed and ported/vented.
Sealed enclosure provide more accurate, precise sound that not as loud but loud enough, whereas ported provides louder more boomy bass while loosing some sound quality. Your choice. Also, If you can, always go custom with the box, but prefabricated boxes are okay.
To wire everything up you also need an amp installation kit. You will at least need to get a 4 gauge amp installation kit. If you decide to get multiple amp get a dual amp kit. I suggest Rockford Fosgate to provide more power I suggest the RFK4 or RFK4X for one amp install. The RFK4D is good for a two amp install. RF's wires are pure copper so you'll have a better electric current flow thus more power. Streetwires is good as well.
Decks are very important as well. If you don't have a pretty decent deck to man your whole operation the sytem will suffer too. You might possibly need a mounting kit (maybe). You also will need a wiring harness to install the deck.
Good companies:
Alpine, Pioneer, Eclipse, Kenwood, JVC
For better sound you should also get your car insulated. You could do the entire car. At least get the trunk of your car insulated.This will reduce the rattling caused by the sound-waves/bass. There is nothing more embarassing than to be rollin down the street and all you hear is a damn rattle box pretending to be a true system. I suggest Dynamat Xtreme. Yes it is pretty expensive but it gets the job done. There are other alternatives to sound dampening material as well. I just don't know too many.
Cost:
Here's my take on the whole money thing. In car audio 99% of the time you get what you pay for. I always tell myself if you want something you're going to pay for it. If you want top quality it's not going to be cheap. With that being said. A quality system to me is one that costs about $800-$1200 or more. My system was $1300 dollars for everything including install. I did some the install myself and saved a good bit of cash. My entire system is Alpine by the way. I love them. But there are ways to get quality merchandise without breaking the bank. You can try pawn shops or talk to some buddies and see if they will sell their stuff.
Ebay is great. There is also craiglist.com, crutchfield.com, onlinecarstereo.com, sonicelectronix.com. Crutchfield is the best company on the internet. I spent a lot of time on their site.
For quality brands at a great price try all of the companies I mentioned and there are many more but they are the one I suggest to people. If you're on a budget I'd lean towards Kicker, Pioneer, Kenwood, and MTX.
But for all your stuff look on ebay. You will save a ton of money as opposed to buying reatil in a store like bestbuy or circuit city or some local shop.
I hope this helps and good luck!
Being a girl, naturally i know nothing about cars espesh car audio systems. What do i need to know, in general about buying a new system that is inexpensive but still sounds good. I know nothing about it so the simpler the better. What are subs, amps, face plates- yada yada yada.
I'm a girl, and its not complicated at all,
Basicly,
Sub woofers are for bass. Depending on what kind of music you listen to will vary the size of the sub.(eg. 10inch is for hard hitting bass(dance), 12 is for deeper bass(hip hop/rap, 15 inch is for competition pretty much.
Amps power everything, they are the extra power to run more speakers/subs. There are special amps designed just for subs, they are called mono block.
Decks/face plates, are your cd player/mp3..whatever, the face plate is the part that comes off for security.
Tell me what kind of car and music you listen to/ and price range and I will edit.
This is more for an opinion than an answer, but how much power is too much on a car audio system? I have a 1200 watt sony system and it has enough power to shake my street. 8) What's your guy's opinions?
man if you got the money there isnt such a thing as too much. i mean obviously over 15000 watts is a lil intense but some people want it. if you have no limit on money go really big. i can tell you right now that sony anything sucks. if you think that is hitting really hard then you've never heard a real loud system. go out and buy some solo x 12's and fully power them with 5000 watts rms and then tell me bout your sony xplodes. but if you dont want to be upgrading the alternator and the battery and stuff like that and just want to stick with just buying subs and an amp...stay under 900 watts rms just to be safe. its said if you go over your gonna need to be upgrading wires and electrical stuff so it all depends on your pocket book
I have a 2008 Dodge Charger SE and i was wondering what kind of car audio system I should get? Something not too expensive but sounds really good. I heard Alpine and Kicker systems were the best. Please help me. Thanks
it depends on how much you are willing to spend and how much you want to upgrade
if you are serious but don't want to break to bank or have to upgrade you interior speakers (from being drowned out by the bass) then i would suggest a couple of 12s with at least 400watts RMS total in a nice ported box
always listen before you buy and pick what sounds good to YOU
when it comes to car audio nine times out of ten you get what you pay for- and you need to look for CEA-compliant brands which means that the amps have been tested and produce or exceed the advertised RMS wattage with minimum distortion and the subs can handle their advertised RMS wattage also (distortion is the main cause of speaker damage over time)
here are the top CEA-compliant brands
Alpine (highly recommend)
Bazooka (don't like their subs)
Blaupunkt (don't like their subs)
Clarion
Eclipse
Infinity (highly recommend)
JBL
JL Audio (very good but over priced)
JVC
Kenwood (don't like their subs)
Kicker (the best in my opinion)
Lightning Audio (have not heard their subs)
MTX (highly recommend)
Pioneer
Polk Audio (highly recommend)
PPI
Rockford Fosgate (highly recommend)
Sony (don't like their subs)
you want at least 400watts RMS if you are serious (a little over $500)
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3867_Kicker+DCVR122.html $300 for two 12inch Kicker CVRs) and for an amp http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_13240_Pioneer+GM-D8400M.html ($210) with at least 4gauge wire
Where in Chandigarh Can I get best installation for Car audio system including speakers. Also suggest some shop where I can buy car audio system in original at best price?
I love getting into custumizing my car's audio system, but it seems that every time I have a question on it, all I get is people selling me different components that do not meet my expecteitions, I been to a lot of car shows but I do not get anwers.
Simply put, you will never find that. You are trying to get an experience like you are in a room that has 25ft ceilings, is 30-40ft across, and has a screen that is at least 20ft away then simulating it in a box that is no more than 4ft floor to ceiling, 6ft across, and less than 10ft deep. The acoustics are completely different in small spaces than in large ones since the sound has no way to develope. Plus, you are dealing with half the surface area of the car being reflective glass which will only hurt the sound more, and there is no way to accurately predict what the resonant frequencies will be in the cabin; so, you will be getting many weird nodes in the car where the sound is too loud or too soft.
If you want to try it, I would get the biggest vehicle you could to offset the problems of a small box. A van or large SUV would be the best bet. Then, you would want to cover up all the flat, reflective surfaces you could with sound dampening material. Still, even if you put 3inch foam up everywhere, you are going to only get sound dampening down to about 90Hz which means the bass will be unrestrained. There is a chance the seats will absorb some of the lower stuff, but it will still sound bad.
After you have dampened as much as you can, you are going to have to worry about speakers and placement. Tweeters and midranges can usually fit in pillars or kick panels. The sub is generally going to be okay wherever because of the size of your "theater". Still, it is going to be a lot of problems. An outboard parametric EQ and actively crossing over all the speakers will help, but movie theater sound is just not simple to do in a car.
Getting a 10ft x 12ft x 8ft room to sound like a movie theater is hard enough. To make a car sound like a genuine theater is near impossible. If you aren't doing all the work yourself then expect to be paying at least four figures for the install which might only sound okay or accept not being satisfied with your stereo. For someone like me who has years of acoustics experience, I would not even attempt this endeavor unless the customer had a great deal of time and money on their hands along with a 0% liability clause in the contract.
I am about to buy a car audio system. ( my first) and was wondering if i needed to break it in before i could turn it up real loud, and how long, if so. If you have a website to help me with this, please send it to me, or post it. Thanks.
it's a debatable subject but I personally have done it w/ previous systems. I did this for about 2 weeks and then started pushing the system.
I look at it like a new engine.....redlining and balls-to-the-wall driving are generally discouraged for the first 1k or so miles....can't remember the exact duration but seems like it was around here for my TypeR
I want to have a new car audio system put in my Kia Sportage, both places have told me they will have to put in a cubby hole below the new player because they do not make any that can fill the hole where the current audio system is. I want it to be Ipod capable like my last two cars, but where would be the best place to do it, and who offers free instillation with purchase.
Just installed a new car audio system in my car ( CDX - GT300s ) Everything works fine, accept when I turn my ignition off completely and back on again my ipod plays from the beginning, not very good with a 30gb ipod.
sounds like an ipod software ssue to me. Try updating your software
I am wondering if there is a guide on the internet (preferably illustrated) which tells you what you need for a good car audio system, how much it would cost and instructions on how to install one.
Thanks in advance for your help
go to http://www.crutchfield.com
This video will explain everything. Complete Big 3 Upgrade Installation Advice & Tutorial * More Q's? * - www.youtube.com **Enjoy The ...
Stillwater, Okla. - Stillwater Designs, known for its Kicker -brand aftermarket autosound products, is expanding its presence in Kicker-branded iPod- and Zune-docking speaker systems with four new models, including its first two docking clock radios.
In 2008, the company launched its first iPod/iPhone-docking speaker system and first Zune-docking speaker system to expand its small home audio presence. Those 40-watt models, since upgraded, remain in the line at a suggested $249 each.
They will be joined by two lower power models - the iPod/iPhone-docking iK350 and Zune-docking ZK350 - at a suggested $199 each. Both 20-watt models will be the company's first docking speaker systems available with optional rechargeable battery, retailing for a suggested $99.95. The ZK350 will also be Stillwater's first Zune-docking system with HD FM signal amplifier and external HD FM antenna wire to reproduce HD and analog FM radio stations picked up by the ZuneHD's FM tuner.
The other two new products are the iPod/iPhone-docking iK150 clock radio at a suggested $179 and the Zune- and ZuneHD-docking ZK150 clock radio at a suggested $179. Both feature dual alarm, full-range speakers with tuned-port enclosure, 3.5 mm headphone jack, aux input, sleep timer, choice of 10 levels of display brightness and internal power backup for saving all settings. The iK150 is available in white or black. The ZK150 is available in black, and the white version ships in late November.
The two new systems lacking clock radio functions include the iPod/iPhone-docking iK350, which ships in mid-December with 4.5-inch square subwoofer on back. The supplied remote controls system functions as well as complete navigation of iPhone and iPod playlists, albums, artists and videos. The Zune-docking ZK350, due in mid-December, offers the same features but adds the HD/FM external antenna that captures signal from local analog and digital FM stations picked up by the ZuneHD's internal HD Radio tuner.
All of the iPod/iPhone devices are Works with iPhone-certified.
In other new products, the company expanded its selection of stereo headsets with six new models.
The EB51 ear buds at a suggested $19.95 are available in four colors and smooth, pliable texture on housing for a comfortable fit. The $29.95-suggested EB71 stereo noise-isolation in-ear monitors, also available, comes with four sizes of soft silicone tips and five color options. The HP1973 classic-style over-the ear headphones at a suggested $69.95 are also available with retro styling, and the EB71M in-ear stereo headset with microphone at a suggested $49.95 is due in December, also with in-line microphone, multi-function button for calling and listening convenience, and four sizes of soft silicone tips.
Another new headphone is the EB101M premium in-ear stereo headset with in-line microphone in gun-metal gray. It's due at $69.95 in mid-December with three sizes of noise-isolation silicone tips, one set of Memory Foam tips, and multifunction button for calling and listening convenience
The $99.95 HP541 DJ-style headphones, available in mid-December, feature over-the-ear, full-swivel ear cups and interchangeable cables for iPhone/MP3 players at 4 feet in length or for studio use at 11.5 feet.
Stillwater will exhibit the new products at January's International CES. The company markets Kicker-brand car audio speakers, amplifiers, signal processors and accessories as well as SoundGate-brand OEM-aftermarket integration devices.
Car-mounts for netbooks are fascinating things. Add a GPS receiver and your netbook can instantly become a full featured GPS system with an enormous display (by GPS standards). You can also use a mount to plug a netbook into your car audio system and use it as a jukebox, although I’d recommend having the person in the passenger’s seat manage the media player controls.
UK-based retailer Ultimate-Netbook offers a universal car mount that can accommodate netbooks ranging from 7″ to 13″ in size. It normally retails for about $36, but Ultimate Netbook has offered up the universal mount along with a $25 universal netbook car charger with a USB port for the Liliputing Holiday Giveway.
In order to enter, just leave a comment below explaining what you plan to do with this car mount and car charger set. The contest is open to anyone in the world, and I’ll randomly select a winner after the contest closes at 12:01AM Eastern on November 27th.
Make sure to read the official contest rules before entering.
Typical audio car system possesses small speakers with restricted ability of producing low frequency audio. You can make it high standard car audio system, if you add subwoofers to that device because these subwoofers add powerful and strong effects to car sound system.
Wider subwoofers make your speakers more efficient for air displacement that proves critical for frequencies. You can install amplifier for car sound subwoofers separately or integrate it into cabinet.
Recently many manufactures has introduced new shapes in subwoofer that are round, square and rectangle. These new subwoofers are easy to install in limited place and some of these have crossover to filter frequency of high range. Your right selection for the enclosure of car sound subwoofers influences the quality of audio produced by it.
Five basic kinds of subwoofers are available in the market.
• Ported
• Transmission line system
• Sealed
• Passive radiator
• Band pass
The best kind of enclosure for frequent car use is sealed enclosure because it needs little space and fits to the audio requirement of car interior. There are various types of car audio subwoofers in the market. You can buy custom made subwoofers or also make it by yourself. At the time of buying subwoofer driver, you will be given a space sheet which gives some essential guidelines about enclosure requirements. You need to follow all these guideline if you want to make an informed decision in increasing the efficiency of your car audio system in cost effective way.
The electronic finish panel containing the audio and climate control buttons and knobs are integrated into the finish panel,” said Kim Zielinski,
ic LiverpoolNissan 370 simply Z-licious This was offset through the greater use of lightweight aluminum body panels and lighter wheels, exhaust system and fuel tank. Even the standard audio system Nissan 370Z Spiffy Enough; Will Market Respond? The Nissan 370Z Prices and Grades Nissan 370Z Pricing -
