Audio setup - help

[LewisG]

Okay, so recently i've been thinking about buying a decent sound system, im sick of listening to distorted crap.

The thing is, I dont know where to start, what are the good brands ect

I listen to mainly Electro house like, Im really into Knife party at the moment, if that helps.

[Iceman299]

If it helps, Giant tropical centipedes share their territories with tarantulas. Despite it's impressive length, it's a nimble navigator, and some can be highly venomous. As quick as lightning, just like the tarantula it's killing, the centipede has two curved hollow fangs which inject paralyzing venom.
Even tarantulas aren't immune from an ambush.

This centipede is a predator...

[LewisG]

If it helps, Giant tropical centipedes share their territories with tarantulas. Despite it's impressive length, it's a nimble navigator, and some can be highly venomous. As quick as lightning, just like the tarantula it's killing, the centipede has two curved hollow fangs which inject paralyzing venom.
Even tarantulas aren't immune from an ambush.

This centipede is a predator...

Lol

[Toms306]

Depends how far you want to go with it tbh.

Could just change the headunit and front speakers...or could go for a whole sub and amp setup with amped crossovers etc!

[Iceman299]

I'd start at the basics,
Change headunit, then speakers, then sub&amp if you want more. Rather than get everything done in one go

[Niall]

If it helps, Giant tropical centipedes share their territories with tarantulas. Despite it's impressive length, it's a nimble navigator, and some can be highly venomous. As quick as lightning, just like the tarantula it's killing, the centipede has two curved hollow fangs which inject paralyzing venom.
Even tarantulas aren't immune from an ambush.

This centipede is a predator...

I should delete this for being off topic but just lol. Repped.

[LewisG]

Depends how far you want to go with it tbh.

Could just change the headunit and front speakers...or could go for a whole sub and amp setup with amped crossovers etc!

I want good sound quality, I dont want chav sitting in tesco carpark with a loud constant boom

[Iceman299]

If it helps, Giant tropical centipedes share their territories with tarantulas. Despite it's impressive length, it's a nimble navigator, and some can be highly venomous. As quick as lightning, just like the tarantula it's killing, the centipede has two curved hollow fangs which inject paralyzing venom.
Even tarantulas aren't immune from an ambush.

This centipede is a predator...

I should delete this for being off topic but just lol. Repped.

It was the first thing that came into my head lol i did offer serioud advice after

[LewisG]

Okay so headunit and front speakers, im guessing pioneer or something for the headunit but what about speakers?

[Iceman299]

I find the standard phase 3 front speakers/tweeters pretty decent. Tried a vibe component set which i thought sounded worse than standard.

Phase 1 rear shelf sounds way better than a stealth shelf. It has tweeters which makes it sound a bit clearer rather than muffled rubbish. I bought one for 99p on ebay lol

Edit: i may have to change my previous advice and say try headunit with a sub first, it's always been enough for me and i keep it on the most minimum setting so it's just enough to add a balanced amount of bass. But each to their own

[DeeTurbo]

Edit: i may have to change my previous advice and say try headunit with a sub first, it's always been enough for me and i keep it on the most minimum setting so it's just enough to add a balanced amount of bass. But each to their own

This is good advise. Even a small 10" sub will help so you can reduce the work the fronts have to do.

When I first bought my hatchback I kept the standard system in, even the headunit but added an amp via the high level input route and a sub 12 inch sub. I reduced the bass on the headunit so the front speakers didn't distort and upped the bass via the amp to level out the sound.

The hatchback has had everything replaced now but I'm thinking about keeping the headunit in the estate, replacing the fronts speakers with some Alpine type R's I've got and amping them. I'm keeping the headunit in the estate as I'd like to keep the factory look in that. The amp is going to be hidden away under the dash.

[Iceman299]

Edit: i may have to change my previous advice and say try headunit with a sub first, it's always been enough for me and i keep it on the most minimum setting so it's just enough to add a balanced amount of bass. But each to their own

When I first bought my hatchback I kept the standard system in, even the headunit but added an amp via the high level input route and a sub 12 inch sub. I reduced the bass on the headunit so the front speakers didn't distort and upped the bass via the amp to level out the sound.

That's exactly what i do. I use the speakers for mid/treble, which most standard speakers i've experienced are pretty decent at and use sub on a low level for bass.
Choice of headunit also makes a huge difference in how standard speakers sound

[DeeTurbo]

I would agree with you 100% on the headunit as that is the source of the audio and for a speaker to play all the frequencies loud is a big ask really so you need to add more so they can each do a part of the spectrum.

In the past I was playing with the idea of getting rid of the headunit as I use to use an mp3 player a lot and just plug the mp3 player straight into a four channel amp or via an active crossover. But then I just bought a decent headunit.

[LewisG]

So if I wanted to use and amp to power the 2 front speakers and then a small sub, how many channels do I need?

[DeeTurbo]

You could use a four channel amp, bridge two channels for the sub and the other two can run the fronts.

[pioneer DJ paddy]

These are sumthing like wats in my car at the min don't no if its just me but I swear by pioneer for quality my front speakers have never let me down for sound even at high volume there so easy fitted to. Any way here is a link lol. http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/130760962904?nav=SEARCH

I would go pioneer headunit to that's just me Dow lol

[Piggy]

get some decent aplines in the front doors. Make a huge difference and not a massive amount of money either. Quite slim too which helps

[DeeTurbo]

Whatever you don't get coaxial speakers, that's just a sideways move. You want to get a good set of components.

[Eeyore]

OK here is the real answer

A decent head unit with 2 or 3 preouts. You want to run those back to a 600+w amp and run a 12 inch sub. Grt a simple box now some halfords shit. Run the cables back to the front to power the door speakers which should be Focal 165v components.

My setup is...
Kenwood head unit 140
Focal 165vs 160
Jbl 12 sub and box 25 eBay
Maystar 600w amp
3x preout cables
1 wiring kit
Bullet connectors

[Frosty]

Im no audio expert but after christmas i will be looking to getting some better speakers in the estate. Im looking at these alpines on ebay

front
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371057189998?_...EBIDX%3AIT

tailgate
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371057196050?_...EBIDX%3AIT

[LewisG]

OK here is the real answer

A decent head unit with 2 or 3 preouts. You want to run those back to a 600+w amp and run a 12 inch sub. Grt a simple box now some halfords shit. Run the cables back to the front to power the door speakers which should be Focal 165v components.

My setup is...
Kenwood head unit 140
Focal 165vs 160
Jbl 12 sub and box 25 eBay
Maystar 600w amp
3x preout cables
1 wiring kit
Bullet connectors

Where did you fit the tweeter that you get with the focal speakers?

[DeeTurbo]

Most people fit them to the mirror covers in the corner of the door. Are your mirrors manual or electronic?

[LewisG]

Most people fit them to the mirror covers in the corner of the door. Are your mirrors manual or electronic?

Electronic

[Eeyore]

In the mirror caps. I've got electric mirrors.

[DeeTurbo]

If they were manual you'd have a bit of a problem but that's ok.



Also a bit of sound deadening will help.

You have to make sure your door doesn't rattle and you need to make the door is sealed best as possible to get the most out the speakers.

[Toms306]

Being X reg you should already have tweeters in the estate Lewis. Does the inside mirror cap have a circle of holes on it or is it just plain?

[LewisG]

If they were manual you'd have a bit of a problem but that's ok.



Also a bit of sound deadening will help.

You have to make sure your door doesn't rattle and you need to make the door is sealed best as possible to get the most out the speakers.

I see you've had to modify where you fitted the speaker.

---

Being X reg you should already have tweeters in the estate Lewis. Does the inside mirror cap have a circle of holes on it or is it just plain?

Its just plain

[DeeTurbo]

I've had to because the 3 door has the window rail behind the speaker hole so I've to bring the speakers forward and the rail is on a small spacer to push it back 10mm or so.

Just use a hole saw to cut the holes for the tweeters in the mirror caps. Don't use a spade cutter as that will make a mess.

Im no audio expert but after christmas i will be looking to getting some better speakers in the estate. Im looking at these alpines on ebay

front
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371057189998?_...EBIDX%3AIT

tailgate
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371057196050?_...EBIDX%3AIT

Frosty, I wouldn't bother with the rear speakers and just spend all that on some good front speakers.

[Toms306]

Being X reg you should already have tweeters in the estate Lewis. Does the inside mirror cap have a circle of holes on it or is it just plain?

Its just plain

Oh. X must've been the crossover then as my X's had them lol. Prior to that you get an intergrated tweeter in the woofer. After that they're separate and you get the tweeter in the mirror cap where people put the aftermarket ones.

[Frosty]

How come you wouldn't change the rears? Surely changing them would make a difference?