Audio Budget - What to get??

[ginge191]

Ok, so me and grant were having a chat last night and we have a project to do before FCS, is the plan anywho

So, i'm going to put aside £250-£300 MAX budget to buy audio equipment for the car.
SIZE doesn't matter

Looking to get some decent replacement door speakers (main speakers)
Decent amplifier(s)
Main Sub - Doesn't need to be in a box
Wiring Kit

So audio geeks, what you got going?!

I've just bought a new headunit so that's no issue

[4WayDiablo]

What kinda music do you want it for? Punchy bass for a good bass drum kick or a deep low drum and bass note?
Would effect the size of sub you want lol

[mark_airey]

I have 2 12" focal subs lying around that you could have one of for sensible money and a 12" fusion one that you could have for very little money, might also have an amp too depending on what your looking for??

12" sub is the best for all round IMO and if the bass is tight and punchy or boomy depends more on if its a ported or sealed box rather than the actual sub its self

[ginge191]

I have 2 12" focal subs lying around that you could have one of for sensible money and a 12" fusion one that you could have for very little money, might also have an amp too depending on what your looking for??

12" sub is the best for all round IMO and if the bass is tight and punchy or boomy depends more on if its a ported or sealed box rather than the actual sub its self

Also in reply to 4way, i'm going for punch rather than RARRRRRR Bbbbrbrbrrrrrrrrr sound .... mark, pm me with some info

[4WayDiablo]

I have 2 12" focal subs lying around that you could have one of for sensible money and a 12" fusion one that you could have for very little money, might also have an amp too depending on what your looking for??

12" sub is the best for all round IMO and if the bass is tight and punchy or boomy depends more on if its a ported or sealed box rather than the actual sub its self

So what's the benefits of each? Ported/non ported?

Also the amp you mention.. I need a sub amp! Lol for a 1kw arms Rockford fosgate sub
Would one be willing to sell?

[mark_airey]

Sealed box gets you more punchy bass, ported gets you louder more "boomy" bass Phil

I will have a look at home and see what I have lying around
From memory I have a Vibe Monobox 3 which is fairly hefty, and a couple of other smaller ones.

I shall send you a PM later Ginge but the subs are these http://www.focal.com/en/car-audio-sound ... /30-a1.php one has a tiny nick in the rubber around the cone but makes no difference to SQ

[TheGateKeeper]

I was going to get you to PM me with the details of the Focal but the RMS is less than my current sub, and I dont think it will really make that much difference over the SQ...

Actually PM me Mark if you would?

[TheGateKeeper]

My current setup Ginge..

This amp http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/gro-gzi ... 0hpx-.html powering these speakers http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-spg-17cs.html the sound is lovely

[Grant]

Once youve got set what audio componentry your getting, look into replacing your earth and power cables from the battery and alternator. Kwik has done a guide on this somewhere.

Personally I would recommend amping your door speakers as this makes such a difference than driving them from the HU, if budget permits that is. Pm me your final setup or what your looking at buying and we can talk some talk...

[ginge191]

Once youve got set what audio componentry your getting, look into replacing your earth and power cables from the battery and alternator. Kwik has done a guide on this somewhere.

Personally I would recommend amping your door speakers as this makes such a difference than driving them from the HU, if budget permits that is. Pm me your final setup or what your looking at buying and we can talk some talk...

hm, electrics as you know is not my fortay, but i'll have a look. is the guide here or .net?

[TheGateKeeper]

Agreed. Amp the fronts and then amp your sub... I dont run any rear speakers either.

The audio big 3 took me about 10 mins and cost me about £7 with my halfords trade card, and I havent seen my lights flicker like they used to on my old system

[TheGateKeeper]

Just for you Ginge http://www.theywhoshallnotbenamed/forum/showthread. ... udio-BIG-3

[ginge191]

Agreed. Amp the fronts and then amp your sub... I dont run any rear speakers either.

The audio big 3 took me about 10 mins and cost me about £7 with my halfords trade card, and I havent seen my lights flicker like they used to on my old system

Audio big 3? i remember reading that a while back, link to items? etc.

as much help as possible, starting as a newb with all this audio malarky.

[TheGateKeeper]

Post above

[ginge191]

Post above

yeh just saw that, simultaneous post ftl... i've added it into the guides section on here, is a bit quicker to view

Cheers for that TGK!

[TheGateKeeper]

No problems dude.. I didnt know if Kwik has posted it over on here, so I didnt bother looking. But I knew where to find it on .net

[ginge191]

No problems dude.. I didnt know if Kwik has posted it over on here, so I didnt bother looking. But I knew where to find it on .net

Oh well... there maybe 2 now

[Dan!]

Yeah Kwik has posted it on here already Ginge lol

[ginge191]

Yeah Kwik has posted it on here already Ginge lol

I did look AFTER i put it up, couldn't see it anywhere :|


EDIT: <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.306oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=400" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.306oc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=400</a><!-- w -->

nevermind.

[TheGateKeeper]

its a good guide, so being on here twice wont matter

[Grant]

2 meters of this, as you will be doing engine and battery earths

2 meters of this, as you will have to run it from the alternator to the battery

This should prevent dimming lights, and knackered charging system as Kwik says in his guide.

this is what I have on the floor in mine if you are interested.

Whats your budget for speakers. You mention that you already have a HU, so are you going to amp the speakers or spend more and not bother?

[ginge191]

2 meters of this, as you will be doing engine and battery earths

2 meters of this, as you will have to run it from the alternator to the battery

This should prevent dimming lights, and knackered charging system as Kwik says in his guide.

this is what I have on the floor in mine if you are interested.

Whats your budget for speakers. You mention that you already have a HU, so are you going to amp the speakers or spend more and not bother?

Awesome, cheers for that!

probably plan to JUST use front components, runnning off a seperate amp, and again, the sub running off a seperate amp.

Looking at what TGK posted, thats about £150 for front speakers and amp, leaving about another £150 for sub and amp, fair?


Anyone else got any speaker links?

[Niall]

Ginge for that budget I would concentrate on a good set of front speakers and a sub. But a second hand amp and maybe look at upgrading later when you have more money.

Focals have got my vote any day (although after your chat with grant last night, I'm sure you've already heard the sales pitch I gave him when I first got mine lol)

[Grant]

Focal 165VB Cant rate them enough. Thy sound epic when driven via the head unit. Better than low end amped speakers and probably most mid range ones too, but if you save up and amp them in the future, prepare to ejaculate from your ears!

Did you hear them going in my car on Monday at ace? Can't remember... Either way another set are going in lol.

[Niall]

Will say seeing as you have the same HU as me Ginge, if you get 165vbs, amp them! They sound good through the HU but it just does not do them justice (the internal amp isn't the best in the world).
As soon as you turn it up about 25ish, they sound horrible. Through an amp (I'm running a 12 year old alpine amp btw) they sound fapping amazing!

[Grant]

Will say seeing as you have the same HU as me Ginge, if you get 165vbs, amp them! They sound good through the HU but it just does not do them justice (the internal amp isn't the best in the world).
As soon as you turn it up about 25ish, they sound horrible. Through an amp (I'm running a 12 year old alpine amp btw) they sound fapping amazing!

Couldn't be more correct.

Even if you can't stretch to the amp initially, you can add one later. Niall ran his un-amped for a bit and still sounded awesome!
I can't remember what your running I the rear Niall, 135's?

[Niall]

Will say seeing as you have the same HU as me Ginge, if you get 165vbs, amp them! They sound good through the HU but it just does not do them justice (the internal amp isn't the best in the world).
As soon as you turn it up about 25ish, they sound horrible. Through an amp (I'm running a 12 year old alpine amp btw) they sound fapping amazing!

Couldn't be more correct.

Even if you can't stretch to the amp initially, you can add one later. Niall ran his un-amped for a bit and still sounded awesome!
I can't remember what your running I the rear Niall, 135's?

165A1s. The digits are just the size thus the reason you can buy 135vbs. Although the larger speakers should pack slightly more punch but that doesn't apply if your having a sub.

If I had the choice, I wouldn't have components in the back. Focals have some serious high frequencies and when you've got 4 tweeters in the car, it can be too much when played loud (and the rears are on -3db I think)
I only fitted them because I had them spare. If I was buying from scratch, Vbs up front and some coax in the back for a tiny bit of rear fill.

Oh and you will need spacers for the front speakers which mean the original grills won't fit on

[Grant]

which mean the original grills won't fit on

Yet

[Niall]

which mean the original grills won't fit on

Yet

Shhhhhh

[TheGateKeeper]

Some more good info in here