What do you think of this set up? (Audio)

[MikeM7]

Speakers

Pioneer Stage 4 TS-C172PRS
PRS Series 6-3/4" component speaker system

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130TSC1...l?cc=07&tp=105

Head unit

Pioneer FH-X820BS

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X820...S.html?tp=5684

Amp

Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack

Compact upgrade for any car radio — 45 watts

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500KTP4...ower-Pack.html


Any reason this set up would be a bad idea? IE not enough power, difficult to install, better bang for buck available etc.?

How would this stack up to the OEM plug and play packages?

What would you get instead and why?

Thanks

[seant2h]

If it were me then I would probably upgrade the head unit. I have had enough ok ones to appreciate a good in dash source and I have definitely regretted getting an ok one when I wanted a better one.

I currently use this and give it a thumbs up:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500HD14...148bt&skipvs=T

I also have come to like the extra storage that the single din provides with the pocket considering how little storage our cars have in the cabin. Lastly the time correction and eq features that a good source gets you can save $ down the road in processors, crossovers, etc.

[keithr]

Hi Mike,

Audio, and aesthetics, are subjective things. To that, i'll give my subjective opinions.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Pioneer Stage 4 TS-C172PRS
PRS Series 6-3/4" component speaker system

I'm usually not a big fan of Pioneer's speakers. These, however, seem to get really good reviews. So, you can either take their word for it, or take my word for it. I would suggest you take NOBODY'S word for it...

Have you heard these speakers in person? I always recommend auditioning speakers before purchase. Speakers are VERY subjective; what one person thinks sounds fantastic, another might think sounds terrible. I'm a big fan of JL Audio speakers in the car, and Boston Acoustics at home. There are LOTS of people who would vehemently disagree with me. My brother spent a small fortune on Helix speakers in his Tacoma, and honestly, I think my JL C5's sound better.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Pioneer FH-X820BS

I do not like these double-din non-touchscreen units. I think they're ugly as all get-out and ruin the aesthetics of the vehicle. Ask yourself what you're really looking for in this head unit...

Features? You're going to give up HD Radio and satellite radio, if those matter to you... although you can add the satellite radio as an option if you want it. You'll obviously lose any benefits of the full color LCD like album art, NAV (I'm assuming you don't care about that), etc. That HU also only has 2V preouts, which, while adequate, are not going to give you the best signal for clean sound.

If you want to fill the double-din space, personally I'd recommend a touchscreen unit that would truly be an upgrade from the factory radio. Otherwise, you could just keep the factory radio and upgrade speakers/amp/etc. if you want a "upgrade on a budget."

Pioneer and Kenwood have lots of options, some more affordable than others, but features, of course, will vary with price. I would suggest you make a list of your needs/wants and find the best fit for what you're after.

If you don't need/want a touchscreen, I see no reason to put a double-din radio in there, like @seant2h said, a single din will give you some extra storage space, and I personally think they look a whole lot better than those big non-touchscreen monsters. There are some nice singe din units available too including the Alpine he mentioned as well as offerings from Pioneer and Kenwood... again, decide what your needs/wants are and go from there.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack
Compact upgrade for any car radio — 45 watts

This would be sufficient... certainly not going to "rock the house" with a little guy like that, but it's a step up from running speaker power off the HU. There are a few of those compact amps out there to choose from, I've seen similar offerings with varying wattage and distortion (be sure to check the specs!) from Alpine, Pioneer, Clarion, Kicker, and others...

Personally, I think this little guy is pretty impressive: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...NVX-MVPA4.html

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Any reason this set up would be a bad idea? IE not enough power, difficult to install, better bang for buck available etc.?

Depending on how far you want to take the install, you can get harnesses and adapters to make it all fairly painless as far as the install goes. You can use the factory speaker wiring if you don't need to run a lot of power to your speakers, there are adapters for the plugs at the factory locations so you don't even have to cut them off. Or, you could take a step up and run new wire, but that's a bigger endeavor. As far as inside the dash... well, I've just completed installing my own system and I can tell you, there are a lot of harnesses and adapters you'll need to make it all work and it can get confusing.

@SVXdc is the guru for all THAT stuff, you can order pretty much everything you'd need from him and he's a great guy to deal with. You can search around on these forums and find various posts and threads by him, and you can start here on his website to start figuring out all the pieces and parts.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

How would this stack up to the OEM plug and play packages?

By this, I assume you mean the OEM Audio+ system?

Well, I haven't heard the OEM Audio+ Reference 400CF in person, but the components you listed above really aren't going to compare to the full OEM Audio+ system. The price tag alone should indicate a pretty significant difference between the two... the OA+ package includes a subwoofer and much more powerful amplifiers with DSP to correct some sound oddities off the factory deck. The OA+ package gets really good reviews in terms of improving the sound quality inside the BRZ. Again, though, I haven't heard it myself.

All THAT being said....

Originally Posted by MikeM7

What would you get instead and why?

As far as "bang for the buck" I think you can do better than the OA+, if you're willing to put in a little bit of work, or pay for that work if you don't want to do it yourself.

I just finished (well, still have some details to take care of but it's mostly done) installing my system in my BRZ, consisting of:

Pioneer AVH-4000NEX Head Unit
JL Audio XD700/5v2 Amp
JL Audio C5-650 front component speakers
JL Audio C2-525x rear speakers
JL Audio Stealthbox subwoofer
Rydeen Duo backup camera
2015 OEM shark fin antenna
All new wiring

I will probably do a write-up on the install, I did it along with full-car sound deadening. I took pictures along the way and I'll mention some of the caveats I ran into.

Now, all that, at retail, is a pretty hefty price tag and if you were to have it installed by a shop, add quite a bit for labor for a QUALITY installation. However, with some savvy and clever shopping, I was able to score all of that for probably 50% of retail pricing and I did the work myself. Still not cheap, but in my opinion, a MUCH more potent bang for the buck and it sounds AWESOME.

Determine what your wants/needs are for the project. Budget? Superb sound quality or just a step up from stock? Features? etc. Use that list to drive your decisions on the what and how.

[MikeM7]

Originally Posted by keithr

I do not like these double-din non-touchscreen units. I think they're ugly as all get-out and ruin the aesthetics of the vehicle. Ask yourself what you're really looking for in this head unit...

Features? You're going to give up HD Radio and satellite radio, if those matter to you... although you can add the satellite radio as an option if you want it. You'll obviously lose any benefits of the full color LCD like album art, NAV (I'm assuming you don't care about that), etc. That HU also only has 2V preouts, which, while adequate, are not going to give you the best signal for clean sound.

Honestly, the only things I ever use on the stock head unit are usb and audio ports for music from my phone or thumb drive, next folder/album, next track, and volume.. so I'm mostly concerned with aesthetics and not so much with features. The only real must is that it has to have options to turn all backlighting/wallpaper red to match the rest of the interior.

I want something that looks really good, and performs well without needing to mess with a ton of features. The only feature I can think of that I really want is blue tooth.

I would definitely appreciate the extra storage space.

Originally Posted by keithr

By this, I assume you mean the OEM Audio+ system?

Well, I haven't heard the OEM Audio+ Reference 400CF in person, but the components you listed above really aren't going to compare to the full OEM Audio+ system. The price tag alone should indicate a pretty significant difference between the two... the OA+ package includes a subwoofer and much more powerful amplifiers with DSP to correct some sound oddities off the factory deck. The OA+ package gets really good reviews in terms of improving the sound quality inside the BRZ. Again, though, I haven't heard it myself.

Yes, I was referring to the two packages, I think one is 600ish and the other is like 1k or 1500. I'd heard that you are mostly paying for the plug and play convenience and not so much for quality.

Originally Posted by keithr

I was able to score all of that for probably 50% of retail pricing and I did the work myself. Still not cheap, but in my opinion, a MUCH more potent bang for the buck and it sounds AWESOME.

How'd you get such good prices?

Originally Posted by keithr

Determine what your wants/needs are for the project. Budget? Superb sound quality or just a step up from stock? Features? etc. Use that list to drive your decisions on the what and how.

I want a significant improvement over stock, but am not looking for perfection. Budget is flexible, I'm in a good financial position, but I just don't think I need to spend more than 600-800 for the substantial improvement I'm looking for, especially since I'm not planning on a sub in the trunk.

I'm less concerned with price though, and more concerned with getting the most value for the money.

Thanks very much for your helpful replies. To be completely honest I'm getting to the end of my mods and am exhausted with reading and researching, and I've been working 11 hour shifts the last few weeks, so the easier this can be made the better. I might just end up copying someone else's set up to make this less painful lol.

[MikeM7]

Originally Posted by keithr

I'm usually not a big fan of Pioneer's speakers. These, however, seem to get really good reviews. So, you can either take their word for it, or take my word for it. I would suggest you take NOBODY'S word for it...

Have you heard these speakers in person? I always recommend auditioning speakers before purchase. Speakers are VERY subjective, what one person thinks sounds fantastic, another might think sounds terrible. I'm a big fan of JL Audio speakers in the car, and Boston Acoustics at home. There are LOTS of people who would vehemently disagree with me. My brother spent a small fortune on Helix speakers in his Tacoma, and honestly, I think my JL C5's sound better.

I was just reading reviews for Infinity Kappa 62.11i and came across this statement: "If your end goal is punch for music like Hip Hop or Dance music, I'd look elsewhere."

Reading that, I realize that's basically what I'm looking for. I like rock and alternative, but I'll mostly be driving to hip hop, drum and base, electronic/trance, and I tolerate brief spurts of dubstep, although sometimes I wonder why. I want something with some good punch to it.

That said, what would you recommend for speakers?

The only place I can go to listen to them is best buy, and I'm not sure how many options they'll have on display.

[keithr]

Originally Posted by MikeM7

<...>
That said, what would you recommend for speakers?

Honestly? Based on your music selection, and your desire for "significant improvement over stock, but am not looking for perfection," and getting close to your exhaustion/burn-out point?

Sounds to me like the OA+ package might be exactly what the doctor ordered. I watched their install video and it's very simple, clean, and tidy. It's not going to be the absolute ultimate in kick-ass sound, but the reviews are really good and it would certainly be a big step up from the stock setup.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

The only place I can go to listen to them is best buy, and I'm not sure how many options they'll have on display.

I would guess there are probably a handful of audio shops scattered around you. Maybe a small local shop, or, even an Audio Express ()... None of them are going to have the OA+ system to demo, but you could probably find a selection of mid and high-range speakers to audition. Your budget will take a hit with premium components, of course.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I was just reading reviews for Infinity Kappa 62.11i and came across this statement: "If your end goal is punch for music like Hip Hop or Dance music, I'd look elsewhere."

...back to my previous comment about taste in speakers being subjective... for years the Kappas have been some of the most highly-rated mid-grade speakers on the market. Lots of people LOVE them. I never liked the way they sound. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

That's why it's always best to audition speakers, amps, even source units before buying if possible. In cases where it's not possible, just accept that it's a gamble whether your ears will find the new aroma pleasant or bitter.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Honestly, the only things I ever use on the stock head unit are usb and audio ports for music from my phone or thumb drive, next folder/album, next track, and volume.. so I'm mostly concerned with aesthetics and not so much with features. The only real must is that it has to have options to turn all backlighting/wallpaper red to match the rest of the interior.

I want something that looks really good, and performs well without needing to mess with a ton of features. The only feature I can think of that I really want is blue tooth.

So... I gotta ask... why not just keep the stock HU and put your budget into the rest of the system? Why spend $200-$300 on a HU to get the the same or fewer features than what you currently have?

As far as USB/iPod/BT music, I *really* recommend a full display/touchscreen unit. It makes seeing the song titles, browsing folders, etc., so much nicer than trying to navigate through an "old school" display and controls.

By keeping the stock HU, you retain the LCD screen. While it's not the best interface or screen on the market, it's also effectively free at this point, and if it works for you, why change it? You also will save yourself the headaches of buying eleventy-billion adapters, harnesses, and doohickies to cleanly integrate a aftermarket HU.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I would definitely appreciate the extra storage space.

....yeah.... get a bigger car.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

How'd you get such good prices?

Patience and tenacity.

I spent a couple weeks walking the Internet price shopping. HU came off eBay, was an open box but in perfect condition. Amp also came from eBay and was very lightly used. JL speakers came from Car Audio Giants, I honestly don't remember if I found a sale or a promo or if they just ended up having a way better price... I bought most of this stuff last summer. The JL Stealthbox came from Pacific Stereo, I discovered that they had a code on their website for 20% off your first order. Well, I'd never bought anything there before. Score. 20% of $649.95 is $129.99 saved right there. I got some nice OFC speaker wire from eBay from a seller in Sparks, NV where I used to live (skyhighcaraudio). Best price I've seen on really nice wire, and he ships super fast. The bulk of the pieces/parts/adapters/miscellany and my main wiring kit (power wires, fuse blocks, etc.) came from Sonic Electronix... I had a huge shopping cart with stuff for both my install and the install I did in my fiancee's Mazda, so I called up a sales rep and negotiated with him for a discount since it was such a large order.

Oh, and a few things came off Amazon as well, by digging into the additional price offers they have listed on most items from different sellers that most people don't even know is there or ever click on.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

... especially since I'm not planning on a sub in the trunk.

I would urge you to reconsider the sub... especially since:

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I want something with some good punch to it.

Based on your music, and a couple other factors, I really think you should seriously consider the OA+ system. The Reference 400CF system is $1500, so it's slapping your proposed budget around a bit, but I think it's a winner for what you're looking for.

[ side note ] PayPal is currently offering 18 months of interest-free financing on purchases $899 or more. Boom! Free money for 18 months. $85 / month ain't so bad, eh?

I like that the amps hide in the sub enclosure, the wiring is simple and clean and all plug and play, and I think you'd be quite happy with the results. You'll be spared lots of hassle and headaches integrating a HU, finding/buying/making speaker adapters, finding a place to install amp(s), learning how to properly tune amp gain, etc.

The sub really won't take up that much room. The OA+ sub doesn't take any more space than my JL Stealthbox, and, really, the trunk is ridiculous as it is, losing the rear corner and a couple inches off the one side isn't really making the difference between being able to fit a sheet of plywood in there from Home Depot or not.

Since you'll have the door trim off anyway, I STRONGLY recommend you treat the doors (if nothing else) with some sound deadening, both on the door itself and the door card (interior door panel). It will really tighten up the doors, eliminate rattles and really improve the sound of the door speakers. Talk to Don over at http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/ and he can put together a package for you to treat your doors. It *really* makes a difference, believe me.

[Koa]

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I was just reading reviews for Infinity Kappa 62.11i and came across this statement: "If your end goal is punch for music like Hip Hop or Dance music, I'd look elsewhere."

Reading that, I realize that's basically what I'm looking for. I like rock and alternative, but I'll mostly be driving to hip hop, drum and base, electronic/trance, and I tolerate brief spurts of dubstep, although sometimes I wonder why. I want something with some good punch to it.

That said, what would you recommend for speakers?

The only place I can go to listen to them is best buy, and I'm not sure how many options they'll have on display.

If you're going to listen to a lot of electronica, get a dynamic speaker setup and more importantly, invest in a QUALITY and heavy hitting sub like a JL W6 10 inch or 12 inch sub. V2 or V3, stay away from V1s as they're reaching very worn out status. Get an amp to fit. Possibly check out those 5-channel amps, like a Phoenix Gold Ti. Having to run lines for only one amp is beautiful

@Integrity Concepts is coming out with a 12 inch passenger side box that will kick the pants out of the OEM+ variant. The only thing that OEM+ has truly going for them, aside from ease of install, is their DSP. Big dollar R&D piece of equipment. Unfortunately, they don't sell that thing separately from the 400Ref package

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by keithr

Hi Mike,

Audio, and aesthetics, are subjective things. To that, i'll give my subjective opinions.

Determine what your wants/needs are for the project. Budget? Superb sound quality or just a step up from stock? Features? etc. Use that list to drive your decisions on the what and how.

Damn it! Now I want to drive to Arizona so you can help me pick and install! Nicely done on both essays as I have had huge inner turmoil as to what I wanted to do but they helped a lot.

[keithr]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Damn it! Now I want to drive to Arizona so you can help me pick and install! Nicely done on both essays as I have had huge inner turmoil as to what I wanted to do but they helped a lot.

Come on down... it's a tad warmer than Ontario.

You can demo my car.

[MikeM7]

Originally Posted by keithr

So... I gotta ask... why not just keep the stock HU and put your budget into the rest of the system? Why spend $200-$300 on a HU to get the the same or fewer features than what you currently have?
.

Because it's ugly and dated looking, has 4 background colors to pick from that are all dull and ugly, and I don't see any benefit to the touch screen. I'd rather just have a button i can feel rather than trying to steady my finger over little touch screen buttons while bouncing down the road.

I really hate the stock unit.. Any red back lit unit that fits this car would make my interior look substantially better imo..

Got my eye on these two now...

http://wwv.crutchfield.com/p_020CZ50...5.html?tp=5684

http://wwv.crutchfield.com/p_158XB10...T.html?tp=5684

I like the look of the clarion better, but the sony definitely performs better. For both, I like that you can modify all the lighting to match your interior.

I also just noticed this one.. I think this would look pretty sweet too

http://wwv.crutchfield.com/p_020CX50...5.html?tp=5684

As for the storage space comment.. I just meant an extra cubby for my ecig/juice/phone/keys/wallet/work badge etc.

I'm not worried about trunk space I just figured if I were getting really nice door subs it wouldn't be necessary to put a sub in the trunk.

For the record, the other day I made a trip to home depot and came back with 11 12"x12" concrete slabs, 2 bags of sand, and a several tools in my trunk.. so it can carry more than you think

[MikeM7]

Originally Posted by keithr

Honestly? Based on your music selection, and your desire for "significant improvement over stock, but am not looking for perfection," and getting close to your exhaustion/burn-out point?

Sounds to me like the OA+ package might be exactly what the doctor ordered. I watched their install video and it's very simple, clean, and tidy. It's not going to be the absolute ultimate in kick-ass sound, but the reviews are really good and it would certainly be a big step up from the stock setup.

I just can't justify paying more for inferior quality. It's not that I'm worn out with installs, it's that I'm worn out with research and reading from all the other mods and from doing it 11 hours a day at work. I guess what I really want is for someone to provide a build that is equivalent or superior to the OEM+ systems for less money. I can figure out how to get it installed or use the difference to pay a shop to do it.

I just don't even begin to understand things like how many watts I need to power what speakers or if I really need 10 band equalizer or if 3 will be fine, or any of this technical stuff.

[keithr]

Originally Posted by MikeM7

Because it's ugly and dated looking, has 4 background colors to pick from that are all dull and ugly, and I don't see any benefit to the touch screen. I'd rather just have a button i can feel rather than trying to steady my finger over little touch screen buttons while bouncing down the road.

No arguments here. I did not care for the stock HU, but until this post I hadn't seen a compelling reason to ditch yours. Now I do. For what it's worth, a better design on the touchscreen makes a night and day difference with trying to hit the right spot on the screen while bouncing down the road. The interface on my Pioneer is 1000% better and totally usable whereas I was constantly hitting the wrong button on the stock.

So, out of the 3 radios you linked to, I like the Sony. It has a 10 band EQ, active HP/LP crossovers, and is bundled with a digital 40x4 amp. That saves you the cost of adding a small amp to do the exact same thing.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

As for the storage space comment.. I just meant an extra cubby for my ecig/juice/phone/keys/wallet/work badge etc.

Nawwww, I hear ya. I just thought it was funny that we're so starved for usable space inside that car that a pocket under a single DIN radio actually matters in our world.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I'm not worried about trunk space I just figured if I were getting really nice door subs it wouldn't be necessary to put a sub in the trunk.

So... "door subs" is a bit of a misnomer, you really won't find such beasts except in very rare cases. Kicker makes a 6 3/4" "subwoofer" but in 99.9% of cases, a door speaker is a driver (sometimes called a "woofer"), suitable for mid-bass and midrange, where the vast majority of your music frequencies are. The tweeter fills out the very top, and the sub fills out the bottom.

Of course you can certainly get by without a sub, but for the type of music you like and wanting some "punch" -- a sub would be a good idea.

How about something like this:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...e-R1675X2.html

Before you say "Geez, those are cheap!" -- the reviews are very good, if we're to believe the Internet masses' ears.

I chose those specifically because:

1. Power handling. The Sony's amp puts out 40W RMS x 4 channels. If you pair that with speakers that want 90 or 100W RMS, you're going to get less audible sound output than speakers matched to the power that's driving them. They also have a 91db sensitivity, which is quite good, meaning you're going to get more efficient performance for wattage. Two speakers, everything else exactly the same, but one with a 91db sensitivity and one with an 88db sensitivity, for example, are going to have an audible difference in sound output.

2. They're coaxial. You may end up having a different experience, but I don't like having the tweeters in the dash. The factory tweeters are so underpowered you don't notice that they suck up there. Put a set of real tweeters up there and the highs are likely to get very harsh. I just confirmed this in my own car, the JL C5's have a very smooth sounding tweeter, and I even set them down -3db on the crossover, made a mounting bracket so that I could angle them away from the windshield, and they're STILL abusively bright sounding. I think my next Saturday project is probably going to be taking the tweeters out of the dash and cutting small holes in the door kick panels to put the tweeters next to the drivers -- where they belong. It's never recommended to have tweeters that far away from the drivers, I don't know why so many car manufactures insist on doing it. Might be one reason why nobody has any respect for OEM audio systems.

3. They're wicked affordable. Don't like 'em? You're only out $40. Pull 'em out and sell them to someone else. Try something different. At least you're not eating multi-hundred dollar investments if you don't like it.

Note the frequency response: 52 - 20000 Hz I wouldn't send anything lower than 80Hz to them, really. Just because the cone will move at 52Hz doesn't mean you're going to get any respectable sound out of those speakers at that frequency. Most of your synthesized bass in electronic music is going to be under 80Hz. 80Hz can be called a "woofer" frequency, more commonly referred to as mid-bass. Anything below 80 is going to be below, or "sub" the woofer. Hence, you need a subwoofer.

With the budget you've saved, you can spring for a JL Stealthbox and power it with one of these: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...NVX-MVPA1.html. 300W RMS at 2 ohms is precisely the sweet spot to get magical musical bass out of the Stealthbox.

The beauty is, if you decide one piece is lacking (maybe you don't like the front speakers...) you can swap out parts to make it to your liking.

If you think you might want more power to the speakers, you can always add a separate speaker amp like that NVX 4 channel mini amp I linked previously. Those things are super nice from an ease-of-install perspective and they put out a truly astonishing amount of clean power for their size. I'm really impressed by them.

I just saw your other post, so I'll respond to that one separately...

Originally Posted by MikeM7

For the record, the other day I made a trip to home depot and came back with 11 12"x12" concrete slabs, 2 bags of sand, and a several tools in my trunk.. so it can carry more than you think

Your poor little BRZ!!!! Was the muffler dragging?

[keithr]

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I just can't justify paying more for inferior quality.

Yeah, I can certainly understand that.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I guess what I really want is for someone to provide a build that is equivalent or superior to the OEM+ systems for less money. I can figure out how to get it installed or use the difference to pay a shop to do it.

Systems like the OA+ aim to do exactly what you're asking -- take the guesswork out of a process with an insane number of variables and provide a packaged solution that tries to hit a wide audience with a wide variance of criteria.

But... the thing with this all is, as you've no doubt surmised, there's really no single right answer or silver bullet magic build. Ask 100 people the same question and you'll get 100 different answers. 4 different audio shops will give you 4 different "the only right way to do it" packages.

I can come up with numerous combinations, all of which could be within an approximate budget, and they'll have varying levels of features, installation hassles, and sound characteristics.

I started with a blank slate on my project and I listed out what I chose. I'm really happy with it. Feel free to copy my setup. It beats the pants off of systems in my friends cars that cost 2, 3, 5X as much. But there are probably 20 other choices I could have made that would have made me equally happy.

A starting point might be what I mentioned in the previous post... if you like that Sony HU, then build around it by matching speakers as I suggested and filling out the rest. I love the Stealthbox in the BRZ, it's just the right amount of bass and JL subs make really nice bass. Not boomy, not obnoxious... just clean, tight, well-rounded, musical bass. I'm really digging those little NVX mini amps right now. The mono amp is exactly the right amount of power for that JL sub (you'd need to set the gain and crossover correctly). The Sony HU has the ability to add another amp like that NVX 4 channel mini amp in the future if you find the included amp power insufficient or move to a set of speakers that demand more power.

Originally Posted by MikeM7

I just don't even begin to understand things like how many watts I need to power what speakers or if I really need 10 band equalizer or if 3 will be fine, or any of this technical stuff.

It's a lot to try to get your head around. In the grand scheme of what a true audio professional knows, I don't know squat. I know just enough to get myself in trouble most of the time. Also, if you're just getting your feet wet with some of this stuff, some of the equipment you need to do it correctly might not be in your toolbox, so add that to your budget. Multimeter, oscilloscope, the right kinds of wire tools and connectors, soldering, etc. You'll be running thick gauge power wires, finding a good chassis ground, poking holes through grommets in the engine firewall, installing fuse holders near the battery, getting lots of wires to/from the front/back of the car, the list goes on.

If you go with building your own system, there are some things that you really want to get at least a cursory understand of in order to be able to set it up correctly. Setting amplifier gains properly is a BIG one, and a basic understanding of blending crossover points and using equalizers and frequency analyzers to tune the system are often-skipped steps that make the difference between spending a lot of money for something that sounds like a garbage can full of ass, and something that sings sweet and rocks your socks off.

A shop is going to want to sell you the gear they install, most won't be too keen on you walking in with gear that they didn't make money selling. You might find someone who's cool with doing a labor-only job, but they won't really be doing their best work. So, you'll be paying retail for equipment and shop rates for install. Budget goes way up. If you really want the guidance (which can be invaluable) and don't want to bog yourself down with learning how to correctly install car audio systems, it might be completely worth the extra money. They'll demo equipment for you so you can choose what you like, go over installation options, equipment choices, etc. Drop off your car, pick it up when done, and whammo -- no more audio worries (hopefully, if the shop does a good job. )

One possible middle ground is getting it all installed and working at a basic level on your own, and then take it to a friendly local shop and ask them to dial it in and tune it for you. If they're jerks about it, move on to somewhere else.

My personal golden rule is that "you get what you pay for" isn't really always true. I've heard $500 systems that sounded like $10,000 systems, and I've heard $10,000 systems that sounded like $500 systems. I prefer to think that you should pay for what you get. Make the decision of what you want based on its merits, and then shop for how to buy it. People who buy something with the mindset that "if it costs more it must be better" are the reason for sayings like "a fool and his money are soon parted" and drive the entire business line for Monster Cables and extended warranty plans at Best Buy. Sorry if you own Monster Cables or extended warranties, no offense intended.

[MrSeldowski]

Hey Keithr, awesome setup.
I love your selection of audio equipment.

Where did you end up mounting the AMP, got any pics of the trunk?
I like the Stealthbox solution because truck space in this car is pretty minimal and you don't want to take up too much space.

How was wiring all the speakers to the amp?
Any Dynamat or equivalent to reduce "shacking" of the doors etc?