Help me with idea's please

[aussieben]

Hey, just new to this site..

I have a '89 VN berlina which i bought for $1000
Has 180,000 km on the clock and pretty much standard as with no dints, scratches or anything wrong with it.

All ive put in so far is a crappy cd player for the time being.

I'm looking at a nice custom boot install or something but dont wanna take up all of my boot space and really dont have any idea about all this.

Im also looking at spending around $2000 on the sound system.

So, please ideas and pics and what sort of system i will get for that sort of money would be a huge help for me!

[Deutscher]

Hey, just new to this site..

I have a '89 VN berlina which i bought for $1000
Has 180,000 km on the clock and pretty much standard as with no dints, scratches or anything wrong with it.

All ive put in so far is a crappy cd player for the time being.

I'm looking at a nice custom boot install or something but dont wanna take up all of my boot space and really dont have any idea about all this.

Im also looking at spending around $2000 on the sound system.

So, please ideas and pics and what sort of system i will get for that sort of money would be a huge help for me!

It kind of depends on what your mainly after.
I'm presuming your 'crappy' cd player doesnt have pre-outs so you'll need a new deck... depending on ~$250 will get you one. Pre outs are for amps ... #pre-outs = #amps.
Do you want front and rear speakers? are you going to run them off an amp or the deck?
Do you want a single sub or two subs??
are you after SPL or SQ??
If you only want bass... get a deck, wiring kit, sub and amp..
It's a balancing game..
You need to let us knwo what your after

[aussieben]

It kind of depends on what your mainly after.
I'm presuming your 'crappy' cd player doesnt have pre-outs so you'll need a new deck... depending on ~$250 will get you one. Pre outs are for amps ... #pre-outs = #amps.
Do you want front and rear speakers? are you going to run them off an amp or the deck?
Do you want a single sub or two subs??
are you after SPL or SQ??
If you only want bass... get a deck, wiring kit, sub and amp..
It's a balancing game..
You need to let us knwo what your after

Well as i said im new to all this sort of stuff.

im looking for something with good sound and a single sub for the boot that can be faced towards the front and have the middle of the back seat drop down.

i would like front and back speakers, but wat ever sounds better..

[Philthy]

For a budget of around $2000, I would probably spend around $4-500 on front splits, $3-400 on a 2ch amp for them, $2-300 on a 12" sub (either in a box or build your own), then $5-600 on the sub amp. You can leave the rear speakers stock or get a cheap set of 6.5" coaxials to give it some rear fill and run them off the headunit.

Wiring for 2 amps will probably be around $100 or maybe a little more, and as Deutscher said you may need a new headunit if you don't have enough pre-outs, but you won't need anything fancy.

As far as what brands/models etc you should buy, do you just want a loud system to cruise around with the subs blaring (SPL), or do you want it to sound clearer and crisper than the standard speakers at normal listening volumes (SQ)?

If you are after a SPL system, spend a bit more on the sub and monoblock, but if it is SQ you are after concentrate on the front splits and even consider a more expensive 10" sub

The way you want to face your sub won't sound ideal but if you want it to show off your sub then you will just have to live with it.

[aussieben]

For a budget of around $2000, I would probably spend around $4-500 on front splits, $3-400 on a 2ch amp for them, $2-300 on a 12" sub (either in a box or build your own), then $5-600 on the sub amp. You can leave the rear speakers stock or get a cheap set of 6.5" coaxials to give it some rear fill and run them off the headunit.

Wiring for 2 amps will probably be around $100 or maybe a little more, and as Deutscher said you may need a new headunit if you don't have enough pre-outs, but you won't need anything fancy.

As far as what brands/models etc you should buy, do you just want a loud system to cruise around with the subs blaring (SPL), or do you want it to sound clearer and crisper than the standard speakers at normal listening volumes (SQ)?

If you are after a SPL system, spend a bit more on the sub and monoblock, but if it is SQ you are after concentrate on the front splits and even consider a more expensive 10" sub

The way you want to face your sub won't sound ideal but if you want it to show off your sub then you will just have to live with it.

Thanks, thats quite helpfull.

Now just gotta think of i way to put it my boot to look good.. been lookin at lots and lots of boots and alot are just a plain box holding the sub/s, is there a website that just has lots of photos of custom systems?

[Joe Bellissimo]

Just confirming before I make a comment,

Are you doing the install yourself? Is that budget PURELY for the gear?

[Deutscher]

Thanks, thats quite helpfull.

Now just gotta think of i way to put it my boot to look good.. been lookin at lots and lots of boots and alot are just a plain box holding the sub/s, is there a website that just has lots of photos of custom systems?

Well.. Phillthy pretty much said it all.
On our JC website we have a post called Post Your Soundsystem here or something rather... here is the link - Post your car audio system and pictures - mayb be useful. Had a quick look. Maybe some ideas of the system or layout.

[Deutscher]

Just confirming before I make a comment,

Are you doing the install yourself? Is that budget PURELY for the gear?

Eeeks... that's something we didn't think off!!
Car audio installers are rip-offs!! (IMO)
Only thing I get done is get them to install the head unit ... cause thats a pain in the behind!! wen you gotta try dismantleing the dash, centre console ... ehhh not worth it.

[Deutscher]

I recommend Alpine Type R components, these are some decent speakers!!

[aussieben]

$2000 for the gear and then wat ever it costs to get it installed.. i havnt got the time or patients to do it myself.. i work 70 hours a week :P

[Philthy]

Eeeks... that's something we didn't think off!!
Car audio installers are rip-offs!! (IMO)
Only thing I get done is get them to install the head unit ... cause thats a pain in the behind!! wen you gotta try dismantleing the dash, centre console ... ehhh not worth it.

Agreed. I tend to think that paying someone to install gear is just throwing money away.
Even the headunit only takes 10 mins when you have done it enough times.

If you don't know how to install gear have a look through the "how to" section on the forum and see if you can find some hints, and if you are still not confident you can always ask on here and depending where you are from someone might be able to come give you a hand for a 6 pack or something like that. And then at least you will know how to do it for next time as well.

For a single sub setup I personally like the sound and practicality of installing the sub opposite the spare wheel well. You can even buy (if you are lazy) fibreglass boxes that fit in there and are apparently quite sturdy.
But sub positioning is often a personal preference kind of affair

[aussieben]

yeh if i wasnt doin 70 hour weeks i would attempt it myself

[Philthy]

I recommend Alpine Type R components, these are some decent speakers!!

They are a very nice speaker, but for the same price you could go with a set of focals or something similar. Again, it depends what the ultimate goal of the system is

$2000 for the gear and then wat ever it costs to get it installed.. i havnt got the time or patients to do it myself.. i work 70 hours a week :P

Well if you are happy to pay someone to install it you might even get a nice deal buying everything at the one place and letting them fit it. But again, I tend to avoid limiting yourself to what one retailer stocks. I would only do this if they gave you an amazing deal

[Deutscher]

They are a very nice speaker, but for the same price you could go with a set of focals or something similar. Again, it depends what the ultimate goal of the system is

Ahh that's true. My bad haha.. Focals do sound great just don't think they have the volume that I'm always after

[Philthy]

Ahh that's true. My bad haha.. Focals do sound great just don't think they have the volume that I'm always after

Yeah thats where the alpines will come into their own, and a perfect example of how different speakers suit different applications

[Joe Bellissimo]

I have sent you a PM mate, hope to chat to you soon!