Budgeting for new system

[glassjowned]

Hey I am looking to buy a sound system towards the end of the year and I'm going to need to do some serious saving, which obviously is easiest if I know how much I need.

My car is a VX and I will be looking at buying the following...
New head unit
Splits for the front,
Coaxials for the back doors,
1 or 2 12" Subs (depending on what some of you say I will need)
I will look more into amps when I come to do this as I'm going to get it all installed professionally from the same place I buy it from.

I am hoping to spend about $400-600 on a head unit, and about $800-$1000 on speakers. I'm not sure then how much I will need for sub/s and amps but it would be nive to have it all installed for not much more than $2000. Is this a reality?

Brands I am hoping to use is Alpine for the head unit and probably the amps, and someone like Focal for speakers. Should I use the same brand subs as the speakers?

I listen to mostly punk/emo/hardcore music but I'd like it to still throw down if I put on some hip hop/rnb. So, not sure if I should use 1 or 2 subs?

Well thanks for any help,
Philip

 

[semi]

i doubt you'll get that whole lot installed for under $2000, depending on what subs/amps you use. On a budget, its better to go for 1 better 12" rather than 2 cheaper, poorer quality ones.

Seeing as you'll be spending a fair wad of cash on your splits, you'll probably need a decent 4 or 2ch to get the most out of them, or you'll be wasting your money, expect to pay at least 400-500 for a quality 4ch, maybe something around the same or probably a little more for a ~500W mono of about the same quality

On top of that, theres gonna be at least $100-$150 worth of cabling and accessories, and the cost of your installation, which you whouldnt be scrimping on if you're going for pretty good gear, so gettting in under $2000 would be pretty tough

 

[glassjowned]

Thanks semi, it would be nice to have a realistic goal but its probably too early for me to set one anyway.

 

[phree]

Sometimes less is more. I agree with semi.

If you are thinking $1000 splits then you're going to want to budget for something like that again for the sub/s. Otherwise the splits will be outstanding and the sub/s average.

I find one good 10" in the correct ported box, fed the right power, works good enough for me. It moves your hair! How loud do you want your sub bass?

Don't worry about rears for now. Spend the money on amps etc. Run the stock rears of the hu, faded to the front, so you can't hear them. You won't want them with $1000 splits up front.

Choose a hu and splits, then let the speaker decision guide the choice of sub. It is not neccesary or even desireable to match brand names of speakers and subs. Get what sounds best to you.

 

[semi]

with what phree and i have said, you should be able to get in under $2000. You were looking at 800-900 for 2 sets of speakers, so around 500-600 will get a pretty decent set of splits that you should be pretty happy with.

You'll be saving money again if you run your rears off your HU as you can get a 2ch amp for the fronts. Im not too knowledgable on multi channel amps, but you should be able to get a nice 2ch to suit for about 400 or maybe even a 4ch to run a sub for a little while, and buy a mono later.

A single 12 will do the job (as i've said), and you dont seem to be after huge power, but rather SQ, so have a look at boston, focal, image dynamics who all have some pretty decent subs around the $500 mark

thats around $1500, then add another 500 for installation, including cabling and stuff and you should come in around your $2000 mark

If you do it this way, you've got your $2000 mark to save for and still easy ways to upgrade- eg buying a mono or another sub if you need/want it

 

[garfa]

i would not recommend running the sub off a 4 channel amp connected to expensive front splits. if running a sub and speakers it will reduce the headroom of the amp by a good whack, therefore introducing distorsion in the form of clipping.
probably better to pay an extra 200 for a jaycar 2 channel and then bridge that to run the sub and then a seperate 2 channel for the froonts of what ever brand you decide.

 

[semi]

glass has said about 800-1000 on 2 sets of speakers, so id say 500 or 600 on a set of splits is about reasonable. Im only saying to run the sub off the 4ch so you have something, and keep upgrading in stages, so you can have the $2000 goal

 

[BigDaz]

atleast $2500 is more realistic i reckon if ur gunna pay up to 1000 for 2 sets of speakers . i only payed $400 all up for my front n rear speakers. then say u get 2 12's thats about $600 then u want an amp or 2 amps to run those ... that another 1000+ then ur lookin at a head unit so 500-650 for a good unit then u need wiring, sub boxes. it all adds up

It depends on what brands ur chasing aswell. the difference between a ... clarion system and a Rockford system would be over the $1000 mark easy.

Heres what i payed for all my gear. keep in mind that fusion is pretty cheap stuff

Alpine H/U - $525 *down from $825, was last years model*
Fusion 6.5' splits - $260
Kenwood 6x9's - $130
Fusion Powerplant 12''s - $250 each * i have 2*
Fusion Powerplant 1404 amp - i forget lol was about $500 i think
Fusion Powerplant 600D 1ch - $800
Fusion 1 farad cap - $200
All wiring/terminals etc etc was around $200

let me get my calc lol ....... thats about $3200 ish for ... i hate to say it. Not really a great system. By jeez it goes hard as hell but i have seen less money spent with much better results. U live and u learn but

Sorry for the big post in ur thread buddy

 

[semi]

Im not trying to attack you, but heres my opinions of your list.

Id leave the rears out for now, and not get 6x9s at all, unless you feel you need them later. Spend a little more on splits, with the money you save.
Could save a bit of money by going with jaycar response amps.

No need to buy a cap unless you hae real power supply issues that u dont wanna bother fixing

this should save you some money for slightly better, but less stuff, removing some of the 'unneccessary' (at least at this stage) stuff

 

[BigDaz]

yeh i didnt mention that, 6x9's are no good BUT if ur not gunna have subs and not gunna play ur music at ear pearcing levels then a decent set of 6x9's amped up give a clean warm sound but with subs in your system u just want 6's or 6.5's in the rear. i would but i dont have them money lol AND these things dont distort when goin loud and they hevnt broken yet lol

and also I wasnt suggesting u do what i did or u should buy what i bought, i was just showin ya how much money i wasted basically.