So finally, the time has come for a new audio system. I must say, the stock audio on the 04/05 is much better than 00-03 but a upgrade is definitely needed.

Im not very knowledgable in audio and I have read most of these threads over the first 2 pages here in the forum. I've always favored Alpine, but it seems as though they do not come with a equalizer? Since we only have a single din, if the equalizer part of it makes a difference, I definitely want to select a HU with that function available.

One question that I am not sure about is how compatible diff brand audio equipment go with each other? I am looking to replace the stock HU, speakers, adding a sub and a amp. Im thinking about keeping the stock tweeters because I dont think they will make a significant difference. Please correct me if im wrong.

I think everyone can vouch for their personal favorite audio equipment. Money is not a factor, although I would like to keep the budget ay about 1k. I've had pretty good experience with kenwood speakers, but I am looking for input on others. If not a alpine, Clarion would be my second choice for head unit. What is something I should look for in a HU? What good speakers would go good with that also? What is a good recommended setup that would run well with each other? Thanks in advance.

 

i know that some of the alpine radios do have an eq of some sort, either several bands of adjustment or up to a full out 31 band. i do know that most, not sure about all, can connect to a seperate brain(pxa-h700) to access a fully adjustable crossover, 31 band eq and some other functions. but that unit is a single din sized unit on its own. i am not into alpine products, so my knowledge of alpine is cut short. im sure there are other members on this board who are more familiar with alpine than i am.

if an eq is something that u would want to have, u can look into a trunk mount equalizer. considering ur budget is not much, i feel an eq should be that last thing to. a radio with at least a 5 band eq allows enough adjustment for any normal listener.

different brands do not affect sound quality at all. as a matter of fact, mixing equipment brands is probably the best thing u can do for urself. u can find the best bang for the buck equipment this way. not every company can make a good product in every category of car audio. let me explain that better, a company can make a good product in every category, but... quite possibly a different company can make a better product at a cheaper price. so basically, company A produces good speakers and amps. but company B can produce a better amp at the same price or even a cheaper price. that is just an example, it is not always that way.

i would change to a different tweeter simply because the factory system sucks. tweeters can either make or break a system. tweeters are just as important as all the other speakers, why else do we have them? tweeters come in the set of component speakers. so in a way, you are not buying them for an extra cost. they are just coming seperate, instead of attatched to a speaker(co-axials)

try to identify the type of sound you like. it might help me when i reccommend some speakers to you. some people like loud harsh treble, smooth and sweet treble, detailed treble, detailed but smooth there are other ways to describe them, but i cant remember off the top of my head. also, wut about overall sound? would u like the sound to be transparent and clear or warm and smooth?

there are many factors that come into play when getting a system, i find that most people overlook the most important one. identifying what you, yourself, enjoys. i noticed that many people suggest what they like, but do not consider that you might not like what they like. the end result, you will end up buying their system. choose your own equipment, go to your local shop and demo some items.

something to look for in a head unit would be high voltage outputs, at least 4-5 volts, eq if you would want that, it all depends on what you are looking for and what u think is neccessary for your needs.

i feel that eclipse and diamond audio D3 are great bang for the buck amplifiers for highs. they sound great right out of the box. indentify what type of sound you enjoy and i can reccommend some speakers for you.

 

an EQ should be your last resort for an audio system. You can yield great results without and EQ. Get all your speakers other stuff in before an EQ. an EQ should only be used as a fine tuning tool, not to boost your 30hz by 6db just because you don't have subs. lol.

 

Thank you for the replys. I guess the type of sound I want would be warm and smooth. I listen to a wide range of music from hip hop to old school like chicago, etc. Im not looking for something that would shake the neighborhood or bump real hard in my car, I just want something with good quality sound that I can enjoy without feeling like im squeezing the last bit of juice out of the OEM speakers, and be able to shake the neighborhood if i wanted to

If im going to run a single amp for both my sub and my car speakers, how many watts should the amp be? Im looking to put a 10 inch sub in the back. Thanks again

 

well, with a $1,000 budget u can look into some of these products.

Diamond Audio S600s component set. it features a silk dome tweeter and the mid range response is pretty darn warm. the tweeter is very soft and sweet, but offers pretty good detail for a silk tweeter. the only downside with this speaker is it loves a lot of power. i had a lot of luck with these in past with more power. they are about $350-400 everywhere.
i would run at least 125 watts rms to it.

another good choice would be DLS ultimate iridium 6.2. they offer a very good neutral, smooth, sometimes warm response. they can sound very natural depending on ur setup. i can honestly vouch that they sound incredible. i usually do not like warm smooth sounding speakers, but these honestly sound good doing it.
they are around $500 all day long on ebay. i would take these hands down over the diamonds. if u dont mind spending the extra money, u should definitately look into these.

for an amp, try to get something that is 100x4 or more. so u can get at least 200 watts for your sub. i would suggest getting 2 amps, 1 amp for the highs, and a stronger amp for your sub. this way, there is not limit to power for your sub. although this might be a more expensive route, there are less limitations. decide on a subwoofer first before you choose an amp.

a good 10" sub would be the image dynamics IDQv.2 great output, very accurate and doesnt cost much. the sub can be had for about $160.

whichever alpine radio you choose.

let me know what you think.

 

A nice way to go is all Alpine or all Eclipse. You should be able to get a pretty decent system with that budget but you need to shop.

If your interested I have a Alpine deck "perfect condition" and a set of Diamond Audio S600s component set "never used" that I will sell for a fair price. I got both of them back when I worked for an authorized dealer and I can include a receipt. Send me a PM if you or anyone else is interested.