Ok, I know virtually nothing about car audio. I'm looking to spend about $800, and get a good SQ system. I'm not happy wiht the tinny way the s2k speakers sound from the factory, and I'm looking to make it sound better (note - this doesn't necessarily mean louder.)

Things I want the system to have:

-8" sub that doesn't take up much (if any) trunk space. I'm looking for tight, punchy bass that goes well with rock rather than that booming, rumbling bass that seems to go better with rap/r&b

-Replacement speakers for the rest of the factory speakers, mounted in factory locations

-an amp that i can mount/dismount fairly easily - I intend on autocrossing the car and don't want an amp weighing me down at all. If there's a good headunit that will get me what I want then that will do fine...


I'd like to keep as much of the trunk space as possible, as this is my daily driver.

Any suggestions?

 

the one thing u learn about the audio industry is that everyone has an opinion, and everyone has different tastes.
there is a million and one ways of doing things. and costs can blow out really easily.
an audio shop will always be more expensive, but u have some guarantee of workmanship as compared to ur own, which i take is nil, like mine. so i have to rely on others expert advice and skill.
good luck in ur search

 

Blacks2K had it right on. You need to go with what you like, and not base your decision solely on someone elses opinion. When you listen to speakers, don't just go with the pair that plays loudest on the demo board, go with the pair that sounds better and that you can listen to for a long time without fatigue. You don't need a high efficiency speaker if you are going to add an amplifier, and with $800 to spend you should be able to get a decent deck, good speakers, amplifier, and maybe that woofer you mentioned too. You might look for a 4 channel amp, as that can run your door speakers and a subwoofer without becoming to complicated install wise.

When you've narrowed it down a bit, repost with what you've found and we can let you know if you're moving in the right direction from a quality and fitment standpoint. There's a lot of good gear out there, and conversely, a lot of poop. Good luck!

 

To be honest, while I do have some mechanical skill, my electronics skill is, as you said, nil.

I will be getting this professionally installed.

One thing - I don't even know how many, or where, the speakers in the S2k are located!? I know, TOTAL n00b question, but I really haven't had time to find out yet (and to be honest, I won't be picking the car up for another couple of days, so I can't even look :-p)

 

oh and another thing, when u listen to the speakers at the shop or in a car, remember, the car is stationary, and it may sound great but usually ur driving, and thats where the s2000 falls down, there is no insulation, everything goes to shit, and u suffer from all the extraneous noise that is around u and no system can compenstate for that.

 

Ill help you out. Just got back from a 6 hour long road trip drive, so Ill pinpoint the stuff for you tomorrow.

 

you cant get a sub for that money. roughly, spend 200$ on head unit, 200$ on amp, and 200$ on a pair of speakers. 200$ for installation...

improved, but not great

 

Let NFR install it. Buy the parts that you like, not what others like. AUDITION speakers!

 

Personally, I'd start simple - replace the HU and components with quality parts since its is already $$$ enough once you factor in needed extras like the Modifry DCI ($100) to keep dash controls (yes, you will miss them). Replacing the radio and speakers is pretty easy if you have the courage to remove parts off the car (remember, someone in Japan put them on by hand).

I can turn my sub off and my system, a "low-end" Alpine 9847 ($200) and Polk Audio Momo 6500s ($300) still sounds incredible (but they are amped, originally at 40W/ch and they sounded great, now more). The mid-bass on the momos is really great, and the tweeters are incredibly bright so they have range if you want it. If you buy a Modifry DCI and the wiring harness he sells, installation of the radio is as simple as matching colored wires together. Plus, if you go in stages, you can spread out the cost and see how you like things iteratively.

If you do want to add the sub, amp and wiring, it will take more informed people than me to get under your $800 budget.

Fyi, I have a darkside V1 sub box mounted in a corner of my trunk - if you need trunk space (like I do), its a great but pricey box. http://darksidesubs.com/

 

I was actually wondering about the dash controls. Where can I find the Modifry DCI thing?