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Hi, I'm looking into buying a 04 S2K in the next month. I test drive one, and loved it. The stock stereo on the 04 S2k is extremely bad though. Worst then a civic. I am just wondering how does Aftermarket stereo improve? A lot better? or it will always be bad due to convertible? It's a great car, but I want to be able to enjoy the stereo on some long trips. Inputs will be greatly appreciated. Thank you
what i meant to ask was... how did S2K sound "after" the stereo upgrade? Was it good?? Or was it just "okay" due to the wind noise on the convertible? Sorry for the confusion. It must be my bad grammer or something.
If you spend a little money (under 1000) You will be extremely happy. My car sounds great, and I have done many system in hard top cars. Plus, I consider myself somewhat of an audiophile (especially in home stereo), So yes, spend a few dollars and you will be amazed at what you get......
Heres a selfish plug and flame fuel for phil......
Originally posted by LemonS2k
what i meant to ask was... how did S2K sound "after" the stereo upgrade? Was it good?? Or was it just "okay" due to the wind noise on the convertible? Sorry for the confusion. It must be my bad grammer or something.
no, i understood your question just fine... the problem is, what do you define as a stereo upgrade? i can't tell you how it will sound 'after' some mysterious upgrade, b/c i don't know what you want, intend to spend, or are willing to do... what's an upgrade? do you plan to change speakers? add speakers? new headunit? rewire? add amps? subs? sound processors? custom fabrication? kick panels? etc....
at any speed over 40 mph w/ the top down, you won't get audiophile quality b/c the background noise level is too high... but with a little effort, you can get good sound. put the windows up w/ the top down, and it's a whole lot easier. mine sounds fantastic, and i LOVE the fact that i can clearly hear tunes above the wind top and windows down at 100+ mph.
still, i'm not sure that you're willing to spend the $2,500+ (MSRP) that i *cough* spent *cough* on my setup. (i paid notably less and did my own install, but still spent quite a bit more than $1,000.)
so, i referred you to the FAQ, where there is a section that does address your question:
[QUOTE]How much should I plan to spend?
That's much too vague a question. If anything, plan for steeply diminishing returns to investment with each minor improvement costing exponentially more than the last. A journal of speaker improvements reads like a hierarchy of needs. In the first order of needs, you're just concerned with hearing the music. Beyond that, you start becoming concerned with making the music sound "real."
What would you do with... ...a budget of $50?
Just add rear coaxial speakers.
...a budget of $200?
Replace the head unit (probably Panasonic or JVC) and add front coaxial speakers.
...a budget of $600?
Replace the head unit (Clarion, Pioneer, lower Eclipse) and add a small amp and front component speakers
...a budget of $1000?
As before but now, switch out the amp for a 4-channel amp and add a sub
...a budget of $1400+?
$1400 is freedom. First, take out $200 for the install parts such as a DCI, wiring, and so forth and you're left with $300 each for the other components. $300 seems to be a magic number in car audio. A lot of the really awesome individual components--be it deck, amp, component speakers, or sub--cost about $300. Spend a little less and your options become severely limited. Spend a good amount more, and there aren't any real improvements until you get the level around $700 or so.
...no specific budget but with a desire to score on all the value monsters out there? (as of 9 Oct 03)
Have thezeb pricematch ikesoud for either the Clarion DXZ635mp or the Pioneer 4500mp ($150)
Order a Planet Audio P450 from zedaudio@aol.com ($68 from the original manufacturer)
Thank you all for your help! I'm willing ot spend anything below $4000. But I guess no matter what you do, the wind noise will still be there? How about with the top up?
top up? i get incredible sound. i spent a lot of time getting around the top down issue, so top up it's quite overpowering at times... but my general balance tends to be a little bassy with the top up... bass seems to be the first thing that vanishes with the top down...
$4000!? well, we can get you suited up just fine...
actually, we should be able to get you set for a good bit less... what kinds of music do you listen to? what volume levels are you looking to attain?
$4000 my system would sound like Carnegie Hall. No need for that in our car.....but hey, if you got it....
Phil, those Audiobahns dont actually do anything....they just sit there and light up my trunk, RICE style....
One day we will have like an Electronics meet somewhere in the middle, and you can hear em..... I am curious as well to how our systems compare. I am glad as hell I installed it myself. Made me realize how much car stereo places are ripoffs and how easy it really is.
Originally posted by LemonS2k
Thank you all for your help! I'm willing ot spend anything below $4000. But I guess no matter what you do, the wind noise will still be there? How about with the top up?
Before I start, I want to point out that I am not ripping on you at all. I really don't understand I want to.
I have never installed a full system in a car. I have changed out AM only radios to AM/FM cassettes and added CD Changers, but never a full system until my S2000. I could not hear the radio over about 50MPH with the top down. So I understand why I spent what I did on my car. I can even understand those that put a navigation system in their cars. I have a portable unit and love it.
However, what I can't figure out is why someone would spend $4000 on an audio only setup for a convertable sports car. There is no sound insulation or isolation. You will hear wind noise, road noise, traffic, pedestrians, wildlife, and usually in my case sirens. Unless you are only going to listen to is inside a well insulated garage, it is never going to sound like $4000 worth.
If you are going into a show and you want to display what you can do with car audio and will theoretically make money with your "demo" then I can understand that.
Help me out guys. Why SOOOOO much money on car audio?
01-07-2004, 10:39 AM
S2k's Aftermarket Stereo
