I'm getting my first paycheck tommorow, and I real want a sound system in my car. However, I don't know jack shit about car audio. The main question I have is what are the pros and cons between replacing the factory speakers with new ones and just getting some subs? I'm looking for both sound quality and how clear and deep it sounds loud. Also, what are some good brands, prices, etc. etc. I'm looking for something in the 200-300 dollar range (yes craigslist is most likely where i'll turn)
just remember that you generally get what you pay for...high price=high quality (unless its stolen shit then you might get high quality for low price but a lot of stolen shit get ruined from people cutting wires without cutting the power first)
1st check? my advice... save it sorry i don't know shit about car audio, either p.s. i hope this doesn't come across as bitchy, it's just a genuine kind thought
get Pioneer, kenwood or alpine headunit (i love my pioneer), without replacing the HU, any speakers you upgrade will sound like shit. get one that will let you customize the EQ and has the highest RMS watt output (should be like 50-52) even on stock speakers, the more juice pumpin to them from the HU will make a world of a difference. from there you can either choose to upgrade your speakers or subs. a lot of people do subs, but i love my speakers (alpine type-s and infinities) when looking for speakers, again you want the highest RMS wattage you can find. look at alpine, infinity, kenwood for speakers. you can even get component speakers and run them off of another amp for even more bump. subs-> JL hands down. you're gonna have to talk to somebody about what amp to get, but basically you are gonna want to match your wattage of your sub to your amp. if running two subs, you can either get two mono amps or one multi. two mono amps will give you the best bang, but will seriously drain your power (lights will flicker and dim when bass hits) and your alternator will soon give out - people who do this usually have a second car battery installed in the trunk. DO NOT BUY ANY SPEAKERS FROM BESTBUY OR WALMART!!!!!! the ones that are actually worth it are extremely overpriced. go to a specialized car audio shop. they can tell you what you can get with your money and how to best customize the sound you want. they will also either build a good box for your subs or point you to someone that will. you want a box built FOR YOUR NEEDS (whether it's ported or sealed) and one that will fit your trunk. most of the bass you feel and hear is a result of the way soundwaves bounce off of your trunk and in the box. not all trunks are the same, obviously. car audio can be a money pit if you get to be an audiophile. but one thing is for sure, you don't want a cheap piece of crap setup bought from a bigbox store. they have shitty, custom-made speakers that are ridiculously overpriced and their sub-boxes are one-size fits all (which is definitely not good for sound quality). to be honest, you aren't going to get good, clear and deep sound for 300 or even 400 bucks. you will prolly spend about 100-150 on a decent head unit alone. subs + amp + box can easily cost 400. your best bet is to get a good head unit and replace your speakers.
