I at one point enjoyed playing with car audio. I used to install systems for friends in college. I didn't have the money for a sweet system, but I could have fun installing theirs. I never much liked alpine. I did like Pioneer though. I had some Blauplunt Speakers that were amazing. I have stuck with Sony Xplode lately. I have been itching to get satellite radio for sometime and a few weeks back I got a payment for alot of computer work so I finally did it. I had a great time wiring permanently my new satellite radio and thus far I love it. It's nice to be able to listen to one or two radio shows throughout a day long trip.
Don't know if you New England guys ever got up as far as Bangor Maine, but back in 1990-93 I managed a place called New England Auto Security, it was on Oak Street at the top of the hill.
We carried Denon, Nacamichi, Orion, Precision Power, it was fun. I almost bought the business from Mark the owner, but then I found that he was in the red BIG TIME so I bailed, no need to buy the Titanic. He closed about a year later.
I got the sweetest car stereo ever. Its the best factory default cd/cassette/am-fm radio that they ever put in a mini-van. I always say that on the next car I'll get a good stereo, and then I never do. Of course my commute is all of 3 minutes by car so it really isn't worth it at this point.
Atomm wrote:Remember, you don't pick a stereo to go with the car, you pick a car to go with the stereo.....
actually, in this case, it was "you pick the car that will fit 3 car seats". 🙂 Had to get rid of my Xterra to get the mini-van. One of the saddest days of my life 🙁
Well if you recall Oak st was the high hill that dropped down to the river and the old black iron automobile/Rail road bridge crossed the river crossing over to Brewer Me.
NEAS was the pointed glass front building with 10 car bays at the crest of the hill right before you dropped down to the bridge, if that helps.
Crazyest install we ever did was Steven Kings Blazer. He walked in, said
SK: "You know who I am?" ME: "Yup" SK: "Here are the keys" ME: "Do what ever?" SK: " Yup" ME: "Pick up?" SK: "2 weeks"
We put about $35,000 of radar, phones, audio and rust proofing (LOL) in his blazer.
Didn't know he did, to be honest I don;t like his books and his movies are blah.
If it was the vehicle I hope our stereo was on... hahahah
Joe and I met when I moved to Bangor, we worked at the "international" airport together there. Kings movie the Langoleers was cool becouse it takes place in the terminal where we use to work and at the end of the movie, the eat the very truck we use to work in..... feels like justice!
Im running a JVC 940 h/u w/ 12 disk changer, Lanzar 421 4 ch (1000w) feeding Inifinity Perfect 6 componets in the front and Infinity Kappa 2 way 6 3/4"s in the rear. For boom I have an Audiobahn aw1008x powered by a Lanzar 1200D (1200w). I've also got an Epicenter.
Pics in the link below have my old Fosgate amp in them but the rest of the system is the same. I've had the JVC changer for almost 6 years now and still never a skip - even when I go over train tracks. I have to give all my love to JVC because my gear from them has treated me well.
The infinitys are pretty awesome too. The tweeter on the Kappas did melt off its mount though 🙁 so I guess I mean the Perfects rock. Before I got them I was looking at CDT and Bose.
I've been outta the current market for awhile since system does what I need it too, and I don't have room for more without learing how to fiberglass.
The 1200D has been around for awhile, but the 421 is a new model as of last year. I ordered the 420 - but it was discontinued and I got the 421 instead. :evil:
Before I got my current set up I was running Orion "hott step" amps, a cerwin vega Vega 10, and my faithful JVC.
Before that Pyrmid amps :oops: and.....yes the Bazooka tube! - hey I was young, it was my first 'system'. How's that for 'old skool' ? haha.
I still bump to Sir mix-a-lot and House of Pain too.
I took my 15" Home Stereo Speakers, set them in the backseat, found an 8ohm app and hooked them up to my pull out Sony Casette deck. From there, I had a casette converter to hook up a CD walkman. BTW, these speakers freaking rocked!
Under that set up, I cranked House of Pain. It's the House.... The House.....
:-)
Did I mention I was 17 and it was my 81 Monte Carlo? 😛
😄 My man had the same set up when he was 16 in his 78 Camaro - except he was using the factory 8 track with house speakers.
Must be a guy thing, my pre system hokeyness was just a boom box in the back seat.
Not to thread hijack; Im more expanding. I'd love to hear how everyone moved up through their 'system' growning pains. Curious just how many did the house speaker thing....or worse.
First head unit was an Alpine 7374 was stationed in Germany and took a trip to Italy to the Lamborghini factory, the 7374 was a cassette deck with DBX built in. I begged and pleaded the shop people to let me buy a 7374 for (I'm ashamed of this $1,500 u.s.) The thing was that Alpine never released the 7374 to any public world sales, so I had a Lamborghini head unit in my Toyota Fourunner.
That's where the A/D/S/ PQ10 and the BA 797's came from the runner. I still have the 7374 in the garage, it's hooked to a old PC power supply for 12Vdc and has a pair of junk boom box speakers tied to t he plywood box, it's my annoy the neighbors while working on the heap stereo.
That's why I kind of started this thread, thinking of buying all new for a spring time install in my heap.
MP3 player 10" sub 6x9 for rear fill in the cab corners 6.5' coax in bottom front of doors 6.5" components for top of doors 1 mono block 1 4 chanel
My debate is do I buy from one speaker manufacture or mix the audio.... All JL audio amps and speakers.. JL Mono amp and sub, Rockford 4 ch MB Quart speakers......
That's what I can't decide, and I'm a male (last time I checked) so it could take years for a decision. :roll:
I have a convertible so I use transdeucers that act much like subs.. only You can mount them under the seat so you feel your lows much better then the typical sub setup.. they arent speaker units and the direction is sent into the floorpan.. thing I hate most about these Speaker/Car Audio junkies with their ricers/etc. round town here.. is that annoying rattle.. it also works really well since with having a convertible your acoustics change dramatically.. in regards to mixing speakers.. I've done it before.. really never seemed to be much trouble.. kinda depends on your own personal preference .. are the speaker covers visible or concealed behind the panel.. though with the system I am building now I'm just going to make it all Bose for the Speakers with the Transdeucers being Alpine.. I just prefer Bose.. One thing that's cool with this new dash unit I got is it has a TA/EQ which you plug into the unit a microphone.. place it on the front left seat.. let it cycle for 6 mins and it sets your EQ's to the acoustics of the car.. whatever you do I'd suggest buying most of your components online from like.. ebay.. This Pioneer Premier 860 was being sold locally for around 600 (without tax) I got it online for 330 (with shipping).. My dad is more an expert though so if you need any further help just let me know and I can shoot him a message..
It has always been my opinion that itâs the tech specs you need to match, not the brand name. Different companies specialize in different products and often branch out to other related things. Typically what they built their name on they do best - and play catch up developing the related products.
Both good points, I live the ebay dream, and EC I use to run a car audio store so I still "kind of" keep up with the industry, BG, yah good point keep to the MFG main product and check you specs RMS not peak, THD, etc