lost in audio land

[turboenvy]

Hi all, first post here although a frequent visitor.

Planning on upgrading facotry system sometime after the holiday season. This is what I'm looking at right now. (Subject to change at any possible moment.)

Amp: Sony XM-460GTX 60w x 4 $139 onlinecarstereo.com
Front/Rear: Pioneer Premier TS-C504 comp $99 onlinecartsereo.com

Keeping stock HU and sub.

What does everyone think about the Sony amps? Am I crazy to try and put components in the front and rear? I'm doing it mostly cause there cheap, and so I dont' have unmatched speakers. Also, (stop reading here if you don't wan't to hear another question.) I would love 6.5 components in the front if there not hard to squeeze in?

I know and agree with the notion that speakers can't be judged till there heard, but I can't find anyone in town that sells pioneer premier so I can't check out these particular ones. Anyone know how they sound? I heard some Focal's at Car-Toys and loved em. (wife loved em too). I was looking at some polks at crutchfield but I heard them at CC and they sounded like crap. (mabey just at the store though?).

Thanks to anyone who just read this whole post! Any help greatly appreciated!

P.S. I have a 2003 P5

 

[1sty]

Sony amps are garbage. Don't buy it.

You can fit 6.5" components you just need an adapter plate.

There really isn't any reason ot do components in the back as if youhave the tweeter mounted low then a coaxle is just as good and if the tweeter is high it will be closer to your ears then the front tweeters.
IF those are the pioneers I think they are then they don't sound to bad. However my ears will be very different from yours as the only focals I like were there polyglass. The kevlar and utopias sounded liek monkey ass to me.

 

[Poseur]

Yea, poo on the sony amp, don't worry about the rear speakers and get the focals you like (or something else that sounds good to you) up front. rear speakers being loud is a BAD BAd thing. deck-power alone with stock speakers is MORE than enough. I actually prefer my factory speakers to my Infinitys in the back because they aren't as harsh, and play more of a midrange that blends instead of seperates itself.

WHen shopping for speakers (and amps really) Make sure you bring in a couple cd's and go through the different flavors of music you like to see if they'll handle it all well. As for amps. if you're looking for a decent amp for not thatmuch $ it's pretty hard to beat Eclipse. They've got really clean sounding amps even at their low-end. ALpines are generally pretty good as well, but again, listen too everything if you can. prettymuch think of it this way. sony=crap. Don't think of this as a chevy/ford kind of thing either. Sonys car audio is just not up to par. they've got cool colors and flashy graphics, yes. but that's 'cause the stuff inside isn't worth buying so they need to give you something...

 

[servoeyes]

To thired those opinions...sony=crappola.

Yes...rear speakers can throw off the sound staging, so I wouldn't amp them with more than the HU.

As for amps, if you don't want to spend that much then check out US acoustics. Damn good deal, and decent products as well. I wa actually responding earlier, but my comp. restarted. I was going to suggest Eclipse, JL and Alpine. I own an eclipse and JL and wouldn't trade them for anything in the price ranges that I paid.

As for speakers...yeah...you really have to listen. Eclipse, Focal, JL, CDT, Boston. They all make really good components...so does image dynamics. I bought CDTs, which need some break-in initially. After a couple weeks they hit their normal sound...initially they're tight and midrangey. But they mellow over the break-in and sound excellent. But again...if you can't hear them, don't buy them.

 

[turboenvy]

Wow thanks everyone for your help. I never liked sony anyways just that that amp seemed at the right price. And thanks also for everyones help with speakers. I am going to try and find some more audio stores and listen to some more.

Thanks again!

 

[got wake?]

yeah, don't get sony and i pioneer doesn't make very good speakers, IMO. i just got some alpine type R 5.25" components along with a set of 8's for new front sound stage. the type R's look promising, and i've heard the 6.5's and i liked how they sound. and for $150 shipped, i can't complain i got them off onlinecarstereo.