sound system opinions

the guy said it wold=uld need one with 4 amps i think or something like that.. what do u mean they dont llike sealed enclosurs?... i asked about the capasitor cuz i think the battery is too small i dont want to be bumping music and the headlights dimming on each base.. im kinda worried aboout the wight as well how would one 15 comare with two 12s like a 15in. L7..
 
You may very well need to upgrade you electrical system. Start with the big 3 and then replace your battery with a yellowtop and if you still have problems you need a high output Alt. What I mean by "they don't like sealed enclosures" is that the type-rs do not perform well in them. And I'm not sure why you want two subs anyway. When you double up on subs you mutilply the enclosure space issue. If your looking to do some damage spend the money you would on two decent subs on one good one. The right box will make all the difference. Like ive said I have a type-x and in 2.4 cubes at 30hz this "sq" sub shakes my hair. Thats not a hyperbole. Why in the name of god would you need four amps?
 
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Joel, I need to know -

Are you after the answers, or are you after knowledge? Which one? If you are after just the answers, then yes, we can plan an entire system for you. If you are after knowledge, then you need to read up on a few things. You are missing the very basics of car audio, from what I gather.

If you seek knowledge, and the ability to decide for yourself what you want to do, then you need to do some research (and spend a good deal of time on it.) Luckily for you, there are some really, REALLY good websites that can teach you quickly and accurately. Here are two that I know well:

http://www.bcae1.com/

http://www.caraudiobook.com/

With those two, you should be able to gather knowledge that will let you answer your own questions, and also be able to ask questions that will actually help you, instead of blindly following the suggestions of others.
 
Simple setup

Hey,

I just wanted to throw in here. I have an Alpine cd-9825 head unit in my 3 running two sets of Polk Audio 5.25 co-axial speakers in the front and rear doors. I left the factory tweets on the front pillars. In the back, I have a single Alpine 10" (E series I believe)in a .70ft3 ho-made box, hooked to an alpine monoblock amp @ about 200 or so watts to the sub. Granted, this is a cheapie system(less than $700), but it sounds pretty damn good IMO.(I'm not out to set off car alarms with it). In a hatch, you don't need to much bass to have it sound good, and 3's have a lot of rattles that pop up if you do. I'm in the process of ordering/installing sound deadening for the floor, trunk, and doors to finish it out. Also remember that you don't have to buy everything at once, you can do it in stages. It might help out with budget/making the right choice of components. The moral of my story is that more is not always better! This is all in an '04 3S Hatch. (alright)
 
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Hey,

I just wanted to throw in here. I have an Alpine cd-9825 head unit in my 3 running two sets of Polk Audio 5.25 co-axial speakers in the front and rear doors. I left the factory tweets on the front pillars. In the back, I have a single Alpine 10" (E series I believe)in a .70ft3 ho-made box, hooked to an alpine monoblock amp @ about 200 or so watts to the sub. Granted, this is a cheapie system(less than $700), but it sounds pretty damn good IMO.(I'm not out to set off car alarms with it). In a hatch, you don't need to much bass to have it sound good, and 3's have a lot of rattles that pop up if you do. I'm in the process of ordering/installing sound deadening for the floor, trunk, and doors to finish it out. Also remember that you don't have to buy everything at once, you can do it in stages. It might help out with budget/making the right choice of components. The moral of my story is that more is not always better! This is all in an '04 3S Hatch. (alright)

Thats a good point, the problem with sound systems is that most improvements (steps up in quality is what i mean) cause an exponential increase in cost. Be it more electrical work, more sound deadening and a such, or amps to match better speakers and woofers. Even a small improvement can cost big. The previous post about knowledge vs. information is a valid one, and if your are looking to get into this yourself, maybe a smaller system to start with may be the way to go. I will warn you however, the audio bug bites hard, and it can suck your wallet pretty quickly. Its tons of fun though.
 
...and if you are looking to get into this yourself, maybe a smaller system to start with may be the way to go. I will warn you however, the audio bug bites hard, and it can suck your wallet pretty quickly. Its tons of fun though.


x10
 
hey guys i got what i think is a good deal but might bee too much for the mazda 3 its two fosgate p3's 15in. and the amp and a epicenter for 500
 
Eh....

Bud its not about what you can snap up on a good deal. Planning a system involves design parameters, and I assure you that 15's aren't going in this car unless you are sacrificing the entire trunk just for one. Don't know about the amp since just about every amp has different specs, and the epicenter is nothing more then a bass-boost type of equalizer. It can do more, but that's really why its out there. To make windows of other cars shake at a certain frequency (which pisses me off.)

Also, I gotta tell you, after selling them for so long and learning what they're made of, I pretty much will boycott any Rockford subwoofer. The amps are OK, and I have one of their 3sixty.2 processors so I'm down with some of their products...but the subs are just...awful.

Now that you've bought stuff you don't need...what do you want to do now? I thought you had a clear goal (small 10" sub, good sub amp, good main 4ch amp, and a set of components, with solid sound dampening installed, all while keeping the factory Head unit.) Or, has something changed?
 
hey guys i was thinking of putting some subs on my car and i decided to go with a pair of 12in. L7 kickers.. or 12in. alpine type r.. i dont know wich ones and im going to keep the stock stereo by the way .. well the problem comes here alot of people are telling me to go with 10in. becouse the back of the car is going to drop and its gonna really affect the performance of my mazda i have a 2008 mazda3 2.3 automatic by the way lol
well now im am dowstepping thinking of either l7 or alpine typr r but in a 10in. .. i have no idea what e;lse i need i want to keep the stock stereo will it sound good? i can get the 10in. kicker l7's for $150
the guy said it wold=uld need one with 4 amps i think or something like that.. what do u mean they dont llike sealed enclosurs?... i asked about the capasitor cuz i think the battery is too small i dont want to be bumping music and the headlights dimming on each base.. im kinda worried aboout the wight as well how would one 15 comare with two 12s like a 15in. L7..
hey guys i got what i think is a good deal but might bee too much for the mazda 3 its two fosgate p3's 15in. and the amp and a epicenter for 500
We have discussed how box sizes are underestimated by manufactures, we have discussed good subs and good size choices. We have discussed how more than one sub is unnecessary ESPECIALLY in your application, and more subs typically = larger amps = more electrical draw = more $ and lastly = more weight. If you have no intention of taking any of this under advisement, why make the thread? Car audio is a hobby that is more filled with people pretending to know what the hell they are talking about than any ive ever seen, even people that do installs professionally often times have no real understanding of underlying mechanics involved. It takes time and research to plan a good system, and you can have it even on the relativity cheap, it take the same time a research to find a reputable audio shop to do the work for you if you cant yourself. I spent a week playing with box designs and sizes before i settled on an enclosure. It took weeks before that to decide on the sub, amp, and head unit. Dood its your money and if you want to flush it on a ghetto ass setup up, knock yourself out.

But just so you know here is an UNDERSIZED box for 2 15" L7s. Just a heads up.
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265140&highlight=15"s+build
 
You do not need a capacitor.

BTW it doesn't turn on or off, as far as functionality goes. It is wired into the circuit using constant battery voltage. All a capacitor does is serve as a reservoir, pouring out power when there is a need for it. Problem is, they mostly serve as a gimmick.

Put it this way:

I just installed a system in my 08 Tribute - a pair of Precision Power DCX models, one rated at 500W x 1 and one rated at 100W x 4. Now, I've got that paired to a set of Blueprint 10" subs, and Canton separates in the front. I can get that system so loud, so punchy that it feels like I'm front stage at my favorite club...yet my lights remain rock steady and simply do not dim.

Point? I installed the system correctly, with 4 gauge wire, with a solid grounding point, and with consideration of how the power will transfer from the battery to the system, then to the grounding point (which then goes right back to the battery to complete the circuit.)
 
the guy put it on for free but when i turn the car off it doesnt turn off that is what my question was is it supposed to ?
 
Is it one with an indicator on top of it? If so, I could see why that would not turn off. Otherwise, you'd never know.


I've never bothered to install one with an indicator on it, so I'm in the dark. Take a look at your instruction manual, see what it says. I bet it just reads voltage all the time.
 
They should turn off. They are triggered by the remote turn on wire, just like an amplifier is.
 
yeah its the kind with the indicator i didnt get the amp on the remote start that way i can shut the subs 0ff whenever i dont want them i got a switch for them
 
I think the whole problem here stems from a lack of understanding of the idea of a "system". If you Lego-build it and slap random stuff together, it'll sound like ass and you'll have wasted your money.

If you're smart, however, and you buy things that work well together...the results will be very good.

The same thing applies to engine, suspension, braking, etc. upgrades.
 
Q.F.T.

I think the whole problem here stems from a lack of understanding of the idea of a "system". If you Lego-build it and slap random stuff together, it'll sound like ass and you'll have wasted your money.

If you're smart, however, and you buy things that work well together...the results will be very good.

The same thing applies to engine, suspension, braking, etc. upgrades.
 
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