system suggestions

I know I will probably start a debate with this but here it goes:
I'm looking for a setup for my 72 Chevelle I want clean good balanced sound that will be able to over power the exhaust if I wish.

6.5" up front with tweeter that can be on the driver or separate
6.5 or 6x9 in the rear
2 12 or 10 in subs
1 or two amps for everything

I listen to everything from country, r&b, jazz,pop ect

I don't exactly have a set budget but if I came in around 1000 that would be great probably 2000 tops and I will build my own box. I'm not looking for a setup with a sub so loud you can hear it a mile away. I like to hear what I'm listing to. I want a good balance of thump and audio. I'm leaning towards trying a non mainstream brand (not alpine,kicker,sony,ect). I would be open to suggestions from mainstream brand also though.

I suggest you go shopping. Take along your favorite CD.  Buy a head unit you like the features of and a good set of front main speakers you like the sound of.  Buy a decent quality 12" subwoofer and a decent sized amp for it,  build a properly sized enclosure for it.  Don't cheap out on gear, buy major brand names only.  When you install it, be careful, run all new wires, properly fuse your amp power wire, upgrade the Big 3, and consider sound dampening material in at least the doors.  Take your time and start with gear you like and you'll end up happy.  :)

-------------
Support the12volt.com

Car has dynamat on the floor just not the doors. No wires are there and no pieces are there so everything will be brand new. Been thinking about going either JL, Hertz, Arc, or Hybrid but no one around here has a setup for me to listen to so I have to go off recommendations. I will probably run the CDA-117 deck.

Nice to see someone with my vintage of vehicles (even if still a decade younger).

FWIW, I've always run ~6" front door speakers and 6x9 rears. Though 6x9s may not be "the best", I have been happy with the combos.
My current 2-door ute has 2 sets of 2" speakers in each headrest in lieu if the 6x9s. A car audio shop guy was VERY impressed with the bass thump from the doors (3-way 6", Pioneer or Sony, but no difference to later CHEAP Audiolines!). That Was with an Alpine HU.

Only recently have I had sound "quality" issues, both being cheap Aldi units. The first $80 unit lacked small enough steps for its digital controls (bas, treb, balance, fader) but also had a fault so it was replaced with another $50 unit. Despite not getting the bass I want, I'm getting rattles in the doors.

My first CD was a Kenwood stacker, and then followed my 2 Alpines.

In retrospect, I'm going back to Alpine. IMO solid performance with good EG and delay setups etc, and rare CD skips (from my "faster than bumps" driving style) - though I still haven't determined what it is that is scratching my discs (it may not be the HU).

Both Alpines were their base CD/AM/FM models (~$300). I'll get the same but with front Aux, and USB & SD options.
Speakers were typically ~$150/pair jobs, though the recent front $28 Audiolines (and "not expensive" 4x2" headsets) have certainly blown the "spend half on speakers" ROT.


A have never run an amp. I have never needed to (except maybe for the recent cheap units due to high-volume distortion) - the std HU volume is loud enough, and that's in old noisy cars.   
I have never run a sub. I might try subs when back in a bigger cab (or resonators in the ute), but it's a borderline need - if I can feel enough bass I'm happy, and subs have not as yet been worthwhile.

Im going to run the Alpine cda117 with imprint and that's all I know fir sure I really like having amps and subs to have the power if I want it