Printer Friendly Forum Posts - Great system at a great price?

I've noticed that when ever some one asks for advice on here, every drops the big buget names on here (Memphis, Diamond, MB Quart). Well let's start talking mid range prices. I know you can get some great gear for low prices if you shop around. (exp: Infinity Kappa 6x9's for $109.99 at etronics.com). So lets hear it guys, here's the challenge. Best system for under $1500 (speakers, subs, amps head unit) you don't have to include box price for the subs or wiring costs, just the hardware. I've thrown down the glove, now it's your turn.

You forgot to add whether price is retail, wholesale or cost. I mean I could get close $5000 retail worth of equiptment for $1500 cost. I also have reciepts to back this.

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Certified Security Specialist
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I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

You're right, I appologize, that's total cost at retail price.

Now, can you cut a guy a deal on some gear there Auex posted_image

$5000 retail for $1500, where did you find that?

that's what im talking about , isearch the web for products, then compare my prices with (etronics) and there price is half the price of many online competitors out there. i just recently beat (thezeb) because they claim to beat any price or it's free. so they gave me a code to beat etronics by 10% on any purchase but i refusebecause etronics will always beat them

thats the way to haggle posted_image

Wow, all the smack talking in here and no one can come up with a system...

Come on guys, you're telling me you can't build a system on a budget?

do you want rear fill? some people do and some people don't. if not, then you can focus on the front staging.

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Jon
Don't like rockford subs? Then don't look at my car =)

Blaupunkt Orlando head (~$175)

Infinity Kappa 62.5i speakers (~$120per set X2)

US Acoustics USB 600D sub amp (~$200)

MTX Sledgehammer 5512A enclosed subwoofer (~$275)

That should sound fairly nice for under a grand. To get closer to $1500, dump the MTX and replace it with an Infinity Kappa Perfect 12.1 sub and have a custom enclosure built for it.

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See, now we're getting there, but come on, we can drop that Blaud deck and replace it with a nice Alpine, or Eclipse and still stay in price range

Cost=dealer cost.

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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

I put together my system for under $1500.

Eclipse Deck = $375 installed w/ 3-yr warranty
Xtant A4004T = $200 online retailer
Xtant A2002T = $150 online retailer
MB Quart PCE 216 = $300 online retailer
Image Dynamics IDQ Sub = $200 online retailer
Cables/install supplies and materials for sub box = $150

$1375

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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

I just slapped this together right now:
eclipse head unit (~$300)
memphis belle 16-MC600D(~$500)
infinity kappa 62.5i (~$120)
infinity kappa 60.5cs (~$175)
adire koda 10 or 12 (~$229-$259)

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Jon
Don't like rockford subs? Then don't look at my car =)

Good job guys, the reason I did this was to get a good idea of what brands to look at for my car. I've noticed that when asked you get some off the wall answers, but if you throw down a challenge, wel... no one likes to get beat, thanks again

gjones77 wrote:

See, now we're getting there, but come on, we can drop that Blaud deck and replace it with a nice Alpine, or Eclipse and still stay in price range

Blau will beat Alpine (at the same price point) for SQ. It doesn't compete with Eclipse, though, so yea, go for Fujitsu and you can't go wrong.

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If blau beats alpine in sq , how come i never hear about em>?

poor marketing to begin with... i've always been a fan of Blaupunkt they do make a great product, but they dont market in the mainstream....heck, there are lots of people out there that have still never heard of Nakamichi, does that make Nak junk?????

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979

I totally agree with Kevin on that. Grundig makes great head units....But who here has heard of em? In my experience, I've found that the "higher end" products get heard of mainly through word of mouth rather than agressive marketing. I myself have actually never seen an ad for brands like Nakamichi, McIntosh, Rosen, or Audison. I just happen to have met people who were using those brand products in their cars and then I just did the research on my own. I guess it kind of depends on how the company wants to develop their product lines. From what I see, most companies market their lower end line to the masses to draw people in-and then they bring out the higher end stuff.

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Duane...

If you think you're confused, imagine how you feel. posted_image

Here is what I have put together:

Sony cdx-f5700 hu ($180)
Sony mono sub amp ($180)
2x sets of Pioneer 4-way 6"x8" speakers ($80 each)
2x Infinity Kappa 10's ($200 total, on order)

When I add some brown bread in a few weeks, it will come out a tad over a grand, with building costs. Everything but the door speakers was ordered from crutchfield, which gives great service, slightly lower prices than retail, free shipping, and holds many brands, with installation materials for all their decks. The door speakers I got at onlinecarstereo.com, and they are amazing. You can get them for 20 bucks more at a retail store, per set, but you probably don't want them since they are for an explorer (weird speaker sizes).

While I have not put the infinity subs in yet, I have heard them and they did sound nice. I really like the infinity speakers though, look for the ones with the rotating tweeter, they are sweet.

Hope you got what you are looking for. The bottom line though is if you do your homework and spend some time on google you can great deals. People talk crap about ebay, but I know a guy who got some 500 dollar alpine components for 250 on ebay, and they sound great. I got my interim sony subs on ebay for 30 bucks each shipped. Retail is 80-100 a piece for those subs, which is a total rip off. Best of luck.

icu400 wrote:

Here is what I have put together:

Sony cdx-f5700 hu ($180)
Sony mono sub amp ($180)
2x sets of Pioneer 4-way 6"x8" speakers ($80 each)
2x Infinity Kappa 10's ($200 total, on order)

When I add some brown bread in a few weeks, it will come out a tad over a grand, with building costs. Everything but the door speakers was ordered from crutchfield, which gives great service, slightly lower prices than retail, free shipping, and holds many brands, with installation materials for all their decks. The door speakers I got at onlinecarstereo.com, and they are amazing. You can get them for 20 bucks more at a retail store, per set, but you probably don't want them since they are for an explorer (weird speaker sizes).

While I have not put the infinity subs in yet, I have heard them and they did sound nice. I really like the infinity speakers though, look for the ones with the rotating tweeter, they are sweet.

Hope you got what you are looking for. The bottom line though is if you do your homework and spend some time on google you can great deals. People talk crap about ebay, but I know a guy who got some 500 dollar alpine components for 250 on ebay, and they sound great. I got my interim sony subs on ebay for 30 bucks each shipped. Retail is 80-100 a piece for those subs, which is a total rip off. Best of luck.

Sounds fine, except I would definitely replace that sony head-unit with a blaupunkt one, and maybe US Acoustics for the amps.

I really don't know how to compare sound quality from the hu to others honestly. I know it is not top notch, but it works for me in reality. To be really honest, I LOVE the DSO feature of the sony hu's. It is the most unique thing I have seen of sony decks over others, it is really innovative, i think. But I agree, it is somewhere in the middle line, probably lower middle, but right now I am saving up for alpine, and here is why. Alpine is coming out with a line soon that will integrate with the ipod perfectly, and allow you to control it from the deck. I am a die hard mac fan and love my ipod. But what is the point of hooking it up to aux and having to control it with your hand and all that, when you could wire it into a harness in the glove box, and control it with ease!!! Should cost a lot, but will be well worth it when the thing comes out, will probably be a much belated christmas present for myself, if its out by say april :P. But also, are blaupunkt really better sq than alpine? I guess its possible, never used either, just curious.

As for the amp, if I see a problem with the infinity's when I install them, I might think on replacing it, but I doubt I will need to. I MIGHT add a set of components to the whole shibang later down the road, and certainly for that amp I would go higher quality than sony, but I think this newer amp that they made for 2004 isn't all that bad (at least in comparison to the stereo amps that they make....)

Thanks for the input though :P

Hmm.... Sony... I don't think I'd waste my money...

Here's what I'm doing

Rears and Doors: MB Quart DCT169 6x9's - $99.89 x2

Dash: MB Quart DCK-108 3.5' - $39.89

Sub: JL Audio 10W3v2 Dual 4ohm voice Coils - $169.89

Sub Amp: Alpine MRD-M300 300 watt @ 2ohm - $189.89

Speaker Amp: Alpine MRV-F340 55x4 @ 4ohm - $228.89

Head Unity: Eclipse CD8454 - $499.99

Total: $1327.33

All except the head unit is from www.allcaraudio.com

Thanks again for all the help guys

How about world class gear and less than $1500?

Cadence Z4000, $295.95 + shipping ( https://www.usacaraudio.com/CADENCE.htm ) This will provide 75X2 to the front stage, and 300X1 to the sub

Adire Audio Koda 6.1 $535 free shipping ( https://www.sound-foundations.us//catalog/product_info.php?products_id=84)That is XBL2 enabled subbass (yes, supersub territory) and world class referance components.

Pioneer Premier DEH-P940MP for $499+ shipping (https://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=piodehp940mp&store=&catid=319). Yes, Again, world class proven performance referance quality gear.

Figuring rough shipping $1375 or so all told.

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That's great and all, but I want front AND rear stage, hence why I ordered 2 sets of the 6x9's and the 4 channel amp. But that's still a great set up there

USA Car Audio again, the Cadence ZX coaxials of your size preferance. Great stuff for under a bill. Power rear fill off the HU. Image and staging is a nightmare with a rear fill.

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Some how I doubt you have ever used sony stuff. Not to compare sony to alpine/eclipse or the like, but for the money (if you get good deals online and all) then it ain't bad.

My deck works fine (doesn't skip, sounds great (this coming from someone that craves sq, but also someone on a budget :( ). It has only skipped in 2 situations. 1) Driving on a horrible caliche road in south texas (in the middle of no where, trust me. And 2) when I hit a near invisible speed bump going 40 mph one night in a friends neighborhood. And also, as I said, the DSO feature of they decks I think makes its quality superior to any pioneer or clarion deck in that price range (can't speck for blau, never heard one before, but I will give the benefit of the doubt that it surpasses the sony). But thats my listening taste, not yours.

The amp has not had any distortion, even when I hooked my friends JL w0's up to it. Unfortunately I bought it before I knew anything about car audio and I did not realize I could get better stuff for just a bit more. Oh well.

Sony subs...after using them, if you want cheap 30-50 dollar subs, they work fine, hit hard, but are in no way clear. And these are the pentagons, one of my friends has the circle ones, and the pentagons put them to shame as much as the w0 puts these to shame.

But for a budget system, don't count out sony.

For what you're paying for Sony on Crutchfield you can find far better far cheaper else where on the net. But everyone knows Sony aren't worth the money really. IMHO

Below 180 on online shops, you find:

JVC/lancer decks that I would rank below sony, at least from what they offer and what I have seen in the stores.

Clarion/blaupunkt decks that are plain ugly and have few good features.

Kenwood/pioneer decks that are probably equal to sony, but I seriously doubt higher.

The bottom line is below 200 dollars, hu choice comes down to personal preference for looks and control organization. Personally, I can't stand t he two nob organization of pioneer. I don't know why, call it one of my few idiosyncrasies. Heck, below 180, I only found a handfull of decks that even had subwoofer preamp outs. That price range is where you are just getting out of the bottom end crap in the 100 dollar range and up into where the good features (4v preamps, animation, etc.) get into play.

But I still don't know how you can say that when you have never owned a sony (I assume, since you have not said otherwise) deck, or doubtfully have known someone who has, that you can say they are not worth the money. If you want something that is high high end that is as close to perfect as the pocket book can buy, then no sony is not worth it, but for the 200 bucks you are dropping into a new cd player, virtually anything in that 150-200 range is just fine.

Oh, and about crutchfield, I don't know why you would go anywhere else. Lower prices than retail. They include the installation materials (for hu's anyway) for free, and they have free shipping. Oh, and all my prices were from onlinecarstereo.com, for the hu's.

Anyway, I have a question for you jones. Your system says you have a mb quart speaker in your dash. I am thinking about adding some infinity or JL components inside the cab of my explorer (in addition to the door speakers) and I am wondering how it sounds like that (pics would help). What is the imaging like, does it sound strange, or does it all work. Thanks.

I would tell anyone not to put regular coax speakers in the dash locations if going for SQ. They normally fire straight up into the glass and cause some nasty high frequency reflections that make things quite harsh and hard to control without an equalizer. Makes it louder though, if you're into that.

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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

What my plan with components is to mount them beneath the dash in an enclosure on the floor. I have an explorer and so I have a good bit of room on top of the transmission hump going through the cab between the dash and the console. Each set would be angled up and a bit back, so it would sort of be pointing at the driver/passenger each. This is a way in the future sort of thing, possibly even after upgrading my stereo, but I still like the idea. What do you think of that kf?

Have I owned one, never been that desperate, my brother has, as well as other friends, they all died in the first year... So that's where I get my opinion from. Now, as for you $180 choices... Well be prepared to be owned..

Alpine CDM-9823 - $139.99 at www.etronics.com

Clarion DXZ725MP - $179.99 at www.etronics.com

That's just 2 that are better than Sony... Now if you really want me to throw down a few more just let me know...

So much for my question. The biggest criticism of sony I have seen is that they don't last long. If mine dies in the next year, I promise to tell you.

But as far as that alpine, it doesn't even have mp3 capability. But as I pointed out, a lot of it comes down to preference. I like mp3 cd's, a lot of people don't. I don't like how that clarion deck is set up (saw that same one for 149 at a local shop on clearance, still didn't get it). And as far as price, you are still gonna pay another 50 bucks with that site for shipping and installation material, for the record.

Owned? I didn't think denouncing my opinion qualified as getting owned. Also I am told by some people that have used sony in the past and more towards the present that they have gotten better about not crapping out after a year or so. I sure hope so, but then I hope to be up a bit higher in the market in that time frame anyway.

Thanks for your input, but I am just fine with my sony deck, my best friend is just fine with the exact same model as well.

As far as this thread goes though, with a great system at a great price. I would stay away from sony. I listed my sony as a way of listing my system, which for well under 1000 bucks sounds great. I do like the 300 dollar range alpine decks. I know a guy that drives a f350 heavy duty truck and works construction, and he claims his alpine has never skipped; i don't doubt it. Bottom line: sony, fine for a budget, not fine for the ultimate, but its hardly fair to group sony with the likes of lanzar, pyramid, legacy, or even JVC I would argue, but I am sure you have had a brother who saw one of those die within a year too. But simply, if it works for you, and it works well, then its fine. Sony works for me, and for the money I paid for it I think it is just fine (looks good, works, good set up). Compared to that alpine or clarion, I would take this sony any day.

Listen, the idea of the thread was "Great system at a great price", ans as everyone in this thread knows, Sony doesn't fall into that catagory. So please, enough whining about how we don't respect Sony and so forth. I'm on a budget also with my system, hence why I'm doing all this home work. So no more complaining at this point it's not productive