EQ & amp matching?

hey guys, i'm trying to put together a cheap system in my beater car (under or around $100) so far so good. it beats the stock 17yr old system that is in there currently. anyhow, here is what the low budget systems will consist of in my beater 89 accord.

stock 97 integra cd player ($20)
Jensen KA 4400 400w 4ch amp ($30)
rear 6x9 speakers (yet to purchase)
front 5 1/4 speakers (yet to purchase… possibly cheap ebay components?)

now my problem is looking for a good eq to control the amp since i'll be running of a stock headunit. i dont want an aftermarket deck due to me not wanting to spend money on something that might get stolen around my neighborhood. i found an EQ that interests me, but i dont know if it suits the amp properly. Which is another reason i'm looking for the slim designed eq, so that i can be hidden easier.

https://www.pyramidcaraudio.com/itempage.asp?model=1201GC

Description
# 12 Band Graphic Equalizer w/Power Booster
# 12dB Boost/Cut
# 2 Channel Amplification
# 2 or 4 Speaker Hook-up
# 200 Watts High Power Output
# Front Panel CD Input Jack
# LED Level Meter
# Fader Control
# Frequency Response: 30-20k Hz
# Slim Design
# Output Impedance: 4-8 Ohms
# Sub-Woofer Control Light Illumination
# Dimensions: 5''D x 7''W x 1''H

do you guys thing this will work well? with the amp i'm using? also, i was told that you lose a few db's do to the EQ, is this true?

Another question for you guys is, would buying some $20 ebay components be a bad idea? Or should I just stick to regular speakers for the front?

Thanks in advance for any help that I may receive from this post :).

-gsus

For the price of a good equalizer that won't dirty up the signal to your amp, you are talking a pretty big chunk of change.  I would recomend that you spend the money that you had planned for the equalizer and put it towards a decent Head unit with a built in EQ.  It would be money way better spent IMO. 

As for theft, you can get a HU with a removable faceplate.  It will look like a blank panel, and you can take the faceplate with you, if you are that worried.  People would be less likely to steal the radio with no faceplate.

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There are 3 kinds of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't

j_darling2007 wrote:

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For the price of a good equalizer that won't dirty up the signal to your amp, you are talking a pretty big chunk of change. I would recomend that you spend the money that you had planned for the equalizer and put it towards a decent Head unit with a built in EQ. It would be money way better spent IMO.

As for theft, you can get a HU with a removable faceplate. It will look like a blank panel, and you can take the faceplate with you, if you are that worried. People would be less likely to steal the radio with no faceplate.

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i'm not looking for the best setup, just something to get me by winter & my pops through the months when he uses the car without the worry of the system being too flashy.
unfortunately this is my $200 winter beater car which i let my dad use during the summer since i have another car for the better parts of the year. he is not very good at remembering to remove the faceplate from stereos (he's had 2 HU's stolen from him in the past withing a 6mo period).

so would i just be better off running the stock HU straight to the amp or getting the eq?

thanks
gsus

Honestly, if you're not looking for the best setup, and if the stock HU has a built in EQ (even if it is crappy) I wouldn't spend the money on a "patch" for the system.  i would save your money for a HU/Alarm for the car, if theft is a big problem.

So i guess my short answer would be "no", but there are people on the forum more qualified to help you than I am, so I would be sure to get a second or third opinion.

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There are 3 kinds of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't

Just go to Wal*Mart and buy a Scosch LOC.

All good advice above.  You won't need an EQ because you're running off the stock deck.  Just set the crossovers on the amp and you'll be good to go for this system.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

I second the line converter idea. I like Eq's but only if they are good ones, if not then you are setting yourself up for a ton of interferince. I would just do the Hi-lev converter

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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer