help build me a new stereo

[Steve's Chevy]

I've been out of the whole stereo scene for years and lost track of what's good and what's not so good.

Simple build here, just want a new head unit with bluetooth would be great, front door speakers, rear speakers, subs under the rear seat and a good amp to push them. I like country, Metal and some rap cap because I love bass... truck is a 97 ecsb. I don't need competition system , just one that sounds good

Thanks for any help.

 

[SCOTTYINWV]

I like Polk audio, infinity and Rockford Fosgate for speakers. I would probably save money on the stereo end and save the money to spend on a more quality speaker and amp to push them. Either a multi channel amp with one or 2 ever a subwoofer channels or a second mono block amp to run the subs. I usually check fit for my vehicle on Crutchfield or sonic electronics and then take that part number to amazon and find the best deal. You'll never get the same sound just running a head unit and speakers as you will amping the component speakers.

 

[ChristGilley]

I have Rockford Fosgate P2 subs and they are amazing sounding. Coupled with a $50 1000w amp, I couldn't beat it for the price. I have a pioneer head unit that has an upgraded version with Bluetooth. Or mine may have Bluetooth, I'm not sure lol. And I have Kenwood speakers that replaced all of the stock ones in my 01. It's not obnoxious sounding on the outside (in other words, you can't hear my music outside the truck) but the quality in the cab is great. I couldn't ask for it to be better. I'll give you the head unit info when I get home if you'd like


Sent while pulling out a Ford

 

[df2x4]

Pioneer DEH-80PRS head unit (Bluetooth, iPod compatibility, better sound quality than 90% of decks on the market)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_13080PRS/Pioneer-DEH-80PRS.html?tp=5684

Kicker KS series interior speakers (full rubber surrounds, good specs, component tweeter for the front set to be installed in place of the factory tweeter)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_20641KS464/Kicker-41KSC464.html?tp=105

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_20641S654/Kicker-41KSS654.html?tp=106

Rockford Fosgate Punch 3 shallow mount 12" subs (good power handling in a small package, deceptively big sound in little air space)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P3S412/Rockford-Fosgate-P3SD4-12.html?tp=111

Rockford Fosgate Punch series amps (One for subs, one for interior speakers if you decide to go that route)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P400X4/Rockford-Fosgate-Punch-P400X4.html?tp=35782

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P7001BD/Rockford-Fosgate-Punch-P700-1bd.html?tp=35834

As noted, all of this stuff can be found way cheaper on Amazon or eBay. I've also had good experiences with SonicElectronix and onlinecarstereo.com. You'll also need a nice power wire setup and RCAs, plus distribution blocks and other odds and ends, but I didn't list any of these as wires is wires. (As long as they're nice copper wires, anyway.) I agree with amping the interior speakers, however I wouldn't skimp on the head unit budget. Your stereo starts there, and if your head unit can't produce a good signal then you can have the nicest amps/speakers in the world and it will still sound like garbage. I have some older Pioneer Premier decks in my trucks and they were over $1k new, best part of my system though. I have personal experience with everything I listed here except the amps as I run older "made in the USA" Lanzar stuff. Rockford has always had a reputation for making nice, clean amplifiers though. (Except the Prime series, yuck) I run those Kicker KS speakers in my Suburban as my budget setup and I like them a lot.

EDIT - Just FYI I picked out that specific model of RF sub and amp to match up. The subs have dual 4 ohm voice coils so if you bought two you could wire them up to present a 1 ohm load to the amp, which can supply 700W at that resistance. The subs will take 400W RMS each so this is a very close match, similar setup to what's in my truck except I run a 1000W amp and just leave it turned down a little.

 

[superdave]

Setup in my truck. Definitely not competition quality, but does ok by me.

http://www.gmt400.com/forum/showthread.php?23581-Stereo-system

I know the small amp and powered sub aren't for everyone, but they suit my needs just fine and snuggle up under the rear seat nicely

 

[Steve's Chevy]

I like Polk audio, infinity and Rockford Fosgate for speakers. I would probably save money on the stereo end and save the money to spend on a more quality speaker and amp to push them. Either a multi channel amp with one or 2 ever a subwoofer channels or a second mono block amp to run the subs. I usually check fit for my vehicle on Crutchfield or sonic electronics and then take that part number to amazon and find the best deal. You'll never get the same sound just running a head unit and speakers as you will amping the component speakers.

I do the same with Crutchfield, and I wasn't going to run my componants amped but I think you are right about the sound .

I have Rockford Fosgate P2 subs and they are amazing sounding. Coupled with a $50 1000w amp, I couldn't beat it for the price. I have a pioneer head unit that has an upgraded version with Bluetooth. Or mine may have Bluetooth, I'm not sure lol. And I have Kenwood speakers that replaced all of the stock ones in my 01. It's not obnoxious sounding on the outside (in other words, you can't hear my music outside the truck) but the quality in the cab is great. I couldn't ask for it to be better. I'll give you the head unit info when I get home if you'd like

Sent while pulling out a Ford

That would be great, thank you.

Pioneer DEH-80PRS head unit (Bluetooth, iPod compatibility, better sound quality than 90% of decks on the market)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_13080PRS/Pioneer-DEH-80PRS.html?tp=5684

Kicker KS series interior speakers (full rubber surrounds, good specs, component tweeter for the front set to be installed in place of the factory tweeter)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_20641KS464/Kicker-41KSC464.html?tp=105

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_20641S654/Kicker-41KSS654.html?tp=106

Rockford Fosgate Punch 3 shallow mount 12" subs (good power handling in a small package, deceptively big sound in little air space)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P3S412/Rockford-Fosgate-P3SD4-12.html?tp=111

Rockford Fosgate Punch series amps (One for subs, one for interior speakers if you decide to go that route)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P400X4/Rockford-Fosgate-Punch-P400X4.html?tp=35782

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_575P7001BD/Rockford-Fosgate-Punch-P700-1bd.html?tp=35834

As noted, all of this stuff can be found way cheaper on Amazon or eBay. I've also had good experiences with SonicElectronix and onlinecarstereo.com. You'll also need a nice power wire setup and RCAs, plus distribution blocks and other odds and ends, but I didn't list any of these as wires is wires. (As long as they're nice copper wires, anyway.) I agree with amping the interior speakers, however I wouldn't skimp on the head unit budget. Your stereo starts there, and if your head unit can't produce a good signal then you can have the nicest amps/speakers in the world and it will still sound like garbage. I have some older Pioneer Premier decks in my trucks and they were over $1k new, best part of my system though. I have personal experience with everything I listed here except the amps as I run older "made in the USA" Lanzar stuff. Rockford has always had a reputation for making nice, clean amplifiers though. (Except the Prime series, yuck) I run those Kicker KS speakers in my Suburban as my budget setup and I like them a lot.



EDIT - Just FYI I picked out that specific model of RF sub and amp to match up. The subs have dual 4 ohm voice coils so if you bought two you could wire them up to present a 1 ohm load to the amp, which can supply 700W at that resistance. The subs will take 400W RMS each so this is a very close match, similar setup to what's in my truck except I run a 1000W amp and just leave it turned down a little.

To cool, you make things easy lol thanks. Of course I will look on Amazon for better pricing, when I was younger I would dump serious money on sound and it didn't matter. Now I like to stretch my dollar

Setup in my truck. Definitely not competition quality, but does ok by me.

http://www.gmt400.com/forum/showthread.php?23581-Stereo-system

I know the small amp and powered sub aren't for everyone, but they suit my needs just fine and snuggle up under the rear seat nicely

How much of a pain was it to install the rear speakers, I'm kinda not looking forward to tearing the truck apart. I do want the head unit to have Bluetooth and sirius built in... the stations here suck and that's putting it in a nice way

 

[superdave]

The rears really aren't that hard to access. Just be careful not to break the plastic. There is an article here somewhere showing exactly where all the clips are located. A couple of the clips were previously broke on mine, but a couple of strategically placed trim screws aren't that noticeable.

 

[MOBS]

I'd disconnect the rear speakers altogether.....they're tremendously more efficient in the location they're in, compared to the front speakers, so much so that they will overrun the front speakers. With a strong enough front speaker setup, you won't need rear speakers. Since you have the airbag dash, with matching height and room on either side, I'd recommend looking into doing dash midrange speakers in 3.5" or 4" size, along with a tweeter pod or buildout between the dash speaker and the A-pillar. Then use a 6.5" or 8" midbass in the door's factory location(8" will need some light fabrication done to door panel).

 

[superdave]

I'm not going to get in a pissing match over the virtues of rear speakers (been there, done that, been told I don't know what I'm doing since I don't do it to the liking of somebody else). I like the way it rounds out the sound, but I do use the fader to favor the front speakers and the rears are used for "fill" in my case. They are more efficient at some frequencies and I can distinctly hear different instruments coming from them that may not have been picked up from just my component speakers in the doors. I do have the tweeters mounted at the top of the door and angled towards the occupants.

Some that into the SQ competition stuff (and high dollar setups) will not get over the fact that they can't get the proper "sound stage" sound using rears. I went round and round in a thread about that once. Talked about what I had and what I liked and was told just how wrong I was. It's amazing when you are told you are wrong about what you like. Different strokes.

 

[Steve's Chevy]

I'm not going to get in a pissing match over the virtues of rear speakers (been there, done that, been told I don't know what I'm doing since I don't do it to the liking of somebody else). I like the way it rounds out the sound, but I do use the fader to favor the front speakers and the rears are used for "fill" in my case. They are more efficient at some frequencies and I can distinctly hear different instruments coming from them that may not have been picked up from just my component speakers in the doors. I do have the tweeters mounted at the top of the door and angled towards the occupants.

Some that into the SQ competition stuff (and high dollar setups) will not get over the fact that they can't get the proper "sound stage" sound using rears. I went round and round in a thread about that once. Talked about what I had and what I liked and was told just how wrong I was. It's amazing when you are told you are wrong about what you like. Different strokes.

Im with you on this, i will use the factory speaker locations and just replace with quality speakers. I like it simple, and I do think they sound good where they are located no need to rearrange my speakers... I'm only in my truck about an hour a day, I do want good sound but I'm not willing to break the bank for it...