Rep Power: 335

I'm an n00b when it comes to sound, so...
Now that that is out of the way, let's begin...



I'm looking to buy a simple CD/MP3 Player and some subs for my 04 VP...
I'm (at the moment) comfortable with the speakers that came with the car, so I won't be needing those.

I was looking at some decks and found a SONY one...
Sony CDX-GT200
CD player with MP3 playback

• CD player with built-in amplifier (17 watts RMS/52 peak x 4 channels)
• plays CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs (including discs loaded with MP3, WMA, and ATRAC3plus music files)
• 3-band equalizer
• switchable rear/subwoofer preamp output
• front-panel auxiliary input
• detachable face
• CEA-2006 Compliant amplifier
• clock
• 18 FM/12 AM presets
• seek tuning
• remote control
• CD frequency response: 10-20,000 Hz
• CD signal-to-noise ratio: 120 dB
• FM sensitivity: 9 dBf
• warranty: 1 year

And was thinking about these subs and amp, both Rockford Fosgate... the subs are either Stage 1 or Stage 2, depends.

Rockford Fosgate P110S4

Punch Stage 1 10" 4-ohm subwoofer

• molded polypropylene woofer cone
• frequency response 20-200 Hz
• power range 50-150 watts RMS
• peak power handling 300 watts
• sensitivity 85.5 dB
• 4-ohm impedance
• top-mount depth 4-15/16"
• sealed box volume 0.65 cubic feet
• ported box volume 1.25 cubic feet
• Recommended Q-Logic Box Type: 1, 2, 3
• warranty: 1 year

Rockford Fosgate P210S4

Punch Stage 2 10" 4-ohm subwoofer

• molded polypropylene woofer cone
• 60-ounce magnet
• frequency response 20-200 Hz
• power range 50-200 watts RMS
• peak power handling 400 watts
• sensitivity 85.8 dB
• 4-ohm impedance
• top-mount depth 5-3/8" (without removable magnet cover. With cover, depth is 5-5/8")
• sealed box volume 0.65 cubic feet
• ported box volume 1.25 cubic feet
• Recommended Q-Logic Box Type: 1, 2, 3
• warranty: 1 year

With this amp...

Rockford Fosgate Punch 201S

2-channel car amplifier
50 watts RMS x 2

• 50 watts RMS x 2 at 4 ohms
• 100 watts RMS x 2 at 2 ohms
• 200 watts RMS x 1 bridged output at 4 ohms
• stereo or bridged mono output
• 4-ohm stable in bridged mode
• Tri-way capable (Tri-Way Crossover required)
• requires 10-gauge power and ground leads — wiring and hardware not included with amplifier
• 120 Hz high-pass, 80 Hz low-pass crossovers (12 dB/octave)
• MOSFET power supply and output devices
• MEHSA mounting technology increases the heat transfer from the MOSFET output devices to the heat sink, for higher power output, lower operating temperatures, and greater reliability
• TOPAZ — noise-killing differential inputs that eliminate 80% of ground loop noise
• Trans•ana circuitry keeps preamp voltages low and signal paths simple for outstanding audio quality
• NOMAD — advanced protection circuitry for "intelligent" shutdown protection
• selectable Punch Bass (0/6/12 dB boost at 45 Hz)
• speaker- and preamp-level inputs
• 10-1/8"W x 2-7/16"H x 9-7/8"D
• 1-year warranty

What do you guys think? Any thoughts, good or bad would be appreciated.
And remember I'm on a budget, I'm not looking to spend too much money simply because I don't have much.

 
Rep Power: 289

the deck NO dont ever ever ever buy sony for your car
the sub is ok if you are paying 120 or less retail
and the amp is over 2 years old. they havnt made that model since 2003 so dont get it.

 
Rep Power: 285

I agree with the deck. The sub only stage 2, not 1 they are crap, and the amp, to me an amp is an amp. If its cheap go for it

 
Rep Power: 335

So, which deck would you recommend? One that goes along the lines of this one?

What's the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 subwoofers?

What amps do you recommend?

Thanks!

[EDIT] Ok, so the Amp is 2003... does that mean it's any bad? I'm just looking to have some subs on my car... I don't want to have all the latest technology (well, for the deck I do, since newer tech means better sound and such... don't know if for amps there is any difference...)

Oh, also, no DVD. I was thinking of adding a DVD to my car, but I just found out they are illegal to have on the dash on Puerto Rico (for obvious reasons...)

 
Rep Power: 812

all garbage. get an alpine deck. 9847 is what i have, matches coupe interior very well and sounds awesome for $200.

 
Rep Power: 285

For a deck, I would recommend JVC, Pioneer, Alpine, something that has a good rep. The stage 2 sub has a bigger magnet and can handle more watts. If you want a rockford then get the 2, but you might want to look at some more subs. Amps can really vary. If you want some good quality audio stuff with good prices and excellent service.

www.crutchfield.com

 
Rep Power: 0

the rockford subs aren't that bad for entry level stuff. I just hate installing them in customer's cars. My drill seems to love poking holes in the surround.

 
Rep Power: 335

Entry level. Thank you. Someone understands.

So bigger magnet = more watts = better sound?

 
Rep Power: 289

no not always. and entry level is not a bad thing. 9 systems out of 10 that your mom gets upset over are entry level systems.

a comporable system that sounds good would be a
alpine cde-9843 http://www.crutchfield.com/S-XYveTUD...0&I=500CDE9843
although it is worth the extra money for the cda-9847

as far as the amp and sub go they will sound good together but the amp is old. the sub will hit as hard if not harder than an alpine type S.

 
Rep Power: 0

the amp is a great amp, just because they don't make them anymore does not mean it is bad. i would suggest an entry level alpine for a deck. the rockford p1's are crap. you could get an alpine type r. i also got a 05' comp vr 12 i will sell you if you are interested

 
Rep Power: 285

exactly, just because the amp is older doesnt mean that it is crappier. no matter what sub you get just make sure that you get a good box, make sure that it is ported correctly. it makes a huge difference!!

 
Rep Power: 289

the problem with an older amp is the warranties on them. make sure the warranty is 1 year from purchase

 
Rep Power: 335

I wasn't saying entry levels were bad. I was saying I AM in the entry level.
I'm not a hardcore speaker know-it-all like most of you guys are.
I just know I have some decent Pioneer speakers that came with my 04 and want to add some bass. Studied a bit and I've come up with a list of things that are necessary to install subwoofers: amps and a deck (if I want to enjoy good sound coming from my subs...)

At the time I'm still researching, want to know what to buy, where to look, and how much it's going to be while I make some money to buy the stuff.
Thanks for the offer chriscivic. If you got any pics, info on the condition and such about those, please e-mail: ramcosca@gmail.com. I read in a different thread about the Comps and they sounded like they were some good ones. I am NOT guaranteeing I'll buy, though, but I AM interested... confusing, I know. So some maybe dibs (lol).

So... help a n00b... what does the amp do?
Why do I need an amp to have subwoofers?
And... what the hell are all those options when I want to see enclosures (boxes)??? What's the difference on all those? I read the info on Crutchfield (the Q-box types listed above) but I was left with the same doubt... or even worse!

Ah, by the way, a friend recommended the Ininity Basslink... these any good?

 
Rep Power: 328

The basslinks are severely over priced for the under performance they offer. As for teh Sony deck, no, no, no, no, no again. Do not buy sony I.C.E product ever.

For your headunit, I'd look into brands such as Pioneer, Alpine, Eclipse, Nakamichi.

For your subs, you may want to take a look as Adire Audio;s Shiva, Elemental Designs subs, Resonant Engineering subs, etc. Rockford's punch line has gone down severly in quality since it's inception. Furthermore, the stage 1 and stage 2 subs are utter garbage.

For your amps, there are a lot out there that will get the job done at an affordable price. I won't even go into detail going over decent brands, I will however say that for the money, JBL offers some great entry level power in their BP series.

What does an amplifier do? It does many things. Bare basics that I'm sure you're wondering is it takes the level of a signal by and increases it by increasing the current or voltage. They can also be used to isolate or control a signal and even decrease the level as in a line output converter.

I might recommend going into the sticky at the top and reading through diskreet's thread in there. Some of the original post is inaccurate, but there is good info through out the thread that's very useful for beginners.From there, I'd browse the tutorials at JL Audio's site, especially their section on boxes and subs located here: http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=141 . It goes into great detail describing the characteristics of all box types, as well as describing the benefits of each type, explaining subs, etc. Their amp tutorial has good info as well, but it is based around their product line. It's located here: http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_a...php?page_id=30 From there, you might want to go to www.the12volt.com and look at their tutorials, glossery, etc. Good information there as well. Lots of this is covered in diskreet's diy though, as well as the links. Hope this helped some.

 
Rep Power: 0

damn i luv audio.

ok so basically the only thing that your head unit is going to put out is low voltage audio signal. even if u have a "HIGH POWER" alpine cd player, its wont put out enough power to give u good bass. so...

amplifier: takes the signal from the head unit, draws from your electrical system, and boosts your audio signal.

subwoofer: based on the power of your audio signal, reproduces the low end sound.

if u have a 1000w amp going to (2) 150w subs. youll only get 300w worth of bass and prolly enventually blow your subs. i know...ive done it.

likewise, (this happends more often) if u have (2) 500w subs and a 150w amp...u think ull get 1000w from your subs, but actually after u crank the volume past about halfway, you'll start underpowering your amp, and eventually u WILL blow the speakers.

ok so what u picked out so far is not going to sound too sepctacular . i mean, the Sony cd player is kinda crapy, and your subs and your amp are pretty low powered.

first determine your price range:
if your on a budget what u picked out will sound, ehh, fine. but if u actually want to hear your system with the windows down, goin 70 on the freeway, you should be looking at about 500-1000rms for your amp, and that 500-1000rms total for your subs. look at speninding atleast $200-$300 on an amp and about that much for subs. u might also be spending about $200 on a decent head unit.

this help?

 
Rep Power: 285

Quality sub = cerwin vega

 
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just got to best buy and make them cut you a package deal.. they CAN do that, and as previously stated, go with Alpine Pioneer or Kenwood deck NOT SONY and hook yourself up with the Rockford subs of your choice, best buy has the NEW versions of the amps, which are not bad at all. then just buy the 4 year service plans on everything and youll be set. if you want the new model of subs or amp, blow it and take it in for the new one. P.S. the Alpine 9847 is awesome and employees get it for $133.. so offer them 170.. and then tell them since you are buying tons of stuff to give you a discount. i've worked there forever.. i know.
good luck

 
Rep Power: 312

i love old skool rockford...anyone who owns one their older amps knows EXACTLY what Im talking about.

 
Rep Power: 328

Wrong. Underpowering, overpowering, clipping, alone, will not kill a speaker.
Here is some information from White Rabbit's post in the sticky I linked below that may help clear it up a lot. I'm too lazy to type anything real long on this point, so I'm going to cut and paste:
Also, there is no need for that much power or a power hungry sub to, as you describe it, hear it on the highway with the windows down. And there's no need to spend that much money to do so, especially on a budget. I'm sure there are plenty of users here that can dispute this fact. Take, and I think I'm getting the username right here, regularjoe for example. He had an Adire Audio Shiva, a good budget friendly($125) sub that could take up to 200 watts. Running it, he had a 75 watt JBL amplifier, available online for somewhere in the neighbor hood of 50 bucks. It still sounded good, and for the minimal power put in, still pounded. That particular sub will operate at even lower power. Adire's site has video of it pumping at a meager 40 watts. That's just one example. There are lots of budget friendly woofers and amps out there that will stil, again using your terminology, be able to hear at highway speeds with the windows down. Lots of times, the misconceptions in the audio world is that more power and more power handling is better. That's a myth, in essence. Lots of shops will tell you that you need to spend more, and use more watts, when you don't, especially when you're on a budget, yet still want to improve your audio system. Their main reason for suggesting this all boils down to money. If they can cinvince you to spend more, they'll make more in the long run. They take advantage of unknowledgable consumers and their profit margin increases. Don't believe the hype, and don't believe shop owners or salesmen, as the majority of the time, they are lying to increase their capital gain. There are very few shops around that still have consumer minded ethics in place that will advise the customer based on their needs, whether it be budget minded, or what they want from their system, etc. Don't buy into the hype, and let them push you into something you either can't afford, or have no knowledge of. Most of the time, they push a particular product or line because their profit margin is more, and their markup is more.

http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...=208476&page=1

Those new to the game may want to read through this thread, which is in the sticky, there is lots of useful information in there, throughout the thread. Anyone should read it, really, as adding to that thread only helps others that may have a question somewhere that's not covered.

Might be a good idea to go through the sticky and read lots of the information in there, there are lots of links to car audio basics, etc:
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=210136

 
Rep Power: 272

buy my deck alpine 9853 brand new
its a beautiful machine
250$ shipped

 
Rep Power: 812

you guys make this way too complicated. Get some good entry level stuff. My $200 alpine deck sounds better than the old $900 pioneer deck anyway. Then get an alpine amp for speakers $200. Get a sub and an amp for that. Then some speakers. I bewt you could have a really nice sounding system for under $1k.

 
Rep Power: 812

www.carmedia1.com

 
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I'll tell you now, sony sucks and jvc will suck if you don't know how to use it. alpine and pioneer can be easily programed so it's best to go with that. There are so many good subs out there but if the price sound too good to be true, then you know you might not want that. On amps, I say a newer model planet audio amp simply because of the 5 year warranty on them.

 
Rep Power: 0

pioneer p8mp sounds goods looks GOOD

there are nice kicker amps pretty cheap get a class D for your subs

ive heard those subs and they are nice and loud

 
Rep Power: 274

Sony is not that good..xplod wise..lol
I wouldn't even..go for JVC...Alpine all the way, affordable etc..

 
Rep Power: 272

i'll sell u my whole set up, PM me if ur interested.
Alpine 9853
2 12" sony xplods
800W Sony amp
Q-logic ported enclosure

 
Rep Power: 312

you cant fail with pioneer either.

 
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buy the new jl w1v2 12 with that amp

 
Rep Power: 274

Check it..rough list decks good to bad..
- McInstosh
- Nakamichi
- Eclipse
- Alpine
- RF (units that were made by Denon) / Denon
- Sony ES series
- Blaupunkt
- Pioneer
- Panasonic
- Kenwood
- JVC / Clarion
- Sony Xplode series
- Jensen

 
Rep Power: 328

We're not making it too difficult. I can't, in my right mind, justify telling this guy a single thing in each category to go out and purchase because it may or may not suit his wants, needs, budget, etc. The best advice I can give would be to go to an audio shop and listen to everything you can, then go to any other shops in your area. Listen to every piece of equipmentyou possibly can, then narrow it down to what you like best. From there, decide which would be best accomodating to your budget and then get what you like. No one but the person purchasing the products has to be happy with it. I could sit here and rattle off product all day long and name stuff that he might be pleased with. Fact of the matter is, they're just opinions and ideas.

One, we do not know the music he primarily listens to. Two, we don't know exactly what the budget is. 3 we don't know how he prefers to hear his music. Some folks like ghetto boom, thanks much in part to mtv and tv shows on their, among other networks. Some like crisp clean sounding music. Some like their highs bright, their mids soft, and the subs as an accent piece. It's all a matter of personal opinion, but to say to go with one certain thing whether it be a deck, sub, amp, etc is ludicrous.

I'll say this as for recommendations, other than letting the budget determine what you buy. There are a lot of brands out there that will accomplish your desires. Some have good reputations, some have bad reputations. Some are in between. And some are unheard of by the vast majority. Find the one that best suits all of your tastes, wants, needs etc the best out of them and purchase that.