I need your help building my system

Ok, for the last week or so I've driven myself nuts trying to decide/research/price compare everything (HU/Amps/1x10In Sub/Subbox/Speakers for front/rear and Tweets). I go from post to post, website to website and I find that I'm no farther along than I was a week ago. So, here is what I'm asking. I need someone to live "through" my truck. I would like someone to design (decide on all the equipment) to be installed in my truck. I'll post the facts below. I guarantee who ever does this for me, if I decide to go with your idea, you will be compensated in some form or fashion. I’ve considered taking my truck to one of those custom radio install stores but I’m afraid of one, being ripped off in that I’m no expert on all the equipment required and 2, afraid he’s gonna try to milk me for a 100% mark-up on any equipment he has to provide.

1. 05 DC 4x4
2. Willing to spend $1,200-$1,400 on equipment (is this feasible?)
3. Don't need a system that's gonna win me a competition vs the local Rap Radio Station.
4. Don't need a $500.00 HU that has GPS and washes clothes.
5. I need EVERYTHING so that if I took my truck and a box full of my stuff I could drop it off and not worry about him calling me up telling me he needs door mounts or more speaker wire.

 

I could do it!

 

where in alabama are you? I got experience with installing sound stuff in a tacoma....

 

Equipment wise, I don't think I'd have too much trouble putting together a killer system. Equipment PLUS install costs? Just depends on what you buy and the shop hourly rates. But I do think it's doable.



Too bad you aren't closer to LA...we'd have a fun weekend building/installing your system.

onlinecarstereo.com is where I usually get my equipment from...great pricing and free shipping. You do need to know what to get though.

 

Here's an example I just tossed together on onlinecarstereo...
Pioneer Premier system
Head unit-DEH-500UB $168
Component speakers-TSA-702C $204 (2 pr)
Shallow mount sub 10"-TS-SW251 $79
Hifonics 5 channel amp w/crossovers $219 (I've been running this amp for 5 yrs now)

Free shipping
Grand total $670
Figure on another $200 for wiring, RCA's, connectors, wood, carpet, glue, screws



The combination's are endless. Just depends on your tastes and sound preference. But it can be done. If you want...pm me and we could exchange cell numbers and talk you through it.

 

What do you like about the hifonics? Thinking of getting the alpine pdx5 but $$$. I like the price on yours. Not a lot of budget 5 channels out there

 

Good power, great price, reliable, you need nothing else with the 5-channel. It includes the cross-overs also. I've been hammering mine for 5 yrs now and it's still going strong. I've been running Hifonics amps since the late 80's and never had any issues with any of them I've had.
I've also had Linear Power amps, A/D/S, Alpine and I always come back to Hifonics. They work for me and the price is right.

The reason it's budget is only because onlinecarstereo has it cheap. Try finding it for that price anywhere else. I haven't been able to.

 

I just put together a simple system for my '06 DC Tacoma. This system will have very good sound quality with very reputable brands and is affordable.

1) Headunit: I went with the Alpine CDA-9887. I bought it used for $200 but it retails for about $350. Or you can go with the Alpine CDA-9886 that retails for about $250. I really like the Alpine Headunits. They are very user friendly and have some cool features.

2) Front Door Speakers: I went with Image Dynamics CTX65 which are 6.5" components. I got them from *********.com with MDF speaker mounts for $199. If you check out any Car Audio forum a ton of guy's recommend these speakers.

3) Rear Door Speakers: Image Dynamics CTX65 which are 6.5" coaxials speakers. These speakers will be used for fill, again very recommendable speakers. Got them thru ********* for $149 & includes MDF speaker mounts.

4) Amp: I went with the Alpine PDX5. It's a 5 channel amp and will power all of my speakers including the sub. Rated at 75Wx4 plus a mono channel rated at 300x1 RMS. I have seen a few birthsheets and these amps are very underrated. I got it thru Ebay from a seller named "Discount Sound Inc." for only $365 shipped. He is a very reputable seller on Ebay with a 100% feedback plus the owner from ********* also recommends him. The PDX line from Alpine gets excellent reviews from everyone. These are their top of line amps and are very small. The PDX5 measures only 9" x 10".

Link for ebay store: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/DISCOUNT-SOUND-INC__W0QQ_armrsZ1

5) Subwoofer: This was my hardest decision. After tons of research I went with the Image Dynamics IDV.3 singe 10" sub. These subs work well in small sealed enclosures. Again I have heard nothing but good things about these subs. I got it thru ********* for $199 and it also included a single 10" sealed box.
* I am going to build my own amp mounting board, have it lined with Line'x and attach it to the Taco Tunes box. Everything will be mounted to the 60% side behind the rear seats. This will leave the 40% side for storage.

6) Wiring: Again went with *********. They have a "premade" kit designed for the Tacoma. All of the wire is high quality Tsumnai Wiring. Cost $149.

7) Sound Deadening: Went with Fat Mat on Ebay. I got 25 sqft which should be enough for all 4 doors plus the area for my sub. Cost me $40 shipped. There is better sound deadending out there but for my budget this will be fine and do the job.

* I spent roughly $1300 on the entire system. I am going to do the install myself with the help of my brother. I have been researching car audio for a few months and this system will be more sound quality vs. loud glass shattering noise. I am in no way an "audio expert" but this is what I found that will sound good without breaking the bank. I am in no way affiliated with ********* but his products are high quality and very fair priced.

* Woofersetc.com seems to be a reputable online site to purchase items from. Check out the less known brands such as CDT, Diamond Audio, Focal, Cadence, Image Dynamics etc.

* I wouldn't order anything from Crutchfield. Yes, they have excellent customer service and back their items 100% but they're usually overpriced.

Only my 2 cents.

Good Luck!

 

Excellent post here. Exackly what I'm looking for. Details every piece and where to get it. Thanks bro!!!

 

Ok, here is the complete list of what I’m going with. I’d like to hear your commits on what I’m going with.

- HU: Pioneer DEH-P500UB -- [158.00]
- AMP: HiFonics ZXI 8006 (5 channel 740Watts) -- [229.00]
- Front Speakers: ID CTX65CS (kit from *********) -- [199.00]
- Rear Speakers: ID Cx52 5.25 Mids – [169.00]
- Amp/HU/Rear Speaker wiring (kit from *********) – [ 225.00]
- 10’ Sub and Box (*********) – [199.00]
- 25sq feet FatMat for doors and sub box area – [29.99]


Grand total of $1210.99

Inside my range of the wife not killing me. Please feel free to make commits on my selections

Thank you for all the commits and suggestions thus far.

 

Sounds good but I personally would go with the Alpine PDX5 amp instead of the HiFonics. I have heard good and bad about HiFonics recently. Some say it's crap and others say it's good for the money spent. I would also get 6.5" coaxials opposed to 5.25" for the rear doors.

 

Is the Alpine twice as good as the Hifonics to justify the price? No. Nice amp, but I ain't paying what they ask for it. But hey, it's not my money.


Are you HEARING good and bad or actually KNOW of problems with Hifonics? Just trying to qualify your statement. I've been using Hifonics gear since the late 80s with zero problems. You always have someone saying they hear of problems (most are installer error/set up), but don't actually KNOW anyone that has had issues. Is Hifonics the top seller? Depends on where you are at. I saw a lot more of it out west than I have on the east coast. Just like Zapco...almost all out west. Lots of great gear out there and most has the same reliability. It comes down to price and features.

This is not just a Hifonics issue, just a peeve of mine about peeps with no actual experience with a brand and commenting like the above.

 

Looks like you already have some good suggestions so I'll just do a little preaching if you don't mind.

Since the front speakers are or at least should be the most important aspect of any system expected to sound good I always make them the focal point and build everything else around them. That includes first buying the "best" speakers that fit within your budget for the front and a less expensive set for the rear or forgoing the rears until budget permits. Next and just as important if not more important is proper installation since "a "good" set of speakers installed properly will sound better that a "great" set of speakers not installed properly". If you get that part right everything else will be icing on the cake!

Good luck and have fun with your system!

 

I researched the Hifonics amp because I almost went with their 5 channel ZXi 801. But after tons of research online and talking to a couple local installers who have been around car audio for a very long time all recommended the Alpine over the Hifonics and other 5 channel amps. I paid $365 for my Alpine and the cheapest I could find the Hifonics was $240, so I paid roughly $125 more. Also the size was of the Alpine was a factor considering it is 6" shorter than the Hifonics.

Like I said I am no audio expert, this was just my preference after tons of research online and talking to seasoned installers.

 

I like to find folks that have actual experience with stuff and not just something someone said. You will always have those that have to just go with the norm and only stick with the big names. Nothing wrong with that...but why waste money when there is just as good if not better for less out there? It's performance for the dollar speaking here...but as long as you're happy it's good.


You could install both in the same vehicle and you'd be hard pressed to tell any difference. Not worth the extra money IMO. You'll get a bigger difference in the quality of the install than any measurable differences in these two amps. Size is a very good reason to go for one or the other if that is a concern. Some stuff just won't fit no matter how hard you try.

 

But...The Alpine looks cooler and has blue lights. J/K man!

 

Actually, I have heard the same about Hifonics. Their top of the line models are good, but quality on lesser models was questionable. Moreover, they are designed more for SPL than SQL, so they will pound your brains out, but not necessarily be as accurate in sound reproduction (note that this is NOT a drawback, simply a different goal). I haven't heard nor touched Hifonics either, but this was the story I've heard.

For other slimming products, Memphis Car Audio makes an S-Class line. I don't know the pricing, as they don't do online sales (fairly common in the audio industry). I run Memphis amps, and have been pleased, though I believe there's also chances for cleaner sound. However, Memphis usually gives you more for your money than you'd expect.

There's a comparison floating around here somewhere on sound deadeners, it would be worth a read. As a TW member, you get a discount with RAAMmat which was rated pretty good.

For Pioneer gear, I try to go with the Premiere line, build quality tends to be better. I was pleased with the last Pioneer deck I had, but it was a pain for searching through the iPod. Try taking a look at that if possible. Also, I feel the new 7-way dial is a bit sensitive to incorrect pushes. Just things to think about.

For online sales, knukonceptz was hard to beat for wiring prices.

 

Amazon.com:

Alpine SPX-17PRO Type-X Pro Series 6-3/4" Component Speaker System

Alpine SPX 17PRO - Car speaker - 100 Watt - 2-way - component - $319.00 (You cannot find a lower price for these) Shipped the same day.

Shipped from: Globazar

• Component speaker system includes 2 woofers, 2 tweeters, and 2 crossovers
• 6-3/4" hybrid glass fiber woofer with Natural Butyl Rubber Multi-Roll surround
• 1-1/4" ring-radiator tweeter
• 2-way external crossover network with 4-level tweeter control and 6 phase link modules
• Patent-pending NRSC (Non-Resonant Suspension Coupling) prevents resonant modes for an unrestricted depth of sound
• Machined Low-Carbon Steel U-Yoke Frame
• Shallow Mounting Design
• Airflow Management Cooling
• Heat Transfer Motor/Frame Coupling Motor Technology
• Machined Aluminum Phase Plug with Direct Heat Transfer Heat-Sink Dustcap
• External / Flush Tweeter Mounting Kit
• Easy-Mount Screw Terminals Crossover Network
• 4 - Level Attenuation Control
• Audiophile / Expert Grade Network Woofer
• 1.5" High Temp VC CCAW Wire on Aluminum Former
• Neodymium magnet structure
• Top-mount depth: 2-9/16"
• Includes 5"x7" and 6"x8" mounting plates

Onlinecarstereo.com:
Alpine SPR-17C6-1/2” 2-Way 300W Car Speakers $89.00. Buy $10.00 more and shipping is free.

• Top Mount Depth: 2.32 Inches
• Sensitivity: 87 dB
• RMS Power Range : 100 Watts
• Peak Power Handling: 300 Watts
• Impedance: 4 Ohm
• Frequency response: 65-27000 Hz
• Design: 2 Way
• Woofer Composition: Hybrid layered-pulp with mica coating
• Diameter: 6.5 Inch 6-1/2” Coaxial 2-Way Speaker
• Linear Drive Magnet
• Hybrid layered-pulp with mica coating woofer cone
• Square Voice Coil Design
• Large size Voice Coil
• Roll Rubber Surround
• 1” Ring-Dome Tweeter
• Swivel Design
• Custom-Fit Adaptor Included
• Priced per pair

Woofersetc.com: You might find better prices elsewhere but I bought em here.
MRP-M500 - Alpine Mono 500W subwoofer amplifier $169.00
· mono subwoofer car amplifier
· 300 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms
· 500 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
· variable low-pass filter (50-200 Hz, 24 dB/octave
· variable bass boost (0-12 dB at 50 Hz)
· subsonic filter (15 Hz, 24 dB/octave)
· Class D amp with MOSFET power supply
· CEA-2006 compliant
· STAR Topology (minimizes internal noise and prevents ground interference)
· speaker- and preamp-level inputs
· gold-plated screw terminals
· fuse rating: 30A x 2
· 8-gauge power and ground leads recommended
· 10-5/8"W x 2-3/8"H x 9-9/16"D

RP-F600 - Alpine V-Power Series 4-channel 600 Watt Amplifier - $269.00
· 4-channel car amplifier
· 100 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms
· 150 watts RMS x 4 at 2 ohms
· 300 watts RMS x 2 bridged output at 4 ohms (4-ohm stable in bridged mode)
· 2-, 3-, or 4-channel output
· variable high-pass/low-pass filters (50-400 Hz, 12 dB/octave)
· selectable bass boost (12 dB at 50 Hz)
· MOSFET power supply
· CEA-2006 compliant
· STAR Topology (minimizes internal noise and prevents ground interference)
· speaker- and preamp-level inputs
· gold-plated screw terminals
· 15"W x 2-3/8"H x 9-7/8"D MRPF600 MRP F600

KDC-X493 - Kenwood Excelon Advanced In-dash CD Receiver with USB Direct Control $139.00
· TDF (Theft Deterrent Faceplate)
· 14 Segment/13-Digit FL Display
· Music Search
· Favorite Memory
· Rotary Encoder for Easy Operation
· Key Illumination (Blue)
· Manual Dimmer Function (2Step)
· Supplied with Remote Control Unit
Audio Features
· Maximum Output Power : 50W x 4
· 4.0V 3 Preouts
· System E's Xover System
· Bass Boost
· System Qex: 3-Band Parametric EQ
· Front AUX Input with Input Sensitivity Adjust
Attenuator (-20dB) with Smooth Volume Return

Mr. Marv:
Custom hand crafted with loving care loaded single 10" subwoofer enclosure with dual amp decks $ Priceless (470.00)
Loaded with Pioneer TS-SW2541D 10" 100W 4ohm Shallow mount Subwoofer
Sensitivity: 87 dB
RMS Power Range : 250 Watts
Peak Power Handling: 1000 Watts
Impedance: 4 Ohm
Low Frequency response: 20 Hz
High Frequency Response: 1000 Hz
Diameter: 10 Inch


There! That is the meat and potatoes of the system I have purchased.
Don't forget to throw in sound deadener, pacs-swi steering wheel adapter, RCA lines, dual amp kit, 16G. speaker wire., etc., etc.
$1335.00
Plus shipping, however, you can get away with free shipping in many instances.
Plus $200.00 for install equip.

Installing your own sytem?? Maybe your first??
This free web site is a MUST:
http://www.bcae1.com/
I'm even going to post this site as a new thread for nooby stereo enthusiasts.
Also most of your questions or problems can be answered at this site (http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?forumid=38)without the usual wise-ass comments you get at our own beloved Tacomaworld forum.

I am not an "audiohile". I, however, do like a system that yields a certain "Je ne sai quois" when turned up a bit.

To each his own. I'll let you all know how "my own" turns out.