Recommeded inexpensive system with good sound quality?

**netchris** · 01-09-2007, 10:28 AM

I know the two normally don't go together and you pay what you get for, but there are always ripoffs out there as well as deals to be had, and I'd like to avoid the former.

I am willing to sacrafice wattage. I have 200 watt computer speakers and I never go to even half volume. I realize that the car is a more demanding environment, but still don't think I'd ever use more than 3 or 400 watts (compared to some people who are rolling around with multiple kilowatt amps..)

Anyway, any recommendations are greatly appriciated! This is really just a starting point for me because I have no clue about car audio. I'm thinking 1 amp, 1 sub, and 4 speakers, maybe 2 tweeters depending on price and importance. Oh and I also don't need a head unit since I'll have a carputer going in.

Thanks guys!

-Chris

**XC-C30** · 01-09-2007, 11:10 AM

never look at wattage, and sertainly don't compare with pc-speakers.... those 200watts are just a figure..... might get 5watts out of them.... a car is absolutely totally different to a room. My install is verry modest, even for a pure SQ-install.... I'm running around with 400Watts RMS, and that's about ok for easy listening.

You see: subs need a fair amount of power to produce the low frequencies.... Thinking 400Wrms is overkill in a good soundsystem is wrong.... Also, if you want SQ there's far more important things than speakers and amps.... you could roll with speakers and amps for about $400 total, but the far more important things are good wiring and damping in a SQ-system and prepare to pay easily as much on that!!!!

**netchris** · 01-09-2007, 11:31 AM

I bought enough sound dampening material from secondskinaudio to do my entire car once over and a second layer on the doors and floor, so I think I'm covered there. Also, these are my computer speakers, so I don't think they suck too bad.

From what I've read so far I gather that the gauge of the wire and how you wire everything up matters, but paying more for fancy high tech wire doesn't do jack since the sound floor in a car is so high that you won't notice the difference anyway. As far as the sub, I was hoping a properly installed 8" would be enough since my car is so small, and thus would not require a ginormous amp to power it.

So what's your setup?

**scott_fx** · 01-09-2007, 11:39 AM

ic has a lot of good info.

i alway recommend elemental designs for anyone looking for some quality stuff at a good price. if you join www.icixsound.com you can also get the forum discount; which is substantial. if you are interested in the eu-700 subs i have two dual 2-ohm, and four dual 4-ohm subs that i could sell. (unused)

you also have the option of going fully active and taking a diy route. that is sort of what i'm doing. dollar for dollar it's probably cheaper on the speakers side, but you do have to think about the extra two channels of amplification you'll need and the x-over if your amp or soundcard isn't capable of directing the signal to the correct speakers (i think the elemental designs amps have internal x-overs) if you go this route i can help you a bit. for amps go with the nine.4 and then a sub amp. speakers...give me a budget and what size speakers you can use.

**XC-C30** · 01-09-2007, 11:49 AM

going the active route is expensive scott.... but if you're willing to pay for it.... please do!

few advantages of going fully active over passive:

- no need for passive filters that most of the time cost about 50% of what you're paying for (if you pick a nice pair with good filters) your compo-set.
- more tweaking-options if you choose the right products.
- the mixing and match of speakers (tweeters, (mids), and kicks) to your own taste in sound.

disadvantagrs:

- more expensive because you'll need (an) extra amp(s).
- good active filtering isn't exactly cheap either.
- point two goes for a soundcard aswell because you need one that has enough outputs.
- harder to setup a good soundstage.

I'm sure there will be more (dis)advantages, but these are a few to start with in the thinking-process of which way you're willing to go.

edit: @netchris: look at my signature and pc-specs if you want to know my setup. I'm also using 2 8" subs (have nothing installed yet though)

**netchris** · 01-09-2007, 11:59 AM

Active route?

[edit]
Whoops you edited your post at exactly the same time I made mine. Anyway you mentioned sound card, here is mine, so I think it's pretty good..

**XC-C30** · 01-09-2007, 12:07 PM

good card I think, but will be hard to use in an active setup..... there's a thread somewhere in the car-audio section about sound-tuning, and I also might refer to Red gti VR6 and durwood who are fairly active in that topic and might give you good info on active ICE. The software they (and I, and some others) are planning to use, requier ASIO supported cards, and for as far as I can see, your card doesn't support ASIO. So you might have a struggle on that....

**scott_fx** · 01-09-2007, 02:26 PM

definately look into the ed components
if you're going with a 2.1 setup you can get a--
nine.4 amp (235):
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/pro...products_id=46
6000s components (125):
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/pro...products_id=49
8" sub (95):
http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/pro...products_id=29
for about $450 new...if you join icix like i said you'll probably save 100 bucks and have a decent system.

you could also go used and save some money too.

**XC-C30** · 01-09-2007, 02:37 PM

I haven't had any experience because it costed me too much money to import them from the US due to the extra taxes and VAT. But I seriously have been thinking of Buying some eD stuff. I can't say anything on the speakers except for the good things I've read about it, but the amps are really wel built!

**durwood** · 01-09-2007, 03:43 PM

good card I think, but will be hard to use in an active setup..... there's a thread somewhere in the car-audio section about sound-tuning, and I also might refer to Red gti VR6 and durwood who are fairly active in that topic and might give you good info on active ICE. The software they (and I, and some others) are planning to use, requier ASIO supported cards, and for as far as I can see, your card doesn't support ASIO. So you might have a struggle on that....

Here is the link for some cool stuff to use if you buy the right hardware.

Software options for Tuning

For a simple route, a creative audigy card PCI card and the KXproject drivers will do more than what most headunits can do and it's cheap.

Although, if you want really fancy stuff with a few extra dollars, look into cards that are ASIO compatible. The ESI/Audiotrak cards make it real easy to do some more advanced stuff, but you can also go other routes to take advantage of a program called frequency allocator.