Complete Audio System In The Range of $500?

[DesigningEcho]

As my previous post stated, I am purchasing a 2003 Celica GT on saturday.

I have about $500 dollars to spend on a sound system, Subs, Amp, Wiring, etc. are there any starter kits or combos you guys recommend. I kind of would feel like an idiot pullin up to best buy and bieng all "I WANT SUBS YAY" like every other idiot -_-

-echo

[wiccanferret]

Well, do some reasearch. Crutchfield.com is a great place to put your system together and if you're interested in installing yourself (which you'll have to if you want to get a decent system for $500), Crutchfield gives you step by step instructions and wiring harnesses and everything for your car. It's a really good deal.

[DesigningEcho]

Yah i mean but what have most people had luck with as far as how for example one 12 compared to two 10s in the car, and what brands n such does everyone recommentd

[MasterMyers]

ill smack u if u get xplode you'r better than that. get some damn alpines or kenwood subs, not sure on the amp but 1,200 watt amp will give you all the power you need for now, thats what im pushing now and ppl recognize when i cruise by blasting

[Createdtoburn]

Ohh I love car audio. Alright first of all, if you buy off crutchfield I will smack you. Their prices are rediculous. Listen.. FIRST go to

www.millionbuy.com

then

www.sonicelectronix.com

Look at both of those websites. I've bought plenty of stuff from both places. All brand new stuff unless it says its not. Dont waste your money. Now honestly, it really depends what you want. Do you want a WHOLE system (Cd Player, Speakers front and back, Subwoofers, and amplifier) to say the least. And how loud are you looking for the subs to be? Just a little extra bass/punch or some hard hittin shit?

Tell me first what you want, and I'll help you out with what would be best for your money.

[kmorphosis]

As far as what to put in the hatch, I have an enclosed box with 2X 10" Subs. Powered by a 1000 watt amp. Definately hits hard enough, sometimes too hard. But you lose a lot of trunk space. Plus with the TRD 3 point brace I pretty much have no trunk space.

[wiccanferret]

Good stuff on millionbuy.com. Glad I saw the link.

[Createdtoburn]

Yeah millionbuy's great. I got two Rockford Punch 1 10in subs in a dual sealed box with a Rockford Punch P3001 Mono amp to run them. Sounds really good in my 1992 Celica trunk.

Now if you have a Hatch, hatches are usually louder. More open airspace for the frequencies to travel toward the listener. But those subs sound really clean in my car. Good sound quality.

[hachi-rocu]

I like planet audio and panasonic

[DesigningEcho]

I definitly want subs that people can hear outside the car, but just enough so people will be all.. oh damn dawg he's got them subssss dawg (high school just sucks like that you know). Of course tho I am more concerned about what it sounds like inside, so i dont want anything overpowering.

I do like trunk space tho, what could you do with one 12?

[Createdtoburn]

Well if you're lookin for One 12in sub with amplifier... and you want some power keeping sound quality.

Try this one Punch 3.

http://www.millionbuy.com/rocp312d4.html

And this amp to power it.

http://www.millionbuy.com/rocp6001bd.html

Great sound quality and that one 12in Punch3 will bump the crap out of your car in the right box. Use the rest of the money to buy a good 4guage amplifier kit and a good single 12in box.

[DesigningEcho]

Well i dont know anything about picking out boxers, or what the hell a 4guage aplifier kit is or none of that

Do you all agree with this guy?

[4Aaron GE]

It's not the best of the best, and it's not the cheapest you can find, but unless you buy used, it'll do.

Check around in the local stereo shops. A lot of the time, the lines they carry are better than the bigger chains. (IE, JVC's Arsenal line, rather than the standrad lineup).

4 gauge refers to the size of wiring you'll be using. Head on over to www.installdr.com. They'll probably have the information you're looking for.

[MasterMyers]

just run by walmart and grab the 40 buck wiring kit, works good i think 4 gauge hot wire, about 10-15 feet, ground wire the same, a 100. fuse and the plugs that go from back of box to the cd player..

people around here in the car scene love kickers and jvc im still swearing by alpines dude. on low volumes u can be heard and the inside is comfortable, crank it up and the cops might be called and your vibrated all over the car but in a good way, no distortion. im asuming you meant u didnt want distortion when u said how it sounds inside.

[Createdtoburn]

Alpine and Kicker are other good brands, but a little more on the expensive side. Buying stuff from local shops, you're only going to crappy deals. Unless you can find like blowout sales or something really cheap they wouldnt normally do.

Here's the kit you need. I guarentee you get more then walmart would give you with even half the price.

http://www.millionbuy.com/hitkit4.html

I've bought that exact kit before, its great. Basically thats the power wire, and ground wire, remote turn on wire, some speaker wire, RCA signal wires, and other random stuff you need to wire up an amplifier. You should also find a friend near you who knows about this stuff to help you wire it up.

Just look around on that website, has everything you need. Almost guarenteed way lower prices then best buy, or walmart, or any shops around you because they dont markup their shit.

:-p goodluck.