i just got my 2001 protege and i want to start making it better, i was thinking of 2 10inch subs an amp no clue what type or wattage, some 6's or 6x9 speakers, and a new deck. any suggestions, on brands and models and so on would be great.

 

i just got my system all installed today. and i have to say i love it! i got 2 10inch rockford subs, not sure on the wattage, but they pound so loud! i had to derattle a bunch of stuff in the trunk already and i still have more to do, so thats kinda a big thing to do. but i got a rockford RF2002 amplifier, 600 watts. also am very pleased with that. and a sweet clarion DXZ645MP, so many features and plenty of power. so overall id say any of those things would get you a sweet sound system!

 

how much power are you looking to add? I've got an MSP amp/sub rack that is good as an add-on system. I've seen a lot of people take the Kenwood sub out and swap in a JL Audio 8w3v2 and have a really nice sounding system. This is what I'm planning on doing to mine. (i have a spare amp/sub rack.)

I mounted the rack flush on the back of my seats and it looks real good. The only catch is no more 60/40 split rear...it's either all down or all up. No biggee though. If you're interested in it let me know.

 

yo i got 2 JL w7's 12 inch, 2 Jl 1000watt mono amps, one 450 watt JL amp for my Mb Quartz for highs and mids, 2 capacitors and... man i tell you what... that **** is incredibly loud and sounds absolutely crisp. I had people ask me at gas stations how do i get it to sound so damn good.... whooops, im braggin' . . . Saitec, just get your self some good speakers, punch is a low grade speaker, so dont get that, instead save up some money for something better, like JL or whatnot. And make sure to get a nice headunit.

 

im not sure how much power to add, i like bass, and loud music, i just want something to enjoy

 

well, lets narrow it down and go from there: How much money do you want or willing to spend?

 

somewhere around 2 grand i guess would be a maximum

 

ok, get a pioneer or kenwood headunit whichever one you want, they make some of the best stuff; They usually run anywhere between 200 - 500 $. Next get a sub(s) - audiobahn, JL, memphis (anywhere between 100 and 500 a piece). A good amp is a must, if you going to get one go to your local soundshop and buy it there so that in case you blow it up you can get a new one on warranty (might as well get subs from there too). Its not necessary since most of the speakers that come on newer proteges are pretty good, but its always better to get new front and rear speakers: Mb quartz make the best (in my oppinion) component speakers (200 for front and about the same for rear). Oh yeah, a good box for subs is a must: there are many choices of box design (ported, piggy back....etc) and many choices of matterial from which a box is built. A box should run anywhere between $ 70 and $200. Next in line is sound deadeing of your trunk so it wont rattle and sound like a metal can full of beans, i personally prefer Dynamat, however there are many options depending on where you get it from. Moreover, i would recommend for you to do your homework on subs, headunit and component speaker selection, such as look at reviews, ask around and even listen to somebody elses system in their car to see what you want. Finally i would recommmend for you to go to your local car stereo outlet (not Bestbuy, Wallmart or Circuit City, lol) there you can listen and play around with your future system before you decide to buy it and also have a professional install your stuff because no matter how good of a job you think you can do yourself, at the shop theres always warranties on everything, so if something screwes up you dont have to take money out of your poket to fix it. Good Luck

 

I don't know about audiobahn. But Memphis is a good way to go. I have been working with them for 2 1/2 years now. And they make awesome products.

If you're looking for something decent, here's a setup I would recommend.

Memphis M-Class 12"
Memphis Belle 600 watt
)Speakers
And any M-CLASS speakers for interior. Their PR series is decent, but they make the M-class with a fiberglass/kevlar mix. Really strong, the surrond will go before the cone will. And that will be a long time. (BTW, Kevlar is the material that the military's battle helmets are made out of

Their component sets are really good, their co-axials are decent. They offer really good mids. Heck you can almost go with their component speakers and skip the sub.

The Memphis Belle is a 5 channel, and will run everything perfectly. Throw that 1 12" M-Class in a match Memphis box (made by AE, audio enhancers) and it'll pound your head away.

As for a deck... Alpine is still one of the best in my opinions. I have a JVC in my Maxima and love it. Clarion is decent... so is kenwood. But pioneer has gone cheap.

 

I had the same basic car as you.

It's a loud car so use sound deadening where ever you can. basically, the quieter you can make the car, the smaller the amps you can use, and better it will sound.

For a deck it's pretty much up to you as far as features go. Look for one with high voltage 4 or 5 volts if possible. Same reason as the sound deadening. Hotter signal from the deck means more power to the amp so that you don't need one as big.

If you're worried about the cost of subs, or trunk space, you might try a dual voice coil. Uses one sub instead of two, and you can run a good amp in mono to get the most out of it. Unless you're competing, you don't need to spend more than 400 - 450 for a 10-12" version.

Think about really good component speakers for the fronts. 6.5s will work great, and an amp that will balance the fronts with the level of bass you end up choosing.

Note *forget about the rear speakers*

You can't really hear them anyway, and it costs you money to buy them, and more to power them. Save that money and spend it on the rest of your system. It makes a big difference.

You'll also want a good crossover; either included in the amps, or a standalone. A lot of good amps already have them.

Lastly a capacitor is a must to ensure your system receives a steady flow of power and doesn't instead rob from the rest of your car.

Edit: I didn't include any name brands on purpose since you'll know what you want when you hear it, and what works for me, may not work for you.

Talk to reputable stores and have them do all of your installations. Your buddies might know how to install it, but if they screw it up and void your warranty, you'll be pissed, and broke. Save yourself the headache and pay for the 2-3 hours labour.

 

A Memphis M-Class 12" will run you $130. 400-450 is a waste unless you competing.


That's true, but if you crank the system up, you'll hear them distort which will ruin your sound. You don't have to get something fancy, just better than stock.

That's the biggest bunch of $hit I've ever heard. If you're running anything below 1000 watts, you won't need it, and it's more of a drain on your charging system. Plus if it isn't installed right, it'll drain your battery while you're away and the car is not running.

This is about the only sound advice I have heard you give. And I only named Memphis to show a starting off point

Which stores are these... I wouldn't be surprised to hear Best Buy come out of your mouth. You won't learn anything by letting everything being done for you. If you get in good with a personally owned store, the owner might let you bring it in and let you install it yourself... and be there to give you some pointers.

I've been doing installs for almost 7 years now. I started off knowing very little and had help from friends. I've pushed myself and learned all I could, now people are coming to me for installs. This also has come in handy for those "reputable" stores that have tried feeding me BS.

 

Someone's definitely got their back up. Whatever. The purpose of these forums is to help people, not badger other people for doing so.

Either way, I'll let Saitek make up his own mind, and I'm confortable that he'll end up getting what he wants. Between everyone in this thread, he has all the information necessary to make an informed decision, which is the point.

Hopefully, he'll let us know which way he went.

 

Ahh but there is a difference between good sound advice... and wrong information. Somewhere along the line someone fed you the wrong info.

And everything is in the eye of the beholder. You call it badgering, I call correcting mis information. I didn't crack down on all of your post.

My bad on the last 2 posts. But hey, call it channeling from Moderator to member. Got the attitude from Rodimus... LOL

 

I suggest brands like Pheonix gold and Soundstream. They have been making awardwinning compitition equiptment for years. A good amp that wouldn't set you back would be some of the older U.S. Accoustics models. SPL is decent but not the best. I have Blitz Audio in my 323 and Volfanhag in my truck and those systems are the best I've ever owned. I went to highschool with a kid who's dad is the owner and founder of sound stream and let me tell you they make some out of this world sh*t.

 

Memphis has been breaking SPL world records. But I only give it so long before someone will come along with a new product and break that record.