Thoughts on over done car-audio systems

[ThoR_]

a good deck. 6x9`s in the back. 6" inches in the front. And probably a small amp to power them. But get JBL 6x9`s and you turn up the bass and you have got yourself a small sub. Not a meat head stereo but can crank if you want it to. But no doof doof and all that junk. Just a basic good sound system. Under 500 bucks.

[normxb]

As I posted before , I'm not innocent of plenty of volume , but a 600w - 5,000w system (that's proper music power , RMS ) in a "Club Auditorium" with 200 - 600 people , a 15 - 20 ft high ceiling and acoustically designed roof to soak up the sound can be a real Buzz . Luckily for me I don't think my hearing has been affected after years of this volume . (Daa ,what did ya say , speak up , Lol)

Over the years I've known musicians from "the Old School" where they'd link "Marshall " , " Wasp" , "Leonard" , "Peavey" , "Phoenix" stacks Etc. with 6 or 8 speakers per box Behind them , mainly from the 60's & 70's era and they are "deaf as posts" . These days most muso's have small amps on stage miked or lined out through the system and you only hear what comes through the Foldback . :

What worries me is the volume of that type "locked" in a 2m square Box (car) , and what that persons hearing will be like in 20 odd years . :

Just my thoughts .

[VeloXR6]

I dont like hearing boom boom down the street - thats pretty much noise pollution - but I know that I dont get an opportunity to listen to my favorite songs really loud at home so the car is a natural place to put quality Audio that you will use often....
Depends how much you like your music I guess.

[XR6_661]

Nothing wrong with a good loud decent system.

Just make sure your boot is sound deadened.

I like my system, 1x12in" Sub, 500W Kenwood amp, 2 Kenwood 6x9s & 2 pioneer 6in" Oh and a pioneer head unit.

The beauty of my system is its nice and loud in the car, outside you can hardly here a thing! Unless all the windows are down, but who does that!

[Kobayashi]

I loved my loud stereo in my old crappy VN.

Its the only thing that drowned out all the horrible noises it made ;)

[Dezza]

If you want better sound quality for yourself and your passengers, then that's fine by me. But if you spend all that money on audio equipment just to crank it up and look fully-*** as you cut laps down Chapel St with the windows down, then you're an idiot.

I've spent a total of $400 on my audio system, but that pales in comparison to all those big audio systems out there. I did it all for myself. Of course, a big chunk of that money went into a CD/MP3 player, which is totally understandable, as tapeplayers are well out of date these days, and I replaced the rear speakers to improve quality. It's still not too extreme. Some day I'll replace the front speakers and get an amp, and that should be enough.

[groops]

I have upgraded the stock single cd radio in my AU3 XR cause I'm picky about what i listen on. Have put all JL Audio gear, 4ch amp for speakers, 2ch amp for sub (note I said sub, not subS), 4 5x7's replacing standard speakers in there and a 12" Sealed Boxed sub in boot. Have also replaced the Head unit with a Kenwood 7" LCD DVD reciever with most bells and whistles. But like I said, I appreciate quality sound, so it was important to me. Mind you, my car is still worth more than my stereo, so that probably has just bored you all. My old Galant (worth $2.5k) had a stereo worth about $5k, but was heavily alarmed and well fitted to look as stock as possible. I think it's ok to have top quality audio in your car, particually if you are spending alot of time in it. I think that if you have a cheap car but have good quality audio, the most important thing is to make it look as in-conspicuous as possible. That INCLUDES not playing music so loud that the person 3 cars away can have random bowel movements in time with your beat....IMHO

Mike

[Bucknaked]

I don't really have an opinion as I don't know much about the subject. I have factory premium sound in my AU, and to tell you the truth, I have no idea whether it sounds better that a $99 job from Supercheap. Sound is sound. It is all the same. If someone would like to show me the difference, i would be happy to learn. But all i ever notice is the rear window rattling and shaking in the doof doofers. Um-cha um-cha as Chopper would say :

[pertuan]

I had a mate in highschool (dear god, that was 10 years ago!!) that put 8 speakers and 2x12 inch subs in his VS Commodore. Everywhere he went, he had it on full bolt. He gave me a ride once and for the 10 minute trip, I had to hang me head out the window. It was so loud it hurt my ears!!! And he drove like that every day! I reckon he's probably half deaf by now.

The other issue I have is, how can they hear the sirens from the police/Ambo/Firey?

I'm a fan of a GOOD sound system but not a LOUD sound system. IMHO, those two things are totally separate entities.

[StealthAu]

I've got JBL 6.5" splits all round, and 2 x JBL 12" 1000w subs and a 3000w V12 amp.
Complete overkill, should have just bougt 5x7 2ways for the rear and only 1 sub. But oh well it sound good and can make 142db

[groops]

Originally Posted by stockoau

I've got JBL 6.5" splits all round, and 2 x JBL 12" 1000w subs and a 3000w V12 amp.
Complete overkill, should have just bougt 5x7 2ways for the rear and only 1 sub. But oh well it sound good and can make 142db

Yeah, you should. Oh well, I'm sure it sounds hot though...

The thing about spending big dollars for some of us, it's not about big sound. I can go to Parklea Markets and pick up a full Boss system for like $500 and get 'BIG' sound, but I want CLEAR sound. My dad always upgrades his system on all his cars, not for big sound (AM Radio Listener) but for Quality Sound. I think I've spent about $5-7k on my stereo, but I spend alot of time in there and want to be listening to quality audio. I think it's each to their own. People spend thousands of dollars on high quality video cameras, but I don't do a massive amount of videoing. While I can appreciate the quality difference, for my application and use I wouldn't really mind using a $700 Sony DV Camera. So yeah, I think we can all whinge and whine about the 17 year olds that go and buy big stereos to make sure you can hear what they're listening to, but that's not going to change. Spend your money how you want to spend it, but don't tell others that what they're doing is 'wrong', cause it's their choice, and we're all entitled to our own thoughts and spending. IMO

Mike

Car audio is great, i mean who dosent like good sound? But in a 2k car, i don't think a brilliant stereo should be the highest priority - Nothing worse than a crap car with a good stereo, but nothing better than a top car with a top stereo.

[XR8-260]

Putting an overly expensive stereo in a POS car is just as bad as putting a rice cannon on a hyundai excel. No offense intended :.

[AC/DC]

I reckon GO FOR IT..... The more expensive the better, , why not !

I know people who spend $4000 on paint, , to let birds 5hit on it......

and then people spend thousands on a Chrome exhaust system ?

So yeah, , ROCK ON

AC/DC

[paulie0735]

I actually like a good sound system in a car, that doesn’t mean the more bass the better!! I have in the past spent big money on sound gear but won't do it again. I will however upgrade the speakers in the terry as they are borderline c_rap.
What does amuse me no end is the kids who drive around in their mums old excel (or similar) and actually think that their cheap subs and even cheaper 'big power' amps actually carry some street cred!! Its sad and amusing that they think people might be impressed when the reality is that most people are laughing at them and the rest just feel sorry for them as they clearly have no idea what 'quality' audio is>>

Depends what you feel is overdone. To some people over-done means spending a fair amount on good quality speakers to get SQ, and that I'm all for. Although an Autosalon showoff style install has its novelty value, knowing that its completely unusable in day to day driving sort of defeats the purpose.

People who purpose build SPL cars, its their hobby, and its probably not their daily driver, so $10000 into a $500 car makes sense, as the cars going to be undriveable anyways, so not much sense spending money on it

[XR8 Uterous]

I got a friend who loves his car audio, has a BA XR6 and is planning on spending over 10k on a system. His money his choice. I would spend maybe 2 to 3k if i had the money, but i know where id prefer it to be spent.

[ThoR_]

10k! what a tool

[dzynafalcon]

I went cruising in a mates car on the weekend, and got the task of designated driver. the car has an amazing sound system, cost the previous owner around $8000. we were in the city and my mate in the passenger seat was in control of the stereo until we were stopped at the lights. he turned the blasted thing up so loud that cars on the other side of the road were vibrating. I protested a few times, but got no response. before i could turn it down, a bloke in the car next to us told us off, so it got turned it down pretty quick. it was actually really embarrasing having everyone staring at you. i really dont see the point in having music so loud that it hurts to listen to it. its extremely inconsiderate, and its dangerous. you can't hear emergency service vehicles, people honking their horns etc. I prefer quality over volume any day

[FORD3V]

I say spend the cash on the motor, then again some people like all show and no go :MrT_anim:

[H4ZE]

One of the biggest phases of my LTD project is going to be the sound system, which at the moment is a growing mountain of navy blue boxes in the corner of my loungeroom: Alpine CDA-7998R deck, four PDX amps (1x 4.150, 1x 2.150, 2x 1.1000), two sets of Type-X 6.5inch splits and a pair of 12 inch Type-X subwoofers. I'm happy to tell anyone interested that my front doors have 300WRMS each in them- but I'm not in it for sheer loud music. I like crisp, clear highs and head smashing lows but that doesn't mean I'm going to drive around with my music so loud I'll be wearing earplugs.
Good sound system installs compliment interiors and boots as well (I've seen showcars filled to the brim with thousands of dollars of audio gear but not even wired up- just for looks)
There's my rant. In answer to your question: The more spent on the car, the bigger the budget can be on the audio system.

[gmkila]

i personaly have quite a big system in my car its probably worth 20k but i did it for me no one else i love music going fast big wheels and i'll spend whatever it takes to get my car how i want it, spending money on a car not worth to much to buy is fine if it is what you want, in my case i wanted an eb ghia v8 so thats what i've got, i bought the car for 7k 2 years ago and have now spent over 40k on it! so does his make me an idiot? i dont think so cos its what i want not what everyone else thinks should be done or what car to do it to, by the way next time anyone see's my car they will be in for a nice suprise in 6 months or so. thats my 2 cents anyway.......

[JD86]

i love my music, but im happy to just get some decent speakers and nice head unit, i dont like the subs that take up your boot and all the gear that sets you back heaps of money that could be spent on engine work, or on getting cars roadworthy as a lot of the cars with big systems appear unroadworthy haha, but hey whatever floats your boat

[pb02]

I've got no problem with people spending big on sound systems. I love my music and always enjoy listening to it through a good quality system.
What I hate though, is when I'm at a set of lights and can't have a conversation with my passenger because some dumba$$ has heavily distorted music up so load that everyone within a 1km radius can hear him coming. I don't want to listen to other peoples music, they always have the worst taste and you can never tell what the hell it is because it's so distorted..

[Quasi]

It's not the sound systems I mind (although some do go overboard), but more the absolute shyte gay noise that comes out of most of them.

[Conrad]

Originally Posted by GTP006

lol @ ammo jammo!

I love your signature GTP006 :

[davonafairlane]

There are limits. When the cables ratings way exceed the alternator's current rating and the "big thumping amps" have huge ratings when they only have 10 amp fuses in them, its going to far. There is heaps of bulls**t in car audio. Some people get caught up in the whole fad/fashion. All you want is clean (no distortion) dynamic sound. Not bass testing cd's the shake the car to bits!

[AUIII XR8 MAN]

Originally Posted by BlackLS

People who purpose build SPL cars, its their hobby, and its probably not their daily driver, so $10000 into a $500 car makes sense, as the cars going to be undriveable anyways, so not much sense spending money on it

I agree, if your going to put than much sound equiement in a car & blast the living crap out of it with sound, it might as well be cheap car.

[Ruger]

and not to mention in most serious spl cars they fill the floor under the box and above the floor pan with cement. you wouldnt want to go pouring 200kg worth of cement into a brand new $40,000 car.

I agree what davonafairlane said - you can tell an amps true power rating by the fuse size.
I had a big noise making stereo, halfway through the build got sick of it and went for SQ, enjoyed that alot more but got sick of how the car drove full of audio gear and never drove it enough so ripped it out and sold it all.