I would just like to start by telling everyone how awesome this forum is. I can't believe all the advise everyone gives out here. I just finally upgraded from my 89 Ford Probe to a 2001 SIlver Coupe, and I am totally loving life. Anyways, the one bad thing is the bose system, damn. I started highschool with my 89 Probe, had a sony head unit, kicker speakers and two kicker comp 10s powered my a now old Rockford punch 4 channel. It has been 10 years listening to that so it is hard to step down to less. Anyhow, I am here seeking advise for my upgrade. I am on about a 2G budget and would like to upgrade the vette. So I hope you let me pick your brains. I am alittle older now, so don't have to blow the doors off, but I love a good thump and rocking out when it needs to be done.
I am in Sacramento, CA so any suggestions on good installers would be great. From the forum I am reluctant to let Best Buy or Circuit City have at my Vette.
First what components does everybody love as far as balance for the cash
What size speakers fit in the door/back
If I buy a sub, I am not going to build a box? Can anyone point to a good website for something to just buy and drop in
Where do you guys mount the amps?

I thought I could pull the Punch out of my car and drive the 4 speakers then just buy one amp for the sub. It seems like everyone loves JL audio subs for the Vette??? Is there a reason for this??????

Ok thanks to everyone for your help.....The only other thing is I have to get that damn washer fluid low light off......

 

What I would do If I had a C5:
Alpine Head Unit
JL Audio XR 3 ways in front doors
JL Audio Stealthbox in the back (sealed 10" W3 flush in rear compartment)
JL Audio 300/2 for front speakers
JL Audio 250/1 sub amp.

It's all brand name stuff (one brand name in particular). It should install well/stealth in a C5 and sound amazing. I would use one of Vrum Vrum's head unit mounts for the alpine deck too. They look great. I believe he can make you some mounts for the 3 ways up front too. This would be a very simple bolt in install compared to some out there, and would look stealth and sound great!

 

Hi, I'm also in Sacramento.

Talk to Rod Birch @ Car Audio Innovations. He does a lot of Porsche installs. He stands behind his work 110%.

I've bought a lot of equipment from him, and had him install an alarm. While his assistant did the alarm install, and I wasn't 100% happy with it, he went out of his way to make sure everything was good afterward. Excellent post-purchase support.

He installed a killer system in my coworker's truck. He built a box that took up the extended cab area, and created a custom dash mount. It looks great.


Give him a call @ 780-9450

212 Harding Blvd Suite D, Roseville.

Check out those new Focal Polykevlar K2 Power series... They are spectacular. They may put you over what you wanted to spend, but they are *nice*

He also has Morel now, which is awesome.

I'm running a fairly high end system that I got for around the budget you have. The trick to that is though - you have to buy the parts online (With no official factory warranty) and do all the work yourself.

Labor and paying retail take a huge chunk out of your budget.


I'm a big fan of NO rear speakers.

So you could get some really nice components up front, a decent sub in the back, two nice amps, and a good head unit and be set.

There's a whole huge world of audio that is beyond the capability of what you are used to. I think you'll be surprised and very pleased with what $2000 can buy you.

 

Hey thanks for the reply guys. I did come upon Car audio innovations on the net. He has some pretty nice installs! But, like you were saying labor eats up alot of $$$ in a hurry. Do you think it would save anything buying stuff and just having them put it in... Or should I just get off my *** and learn how to do it all myself?

I heard the Focals are pretty awesome, will have to search the net and find a good $

Thanks

 

I have the 165W installed in my truck, if you'd like to hear them.

It is really not that difficult to install car audio. ...if you have the tools. The C5 looks especially easy. I've only done installs in a tacoma, camry, and c4 vette, though.

You can save so much money by installing yourself.

Doing the math, if I had paid retail on everything (Payed retail on some things.) and had it installed.. It would have cost me about $1800-2000 more for my system.

Oh about JL,

JL is a good and solid brand. They're big, and they've been around a while. They make quality components, and are easy to get. I personally think you can do better for the money, but that's my own personal audio tastes.

JL does make a 'stealth box' that drops right in. You still need an amp. I know one of our forum members also makes a stealth box... Might be better to get one from him, then get a sub seperately.

 

I've been looking around and it looks like I could get the stealthbox from JL or an enclosure from subthump.com and drop any sub I want in.

What do you think about amps? I am alittle confussed about what really makes one better than the next. If I am getting a 4 channel and a mono for the sub then should I opt for power over name...

Aka should I buy something like a profile mono or an alpine one? Ultimately would it make a difference?

Also I feel like I could buy all the parts and get everything run and mounted. But how hard is it to get all the crossover etc set on the amp? Know any good articles that talk about this????

 

It's about Quality and well.. Honesty.


A profile doesn't make rated power.
An Alpine does

An alpine has much less a chance of failing.

But really... I'd stick with JUST front speakers. Or really good front speakers, and some cheap head unit powered rear fill if you are really set on messing up your sound stage.

Some crossovers are easy. Like on my ARCAUDIO 2100, Its clearly labeled so I know where I am, all the time.

On my Hifonics Brutus, It's "somewhere" so I just use my head unit to set the crossover point.

I think Us Acoustics amplifiers is a good direction to go. They make rated power, and aren't overly expensive.


More on jsut front speakers... Stereo is recorded in 2 channels, and properly reproduced by 2 channels.

You could spend $1000 on one set of Utopias

Or $1000 on two sets of Polyglass, or whatever focals are 500 each.

The car with the utopias will have these advantages:
1) Higher sound quality due to higher level of speakers
2) Less stress on the electrical system, only need 100x2 or so.
3) Correctly placed soundstage

The car with the 4 speakers will have this advantage:
1) It will probably be louder. (One set of Utopias on 100x2 or more power is seriously loud, though.)

 

I wouldn't count out buying equipment from around the net and having it installed at a shop. I've almost always gone this route. I usually save a bunch of $$ and get better equipment. I hang on ECA (elitecaraudio.com) and have found some steals on equipment.

Glad to hear (pun intended) you're upgrading the stereo. FWIW, I'd hang on to stock stuff.

 

Hi Doug
Welcome to the Forum

You are getting good advice so far. JL and Focal are great products.
The only thing I can add that might be helpful is to buy a four channel amp. Use channels 1&2 for you front speakers (I too do not like rear speakers in a C5) and bridge channels 3&4 to the sub. Buying only one amp will save $ on equipment, space, and $ on installation fees. Of the amps mentioned so far (Alpine, JL, USAcoustic) I favor the JL. I've owned a Alpine and a USAcoustic amp in the past. Both ran great but the USAcoustic smoked soon after bridging the amp. In other words, do not use that amp into 2ohm stereo or 4ohm bridged.

 

This would be rocking, but I'd upgrade to a 10w6v2 and a JL 500/1 amp.