In both my vehicles..

The amp'd component system in my MR2 is, in my opinion, utterly fantastic - but completely lacking solid low-end.

I just installed a Sony CDX-GT130 and Pioneer speakers in my sister's car - even with the speakers running off the head unit, it sounds fantastic. Sony isn't my favorite (I'm partial to Pioneer), but it was in her price range and we were stuck with buying local (Best Buy and Wal-Mart). I added some spare parts I had kicking around -- amazing what a little bass can do!

I know it sounds cliche, but JL W7's are really the best way to go when it comes to quality bass. Its clean, clear, and punchy right where it needs to be. No muddy farting and excessive midrange, just pure driven bass. Combine that with a 32 channel EQ in your trunk and you have an excellent sound system. One 12" W7 should be enough for anyone. Excellent speaker.

My trunk is behind my engine...which isn't exactly quiet, so I'm not sure how well that would work. For the MR2, I'm probably stuck with a 10" behind one of the seats..and I'll likely lose t-top storage space. For the truck (access cab), I'm at a complete loss.

I used to rock 2 JL W6's back in the day

Pretty sure the W7 will make quick work of your engine noise.

It'd be like mounting your W7 on your front bumper. I think the whole 'clean and clear sound' would go out the window...

haha I remember one time, my friend who owns an 80's MR2 (I don't remember what year specifically), opened up the hood of his car and was like "OMG what happened to my ENGINE??" and my sister was standing there was like "OMG WHERE IS IT???" It was funny.

Jlee, either you have a ton of money or you're a compulsive buyer. heheh

I have no complaints with the system I have in my car now. That is to say, what it came with. Just a new head unit because my car didn't come with crap (FM Radio only, seriously).

If I could get a head unit that supported Ford SYNC I'd probably cry.

The need for expensive speakers in a car is mind-boggling, I personally find it quite useful to be able to hear the traffic.

Oh yeah the sound of traffic is the best, cruisin down the highway listing to the rubber meeting the road, people honking, load *** harley's... music to my ears.

Now on the other hand I like to hear my engine while I drive so I usually don't turn it up too loud.

Useful in the sense that it makes you aware of what's going on around you... You know, for safety and all that.

Use your eyes

Or the force!





!

Yes that would be the best option

Not to mention how ****ing rude it is to be blasting bass all over town. I lived on the corner of a busy intersection, and several times a day I would get to enjoy the bass of cars stopped at the intersection.

Keep it to yourselves, *******s.

She bought the CD player and speakers. I had the amplifier, subwoofer and box from my first car - so I have had that for years.



Right, just like it's rude to drive 140mph through downtown. Just because I can, means I always do. Right?

....

JLEE IS PHAT PIMPIN', YO. BALLIN! LIKE GANDALF IN HIS PIMPED OUT SCION! FO SHIZ!

Crackers.

Heheh I'm just fooling with you. You just seem to want to buy pricey things often.

So because you don't always do it, it's not rude when you do?

Why exactly is the speaker aimed away from the passengers? I would understand that in other applications, but it's a freaking car.

because bass speakers aren't what you'd call directional speakers. It really makes very little difference which direction the speakers are pointed.

You can have a stereo that sounds just fine inside the car without rattling the windows of the car next to you.

Have you ever listened to a good stereo at a reasonable volume? My Z560's can get very, very loud with way too much bass..but I keep the bass turned all the way down. Why? Because it's too much. It is possible to have music that sounds good without being a douche. Apparently you can't understand this.

The drivers themselves are just as directional as anything else, but the low frequencies they output aren't blocked effectively by most materials, so they fill the room more effectively. There's downfiring subwoofers but those are physically the same conical driver.

Anyway, the most important aspect of ANY stereo system in determining sound quality is the speakers themselves. A decent head unit can effectively drive 5-6in woofers at high volumes with no trouble at all. I'm having a hard time thinking of a use case that justifies a dedicated amplifier (other than subwoofer obviously)

I haven't tried running my Polk Audio components off of the head unit..I have a 50x4 Rockford Fosgate running those and a 5.25" woofer. It could very well run fine off of the HU, but it's my understanding that you can get better / cleaner power from an amp than from most head units. With an appropriately sized amp set up properly, you can also eliminate the possibility of clipping. Granted, it's usually way too loud by that point anyway.

Sounds like typical audiophile BS.


Pretty much.

I had a 12" subwoofer in my first car and a 16" in my second. By my third car, I was so f'ing sick on the overkill bass that I stuck with the quite satisfying system that came with my saturn.

You honestly think you can drive a $300 set of components off a $100 head unit's onboard amp just as well as a standalone amp?

I've been thinking about a sound system for awhile. The problem I have is that while I have an awesome car with a decent sound system it uses the stupid GM and Chrysler sized headunit that is wider and taller than normal headunits but not large enough to fit double din units without extensive modifications. I can modify to fit double din but I haven't found a headunit that meets some very basic qualifications. Of course I could go with a normal sized unit but that would feel like a step down from the ergonomicly friendly larger stock unit I have. I've also thought about installing a computer but I don't want to lose or have mediocre radio funtionality.

Lately I've thought about merging the two. Modify my car to double din and install a din headunit with DVD (no retractable screen, small or nonexistant on the face) with a din retractable touchscreen monitor above. Remotely mount a computer in the car for all of my digital music and other things you can use a car computer for and output the sound to the stereo. Screen only needs to be extended when necessary to control applications as all other audio functions are still handled by the stereo. In addition, I could output DVD from the headunit to the screen and simply switch inputs so passengers can view movies even when the car is in motion. Of course this would all be expensive so if I ever do it it will have to be sometime down the road. I simply can't justify spending the money on such a novelty. By then, there could very well be a receiver that fits my purposes better making the whole idea irrelevant.

Sounds like you should spend some time at MP3Car!

I've been keeping an eye on that site for a few years now. I forgot to add that the main reason I even care is my factory headunit has a typical problem probably with soldering joints that results in a frequently garbled and useless display. Other than that the sound is fine and I don't car to make many, if any, upgrades. It would be nice to have the ability to control an MP3 player but I refuse to buy iPod and Zune has not gained enough popularity that headunit manufacturers care enough to remotely control them so I haven't jumped on the zune band wagon. I only have about 30 gigs of music all converted in high quality, variable bit rate, WMAs and most headunits don't claim to support high bit rate files. Otherwise, awkward size differences aside, I would consider simply using a USB powered external hdd for the music connected directly to a headunit that supports USB.

When I have the spare time and money I want to build a car PC in the glove box, but for now I just plug the zune into the auxilery input in this old sony xplod deck I have. Gets the job done.

Wookie is that a WS6?

Yes.

Ford SYNC supports Zune.

All the more reason it needs to be added to every head unit and every car.

That should support Zune considering they partnered with Microsoft on it. Only way I'll get lucky enough to get SYNC is if it happens to be in a one ton truck I buy eventually. I wonder if Microsoft did some exclusivity agreement with Ford that rules out Zune compatibility in other headunits for now...

It's more likely an issue with the Zune's connection format in the first place. Thus why you can only use Zune software for sync.

In any case I wish SYNC would open up to more cars, the thing is freakin' amazing.

Got anything done to her?

Bone stock unless you count a K&N air filter.

Three hundred and some odd horse power is plenty to drive back and forth to work and stuff.

True, I wouldn't be able to resist a good set of flowmasters though.