I'm looking into getting a new car stereo. Only requirement is it must have a CD player and an aux input for the ipod. I want something that sounds badass. Any recommendations?
Car Stereos
- Thread starter Baroque
- Start date
-CC-
Something in My Eye
- Jan 12, 2009
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Are you asking about just the head unit? You don't need to be too picky about that part. Just make sure it has the features you want (CD player+aux etc), that it will fit your car, and know how much power your speakers require. The higher the RMS on the head unit the better. Try to keep the peak power higher than the peak power of your speakers, but once again, RMS is the most important number here.
EDIT: You might find people who will tell you not to get a unit with more power than your speakers can handle. These people are plebs and do not understand how things work. Underpowering your speakers is a much bigger problem than overpowering them.
EDIT: You might find people who will tell you not to get a unit with more power than your speakers can handle. These people are plebs and do not understand how things work. Underpowering your speakers is a much bigger problem than overpowering them.
I'm a pleb when it comes to car stereos so thanks for the help. My car has room for a "taller" stereo like this one (this is one i'm actually thinking about getting what do you think)
http://mobile.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL029329&pathId=148&page=1
Are the widths of stereos universal, or do I need to break out a ruler and crap?
As far as speakers, any recommendations?
One basic rule: doesn't matter how powerful your head unit is, you'll get better sound even from cheap amplifier. Also, "taller" is called 2din, just so you know what to look/ask for.
Diameters are usually universal unless you have some strange car - 6,5 inches and 5 inches are the most common for speakers, but definitely check it before you buy.
Before any more recomendations, you should really give more info. What car do you have, how much money do you wanna invest, what genres do you listen to (thrash, death ofc., but I think also classical music, that's also important info because every speaker has different characteristics and suits different style, some are more universal, some are less), if you might do some upgrade in the future.
Diameters are usually universal unless you have some strange car - 6,5 inches and 5 inches are the most common for speakers, but definitely check it before you buy.
Before any more recomendations, you should really give more info. What car do you have, how much money do you wanna invest, what genres do you listen to (thrash, death ofc., but I think also classical music, that's also important info because every speaker has different characteristics and suits different style, some are more universal, some are less), if you might do some upgrade in the future.
Dak
mentat
General audio advice is to look at RMS not max ratings, and the best head unit or amp in the world won't make shit speakers sound better.
Both true, but you should spend more money on amp then speakers, like -CyanideChrist- said, you should have more RMS then the speakers RMS is, in subwoofers case twice the power easily. Speakers'll be better controlled in lower volumes and less distorted in higher.
Also I once heard 150$ subwoofer powered by 1800$ amp (rough prices) and it sounded very good, like 2+ times the value woofers. Of course for the price you could do much better, but you can make cheap speaker sound good with ridiculous amp and HU.
Also I once heard 150$ subwoofer powered by 1800$ amp (rough prices) and it sounded very good, like 2+ times the value woofers. Of course for the price you could do much better, but you can make cheap speaker sound good with ridiculous amp and HU.
YungVoidWitch
Member
buy me one im not popular enough in my neighborhood yet cause nobody can hear my jams when im ridin round
Like $300, maybe more if it's a significant increase in quality. Let's say $400 max. I don't need it to be super loud, no louder than the stock radio gets. But better sound quality would be amazing, and of course an aux in.
What is RMS lol. And how does an amp connect to the car, is it difficult to install?
RMS is continuous power that amp can produce/speaker can handle. That is the value you should look on, no max power. Amp needs to have power from battery and negative lead ofcourse, fuse on this cable, signal cables from the head unit to the amp (they're called RCA outputs, that JVC has one pair), remote cable to wake the amp together with head unit, and cables to the speakers from the amp.
If it's difficult? Depends how much you know cars, hifi and electricity overall. I think it isn't that difficult, especially if you follow some guide, I installed my first amp when I was 13.
If it's difficult? Depends how much you know cars, hifi and electricity overall. I think it isn't that difficult, especially if you follow some guide, I installed my first amp when I was 13.
