I post this here because it gets more views. I would like to upgrade my sound system in my truck.(06' F150 XLT Scab) I know nothing about sound systems. I do understand how it works, so please don't be too simple in your answer, please. Anyway, I would like a nice upgrade to the head unit, the speakers, and possibly a nice amp. I would like to spend less than $1,000. I don't need a ton of bass, I would just like a clean, simple, and clear system. Basically, I just want to be able to turn it up, and it sound really clear and crisp, with no distortion. Any help is much appreciated.

 

Personally I would recommend using an alpine hu. These come in various price ranges depending on the options. I would use component speakers, I think that boston acoustics offer the best sound for the price. I use bostons and have used them for years, never had a problem, and I still compete with them. For an amp, there are many high quality amps for resonable prices, but try to stick to a reputible brand (kicker, infinity, kenwood, alpine, mtx). Be sure to save some money for the install kit for the head unit and an amp kit. Check out crutchfield, they have good prices for most of the stuff you would want. good luck and happy listening

 

I would really suggest jumping in on the audio section, lots of knowledgeable people always willing to help.

 

Brypink is the jedi you seek. In the audio forums, find him you will.

 

Well, a budget of $1000 is not entirely impossible, but compromises will have to be made...I guess that you're not hell-bent on waking the dead. You're trying to get all the critical parts for that price, unless this is just phase one. Spend about $250 on the head unit. Spend about $150 on front door speakers (forget rears, unhook them until later). Get a good 2+1 amp for about $300. Get one ten in a box for about $200. Allow the rest of the budget to a line level convertor, dash kit, wiring, and a bit of dynamat around the front door speakers. If you are getting it installed, then knock about 20% off of each category to allow for that.

 

Thanks alot guys. I really appreciate the input. Just the answers I was looking for!

 

Not bad info. from any of the guys....if it were me I would get a nice head unit and upgrade as you go (if you can) if $1000 is the absolute limit you want to spend on the system see Nates post.

 

Keep in mind that Crutchfield is about the most expensive place to buy on the net. Prices are consistently higher than retail locally. They do have wonderful guides and the stuff comes with nice instructions.

Whether that is worth the 25%-75% markup is up to you.

If you just want great sound you can spend a lot less.
Remember, most of those into stereos are like guys into cameras. That is, they will spend 5000 bucks on a lens to take one picture, or 2000 dollars on a front set of speakers that sound 1% better than 200 dollar speakers which sound 2% better than 80 dollar speakers.

It's all about bragging rights and seeking perfection, with a LOT of competition thrown in. Most of the local sound systems I have to hear (Southern California, even the ricers have 3-6k systems in them) are designed to impress people standing beside the vehicle, not for listing to.
Thumping bass destroys your hearing, just like shooting with no ear protection.
Listen to huge speakers in a vehicle for a few weeks and nothing sounds good unless you crank it up.
Eventually nothing sounds good.

Big cables are for bragging rights.
Amps are for making it loud.
Even with Dynamat or other sound proofing there is enough outside noise, road noise, exhaust noise, etc. to keep any stereo system from sounding perfect.
Shoot for sounding nice, hearing the music, enjoying the tunes, and you can do it for lots less.
Find the brand name products (generic head units and speakers are NOT a bargain) you want, read the reviews and then buy them from E-bay vendors. That is, not auctions, but buy-it-now’s from E-bay stores with high positive feedback, or buy from places on line with good reputations.
Putting in a headunit in these trucks is a snap unless you decide you want the bragging rights for huge cables. You won't hear the difference but it will increase the cost and labor exponentially.
Putting in speakers is very easy on the fronts. Any good three way speaker will sound much better than stock.

Any simple subwoofer will sound better than stock, if you want more bass. You don't have to make the windows shake and kill your hearing.

No stereo system you spend less than 5000 bucks on will give you bragging rights in the forums. Period.
Remember, bragging rights ain't about how good it sounds; it's about how much money you spend.

Chris

 

i actually just purchased my hu from crutchfield (like an hour ago) i searched the web and ebay and found out that by the time i pay for shipping (which is free on orders over $179 i believe) the install kit, wiring harness (which they include for free as well as a master install sheet for your vehicle), pac accessory so i can still use my factory steering wheel controls (its the harwired one which works much better than the infared one) it would have cost me virtually the same amount of money but crutchfield offers lifetime tech support and is a reputable company...not saying i will purchase everything from them but certain things i def will buy from them again.

 

That's great, but I researched 50 items even, when I was doing this stuff for some folks and found 50 times they had the highest price.
As to free technical support, well, for what?
After the unit is in, exactly why would you need it?

Instructions come with every new headunit I ever purchased and the harness for most stereo installs cost in the close range of 5 bucks...

Still, nobody ever suggested that they aren't a reputable dealer, it's just their prices that are out of line.
Just for example, the head unit I have in my truck today the best price with total from Crutchfield was 849 bucks, but they would throw in a 'special instruction' for my truck, which I already received from them on another transaction (useless but nicely done) and a Metra harness.
I bought the same unit with the same warranty from Overstock.com (Not the best place but reputable) for 518 bucks total. I then bought a better quality wire harness for 4.99 plus tax locally.
So while I believe you when you say you are happy with the deal you got, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been.
326 bucks buys a lot of beer...
Chris

 

I buy most of my car audio from www.sounddomain.com ... they have a 105% price match policy and also include wiring and dash kits free with h/u purchase.

Anyway, to the question at hand. Get a quality aftermarket h/u - something from Pioneer or Alpine, perhaps. Read reviews and find a unit that drives the speakers well without the need of an external amp. $200 should suffice.
Get a single 10" under-seat box for about $180.
Get a 10" woofer for around $100
Get a mono amp for around $250
Get sound deadening for the doors - around $50~$100
Wiring $75

You should be able to build a basic, good system for $800 or so. Just look for good deals and don't pay full price for anything.

Check the links in the post... I found some decent deals... especially the amp...

 

undoubtedly if i was spending that much on a hu i wouldn't have purchased from them....i bought a $300 hu marked down $75 bucks...they were the cheapest around i could find (because of the markdown)...so i bought it from them....but like i said you spent much more money on yours so you can expect much bigger savings...but this guy is trying to build a whole system for under $1k....i doubt he's going to be spending $600-800 on a HU

 

I'm starting with this HU http://www.cardomain.com/item/ECLCD2000 for 200$. I haven't decided on the rest cuz my lift is on the way

I also have about a 1K budget.

 

Heres the best advice anyone can ever give you about buying speakers. .

Go to an audio store. Listen and find out what you like, a lot of people have very many different tastes. Once you find out what you like you can either haggle with them or go directly online and buy and install it yourself.

I've got Infinity 6x8 components up front with Infinity 6x8 coaxles backed by a 440.4w amp as well as an Eclipse AVN5435. I think my set-up sounds pretty damn good but I'm not that big of an audiophile. I've got a supercrewsound.com box sitting in my room for two 10s as well as two Elemental Design Kv11s and a NINe.2 amp. I just need to get it all installed, I'll let you know how it sounds.

 

Thump, you are of course completely correct on everyone having different taste, but from your post I can tell you never worked retail sound sales

100% of the profit comes from what we can politely call' rooking' the customer.
This does not apply to guys doing it on their own, owners of small operations, etc.
It most definitely applies to places like Best Buy, Fry's, Circuit City and very much the local stereo shop.

The way it sounds in the store only matters if you are putting it in exactly the same cabinet, in the same sound proofed room and powering it with the EXACT same system.
And the speakers are the same age/use.

It gets worse, much worse.
In retail sales today there is a lot of pressure to sell certain items. On a given day one or another item will be on a promotion.
This is not a sale.
This is when the vendor/maker/jobber tells the management he wants you to sell a bunch of say speakers for example.
There is a new line coming in, they lost a contract, whatever. So the staff is instructed to sell that model. Or to NOT sell a model.

Some units have 2-5 times the profit of others. This depends on lots of factors, cost, production, contests...
Yup contests.
The one who sells the most XYZ speakers this month goes to Hawaii. Or the Jobber whose stores sell the most VLJ speakers this quarter gets a new car.

The salesman is usually on commission or worse, has a quota he must meet or he doesn't work there anymore, and is usually discouraged from selling the sale merchandise, or the leaders, or anything with a low GPM (gross profit margin).

So he tries to push things that he needs to sell. This is in addition to the Halo effect of everyone wanting to sell the one he bought, or wants to buy...

OK, you're a savvy dude, you know how it works so you ignore him, even chase him away.

They are on to that.
Some of the 'best' gimmicks I've seen in the last couple years include;
Sale merchandise TV's with half the coax clipped. Nasty picture, which will suddenly look great when it goes off sale and they ‘fix’ the coax.

Sale TV's with all the colors moved off so the sale item has the worst picture.

Sale speakers with hole punched in them to sound fuzzy.
Sale speakers with resistors packs on the back.
This was at a local chain store. They have a small resistor pack they swap around to the speakers they don't want to sell that lowers the speakers output about 50% while the sale is on.
After the sale they swap the resistor pack to the next one on sale...

Sometimes they loosen the screws that hold the speaker mount on the sale speakers. Makes them buzz nicely.

This stuff is old hat in retail stereo sales. If you sell the sale item, it does not come off of your quota. Plus, you get no commission.


Best bet is do lots of research on line if you are gonna spend the big bucks.
Type the model number of whatever you are interested into google and take a long read.
Couldn't hurt...

Chris