I have a totally stock system in my tf wagon and was hoping i could get some advice on improving the sound.
Being that i am on a budget and i dont have the spare cash laying around to buy an entire system i would be doing anything in stages.
I am not looking for anything amazing sound wise just clearer better quality sound. What should i replace first? speakers or head deck? any ideas on brands/ models would be great.
I would be doing the install and have fabricated speaker mounts and stuff b4 but i think i would prefer to use existing mounts if possible.
Remember guys budget is the word but i also dont want crap. Just means i would have to save a little longer.
Cheers Damo

my budget and your budget could be completely different so a basic price range would be awesome...


for features vs price a JVC head unit is definitely the go, they make head units with every feature known to man and they have ones with only the necessities....just make sure it has 3 outputs (front, rear and sub)

for speakers spend about 100-200 on some coaxial speakers if you dont want to do any custom fabrication.... stay away from son and kenwood.....make sure you listen to the speakers before you buy them.....i would suggest listening to the jaycar speakers for the budget price range


hope that helps


Trav

(damn my reset post count now i look like i know nothing :()

(damn my reset post count now i look like i know nothing :()
As opposed to before? :P

If you want budget mate, just ask me. I'm the budget system king lmao.
Seriously i'd replace the HU and the front speakers at the same time. No point whacking good speakers off a stock hu, or a good hu off crappy speakers, the result will be the same....crap.
Then when you can afford it, you can buy a 4 channel amp to run the fronts, and have the spare 2 channels for a possible sub in the future.

Give us a price range, and we can recommend brands.

Yeah I second JVC as a deck.
But you are happy to do it in stages, which is what I did. Its taken me 1.5 years to get where I am and I'm still no where near finished and want to upgrade stuff already haha

So in order:
Headunit - JVC $350
Front speakers - $200 (JB HIFI is your friend) Could even get some Focal Coaxials for this price. Seeing as you want to use the factory mounts coaxials might be the better way to go.
Rears - $150 I have no idea what wagons have, 6x9s or 6.5 so cant help there.

Now some questions:
Do you want a sub?
Do you want amps?

On a budget I would say nice deck, front speakers and some 6x9s.

for a basic JVC it wouldnt even be that much, go on boxing day to buy stuff, i got my JVC KDG6615 HU for 300 installed, was meant to be rrp 350 so yeah...got a good deal (rrp is now 300 on it :( )

Thanks guys
I seriously wouldnt know what sort of money it takes to end up with a decent system and i guess i will spend what i have to it just may take a little longer to organise funds.
I have heard that jaycar stuff is ok value for money??? and i guess thats what i am after, value for money.
Music i listen to is mostly stuff like Live, U2, Nickelback WIGGLES among others so i dont really need a huge doof doof system but i will probably get a sub eventually not for volume but for range.
I know i am being a bit vague but i guess i am asking what would be the cheapest sytem you could live with and that is probably going to be enough for me
Thanks for your help
Damo


Just read a couple of the rapid replies and i guess if i can get away with it for under a grand i would be happy.

i would suggest split the money like this

350 for HU plus instalation

200 for front speakers

150 fort back speakers

then treat your children for something


OR

350 for HU plus install

300 for front speakers

300 for amp to run them off

50-100 for wiring

JVC HU = $250ish with most bells and whistles
Jaycar front splits (Ebay) = $120
JBL Rears (Strath) = $100ish
Jaycar (or equiv Amp) 4x50WRMS Amp (Ebay) = $185
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-AMP-4-x-50WRMS-Response-Car-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ190048627390QQihZ009QQcategoryZ 130668QQcmdZViewItem
Jaycar (or equiv Amp) 2x80WRMS (briged to sub)
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-AMP-2x-80WRMS-Response-Car-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ190048620031QQihZ009QQcategoryZ 18796QQcmdZViewItem
Clarion sub + box (PA12S is a great bang for buck sub) About $100ish
Go boxing day to get some better stuff cheaper
And wiring $100
and for about A grand exactly you have yourself a Damn good system!

How about:
Pioneer 5850mp
Hertz HSK-165's
Audison SRx2
Deadening
Wiring.

Easy. Build the rest up as you go.

I want to make it clear to you guys that i really appreciate the trouble you have gone to and the advice you have offered. :bowdown:

If i were to walk in to a store not really sure of what i needed i bet they could see me coming for a mile and i would probably get dusted.

If i go for a system like the one tufftr suggests is it cool to get the hu and front splits first and then build from that?
Would i get rears next, then amp, then amp and sub

Once again thanks all
Cheers
Damo

i would suggest exactly what mr charisma suggested, only issue being it would require custom mounting of the splits but they sound absolutely awesome (thats what im gonna get for christmas for myself i thinks)

where aboust do u live mate? maybe someone can help with the install

I live on the gold coast
I should be ok with the install and if i am a bit stuck i can always hit the forums, My old man had me into electronics and soldering wires when i was around five (he was a radar engineer/tech) and i have fabricated mdf mounts and surrounds for mates a long time ago.
Then again there will no doubt be some magna specific things to catch me out. These boards are great though. Do a quick search and sift through the results and i usually come up with 47 different answers to my question.
I read what charisma said but must admit i had no idea what was what.
thanks
Damo

How about:
Pioneer 5850mp - Head Unit
Hertz HSK-165's - Very VERY good 6.5 inch splits (might be 6's i dunno)...come with speaker, cross over and woofer

Audison SRx2 - 2 channel amplifier to run the front splits
Deadening - Sound deadning, helps reduce pannel rattle and road noise, a must for any good speakers such as the hertz
Wiring. - Wiring from the head unit to the amp and from the amp to the cross overs and then from the cross overs to the woofer and the tweeter

Sorry I shall explain:

Headunit: Pioneer DEH-5850mp ( close enough to the model )
Front Stage: Hertz HSK-165 / Boston Type S / Morel Pulse 6 splits
Front Amp: Audison SRx2 ( 65WRMS x2 )
Deadening: Dynamat ( stops rattles )

From there you can expand with a Sub amp + sub and you have taken a decent system to a good one. Deck will work fine in your car, speakers will fit no problems however I would suggest a custom MDF spacer ( I used 18mm... only need 12mm ), amp is tiny so I can go under one of the front seats, dynamat should be put on the front doors to stop rattles and help eliminate any wave cancellation.

The above gear should set you back a little over $1k with good wires.

keep in mind the stock speakers dont sound bad at all when hooked up to a decent hu, very bassy.
and if you do change the front speakers make sure you get an amp to run them, as 'budget' front speakers always have absolutely no bass.
also from my experience, go for a speaker with a bigger magnet over a smaller one and one with not too high a frequency range.
200 - 20000hz is usually not too tinny, anything reaching up over 22000hz in the high end is gonna sound very trebley.
splits tend to be more forgiving as the woofer cone doesn't have a huge ass hole in it to wreck the bass output.

alternatively, do what i did and save up 600 bucks to buy yourself some infinity splits at the front and infinity 6x9s at the rear... they sound awesome and so clear, only thing is you have to bend the shizzat out of the holes in the parcel shelf and the boot assist spring just to make the huge magnets fit :D

, only thing is you have to bend the shizzat out of the holes in the parcel shelf and the boot assist spring just to make the huge magnets fit :D


Shouldnt have too many dramas as i have a wagon
Thanks all for your input
cheers
Damo

i was lead to believe the easiest, most effective way was to upgrade the speakers.

pioneer HUs go quite cheap now.

~$150 odd and some come with mp3 support

i was lead to believe the easiest, most effective way was to upgrade the speakers.

the more effective way would be to upgrade the deck with a 4ch amp then to go out and buy your speakers when you got some more money
theres no point in buying good speakers if you havent got the right power to run them

Thanks for all your help
At the moment the plan is as follows:

First: Buy and install HU JVC KDG-725 and 6.5 splits JL audio TR 650 csi
I like the jvc hu because it has flash drive input which i see as being perfect for me. I havent had a chance to look at/ listen to the jaycar splits so i might go with them if they are ok

Second: Buy 6 x 9 not sure what brand yet and Jaycar 4x50 amp

Then if i need to i will get a sub and amp, dont know if i will need it? Not looking for doof doof just decent sound.
does that make sense or have i got it out of whack
Once again thanks for all your help
Cheers
Damo

a sub actually adds to the sound experience.....it plays a lot of stuff u never hear without one....and the banging of drums and strumming of bass guitars u can physically feel!

the more effective way would be to upgrade the deck with a 4ch amp then to go out and buy your speakers when you got some more money
theres no point in buying good speakers if you havent got the right power to run them

true.......

Do you mean i should buy a HU and amp and use existing speakers till i get splits and new
6x9s.

Are the stock speakers good enough to do that?

Thanks again
Damo

ok although the concensus seems to be to do the HU first I did the opposite and the first stage was to link a monoblock amp and a 12" sub up to the factory system and then when I upgraded got all new speakers a 4 channel amp and a new HU and the other sub...

Was really happy with the original sound with just the boost from the amp and sub as the factory speakers are ok anyway but like anything else once you start you will want to continue to make it bigger and better

I guess it depends on the sound you want... and of course what 'budget' means :)

Do you mean i should buy a HU and amp and use existing speakers till i get splits and new
6x9s.

Are the stock speakers good enough to do that?

Thanks again
Damo

thats the way that i would do it if i was buying it in stages,
the stock speakers will be fine just turn the gains on the amp down
then when you get some more money go out and buy your speakers to suit the amp

i know that most people wont agree but i reckon you should just buy a half decent head unit ($300ish), jbl or similar 6x9's ($100ish) and 6" fronts ($120ish) and for $500ish yuve upgraded everything, its going to sound better and its not going to break your budget, i know its not going to be fantastic sound but its alot better than stock, thats all ive done and it sounds quite good and i can still easily upgrade from there with splits, 2 amps and a sub when i can afford to spend big money