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That alternator is almost certainly an 80amp, which is good for something like 800 watts RMS (1100watts minus whatever your car uses). I have a car, same make, similar year.. I've got 2 12s and the front components are amped, something like 1000 watts RMS, the lights dim when I bump it hard but it's enough to rattle the trunk, vibrate the rear-view mirror and host a smallish beach party (50 people maybe?)

If you want to go full on SPL you'll need at least $500 for a new alternator... but with what you have, you could focus on sound quality, have something that sounds great and still gets loud enough to blow your eardrums out without breaking the bank

What I did:

Hand-me-down amps and subs. I'm running probably 400 watts RMS or so on the 2 subs.. yeah, really low, but you can really feel it and it shakes the hell out of the trunk. I have hearing damage from a previous system so not-insanely-loud works well for me

Per the recommendation of this sub, I skipped out on rear speakers and spent the budget on the fronts and sound deadening. This is the way to go. I bought the Morel Maximos... after reading a ton they seem like the best sounding speaker you can get under $300... and they only cost $150 for the pair. Look at the recommendations on the wiki for a good budget amp to power them. I've got ~100watts RMS to them, and they get fucking loud (and clear!)

Spend some money on sound deadening.. you'll need it. Road noise brings the signal-to-noise ratio way down, making it harder to hear your music, harder to hear details, and harder on your ears. I bought the Noico 80 mil on Amazon, $60 was enough to do both front door panels and probably will be enough for the rear too. This video gets posted a lot and will give you an idea of what you need to do. I didn't go as far as he did, but followed the concepts and it made a massive difference. Eventually I'd like to add some MLV for more sound-proofing

I come from a pro audio / studio engineering background as well.. you know the saying, spend 1/2 the budget on room treatment, that's probably about right in the car world too.

So for final budget:

$150 for Morel Maximo you'll appreciate this thread, it's an audio engineer's review of the Maximo vs several other components, this is what sold me and I love mine

$60 for Noico 80 mil sound deadener

$?? for MLV.. maybe $100?

$?? - Look on the wiki for a budget 5 channel amp... I'm running 2 amps, takes more connectors, more wire, more cost, but I already had the 2 amps. There seems to be some great amps out there now that are budget friendly, but I'm not familiar with them. Consult the wiki. You could run the components off the head unit but it wouldn't be much more to amplify them properly and it'll make a massive difference in output quality

$30 - Depending on the length of your cable run and your power requirements, you'll probably need a 4 gauge wire kit (do calculate this before buying), get the one from KnuKonceptz they're a great bang-for-buck and the cheapest wire that's actually rated for what it is. (for instance, Boss wire is thick but it's all insulation and not copper)

And for bonus, get a DSP so you can flatten out the EQ in your car.. cars are a lot harder to EQ than rooms because they have so many different nodes. Dayton is about to release theirs for $150, and if you have a calibration mic you're set, if not NADY's CM-100 is a $60 calibration mic and you'll take the car to the next level. You could keep it and re-tune on your next car. My car sounds lovely without DSP but I plan on adding it when I get some more funds... this is easy to upgrade and add later on, just pop it in the signal chain

And one last pro tip: Run your RCAs away from all power sources so you don't pick up that annoying alternator whine. I ran mine through the center of the car, but you should be able to run it on one side of the car and the amp wires on the other

Hope this helps. I'm just a musician/engineer who knows a little bit about car audio, been dipping my feet in a bit more lately, but by far an expert. There's a lot of professional car audio guys around here that can help out more if you have any more questions

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Car Audio Fabrication and sonicelectronix have great how to car audio videos. But I won't bull shit you, a 4ch amp install is a lot of work.

I'll do my best to explain what's involved though and I'm gonna use some pictures to try and better get my point across because sometimes I don't even understand what im typeing.

So if you have a non factory amplified set up it will look something like this. The radio will have a plug in it that has a pair of wires for each speaker, a positive and a negative. A factory amplified system will look something like this. The set of speaker wires running out of the factory radio will run into the factory amp and then on out to each speaker. An aftermarket amp can be installed in both situations but the install will differ slightly.

One of the first things you'll need is an amp hook up kit. It has the power wire, fuse holder, ground wire, and a set of RCAs you can use to set up your amp. If you plan on adding a second amp for a sub at a later point you may want to consider buying a bigger power wire (smaller number = bigger) and run it back to a distrabution block so you won't have to do a second run later. You'll run the power wire with a fuse on it from the positive terminal of your battery through your firewall back to where you'll place your amp. Sometimes you'll be able to find a existing grommet to run the wire through and other times you may have to drill your own hole. For the ground you'll find a nice solid chunk of the car to clean the paint off and then using a bolt or screws attach the ground wire to the car.

Next thing to consider will be how to get a signal form your factory radio into your aftermarket amp. Aftermarket radios use RCA outputs but factory radio don't have them. So you'll need a line output converter (LOC). They come in all kinds of flavor from basic that will just drop the speaker level signal to something the amp wants to see to advanced that will give you some added control over your audio signal. What you'll do is cut the speaker outputs from your radio and run them into the corresponding inputs on the LOC. This can get tricky because the factory colors for the speaker wires are not standard to aftermarket color codes. You'll have to do some homework to find out what colors are what wires for your factory radio. While you're behind the radio you'll also grab the switch to 12 V signal that turns on your factory radio to run to the turn on of the aftermarket amplifier so it only turns on when your key is on and it shuts off when you shut the car off.

Once you've got those connections made you'll use RCA cables to run the signal from the LOC back to the amp. Now that you've got a signal into the amp you've got to get the speakers hooked up to the amp. The easiest way to do that is with Multi conductor / speedwire bundle hooked up to the amp outputs and run back up to behind the factory radio to reattach to the wires that were cut that run out to the speakers. All done it will look something like this. The major difference in the situation that you have a factory amp will be that that instead of connecting the speed wire from the amp outputs to the wires you cut coming out of the factory radio you will go to the wires coming out of the factory amp, like this.

Once the connections have been made it's time to set the gain on the amp so that you only provide clean power to the speakers. Sonic has a good series of videos on the many methods to set gains. There is also a guide in the sidebar.

Damn that's a wall of text but hopefully it gives you an idea of what's involved. If you don't feel up to it just call around or head in to some local shops and get some quotes for what the labor and parts costs will be and go with the shop you'd feel comfortable with working on your car.

Thanks for the input. I got the sub for $45, nowhere near the pricetag from the site but as I said it was used and the other one from the set blew in my friend's system.

That's great to know about the box too, I'll definitely be making some type of upgrade in the near future.

I'd prefer Amazon as I have a good amount left from a gift card. Do you think one of these options would be a good upgrade?

http://www.amazon.com/MTX-Terminator-TNE212D-200-Watt-Enclosure/dp/B001JECAM2/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

Description: Dual 12-inch, Terminator-loaded sealed enclosure
Impedance: 2 ohms
Frequency response (+/- 3 dB): 41 to 150 Hz
RMS power (watts): 400

or

http://www.amazon.com/Dual-BP1204-1100-Watt-Illumination-Subwoofer/dp/B000UTMDOC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (I'm iffy on the "Dual" brand, Amazon has mostly good reviews but I've found some very negative reviews elsewhere. I think the Amazon crowd was just "wowed" by the lights)

and finally, this one looks like my best option considering the amp's power but again I'm not sure of the Rockford brand
http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R1L-2X12-Pre-Loaded-Enclosure/dp/B001P86T74/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1367392434&sr=1-12&keywords=ported+box+12

Woofer Impedance: (2) 4-Ohm SVC
Internally wired in parallel to create a 2-Ohm amplifier load
Power Handling: 300 Watts RMS
600 Watts Max

---------


The other options are keeping the sub I have and buying a single 12" ported box (maybe something like this), or finally a double 12" ported box and two appropriate 12" subs for the amp. Sorry to just slap a bunch of links and questions in here, I'm really confused after looking around at the options.

You will find as you gain experience that it is not just this subreddit that hates Boss. Go on any car audio forum with experienced people and they will all tell you the same thing. Going through life you will figure out that spending hard earned money on things that don't deliver as advertised are a huge waste and inconvenience and should be avoided. Plus why support a company like that?? Now having said that you are where you are and all we can do is work to improve your set up and help you learn.

First figure out your goals and what you need to get there. I would recommend upgrading the front speakers and amping them. this will make the biggest improvement to sound quality after a headunit. Since music is recorded in 2 channel the rears are just duplicating the fronts. this makes them bad for sound quality as it muddies the staging and imaging. Fronts will get plenty loud to keep up with a decent sub stage.

>New speakers $150 - it feels wrong to have an amp that costs 3x more than the speakers themselves. I might be wrong about this? Idk
There is no need to spend 3x's more. find an amp that does rated and will hold up there are several budget models that are reliable. Pioneer, Zapco, Phoenix Gold

>4 channel amp $100 - looking at Amazon (I know, not the best place to shop for audio equipment), I came to a conclusion that any 4 channel amp under $50 is going to cause alternator whine and not worth messing with. Anything 50-100 isn't as powerful as I'd like but some are doable. I think what I want is ~50RMS @ 4ohm.

I would recommend upgrading the front speakers and amping them. this will make the biggest improvement to sound quality after a headunit. Since music is recorded in 2 channel the rears are just duplicating the fronts. this makes them bad for sound quality as it muddies the staging and imaging. Fronts will get plenty loud to keep up with a decent sub stage.

If it were me I would sell the rear speakers. Save money until I could afford a decent set of front components. Something like these JBL. The best bet is to go to a few shops and listen to wha tthey have. Remember thought the shops will hav ethem amplified and could even have some processing going on so be aware of that. I would also invest in some sound deadening for the font speakers this will make an improvement to even the stock speakers. You could do Fastrings and Noico pretty cheap and make a big improvement to midbass 60 Hz and up.

>Edit: how is this? Can I plug this into the back of my stock head unit and push the stock wiring with it? How exactly does this kind of all amp work?

That amp is a glorified headunit amp. They are known to have issues and provide an unclean signal.

Specs:

• 2012 Audi Q5 with B&O sound system
  
• Prefab box, ~39Hz
  
• 2x Sundown Audio EV-5 (dual 4 ohm)
  
• Sundown Audio SAE-600D Monoblock 600W RMS
  
• Accubas LC2i LOC
  
• KnuKonceptz Kolossus 4 Gauge OFC Amplifier Installation Kit
  
  The LOC in use has a feature where it can counter bass frequencies being lowered when the stock head unit starts lowering the bass output at high HU volumes to protect the stock speakers. It turns out this Audi didn't need that feature (bass didn't drop even at max volume).
  
  The box is what it is (quality wise it is actually OK), it's tuned a little high for my taste. Unfortunately with limited tools and no shop/space I decided to go with the prefab box. It cheap but gets the job done.
  
  How does it sound? It sounds really good, gets really loud after I set the gains "properly". One interesting note however is that the Accubass gain needs to be set to 95% of max in order for the "Maximize" LED to come on, when the HU is at full tilt. I'm tapping into the stock subwoofer amp output for the line in to the LOC, I might get better results by tapping into the front speakers but then I'd have to run cables from the HU all the way back, I'd rather not do that.
  
  I need to do some sweeps and check what the frequency response looks like. All in all it blends in quite well with the system, I'm really happy with it.
  
  Total cost for the install with shipping of parts was around $630. (it took ~2 days to install)

http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R250X1-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HX8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462994649&sr=8-1&keywords=rockford+r250

This amp

That sib in the enclosure should work, but double check your behind the seats measurements.

http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-KCA-Complete-Gauge-Installation/dp/B0050I6KII

This wiring kit should work, you might have to trim it a bit and/or cut the length slightly to fit in your truck, but all that means is you can use ask that extra wire to do a big three! Menards sells some dope ass 8/6/4/2/0 terminals, they're silver and like five bucks for 2 but they are amazing. You can crimp them on with a bolt cutter (be gentle) and back fill with solder (electrical, not plumbing) to make secure connections. It's copper clad aluminum, so it poetically won't work well to upgrade to, say, 1000 watts, but for 300/500 it'll work.

Head unit is good.

I'm sure you did the research on the harness, but did you get a dash kit? You'll probably find it around the place you got the harness.

Same thing with door spekkers. Disconnect the rear pair though, you'll have better staging just using the front anyhow. In the future, you may wish to amp them, but for now they should be okay. Skip the kick panels, your probably not going to care much about the extra noise.

http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Knoise-Kolossus-Deadener-100Mil/dp/B009KXF9MW

This sound deadener could make up for any missing volume I'm sure, but you probably won't need 30 sq ft, you might try they're 14 sq ft door kit. Make sure you clean the surfaces with alcohol and lint free towels first before applying it.

You could just skip that last one though, probably not worth it. .. but the Option is there.

So, in conclusion, measure, double check, triple check, then order.

I just got back into car audio. I am adding a single sub to my car and have done some research recently. Here is what I would suggest as a cost effective way to add some bass to your car.

​

Alpine mono amp new at BestBuy for $99. It puts out 500 watts @ 2 ohms.

Alpine MRV-M500 Mono V-Power Digital Amplifier

​

4 gauge amp kits or $19.45 on amazon.

SoundBox Connected 4 Gauge Amp Kit Amplifier Install Wiring Complete 4 Ga Installation Cables 2200W

​

You will need a line our converter (LOC) to hook up the factory stereo to the amp. This one includes a control knob for the amp as well. This one is $19.97.

SCOSCHE LOC2SL Car Stereo 2-Channel Audio Adjustable Amplifier Add-On Adapter with Remote Control Knob

If you want a cheaper one you can buy this one for $7.94.

PAC SNI-35 Variable LOC Line Out Converter

​

You will need an enclosure for the sub. Since you are cost conscious, I imagine you want the most boom for your buck so I would go with a ported sub box. I prefer sealed but it is up to you. This one is $36.95 and has a decent speaker terminal.

ASC Single 12" Subwoofer Universal Fit Vented Port Sub Box Speaker Enclosure

​

|Part|Price|
|:-|:-|
|Amp|$99|
|Amp Kit|$19.45|
|LOC|$7.94|
|Enclosure|$36.95|
|TOTAL before sub woofer, shipping is free.|$163.34|

​

That leaves you $336.66 to spend on a sub woofer and installation if you need it. You could easily get 2 10's and a box and still have a lot of cash left.

​

You can buy a used box pretty cheap on OfferUp or Craigslist as well as a quality amp and sub. I would not buy a used amp kit or a used LOC. However the amp kit you could simply buy the wire directly.

​

You see a lot of people selling JL W3's online used. That is a quality woofer at a good price.

​

I hope this info helps.

(Edit)
Here is the oxygen free wiring kit I purchased. It is a lot more but reasonable priced on Amazon for what you get.
KnuKonceptz Kolossus 4 Gauge OFC Amplifier Installation Kit

This is just my opinion, I only have a basic understanding of CarAv stuff, but for 500 you could buy a whole new sub and amp. I dont know who and how much it is to repair a sub tho, so maybe its a better deal. But from my experience, my MTX Terminators are great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001JECAM2?pc_redir=1408200639&robot_redir=1

Add a decent amp (250-300) , and theres your 500. Chuck a wiring kit in there too, set aside a full day to set it up and your good!

Just finished installing a 4 channel amp with a ton of help today, took alllll day. And dont rush yourself if you do install it. There are tons of helpful youtube videos out there.

Just my two cents!

EDIT: Heres an ok amp, under 200.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BJF4V9G/ref=pd_aw_sims_7/188-5557484-9874164?pi=SS115&simLd=1

And my amp I use on my Terminators

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Wb4A0iVTrjr/p_236T4250D/MTX-Thunder4250D.html

Hope this helped!

600 watt RMS amplifiers aren't as common, so they're usually a bit more expensive. The sweet spot for amplifiers in term of prices is 500 watts RMS (for entry level systems), so you'll be able to use your system at its loudest without worrying about frying your subwoofers, but your amplifier will run hot, since it will be at full power most of the time. Usually reputable amplifiers will be able to handle it though.

Here are two suggestions for 500 watts RMS:

Alpine MRV-M500

Rockford Fosgate R500X1D

Most people would rather overcompensate when it comes to the amplifier, so alternatively you could step down the power of the subs and go with two of these, and run your amplifier much cooler with the gain turned down a bit, which will prolong its life.

Basically it comes down these 3 options:

• Running a cheap amplifier hot while getting the same subs
  
• Running a cheap amplifier cool while changing subs and lowering power slightly
  
• Running an expensive amplifier optimally while getting the same subs
  
  Personally, I had the WXv2 subwoofers for 4 years, and they worked great. Plus, they're meant for sealed enclosures, and the W0v3s are meant for ported enclosures. Ultimately, it's your choice though! Hope I was of some help, and enjoy the system!

First of all, door speakers are not made for bass at all and that's probably why they are all blown.... The front speakers are 6.5 and the rear deck is 6x9. The headunit will power 4 speakers, so two front and two rear. The way the headunit does that is it has a internal amplifier. So for a substage you will need a external amp (depending on subwoofer). The RCAs on the back of the headunit go to the sub amp for signal. So for speakers, you said you have a tweeter mount in the front, so you will want a component set of speakers. Which means the mid driver and tweeter are separate as compared to something like a coaxial speaker. [Here] (http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-DB6501-6-5-Inch-Component/dp/B000P0R6LQ) is a nice of 6.5 component speakers. They are entry level but one of the best entry level. And for the back we will keep it Polk DB for all around the same sound, so [these.] (http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-DB691-9-Inch-Speakers/dp/B000P0R6KW) So with this setup you will have good clear sound in the front, and good sound in the back and should sound all the same, expect the front will sound better sense component speakers also have a separate crossover which filters frequencies so your speakers will play the correct Hz. Now about the substage we need some questions answered first. SPL (loudness), SQ (sound quality), or SQL (a mix)? Type of music you listen to? Willing to build a box? How much of the trunk space do you want to keep? Most, some, or "anything for bass bro" style which is none.

> The Polk components are quality but really need the additional wattage of an amplifier to sound their best

I hear this a lot and the more I learn about audio components, the less sense this makes. Any type of speaker is going to sound 'better' with an external amp in the right circumstances. IE, powering them beyond what your head unit's amp is capable of.

But, component speakers aren't some kind of mystical audio unicorn. They're essentially the same thing as a coaxial speaker (separate drivers to reproduced limited bands of audio). The difference between a coaxial and a set of components is A) a better crossover, B) a larger tweeter, and C) separate components so that the tweeter can be placed for better sound imaging. These features aren't anything to scoff at, but they don't require an amp to function.

OP shouldn't shy away from getting a component set because they won't have an amp. Especially with the Polk db6501 available for less than $130. Those speakers will still sound good running off of the head unit's amp. Particularly if he doesn't have second front channel speakers installed in the dash/A pillar/sail panel/upper door already.

This post isn't meant to attack you personally, just questioning the conventional wisdom that component speakers 'really need an amp to sound their best'.

> I am planning on replacing all 4 door speakers, which I believe are 5" with 6x8 kicker cs series. Total cost for the speakers being $100.

You'd be far better off with 5.25" components, and spending your money on the fronts only to get better speakers. The Kicker CS are frankly pretty damn bad. Try these. You can run them off HU power for now and amp them later to improve the sound.

> I still have the stock stereo, and I'm debating on even replacing it, because if I do, I will lose my fuel economy button/readings. If I replaced it, I planned on replacing it with a Kenwood DPX502BT. It is amplified and I was told with the Kenwood amplifying to the stock amplifier then to the speakers that would increase total wattage to the speakers. I'm not sure if I actually need that, since right now with the stock blown speakers I can definitely turn them up past where I would ever listen to them already. So aside from having bluetooth, I don't see much of a benefit.

You can keep the stock HU and run a LOC to an aftermarket amp, or you can use an aftermarket HU and run straight to an aftermarket amp. Putting aftermarket speakers on the factory amp is a bad idea. There's too much built-in, un-defeatable processing on that signal that doesn't work right for anything other than the speakers it's meant for.

> Next I was going to put a cheap sub in there. There is a 8" bandpass sound ordinance sub on crutchfield for $100. Very good reviews on it considering the price point.

Please don't do that. This sub (dual 2 ohm) in a simple sealed box, or a custom ported box if you want to do a bit more work, would serve you much better. You also need a sub amp, which it looks like you haven't considered. This is a great budget amp. You also need a wiring kit, like this one.

You'll have to be thrifty @ $500, but I think you can put something together that sounds good.

• $250 - Small sealed sub and amp
  
• $250 - Two sets of component door speakers and 4-channel amp
  
• $100 - wiring kit, harness adapters, etc.
  
• $100 - cd deck with Bluetooth to pair your phone to.
  
  I have a 5-channel amp in my truck with 4x 75w (only using two channels here) and 1x 350 w for the sub. It's plenty loud. The 5 channel is nice for simplicity, but doesn't leave any room to grow if you decide you need a bigger sub or something.
  
  People talk about powered subwoofers on here once in a while, you'll find recommendations if you search. E.g. https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-P300-12-Subwoofer-Enclosure/dp/B007AQ2W6W/
  
  You might need to play with the sub position to get it to sound good in teh van (might resonate at some frequency in the back corner but sound better a few feet forward, etc. TBD. If you give it a few feet of cord, you can move it to the back fo the van when you''re listening to music ouside the back doors.
  
  These are affordable and sound good: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ANI3LAK/
  https://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-KMM-BT322-Player-Bluetooth-sirius/dp/B07CNWRC65
  
  

It sounds like you've now heard about coaxials versus component speakers. And coaxials are generally easier to install (but components are almost always better speakers).

Also, if you swap working factory speakers out for new after market speakers, you likely won't hear much difference. Personally, I think others on here agree, you need an amplifier (and I would highly recommend sound deadening) to make a new set of speakers sound better, louder, cleaner than the OEM ones.

I would recommend focusing on just the fronts. I'd get 6.5 components (use something like these to properly mount a 6.5 in a 6x8 hole) and find a spot for the tweeter, deaden the doors, and wire up a small 2 channel amp. IMO this would sound leaps and bounds better than OEM speakers.

Ok, let's reorganize your shopping list here...
so far you have spent $400...

Let's do this a little bit differently.

Your Headunit is fine, however with most pioneers they have shitty RCA grounds (i have one) and eventually will piss you off. The stereo only has 1 set of RCA outs, which is fine for subs but if you intend on upgrading later to a 4channel amp too it would be very beneficial to start off with a proper amount of RCA's. Here would be a very similarly priced and great sounding receiver with 2 rca outs and slightly higer voltage preamps which is always nice.

Now, for your subs...don't do 2 12s just yet. Hold off on that until you can actually afford to power 2 of them with the right wattage and space required.

Do this instead:

Same brand but higher model

With this amp

and this wiring kit.

Your box unless you want to build it should be somewhere around this size

No idea what the tuning on that box is..but should be ok.

All in all it is going to be about 80 bucks more...but this will do soooo much nicer.

You won’t be able to see voltage drops normally, the amp may be getting voltage but not enough amps. Check continuity on the amp wire and make sure there’s not added resistance in the wire. Should be damn near nothing.

And I’ve always had good luck with the kicker kits and I’ve hear good things about the knukonceptz kits.

Normally when a client comes in to us and says that they have a amp cutting out and going into protect mode, we swap it with our shop test amp and sub, which is a kicker cxa 600.1 and kicker comp r 12” and we crank the shit out of it and see, if it cuts out with that system then we swap the wires and all is good, if it doesn’t we sell them an amp and sub.

KnuKonceptz Kolossus 4 Gauge OFC Amplifier Installation Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CIJBKK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Gg.7Cb5PNTECF

Kicker PK4 4 Gauge OFC Power Amplifier Installation Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IFA6C1S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fh.7Cb7E4TQZN

For high quality sound on a budget I'd do things a bit differently. Get a good set of component speakers (like these) for the front doors and get a 2 channel amp to power them. Drop the 6x9s you won't need them in the coupe.

A head unit doesn't have a very good amp and the sound quality won't be very good, even at low volumes. Two speakers running off an amp will sound better (and louder) than 4 off a head unit.

A sub will need an amp. A good sub with a good amp will be a great addition and will improve sound quality but you'll need to spend an extra $250+ for everything (Sub, Enclosure, Amp, Wiring, installation) for something that's decent quality. I'd leave this for now as it doesn't fit into your budget.

I have pioneer head unit, Polk MM651s and a Rockford 2 channel amp, the sound quality is great. I plan to add a sub in the future and replace my speakers with components.

Based on your post, I was wondering if you even needed a head unit. If you need is AUX input, I wonder i there are amps with AUX input or if you can wire an iPod/Music Player directly to an amp without the HU. HU's really don't do much these days, I like my Head Unit it has all sorts f features but really 90% of what I use it for is to play audio over Bluetooth off my phone. Hopefully someone with more knowledge can answer this for us.

Lets talk some talk.

Good

Better

Best

Going with "Good" you're looking at a simple subwoofer upgrade.
You're going to need about 500+ Watts RMS to overcome your back seat. Then You're looking at a ported box with maybe a 12" or 2-12" subs that can each handle good power. Lets go with amazon's stuff and a Single 12" for good measure.

The Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 @ $130
http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-P3D4-12-1200-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B004UFHXNI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464050827&sr=8-1&keywords=Rockford+fosgate+p3

An Atrend Box the 12SQV $65 http://www.amazon.com/Single-Vented-Square-Box-Enclosure/dp/B0007XV5G8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464050938&sr=8-1&keywords=12sqv

The Rockford Fosgate R500X1D Prime Amp @ $120
http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R500X1D-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464051007&sr=8-1&keywords=r500x1d

A REAL COPPER 5 Ga Wire Kit: XD-ACS60 $58 http://www.amazon.com/JL-Audio-XD-ACS60-Amplifier-Connection/dp/B0041MU7B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464051265&sr=8-1&keywords=xd-acs60

A PROPER Line Out Converter LC2i $68
http://www.amazon.com/AudioControl-2-Channel-Converter-Subwoofer-Control/dp/B01EDFPNSG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464051367&sr=8-1&keywords=LC2i

So, This is the MINIMUM for just adding one sub, Without going with the crap out there.

You are currently at $441 of your $800 Budget Limit.

Lets calculate installation.

1. Amplifier Installation: $120
   
2. Line Out Converter Installation: $72
   
3. Load/Wire Subwoofer into Box: $24
   
4. Disable ANC: $48
   
   Labor is going to be around $264
   
   Labor + Parts = $705
   
   I have no idea how to make your car better with $95 except maybe put some sound deadening in your trunk.
   
   Keep in mind, these prices are at AMAZON's.... Not retail.
   
   $700-800 Sounds like a lot, until you realize that GOOD Labor isn't cheap.
   
   If you think that's expensive, Go ask your dealership how much it costs to replace your alternator... JUST your alternator.
   
   
   

Your amp puts out 800W @ 2 ohms. For your budget I'd get:


Sundown SA-12 D4 - $195 (it says 600W but will handle 800W)

[KnuKonceptz KCA Complete 4 Gauge Amp Installation Kit]
(http://amzn.com/B0050I6KII) - $27

Build your own ported box to spec - $30-$50, guides are online, it's fun, and it will fit your car and the subwoofer perfectly and sound way better than any old cheap box.

If the radio doesn't have an "AUX" mode, then this really isn't possible to do. Given your car is a 2000, it's highly unlikely an AUX port was even an option.

Two solid alternatives:

1. Purchase an FM Modulator, like this or this. They're relatively easy to install, and you can probably do it yourself. It basically works like an FM Transmitter, but connects directly into your antenna port for a much cleaner signal. It can also be switched on or off, so you keep full use of your radio.
   
2. Purchase an aftermarket head unit. It's certainly cheaper to do an FM Modulator, but upgrading to a good aftermarket head unit will make you happier in the long run. Especially with a stock head unit from 2000, you're bound to start having trouble with it at some point in the near future.
   
   Hope this helps!

that means you need to get a better amp, also for the love of god dont buy a prefab box... pay a friend to build one if you have to. the box is the most important part of your install.

EDIT: this amp will be better than that jl anyday just set your gains right and you will be fine

http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-Prime-channel-Amplifier/dp/B004T166L8

Hmmm...

Yea I was considering my options and I could get a single 600W RMS P3 12" (with nice ported box) for $179. Or I could get two P1 12" that are rated at 500W total RMS for $220-ish.

The first sub I'd never really be able to push to it's full potential with the amp I want. The Fosgate R500X1D is a sweet little amp for $120 bucks. It's rated at 500W RMS, but the certification sheet that comes with most of them is bench-rating them at 620-640 RMS. Now, I'd never want to push it more than 520W both for my cars sake, and for the amps sake, so the first single 600W sub option would never really be used to it's full potential.

The dual P1's I could probably make better use of that 520W was my thinking. 80W might make all the difference on that P3... I wish I could test both XD

Well if you can do all the work, then it leaves you open to spend the whole budget on equipment. I would say you need to up the budget just a little more because the wiring for a decent set up will run $60-$100 itself plus a sheet of wood $20-$40. So let's a say a conservative $100 just for installation gear.
This amp is a good bang for your buck from a reputable company.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BF6HYDE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499452290&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=rockford+fosgate+amplifier&dpPl=1&dpID=51m3QK2fvWL&ref=plSrch

This would be my choice of sub in your situation, in a ported box. A ported 10" will be a fairly large box. If you need smaller you could do an 8" sub in ported or a 10" sub in a sealed enclosure. If you go sealed then don't get this sub! There are better sealed options.
http://www.woofersetc.com/c-23-subwoofers/c-33-10-subwoofers/e-10-d4-v-3-sundown-audio-10-500w-rms-dual-4-ohm-e-series-subwoofer.html

For a sub box it needs to be designed to the specs of the sub. You can pay about $20 for a good enclosure design from a few awesome places or sometime people hook you up for free on here.

$700 is a little tight for subs, box, wiring, amp, all new door speakers, possible amp for them.

A Dayton HO is a great bang for the buck. Here's about the cheapest amp to push it, that's not a piece of shit. Here's the cheapest 4 gauge wiring kit that's not shit. Here's the cheapest LOC that's not shit. Then you still need a box for the sub. Either building it yourself or buying a prefab is going to run you ~$50. So we're at ~$460 already. I'd throw a Key amp on those factory door speakers and let its DSP do work. So that's $660 total, plus some possible tax or shipping.

Related but separate note, I'd like to see what connector your factory head unit has. There were two possibilities for that vehicle. But I'd think about buying the male and female Metra harnesses for the head unit. It'll make splicing in the Key amp and LOC easier and cleaner. No cutting factory wires. Should be like $30 total. Search 70-1722 and 71-1722 on Amazon for example. If that harness looks like yours, buy em. But it might be the 70-1729 harness?

Parts list:
Woofa
Amp
ANL Fuse Holder
Ground Terminal
8AWG wire
Carpet

Combined with some wire I had on hand for the speaker and 12v connections - I like southwire for price/performance.
All connections crimped, soldered, and marine heatshrinked.
I tapped into an open KOEO fuse on the trunk's fusebox for the amp remote line. Unfortunately this means the sub turns on and off with the key, not the headunit, but I'm fine with that.
Wired the voice coils in parallel to end up with a 2ohm load.
Box internal volume is 10.5"x12"x18" - about 1.3 cubic feet. Image Dynamics recommends 1 cu. ft. in a sealed box, but 1.8 cu.ft. for "audiophiles" in a sealed box. I'm assuming that the audiophile in this case just means if we're going for only sq and not spl? I split the difference to end up with 1.3 cu. ft.
Running at 500w RMS it's pretty dang solid. Actually got off my butt and set the gain with a meter and 50Hz tone and not just by ear like I usually do.
My big challenge is that I need to figure out how to adjust or bypass the stock sub crossover from the OEM headunit/gateway. It's way too low, and I have a big ~40Hz hole in my bass. If anyone has insight as to how that works on the w211 Harmon Kardon system I'll be in your debt. Haven't dug into it yet.

$500 or under will be nearly impossible for a system with a headunit with built in navigation unless you go with used gear.

This is what I'd go with on a budget of $1,000.

Headunit $650

Box $135

Sub $73

Amp $115

Total is $973. It should end up a little over $1,000 after you buy your wiring harness and wiring kit, and I'm not sure if you need an expensive dash kit for that car. The new headunit should improve the sound of your stock speakers by giving you a lot more eq options so you can shape the sound to your liking. I added the sub because bass is usually what causes distortion in stock speakers, so with a sub you can change your crossovers on your headunit so your speakers only play your mids and highs and the sub handles your lows, which should also help to clean up the sound.

If you're not set on navigation though I'd suggest you get a different headunit. You can get a unit with comparable features minus navigation for half the price. I normally listen to my music from my phone with bluetooth and google maps just plays through the speakers telling me where to turn. Works really well for me since my unit doesn't have nav.

I've had good luck with the Rockford Fosgate Punch series of co-ax's. I also strongly recommend applying a small amount sound deadener (Noico from Amazon is good and cheap) around the area you are installing the speakers and a foam fast ring kit around each speaker. I have went this route on a couple of factory systems and it made a major improvement - all of these upgrades should be within your stated budget.

Links:

Speakers
Deadener
Fast rings

Thanks

Im still new to brands, havnt been in this hobby for that long to absorb all the reviews. What are the cheap/unreliable brands that i should stay away from? Im tempted to buy cheap but dont want it to blow up and smoke lol i want something stable.

I was thinking something like this for subs -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JECAM2/ref=psdc_2230642011_t2_B06XDHP82F?th=1

And slap on some kinda amp like this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S4XKYC/ref=psdc_2230642011_t2_B00T3QBLYG?th=1

This vs. This

I would rather custom build, but if I can save $$ from a kit I'll go with that.

The alphasonik kit is pretty impressive - two 12's in a box with an 800 watt amp (1600 max) for $177. I had some alphasonik subs back in the day and they hit surprisingly hard. Any opinions?

how much power are you looking to push? a sundown sa-12 is in that price range. the Rockford p3's are known for their nice low bass while still being nice and responsive. jl's I've found to be super overpriced. sub comparison for the p3 and w3. IMO, I'd choose the p3 and a really nice custom box. id also recommend the rf r500x1d to wire at 2 ohms

It's no where near 1000w rms, but I second the 4 awg as a minimum.

This kit be perfect for your needs. Knu has true gauge wire (if not oversized) and their prices are great.

Never seen that website before. That would be a bit overkill. The speakers look good tho.

If you're looking to save money you can go with something like this.
Amp
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BF6HY84/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502328240&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=2+channel+amplifier&dpPl=1&dpID=510stvQfv1L&ref=plSrch
Speakers
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P0PF9G/ref=mp_s_a_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1502328354&sr=8-23&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=6.5+coaxial+speakers

Now if you go that route you'll need an amp install kit. Knu koncepts of very well loved here. I have this same kit in my car.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005CIJBKK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502328557&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=knukonceptz+4+gauge&dpPl=1&dpID=51T-yGZf9YL&ref=plSrch

This will give you plenty of wire for when you add the sub + amp.

Thanks for this info. I think it may be in my best interest to find a more powerful single sub. And I like the idea of keeping a little trunk space. this sundown sub is what I’ve been looking at, and to keep my current amp for the time being

8 ohm is not so much special as it is uncommon in car audio. your home speakers are going to be around 8ohm but most car audio subs are 2ohm or 4ohm. so here is a very cheap but good car audio amp: http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R500X1D-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=sr_1_4?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1406508052&sr=1-4

this amp will do 300W at 4 ohm or 500W at 2 ohm. at your 8 ohm speaker this amp will do around the 150W range at best. so your sub is rated at up to 500W. this amp will run this sub for now and if you ever want to upgrade in the future you will have 500W at 2ohm to play with.

if an amp can produce 1,000W on a 1ohm speaker if you hook a 2ohm speaker to it that amp will then produce around 500W. if you attach a 4ohm speaker to it that amp can then produce 250W of power to that sub. if you hook your 8ohm sub to it that same 1KW amp can dish out around 125W of power to that sub. roughly

Enclosure and wiring kit. Pioneer recommends a 1 cubic foot sealed enclosure. Sorry I can't find a premade one at those specs, you may have to build it yourself or commission one to be made for you. There are other guys on this subreddit who love that shit though!

As for the wiring kit most people agree KnuConceptz is the best. Here's their 4 gauge which would work fine for this application.

Edit: Oh yeah, if you're keeping your factory headunit you'll need a way to get an audio signal to your amp :P Most popular way of doing this is a line out converter

Tough first build I hope it comes out sick.

I’d suggest stretching the budget a hair and getting Image Dynamics ID10’s

Or going a hair bigger on the enclosure and getting image Dynamics ID12’s

They’re nice budget SQ-ish subs that do well in sealed enclosures.

Feed them with about 750watt amp at 1 ohm and they’ll sound very nice.

Something like this or this
Or this

Would pair up nicely

Ported isn’t going to work in that amount of space.

My vote goes to this Soundqubed sub and either this Fosgate amp, this Alpine amp, this Kenwood amp, or this Pioneer amp. All those amps are good brands and will be decent. As for the box, make your own. Shouldn't cost more that 50. Also will need wires, KnuKnoceptz makes great wire for cheap, this 8 guage ofc wire kit that would match up perfectly with all these amps is like 34 bucks for quality wire. Sadly all this will add up somewhere around 300 but if you find the amp used you might be able to slide under 250. If you go used make sure you get a quality brand. Don't skimp on the box or wire either, they are both just as important as a good amp and sub combo.

Recommend is a strong word for my feelings about Best Buy. However this install is extremely simple, and the price is good. Like I said, take before and after pictures of the battery, under the dash/fire wall where the wire will have to come through, door sills, and the mounting location of the sub.

Also, bring an amplifier kit so you don't get ripped off in the store.

Wiring

Obsidian Audio Subs

Amp

I'm not the best on amps but for a budget like that, this should be good enough. The best thing for a box is either to build it yourself because you won't get the sound you want from a prefab. Try to find someone in the area (Car shop, Car Audio place, Audio place) that can make you a box.

So I've decided to go with your recommendations of the E12 and the Fosgate R500X1D. I was wondering if I could save a few dollars on the wiring kit though, as it seems a bit pricey. I found a Belva kit here that's half the price. I've heard bad things about their amps+subs but this wiring kit has good reviews.

I also found this kit by KnuKonceptz that's similarly priced to the Belva kit. Does the kit you linked include something that makes it worth twice as much?

Also, would you be so kind as to recommend a good Line Out Converter?

EDIT: I see that the R500X1D has speaker level inputs. Does that mean I don't need to get a LOC? Do you have any input, /u/dangercdv ?

I agree with the other commenter, don't go with that one. The good amps are CEA-2006 rated for the power they advertise. Other amps may say they can put out a certain power but it may not be true.

​

This link is for a Rockford Fosgate (name brand) amp that puts out 300W+ RMS at 4 ohms. I have a RF 1200 watt amp and its birth sheet said it really is capable of 1250W of clean RMS power. If you get this one, it will have something similar, it may be certified for 520W (@ 2 ohms) or something, which would be over 300W RMS for 4 ohms.

https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_67758_Rockford-Fosgate-Prime-R500X1D.html

https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R500X1D-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=car+audio+amplifier&qid=1555008509&s=gateway&sr=8-6

​

This amp is Alpine, good brand, I've owned one in the past, but allows speaker level inputs if you need to do that.

https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_76304_Alpine-MRV-M500.html

This one is a Kenwood amp that also puts out 300W RMS, but it costs more than the RF and Alpine ones above

https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_69691_Kenwood-KAC-5001PS.html

They would be compatible, but I think there are better deals out there.

If you are looking to get into car av, I think you will be much happier with this sub (you can get the 10,12, or 15 version. You will want the 2 ohm version though) for $200 and this amp for $130. You will just need to build or buy a box. If you have the means to build a box, you can look at CAF’s free box design (link to design in description)z you might be able to pay a cabinet builder to make one if you don’t have the means yourself. That brings you from $350 budget to $330, you just need a box.

It's a great price compared to the cost of the subs/box alone, however overall you can do much better for the same price. Keep in mind that this isn't a manufacturer's kit, its just an amp and wiring that someone decided to sell with a dual sub and box combo.

Here's an alternative:

JBL GTO1214 x2: $160

Pioneer GM-D9601: $170

Knu KCA 4 gauge wiring: $35

Dual 12" Box: $42

Total: $407

IMO those JBL subs are hands down the best value on the market.

No experience with their speakers, but I like their head units. Better sound quality than Pioneer and Kenwood at their respective price points, just without some of the stupid useless features (looking at you, Pioneer). Their amplifiers are good as well, but they're a bit overpriced (Rockford Fosgate is my go-to brand for amps).

Rockford Fosgate offers a 500 watt (RMS, not peak) Class-D amp for under $150 on Amazon. I push a sealed 12 with it in my Explorer. Plenty of bass, for me at least. And it's clean. Link

I know you asked about an amp kit from Sonic, but I would highly recommend getting this kit from Amazon.

Some of the low end brands on Sonic that sell amp kits won't give you wire that's as thick as they actually it is (i.e. some '4 gauge' cables will have thicker sheathes and less wire than others). Knu Konceptz over-sizes their wires plus this kit is made with oxygen-free copper instead of cheaper copper clad aluminum, which would provide better current flow and OFC doesn't corrode as easily. It's a great deal for the price.

Get high-sensitivity speakers rated over 90db. I have Polk db6501 components and they work quite well, and have a 92 db rating. They're so loud on 75watts x 2 that I have to dial back the gain from the head unit to keep them in line with my 3 subs running on 800 watts.

You should plan on getting an amp & sub to compliment your door speakers. I'd recommend a 5 channel amp with a remote sub controller like mine.

For a sub figure out the largest box you can fit in the trunk first, and then you can match a sub to it. Don't worry about rear speakers unless you're entertaining passengers.

You really can't do much without an amp, but if you have the same size speakers front & rear you can start with inexpensive speakers in the front and build the rest of the system with amp & sub. Then you can get new front speakers, and fit the cheap speakers in the back for ambience or just in case passengers are along.

If you can, find someone that sells Hybrid gear and take a demo of the imagine, unity and clarus lines (it's my favorite sound atm).

While there, demo with and without a solid 4ch amp. It looks like without jbl, it's a fairly basic affair to swap speakers out.

I do agree that without an amp, your sound upgrade won't be great as that factory deck might put out about 10w a channel rms. I was actually torn on whether to just recommend trying a micro amp first or go all in. I decided to go all in, so this would be what I'd spend $1000 on:

HAT Unity 6.5 comp $430

Rockford Fosgate PBR300X4 $160

at least front door sound treatment $60

So that's $650 and leaves you room for install labor plus a small amp kit for power/ground. That should be a solid set up with good midbass and a fair amount of musical accuracy, too. Heck, you could step up to the clarus line (I prefer that of the three mentioned) and only be at $850

If you wanna go cheaper, I've heard great things about the Rockford Fosgate Punch 500w and plan to get it. For $120 it seems pretty great. The 750w version was clamped and did over 1000w, I've heard these are usually birthed around 650w.

I would get this wire kit instead: http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Kolossus-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation/dp/B005CIJBKK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417578842&sr=8-2&keywords=knuconcepts+4guage

It is Oxygen Free Copper and has a higher current capacity. The wire you chose has a max rating of 100Amps. Your amp has 120Amps worth of fuses on it. So you will want to get a better wire.

The one I posted should be perfect.

http://www.sundownaudio.com/index.php/subwoofers/item/ev3-series

is this what you mean by e series?

Also, can you recommend me speakers for my car? I only see wiring/head unit/amp/Subs

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JECAM2/ref=psdc_1294866011_t2_B00J8SV72A?th=1

4.5 rating with 1000 reviews, #1 best seller, 2 12inch w/box, good or no???

https://www.amazon.com/Hifonics-ZRX1216-1D-Subwoofer-Amplifier-1200-Watt/dp/B00T3VMUD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1485393252&sr=1-1&keywords=hifonics+amp

Looks good ?

Thanks for the quick reply. Told him he will need a better box.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-Prime-channel-Amplifier/dp/B004T166L8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463443730&sr=8-1&keywords=rockford+fosgate+750+rms

Is that the amp you speak of? $210 on amazon.

Also what wiring kit? I see many posted here and I don't know which would be best for his specific setup.

http://www.knukonceptz.com/mobile-audio/amp-installation-kits/

It would be difficult to find a proper headunit with a cassette, but i can give you a few items to go by.

Headunit - DEH-150mp

(dash kit, wiring harness and antenna adapter of course)

keeping budget in mind, and that that car has 4 4x8 sized speakers, i would get two sets of these adaptors to allow for 5.25 speakers.
I personally use 2 sets of Polk db522
and for the money they sound decent.

You could leave it like that and it would be enjoyable or you can go the extra step and get something like a RF4 channel amp, with amp install kit and be right around your 500 mark.

Keep in mind that i am far from an expert. Just wanted to give you a direction.

That PM100X1 was exactly the type of product I had in mind, thank you, but you're right, pricing makes it not worth it.

I had no idea LOC were a thing until you mentioned the concept, but yeah, it looks like that's the way to go.

So if I'm understanding what you're suggesting correctly, a setup may looking something like this...

1. Splice the +/- pairs of wires for all 4 channels coming out of the head unit and connect it into a 4 channel LOC (like this one)
   
   
2. Run all 4 channels over to a 4x100 amp using flex wire for easy wiring.
   
   
3. Re-splice in the factory wiring into the appropriate channels on the amp.
   
   
4. Done?

Yes, any decent amp should come with the remote gain knob (shitty amps come with bass boost knob, which you absolutely do not want to use), if it doesn't just pick up a PAC-LC1 for $10-15. Lots of people running very high end gear run those, it's especially helpful for controlling multiple amps at once since it attenuates the input signal.

Thank you! Appreciate the suggestions greatly. I was able to find 2 12"s for $150 and from what I've heard these are pretty dang good. Would they work with that amp you've suggested?



MTX Audio Terminator Series TNE212D 1,200-Watt Dual 12-Inch Sub Enclosure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JECAM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zd5RCb37NTMWF

For your subs, you can pretty much get any $15-$20 loc and be fine.

PAC SNI-35 Variable LOC Line Out Converter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EAWS3W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Pz3xxb48SVB7F

If you dont want to wait for shipping. Im sure your local electronics or car audio installation shop has one. Best buy carrries some too, if that's by you.

Speakers:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P0PF9G/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1370878816&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

Amp:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_67751_Rockford-Fosgate-R150X2.html

Radio w/ 3 sets of pre outs to make your life easier:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0073V1NP0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1370879138&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

Wiring:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0050I6KII/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1370879267&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

That Boss wire is more like 10awg than 8. Get this instead. Not their best, but at least you won't have to run a new power wire unless you have plans to eventually go over ~900w total (theoretically this wire can handle ~1000w).

Also, if you plan on eventually doing your rear speakers, you should just get the 4-ch version of that amp.

All in all, this'll be more expensive by ~$100. But it'll sound much better, you'll be making your life easier for future upgrades, and you won't have to buy and run new wiring unless you end up going with big power.

You want to get a d2 sub. That means it's dual voicecoil, 2ohms per coil. coils would be wired parallel for a 1 ohm final load. A 4 gauge amp wiring kit will be fine. I would spend the few extra dollars for a nice OFC (oxygen free copper) kit over a kit that uses CCA(copper clad aluminum) Here is a really good choice, has all you need http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Kolossus-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation/dp/B005CIJBKK/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1344479367&sr=1-2&keywords=knukonceptz+4+gauge

Thanks for the info. Do you think the MTX amp would be worth it in the long run (like, would the Power Acoustik amp die on me)?

Also: I've heard that these Alpines are great speakers and I am wondering if it would be worth it to shell out the extra $50. Or maybe I should go with these Polks. You seem to be pretty educated when it comes to audio; what would your choice be?

Yes, avoid +db on any part of your signal path, be it a head unit setting or bass boost knob.

Set gains to maximize clean output, then use something like an RCA cable volume knob to dial down your sub to taste.

Budget: Noico
Best: SDS
Second link is full of great info on how to properly sound deaden.

So I have a 15" Soundqubed 1200W RMS subwoofer being powered with a soundqubed 1200w amp. The sub and box are so heavy in my trunk, and I honestly don't really want to listen to it loud because it hurts my hearing.

I am wanting to go with a smaller and more light weight set up. I am torn between getting an under the seat Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, this one to be exact: https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-PS-8-Underseat-Subwoofer/dp/B00Y3WKUX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522712591&sr=8-1&keywords=underseat+subwoofer+rockford+fosgate&dpID=51c8j4HS70L&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

But then I am worried it might not be enough bass, and so I was thinking about getting a loaded enclosure and either 10" or 12", something like this https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-P300-12-Subwoofer-Enclosure/dp/B007AQ2W6W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522712633&sr=8-2&keywords=rockford+fosgate+loaded+enclosure&dpID=51gr0hNb2TL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Right now I have 2 kicker tweeters up from, and a 6.5" kicker 2-way speaker 60W rms each in each door. They are powered by an amp and sound really good, I just need some bass to compliment them.

Any advice on the under the seat sub? Should I get a loaded 10 or 12 inch over it, and if so...the 10 or 12? Thanks.

What are the advantages of OFC? Will it sound better/last longer, etc.?

Also, could I get away this this cheap Line out converter, or should I get something better? Thank you for being so much help!

https://www.amazon.com/PAC-SNI-35-Variable-Line-Converter/dp/B001EAWS3W/ref=pd_bxgy_107_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001EAWS3W&pd_rd_r=RVMV8TKNZ21269XR4J08&pd_rd_w=gL0hJ&pd_rd_wg=gFhz3&psc=1&refRID=RVMV8TKNZ21269XR4J08

Here are the parts I'm considering so far

2 sets of these for all 4 doors

Alpine SPS-610C 6-1/2" Component 2-Way Type-S Speaker System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004THAWHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kqsnyb7A57SH7


These 6x9 for rear deck

Polk Audio DB691 6-by-9-Inch 3-Way Speakers (Pair, Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P0R6KW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WusnybVYBR8YD



This for getting signal to amp. Not sure if complete overkill for my goal setup.

AudioControl LC7i Black 6-Channel Line Output Converter with Bass Restoration https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ATHBO86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bwsnyb2TGNBDW



And this subwoofer. I might go with 2 of them when I add them to my car.

Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 Punch P3 DVC 4-Ohm 12-Inch 600-Watt RMS 1200-Watt Peak Subwoofer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UFHXNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kysnybS8CXRZS

Like stated above I have no idea on the amplifier. I would like to have it power my speakers and subwoofer, so I'm guessing a multi channel would be better? In the end i would like to have a woofer and tweeter per door, 2 rear deck 6x9, and a subwoofer or 2. Please let me know if anything needs to change. I'm open to all opinions and suggestions.

KCA is Knu's code for copper clad aluminum which is aluminum wire with a thin copper coating. Kolossus Flex is OFC, oxygen free copper, and is good for 150A at 4ga. Pure copper is a MUCH better conductor than aluminum.

http://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-DB6501-6-5-Inch-Component/dp/B000P0R6LQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459290714&sr=8-1&keywords=polk+audio+db6501 ..I've had these myself for 7 years and I love them. I have them and the db691 (3way 6x9) in my rear deck. The sound they produce is amazing, more so with an amp.

These look pretty good: JBL GTO609C Premium 6.5-Inch Component Speaker System - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANI3LAK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_W6jHzbECF9SVW

For a few bucks more, I've also heard good things about these: Polk Audio DB6501 6.5-Inch 2-Way Component System (Pair, Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P0R6LQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_r8jHzbT4S09VR

Someone told me about this when I asked the same question about my suburban. Haven’t ordered it yet to try but I like the idea

(https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B002U5XPBE/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_awdb_c_Q2FNCbSR43HPF)

It’s an fm transmitter that wires behind your unit into the antenna. I would assume the reception would be superior with this setup as opposed to a cigarette lighter one

ok good, its a fine subwoofer in the right box (make your own, dont buy one) but get the d2 and wire it like this

And for an amp under $200 to power it, really I would say the Twisted Sounds 1k, but its a bit over your budget, but wonderful amp. OR, here is one right on 200 that does 750rms

W304-Fs or W254-Fs. They are free air woofers. 4 ohm SVC. You need to figure out which one it is based on the diameter, then you'll have your power rating. I'd also get a multimeter to make sure they are not blown. They don't handle much power. One of these, with gain properly set should work, so you have some spare power if you ever were to switch them. I'd suggest this wiring kit.

Ok I think I will put a 12 in my backseat now. is this the amp? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XlXqzbKCMPHC0

is this a good sub for the amp? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZWBG7Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BnXqzb188Y4KP

these wires? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050I6KII/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SoXqzbR928SJY

And is this box good? Single 12" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GUT3JOO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GpXqzbKXFSYCR

Would this sub be better since the amp is only 500 rms https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UFHXNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zqXqzb6PKAHB4

I don't have any drills or anything to make my own sub enclosure so that's why I'm asking if that box would be good enough or I can see if I can get someone to make one for me

Car Audio Newb

I bought a used Skar ZVX-8 dual 2 ohm 900 rms sub in a box and its currently wired to 1 ohm. I plan on getting an Audiopipe APCL-1001D as my amp (getting a good deal in it). Specs say it should do 1000 watt rms at 1 ohm, or 600 rms at 2 ohm.

My questions are, should I run it at 1 ohm or rewire the sub for 2 ohms? And as far as an amp wiring kit, would this be a good option, or should I just build my own kit with welding cable? Trying to be as cost efficient as possible.

The easiest and cheapest route would be to buy this rockford fosgate loaded enclosure and just wire it into the rear speakers.

Although, this may not be much an improvement on the premium system. So if you're craving a little more oomph, you would have to go this route:

Get an amp with high level inputs like this precision power. Wire it with a nice 4 awg amp kit and splice the high level to the rear speakers. After you have the amp installed, the possibilities for subs are pretty much endless. You could run something like this SA 12 and either make a box for it or put it in this prefab.

Amp: $120

Amp Kit: $30

Sub: $200

Box: $45
____
total: $495

After shipping and taxes it all might be over 500, but this would definitely scratch your itch for bass.

If you don't plan to upgrade the other speakers in the future, the lower-priced options (meaning: whatever you find at your local electronics supplier) will be fine.
Fancier models can give you more outputs, such as Front, Rear, Sub, and will also give you more level control.

My recommendations are:

Budget - PAC-SNI-35
Midrange - AudioControl LC2i
High End - AudioControl LC7i
Audiophile - JBL MS-8

Again, it mostly depends on your future plans.
The cheapest of the cheap will do the job, but if you can afford it, pick one that is a bit more than you think you currently need.
Because chances are good that you'll want to continue upgrading.

This is what you want. Built like a tank and puts out 300W rms at 4 ohms, but you can adjust the gain down to match the sub. Your Kicker TC10 is actually rated at 150W rms at 4 ohms, 300W max. Idk where they got 500W from.

If you install the amp yourself, set the gains with a multimeter so you know exactly how much wattage is being sent to the sub. There is a link on the sidebar to tell you how.

I think I'm going to go with the P3D4-12 you linked me to and this box, and either this amp or this amp (which would you recommend?) with this wiring. My question is, is there a bass control knob that pairs specifically with the amp? Also, would you recommend running it at 2 ohms or 4 ohms? This looks like a good sub-amp combo, but I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right before purchasing.

Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 Punch P3 DVC 4-Ohm 12-Inch 600-Watt RMS 1200-Watt Peak Subwoofer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UFHXNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9L28AbQPQWH9M

Have you looked into the P3s or the more budget friendly P2s? Jl also makes some nice subwoofers like the w3s.

youll need around $100 for install so youre looking more at around $200 for the rest.

check Craigslist first and see if you can find a sub and amp. check the sidebar for recommended brands and stay away from cheap stuff like Boss, Pyramid, Pyle, Rockville etc..

another option is to buy sub+amp sets. like this Rockford Fosgate. something like this wont rattle the block but itll sound good in your car.

Here ya go....Sundown E series 15 $165

Pioneer amp $170

box $150

wiring kit $ 60

Around $550 for everything, but you could easily knock off $100 of that just by building your own box. or still save some by finding someone on craigslist that builds boxes(every craigslist has 1 or 2)

I'm pretty sure they flog you here if you suggest anything other than Knukonceptz.

Cheaper kit :
http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-KCA-Complete-Gauge-Installation/dp/B0050I6KII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381424122&sr=8-1&keywords=knukonceptz+4+gauge

Better grade OFC kit : http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Kolossus-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation/dp/B005CIJBKK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381424140&sr=8-2&keywords=knukonceptz+4+gauge+ofc

mystery edit mofos.

>neither Visions nor Geek Squad (best buy) know how to install an aux input.

Either you asked the wrong questions or didn't listen to them correctly. You can either add something like the IS32 but at that point you're better off just getting a new radio like this one.

About 30 square feet of CLD (constrained layer dampener) is required for your whole car. You don't need much. ~25-30% coverage will be fine.


Dynamat's alright, but also check out the stuff from SoundDeadenerShowdown or Second Skin


The budget option has traditionally been Noico


Ideally, you'll also want to apply some Mass Loaded Vinyl to the doors and floor, as well as some Closed Cell Foam.

You mentioned you had a blueprint, is that a universal one that a craftsmen could use that would provide the best output or is it only for a specific spec/size?

Will check out those components, thanks.
To add onto this component, I saw these Polks on amazon for a good price.

https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-DB6501-6-5-Inch-Component/dp/B000P0R6LQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497924801&sr=8-1&keywords=POlk+DB+6501

Would these work with the Alpine amplifier?.. i'm assuming they'd work with the one you suggested. Also, I was told (idk if this is bullshit or not) that when you are running two amplifiers, you want to have them be the same brand... is there any truth to this? Not that it's necessary, but preferred.

I somewhat have a hunch that this place has some deal/discount with Alpine which is why they suggest their products so much.


ALSO is this the rockford amp you are suggesting? --- would get this one if the amplifiers matching thing is bs

https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R500X1D-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497925174&sr=8-1&keywords=rockford+500.1+amplifier

Here buy this: http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-KCA-Complete-Gauge-Installation/dp/B0050I6KII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426718853&sr=8-1&keywords=knukonceptz+4+gauge

Make sure the power wire from the positive battery is fused within a foot or two of the battery. Secondly, make sure the ground or negative is to a bolt that has the paint sanded off. With the car running, check the voltage between the two points and make sure it reads around 14.3 volts to be sure you have a decent connection. Finally the thing that stores power is called a capacitor. It has it's place in certain areas of car audio, but you don't have to worry about it at this point and would advise against spending the money on one. Youtube has plenty of videos on how to properly crimp/solder your wire, as well as hook up amps, subs, etc.

OP, help out your future self and do this all at once. Replace your speakers, wire in your amplifier all in the same weekend. Make sure to use 4gauge for your power wire in case you want to add a sub in the future. Your budget is a little tight, don't ignore the cost of good quality cables (I just installed these this past weekend).

If u want 2 subs which I would recommend, you can get 2 mtx tn 12 inside a premade box for 150, then buy that same Rockford amp and a wire kit and if u have a stock headunit, a loc

amp
subs and box
wire kit
line out converter, if u don't have rca's from headunit

This is the best bang for your buck and its relatives super cheap, the is practically what I have expect I fucked up and didn't get the premade box. If your not looking to win competitions but want cheap loud good bass, get these

I imagine that you just need an amp like this. The specs are pretty darn nice for its size imo. Then you find some speakers with the same RMS rating.
https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R400-4D-Full-Range-4-Channel/dp/B004T0WFVE

http://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-KCA-Complete-Gauge-Installation/dp/B0050I6KII/ref=cm_cmu_pg_t

Cheaper and Better than anything you will find on Amazon :D

Original credit to /u/magic8ball88

First, replace the head unit. You can do this for less than $100. Example: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130X6800BS/Pioneer-DEH-X6800BS.html?tp=5684&avf=Y order this and you'll get the dash kit and wiring harness for free.

Next, add some bass. Get this subwoofer/amp combo, it's the best you'll get on a budget. With a new head unit, you'll get RCA outputs for the sub.

I think you might need to spend at least another $100. My daughter has this and it’s pretty awesome as far as powered subs go.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B007AQ2W6W/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1520480494&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=rockford+punch+300&dpPl=1&dpID=51gr0hNb2TL&ref=plSrch

I believe you can get better quality for not much more. Look at a Dayton audio or image dynamics 12” sub something in the $100 range that has dual 4 ohm voice coil.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-rss315ho-44-12-reference-ho-dvc-subwoofer--295-467

Possibly a pioneer or Rockford amp. Maybe: Rockford Fosgate R500X1D Prime 1-Channel Class D Amplifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SkF0AbH0KCQBR
Then get a prefab sealed box. Sonic has them for about $40 and then an amp install kit from knuconceptz or piece your own together using welding cable for the power and ground.

Should run you under $350 and last longer, take less space and outperform that system you asked about.

Oh. You are going to need a line level converter in order to tie into your stock system.


I don’t know why you are down voted. You asked an honest question...

I have had these for years and just love them, would recommend every time!!

I like ckeeler11 idea with the Maximos. Keep the amp you currently have, but start saving for a mono amp for the sub, then bridge the alpine to the morels. Also add some sound deadening in the door and around the midbass. Noico 80 mil 18 sqft car Sound deadening mat, Butyl Automotive Sound Deadener, Audio Noise Insulation and dampening https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012B5EMGO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JdJoDb1W239CD
That would be all you need for your doors. You can get the next size up if you want to add some on the trunk.
You’ll be 100% happy after all of that.

I ordered a P300 by Rockford Fosgate about a year ago. It's a powered enclosure and not a separate amp + subwoofer.

I had it installed at a local Radio Active and they tapped into the factory amp. It hits well enough honestly. I find I don't need a crazy amount of bass for small hatchbacks. I probably should have mounted it to the side because it does take up quite a bit of trunk space.

Actual Power output is one. That Boss says 1100 watts on it, but I remember someone (Steve Meade?) put it on the amp dyno and it really only put out ~250 watts. Boss over-inflates their numbers.

Sure you can get the kicker set you linked, they are some of kickers lower line, each sub only rated for 250 watts RMS. For two 15s in a box, you get what you pay for.

For those kickers, I would recommend this amp https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosgate-R500X1D-1-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00BF6HYDE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1524364575&sr=1-1&keywords=rockford+fosgate+r500x1d

Its a bit more in price than the boss, but relativity cheap when it comes to good, reputable amps.

Its engine noise, a lot of low pitched noise. Road noise is not too much of an issue.

And I was under the impression that this is basically MLV, and thats why I was combining it with the foam. However now I see that is simply a base layer. The interior of my car is small and easily removable so I think I will just start with that and my current padding, and see how it goes from there.

I have used the product before and the lack of smell and adhesion time is superb. It also has good weight to it, so I feel confident using it.

I've always wanted to give These a shot for a budget build. Also grab This amp kit. My philosophy is don't buy something that will make you long for more, save that $250, and add another $250, and you'll be much happier.

PAC LC-1 Remote Knob - $10.84

http://www.amazon.com/PAC-LC-1-Remote-Amplifier-Controller/dp/B0002J226O

Works with every amplifier, possibly the best purchase I've made in my setup. Simply controls the signal running from the head unit to the amplifier, therefore controlling the volume of the amp.

Conventional "bass" knobs could possibly blow your subs like my sister did. She had a system installed and the installers mounted the "bass" (gain) knob on the dash and told her to control it for how much bass she wanted. She blew them within a year to the point the one seized and I couldn't punch it free...

I've had a handful of FM transmitters -- all wired, but that shouldn't make a difference -- and I've had mixed results.

The last one I bought, though, worked great -- I just can't remember which one it was, and I gave it to my sister.

So, you'll likely run into the same issues you've already dealt with with FM transmitters.

Another option is an antenna bypass: http://www.amazon.com/iSimple-IS31-Antenna-Modulator-Aftermarket/dp/B002U5XPBE

Any one who can install a car stereo should be able to hook that up.

speaker adapter rings $12 pair x2

speaker wiring adapters pair $6 x2

radio harness with amp bypass $35

JBL P660c 6.5" component set for font doors $130

rockford punch coaxial for rear fill $60

knu konceptz 4awg amp kit $35
usually i wouldn't recommend copper clad aluminum but in your case it'll be fine

dash kit $40

sony headunit $110
several options for this, but this is a decent unit.

precision power sub amp $110

soundqubed hds210 10" sub dual 4ohm $105

belva .77cuft sealed 10" prefab enclosure $37

I am over budget here, but this was quick and dirty. there are a couple areas to save money. biggest being buying a sub and amp use on craigslist. if that is possible and gets you under budget, id recommend just about everything else as is.

No, it’s 2 ohms in parallel. The SA 12 you linked is 4 ohms per coil, so wired in parallel it’s 2 ohms and in series it’s 8 ohms. The SA12 D2 (this one) is able to be wired down to 1 ohms. So if you get the SA-12 D2, you need a 1 ohms stable amp (the R750 I recommended is perfect) But if you get the SA-12 D4, the JX1000/1 would be nice because the sundown can handle 1000 easy. Here’s some wiring diagrams for dual 4 ohm and dual 2 ohm subs: https://imgur.com/a/KVrt9FM/

I decided to go with your recommendation from amazon. Will get it by Friday and will use that until my repair comes back. Thanks for all your help!!!