Help on buying sound system - General

Two things i'd just like to throw in here 1. Although sound quality can be measured it still is subjective and while some would probably throw up from the bloated and unclear bass these monsters produce, others might find that it "sounds great" 2. Some people then again just seem to be confusing greatness with plain volume. Just because your license plate starts shaking violently from your subwoofer doesn't mean it's great sounding.

MTX with a good amp bro, clear cut bass. I hate muddyness myself.

[QUOTE=Superwafflez;29776059]Sorry sounds awesome, I get compliments all the time from mates who have singles.[/QUOTE] Yes, overly strong bass that shakes the windows and distorts all the highs and lows. If you want to keep your hearing, that's the best way to lose it considering lows are rough, and don't hurt nearly as much to listen to as the highs do.

Fuck yer shit im about to get like 6 jackhammers and turn them up all they way totally wont die bro

Purchase this (or similar) : [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-KSC-SW01-Active-Underseat-Subwoofer/dp/B002U0RSZ8[/url] Fits very well under the seat, the Bass is punchy as hell, and the great thing is it doesn't take up vital space in the boot or glove box or what not...

[QUOTE=Second-gear-of-mgear;29780783]Yes, overly strong bass that shakes the windows and distorts all the highs and lows. If you want to keep your hearing, that's the best way to lose it considering lows are rough, and don't hurt nearly as much to listen to as the highs do.[/QUOTE] I don't mind having my windows and seats shake all to hell if I can still hear the highs and mids, which I can. I have amped 8"s in the doors, along with amped 3" tweeters, and a single 12" in the trunk. I'm pushing less than 200 watts RMS for the whole system and it rattles my car to bits, yet I can always hear the highs and mids very clearly. I have an active crossover on the 12 that keeps it below 50hz, and the 8"s snag any ranges that it can't. If you tune your system there's nothing wrong having the bass a little overpowered.

[QUOTE=Razors X Hunter;29800590]Purchase this (or similar) : [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-KSC-SW01-Active-Underseat-Subwoofer/dp/B002U0RSZ8[/url] Fits very well under the seat, the Bass is punchy as hell, and the great thing is it doesn't take up vital space in the boot or glove box or what not...[/QUOTE] I've got this Pioneer sub in my passenger footwell. It does deliver quite some punch. amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-TS-WX11A-Space-Saving-Subwoofer-20-8X12-8cm/dp/B000HT76S8

[QUOTE=bradley;29730808]Cheap amps are just that - cheap amps. Don't buy one unless you plan on it randomly failing on you one day. A good amp is going to cost you probably more than the speakers you'll want to buy.[/QUOTE] Having installed many cheap crappy amps for clients, I can say that the problem is not that they fail. I've installed several Dual amps and the CMA (Cheap mexican amp with clear top so you can see circuitry) and customers have never brought them back. A few friends still have them. The real problem is the SNR (Signal-Noise ratio) Some of them cap at 98% on most duals, that means that (Technically) only 2% of the sound coming out of the output speakers is clean and amplified, the rest is just loud hum, but some people don't notice. Others hear a "Muddy" sound that makes everything sound like a really loud whisper. Also when at low volumes the speakers will emit radio static when no music is playing, this is especially worse if the amp is in a 2ohm setup. To OP, pay no attention to the maximum power of anything. On the back of all speakers you will see 150w, or 250w, even cheap ones. To be honest, most HU's only output 15 per channel, 20 if it's a dual, and less for Alpine. None of that makes any difference. You can Get by with the famous $40 Pioneers in the front, and a set of 6X9's in the back with your stock headunit and you will get rid of those paper cones that suck, rattle, and rip. Your best bet is to get the $40 Pioneers, a $20 set of Diamond Audio tweeters, and a $50 set of any 6X9's you prefer, it will not really matter which ones because you're going to set the balance up front anyway slightly. Cut the two leads on the front of the 2 way Pioneers, move the tweeter on it sideways to break it off, and take it out of the speaker so there is only the single cone, since buying actual single cone speakers is next to impossible now. Rely only on your new $20 set up on the dash - Higher sound needs to come from in front of you, not next to your leg. Never cut the tweeter out on a friend or customers car though, they will not appreciate it, though it helps. IF you want a straight up decent set of peripherals, go with Diamond, they run in the $100 range for a set of speakers which is pretty reasonable and they don't sound half bad. Head units, I usually favor Pioneer and Kenwood KDC series as they usually have more options of setting up the car. Don't worry about buying amplifiers till you can afford a really nice D-Class that doesn't heat up much, can be stowed under a panel, and works well.

[QUOTE=Serj22;29818285]Having installed many cheap crappy amps for clients, I can say that the problem is not that they fail. I've installed several Dual amps and the CMA (Cheap mexican amp with clear top so you can see circuitry) and customers have never brought them back. A few friends still have them. The real problem is the SNR (Signal-Noise ratio) Some of them cap at 98% on most duals, that means that (Technically) only 2% of the sound coming out of the output speakers is clean and amplified, the rest is just loud hum, but some people don't notice. Others hear a "Muddy" sound that makes everything sound like a really loud whisper. Also when at low volumes the speakers will emit radio static when no music is playing, this is especially worse if the amp is in a 2ohm setup. To OP, pay no attention to the maximum power of anything. On the back of all speakers you will see 150w, or 250w, even cheap ones. To be honest, most HU's only output 15 per channel, 20 if it's a dual, and less for Alpine. None of that makes any difference. You can Get by with the famous $40 Pioneers in the front, and a set of 6X9's in the back with your stock headunit and you will get rid of those paper cones that suck, rattle, and rip. Your best bet is to get the $40 Pioneers, a $20 set of Diamond Audio tweeters, and a $50 set of any 6X9's you prefer, it will not really matter which ones because you're going to set the balance up front anyway slightly. Cut the two leads on the front of the 2 way Pioneers, move the tweeter on it sideways to break it off, and take it out of the speaker so there is only the single cone, since buying actual single cone speakers is next to impossible now. Rely only on your new $20 set up on the dash - Higher sound needs to come from in front of you, not next to your leg. Never cut the tweeter out on a friend or customers car though, they will not appreciate it, though it helps. IF you want a straight up decent set of peripherals, go with Diamond, they run in the $100 range for a set of speakers which is pretty reasonable and they don't sound half bad. Head units, I usually favor Pioneer and Kenwood KDC series as they usually have more options of setting up the car. Don't worry about buying amplifiers till you can afford a really nice D-Class that doesn't heat up much, can be stowed under a panel, and works well.[/QUOTE] I honestly don't know where you got the idea that bridging an amp to 2 ohms would increase noise interference. And signal to noise ratio is measured in decibels, not percentage. Noise is more often that not produced by poor installation. People not sanding paint off of their ground points, running too much ground cable, or placing the amp in a location with bad rca cable (or unshielded) that could pick up electrical interference. You should read up on that a little more. [url]http://www.bcae1.com/sig2nois.htm[/url] I also think that you're spouting out your ass about the amount of power an average head unit is pumping RMS; my sony head unit is running 33 rms per channel and 52 watts peak. And in no circumstance should you buy a coaxial speaker and remove the tweeter, that has to be the stupidest suggestion I've ever heard. If you want tweeters, buy a component system that includes mid range crossovers, with the tweeter and woofer separate. You sound like some crappy bestbuy tech. Component systems are all over the internet: [url]http://www.google.com/search?q=component+car+speakers&tbs=shop%3A1&hl=en&aq=f[/url] There's no sense in butchering a pair of coaxial speakers. Lastly, wasting your money on Diamond anything at this point would be just that; a waste. Reliable, good brands that have been around a long time are Rockford Fosgate, JL Audio, Infinity Reference, Alpine, Pioneer, and Kenwood, which all offer products at a respective price range, rather than dumping a wad of cash on overpriced speakers.

So is this head unit any good at all? I see it for new on ebay for £195 currently. [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-FH-P80BT-Double-Din-Bluetooth-Control/dp/B0017TOB58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305466451&sr=1-1[/url] I generally just want something to replace my ford focus head unit which will improve my sound quality and experience overall. I like these ones with screens as they seem to look better and have more features, but i still want one that will give me a nice sound improvement and have the capability for attaching a sub maybe in the future. I would also prefer to keep my steering collumn controls for the headunit

[QUOTE=Boom_Hedshot;29819538] I also think that you're spouting out your ass about the amount of power an average head unit is pumping RMS; my sony head unit is running 33 rms per channel and 52 watts peak. And in no circumstance should you buy a coaxial speaker and remove the tweeter, that has to be the stupidest suggestion I've ever heard. If you want tweeters, buy a component system that includes mid range crossovers, with the tweeter and woofer separate. You sound like some crappy bestbuy tech. Component systems are all over the internet: [/QUOTE] First off, $100 head units that sony puts out are pieces of garbage. The Xplod is the biggest waste of time ever. All head units claim to put out 200w. Every single damn one. 200/4 is 50 so they all also claim to have 50w max per channel. Bridging to 2ohm is not what I'm talking about either. I'm talking about cheap amps that are 2ohm and stock car speakers which sometimes wind up being the same on some factory amplifier setups mostly, but I have known aftermarket companies to do it as well. I am not some crappy bestbuy tech either. I work out of my own shop and have done more technical installs and custom enclosure work than I care to mention. Most professionally I am a carpenter, but I also specialize in 12v electronics. I build anything from Subwoofer boxes to 35ft wooden speed boats. Currently in my shop is a Ford Edsel (famous failure car) that a customer wants a whole bunch of wood trim installed in and a full planked mahogany subwoofer enclosure run with Memphis all around. Sitting next to it is a 1947 Hacker Craft 1/2 way restored with a 1945 Rolls Royce V12 custom installed, capable of powering the monster to 70mph max. I do know what I'm talking about mate. And I have returning clients to prove it. Either way. I don't really want to argue about it, and I'm sorry if I sounded angry or something. All I;m doing is helping op "get the most bang for his buck" since he started out wanting to buy speakers that cost $15, I'm offering a cheap, but decent alternative to junk. You must also understand, that all installers have their own way of doing things. Once you find one you like, you follow their work and make sure they are the ones installing your stuff and working on it. Also I retract my statement on Signal to noise, I used the wrong term and was trying to explain a generally bad noise level. You are right about SNR, it had nothing to do with what I was talking about, that's a completely different matter. The most commonly purchased "cheap" amp I see in my shop are Dual XPA series, because they are available at Wal-Mart, Pep-Boys,($60-$100) etc, and they always make things sound worse, but customers usually insist it sounds great (because they spent money on it) [url]http://www.dualav.com/mobileaudio/xpa.php[/url] Either way, I'm just saying a bad amp will usually make things sound bad, and just getting a decent head unit will do wonders. Even changing the stock speakers and leaving the stock head unit is alright, and there are stock head unit "equalizers" I guess you could call them, available to help if you have a factory amp on board.

Get alpine so you can be an Alpine bro with yo boy conker. Proud of my subs, so loud in the car yet almost inaudible outside, other than the trunk area rattling slightly

[QUOTE=Orange-Soda;29839238]So is this head unit any good at all? I see it for new on ebay for £195 currently. [url]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-FH-P80BT-Double-Din-Bluetooth-Control/dp/B0017TOB58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305466451&sr=1-1[/url] I generally just want something to replace my ford focus head unit which will improve my sound quality and experience overall. I like these ones with screens as they seem to look better and have more features, but i still want one that will give me a nice sound improvement and have the capability for attaching a sub maybe in the future. I would also prefer to keep my steering collumn controls for the headunit[/QUOTE] I don't think Crutchfield sells in the UK, but they have a thing that will tell you if it fits in your car. Is the Current headunit in the Focus Double Din? Like, twice the size of a normal one? If so, It'd fit, but the wires may not. Also, you probably won't be able to keep the steering controls with any aftermarket headunit.

Yeh it's a Double Din. I'm now just looking at getting a Single Din nice one. I'm looking at the [url=http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_774681_langId_-1_categoryId_165474]Sony MEXBT3800U[/url] currently. It seems nice, good reviews and i THINK i can keep my steering controls.

[QUOTE=Orange-Soda;29850820]Yeh it's a Double Din. I'm now just looking at getting a Single Din nice one. I'm looking at the [url=http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_774681_langId_-1_categoryId_165474]Sony MEXBT3800U[/url] currently. It seems nice, good reviews and i THINK i can keep my steering controls.[/QUOTE] You almost always have to buy an adapting harness to keep the controls, or make one.

[QUOTE=Serj22;29842717]First off, $100 head units that sony puts out are pieces of garbage. The Xplod is the biggest waste of time ever. All head units claim to put out 200w. Every single damn one. 200/4 is 50 so they all also claim to have 50w max per channel. Bridging to 2ohm is not what I'm talking about either. I'm talking about cheap amps that are 2ohm and stock car speakers which sometimes wind up being the same on some factory amplifier setups mostly, but I have known aftermarket companies to do it as well. I am not some crappy bestbuy tech either. I work out of my own shop and have done more technical installs and custom enclosure work than I care to mention. Most professionally I am a carpenter, but I also specialize in 12v electronics. I build anything from Subwoofer boxes to 35ft wooden speed boats. Currently in my shop is a Ford Edsel (famous failure car) that a customer wants a whole bunch of wood trim installed in and a full planked mahogany subwoofer enclosure run with Memphis all around. Sitting next to it is a 1947 Hacker Craft 1/2 way restored with a 1945 Rolls Royce V12 custom installed, capable of powering the monster to 70mph max. I do know what I'm talking about mate. And I have returning clients to prove it. Either way. I don't really want to argue about it, and I'm sorry if I sounded angry or something. All I;m doing is helping op "get the most bang for his buck" since he started out wanting to buy speakers that cost $15, I'm offering a cheap, but decent alternative to junk. You must also understand, that all installers have their own way of doing things. Once you find one you like, you follow their work and make sure they are the ones installing your stuff and working on it. Also I retract my statement on Signal to noise, I used the wrong term and was trying to explain a generally bad noise level. You are right about SNR, it had nothing to do with what I was talking about, that's a completely different matter. The most commonly purchased "cheap" amp I see in my shop are Dual XPA series, because they are available at Wal-Mart, Pep-Boys,($60-$100) etc, and they always make things sound worse, but customers usually insist it sounds great (because they spent money on it) [url]http://www.dualav.com/mobileaudio/xpa.php[/url] Either way, I'm just saying a bad amp will usually make things sound bad, and just getting a decent head unit will do wonders. Even changing the stock speakers and leaving the stock head unit is alright, and there are stock head unit "equalizers" I guess you could call them, available to help if you have a factory amp on board.[/QUOTE] I apologize for my rudeness, I've just heard people boast time and time again about how much they know about car audio, and when I pop their trunks I see a Pyramid amp and Boss speakers it starts to get old after after a while. I can easily appreciate the level of experience it must take to construct a subwoofer enclosure down to the actual physics and air capacity to fine-tune a sub to sound the best in a specified box. I honestly just want to know why you'd suggesting taking a 3 or 2-way coaxial and breaking it apart to make the tweeter/woofer separate when you could just buy a component system that would sound loads better. Coaxial speakers often have tiny tweeters, relocating the tweeters would do little to improve their quality, and would sound worse if not receiving the same channel as the speaker.

Whatever you do, if you get four tweeters, don't put two of them on the rear speaker deck. That is what rednecks or gangsta's do. Instead, put all of them on the doors. One on each. Like a professional setup.

[QUOTE=Boom_Hedshot;29863832]I apologize for my rudeness, I've just heard people boast time and time again about how much they know about car audio, and when I pop their trunks I see a Pyramid amp and Boss speakers it starts to get old after after a while. I can easily appreciate the level of experience it must take to construct a subwoofer enclosure down to the actual physics and air capacity to fine-tune a sub to sound the best in a specified box. I honestly just want to know why you'd suggesting taking a 3 or 2-way coaxial and breaking it apart to make the tweeter/woofer separate when you could just buy a component system that would sound loads better. Coaxial speakers often have tiny tweeters, relocating the tweeters would do little to improve their quality, and would sound worse if not receiving the same channel as the speaker.[/QUOTE] It's quite alright. I'm sorry if I sounded angry as well. AS for the butchering a speaker thing, it's an old, old, old technique. I heard about it one day from my Uncle and I decided I had to try it. IT makes it so the speaker in the door can literally only put out mostly the mid/low frequencies which helps the sound-stage stay up above and towards your ears. The best setup for a tweeter is technically less than 6 inches from the Coaxial in the door, or kick pods, whichever setup you have, but it is perfectly alright to put them on the A and B pillars or door sails. Also I suggest it because even the crappiest component system (tweeters/speakers) starts at about $100, and the OP was posting $17 speakers in the beginning. I have a feeling he's not loaded. Just for kicks, this is my "work truck" a 2002 Cr-v, and I put the entire sound system in it for less than $300. I used a lot of maple to frame a box and support it and put an MDF plate and sealer to cover to make a flush trunk with 3.2cu/ft of air space for a 12.25" Solid aluminum piston woofer 2000watt 16lb beast. I paid $50 for the sub on craigslist, and bought the amp for $30 on the same (not bad). Since things were going to literally be thrown on this stuff I wanted it to be cheap but still be able to show off my installs to customers while away from the shop. [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PA290317-1.jpg[/IMG] That's the setup you need if you still want your entire trunk, just ditch the spare tire. [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PA290321.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PA290324.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PA290333.jpg[/IMG] Camel suede finished. Total cost of sub, amp, wires, wood, etc... $120. Stuff can be done on the cheap, just don't buy cheap stuff. Used audio equipment is good if you know what kind of environment it came from. Also OP, Pioneer has a $30 subwoofer that's way better than the junky one you found for $50. -Scratch that, it's not on sale anymore. I scored 3 of them when they were. They're now $60 again.

[QUOTE=Serj22;29879630]It's quite alright. I'm sorry if I sounded angry as well. AS for the butchering a speaker thing, it's an old, old, old technique. I heard about it one day from my Uncle and I decided I had to try it. IT makes it so the speaker in the door can literally only put out mostly the mid/low frequencies which helps the sound-stage stay up above and towards your ears. The best setup for a tweeter is technically less than 6 inches from the Coaxial in the door, or kick pods, whichever setup you have, but it is perfectly alright to put them on the A and B pillars or door sails. Also I suggest it because even the crappiest component system (tweeters/speakers) starts at about $100, and the OP was posting $17 speakers in the beginning. I have a feeling he's not loaded. Just for kicks, this is my "work truck" a 2002 Cr-v, and I put the entire sound system in it for less than $300. I used a lot of maple to frame a box and support it and put an MDF plate and sealer to cover to make a flush trunk with 3.2cu/ft of air space for a 12.25" Solid aluminum piston woofer 2000watt 16lb beast. I paid $50 for the sub on craigslist, and bought the amp for $30 on the same (not bad). Since things were going to literally be thrown on this stuff I wanted it to be cheap but still be able to show off my installs to customers while away from the shop. Camel suede finished. Total cost of sub, amp, wires, wood, etc... $120. Stuff can be done on the cheap, just don't buy cheap stuff. Used audio equipment is good if you know what kind of environment it came from. Also OP, Pioneer has a $30 subwoofer that's way better than the junky one you found for $50. -Scratch that, it's not on sale anymore. I scored 3 of them when they were. They're now $60 again.[/QUOTE] That's some really awesome work. I'd totally hire you to deck out my trunk with a custom enclosure. How long ago did you do that one? Also, good component sets [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3A6+1%2F2+car+speakers%2Cn%3A%21493964%2Cn%3A1077068%2Cn%3A226184%2Cn%3A760560%2Cn%3A10980881&bbn=760560&keywords=6+1%2F2+car+speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1305601576&rnid=760560]can be found on Amazon[/url] for <$100.

[QUOTE=Boom_Hedshot;29879782]That's some really awesome work. I'd totally hire you to deck out my trunk with a custom enclosure. How long ago did you do that one? Also, good component sets [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=n%3A172282%2Ck%3A6+1%2F2+car+speakers%2Cn%3A%21493964%2Cn%3A1077068%2Cn%3A226184%2Cn%3A760560%2Cn%3A10980881&bbn=760560&keywords=6+1%2F2+car+speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1305601576&rnid=760560]can be found on Amazon[/url] for <$100.[/QUOTE] That was about 3 years ago. I also did a similar setup on my civic. Other stuff I've done is usually more flashy. I do like Stealth installs, they are one of my specialties, but usually you have to sacrifice the donut spare, and most people don't want to do that. I used a smilar setup, but the Dual voice coil sub wouldn't fit normal, so I had to reverse it to get the correct air volume and just reversed the polarity on the headunit to get it in phase. This sub was actually one of those cheap Pyramid/Pyle (same company) subs, and I have had many of them through my shop. They aren't that bad, and are made stateside so I gave it a shot. The sub was like $40 and I don't regret spending that money. Again needed to be cheap because it was going to be surrounded by stuff. I flushed the trunk with fiberglass to make it one solid piece after the MDF, added a $5.00 roll of carpet from autozone, and mounted the sub. The amp was mounted onto a piece of MDF wrapped with some extra carbon fiber I had and resined in. I don't have any finished photos around, I never leave wires exposed or visible, those were later mounted beneath the amp and out of sight. Again less than $100 total. [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Civic/P1010083.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Civic/P1010082.jpg[/IMG] My favorite head-unit that I have ever owned is in this car: [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Civic/P1010079.jpg[/IMG]

I'd hire you to make me a sweet system.

I am actually for hire if you need cheap things done. I work with anyone's budget. If anyone's in the bay area/California area shoot me a PM, ya know? I will also come to you if need be. If you have all the materials already, I.E. Wires, Speakers and HU you want etc... my prices go even lower. I have also been experimenting with a plug-in system, where I install an amp somewhere hidden, flush the wires, and put the outputs in the form of 3-way terminals, you put the box in your trunk you want, then plug it in via banana connectors and remove it if you have to to carry things. literally "plug'n'play" Another cheap amp in my wife's car: [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P4220283-1.jpg[/IMG] And the plug'n'play system: [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P4220281-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P4220282-1.jpg[/IMG] Other things I do: Headlight housing painting Interior fabric decor (not seat upholstery) Detailed part painting (small interior pieces for audio detail mostly) More of my work truck [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P1030497.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Finale4-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PA310345.jpg[/IMG] Guage detailing (simple) All spray painted, lots of taping and layering. The letters are a decal. [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P9270276.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P9160258.jpg[/IMG] I also experimented with altering guage systems with similar cars, for example, I swapped out the stock set for a digital set from a 2005 civic Hybrid, but couldn't get the temp guage to work... the wiring really pushed my limits too... SInce they didn't function all the way and the multimiter in it made the transmission shift wierd, I scrapped this particular one, but it is very sucessful in other cars, just can't put hybrids on a no-hybrid car. It also always said I got 120mpg and the assist never came on and the light next to neutral and drive I couldn't get to light.... Lol. But it did look great, check the video of It I have too. [IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/P8270229.jpg[/IMG] [URL=http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/?action=view&current=Guages.mp4][IMG]http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/th_Guages.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Hey Serj, there is something wrong with the (stock) sound system in my car. Like, the rear speakers stopped working when they were playing at low volume. They aren't blow, so it makes me think that there is a short somewhere in the wires. Do you know how I could find it?

Serj, I'd pay you to deck out the trunk of my car. And possibly part of the cabin, if at all possible. I'm in North San Diego County, I could easily meet you or you could come to my place. PM me for my number and location if you're interested.

[QUOTE=Second-gear-of-mgear;29899926]Hey Serj, there is something wrong with the (stock) sound system in my car. Like, the rear speakers stopped working when they were playing at low volume. They aren't blow, so it makes me think that there is a short somewhere in the wires. Do you know how I could find it?[/QUOTE] Use the fader on the HU along with the level to adjust the sound to only the front right, then only the front left, then only rear right, then rear left. So you'd set the fader all the way forward, and balance all the way left to play only the front left speaker, etc... While you do this, turn the volume on the radio up to middle-ground above normal listening volume. You're listening for the one speaker that sounds fuzzy or turns off when you turn the volume up enough. That particular speaker is grounded to metal on the car somewhere and is causing a short, which will usually turn one, 2 or all speakers off at random intervals. Try adjusting the fader all the way back to begin with, if the speakers are working, the problem is that the amp in the HU isn't driving them well, and you should set the balance a little farther back to hear them. If the above was true and one of them is shorted, you will have to remove that speaker, pull the wires out (which are likely stripped and contacting metal) and make sure they are alright, then replace the speaker. But when you do that, you may as well put new speakers in anyway. [editline]18th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Boom_Hedshot;29900521]Serj, I'd pay you to deck out the trunk of my car. And possibly part of the cabin, if at all possible. I'm in North San Diego County, I could easily meet you or you could come to my place. PM me for my number and location if you're interested.[/QUOTE] That's quite a drive. What is it you're looking to do with the car?

[QUOTE=Serj22;29900891]Use the fader on the HU along with the level to adjust the sound to only the front right, then only the front left, then only rear right, then rear left. So you'd set the fader all the way forward, and balance all the way left to play only the front left speaker, etc... While you do this, turn the volume on the radio up to middle-ground above normal listening volume. You're listening for the one speaker that sounds fuzzy or turns off when you turn the volume up enough. That particular speaker is grounded to metal on the car somewhere and is causing a short, which will usually turn one, 2 or all speakers off at random intervals. Try adjusting the fader all the way back to begin with, if the speakers are working, the problem is that the amp in the HU isn't driving them well, and you should set the balance a little farther back to hear them. If the above was true and one of them is shorted, you will have to remove that speaker, pull the wires out (which are likely stripped and contacting metal) and make sure they are alright, then replace the speaker. But when you do that, you may as well put new speakers in anyway. [editline]18th May 2011[/editline] That's quite a drive. What is it you're looking to do with the car?[/QUOTE] Both front speakers work fine and sound exactly the same. I've tried reseating the headunit but that did nothing.

[QUOTE=Serj22;29900891]] That's quite a drive. What is it you're looking to do with the car?[/QUOTE] The trunk is tiny: [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/photo_31.jpg[/img] About 17" deep is the lowest point at the bottom of the spare tire well. I want the whole trunk to act as an enclosure for my 12", 10", and their amps. You can make it look however you want, I'm not picky.

Nice hookah.

Hookah.

Hookah