Question on sound system

[W.A.I.]

hey all,
I have a question.
In my car, the stereo system is stock. Well, I mean, other than the headunit everything is stock. But then, I am after a little more entertaining sound system with a low budget. A friend of mine suggested me to get a 2 channel Amp and a 12" sub so that it can boost the rear speakers (a pair of 6x9) and the sub. But when I went into the store to look around for the Amps, the salesman told me it is impossible for running the rear speakers and the sub with a 2 channel Amp. Since I am getting different stories, so, hope you guys can help me out.
Also, when the time comes to get the Amp and sub, what kinda output of them should I be looking for? Ive seen the Sony Amps with only 200W output, are they any good?
Thanks all.
W.A.I. :)

[twilightprotege]

cheap - dont amp the rear 6x9's first. amplify the fronts since that's what you hear. rear speakers are just fillers.

best option imo, get a 4 channel amp, run the front speakers using 2 channels, run a sum bridging the remaining 2 and run the rear speakers off the head unit. i have the autobarn home-brand USAudio amps and find them pretty good for the money (ie they are cheap)

[Dogo]

Hi,

he's right you couldnt run 2 speakers and 1 sub from a 2 channel amp.
well, you could but it would most likely sound horrible and you'd need to get a low pass filter and a stereo->mono adapter for the sub. Even then I doubt your amp would be happy with the abnormal resistance.

I'd use the 2 channel for the front speakers ( because thats where your ears are ) and buy an extra monoblock for the sub.

if you dont already have the amp you could buy a 3 or 4 channel and it would do what you need. With the 4 channel, most will let you bridge 2 channels together to create 1 more powerful channel for a sub.

sony amp are usually ok for their price range. make sure when you look at wattage that you read the RMS rating not the PMPO ( or 'max' ) rating.

[Dogo]

lol u beat me to it.

[twilightprotege]

tee hee - beat you ;)

[project.r.racing]

What these guys said was spot on. But if you are looking at a even tighter budget, then just replace front speakers with after market ones, (better sound quality) and get a 2 channel amp, (bridged into one channel) to run the amp.

Ryan

[Nate]

what they said ^^^ Nate is getting an alpine monoblock 500 watt amp to run his subs off for his bday :D ... pitty my bday is the end of july :'(

so what is your budget??? and more importantly what isyou goal for your system? loud? clarity? bass? (fully sik bro) ... and what do you listen to??

[W.A.I.]

I pretty much listen to everything. nothing in particular. I am just after a bit more base when playing the music. budget is quite a small amount.
hearing the info form you guys, maybe i should just go for a 4 channel amp and a 12" sub and get them when some of them are on special. you reckon I can do these with a budget of 300?
If I wanted to run a 600W sub, what kinda output of the amp has to be? say, the sony 12" sub (the black one - I think that's some models from like 2 years back).

[twilightprotege]

why not get a 10" sub?

[W.A.I.]

just thought that maybe a 12" would give a better bass. you reckon i should go for the 10s?

[Tublade]

've got 2 sets of 6x9's in my car front and rear, had to make mounting brackets for the front, and a pair of tweeters in the front too, they are running off a 2 channel Avalanche 250watt Amp, and a 12" Rockford sub with a 2 channel Rockford Amp, and my sound and bass quaility are very good even when i turn the head unit right up there is very little distorsion in the vocals and bass. I've just gotta get another sub box to put my other 12" in. Then my car will be dOOf dOOfing once again, but just to make sure that i've sound proufed my boot to stop all the rattles.

[twilightprotege]

if you're on a tight budget get a 10" sub

[robprice]

i might seem like a bit more now, but from a person who has gone from a 10, to a 12, to a 15 to 2 15's and 1000wrms in the boot, the bigger you buy now the better. Buy the biggest you can afford ( i think at least a 12) because bass is like kilowatts, once you get a bit more than factory you just long for more. (untill you get 2 15's and your ears are constantly ringging!)

[Q2CDIS]

thats crap my mate has 2 15's in his pulser n i have 2 10's...n mine blow's his car away...n all i got it 2 10'2 n a pair of 6" splits n put's out 150+spl

[-BraXta-]

my honest opinion is ..

10 inch subs..
They give a nice punch and are great for Rumbly bass songs... like Hip hop and rap and stuff... Some techno music sounds alright but is more a long Whoop whoop hit.. only cause 10 inch are lighter and dont have much stretch out as larger subs... its best if you want a nice balance of bass and treble

12 inch subs..
Better for shows and stuff.
Plays techno music best in my opinion due to its ability to flop in and out more easier than a 10 inch... It also makes a better bass to techno cause of technos tempo making the sub just wobble in and out perfectly as a 10 is more a sudden movement and then the bass hits while the cone is out again ... as aa 12 inch will be be punched out.. and pulled in on time for the next hit... If ya follow me...

15 inch subs..
Bloody pointless... theres a limit to balanced bass to show bass... then just plain rediculous bass.. Ive heard all 3 size subs in many brands and not many have been different a 15 inch sub is just too ridiculously big and just over takes treble and makes music just a constant BOOM BOOM BOOM..Music is to be heard not droned out =D

Thats just my 2 cents ... i got a 10inch Response sub and im gonna be gettin the new 10 inch Dual Voice coil Carbon fibre cone Sub when it comes out mid this year...

my choice mostly would be a 10 inch... i like bass .. .but i like balance too =D

So yeh.. =D lol

[Dogo]

its not that simple - even in a fast tempo the sub would have oscillated ( aka 'punch in and out' ) heaps of times in just one techno drumbeat. considering that the beat might be at say 60hz, thats sixty full oscillations per second.

the characteristics of the box also play a major role in the way that the sub moves - especially when considering fast beat music or long drones.

[-BraXta-]

yeh i agree but im just putting it in just plain terms so ppl get it easier =D

But yeh the box plays a major part you wanna get the right air volume inside the box..

I remember we were asking the guys at strathfield car radios how they know if they need ports of not ... they told us.. that the make the port... then install it... and if it sounds crap.. ... wait for this one... They solastic the drilled out port hole back on !!!!

lol

But yeh you would want to check with the company of the sub you purchase of the Sub box Volume and make sure if you need a port or not ... =D

[andrewgrazier]

ive heard that all subs can be either ported or not but the box design n size is different depending on ported or not
my bros alpine one had that information on the sheet supplied with the sub

[twilightprotege]

subs are usually designed for free standing (ie no box) or box. box size and port size and length is all different and usually the manufacturer tells you what's what. or get winisd to work it out yourself