DIY Audio or have it installed?

[Kedaeus_Sendre]

i've got a serious problem.. well it's not serious - but it is a problem..

My new '04 Civic came with a lame ass audio system.. and I'd like to have it replaced with something a little bit more powerful.

Where would you go to put more power into your radio?
I've heard some s**t about CarToys - mainly that they are overpriced and the service isn't as grand as it's made out to be..

I'm not squeemish when it comes to putting my car under the knife.. Hell i've drilled holes, routed cables, changed out wiring harnesses.. but i've never built an audio system from scratch..

I really don't know where to start - or how to plan a new audio installation. Is this something that I should try out my-self? Or should I take it to a local shop and get it done?

If I undertake this project on my own - I'll need to know what I need to be shopping for as far as equipment goes. I don't want anything mind numbingly loud - just a respectable thump so I can hear the underlying beat to what ever I am listening to.. (This radio really sucks.. My speakers have paper cones too.. haha)

If I am to take my problem to a car audio installer - which shops in the metromess would you guys reccomend?

-Kedaeus Sendre-

Third question: Anyone have any experience building custom mounting racks for Monitors or other equipment? I might decide not to install a new radio and pull my mini computer off the shelf in the closet and hook it back up in the car. The 7in touch-screen monitor fit fine in the dash of my old Grand Prix.. but if I mounted it in the Civic dash it would leave a gap.. Maybe I should take that to a professional as well.

 

[[civic]]

If you dont know how to install the deck, I would let a place do it. Everything else is simple, as far as running a power cable through the firewall to the trunk, running rcas from the deck, remote wire, down to the floor, routing to the trunk, and mounting the amp. Then, you have your subs, which is self explainitory. Use the existing wires from the factory for the inside speakers.

 

[MiGsB16]

if you want some audio stuff. try www.ikesound.com, they have some stuff there. As far as installation. I usually let my boy Mike chung do the work.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Where would you go to put more power into your radio?
I've heard some s**t about CarToys - mainly that they are overpriced and the service isn't as grand as it's made out to be..

I'm not squeemish when it comes to putting my car under the knife.. Hell i've drilled holes, routed cables, changed out wiring harnesses.. but i've never built an audio system from scratch..

I really don't know where to start - or how to plan a new audio installation. Is this something that I should try out my-self? Or should I take it to a local shop and get it done?

If I undertake this project on my own - I'll need to know what I need to be shopping for as far as equipment goes. I don't want anything mind numbingly loud - just a respectable thump so I can hear the underlying beat to what ever I am listening to.. (This radio really sucks.. My speakers have paper cones too.. haha)

If I am to take my problem to a car audio installer - which shops in the metromess would you guys reccomend?

-Kedaeus Sendre-

Third question: Anyone have any experience building custom mounting racks for Monitors or other equipment? I might decide not to install a new radio and pull my mini computer off the shelf in the closet and hook it back up in the car. The 7in touch-screen monitor fit fine in the dash of my old Grand Prix.. but if I mounted it in the Civic dash it would leave a gap.. Maybe I should take that to a professional as well.

I've bought a few things from CarToys for the warranty... but I don't buy anything there anymore.. now I buy all my components from sources on the net, and I build my own systems from scratch.
As far as what components you should buy, that all depends on how much money you're looking at spending, and what kind of music you listen to.
As far as a mounting rack for that monitor... pleanty of companies make universal mounting brackets for monitors now that let you mount monitors just about anywhere...
Have you decided what CD player you want, or how much you're planning on spending on it?

 

[4thengine]

Most shops offer free installation if you spend $xxx amount of money, usually $200 plus... That's just the cost of the head unit. I'd say just take advantage of that.

 

[Kedaeus_Sendre]

If I go with the computer installation - which I have already purchased all the necessary parts (because I used this in my old car).. Then the only equipment I would need to purchase are..

Speakers - 4
Subs - At least 1 (8'-10')
All the necessary cabling
and possibly an amplifier.

I'm not too sure about the computer setup as there were a few things I didn't like about it.

-While I had wireless access to my home network from the drive way - so I could download songs from my home computers, I didn't install a CD/DVD player in the car. So if anyone got in with a movie/CD they wanted to listen to.. it wasn't going to happen. I had to burn stuff to my compmuter, and Get/Put the ISO's/MP3's to my cars FTP server..
So media for long car trips had to be prepared a day or two in advance. (I'll have to get a DVD/CD-RW Slimline combo drive for my car if I want this capability)

-----

As far as CD Decks/Radio Tuners go I don't need anything fancy. I think my stock deck has 80w output haha.
Anything under $300 would suffice and like any project the implementation can be done, or bought, in stages.

The way I usualy do projects is $100-$300 at a time. Whether it's one componant or a hand full of tools.. I really can't afford to spend more than that on my car during any given month.

..

Even tho I don't need it.. I really miss having GPS, the custom software I created, and the ability to watch hard core porn while driving to church on Sundays. I'm going to consider my options for the computer while pricing a traditional audio system.

The computer and all it's associated gear cost me around $1,800 to build and it occupies a space no less than 6x6x2 (inches) so it's perfect for an automobile. [right now it's being used as an impromptu Web/FTP/Streaming Audio/File Server for my apartment]

If I buy the parts for an audio system I'd like to keep it under $800 total cost.
That $800 would include:
-Deck (MP3, CD, Radio)
-Speakers
-Sub
-Amp
-Wires
-Sub Box (DIY? Maybe)
Am I leaving anything out?

And as far as music is concerned.. I pretty much listen to every thing..
Talk Radio, Rap/Hip-Hop, Electronic/Dance, Classical Guitar, Punk, and even Hardcore Screamy Metal s**t when my girlfriend gets in the car..

Dunno - I keep confusing myself.. I'll sit down and figure out which route i'm going to take [computer/traditional] and then ask my questions.

-Kedaeus_Sendre-

 

[Noeladams]

everyone is doing the car computer now

Its so nice to have it lol.

 

[bloodstaindpyro]

If you had that previous setup in your car, then why can't you do all this yourself? j/k

Nonetheless, I went to Car Toys to get my amp installed, took 3 1/2 f**king hours, the guy scratched my passenger side trim and it was almost $200. The main reason I didn't do it myself was that I didn't want to be the one to drill through my firewall, and since I'm a n00b, it would be a messy install with wires everywhere. Not worth the money. Go to a little shop, like Crank IT Up off of Rufe Snow... there are a few other places, but I've heard good things about Crank It Up.

As far as setup though, I would get some Infinity Kappa Component set for the doors. Nice, clean sound, and you can mount the tweet high up where the side mirrors are. :-D And same for the rear. It's good stuff.

 

[EK9]

eeh DIY!!!.. Chris helped me out installing my subs & amps... Chris (po0r)

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Well, I've got two 8" subs in seperate boxes that I was looking at selling for $50 each. 200watt rms
The CDT Audio is the brand (it's the only brand of speakers I buy anymore, and I swear by them).

I also have an Orion 900watt, 2 channel amp that I'm looking to sell for $250... I only had it hooked up once to test it out (and it's damn good)... practically brand new... has built in crossovers and bass boost.

As far as head unit, the last few cd players I've had have been either Sony or Kenwood.... great performace for great prices... or for a little more you could go with alpine.

For cost effective good front speakers, you could go with infinity reference class components (I always use component sets because you get far better sound out of them)... cheap price, but they sound great. (I would suggest CDT Audio components, but you'd be spending $500+ on them, and you'd NEED a large powerful amp to run them... infinities you could run off the CD player just fine)
You don't NEED new rear speakers, because for good sound staging, you really only want to have your front speakers really going.

Putting together everything is easy.... everything comes in kits these days... kits for putting the CD players in, kits for installing your amps.... everything you need in a kit
By far the hardest part of installing a good sound system is taking your interior parts of you car apart, and putting them back together

 

[Kedaeus_Sendre]

If you had that previous setup in your car, then why can't you do all this yourself? j/k

My previous setup was functional - yet very messy. I routed the lead wire from the alternator [in my Grand Prix] to the battery isolator in my trunk underneath the car using zip ties and metal clamps, bringing it through the passenger compartment floor via the drainage plugs located on the bottom of the car.
The tape player [No CD haha] came right out of my GP too.. I've been tinkering with this friggin '04 Civic for two days now and I can't figure out how to remove the cd player. It's like my dash is all one contiguous unit.
The GP was alot wider, and bigger, than my civic is. The phyberglass box I built to hold the Aux. Battery, Battery Isolator, and power inverter won't fit in my Civic's minute trunk. (Actually it's a huge trunk, for the size of the car..)
Different car, Different problems.

 

[Kedaeus_Sendre]

Well, I've got two 8" subs in seperate boxes that I was looking at selling for $50 each. 200watt rms
The CDT Audio is the brand (it's the only brand of speakers I buy anymore, and I swear by them).

I also have an Orion 900watt, 2 channel amp that I'm looking to sell for $250... I only had it hooked up once to test it out (and it's damn good)... practically brand new... has built in crossovers and bass boost.

For cost effective good front speakers, you could go with infinity reference class components (I always use component sets because you get far better sound out of them)... You don't NEED new rear speakers, because for good sound staging, you really only want to have your front speakers really going.

Putting together everything is easy.... everything comes in kits these days... kits for putting the CD players in, kits for installing your amps.... everything you need in a kit
By far the hardest part of installing a good sound system is taking your interior parts of you car apart, and putting them back together

Sorry for the double post - this new laptop sucks.. the mouse is in the most God aweful position and I hit the 'submit' button with my palm.

I will be interested in taking those 8" subs off your hands shortly after the New Year (rent is due on the 1st, of course).

As for the amplifier.. Why a 900watt amp for 200watt subs? (This is the stuff I seriously need help w/ as I have NO experience) These number's, obviously, don't match up and it seems as though I'd have alot more power than is really necessary.
If I were to opt out of the amp and purchase a smaller one 250+watt would that suffice? Like I said.. I'm not really looking for anything mind numbingly loud or powerful.. I'd just like to add some shape and depth to my musc instead of hearing a bunch of flat 'noise'.

I'm going with the traditional audio system, even though I hate the PISS out of having to change CD's..
I threw my last case out the window.. it was such a pain in the ass.

-Kedaeus Sendre-

 

[Machinehead115]

hey man if u need help with the install me and chris (po0r) could help u with that... for speakers i would go with either boston acoustic, alpine, or infinity... also i know a guy that builds custom boxes, who did mine, so if u need a box i can give u his number...

 

[Kedaeus_Sendre]

Thanks Machinehead.. I would rather get my hands 'dirty', so to speak, as opposed to taking it to a shop as learning how to do something is alot better than paying someone to do it.. heh.

Once I get the information I require on the equipment i'll need to implement, and purchase said equipment, i'll send you a PM and we'll see if we can't work something out.

-Kedaeus Sendre-

 

[denracho]

i can help there too... i installed my own system so i pretty much know some few theories... here's my number: 214-7973954

 

[Killa_CiViC]

As for the amplifier.. Why a 900watt amp for 200watt subs? (This is the stuff I seriously need help w/ as I have NO experience) These number's, obviously, don't match up and it seems as though I'd have alot more power than is really necessary.
If I were to opt out of the amp and purchase a smaller one 250+watt would that suffice? Like I said.. I'm not really looking for anything mind numbingly loud or powerful.. I'd just like to add some shape and depth to my musc instead of hearing a bunch of flat 'noise'.

The subs are 200watt RMS each (at 4ohms)..... but you're right, I wasn't using the 900watt amp on those subs... I used them on a set of 12's I used to have... was just letting you know that I had a $800 amp (that's the retail price) for sale for only $250 .
To each channel, the 900watt would be pushing about 450watts at 4ohms to each channel, or 900watts at 4ohms to a single channel
You could get away with running a smaller amp... I have a 500watt amp that I was using to power them, but I was only putting about 150watts to them... they're strictly SQ subs and I Didn't want to even come close to blowing them when I was using them (I paid $200 retail for them... and that was on sale... if I blew them I would have been out of $400 )... so yeah, you could probably get a smaller 250watt-300watt amp and use that without a problem.

 

[bcohen5055]

an idea for the computer

Depending on how advanced the comp system you want you can check out http://www.mujmac.cz/art/hw/tatra_mac_eng.html this system is reely cool but you need to have some basic programing and electronics skills. I have thought about building this and installing hondata so I can tune my car with a touch screen but it costs $$$$. Hope this helped

 

[inerxxl]

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[heacook17]

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