Please inform an audio noob.

[cSPEED]

Soooo I've recently come to the conclusion that I would like the system in my car to sound at least decent. I have never owned a surround sound system, car system, or even speakers for that matter. Best headphones I've owned have been iPod headphones, lol.

Anyway, I'm looking for a decent system that wont rape my wallet - as much as I'd love a deadly system I just cant afford it and my engine noise > music anyway :D

I have ~500 to spend but I'd like to spend that installed.. is this realistic or even worth it? I love dubstep and it's pretty much the only reason I'm doing this at all and dubstep deteriorates more than any other music genre with bad quality and no bass.

What are my options? I know I would need a sub, box, and amp and a HU I guess. Is my budget too low and should I wait till I can spend $xxx more? Ca you guys suggest a system that will be good for the price? My buddy has an rsx-s and his has bose and no sub (mine does) and when he changed his HU to the pioneer AVIC it made music in his car sound amazing. You guys think I can get away with just changing the HU?

PS: Bose Blose :(

[Default User]

Best bang for the buck right now is Pioneer.

Check the sponsor boards for new products or kijiji for used

[cSPEED]

But what am I looking for? What's more important to replace first? The HU for the wattage output? The sub for the bass? I know nothing about sound systems so I was kinda hoping others with this bose system could reveal to me the order to change things.

[cSPEED]

From what I've seen for ~500 I could either get a nice used double din HU, or a decent sub and amp. What do you guys think is more important first?

[Default User]

Stock 5x7's are paper.
Change those first, and upgrade to a better set of components.

[tomato.novaa]

power bass

[tre_77]

I changed my bead unit to a single din Alpine unit and noticed an improvement in sound. Next I'm changing my speakers. Personally, I'm not looking for a system that pounds, just good, clear sound.

[Reddie1337]

I have put a head unit and a set of subs in. I would be wary of putting a deck in unless you change the speakers first. I have blown all the speakers in my car once, and it kinda sucked. So I would say, head unit, but don't crank it until you put subs/ speakers in, or you will just be listening to blown speakers, which sound worst than Bose...

[eguiyab]

It does depend on what you think is lacking the most. I dont listen to dubstep, but I do know its got some crazy bass. If your looking for that, you should be able to get something to fill that void fairly easy with $500. Many folks start with a sub and an amp, because even a cheap setup can fill in the lacking lows not available with the stock system.
Changing the door speakers will provide overall better tonal qualities.... but until you start spending some serious $$$ and amps... you'll not find the doors will provide enough bass. I did this as step 3 personally. A head unit will send out better signals and have more control of the sound your trying to mold, but if your speakers can handle it.... you may find the effect underwhelming.

Go with a used amp and sub, it will keep you in your budget and get those lows your missing, and add on slowly from there.

[Reddie1337]

Was just browsing and found this... possibly what your looking for?

CoolColombian's audio system up for sale, at $500. Might be what you'd like.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?61796-FS-Audio-Gear

[krimsalt]

as much as I'd love a deadly system I just cant afford it and my engine noise > music anyway :D

If you have a lot of engine noise I'd recommend fixing that first...

[Hyperion]

Was just browsing and found this... possibly what your looking for?

CoolColombian's audio system up for sale, at $500. Might be what you'd like.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?61796-FS-Audio-Gear
I'd do this.
He could probably help you with the installs for everything else for a couple beers.

[mazdaspeedemon3]

Was just browsing and found this... possibly what your looking for?

CoolColombian's audio system up for sale, at $500. Might be what you'd like.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?61796-FS-Audio-Gear


+1 i would go with that as well... plus he might have some wire and or fuses you could use... the new cars come with good speakers, as long as your settings on the head unit are correct nothing should blow.
also i would think about getting either a cap or power cell to save your alternator/battery.

GL :)

[Impressive]

If you have a lot of engine noise I'd recommend fixing that first...

I think he meant good noises coming from the engine...such as a BPV.

[CoolColombian]

Hey, as some mentioned, check out my FS thread and I could even let you have the deck, the subs and the amp for the subs for $650 installed! All you'd have to get is an amp wiring kit like this one; http://www.garage16.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=PKRD3 from Rick who is one of our sponsors.

EDIT: By upgrading the HU the stock speakers will sound a lot better and even better if you add the sub/amp combo at the same time as you'll be using your OEM speakers for mid/highs only so you are guarantying no distortion cause by bass.

[aZuMi]

Hey, as some mentioned, check out my FS thread and I could even let you have the deck, the subs and the amp for the subs for $650 installed! All you'd have to get is an amp wiring kit like this one; http://www.garage16.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=PKRD3 from Rick who is one of our sponsors.

EDIT: By upgrading the HU the stock speakers will sound a lot better and even better if you add the sub/amp combo at the same time as you'll be using your OEM speakers for mid/highs only so you are guarantying no distortion cause by bass.

^ +1 There you go curlyface. For $650+ wiring kit, you have yourself everything you'll need to start up your sound system. A little more than budget, and not sure if you'll like dual subs and amps, but it's pretty much gonna be done for you :)

[Jackal]

^ +1 There you go curlyface. For $650+ wiring kit, you have yourself everything you'll need to start up your sound system. A little more than budget, and not sure if you'll like dual subs and amps, but it's pretty much gonna be done for you :)

+1 jump on this especially if he's offering to install it. Labour alone would cost you $200-250 for deck + $120-150 for sub and amp install.

[The Wolf]

FWIW, it's not the output that will blow the stock speakers, it's the distortion from the stock HUs.

edit: CoolColumbian already said it lol :(

[Reddie1337]

Mine blew because the speakers can't handle what my deck puts out. The speakers in the car are only 22w, that's peak, and my deck puts out 25w RMS, so not exactly the best combo. You just have to be careful, don't make the radio think it has aftermarket speakers. That's what happened with mine. Changed the settings, and they all got very distorted.

[applepeel]

I'd change the HU to a double din; I did that first and it sounded much better. went with a new pioneer of kijiji, I think it was around 300?

two months later added a powerbass amp and a type s (300W RMS) and what a difference
four months later felt like I needed more...so I switched to a type r and an alpine amp
point is..at least for me, it keeps getting more and more.

But I'd definitely change the HU and get at least a 300W RMS sub, it makes the ride so much more enjoyable especially with the nice weather coming up. You can likely get it done for a tad over 500 and you don't have to do it at all at once.

[m_bisson]

If your speakers are too good you'll notice how shitty FM radio actually sounds compared to CDs.

[Reddie1337]

If your speakers are too good you'll notice how shitty FM radio actually sounds compared to CDs.

#1 Reason I never listen to the radio in my Cavvy with all the speakers amped.

[Impressive]

Mine blew because the speakers can't handle what my deck puts out. The speakers in the car are only 22w, that's peak, and my deck puts out 25w RMS, so not exactly the best combo. You just have to be careful, don't make the radio think it has aftermarket speakers. That's what happened with mine. Changed the settings, and they all got very distorted.

This is true.
You mentioned exactly why I choose to upgrade my speaker before anything else.
I figured the best route for me would be speakers > amp/headunit at once > sub/amp combo later.

Hopefully by the middle of the summer I'll have the HU/AMP/Speakers all setup :)

[Skip]

I would get a double din headunit first, i noticed a big difference in sound quality and functionality, even on the stock paper speakers..then i changed my speakers to components in the front and jbl's in the back and my mind was blown. Then I put in a sub/amp and I fell in love. I agree with the above posters, pioneer is great, I found good deals on components on ebay/amazon.com

[Bosshammy]

HU and speakers , In my old car i had a pioneer deck and I LOVED it, if it wasnt for the LCD and all the info it provides I would swap it into my car.

[Reddie1337]

I just put my older 4x6's into the front doors of my 3, and its a lot better than it was. They aren't even amped yet, and the sound quality out of the deck to the kenwood speakers is just a lot better.

[Impressive]

HU and speakers , In my old car i had a pioneer deck and I LOVED it, if it wasnt for the LCD and all the info it provides I would swap it into my car.

+1 to pioneer. Plus I sold mine to go with my old car when I bought the 3.

[cczaniec]

Definitely go with pioneer. For Christmas I installed the Pioneer 2300 unit in my 2011 mazda 3 as well as new kenwood speakers. That is all I did and believe me the sound is incredible. The head unit is the easiest thing to install, but you have to buy a housing unit to be able to fit any unit in the car. What year is your 3?

[dave2010GT]

First thing to do is the HU.

It will make the sound that much better, I did a member's car here who had a 2010 3 with a Bose system. I installed a Pioneer AVH-P4300DVD and the sound quality even though I don't like Bose, it increased dramatically and he was over the moon.

The wiring for a Bose system is a pain in the rear but doable none the less.

Def invest in the HU.

[JayJay18]

HU first no matter what, all the bs about speakers blow because of too much power is nonsense, i have 100watts to my tweeters right now and they are perfectly fine.
Its all about clean signal and power. Upgrading speakers with HU will not improve anything because your stock head unit is junk to begin with.
An aftermarket HU provides alot cleaner signal and speakers can handle above an beyond what they are rated if it is clean power.

Like Dave said upgrade HU first and go from there, 2 months down the road invest in a front component set and rear coaxial with a nice amp, and then subwoofers come last.

[cczaniec]

It sucks because the best time to buy all this stuff is around christmas time and boxing day. But you probably dont want to wait around that long. I picked up my pioneer 2300 HU for 299 (instead of 350) and my speakers were marked down about $70. But definitely save up for a nice HU. IMO i would go with something along the pioneer line for a HU. The speakers you can browse for after the fact because there is so many options. Just keep in mind that you're going to be dropping around 50-70 bucks for the parts needed to mount the HU in the car. I got mine from crutchfield and it came with everything I needed and cost about $70. And dont spend money on getting someone to install it. There are plenty of DIY posts on the internet as well as good videos. It took me about an hour to do (45 mins was spent just soldering the HU wires to the harness. It takes about 10 mines to mount it in your car (and I had no knowledge about installing this at the time.)

[giordano23]

you can get a decent entry level set up with $500. Like everyone else who replied, replace your HU, all you really need is one with a decent EQ and ipod or mp3 control you can find a cheaper pioneer or sony for around $100,you dont need all the bells and whistles that the more expensive one's come with. You can get a monobock amp for you sub, id recommend the alpine mrp-m500 theyre always on sale for $199 at fs or bb even. Then you could pick up a nice type r sub either 10" or 12" but if you buy new they will run you anywhere from $200-250, they are always being sold in the classified section but personally, i would never buy a sub used because you never really know how hard the previous owner was running it. Then keep in mind you need to buy a box plus and amp wiring kit and on top of that pay for installation..car audio ain't cheap