sound system

did you wire the speakers right...positive to positive and neg to neg.??Also are you using the stock headunit and wiring or aftermarket?

 

my friend amped some infinity references and it sounded good, i amped some type s's once and they did the job too, just make sure to keep the gains at a resonable place for speakers

 

I have a jvc head unit as well...
You might need to play with the settings on the actual deck itself, or get yourself a 4 channel amp to power those aftermarket speaker's seperately, and remember, the RMS power of the amp is pretty much what you'll get out of it the whole time, so only like 20 watts of power are actually going to each speaker from that head unit, if you had at least a 240 watt amp, you'd get another 30 watts per channel, and that would make your mids and highs a LOT better.

 

ya they are making decent HUs with over 20rms each but most are around somewhere like 13 wrms

 

the thing about infinity speakers is they have to be set up right. They tend to put out a lot of crisp highs very nicely so when I'm running them right off the deck I've got the highs turned down and the mids way up....gives it a little more bass response.....I recommend baffling the airspace behind them too...even in the stock boxes just stuff a little more foam or cotton in there.



Now you have two choices for amps. Your speakers will run well off the deck but the right amp will blow you away. You need to get a quality amp for running component speakers. If you can't afford a quality 4 channel amp for them right now then run them off the deck until you can...don't sacrifice.

Also it looks like you want sound quality and not blow-your-eardrums-out-base, so I would recommend a single 10" sub with a dedicated mono sub amp....maybe 300w max (150 rms) would be more than enough. This would be a nice clean setup. If you are putting all this in yourself I'd recommend getting it tuned professionally...it costs a few bux (unless you know somebody) but it will help you get the most out of your speakers

 

Might be happier with a 12" single though...they tend to hit lower than 10"

 

if all you want is a "fuller" sound you only really need one 8 or 10, you wont feel it pounding (well, my 10" does), but you'll get the full range of sound.

 

lol wanna hear an exception to that?

but ya its EASIER to make them play low and definately have a lower response

 

I had 2 10" same brand as my single 12" and the single 12" pounds twice as hard...and was cheaper than buying 2 10's....meh

 

how the sub is set up/placed it important too. by moving my sub around my trunk I was able to get 3x more bass than I did before, and now my sunroof rattles.

 

agreed, we dont mess around if u have any other questions somple or complex were here to assist. o ya make sure u look at the rms ratings on your subs and amps and dont be afraid to overpower

 

yeah I determined ratings are pretty much crap, and the best thing is to try and get the sub and amp with close rating from the same brand...cause my 300W amp could blow the snot out of my "300W RMS" sub...

 

this is true

it depends on your listening habits too

if you are listening to stuff with deep base like rap 12 is nice

if you are a techno geek and the base nots hit real hard real close together sometimes the 12 can't keep up and misses a couple.

But really it depends on your budget and your space

 

but be very afraid to underpower...don't run a 300 watt sub off a 50 watt amp

 

very true. when I do listen to rap my 10 works pretty well, but I know my buddies 12 pulls it off a lot better. but when I put some of my more crazy techno in his car it sounded like shit cause it didn't have a fats enough response time.

 

TO SUMMARIZE everything that's been said so far in this thread:

For decks:
-You get what you pay for
-Learn about all its features, most decent decks allow you to adjust the highs, mids and lows. Keep the owners manual in your glovie, it can come in handy.

For speakers:
-Ensure they are wired properly, (+) to (+) and (-) to (-).
-The stock head unit should give you pretty good sound, if you're wanting more a 4 channel amp is recommended, just ensure you keep the gains at a decent level for speakers.
-Bigger speakers give you more bass. If you don't want to run a sub you can use 6.5's or 6X9's for some fuller sound, just don't try to get bass out of the 3.5's and 4's the cars come with.
-If you want better bass response try stuffing a little foam or cotton into the enclosures behind the speaker.

For subwoofers:
-Use a mono block (single channel, Class D) or a bridged dual channel amp if you're running a single sub.
-If you're running two subs use a dual channel amp, or potentially a bridged four channel amp. Don't use a mono block amp to run more than one sub unless you're completely sure of what you are setting up.
-Be sure that your amp has enough power to run the sub. You're much better overpowering than underpowering the sub.
-As with the speakers, keep the gain at a decent level.
-Smaller subs have faster response. If you're listening to lots of rock and techno go with an 8 or 10, if you like rap go for a 12 or 15.
-Placement is important. Keep experimenting til you find a placement that you like.

Extra:
-Capacitors are not nessicary unless you are running a lot of power, typically in excess of 800W.
-Use an amp wiring kit that is rated equal to or higher than the power your amp will produce. Don't use a 100W kit for a 300W setup.
-Keep the fuse as close to the battery terminal as possible, and no more than 18" away.
-Keep the ground wire for the amp as short as possible, preferably less than a foot, no more than two feet.
-You do not need to replace/upgrade your battery or alternator unless you are running more than 600W in amplification, or if they are really old and worn out.