Anyone have a hook up on car audio?

megadesertdiesel

megadesertdiesel

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I'm planning a new stereo build for my truck and looking for deals on Fosgate, Audio Control, PAC and Alpine. Looking for the equipment, as ill install myself. The local shops want to push their lines and install, but i don't trust anyone. I've tried all the usual places online, but I'm still a cheap bastard. lol
 
eBay. Can't go wrong with PayPal protection... All the good car audio is older and used anyways. 😝
 
I’m in SoCal (I’m sorry) send me the model numbers I’m a vendor for a couple of the items and have friends that can help with the rest. If you have have any flexibility on what you want I may have suggestions on cost saving alternatives.
 
Intro2Rhino said:
I’m in SoCal (I’m sorry) send me the model numbers I’m a vendor for a couple of the items and have friends that can help with the rest. If you have have any flexibility on what you want I may have suggestions on cost saving alternatives.
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thanks for the help but i got a hook up today, i even upgraded to 2500 watt amp.
 
Crusty said:
@Toy Collector
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Unfortunately, I don't have a hookup on equipment anymore. I just shop online these days... which is usually better. I JUST ordered a Zapco amp from Woofers Etc.com and it was not only on sale with 40% off... they sent me the next model up (heavy upgrade) for the same cost JUST to expedite the order. Can't beat that. This won't happen all the time but amazing deals are out there.

I will add... if someone got a "2500W amp"... I'm wondering what advice was given and by who as some of the best systems I have built were under 1,000 watts TOTAL... AT 4 OHMS. I don't play the 2 ohm game. never have, never will... and that's what most ratings are these days.
 
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LegitDuner said:
eBay. Can't go wrong with PayPal protection... All the good car audio is older and used anyways. 😝
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I disagree.

Audison has some AMAZING equipment these days that will rival anything from the past, if not destroy it (I have a closet FULL of 1999-2000 PPI PC Chrome amps, 90's Fosgate Punch amps, Boston Acoustics Pro Series and Z Series speakers, Morel speakers, JL Subs - 10W3 V1/V3/V3, 10W7 - and on and on). Audio Frog, Gladen, Mosconi are all very well just as capable. Robert Zeff has done great things with Arc Audio since leaving Zapco. Which reminds me... people complain about the new Zapco stuff and what I have bought has been nothing but great, with zero issues. Even their low end amps have Tiffany style RCA's. Then there's all of the Digital equipment out that CRNACNAC (Jon Polo) is using that is on a whole other level.

My 2016 Civic has JL C2 coaxials, a 10" JL W0 sub and Entry level Zapco amps with the stock head unit and Audio Control level converter... whole system was under $700 in 2019 and it sounds amazing... with a shit ton of compliments from anyone that's listened. I put this together to see if cheaper equipment was usable and was very surprised with the end result. My Audio systems are usually in the $6,000 - $10,000 range, easily.
 
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I'm a big fan of ARC Audio, Audio Control and Illusion.
4-ohm is ideal for Mids & Tweets....I think Subs / Amps are ideal @ 2-ohm....More Power More Control.....1-ohm is lunacy!! o_O
 
Toy Collector said:
I disagree.

Audison has some AMAZING equipment these days that will rival anything from the past, if not destroy it (I have a closet FULL of 1999-2000 PPI PC Chrome amps, 90's Fosgate Punch amps, Boston Acoustics Pro Series and Z Series speakers, Morel speakers, JL Subs - 10W3 V1/V3/V3, 10W7 - and on and on). Audio Frog, Gladen, Mosconi are all very well just as capable. Robert Zeff has done great things with Arc Audio since leaving Zapco. Which reminds me... people complain about the new Zapco stuff and what I have bought has been nothing but great, with zero issues. Even their low end amps have Tiffany style RCA's. Then there's all of the Digital equipment out that CRNACNAC (Jon Polo) is using that is on a whole other level.

My 2016 Civic has JL C2 coaxials, a 10" JL W0 sub and Entry level Zapco amps with the stock head unit and Audio Control level converter... whole system was under $700 in 2019 and it sounds amazing... with a shit ton of compliments from anyone that's listened. I put this together to see if cheaper equipment was usable and was very surprised with the end result. My Audio systems are usually in the $6,000 - $10,000 range, easily.
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I think my biggest problem is with the class d amps. I know there's people that have done double blind studies and and people claim not to hear any difference but I don't hear the dynamics that I do in the older amps. Older amps just seem more lively and natural. My PPI art series and my hifonics are my most favorite things in the whole world. I just got four of my hifonics amps refreshed by the man himself (Zed) so they'll be good for another 30 years.
 
Meter Tech said:
I'm a big fan of ARC Audio, Audio Control and Illusion.
4-ohm is ideal for Mids & Tweets....I think Subs / Amps are ideal @ 2-ohm....More Power More Control.....1-ohm is lunacy!! o_O
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Just curious as to why you feel 2 ohm is "ideal"? It provides more stress on the amp (shorter life) and higher noise levels (some of us CAN hear it). All of this is solved by spending slightly more $ on a bigger subwoofer amp. In my 34 years of being an Audio Installer, I've never needed to run anything at 2 ohms and all of my amps still work great. Most people heavily overpower their subs for bragging rights, as well. I had (4) 10W3's in my Integra with one PPI PC 2400 per pair of 10's. That gave them 200w per sub @ 4 ohms. No distortion and the roof moved vertically about 1.5 -2" during select songs (Greengo can support this claim, even though we aren't friends anymore). All systems I've heard with 2 ohm sub setups have always sounded dirty, but... everyone's END RESULT needs are different.
 
Toy Collector said:
Just curious as to why you feel 2 ohm is "ideal"? It provides more stress on the amp (shorter life) and higher noise levels (some of us CAN hear it). All of this is solved by spending slightly more $ on a bigger subwoofer amp. In my 34 years of being an Audio Installer, I've never needed to run anything at 2 ohms and all of my amps still work great. Most people heavily overpower their subs for bragging rights, as well. I had (4) 10W3's in my Integra with one PPI PC 2400 per pair of 10's. That gave them 200w per sub @ 4 ohms. No distortion and the roof moved vertically about 1.5 -2" during select songs (Greengo can support this claim, even though we aren't friends anymore). All systems I've heard with 2 ohm sub setups have always sounded dirty, but... everyone's END RESULT needs are different.
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In today's product offerings most amps can run as low as 1-ohm so not sure how much stress they are really under @ 2-ohm. With that said, if you have a large enough sub amp then no issue running in 4-ohm, I just feel a good sub amp in 2-ohm really comes alive. As far as distortion and output sound quality we both know installation, system design and quality equipment play a much larger factor in the overall performance versus 2-ohm / 4-ohm.
 
Meter Tech said:
In today's product offerings most amps can run as low as 1-ohm so not sure how much stress they are really under @ 2-ohm. With that said, if you have a large enough sub amp then no issue running in 4-ohm, I just feel a good sub amp in 2-ohm really comes alive. As far as distortion and output sound quality we both know installation, system design and quality equipment play a much larger factor in the overall performance versus 2-ohm / 4-ohm.
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A lot of amps have been stable to 1 ohm for about 20 years or more. Fosgate used to make a 50m amp that was stable to 1/2 ohm, to be used as a "cheater" amp... much like Orion and a few others. The reason they come alive (as most know) is because you are doubling the output power. That's all. You'd still have the same level of "alive" with a higher powered 4 ohm setup, just have amps running cooler and not struggling as much. There's no "magic" to a 2 ohm vs. 4 ohm setup.

In the end, it's not my vehicle and not my wallet wallet so spend accordingly. Everyones financial situation is different we have to do what we can. I just have always found that waiting for another paycheck or two for the amp budget is better in the long run, overall.

I will add that while I was a "Professional" Installer when I came on here in 2003... a large percentage of customers had amps replaced under warranty because my Salesmen played the 2 ohm game, daily. All setups that I convinced them to run at 4 ohms, never came back. I did a system in my buddy American Pitbull's Tacoma that has been on here for 20+ years... he was cheap and we went with a "2 ohm stable" high end amp. On his travels through CA, it would shut off, regularly. Switched out for a bigger amp run at 4 ohms, never an issue.
 
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Awesome old school talk. I grew up in South Phoenix on the Tempe border and a neighbor was an Orion employee who tested al different companies equipment. He then sold us teenagers the used stuff cheap and we ended up trying all kinds of stufff. I always like the Rockford Fosgate stuff since its local and have built my systems with it.

some old school stuff making a resurface recently.

 
Great subject….and not to derail it, but…..
I also grew up in Phx around the time Orion and Fosgate were huge. I had a friend who worked at Orion and I was able to get some nice discounts on amps.
I had one in my truck and I loaned him my truck once to take his girl out, he brings the truck back and the amp had stopped working.
I believe I had a different one installed but still have the old one in my garage.
Are there places that fix these, and if so, any suggestions?
 
Toy Collector said:
A lot of amps have been stable to 1 ohm for about 20 years or more. Fosgate used to make a 50m amp that was stable to 1/2 ohm, to be used as a "cheater" amp... much like Orion and a few others. The reason they come alive (as most know) is because you are doubling the output power. That's all. You'd still have the same level of "alive" with a higher powered 4 ohm setup, just have amps running cooler and not struggling as much. There's no "magic" to a 2 ohm vs. 4 ohm setup.

In the end, it's not my vehicle and not my wallet wallet so spend accordingly. Everyones financial situation is different we have to do what we can. I just have always found that waiting for another paycheck or two for the amp budget is better in the long run, overall.

I will add that while I was a "Professional" Installer when I came on here in 2003... a large percentage of customers had amps replaced under warranty because my Salesmen played the 2 ohm game, daily. All setups that I convinced them to run at 4 ohms, never came back. I did a system in my buddy American Pitbull's Tacoma that has been on here for 20+ years... he was cheap and we went with a "2 ohm stable" high end amp. On his travels through CA, it would shut off, regularly. Switched out for a bigger amp run at 4 ohms, never an issue.
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I believe metertech is using a class d amp which is fine at 2 or 1 ohm and you are using class a/b which in the audiofile world is a must. I would agree with keeping a/b amps happy and running for years at 4ohms.
 
Intro2Rhino said:
I believe metertech is using a class d amp which is fine at 2 or 1 ohm and you are using class a/b which in the audiofile world is a must. I would agree with keeping a/b amps happy and running for years at 4ohms.
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And again, I am only talking running subs @ 2-ohm...everything else in 4-ohm.
 
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