[BoostC]

I'm upgrading my stereo in my tc and I want to get a couple of suggestions from the audio gurus on this board.

I hate the stock unit with those buttons for the volume........sooooo annoying. I was thinking about getting a pioneer DEH-P6700MP $219.99 at crutchfeild(ooooooo the organic el display is so pretty). But then I saw the alpine CDA-9847 199.99 at crutchfield and I was wondering if this is a good reciever, I only really want it because of the ipod connector 99.99 at crutchfield (I cant live with out my ipod, the mp3 cds dont really do it for me). I want to keep it as cheap as possible becuase I have a limited budget for this upgrade, and I think I would be happier with the alpine. I dont really know too much about stereos, i'm just going by brand name my older brother used to buy for his cars.

Speaker wise the fronts are component I know that and I was thinking about infinity Reference 5000cs 143.99 at crutchfield and the rears are regular type speakers, I'm going on a tight budget here and I know componets are better but regulars should do the job right?

Amplifier I have no idea what to look for and I would really like some opinions on what to get for decent price, I was thinking infinity or alpine, brands I know and pretty much trust for not sucking (in my opinion). I dont listen to my music too loud, I dont need people across the town to hear my stereo I just want really good sound at a decent price at a decent volume. I listen to mostly Metal and rock but I do put on spanish, techno and rap from time to time.

Subwoofer I was thinking about a self powered one so I can just take it out whenever I need to and I dont like bazookas, I was thinking about the infinity self powered 10 inch 200 watt one. Like I said, i dont need my ears to bleed when I listen to music just something better than the stock stereo.

Thanks in advance to everyone who helps out a noobie.

 

[BoostC]

Another thing to add, Just saw on crutchfields website (my family has been buying car and home stereo setups from them for years so i love them

) and they have 6 1/2 inch polk db6500 for 199.99 and buy a second pair for 99.99, I use polks now for my home stereo and I love them. How hard is it to make the rear speakers on the tc component.

Also crutchfield gives all the mounting bracets and stuff for the speakers and everything so it will make my install alot easier.

Alpine cda-9830 just got a price cut from 329.99 to 249.99 so i'm planning on getting that. Anyone have any experience with this unit or the ipod adapter and where is the best place to install it?

Also I tried finding pictures of a aftermarket stereo installed in a tc but I couldnt find any, anyone have any pics? Does the door still close over a aftermarket radio? I guess it does but I could be wrong, Thanks.

 

[basilisk4]

This is not meant to be a thread hijack at all, so I'm sorry if it ends up that way...but why do you like Crutchfield so much? I've always been at a loss as to why people buy from them, given that it appears that one can buy anything that they sell for 20-30% cheaper from other sources.

 

[BoostC]

my brother has connections there and he can get huge discounts, plus I've been buying home stereo stuff from them for years, always comes next day and for car stereos my friends get all the adapters and plates and whatnot for free and awesome instructions for noobie do it yourself guys like me. Plus the customer support is awesome, any problem they got someone who knows exactly what to do. I mean if you show me a company that can get me an apline reciever with all that stuff for cheaper, I'll go for it but i dont know of any. I never had much interest with this before because my last car was a lease.

 

[jltd]

Originally posted by basilisk4@Feb 13 2005, 07:49 PM
This is not meant to be a thread hijack at all, so I'm sorry if it ends up that way...but why do you like Crutchfield so much? I've always been at a loss as to why people buy from them, given that it appears that one can buy anything that they sell for 20-30% cheaper from other sources.

A business can offer Quality, Service and Price. However, in real life only two of the three can be offered. Crutchfield decided to offer quality products and good service and that comes at a price. They could sell Alpine and Pioneer stuff cheaper if they did not support the sale. Or they can sell fea market brands to keep pricing low and keep the service. The"other sources" often are not authorized to sell the products they do and you are definitely on your own once the sale is over.
Personally, I have only purchased a Sirius antenna from them, but it went very well.

 

[basilisk4]

Originally posted by JLTD@Feb 14 2005, 01:01 PM
The"other sources" often are not authorized to sell the products they do and you are definitely on your own once the sale is over.

Considering that most manufacturers do not require purchase through an "authorized dealer" to obtain warranty service, and given that warranty service must be done through the manufacturer anyway, why does this matter?

 

[pyroman2000]

regardless of what everyone thinks about crutchfield we should answer the question at hand. boost tc I think that since youve made your decision about your head deck then stick with it. as far as speakers go most people are putting 6.5" speakers in all locations but it requires some modifications and work. You have to drill out some rivets to get the front speakers out, possibly for the back as well although im not sure. you will also have to make custom speaker brackets for them unless they are provided by crutchfield. So you might want to have a qualified install shop do that for you. As far as amplifiers go... I trust names such as alpine, clarion, older planet audio, jl audio(expensive), memphis audio, a/d/s(expensive). There are so many good brands out there its impossible to say "these are the best" its really a matter of personal opinion. If you like polk and are familiar with their quality i dont think you will be making a bad choice there....

 

[Alpman]

FYI Everyone:

Crutchfield is a very reputable online E-tailer. They are completely service oriented and provide excellent tech support for the DIYers. They stand behind everything they sell. They are the ONLY authorized internet reseller of Alpine products and provide excellent warranty service. Prices are listed at Alpine's MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) pricing policy, as set forth for all Authorised dealers, and not a penny lower. So price is not really an issue either. The free kits/harnesses are a bonus too! You won't find that anywhere else. There is not one bad thing I can say about Crutchfield.

Yes, you can find a cheaper price but you will give up something. As JLTD has stated, that is usually service. Where's Joe's E-Stereo when you have a question or warranty issue. Nearly impossible to get ahold of, even thru email. As far as the warranty goes from the "cheaper" guys, they are NOT authorized to sell online and you very well may NOT have a Manufacturer's Warranty!! Many of these goods are purchased grey market (not intended for sale in the US...ie European or Japanese models) or transhipped w/ defaced, altered or replaced serial numbers to prevent us from catching the transhipper. We can terminate ANY legitimate Alpine dealer that is caught transhipping. Either way, you will NOT have a Manufacturer's Warranty. Sending it to us for a warranty calim will be returned unrepaired. Your only recourse now is Joe's E-Stereo...if he's still around!!

......Buyer Beware......

I just wanted to clarify these facts.

 

[Alpman]

BoostC

First off, welcome to the forum and don't worry bout being a noob, someone is always willing to help.

Sounds like you have made some very good buying decisions. As far as the iPod adapter goes, I mounted the hide-away box in the dash below the stereo and ran the cable to the center armrest. The iPod sits in the top most part of the armrest. All functions are controlled thru the deck and therefore the iPod does not have to be accessible.

As far as the subwoofer goes, check out my box here:

http://www.yoursciontc.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2764

Just thought you should know that there are other alternatives to sub enclosures.

Good luck, hope this helps and keep us posted on your system.

 

[basilisk4]

Thanks, Alpman. I'm familiar with the "gray-market goods" concept, and your explanation was very helpful.

After spending some more time on Crutchfield's site, I've also noticed that while many of their prices are quite high, some of them are actually very competitive.

 

[basilisk4]

After reading what several of you guys had to say about Crutchfield, I'm now seriously considering buying a couple pairs of speakers from them for my tC.

However, I've run into a problem. Crutchfield lists the front speakers in the tC as 5.25", despite the fact that the tC's front speakers are really 6.5". How do I make sure that I get the correct mounting brackets for my car when I order?

Also, are there any problems I need to watch out for in terms of being sure that the speakers I buy fit -- for example, mounting depth? Does anyone know what the available mounting depth is on the front and back speakers in the tC?

Thanks in advance for the help! By the way, here are the speakers I'm considering:

For the front:

- Polk Audio db6500
- Infinity Reference 6000CS*

For the rear:

- Polk Audio db650*
- A cheaper set of Pioneers, which Crutchfield says will not fit

* Crutchfield says that these don't fit. Mounting depth problem? I am confused.

Crutchfield acts like only two choices, the Kenwood KFC-1669S and Kicker 05KS60, will fit in the back. I don't want either of those. Suggestions?

One last thing -- what kind of (relatively cheap) amp could I use to power these speakers, and how big of a pain would it be to wire? I'm hoping I could put it somewhere inconspicuous, like under one of the seats.

Again, thanks!!

 

[basilisk4]

No one wants to help me out here? Alpman? JLTD? Anyone else with stereo knowledge related to the tC? Thanks in advance.

 

[Alpman]

Sorry bro, I'm out of town on business. Couldn't get to ya any sooner. So here goes...

The speaker size listed in Crutchfield is wrong. 6.5" speakers will fit all the way around. There is only one speaker kit Crutchfield offers and that is Item #142SAT6. It will fit 5.25" or 6.5" speakers. Order this part for both front and back speakers along w/ whatever 6.5" speakers you like best. Depth should not be a problem either. The adapters will give you some additional depth and the door is pretty deep too. You can always add a spacer ring if you need it but I doubt you will. It's a good idea to use some foam tape on both sides of the adapters for the tightest seal. This will maximize the bass response. I have the new Alpine SPR-17LS Type-R components in my doors. I recommend them highly. Great performance vs. price. They are also about the deepest 6.5" speakers out there and fit just fine. I'm running the new Alpine SPR-17LP coax for the rears as well. Again, choose whatever 6.5" speakers you like. You shouldn't run into any problems.

As far as the amp goes, my suggestion for a relatively inexpensive high quality amp that will permorm well and mount easily under the seat (or hidden in one of the rear side panels, refer to this post: http://www.yoursciontc.com/forums/index.ph...ear+side+panels ) would be the Alpine MRP-F240 ($200). It's got decent power, 160W RMS (40W X 4) and should drive the four corners plenty loud. Another thought may be to try a 5-channel amp such as the Alpine MRV-F450 ($500). It's a bit pricier, but it does have more power (50W X 4)and a fifth channel (200W mono) to run a sub all in one chassis. Just a thought.

The amp shouldn't be too difficult to wire either. The MRP-F240 has hi-level inputs. This means you can run the speaker wires straight into the amp w/o the need for any adapters. If you decide on an amp that doesn't have hi-level inputs, such as the MRV-F450 I mentioned, you will have to use a couple of hi-yo-low adapters. Crutchfield Item #101PL2 qty of (2). You'll also need an amp kit to wire it all up. A 10 AWG power kit (no RCA's), Item #575RP1710 will work for the F240. You'll need a 8 AWG power kit w/ RCA cable, Item #142AKPA8, plus an additional RCA cable, Item #142AMM17C2 for the F450.

Looks like I wrote another novel...Hope this was in-depth enough for you.
Good luck and let us know what you decided.

 

[basilisk4]

Thanks, Alpman, for your time and help! I really appreciate it. One more question (for now) -- can you tell me whether Abe's of Maine is an authorized dealer of Alpine products? Thanks!

Still interested in hearing the opinions of others on this stuff!

 

[wolo]

Great information Greg!

 

[Plissken]

Great info, wow. You know, if we had a computer forum I would feel much smarter around here. Oh well, SMARTass will have to do.