Budget Stereo ?'s

After dumping prolly $6k in go-fast parts in the past year, still needing a lot more work, and being pissed off cause i'm tired of wrenching on it i decided its time to just quit, and focus on some other crap. The interior is still the way it rolled off the line in '97, aside from a few stains and cracks. The factory stereo sounds good for being 15 years old, but i'm ready to upgrade it.

What i'm looking for is just a nice, well-rounded system. Not ear shattering or pissing off every single freaking car around cause i have my bass turned up and want to be a jackass, just want it to sound clean. I listen to a variety of music ranging from bluegrass, to country, to rock, and rap/pop so i want it to sound good when playing any sort of music.

I'd like to stay under $300 if possible, but can go a little more than that if its worth it.

BTW, I have looked at one set-up so far, which was from a local audio shop. It was a set of Pioneers in the front, and kickers in the back, i think total they retailed for $250ish, and then a $150ish Pioneer HU. The shop said they could do it installed and OTD for $300.


So i'm just looking for some advice/opinions on what route i should go. Complete newb to this stuff, so i'd like small words and explanations that are to the point.

Get a 4 channel amp. Run your front door speakers and sub off the amp. Then run your rear speakers off the hu. You'll be glad you did. Also don't be scared to buy stuff off craigslist , you can make a good system for pretty cheap if you find a good enough deal

I have a JVC hu in my work van and it sounds great. Also has built in HD so you get more stations for free. They sell on Amazon for like $99 bucks. As far as door speakers just upgrade the fronts with Polks or whichever you prefer. They will run around less than $100 for a decent set. You barely hear the rears so....
If you want loud than do what SouthFlstrokin' said.

I installed all four speakers in my truck and head unit for 225 shipped.

SouthFlstrokin' said:

Get a 4 channel amp. Run your front door speakers and sub off the amp. Then run your rear speakers off the hu. You'll be glad you did. Also don't be scared to buy stuff off craigslist , you can make a good system for pretty cheap if you find a good enough deal

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I honestly wasn't planning on getting an amp or a sub, just cause i don't feel like running wires all over the cab. Plus there's not a ton of room in the truck to put anything.

Jeff said:

I have a JVC hu in my work van and it sounds great. Also has built in HD so you get more stations for free. They sell on Amazon for like $99 bucks. As far as door speakers just upgrade the fronts with Polks or whichever you prefer. They will run around less than $100 for a decent set. You barely hear the rears so....
If you want loud than do what SouthFlstrokin' said.

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I know the fronts are what you hear the most, but i figured that if i'm gonna do it i might as well spend some money on all 4. :shrug:

when i did my system i also wanted to go cheap so i did surf craigslist for speakers found a set of 4 alpine type r for $50 one was blown found 2 more for $30 one was blown, but i was able to get 4 in good condition for cheap. bought a alpine head unit for $100 from best buy as a close out unit, put it all in and found i had no bass at all and if i turned up the bass the sound quality was not very good, this is where i got a lucky break we took in a fusion as a used car and they wanted the sub out, to make it easier to sell, didn't know much about it at the time but it was free so it was perfect, the sub and amp are hifonics which i found out is pretty good stuff. you wont need a huge sup and amp but i recomend a small sub set up, you don't want to go with real cheap parts or you wont be happy with the sound, i'm very happy with my system it was cheap and sounds great.

I've looked on CL some, but i just don't feel comfortable about buying stuff like that on there. With my luck i'd end up getting 2 junkers. LOL I'm planning on buying everything new so i know that its quality and it will work.

Buying new is the better route, you should be able to get a head unit and 4 speakers for around $350 and a little more for all the wires and connections.

youngstroker said:

Buying new is the better route, you should be able to get a head unit and 4 speakers for around $350 and a little more for all the wires and connections.

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Thats what i'm hoping. I think tomorrow i might stop in and pick out a head unit and then save up some more and decide what i want to do for speakers.

Whats a good brand of HU in the $150 range? The shop had a Pioneer with all the functions i want(Ipod control, USB, etc..) for $100 that i'm leaning towards, but didn't know if getting a Kenwood or Alpine would be better. :shrug:

I have herd good things about pioneer, i have a double din in my g/f tribute very happy with it, just remember the more goofy stuff it dose and the cheaper it is, it's proubably not a good one, keep it simple keeps it reliable. I would stay away from ones that have face plates that move or have animated screen.

Check out the sony tune decks. There pretty nice and the ipod hides in them and you dont have to buy an ipod cable. And if you are trying to stay cheap then just get the deck and 2 speakers for up front. Rears are just fill. And are easy to upgrade down the road.

Well i'm bringing this thing back.

Last week i decided to bite the bullet, and bought a Pioneer 7400HD. So far its a pretty kickass HU, and it makes my stock speakers sound amazing! But i'm definitely pushing my stock speakers to their limits when i crank it up.

At the audio place where i got my HU they are well known to push Renegade speakers, as that is what their showroom is full of and they have in their personal vehicles. They've said they've compared them to other high-end speakers and these are just as good. And they tell that to everybody that comes in looking for high end, high dollar speakers. They'll seem em the fancy stuff, but will always advise them to go with the Renegades.

I wanna say they can get me all 4 speakers in the cab, for around $100. Anybody heard of em?

Have you gotten to hear them personally?

Viking said:

Have you gotten to hear them personally?

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I have not, they don't have any demo's set-up or anything like that there.

JD3020 said:

I wanna say they can get me all 4 speakers in the cab, for around $100. Anybody heard of em?

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Glad to hear you are liking the HU, gotta have a solid foundation for building off of.

As for the renegade speakers I have never heard of them before. I did a little googling and didn't find too much info on them. From pics they do look to be decent, and the price is right (expendable if they suck or blow) For the most part with any name brand you won't be able to touch that price unless the store is having some sort of a sale and even then you will pay a touch more, so with that I would say give them a shot, as long as you can demo them first)

Not much listed for specs on any of their stuff here, http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/m_734_Renegade.aspx

The subwoofers remind me of the old Kenwood db series but different cone color. Sort of generic stuff, I am sure rebadged from somewhere. But like I said the price is right to give them a shot.

JD3020 said:

I have not, they don't have any demo's set-up or anything like that there.

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Thats kinda odd, if they push them soo much I would hope you could hear them in one of their shop/personal vehicles or on a sound board.

Throw a set of focals in the door running of an amp and be done with it.

Trust me

jdc753 said:

Glad to hear you are liking the HU, gotta have a solid foundation for building off of.

As for the renegade speakers I have never heard of them before. I did a little googling and didn't find too much info on them. From pics they do look to be decent, and the price is right (expendable if they suck or blow) For the most part with any name brand you won't be able to touch that price unless the store is having some sort of a sale and even then you will pay a touch more, so with that I would say give them a shot, as long as you can demo them first)

Not much listed for specs on any of their stuff here, http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/m_734_Renegade.aspx

The subwoofers remind me of the old Kenwood db series but different cone color. Sort of generic stuff, I am sure rebadged from somewhere. But like I said the price is right to give them a shot.



Thats kinda odd, if they push them soo much I would hope you could hear them in one of their shop/personal vehicles or on a sound board.

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Yeah, the HU purchase was difficult as i couldn't make up my mind, so in the end i just said here's what i've got and here's what i want. They showed me this one, and i said i'll take it.

I'm sure that if i asked i could hear their personal systems with the Renegades, just never thought about it. Although a buddy is in the process of buying a SCLB D-max and is laying out a complete interior plan and i think he is going to go with Renegades, so i may just wait to see how his truck sounds.

seeyalater5.9 said:

Throw a set of focals in the door running of an amp and be done with it.

Trust me

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Not looking to add an amp at the moment, just wanting to upgrade the 4 stock speakers, do some sound deadening, and be done with it.

Although right now i'm happy with how the stock speakers sound so upgrading isn't really a major thing.

sounds like a good plan. The aftermarket HU will eventually kill the stock speakers if you play em any bit loud, the stock speakers just can't handle the whopping 17w the HU will put out. If you are going to stick with HU power instead of an amp I definitely wouldn't spend the money on focals or anything over $100-150 per set.

JD3020 said:

Thats what i'm hoping. I think tomorrow i might stop in and pick out a head unit and then save up some more and decide what i want to do for speakers.

Whats a good brand of HU in the $150 range? The shop had a Pioneer with all the functions i want(Ipod control, USB, etc..) for $100 that i'm leaning towards, but didn't know if getting a Kenwood or Alpine would be better. :shrug:

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you would be safe to get any HU at best buy or somthing like that. I prefer to go to a stereo shop, if you find a good one, they have the better quality speakers, if you buy a cheap speaker, after a few hours of use they sound flat. the higher quality speakers don't do that. I have cheap-o's in my wifes truck, and it happens, but I spent $160 on a good pair, and they rock! I would suggest they Dynomate arround, and behind the front speakers. oh, and once you get an aftermarket HU, it will have 45watts or so per channel, and it will be louder than stock. I don't think you need an amp unless your wanting to crank it up loud, but just better sound a decent unit, and good front speakers will do the job. good luck!!!