Who can put me an audio package together?

I need someone who is not going to sell me counterfeit pieces. I had a deal previously but it fell through, for all of the right reasons! What I need are REAL and 100% authentic, brand new components and I don't have a local around me that has the complete package
Between the bull**** with Hertz not selling online, and then people trying to talk me out of the JL subwoofer for products that I don't know such as "Sundown", I just need a package put together from someone trustworthy! You guys know anyone?

I need the following: (1) set of AUTHENTIC Hertz XL 165 HSK 6.5 speakers for up front... (1) JL Audio 10TW3-4 slim 10" woofer... and (1) Hertz HDP5 5-channel amplifier... the necessary wiring (if possible) and a reliable line-out converter so I can keep my factory head unit and controls.

I didn't list components for the rear doors because I don't really care much about that and the stock speakers are still good.

Please PM me if you can help or post up some credible information so I can get this going.

Thanks

I will also take open suggestions, advice, and reviews into consideration so that I can make the best possible decisions in this stereo upgrade.

Also, I meant to say the JL Audio 900/5 amplifier and not the Hertz HDP-5. My error..

If that's all you want just go to Crutchfield or something.
I use www.sonicelectronix.com for all my wiring and accessories.

Crutchfield doesn't sell the Hertz line and that's the damn problem with Hertz. They don't promote online sales which means you have to find a local authorized dealer...

Why are you so set on Hertz and JL? Both are decent but not what I'd consider great or even at the top with that price point.
And those brands you've never heard of are probably better. Look beyond the names you see every day...it's worth it.

At your price point for components I'd do the Focal Flax series all day long over the Hertz.
For a little more the Arc Audio Black series are even better....but run about 7-800 a set on the street. Then one day you'll learn that most big name audio companies use build houses or just rebrand drivers. Like SB Acoustics....who make the midwoofers from that $800 Arc set. They cost about $70 each on Madisound. The tweeters are rebranded SB also.
I'd also run an Illusion Audio Carbon C10 over the JL....without thinking twice.
Never heard of them?
My MECA teammate and tuner ran the SB's and a single Illusion sub this year at MECA world finals and won the Master class. That's the pinnacle of car audio...with drivers you've likely never heard of.

My point is....there's better stuff for less money. Well, not always less money but at certain price points there's always something lesser known but substantially better.

And that's why you are who you are, Mister.

Thanks for flipping the switches to allow me a chance to think beyond my JL/Hertz frame of mind for once!

Now, Will those components make my hard rock music sound awesome?

Think of subs as tuners for a minute. Jl audio is kind of like a bully dog tuner. Everyone under the sun has heard of them, but they aren't worth near what they cost. Sundown, and alot of other companies, are like gearhead, newer in the game and not worldwide known (but are on their way to it), but have a great product, with reasonable pricing.

Thanks guys! I am certainly going to be looking into those models.

UNBROKEN said:

At your price point for components I'd do the Focal Flax series all day long over the Hertz.
For a little more the Arc Audio Black series are even better....but run about 7-800 a set on the street. Then one day you'll learn that most big name audio companies use build houses or just rebrand drivers. Like SB Acoustics....who make the midwoofers from that $800 Arc set. They cost about $70 each on Madisound. The tweeters are rebranded SB also.
I'd also run an Illusion Audio Carbon C10 over the JL....without thinking twice.
Never heard of them?
My MECA teammate and tuner ran the SB's and a single Illusion sub this year at MECA world finals and won the Master class. That's the pinnacle of car audio...with drivers you've likely never heard of.

My point is....there's better stuff for less money. Well, not always less money but at certain price points there's always something lesser known but substantially better.

Click to expand...

So, definitely the slim-line Illusions over the JL sub and the ARC Black 6.5's over the Hertz? I am hearing so many big THUMBS UP comments on both and I am more than interested.

Id take what he said and move forward. He is an audio guy. Hes trying to prevent you from buying the superchips tuner of the audio world.

I'm traveling right now. I'll try to get more in depth tomorrow night when I get to Chicago.

Don't forget one thing though, even the greatest speakers money can buy can end up sounding like doodoo in a bad install. And Unbroken is definitely steering you in the right direction.

Gonna run through this real quick so if I miss something just ask.

I'm not saying go buy the Arc Black kit....I'm saying Arc rebrands SB Acoustics drivers in their kits. Arc sells the kit for ~$800 bucks. The individual drivers from Madisound are about $75 each. It's a no brainer IF you were doing an active system which I assume you're not.
The Focal Flax is hands down better than the Hertz kit at virtually the same price....that would be my pick.
The Illusion Carbon C10 will beat the JL TW3 in every aspect....but at 3 times the cost. The JL will do...just don't expect to be blown away by it. This is a case of you get what you pay for.

The single most important part will be your install. No matter how much you spend on front speakers if you don't address the deficiencies in the front doors you'll be wasting your money. You absolutely have to dampen the doors but I'm sure you know that already. The next thing you absolutely have to do is fabricate some covers for the big holes in the doors. I use .050 aluminum sheet cut to size, deadened then screwed on. Your door speakers are in a quasi-infinite baffle configuration. If you leave big holes in the door you have a free-air configuration....and a big waste of money. In other words....seal the doors. LOL
Oh yea...while you're deadening the doors, slap some CLD inside the door panels too.
I know many will say use CCF and MLV also and there's pro's and con's to that. The fact is you're never gonna completely deaden one of these trucks. I've tried. I've spent thousands of dollars on dampening and noise suppression and it still sounded like a truck at highway speeds. Yes it was quieter but not dead quiet. You just can't fight that vertical windshield for wind noise. At most I'd add some 1/8" CCF to the inner door frame and call it done. Any more questions fire away...

Thank you so much! Advice taken, and I will surely PM you once the order is in for last minute talk.

I am actively scouting reputable installers in the Long Island area that are both reliable and experienced to deal with said install.

ghohouston said:

Think of subs as tuners for a minute. Jl audio is kind of like a bully dog tuner. Everyone under the sun has heard of them, but they aren't worth near what they cost. Sundown, and alot of other companies, are like gearhead, newer in the game and not worldwide known (but are on their way to it), but have a great product, with reasonable pricing.

Click to expand...

That's a bull**** statement... Most people that dislike jl audio are the ones that can't afford jl audio... Sure are there better speakers and amps out there, yeah. But at what cost? Ask unbroken how much his last system cost him for "h&s tuner" stereo system. It all depends on what you are looking for imo. I love the w7 series of jl. Sure I've heard a single 12 digital dynamics sub that hits way harder then a 13w7 but if you put on heavy rock the dd sub sounds like ass. I can put a w7 in a ported box and it play rap, rock, country, heavy metal etc and always hold its composure. That's asking a lot out of one speaker. I run c3 component door speakers. Are they the best.. No but at 300 a set they are hard to beat for everyday use and not competition. Just sayin.

Well, I personally love the hard rock/metal music. That being said, I do wanna hear riffs and instruments all around, as best as I can, and the Hertz HSK XL 165 was rumored to be the top performers aside from the MLK series..

I wouldn't mind taking UNBROKEN's words of wisdom and at the end of the day I know that I get what I pay for, BUT again I am not competing. I wouldn't mind the top of the line audio but I only have about $2000 to really spend; half of that will finance the 900/5 amplifier, so I don't have much playing room To spend $600+ on just one subwoofer and then another $800 on a set of component speakers...

02bigstrokin said:

That's a bull**** statement... Most people that dislike jl audio are the ones that can't afford jl audio... Sure are there better speakers and amps out there, yeah. But at what cost? Ask unbroken how much his last system cost him for "h&s tuner" stereo system. It all depends on what you are looking for imo. I love the w7 series of jl. Sure I've heard a single 12 digital dynamics sub that hits way harder then a 13w7 but if you put on heavy rock the dd sub sounds like ass. I can put a w7 in a ported box and it play rap, rock, country, heavy metal etc and always hold its composure. That's asking a lot out of one speaker. I run c3 component door speakers. Are they the best.. No but at 300 a set they are hard to beat for everyday use and not competition. Just sayin.

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I'm not gonna get in a big pissing match, but I promise you, next to none of the big car audio competitors run Jl audio. Most people have caught on that the money can be spent elsewhere and get better Sq or spl for LESS money, same with their amps. Hell, you can't even recon a Jl audio sub. You blow one, you're out another $900, or however much those 2.5" voice coil subs cost. Get a real sub, with 3" voice coils, that you can actually buy a recone kit for, and re cone the damn thing at home in 30 minutes for under $200, and you're enjoying your music again. 15-20 years ago, sure, Jl was probably the best thing around. I fully understand how much a properly assembled sound system costs.

Ok, so the consensus is to seek out an Illusion, ARC or Sundown brand subwoofer? I hear tons and tons of debate about the subwoofer, but the components up front haven't been narrowed down to what fits the bill for my choice in music and hopefully will only exceed a maximum of one grand of my intended budget...

The amp (JL 900/5) is good enough for the intended components or should I seek another brand? I can only run a shallow mount subwoofer and I only need one, not two. For the components, I hear what Unbroken is saying about FLAX FOCAL, so should I get those and forget the Hertz and/or ARC Audio?

02bigstrokin said:

That's a bull**** statement... Most people that dislike jl audio are the ones that can't afford jl audio... Sure are there better speakers and amps out there, yeah. But at what cost? Ask unbroken how much his last system cost him for "h&s tuner" stereo system. It all depends on what you are looking for imo. I love the w7 series of jl. Sure I've heard a single 12 digital dynamics sub that hits way harder then a 13w7 but if you put on heavy rock the dd sub sounds like ass. I can put a w7 in a ported box and it play rap, rock, country, heavy metal etc and always hold its composure. That's asking a lot out of one speaker. I run c3 component door speakers. Are they the best.. No but at 300 a set they are hard to beat for everyday use and not competition. Just sayin.

Click to expand...

My last systems cost is irrelevant. That was a full on SQ competition system built to win....and it was undefeated in my class in MECA so it did it's job. The fundamentals hold true though, I can put together a $300 component system on Madisound that will annihilate that JL set in every way. People buy what they see all the time. JL is a fine company, I've run their products numerous times but they're nowhere near top of the line. That's just a fact, sorry.
My new system I'm putting together will be Focal Utopia Be drivers again...do I expect everyone to go buy those? Hell no. But will I try to steer people towards getting the absolute best they can for their money? Hell yes.
As far as can't afford JL....the speaker wire in that system cost more than $300. LOL