Same here for me. I was into audio pretty hardcore back when I first got my car. I never had anything that looked pretty but it hit hard. I have yet to actually mount an amp in a car, even though I've been through 3.
In my first car (1983 pontiac sunbird) I started out with a whole bunch of minor stuff. used Kenwood 6X9's aiwa head unit, two ****ty 10" kenwood subs, used 100w radio shack amp. I slowly moved up to the good ****.
Kenwood MP919 head unit (same one that comes in the Mazdaspeed proto's oh how I miss it. I'd pickup another one if I had the chance)
two Kove Armageddon 15" 500W subs in a dual ported box. ****er was huge.
JBL 1200.1 1200W amp
Crystal 6.5 Silk dome tweeter component set in custom kick pods (a square wood box screwed into the floorboard)
with that setup I could make the speedo drop with the bass, the box would float around in the trunk like a ghost from moving so much air and the windows would flex. I think I hit 140DB with that setup in the sunbird.
Next was the super pimp mobile. 1998 Nissan Sentra XE. I bought this and discovered the joys of blunt riding. Pot heads cant have the music loud enough.
Couldnt fit both 15" in the car so I made a box for a single armageddon and ran that for a while. Hit 137DB with that, brough home a trophy.
Then is was time for a change
The old JBL1200.1 next to the new mighty beast known as the a Cadence 1500W amp.
Then comes the Cadence Q3000 to power the DEI Viper component set (supposedly designed by the same guy that did the JL XR component set)
To pump out the bass I bought two 10" Adire Brahma subs. 1000W 36LB beasts in a ported box. Never had that setup metered, I wish I would have.
All I know is it was ****ing loud AND it sounded awesome. Had the tweeters mounted on the a pillars and it was like you were in a concert. You could not hear yourself scream inside the car with it turned up all the way. Nothing beat watching blunt smoke dance to the bass.
twas to much for my ears though, felt like someone was shoving needles through my ear drum.
I'll have pics of the Brahmas up tommorow, as well as the WRX's current more sane setup.
