Stereo Equipment Help - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

sleeperSL2 · 02-26-2011, 03:40 PM

I recently bought an 06 Fusion, real happy with it. BUT. I want to upgrade the speakers and add an amp/sub. I'm not familiar with stereo stuff so i was wondering if TST could help me out.

What im looking for is just high quality sound, longevity(won't blow out in a week if i decide to hit max volume) and a decent price.

Also, with the sub/amp i want something that hits hard but not so hard that my trunk sounds like a baby rattle lol and with that size of amp and what not. I would stop a stereo shop but i have no time. Thanks!

AutobahnRacer · 02-27-2011, 01:13 PM

Speakers I have always like Boston Acoustics and Alpine. But in general when you buy speakers, the Peak Wattage means nothing. What you need to look at is the RMS and the frequency response. 20-20k response.

Same with subs. Peak power means nothing. look at JL Audio are is my personal favorite (I have Sony though). As far as trunk rattle, that is impossible to say, some cars rattle like crazy while others dont. You can always add dynamat or spray foam or something.

As for specific speakers models, which I think you are asking for, it is preference.

What is your price range? Do you plan of using the factory stereo? (if so you will need to most likely bypass the factory amp).

sleeperSL2 · 02-27-2011, 04:55 PM

Thanks for the info. I do plan on using the factory radio.

AutobahnRacer · 03-01-2011, 01:19 AM

Now I am also not sure if this is the case for all new(er) radio's but for my friends 03 TL, he needed a special adapter/converter to use a sub on the stock radio. Think it was like 90 bucks. ALSO big point I forgot to mention, ALWAYS make sure that the AMP wattage is higher than the sub. Underpowering subs is bad. What you want to do is make sure you have plenty of juice available but you turn down the amp so that you don't blow the subs.

Also don't make the noob mistake of adding bass-boosters or bass in the equalizer from your headunit or amp. It will sound boomy/muddy and you will blow the sub real fast especially if you don't know how to tune it.

Reds82 · 03-01-2011, 05:06 AM

You can under power a sub and it will last the problem is people think the gain is a volume. When you turn the gain all the way up it clips the signal so instead of a nice smooth sine wave you get square wave which just holds the sub up or down. When you do this the voice coils heat up and doesn't move so they don't cool off the glue melts and your speaker stops working.

AutobahnRacer · 03-01-2011, 12:55 PM

I always play it safe and use a higher rated amp. No point in buying a lower powered amp and not having it give the juice that you want/need if you need to buy one anyway

02-27-2011, 01:13 PM	#2
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	Speakers I have always like Boston Acoustics and Alpine. But in general when you buy speakers, the Peak Wattage means nothing. What you need to look at is the RMS and the frequency response. 20-20k response. Same with subs. Peak power means nothing. look at JL Audio are is my personal favorite (I have Sony though). As far as trunk rattle, that is impossible to say, some cars rattle like crazy while others dont. You can always add dynamat or spray foam or something. As for specific speakers models, which I think you are asking for, it is preference. What is your price range? Do you plan of using the factory stereo? (if so you will need to most likely bypass the factory amp). Last edited by AutobahnRacer; 03-01-2011 at 01:16 AM.

03-01-2011, 01:19 AM	#4
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	Now I am also not sure if this is the case for all new(er) radio's but for my friends 03 TL, he needed a special adapter/converter to use a sub on the stock radio. Think it was like 90 bucks. ALSO big point I forgot to mention, ALWAYS make sure that the AMP wattage is higher than the sub. Underpowering subs is bad. What you want to do is make sure you have plenty of juice available but you turn down the amp so that you don't blow the subs. Also don't make the noob mistake of adding bass-boosters or bass in the equalizer from your headunit or amp. It will sound boomy/muddy and you will blow the sub real fast especially if you don't know how to tune it.

03-01-2011, 05:06 AM	#5
Reds82 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fogelsville Pa Member #10670 My Ride: 1981 Mercury Crappi iTrader: (2)	You can under power a sub and it will last the problem is people think the gain is a volume. When you turn the gain all the way up it clips the signal so instead of a nice smooth sine wave you get square wave which just holds the sub up or down. When you do this the voice coils heat up and doesn't move so they don't cool off the glue melts and your speaker stops working.

03-01-2011, 12:55 PM	#6
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	I always play it safe and use a higher rated amp. No point in buying a lower powered amp and not having it give the juice that you want/need if you need to buy one anyway