Just out of curiosity, I was wondering what everyone else thinks is the most important in terms of car audio. From these six areas, it would be interesting to see what you all think is the most important in TERMS OF SQ ONLY. The six are: (1) AMPS, (2) HEAD UNITS, (3) INSTALLATION (location of speakers, sound proofing, box construction, etc), (4) SPEAKERS (midwoofers, mids, tweeters), (5) SUBS, and (6) WIRING (interconnects, power wire, fittings, etc). 1 is the most important and 6 is the least.

I'll start off with my list:

1) Installation
2) Speakers
3) Subs
4) Head Units
5) Amplifiers
6) Wiring

Tony

 

I'm going to say my list is as follows:

1) Speakers
2) Amplifiers
3 & 4) Wiring / Installation
5) Subs
6) Head Units

I put Installation lower just due to the fact that most speakers don't really get relocated from the factory locations, and most sound pretty good in those locations.

Head units lower because if all the other items in the list are done properly, you can get away with using the factory head unit quite often. (just personal experience).

 

Just my $0.02

(1) Wiring/Installation - Poor wiring can result in insufficent voltage supply to your equipment resulting in weak output. If the wires are not grounded properly you can also expect alot of unwanted distortion. It will make your equipment sound like crap, even in the event that you purchase high-end stuff.

(2) Components - Depending of the MOC, your speakers will sound very harsh or mellow, this are needs to be carefully thought out.

(3) Amplifier - A good, clean signal will be needed for the equipment. Again, if you aren't sending enough juice to your speakers, you won't get the output you desire. Then you'll be inclined to increase the gain, resulting in bad distortion/clipping. It's a viscious cycle, so do it right the first time.

(4) Headunit - Some people will aruge the validity of purchasing an HU with a high pre-out voltage, but I am in favor of it. Look for an HU with +4V preouts. Also, look for what kind of crossover/equalizer capabilities you will have avilable to you. This will allow you to tweak the sound to your liking, depending on the type of music you listen to.

(5) Sub - While there are a million different factors with this, the sub enclosure is almost as important as the sub itself. Look into making a properly sized/ported box for your needs (SQ or SPL).

...but like I said, IMHO, I feel as though your installation and wiring come first when doing an audio install.

 

I think EVERYTHING is important- since every aspect is relative to the others performance. Nothing should be compromised in system design.

Its a chain, any kink in the chain will affect the performance as a whole.

The better question would be....what is the best component to build the chain around- IMO its the HU as it affects every other component. The hotter the signal from the source, the better your amplifiers will perform, and its ability to process and deliver media has alot to do how your speakers will play it(coloration aside)

The least important should be wiring-as far as brands, or supposed quality goes.

 

Sorry for the ramble I'll play the game...

1. HU
2/3 Installation/Speaker Placement go hand in hand
4. Amplifiers
5. Subs-good subs are dime a dozen out there
6.Wiring brands

 

I'll ramble on when i get back to school but for now...

1. installation
2. head unit
3. amplifiers
4.speakers
5. wiring
6. subs
now mind you this is for SQ...not necessarily what i practice in my car.

 

1. installation
2. wiring
3. headunit
4. amps
5. components
6. subs
With an SQ setup everything must be perfect. if you are thinking of competing in SQ you must take pics of your entire install and set it up in a little booklet. I suggest the best of everything if your going straight up SQ. if you want you can catch me on aim i am pretty avid at SQ comps

 

1) Speakers – I put this first since if you want to upgrade from a factory stereo these are the things people would replace first. They’re also responsible for majority of music (70Hz on up) and they’re the closest to your ears

2) Installation – making sure everything is connected properly and the sub box is built right your sounds will be crap. In all cases the building of the sub box is just as important as the sub it self. I put in over 10 hours of labor, which I think was spent well. Half the time was doing the “engineering” stuff – measuring, calculating, using the crap out of bcae1.com, and quadruple checking. I’ve bought one pair of subs and they sound excellent they’re the only ones I’ve bought and I’ve had them for over three years. They sound like they are still brand new.

3) Subs – To me these are very important as well since this where all the actual musical reproduction takes place just as the speakers. I put these further down the list since they are responsible for only a little bit of the frequency range. Also, there are not really any stereo signals down low.

4) Head Units – To me this isn’t very important if you exclude the gizmos (equalization, bass boost, crossovers, etc.). Now the head unit is simply a CD player with a DAC in which most DAC’s are adequate in converting the signal with out a human ear being able to notice the difference (the bit rating would be the difference). High voltage pre outs are pointless if you have a half way decent amp connected from my experiences.
5) Amplifiers – From all the amps I’ve heard they all sound the same they’re only purpose is to put out power unless you like gizmos on your amp they’re not that important as far as choosing one out hundreds of makes and models. Reliability is probably the most important aspect of them. One thing I would be particular about are sub amps in that they have the ability to put the full power out at 2 ohms & 1 ohms for flexibility purposes.

6) Wiring – Its mostly just copper just pick out the cheapest amp kit that’s adequate for your amp you’ll be fine. Gauge is the most important number when it comes to the wire. The12volt.com has a nice table to follow as far as picking out the right wire and bcae1.com has a nice applet to use as well.

 

Im sorry but that is one of the most untrue and rediculous statements i have ever heard. not every amps job is to put out power. Its job is to have minimal signal noise, put out CLEAN power. No distortion and have a strong signal. and a headunit is just as important. an 8volt preout headunit will sound better than a 2volt preout headunit any day. you mean to tell me u can run a sony amp and a zapco amp and the speakers will sound the same? I dont think so. and after eading your post over again. its pretty much completely false, if u even competed in any type of SQ or had an system build for SQ you would know your wires are the one of the most important pieces becuase that is what brings the signals to all the components of the stereo.

 

according to dictionary.com ...

amplifier

n : electronic equipment that increases strength of signals passing through it
- now what part of that definition don't you understand? An amplifiers job is to put out power there is nothing to debate here. Not one thing that I said is untrue. Its what I heard, end of story.

Now my post is an my opinion just like everyone elses post so you can't say I'm completely false on anything. I based my opinions on what I've personally heard with my own two ears. I've never heard a sony or zapco amp so I couldn't say. When I'm talking about amplifiers I was speaking of half way decent amplifiers not the most bashed amplifiers on the planet. Clean is not a good word when using with power, power is power regardless. Now there is THD rating on amplifiers but distortion on all the outboard amplifers weren't audible until they came close to clipping. Majority of distorition in a system is produced by the speakers thats why I listed it first. Different speakers sound can sound completely different from one another. SQ competitions are opinions of judges and no I haven't been to one. I've compared two different quality RCA wires (ranging from top of line monster cable rca's [not that monster is the best] to $3 pair generic rca's and I heard no difference what so ever. Now you can spend thousands of dollars on wires but you will barely hear a difference mabye an oscilloscope will hear it but I doubt a person will. I've heard the differnce between 4 volt preouts and 2 volts and there is barley a differnce. I don't think there are that many amps that can handle an 8 volt input.

 

when u can afford and listen to the best u will notice a difference. my 6volt pioneer deh-960 and my new eclipse av8022 is like night and day. even my gf can notice a difference. when you use all of the best in conjunction with eachother it makes a huge difference in the way your audio will sound. and you cant tell me you cant hear a difference between a zapco amp and a jensen. u think the jensen amp that is 100 bux puts out a true 1000 watts? where as the zapco can put out a true 1000 watts and costs 1000 dollars

 

Actually, I think Batxel has given one of the best explanations of his list out of all the responses so far.


Oh really? THAT's one of the most rediculous statements I have ever heard!! You're killling me!! So what is an amp's job then? Oh wait... here it comes:

So, you're saying an amp's job is to put out power, right? Have a strong signal? What kind of signal does an amp have? Another rediculous statement. Kinda funny actually.


Can't argue with you there. See above statements about amps.


I dare you to try and explain this.



Yes. When the amps aren't clipping.


I double dare you to try and explain yourself on your wiring theory! I suggest you ban yourself from the audio forum so you can go out and do some reasearch and then come back when you actually know a little about what you're talking about.

Tony

 

The Jensen might not put out a true 1000 watts, but that only means it won't sound as LOUD as the Zapco, assuming the Zapco has a true 1000 watts. But if you listen to them within their rated power levels, they'll sound the same. Sorry to disapoint you.

I'm sure you and your girlfriend are quite the authority on judging SQ, but excuse me if I don't believe you.

Tony

 

haha ok u dont have to belive ne thign i say in this post but the fact of the matter is i win SQ comps and ur the one asking the SQ questions. a zapco 1000 watt amp is rated at 1000 watts RMS where as the jensen will say 1000 watts max, at like .5 ohms bridged they will never sound equivalent at any level no matter what you do. and as a matter of fact since u mention my GF she competes with me in SQ comps as well. we have almost the identical setup except for headunit and processor....any more brain busters from the peanut gallery?

 

Yes, actually.

What exactly makes the amplifiers sound so different from one another?

If you can answer that then we are well on our way to having an intelligent conversation.

I take it you're not going to answer any of my other questions? Your only position is that since you compete in SQ competitions (which, BTW, I don't believe at all...and if you actually do compete, I highly suspect you don't win very much) you apparently know what you're talking about despite your inability to actually explain anything relative to actual facts? All you've done is to re-state your opinion without backing it up with any actual explanation, wrong OR right.

Tony

 

sorry i was just editing my post i did not see your other first post. I honestly dont need to prove anything to anyone here. nor am i going to get into an arguement with someone on here becuase it is pointless. I didnt mean that the job of an amp isnt to power, i meant to say its only only to power its meant to send a clear signal to all the speakers. if u dont have a clear signal then y bother? if u dont belive me do it for yourself get a zapco amp and a jensen amp. same wattage rating on the box. hook them up and tell me which one sounds clearer. louder, and better. with a 2 volt preout and an 8volt preout its quite easy to explain. when power flows through a wire it looses its energy along the way. with 2 volts, by the time the pulse it done flowing it may be only 1.4 volts...just an example. with an 8 volt preout you will have a cleaner signal which will stay higher in voltage along the wire. y do you thing eclipse is so much more expensve than lets say Sony? and your theory about the wires. if you have more wires per strand you will get better flow. stinger have a high strand count compared to monster. so the power flows better. every little thing counts. as per my setup i have 2 ID max subs, one zapco 9.0, 2 zapco 6.0's DLS iridium 3 way components running active tweeters off one zapco 6.0 for more tuneablity and running my mids and woofers off the other 6.0. Alpine digital processor, stinger pro wires, nakamichi digital cable, and an Eclipse AV8022

 

Cool...any pics?

 

yea n/p ill take pics as soon as i get my car back from the shop...im actually getting a new EQ put in. i do have pics of my old system tho. its wasnt bad for the time being
http://www.importfanatix.com/html/ph...derphil_9.html

 

ehhh...i was looking forward to the zap gear- you bringing your i30 to the nj meet next month?

 

where is it at? if im not workin im sure i will be there

 

hmm...

1) Installation
2) Head units
3) Speakers
4) Subs
5) Amplifiers
6) Wiring

i guess sub enclosure can be considered as part of the install. a good box will make a huge difference in how a sub sounds.

 

Louder, maybe. Clearer and better? What exactly is different about the amps that might make one sound better than the other? A watt is a watt.

And the voltage has WHAT to do with SQ? Absolutely nothing. Output voltage only allows you to set the gains on your amp lower, thus reducing noise from getting into the system.

I don't think any Eclipse I have ever owned was as expensive as my Sony CDX-C90.


Wrong again. Wire strand count only affects flexibility. Voltage loss is measured in guage...or more specifically, circular mills. A solid chunk of wire is just as efficient delivering power than a similar sized wire with a 1,000 strands. Check out Stinger's website and show me where they advertise that their higher strand count wires deliver any more power than the others.


Every little thing counts, but only of those little things actually count. Just because you have some nice equipment doesn't mean a thing at all. If it's installed properly, then that's great. You have a lot of learning to do if you believe that the only way to achieve great sound is to buy the best.

Do you think arguing is pointless only because you truly don't know what you're talking about? I'm sorry I'm so blunt, but I get tired of people spouting off false information as if it's the truth.

Tony

 

WoW I dont even know where to begin....

Voltage levels...
wiring....
amps do more than just power...
etc...
this thread became a mess.

Amps...produce power Period. Do some have better specs? Sure. But in simple terms a watt is a watt. Power is power. 1000watts is a 1000watts. Nothing more, nothing less to it. DF,THD,etc come into play to an extent and is barely audible if at all. Reliability,dependabilty,good manufacturer backing and reputation would be my top priorities. Of course not to mention an amp that actually produces what it claims, but thats stating the obvious and I think we are all beyond comparing Pyramid in a thread like this.

Voltage preouts would yield a lower gain setting on an amp, not neccessarily a 'cleaner' signal. To add to that a high preout means nothing with a high resistance.

BTW..CreativeDesignz ...the whole competing in SQ classes really wont impress too many here, this isnt intended to be offensive, just being honest. If it did hold that much water, I suppose I would be a God compared to you, being I was doing (and Winning) SQ comps when you were about 6 years old, and Ive been in the business since you were about age 3. Like I said, its not intended as an insult, so dont take it that way.

 

Hey Tony, Im guessing youve never owned a CD8062?

Yea I had a C90 at one point as well, and yea they were pretty pricey.

 

No. I almost purchased the 8062, but kept my C90 instead. It wasn't until the 8454 came out that I switched over. I'm glad I did though, I'm very happy with it.

Tony

 

off too work, must be brief....

#1-Install. Install your $13,000 components wrong, and they will sound like a stock bose system. Ground a $5000 amp wrong, and you will have constant hissing. Put your $1000 sub in the wrong sized box, and it will sound like ***. Its all in the install.

ok i have to go to work now.

 

Your system is only as good as its weakest link, period.

That said ... wiring plays a minimal factor, if any. All wires are copper ... enough said.

As others have said ... install is VERY important ... but again your sound will only sound as good as the weakest component as they all work together.

 

sq competitions are great...except that judges place bias on what brands and such, and everyone hears things differently. hence 2 da max was in loved with a BLOWN kicker compvr in a leaky sealed box.

 

Funny........

 

wats up guys, shiet i had to pay my dsl bill so its been awhile. neways speakers are the weakest link of any system the hu is the brain so its the most important. and for installation, if it works it works fawk it

 

Could be a good quote

 

We all saw your install, so we know you really do believe that.

 

lol i want to start to learn how to install alarms, i would make madd money.

lol the dude would press the button and the car blows up lolll

 

With that in mind and what weve seen, youd be better off as an assassin rather than installer.

 

lol. but seriously is it really hard to install a basic alarm system? where do the wires go to the brain of the car?

 

I can't remember where or when, but I read about an SQ competition where the judges were either blindfolded or the equipment was masked so they couldn't see what the brands were. The results were competely different from the same cars they judged while being able to see the brands.

Tony

 

This has nothing to do with the subject at hand. Please start another thread.

Thanks,

Tony

 

Don't mind Avi...he rides the short bus to school...

 

sorry about that, im used to whoring up threads in audio section.

anyways i think the headunit is the most important part of any system. its the brain. if you have a banging setup, and you switch the headunit with a garbage one the sound would sound like shiet. i remeber when i sold my headunit, i switched back to the oem bose, and eww it sounded so distorted and nasty

 

Yeah you already said that and basically ... you're wrong.

I'll take a JVC headunit and hook it up to a PLD giving the amps 8v and it will sound just as good if not better than most consumer grade products. Now, competition units (like the McIntosh MX406 for example) are a step above with better DA convertors and higher quality internals will make a difference, but only when teamed with equally superior amplifiers, speakers and other components.