Car Audio is Awesome!

[Serendipity]

Just sayin' -

After I added the Alpine amp, I can hear more musical details than before so the volume doesn't have to be turned up as much to hear the music. My Alpine deck plays DVD-Audio (downmixed to 2 channel) and DTS discs (2.0), so I can really hear the nuances especially on Jazz recordings. The deck's FM tuner is just as impressive - I can pull in radio stations from far away using the stock Nissan antenna! And best of all, the sound quality is great. Can't believe how good it sounds.

Going to Home Depot to buy some wood to mount another amp and build a sub enclosure.

Also, I ran power to the red (+) terminal of my battery and grounded the amp to the sheet metal under the passenger's seat. I assume this is correct? Just need to buy a fuse. Car audio experts, please advise.

Thanks!

[Drenis]

Just sayin' -

After I added the Alpine amp, I can hear more musical details than before so the volume doesn't have to be turned up as much to hear the music. My Alpine deck plays DVD-Audio (downmixed to 2 channel) and DTS discs (2.0), so I can really hear the nuances especially on Jazz recordings. The deck's FM tuner is just as impressive - I can pull in radio stations from far away using the stock Nissan antenna! And best of all, the sound quality is great. Can't believe how good it sounds.

Going to Home Depot to buy some wood to mount another amp and build a sub enclosure.

Also, I ran power to the red (+) terminal of my battery and grounded the amp to the sheet metal under the passenger's seat. I assume this is correct? Just need to buy a fuse. Car audio experts, please advise.

Thanks!

You have no in line fuse on your power run? That's a definite no-no is the car audio trade...

As long as the negative is attached somewhere where a solid chassis ground can be made, you'll be fine. Make sure you sand down any paint/primer down to bare metal.

[Serendipity]

You have no in line fuse on your power run? That's a definite no-no is the car audio trade...

As long as the negative is attached somewhere where a solid chassis ground can be made, you'll be fine. Make sure you sand down any paint/primer down to bare metal.

I made my own power cable with 8AWG stranded wire and terminals. As a result, I need to put a fuse in the engine bay where the power run goes to the + terminal of the battery, ASAP.

As for the negative terminal, I attached it to the bare metal under the passenger side carpet near the rear cup holders. It seems to work fine. Just need to take care of the above and I believe I am all set!

[pepster]

When I used to install, we went through the floorboard and used a 4 1/2" angle grinder on the frame for "fresh" steel, and drilled a hole directly through the frame for ground.

Best improvement in audio I ever heard was going with a "dead head" unit.
Alpine, but cannot for the life of me remember the model number, 7940 maybe (I'm old)?

Take the internal amps and the heat/interference out of that digital head unit, it makes a WORLD of difference, or it did for me anyway JMHO.

I need to get back into it, as I have a gun safe full of some really good amps/component sets.

Its that time of year, and you really had to mention this didn't ya!
Probably going to cost me some fundage for a good head unit now, thanks!

[Serendipity]

Take the internal amps and the heat/interference out of that digital head unit, it makes a WORLD of difference, or it did for me anyway JMHO.

Wouldn't this void the warranty of the unit? I am going from the Alpine DVD/Nav to the Alpine MRP-F300 via RCA cables and it already sounds great! Have the power wire on the left side of the car, and the RCA's on the right, to avoid interference. And yes, I used 12AWG speaker wire and a Belkin Pure A/V audio cable.

[pepster]

Wouldn't this void the warranty of the unit? I am going from the Alpine DVD/Nav to the Alpine MRP-F300 via RCA cables and it already sounds great! Have the power wire on the left side of the car, and the RCA's on the right, to avoid interference. And yes, I used 12AWG speaker wire and a Belkin Pure A/V audio cable.

I wasn't talking about anything I did to it.
You can buy them "dead".
So, no it would not void the warranty, you can buy them like that.

Purely digital transport, with D/A conversion.

Eclipse has some great "dead heads" also, and is probably my favorite.

[Lasareath]

I'd love to have a better system in my car but my car is a POS and I really don't want a stereo in it that's worth more than the car.

If it lasts another 2 years then my next car may be a Nissan Leaf and with the Leaf I'll have to stick with the stock stereo since the more juice I put out the less millage I will get.

[falconcry72]

...but my car is a POS and I really don't want a stereo in it that's worth more than the car.

And just why the hell not??

[pepster]

I'd love to have a better system in my car but my car is a POS and I really don't want a stereo in it that's worth more than the car.

If it lasts another 2 years then my next car may be a Nissan Leaf and with the Leaf I'll have to stick with the stock stereo since the more juice I put out the less millage I will get.

Sal, did you ever install that system on your exercise bike?
Thats all you need.

[Sherardp]

The subwoofer in my Benz is shot, so I'm adding an Alpine sub/amp combo and hoping for the same results in the end. Mercedes wants $1000 for a replacement in my S550, I'm going for the better option. The logic 7 sound systems does sound good, but it lacks in the bass department.

[Fongolio]

I've got a near all Alpine system in my '89 IROC-Z. 1 amp for the fronts, 1 for the rears, and a 900 watt big bad old school Alpine MRV-1507 powering the two Type-R 12" subs in the back. Alpine head unit and eq. Plays low volume beautifully and plays above the wind noise when the T-Roofs are off.

[pepster]

'89 IROC-Z

Freakin sweet!

Me and a friend of mine (his dad was co-owner of a Chevy dealership) got to borrow one for a parade (we had to drive it the next day in a parade).
Got drunk and damn near wrecked it! the night before.
Hit every bar in town and had a car full of "desirables" the whole time we had that car!
Super fast!
We went around just trying to find something that would outrun it (never did).
The car was BRAND NEW (had 78 miles on it when we got it). still had the sticker on the window.
CONVERTIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God, I miss those days!
I was truely blessed back then!

[pepster]

I was 23 in '89.
Everywhere we went, gas station, Wal-Mart, car wash, wherever, people would gather around that car and ask questions.
Things where done back then, that I cannot discuss to this day!
Those are the days I will remember when I die my friend.
The days of the IROC-Z!

[Serendipity]

The subwoofer in my Benz is shot, so I'm adding an Alpine sub/amp combo and hoping for the same results in the end. Mercedes wants $1000 for a replacement in my S550, I'm going for the better option. The logic 7 sound systems does sound good, but it lacks in the bass department.

When done right, aftermarket gear can sound as good as or even better than the stock systems in most cars. For example, I think the DIY system I installed in my Nissan is as good as the factory stereo in the Corvette; I spent $1500 vs. the $2-3k most upscale car manufacturers charge for the "premium" sound system with DVD and Navigation. So I saved a few hundred $$ at least.

Now yes, I saved money on labor by doing it myself, but even with an install fee the cost should be cheaper.

So go ahead, I highly recommend a DIY aftermarket system vs. paying for manufacturer markup.

Just my opinion.

[Serendipity]

Just went to the BMW website to look at prices on stock audio systems:

For the 128i, their most basic car, BMW wants the following for audio upgrades:

Upgraded head unit to add Navigation System: $2,150
Install 10 Harmon/Kardon speakers with 300W Amp: $875
Install Satellite Radio tuner w/1 year subscription: $350

Total comes out to $3,375. Yeah, do it yourself and add an aftermarket system. Skip the dealer markup!!