Sound system. 1 brand it all, which?

[Blenjar]

I want to stick with just one brand on my whole system, if so which? Price isn't issue here. im a big baller now, hell ya...but i bought a cheap ass indash tv..hahaha i dont want to spend that much on a 15k car.

Anyway what brand with work well with its components? I was told polks but that sound really cheap..
Speakers, amps and subs.

thx in advance

-- Blen

[yrsdrgn]

I like Pioneer. Maybe JL audio or Kenwood?

[Razr]

I want to stick with just one brand on my whole system, if so which? Price isn't issue here

Well, if you're talking about one brand from source to speakers, and price isn't an object, there's really only one logical choice: Alpine F#1 Status (http://www.alpinef1status.com/e/index.html).. :biggrin:

If after looking at the prices money does seem to matter, have a look at the regular Alpine range :wink:

[static808]

Well, if you're talking about one brand from source to speakers, and price isn't an object, there's really only one logical choice: Alpine F#1 Status (http://www.alpinef1status.com/e/index.html).. :biggrin:

If after looking at the prices money does seem to matter, have a look at the regular Alpine range :wink:

i second that. even on a budget, alpine can do some wonders...

--B

[Blenjar]

Alphine it is!

-- Blen

[ChinoCharles]

ALPINE

For the superior sound processing of even their budget head units, the wonderful price of X series components and subs, and because F#1 products are about the ballinest shit I've ever seen in my life.

Anything less is just that!

[sqcomp]

As a hardcore Alpine fan, I'd have to agree. As someone who isn't blinded by brand loyalty, I must ask...why all one brand? Ease of shopping? Sound better when you tell your friends?

[jdubau55]

The only reason I go with one brand is for matching purposes. Most brands are going to use the same stuff in all there speakers. So you get good speaker matching. Example: Alpine 6.5" Type R components are almost exactly Type R coax.

[sqcomp]

"Speaker matching". I like that one. Something like voice matching, eh? I get your meaning though...I did before I asked the question.

The REAL factor is going to be install (you've heard it a million times). Most likely the end user will just slap the speakers in the stock locations and be done with it.

[ChinoCharles]

Let me put that more eloquently...

Companies design their products to work together as a set, especially in the mobile audio industry.

This is why I think you should pick one brand and stick with it... whatever is a good balance between quality and price for you.

For me, that company is Alpine.

[JustYYaris]

I've always liked to match components too. My first car had all pioneer equipment. For the money, it sounded really nice. I had top of the line 6x9's (the ones with the compression horns, they sounded awesome) and the component plate for the 6x8 area. Pioneers not a bad brand to choose. Just stay away from their lower end stuff. They also have a premier line that has some better stuff (and some rebadged pioneer stuff as well).

[sqcomp]

You know what...I must be a downer. Cause I'm thinking almost the opposite. Granted, the Alpine has some features on thier some of thier units throughout the entire line, Ai Net, that allows "deeper" integration between peices, I just can't believe what I'm hearing here.

Alpine's speakers work with Alpine amplifiers just as well as let's say infinity speakers would with the same Alpine amplifiers. Good lord! Don't pick the same brand jsut because it looks the same or the head has the same material (plastic) as the speakers. Just playing on that one.

I'm simply playing devil's advocate here.

Pick a component, whatever the brand is because it sounds better than another one. Isn't that the point? If it is an Alpine, more power to your ears.

Oh, by the way, if I had to choose an inclusive manufacturer setup...it'd be Alpine. I'm on your side, just trying to assist in seeing all angles.

[Chris07LB]

Id say Focal, but then you would match it with an amp from radio shack.. :laugh:

Alpine has a good range to choose from, but I would suggest having a listen to as many different setups before buying.

[ASHRAF]

Alpine IMO.

[static808]

Pick a component, whatever the brand is because it sounds better than another one.

competely agree here. its just like a home system. the best setups out there rarely involve speakers matching the amp. shit, some good systems gots completely different brands for every component, from preamp, to amp, to receiver, to cd/dvd player, let alone different speakers. but i also agree, if you needs one brand, go alpine...

--B

[Bryman31]

dude the whole matching system is pure crap.........focal makes the best sounding speakers there is PERIOD!!!! go with JL AUDIO for subs and amps, and a deck of your choosing. you want quality NOT Quantity i have focal speakers and jl subs and amps with an alpine deck, one word DEAF!!! yes i will be deaf soon!!!! as i said quality not quantity

[Spades]

lots of alpine votes, but since you said you already have a in dash tv i am assuming you have a deck too, so for subs amps and speakers, i would personally go with infinity. just me though, i think the infinity kappa components sound better than the alpine type r's.

[edit] also, i wouldnt go with a full matching set of anything. my system uses pioneer,mtx,and infinity. i found what sounded the best and put it together. infinity components are crisp and clear, and their amps are clean, but their subs suck, hence why i went with MTX's. I would put together what sounds best instead of what brand name will get you the most "street cred".

[Razr]

one word DEAF!!! yes i will be deaf soon!!!! as i said quality not quantity


Deaf? I think you must be putting quantity, not quality first :wink:

[smurf]

i'd say JBL.......coz i'm using it....

[ChinoCharles]

Yeah, JBL subs are definitely all quantity. :barf:

[jdubau55]

Im going Focal when I get my speakers.....

[Alexandre2k3]

if money is not an issue... DYNAUDIO all the way, oh by the way, their three way compnents alone will cost more than your yaris, but if money ant a thing then yeah.

[jdubau55]

If money wasnt a thing....he would be on the Mclaren F1 forum.......:rolleyes:

[Razr]

Yeah, JBL subs are definitely all quantity. :barf:

JBL = Junk But Loud :wink:

[dvlnblkdrs]

ok, being that im a girl and have always had stock ish on my cars.. i found the stereo system in this car is crap and need something with more oomph, but i also dont want it so loud that i cant hear for an hr after getting out of my car.. so i was thinking of just doing speakers and an amp.. do i need anything else? brand/model suggestions greatly appreciated

[jdubau55]

If your on a budget try finding some speakers with a high sensitivity level. This will allow them to get the most out of your stock HU power.

[Chris07LB]

`Anyone refering to JBL as junk, is on crack.

[drell42]

as a retailer of several brands I would say, Alpine. That is personally what I am using and it always sounds great. You can start at the $400 range and go up from there!

[sqcomp]

We're throwing out Dynaudio and Focal...

Having used and installed both, those are solid brands. There are other high end equipment choices out there as well.

I personally loved the Focal TN-51 tweeter in my old vehicle. The best conventional three way I've ever had the pleasure of working with was a 2001 BMW M3 with an all Focal speaker setup...from the Utopia woofers to the Utopia 3 way. To give you an idea of the effort put into it, we spent a week per door.

My only regrets about the vehicle were that I couldn't drive it away and that it didn't compete...it was some Intel VP's car. My old Pioneer ODR three way set sounded spectacular but this one was on another level. The mid bass from the doors was so "big" that we didn't need the woofers. I suppose it should have been for the money and time put into it though!

One thing here, do NOT buy any piece of equipment because we convinced you to. That shows a weak will. Listen to our suggestions and then GO OUT AND AUDITION! Most of the pieces I've ever purchased were either auditioned IN A VEHICLE of an installer or I had previously installed the piece in a client's vehicle.

I had taken the initiative to be interested enough in acutal in-vehicle response of the equipment to spend the extra time. When I didn't, I was sorely upset. My bad expereiences have been with Kicker's components from 8 years ago (before the SS) and Diamond Audio's HEX. The latter was an amusing situation I might share with you guys some time...it was probably as much my fault as it was the component's engineering.

I would say what is MOST important about the equipment you purchase is NOT the equipment itself, but the support you recieve from the selling entity. For instance, I have stepped out again and purchased a three way component set for a project vehicle that I did NOT audition. With that being said, I understand speakers well enough to know that they can be skittish depending on the way you install them.

My saving grace is that I have Scott Buwalda in my corner. He knows how the speakers were engineered, made and should be installed. All I have to do is pick up the cell phone and give him a call. We're working on an aperiodic "enclosure" for his mid-range 3" driver in the project vehicle. He's never AP'd it before BUT has made mention that the little driver is able to be used in such a configuration...so, I thought I might tackle that challenge. That will come later this year after we get the STi back from building the bottom end up, adding cams, valves and valve springs.

Three cheers for ceramic coating!

Oh sorry...I've been getting off topic.

[bido4]

1. ALPINE
2. PIONEER
3. JL
4. KENWOOD
5. ROCKFORD FOSGATE

[bido4]

but its better to mix and match! so you get the best possible sound! as all things have pros and cons.

personally like pioneer head units, alpine high/mid range speakers, JL woofers with soundstream AMP! lololol .. personal preference

[Chris07LB]

Funny how knowone mentions ARC Audio, oh wait, thats right, its not found at wally world. :rolleyes:

[sqcomp]

Arc audio make head units? Arc does make some kick a$$ amplifiers, having installed them before...

If Arc is now making source units I'll stay away for several years until I see how they REALLY perform over time.