[IS2000]

I need suggestion from you guys since this is the 1st time I'll be looking for an aftermarket car stereo. I have a $1000 budget for a system installed on my STi.
I basically need
Headunit with am/fm and a single disc CD player.
front speakers
tweeters
rear speakers
an amp
a subwoofer (I'm thinking about an Infinity Basslink)

I don't really need powerful audio system with big bass, but rather a system with clear sound and solid bass for my jazz and R&B CDs.


Thanks

 

[CloNeGTS]

That's very doable.

With all the variation in head units, it's usually easier to work from the speaker end and work backwards. Decide just how high end you want to go and then see what you have left for amps and head units.

The full Alpine system that I have picked out will be fairly high end and run around 1200.

Oh....and don't buy from local dealers or Crutchfield if you value your money. Go for places like www.cbrstereo.com or www.onlinecarstereo.com .

 

[murley]

*rolling his eyes*..."Don't buy from dealers"... huhhh. What's up with that, man??? :wink:

 

[CloNeGTS]

*batting eyes* Oh NO Murley...not dealers like you. We LOVE you Murley! :lol:

 

[murley]

*feeling much better now and taking a VERY deep breath*

Why Thank You Rob! That means so much to me that I am excluded from the entire list of 20,000 dealers nationwide that you wouldn't spend $1000 dollars with to buy a sound system for your STi that you probably wouldn't have ordered from me anyway because I'm WAY too far from most of you for you to feel comfortable placing your order with me so that I can treat you nice......

*blue in the face he GASPS for a new breath of life*

Am I whining...? :lol:

 

[CloNeGTS]

HAHAHAHA.....

Well if it makes you feel any better, I was really only referring to dealers for audio equipment, other than OEM car manufacturers.

Do we really have to kid ourselves that a Subaru OEM stereo won't hold a candle to a full Alpine, Pioneer or other high quality audio manufacturer?

It all makes sense....Subaru's job is to build cars, not stereos.

Oh yeah, BTW....how long did it take you to do that text sizing? It's a nice effect! :lol:

 

[murley]

It didn't take too long with the awesome setup that JJ's got here.

 

[mx_9]

That's very doable.

With all the variation in head units, it's usually easier to work from the speaker end and work backwards. Decide just how high end you want to go and then see what you have left for amps and head units.

The full Alpine system that I have picked out will be fairly high end and run around 1200.

Oh....and don't buy from local dealers or Crutchfield if you value your money. Go for places like www.cbrstereo.com or www.onlinecarstereo.com .

Just out of curiosity, will your head unit sit flush in the cabinet? My one experience with adding a system ended up with a HU that protruded from the cabinet...I did not like it that much.

 

[elusiveDesires]

I just put a Pioneer HU in and it sits exactly where I want it. Same goes for the DIN pocket.

 

[USNSTI]

Walmart FTW :lol:

 

[BoostJunkie]

You also just bumped a 4 year old thread.

 

[elusiveDesires]

Haha. Yeah, I realized that after I replied. I wasn't paying attention while in my quest for Basslink information.

 

[skeeler]

Ok, so he bumped a 4-year-old thread. I have an '04 STi and have never had a stereo. I've driven 132,000 miles so far and I am getting tired of using over-the-ear headphones and my ipod, but the sound from the Sony Digital headphones and the fact the headphones pretty much eliminate all the road noise, it's not that bad of a situation. Where it comes in bad, is when I give other people rides, they say, "Where's the Stereo?"

My wife is offering me $500 and I think I could scrape up another $500 of my own cash. She suggested I check for sales on HU's and speakers at Best Buy, but I don't want to pay more just so some store can power the lights in their store--I want a stero system that will surpass the enjoyment any high-end headphone set can offer. Yeah, I know, the bass in headphones don't really exist. That's not what I'm after. I have the ears of an audiophile and I would like to be able to distinguish the turning of the sheet music, or the drop of a small object. I want to be able to hear it all. I listen to anything from Worship to Classical, Hard Rock to Classic Rock, Country to Blues, pretty much anything except for Rap and Barely Manenough.

I've had a desire for a Double DIN HU with a touch screen. I want to avoid a flip-up screen if at all possible, cause I use the cup holder in the dash. I do, however, like being able to use the slot in the dash to hold my wallet and iPod.

Feel free to PM me or email me at [email protected]

 

[evilSTi7]

Ok, so he bumped a 4-year-old thread. I have an '04 STi and have never had a stereo. I've driven 132,000 miles so far and I am getting tired of using over-the-ear headphones and my ipod, but the sound from the Sony Digital headphones and the fact the headphones pretty much eliminate all the road noise, it's not that bad of a situation. Where it comes in bad, is when I give other people rides, they say, "Where's the Stereo?"

My wife is offering me $500 and I think I could scrape up another $500 of my own cash. She suggested I check for sales on HU's and speakers at Best Buy, but I don't want to pay more just so some store can power the lights in their store--I want a stero system that will surpass the enjoyment any high-end headphone set can offer. Yeah, I know, the bass in headphones don't really exist. That's not what I'm after. I have the ears of an audiophile and I would like to be able to distinguish the turning of the sheet music, or the drop of a small object. I want to be able to hear it all. I listen to anything from Worship to Classical, Hard Rock to Classic Rock, Country to Blues, pretty much anything except for Rap and Barely Manenough.

I've had a desire for a Double DIN HU with a touch screen. I want to avoid a flip-up screen if at all possible, cause I use the cup holder in the dash. I do, however, like being able to use the slot in the dash to hold my wallet and iPod.

Feel free to PM me or email me at [email protected]

Ok, the fact that you used headphones while driving scares me...

Next, you certainly picked the wrong car if you want audiophile quality sound and even if you did have a good car for audio, you'd be extremely hard pressed to make a system that sounded as good as pair of Grado's.

If you want to press on, your first step would be sound deadening. There is very little sound deadening in the car, so you would need to do the doors, floor, trunk, etc.

For components, you could easily spend $1k on on a pair of very good front speakers (Morel, Focal, Dynaudio, etc) and the same goes for amps.

The point is, i think you need to be realistic and prioritize. You can get a good sounding system for $1,000 and the place to start is by going to your local audio shops and listening to speakers (don't forget to bring a couple of your own cd's so you can play music that you're familiar with).

 

[skeeler]

Ok, the fact that you used headphones while driving scares me...

Next, you certainly picked the wrong car if you want audiophile quality sound and even if you did have a good car for audio, you'd be extremely hard pressed to make a system that sounded as good as pair of Grado's.

If you want to press on, your first step would be sound deadening. There is very little sound deadening in the car, so you would need to do the doors, floor, trunk, etc.

For components, you could easily spend $1k on on a pair of very good front speakers (Morel, Focal, Dynaudio, etc) and the same goes for amps.

The point is, i think you need to be realistic and prioritize. You can get a good sounding system for $1,000 and the place to start is by going to your local audio shops and listening to speakers (don't forget to bring a couple of your own cd's so you can play music that you're familiar with).

I'm well aware of the noise that transfers throughout the car--I've driven it since day one. I don't know that I would go to the extent of the sound deadening at this point. I'm simply looking for suggestions for what could be reasonably done for $500 or $1000. Until then, I'm fine with the headphones. By the way, what scares you about the use of the headphones? I can still hear and SEE everything.

 

[evilSTi7]

If you have headphones in, there is no way you can hear everything. When you're driving, you need to be focusing on driving and having headphones in is certainly not the way to do it.

 

[morecowbell]

I installed my system for less than $1,000, and I couldn't be more pleased.

I have the Clarion MAX765VD (double din, touch screen, excellent i-Pod interface & good video), Clarion speakers in the doors, an Infiniti amp under the passenger seat and a Kicker 10" in the trunk, all for less than a grand.

It sounds better than a lot of my friend's systems, clean crisp sound with decent bass.

 

[skeeler]

If you have headphones in, there is no way you can hear everything. When you're driving, you need to be focusing on driving and having headphones in is certainly not the way to do it.

DON'T THINK YOU CAN MODERATE MY LIFE!

 

[skeeler]

I installed my system for less than $1,000, and I couldn't be more pleased.

I have the Clarion MAX765VD (double din, touch screen, excellent i-Pod interface & good video), Clarion speakers in the doors, an Infiniti amp under the passenger seat and a Kicker 10" in the trunk, all for less than a grand.

It sounds better than a lot of my friend's systems, clean crisp sound with decent bass.

That sounds like a workable solution. Thanks!

 

[evilSTi7]

DON'T THINK YOU CAN MODERATE MY LIFE!

rly: