Can you help a stereo-illiterate guy out? I am looking for speakers (Front & Rear), an amp, and a sub to help make my stock stereo sound decent. I want to keep my interior looking stock, so no new head unit. Any suggestions? I'm just looking for a decent, quality sound... nothing crazy. Oh, and I'd like to keep it all under $500. Mission Impossible? Does anyone out there with the stock head unit have a nice sounding system? Thanks in advance.
What components can make a stock stereo sound good?
- Thread starter VaderV6
- Start date
Badd Azz TTA
Finally got the Picture
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Hey,
I would go with a 51/4 (doors and tweets in dash)MB Quart component set ($130 EBay)
51/4 or 6" Coaxials (not sure if 6's will fit in back,Also Quart.Bout $100
and a small 4 channel Amp.Power Coustic,Lanzar $150
Good luck
JW
I would go with a 51/4 (doors and tweets in dash)MB Quart component set ($130 EBay)
51/4 or 6" Coaxials (not sure if 6's will fit in back,Also Quart.Bout $100
and a small 4 channel Amp.Power Coustic,Lanzar $150
Good luck
JW
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
The key to having good sound is a clean signal source so I would start with a good head unit.
III'S 87 GN
Active Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2002
best head unit
i know you said you wanted to keep factory head unit,but that is impossible if you want good clean sound.
i agree with audiowizard swap head unit !!!!
the best head unit money can buy for this car is a pioneer
dehp47dh.
it is factory size and plug in with a metra harness.45x45
watts of power,detach face and can control a changer if you want
it too.
looks great in the dash perfect fit !!!!
less than $300 will leave you room for good 3 1/2's bass blocked up front,good 5 1\4 in the door and use 4x10 to 6x9 adapters for the rear.
no need for an amp with this combo !!!!!!!!!!!!
i know you said you wanted to keep factory head unit,but that is impossible if you want good clean sound.
i agree with audiowizard swap head unit !!!!
the best head unit money can buy for this car is a pioneer
dehp47dh.
it is factory size and plug in with a metra harness.45x45
watts of power,detach face and can control a changer if you want
it too.
looks great in the dash perfect fit !!!!
less than $300 will leave you room for good 3 1/2's bass blocked up front,good 5 1\4 in the door and use 4x10 to 6x9 adapters for the rear.
no need for an amp with this combo !!!!!!!!!!!!
D
dconnor
Guest
The Monsoon stereo from late model f-bodies will work, just need to run an amp with it. Pioneer also makes some good din & a half radios that fit in the stock opening perfectly. The stock radio is 14+ year old technolgy & using it to try and drive quality speakers using today's tech in their construction just doesn't make for a quality sounding system.
Does your car have the Concert II option? (speakers in the door) Here is my recommendation for a high quality budget minded system:
Head unit: f-body Monsoon or Pioneer $150~250
dash: Pioneer 3 1/2" with bass blockers ~$40
doors: Cerwin Vega Stealth Series 5 1/4" ~$65
rear deck: Cerwin Vega Stealth Series 6x9" ~$95
subwoofer: single 10" on the rear shelf, Cerwin Vega or Rockford Fosgate $125~200 for the sub & $50~100 for a pre-fab box
Amp: 75 watts x 2 channels bridged into one channel to run the sub, Hi Fonics is THE BEST bang for the buck in amps IMO. Great quality for the price, nice clean sound & plenty of low end grunt.
Keep in mind, if you go with the Monsoon stereo you'll need a multi channel amp to power all of the speakers since the head unit has no built in amp.
Doug C.
Does your car have the Concert II option? (speakers in the door) Here is my recommendation for a high quality budget minded system:
Head unit: f-body Monsoon or Pioneer $150~250
dash: Pioneer 3 1/2" with bass blockers ~$40
doors: Cerwin Vega Stealth Series 5 1/4" ~$65
rear deck: Cerwin Vega Stealth Series 6x9" ~$95
subwoofer: single 10" on the rear shelf, Cerwin Vega or Rockford Fosgate $125~200 for the sub & $50~100 for a pre-fab box
Amp: 75 watts x 2 channels bridged into one channel to run the sub, Hi Fonics is THE BEST bang for the buck in amps IMO. Great quality for the price, nice clean sound & plenty of low end grunt.
Keep in mind, if you go with the Monsoon stereo you'll need a multi channel amp to power all of the speakers since the head unit has no built in amp.
Doug C.
i would also say go with a mid/late 90's declo/monsoon head. They are very good, just lack features.
For mids and such, find some that you like the sound of them and fit your budget, there are millions of good options out there.
For sub, i would say look into RF Z series, JL W0, Adire Shiva, in a 10or 12" (shiva is a 12", also very nice.
).
I am selling my old Lanzar 15" sub, with its box along with the amp I used to drive it, a Lanzar Optidrive 2150 (~300rms @4ohm mono). I will let all that go for $300. Or if you want to splurge I will be selling my Kicker ZR360 (~725rms @2ohm and 549@4ohm) Substituting it for the lanzar amp would bring the price up to: $500, or you could also buy the Lanzar too (if you don't have Concert II run it in 2ohm stereo for a great mid/high amp).
Picture of box
Picture of sub
Picture of amp
Picture of box/sub/amp when installed in my car
For mids and such, find some that you like the sound of them and fit your budget, there are millions of good options out there.
For sub, i would say look into RF Z series, JL W0, Adire Shiva, in a 10or 12" (shiva is a 12", also very nice.
).I am selling my old Lanzar 15" sub, with its box along with the amp I used to drive it, a Lanzar Optidrive 2150 (~300rms @4ohm mono). I will let all that go for $300. Or if you want to splurge I will be selling my Kicker ZR360 (~725rms @2ohm and 549@4ohm) Substituting it for the lanzar amp would bring the price up to: $500, or you could also buy the Lanzar too (if you don't have Concert II run it in 2ohm stereo for a great mid/high amp).
Picture of box
Picture of sub
Picture of amp
Picture of box/sub/amp when installed in my car
K
karkid
Guest
someone here knows about adire shiva's? awesome, thats what i got and that subs is amazing
i can get you a ppi pc2100, 100 watts of the cleanest power you can imagine at a local shop for under $100, they made them in 98 but they are the most beautiful amps, and it wont be overpowering bass but with a shiva its just right for me, if you're looking to be heard from a block away that amp wont do it, but the sub will, feed it 300 watts and it'll get good and loud, if you want any information on car audio, and questions at all, email me, i can give you links for almost any car audio product for cheap or help you pick out what you want, at almost all budgets
denny
i can get you a ppi pc2100, 100 watts of the cleanest power you can imagine at a local shop for under $100, they made them in 98 but they are the most beautiful amps, and it wont be overpowering bass but with a shiva its just right for me, if you're looking to be heard from a block away that amp wont do it, but the sub will, feed it 300 watts and it'll get good and loud, if you want any information on car audio, and questions at all, email me, i can give you links for almost any car audio product for cheap or help you pick out what you want, at almost all budgets
denny
Do you really want the factory original radio, OR, are you like me, & not like the cobbled up, "added on" look of an aftermarket stereo, or any cutting of wires? Since you planned to keep the stock stereo, you will be sticking with cassette. The buick park avenues & roadmasters from 91-4 had an optional equalizer stereo that is very common in the junkyards, & you should be able to get it for next to free, because nobody wants cassettes anymore. That radio will completely bolt into the Regal, using the brackets from the original unit, & wiring plugs in with an adapter harness from GM- AC delco. It will sound about a thousand times better than the original radio. It won't be the original, but still looks & works factory installed. Nothing will be cut or cobbled up. That same radio is also available in a CD version, but they are much rarer, & expensive, & the original CD mechanisms didn't last long, but can be upgraded. This is what I have in my cars. Now we just need some speaker upgrades . Thats my next step. Should also add, those radios look almost the same as stock, except are all black, without the silver on the face. You could even put the original knobs on it if you wanted to look more stock. HTH, Ron Cavanagh, buickron@aol.com
