Help me find car speakers for my girlfriend!! (lots of bass!)

Question

Ok, honestly I don't know ANYTHING about speakers. My girlfriends birthday is coming up and she really loves to pump up the music (especially BASS) in her car. It is her release valve. She has always been talking about how she wants to get a nice system in her car. So I would like to get one for her.

So, WHERE is the best place to find speakers for a car? (for cheap!) A coworker told me about www.crutchfield.com that he said is pretty good, but I wanted to get some more opinions!

Also, WHAT exactly do I get? My coworker said to get the component speakers that has two tweeters and two speakers/subs. Does this sound good? I want to make sure it can really get a good bass going, but I don't think I just necessarily JUST buy subwoofers. Would I be better off getting some cheap components and sub or just be better off getting a nicer component set?

Clearly, being a college student, I would also like to go as cheap as possible. BUT I definitely don't want to get something that she will think is crappy. That is my BIGGEST concern. I'm willing to go up to around the $100 range. Maybe more if there is some really good deal.

She has a 2004 honda civic!

Also, HOW difficult would it be to install it myself? Or how expensive would it be to get someone to do it? I mean I'm a pretty smart guy and I have some smart friends so if it's not too complicated I should be ok.

Thank you all! :D

Answer 1

If you buy off a web site you will have to pay shipping and handling plus wait for the products to come in.  I would go to Best Buy or Circuit City and check out what they have.  But come on at a $100 budget that is a little cheap, I don't know exactly what your girls taste are but I have a feeling she may be disappointed in a $100 sound system.  I would look at $500 minimum if it was me.  If the factory speakers are working good and are not blown or anything the best way to add depth to the music is with a Subwoofer.  I picked up a Memphis Audio 10" street series and 140 watt amp for $190 + tax.  The amp  $129, sub was $39, and the box about $20.  I pick this up at the local audio shop and installed it in my work van since I spend most of my time there, I left the factory speakers and head unit alone and it works.  It is not going to win any sound competitions but it does sound a lot better than the factory, you would be surprised the difference a single 10" sub makes.   http://www.memphiscaraudio.com you can find a dealer and see the products, that would be decent.  Otherwise you can get a bazooka in the $100 range which will add bass but I hope she really likes you cause she may not be impressed with the bazooka.  Simple if I was doing it I would spend no less than $500 for more quality componants, if I was doing it for my mom or aunt I would go with the Bazooka or some type of amplified bass tube.  Good luck.

P.S. if you don't have much electrical experience or you are not mechanically gifted I would have a friend do it.  An audio installer is going to charge you probably about 60 to 80 bucks to install it.

Answer 2

ok i hate to break it to you but if she really likes it when the bass hits her hundred bucks aint gonna cut it. plain and simple. what you can do is start her system.  there is no way you can buy a system for $100. if she wants a GOOD system your looking at $1000+.  

Ok so as far as i can tell her car needs 5 1/4" speakers in the front and 6"x9" speakers in the back.

Here is your order of operation:

Head Unit/deck/Cd player: this is really the first step to getting a good system. you can get new speakers and subs and such but i would advise that you get a head unit first here ar some around the $100 range: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1034...   http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_8967...    http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1110...    http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1178...   http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_8510...       http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1112...   http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1112...    http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_1110...   These are just a few of the better brands that i know of but as far as i've been told is that alpine is the best in this department.

NEXT: 6x9 my next choice for upgrade would be your 6x9s, you could get a sub but it would just sound terrible when you got it cranked.

as far as components are involved, with your budget Forget it you dont need em just get the speakers. check here for some in your price range: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/viewcat.p...    Always remember you get what you pay for. my prefference would be to stick to a common brand name such as: kicker, jvc, alpine, kenwood, rockford, pioneer, and jl audio.

Now for the bass: SIMPLE AND CHEAP:http://www.sonicelectronix.com/cat_i57_a...

From there you go to separate amp and sub: now when shopping for sub you gotta remember: AMP, SUBWOOFER, ENCLOSURE, and WIRING.  All 4 are crutial and can all be expensive again i would stick to known brands. my sub prefference is kicker...

then finish it off with the 5 1/4" speakers.

from there go bigger and better.

always ALWAYS remember you get what you pay for in car audio.

all my suggestions came from www.sonicelectronix.com they offer free shipping on some items, great warranty and support and they'll match a price for you.

or once you know what make and model your getting go to www.google.com/products and search for a cheaper price.

but ultimately they best place to look is ebay.

install is fairly simple especially for speakers its take the plastic off and the matter of switching 2 wires. sub and head unit are little more complicated but nothing to worry about. and yes crutchfield is good.